By Tuesday we could have a clearer picture of who the Democratic presidential candidate will be, but the Democratic race is likely to take us all the way to the party convention this summer. Why? For starters, the primaries aren't over: Pennsylvania alone has a total of 158 pledged delegates, and its primary won't be held until April 22. There are also the Michigan and Florida primaries to consider. Because both states moved their primaries to earlier dates in violation of party rules, they were stripped of their voting delegates at the Democratic convention. This decision remains controversial, and if the delegates' voting privileges are reinstated, they will be in Hillary Clinton's corner. It goes without saying that the inclusion of these delegate-rich states could change the outcome of the primaries.
Although these are compelling reasons for both Obama and Clinton to keep their campaigns going, the real reason that these candidates won't stop until the final tally drops at the convention is the 795 unpledged delegates (or superdelegates) who are free to vote however they please at the Democratic convention. These superdelegates make up 20 percent of the total delegates, which means that they do have the numbers to make a difference in this election. Clinton supporters in particular have been hoping that, even if she loses the primaries, she may still win her party's nomination thanks to these superdelegates. Cynics like yours truly could easily see Obama supporters holding out the same hope if the tide were to turn and Obama were to lose the primaries.
There's something a bit off about Democratic presidential candidates pinning their hopes on party elitists who aren't accountable to the people. Do Democrats really want a presidential candidate who would be willing to accept a nomination that results from overturning the popular vote? It would be ironic if the Democratic presidential candidate received his or her nomination through truly undemocratic means. Irony aside, it would also be a disaster for the party. How difficult would it be for a candidate to unite the very Democrats who have been disenfranchised behind his or her general election campaign? Aren't at least a few of those Democrats likely to go for John McCain or, more likely, Ralph Nader? If this general election is as evenly split as the past two have been, losing just a small fraction of one's voting base could be an electoral disaster.
No matter who the superdelegates might benefit, it's time for both Obama and Clinton to end all talk of an unelected Democratic nominee. Both candidates should pledge to honor the outcome of the primaries and, if elected by superdelegates in defiance of the primaries, both candidates should pledge to decline the nomination. There is much more at stake here than the individual candidacies of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. The integrity of our democracy is at stake and with it the future of our country. There are stark contrasts between the Democratic agenda for this nation and the Republican agenda as represented by John McCain. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama must decide whether the pursuit of a progressive agenda that benefits all Americans is more important than which of them occupies the White House. For the sake of the Democratic Party and the American people in general, we should all hope they can put the people before campaign politics and personal ambitions.
Nate Nelson is a sophomore political science major. E-mail him at nn318806@ohiou.edu.
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Nathan Nelson
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