Congratulations to both Democratic frontrunners!
Hillary Clinton has won the popular vote by over 300,000 votes. Barack Obama has won 130 more pledged delegates.
Here are the final totals:
POPULAR VOTE (all primaries and caucuses)
Hillary Clinton: 17,785,009
Barack Obama: 17,479,990
PLEDGED DELEGATES
Barack Obama: 1766.5
Hillary Clinton: 1639.5
Currently, 2118 delegates are needed to win the nomination, according to the DNC. A successful appeal of the RBC's recent decisions on Florida and Michigan would change that threshold to 2210, but that's less relevant now because the pledged delegate allocations are fairly final (pending completion of state conventions) and, again, neither Clinton nor Obama will have enough pledged delegates to reach either 2118 or 2210.
Since we got a lecture from party member and SuperD Donna Brazile Saturday at the RBC meeting on the importance of her momma's lesson about following the rules, let's review the DNC's rules for winning the nomination.
It's not complex. In a nutshell: If a nominee does not win a sufficient number of pledged delegates to secure the nomination, the automatic (or "super") delegates must vote to determine who the nominee will be. The automatic delegates, who are elected and unelected party officials, can use any criteria they each find appropriate when voting, but the original intent and purpose of the super delegate system was to ensure that the party nominate the most electable candidate for the general-election battle.
Most importantly: The automatic delegates cast their votes at the Democratic National Convention along with the pledged delegates. This year the convention will be on August 25-28 in Denver. It will certainly be an historic event as presidential conventions go because of the extraordinary task at hand for the automatic delegates. Their votes, by the way, will be cast by private ballot.
That's the status of the Democratic Presidential nomination process.
Now, Barack Obama can "declare himself the nominee" (FOX News characterization last night), he can throw all the big parties and make all the pretty speeches in as many hope-change-unity rallies he wants. He can campaign with vigor against John McCain. (And so can Hillary.) The Clinton-hating party clique can "proclaim" that Obama is the nominee; the mainstream media can continue to ignore reality...None of this is surprising, and none of it matters...
Because there will not be a nominee until August. There will not be -- there cannot be -- any nominee until August. And even the "presumptive nominee" status is a stretch because normally that claim is made by a candidate who has reached the required number of PLEDGED delegates (as John McCain did).
And anyone who thinks that Hillary Clinton supporters don't understand all of this...is delusional and seriously underestimates the loyalty and passion of her quiet yet determined army (although some of us aren't that quiet).
We are informed and engaged constituents committed to a brilliant and inspiring leader. We are NOT going to fold our tents and hop on board Obama's train just cause that's what we are told to do by people who, frankly, are experts at losing elections. NO. We have collectively determined that we'd actually prefer that the Democrats win the Presidency this year. No more McGoverns, Carters, Kerrys, Gores, Harts, Deans....Nothing personal, guys, but your track record stinks.
In the 2000 Presidential Election, Al Gore won about 550,000 more votes than George Bush. Given the consequences of that election fraud, I thought it would be a cold day in h**l before Democrats would let anyone steal the election from another Democrat...But then again, these are the General Election losers running our party so...
So, while Obama is zipping around the country and world celebrating "victory," let the rest of us remain sober and focused in respect of these basic and indisputable FACTS:
1. Hillary Clinton has now officially won more votes than any person to seek the presidential nomination of EITHER political party in history, and her candidacy accurately represents the will of the people who voted in the Democratic primaries and caucuses.
2. Hillary Clinton won ALL of the major states except Illinois.
3. Hillary Clinton finished the primary season with momentum, out-performing expectations in several races such as, most recently, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, and South Dakota (see Obama's predictions spreadsheet); Obama, in contrast, is wheezing across the finish line with a downward trajectory that bodes poorly for the general election.
4. Hillary Clinton assembled a coalition of loyal voters that can guarantee victory against McCain, including white women, hispanics, catholics, jews, and lunch-bucket workers.
5. Barack Obama is still a relative unknown, remains unvetted by the media, and is teetering on the brink of being clobbered by the GOP, RNC, 527 Oppo Teams due to his treasure chest of bizarre skeletons.
In light of these cold, hard facts, Hillary Clinton bloggers and supporters will continue doing what we've been doing: Passionately making the case that Hillary Clinton will be the best President, that she has a superior chance of beating John McCain. It's do-or-die for us, and for the country. And we have every intention -- indeed a duty -- to carry that message all the way to Denver.
Note: popular vote totals from ABC News and pledged delegate totals from Real Clear Politics.
Cross posted at TexasDarlin
TexasDarlin, all rights reserved
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