Reply #63: I agree with this intermediate solution

[Jim Lane]

Most of the superdelegates are party officials who are chosen through arcane processes, remote from the vast majority of voters. They shouldn't have automatic votes at the Convention.

Senators, Congressmembers, and Governors, however, won actual public elections. They're reasonably representative and reasonably accountable. There's the additional issue that if they aren't delegates automatically, they'll run for regular slots and make it harder for rank-and-filers to become delegates.

I'd also include another of the current categories of supers -- all current and former Democratic Presidents and Vice Presidents. I'm very unhappy about some of the things Bill Clinton has done this year, but, c'mon, the man won two national elections for us. He and Carter, Mondale, and Gore deserve to have a bit more say in the nominating process.