Bruising Clinton- Obama race tests low-key party chairman
New York Times Apr 2, 08 7:18 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Since his crash-and-burn run for president four years ago, Howard Dean has served as a decidedly low-key Democratic Party chairman, slowly building up state organizations while staying out of the limelight. Yet as the Clinton-Obama race wears on, many are wondering if Dean has the political acumen—or even the will—to rally a party in danger of fracturing.
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OPINION
Hopefuls must end race 'as soon as possible,' TNR says
New Republic Mar 31, 08 8:55 PM CDT
(Newser)
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It's time for Democrats to panic, the editors at New Republic say. Americans are ready for a lefty, yet Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are locked in an ugly battle over racism, sexism, and the minutiae of health care policy. When one of them emerges—probably in June—that candidate will have little time to drum up "narratives that justify their claim on the White House."
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OPINION
Former VP nominee takes GOP line in describing party's change
Time Mar 31, 08 2:48 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Joe Lieberman is several months into his job as John McCain’s wingman, but, writing in Time , Michael Scherer sees shades of 2004 turncoat Zell Miller in the Connecticut independent's anti-Democrat tone. Scherer hears a “Republican general election argument” in Lieberman's claim the Dems are ruled “by a small group … that is protectionist, isolationist and basically … very, very hyperpartisan.”
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Dems keep clashing over fallout from primary battle
New York Times Mar 29, 08 6:22 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Democrats continue to clash over the effects of a long and bitter primary race, the New York Times reports. "If we have an ugly, divided convention, we will lose" the November election, said Howard Dean, who has called on superdelegates to decide by July. But Hillary-backer Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa said, "We’ve become a bit too squeamish. I, for one, want my nominee to be battle tested.”
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Superdelegate says Democratic party needs to settle nomination soon
Politico Mar 26, 08 9:34 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Democrats should hold a superdelegate superprimary to settle the race before the summer, says Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen. “You’re going to spend this whole summer—and lots of money and time and effort—trying to convince people that whoever isn’t eventually nominated, isn’t electable,” says Bredesen. To staunch the bloodletting sooner, he proposes that the 795 superdelegates meet in June to cast their ballots.
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State tells party to find solution; Michigan mulls June re-vote
Miami Herald Mar 17, 08 7:24 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Florida Democrats reacted to weeks of political wrangling today by ditching plans for a mail-in revote, the Miami Herald reports. "Thousands of people responded," Florida Democratic Party chair Karen Thurman wrote. "The consensus is clear: Florida doesn’t want to vote again. So we won’t." But she said the Sunshine State still isn't calling it quits.
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Clinton victories in Texas, Ohio presage ugly, costly contest
Newsweek Mar 5, 08 10:28 AM CST
(Newser)
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Hillary Clinton's victories in Texas and Ohio herald a long, ugly scrap for the Democratic nomination—and the big loser may be the party, reports Newsweek . It remains unknown how many delegates the New York senator won last night, but Clinton can now brush aside calls for her to end her candidacy as the race moves to its next big battleground: Pennsylvania, six weeks away on April 22.
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OPINION
Come November,
Lone Star Dems might surprise the state
Austin American-Statesman Feb 24, 08 2:02 PM CST
(Newser)
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Although Texas' ornery primary-caucus hybrid doesn't take place until March 4, polls are already open and voters are flooding "the reddest counties in a deep red state" to choose a Democratic presidential candidate. The record early turnout is an eye-opening phenomenon, writes Austin American-Statesman columnist Arnold Garcia Jr., who wonders whether a Dem surge can continue through November.
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Get ready to come together in November—or else, he warns
Politico Feb 21, 08 8:36 AM CST
(Newser)
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With an eye on November, Jesse Jackson warned Democrats yesterday to patch up their battle wounds from the ongoing Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama feud or they "could hurt themselves substantially, perhaps irreparably," reports Politico. First on his agenda is making sure that black-Latino tensions are not "exacerbated," he stressed. "You just can’t characterize things as Hispanics for Hillary and blacks for Obama."
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Al Gore could
play peacemaker
New York Times Feb 16, 08 6:07 AM CST
(Newser)
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Concerns about party unity are keeping Al Gore and other senior Democrats neutral in the Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton face-off—at least for now, the New York Times reports. Party elders are painfully aware that infighting or back-room dealing at the Democratic National Convention could look like the will of the people is being thwarted and sour the public on the whole party.
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Possible decision-makers represent paradoxical turn in historic primary
Politico Feb 15, 08 11:44 AM CST
(Newser)
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If the Democratic primary comes down to the superdelegate vote, the historic black man-vs.-white-woman race will be decided by ... white men. At least 46% of the party’s superdelegates are white men, compared to just 28% of Democratic voters. “Obviously, it’s an imperfect system,” one representative tells Politico. “I do think you’ll see some reform after this.”
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796 insiders must walk line between public's wish, party allegiances
Washington Post Feb 10, 08 6:23 AM CST
(Newser)
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Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have long been courting superdelegates—the 796 Democratic insiders whose votes are becoming ever more critical to their party's nomination—but the situation is rife with potential pitfalls, explains the Washington Post . The idea that the votes of everyday Democrats may not end up deciding their candidate is just the beginning of the problem. The superdelegates—worth the equivalent of two Californias—give extra nominating clout to the party's elected officials.
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