Is Ferraro a superdelegate?

[npincus]

If so, she has offended a lot of Americans with her insensitive remarks (to the tune of: the only thing Baack's got going for him in this election is his skin color) and she ought to be stripped of this status. Like Dems need her presence to poison the superdelegate pool in 2008, where she is not only grinding her axe, but swinging it.

[sabbat hunter]

1. i do not believe

that she is a superdelegate. she isn't an elected official, nor is she a party bigwig.

[DrDan]

2. that is not what she said

I am not defending her remarks - but lets be accurate about what she said. She never said "the only thing" Barack has going is his skin color.

[npincus]

4. I worte "to the tune of" and did not use quotations

so did say those were her words verbatim. But isn't that exactly what she meant?

[DrDan]

11. I don't think she meant it that harshly

I think she meant that his race was working for him in the campaign. I do not believe she is racist.

[DemVet]

26. Neither do I. That's the way I took the comment also. n/t

[mkultra]

5. well, let us then

What she did say is that he wouldn't even be IN this election if he wasn't brown.

And even if she was a super, she shouldn't be stripped. No rules of that sort exists and you cant make them up as you go.

[Drunken Irishman]

19. Yes she did.

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."

Pretty much sounds like she's saying the only reason he's in this position is because he's black.

Now she's had over 3 days to come out and clarify her comments and say that it was only PART of his appeal, but she has not. She's not once said Obama worked hard to get where he is and THAT is the issue here.

[DrDan]

25. what you are saying is different than what I questioned

please read the wording I questioned.

[flyarm]

3. I believe she is a super delegate..ahhh and she has long been a party big wig...maybe not to you

newbies to the party...

Janet Reno is a Super delegate..do you even know who she is?????????

wow..

fly

[npincus]

7. oh my, the condescension just dripped out of my monitor and drowned my keyboard.

"wow"... sheesh. FYI-not a newbie to "the party", in fact I met Ferraro at a fundraiser when you were in diapers (well, while we're making assumptions). Just asking if she is a superdelegate, as I don't know.

Do I know who Janet Reno is? Simply idiotic.

[cali]

22. nope she's not an SD

if you're going to condescending, try not to be wrong.

:rofl:

[Me.]

6. Not Only Is She One, She Served On The Commission That Put SDs In Place

“After the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the Democratic Party made changes in its delegate selection process, based on the work of the McGovern-Fraser Commission. The purpose of the changes was to make the composition of the convention less subject to control by party leaders and more responsive to the votes cast during the campaign for the nomination.

But some Democrats believed that these changes had unduly diminished the role of party leaders and elected officials, weakening the Democratic tickets of George McGovern and Jimmy Carter. In 1982, a commission chaired by former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt created superdelegates. Under the original Hunt plan, superdelegates were 30% of all delegates, but when it was finally implemented in 1984, they were 14%. The number has steadily increased, and today they are approximately 20%. <5>” cont…

“On the other hand, Geraldine Ferraro, who served on the Hunt Commission, has defended the inclusion of superdelegates as being beneficial to the party; she argues that they should exercise independent judgment in voting for a presidential nominee.<26>” cont…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdelegatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdelegate

[npincus]

8. Yes, she wrote an Op-ed in the NYT last month on the subject:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/opinion/25ferraro.html?ex=1361595600&en=50c2dfcfa52e1599&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Today, with the possibility that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will end up with about the same number of delegates after all 50 states have held their primaries and caucuses, the pundits and many others are saying that superdelegates should not decide who the nominee will be. That decision, they say, should rest with the rank-and-file Democrats who went to the polls and voted.

But the superdelegates were created to lead, not to follow. They were, and are, expected to determine what is best for our party and best for the country. I would hope that is why many superdelegates have already chosen a candidate to support.

Besides, the delegate totals from primaries and caucuses do not necessarily reflect the will of rank-and-file Democrats. Most Democrats have not been heard from at the polls. We have all been impressed by the turnout for this year’s primaries — clearly both candidates have excited and engaged the party’s membership — but, even so, turnout for primaries and caucuses is notoriously low. It would be shocking if 30 percent of registered Democrats have participated.

[grantcart]

9. I could not find her on this list of superdelegates under NY for Clinton

I am sure that you are right but wonder if she is in another state or is considered undecided?

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

[Me.]

