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Why Clinton Should be Winning

If primaries were winner-take-all, she'd have a tidy lead

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 7, 2008 11:19 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama is beating Hillary Clinton in the delegate count only because of the eccentricities of the Democratic Primary system, argues Sean Wilentz on Salon. Like it or not, the general election will be a winner-take-all affair, and if the primaries were conducted the same way, Clinton would lead Obama 1,430 delegates to 1,257, with her total jumping to 1,743 if Florida and Michigan were counted.

If she wins half the remaining primaries, Wilentz calculates, she'd have enough delegates to get the nomination without a single superdelegate. He also notes that while Obama’s side often rails against the anti-democratic superdelegate system, Obama can be anti-democratic himself when it suits him. In Texas and Nevada, Clinton won the popular vote, but Obama came away with more delegates under the rules, and isn’t about to relinquish them.

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., campaigns at Missoula County Airport in Missoula, Mont., Sunday, April 6, 2008.
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., campaigns at Missoula County Airport in Missoula, Mont., Sunday, April 6, 2008.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., cups her ear as reporters ask her about Mark Penn, the pollster and senior strategist for Clinton's presidential bid who left the campaign Sunday.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., cups her ear as reporters ask her about Mark Penn, the pollster and senior strategist for Clinton's presidential bid who left the campaign Sunday.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., campaigns at Missoula County Airport in Missoula, Mont., Sunday, April 6, 2008.
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., campaigns at Missoula County Airport in Missoula, Mont., Sunday, April 6, 2008.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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