13. Here Is A Piece She Did For The NYT

Ask The Super/OP by Ferraro

“Perhaps because I have endorsed Mrs. Clinton, I have noticed that most of the people complaining about the influence of the superdelegates are supporters of Mr. Obama. I can’t help thinking that their problem with the superdelegates may not be that they’re “unrepresentative,” but rather that they are perceived as disproportionately likely to support Mrs. Clinton.

And I am watching, with great disappointment, people whom I respect in the Congress who endorsed Hillary Clinton — I assume because she was the leader they felt could best represent the party and lead the country — now switching to Barack Obama with the excuse that their constituents have spoken.

I may be a cynic, but I’m a fairly knowledgeable political cynic. If Mr. Obama wins the nomination, those members are undoubtedly concerned that they would be inviting a primary challenge in their next re-election campaign by failing to support his candidacy.

But if they are actually upset over the diminished clout of rank-and-file Democrats in the presidential nominating process, then I would love to see them agitating to force the party to seat the delegates elected by the voters in Florida and Michigan. In those two states, the votes of thousands of rank-and-file party members will not be counted because their states voted on dates earlier than those authorized by the national party.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/opinion/25ferraro.html?pagewanted=1

[grantcart]

18. The simple question is she a super delegate and she is not listed on any of the lists

Can you please find a citation that shows she is a superdelegate? I am aware of her past involvements in the DNC but being a nominee on the ticket is not an automatic superdelegate.

If your a big Ferraro fan then you will love this where she calls hereself a lunatic and implies that John Lewis and Chris Dodd are cowards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqL_sm0J8jc

[Me.]

21. Never Assume

Would be my lesson today. Would have sworn she was on a list somewhere, in the extras categories. Not a fan.

[From The Left]

10. Yes, She Is

[Ravy]

12. People who paraphrase her to say "The only thing he's got going for him is his

skin color" are too stupid to vote, if you ask me.

[npincus]

16. No one did. Perhaps you're hearing voices?

[Seabiscuit]

27. You did.

You wrote: "the only thing Barack's got going for him is his skin color". That was your mischaracterization of Ferraro's words. You're the one hearing voices.

Substitute "he's" for Barack's" and it's an identical quote. From you.

And certainly by "he's" you were refering to "Barack's".

[burythehatchet]

14. maybe; she's definitely a super freak n/t

[Not the Only One]

15. No. Here are NY's Superdelegates

Geraldine Ferraro is a New Yorker. These are NY's superdelegates:

For Hillary:
Rep. Gary Ackerman
Rep. Michael Arcuri
Rep. Timothy Bishop
Rep. Yvette Clarke
Sen. Hillary Clinton
Ldr. Bill Clinton
DNC Vivian Cook
Rep. Joseph Crowley
Rep. Eliot Engel
DNC Herman Farrell Jr.
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand
DNC Emily Giske
Rep. John Hall
Rep. Brian Higgins
Rep. Maurice Hinchey
DNC Judith Hope
Rep. Steve Israel
Rep. Nita Lowey
DNC Maria Luna
Rep. Carolyn Maloney
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
Rep. Michael McNulty
Rep. Gregory Meeks
DNC Dennis Mehiel
Rep. Jerrold Nadler
DNC June O'Neil
DNC David Paterson
DNC Dave Pollak
DNC Robert Ramirez
Rep. Charles Rangel
DNC Richard Schaffer
Sen. Chuck Schumer
Rep. Jose Serrano
DNC Sheldon Silver
Rep. Louise Slaughter
DNC Sylvia Tokasz
Rep. Edolphus Towns
Rep. Nydia Velazquez
Rep. Anthony Weiner
DNC Randi Weingarten
DNC Robert Zimmerman

For Obama:
DNC Marianne Spraggins

Uncommitted:
Ldr. George Mitchell
DNC Ralph Dawson
DNC Irene Stein

[npincus]

17. thanks for posting the list

:)

[Seabiscuit]

37. THERE YOU HAVE IT. THE ANSWER IS NO!!! SO QUIT SPREADING THIS CRAP!

The OP'er should be ashamed of him/herself.

And, OP'er, welcome to my "ignore" button. You earned it.

[npincus]

39. Calm down. Relax.

and it's "herself".

[MediaBabe]

20. No, she is not a SD.

These are lists of the Super delegates.

Those who have announced their endorsement:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

Those who have not announced their endorsement:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegates-who-havent-endorsed.html

[MaineDem]

23. Nope. n/t

[CreekDog]

24. I prefer to call her an "automatic delegate"

She is not "super" anything. :banghead:

[lunatica]

28. I believe anyone who has ever been elected to public office is a superdelegate

Plus some can be picked by the Democratic Party Officials.

Geraldine Ferraro
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 9th district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1985

edited to clarify

[MaineDem]

29. No, that's not true

Currently sitting Democratic members of Congress, Governors, members of the DNC, and former Presidents, VPs, Speakers of the House, Majority Leader of the Senate, and Chairs of the DNC.

[lunatica]

34. You're right only former Presidents and VPs

I stand corrected.

:thumbsup:

[cali]

32. LOL!!!

Yes, that's why there are thousands of SDs. NOT.

[lunatica]

36. Please read my response to MaineDem. It's #34

edited for spelling

[lunatica]

30. Ferraro claims to have created the superdelegates process in 1982

Ferraro wrote in the NY Ties OP-ED

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/opinion/25ferraro.html?ex=1361595600&en=50c2dfcfa52e1599&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss



In 1982, we tried to remedy some of the party’s internal problems by creating the Hunt Commission, which reformed the way the party selects its presidential nominees. Because I was then the vice chairwoman of the House Democratic Caucus, Tip O’Neill, the speaker of the House, appointed me as his representative to the commission. The commission considered several reforms, but one of the most significant was the creation of superdelegates, the reform in which I was most involved.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

31. and Howard Dean was delegate and was part of that process after the 1980 convention

[cali]

33. Really? Link please.

Howard Dean was a country doc in Vermont at the time. Hard to see how he'd have been involved.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

35. I should make you do your own research .....as you've admonished me for in the past.................

oh Dean was a delegate and present at the 1980 convention.....he is talking from experience

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Democratic_National_Convention

The 1980 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated President Jimmy Carter for President and Vice President Walter Mondale for Vice President. The convention was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City from August 11 to August 14, 1980.

The 1980 convention was notable, as it was the last time in either major party that a candidate tried to get delegates released from their voting commitment. This was done by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., Carter's chief rival for the nomination in the Democratic primaries, who sought the votes of delegates held by Carter.

After losing his challenge for the nomination earlier that day, Kennedy spoke on August 12 and delivered a speech in support of President Carter and the Democratic Party. His speech closed with the lines "For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." The speech was written by Bob Shrum

Various prominent delegates to this convention included Abe Beame, Geraldine Ferraro, Bruce Sundlun, Ruth Messinger, Ed Koch, Robert Abrams, Bella Abzug, Mario Biaggi and Howard Dean.

http://howardempowered.blogspot.com/2008/03/howard-dean-says-if-race-goes-to.html

Dean: Primaries are a 'walk in the park' compared to the General Election

BLITZER: Explain why you're concerned if this were -- were to go to the convention floor. Why would that be a bad thing?

DEAN: Well, if you go to the convention floor with eight weeks to go -- I've been to those kinds of conventions before. We had one in '68, but I didn't go to that one. But that was the most outrageous.

In '72, there was a big fight over seating delegates. In 1980, there was a division between Senator Kennedy and President Carter. Divided conventions were people walk out and there's a lot of to do, it takes time to heal. And this convention is very late because of the public finance rules.

So I would strongly prefer to have a -- there's no reason not to have a nominee -- a clear nominee -- before the convention starts. And that solves all the problems of Florida and Michigan. And it solves unifying the party again.


http://www.newspaperarchive.com/LandingPage.aspx?type=glp&search=howard%20dean%20delegate%201980%20convention&img=\\na0017\1544979\9674999.html

http://www.newspaperarchive.com/LandingPage.aspx?type=glp&search=howard%20dean%20delegate%201980%20convention&img=\\na0010\459254\5058046.html

http://www.newspaperarchive.com/LandingPage.aspx?type=glp&search=howard%20dean%20delegate%201980%20convention&img=\\na0001\559119\6303254.html


.

[cali]

38. Sorry, but that does not say

that he was involved in the process of creating the SDs. He was still an obscure part time legislator and full time doc. He was hardly important at the time.

[goodhue]

40. no, she is not

Had she actually been elected vice president, she would be.
Same goes with John Edwards--not a superdelegate despite being vice-presidential nominee.