Superdelegates get campaign cash

[ZombieHorde]

Many of the superdelegates who could well decide the Democratic presidential nominee have already been plied with campaign contributions by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, a new study shows.

"While it would be unseemly for the candidates to hand out thousands of dollars to primary voters, or to the delegates pledged to represent the will of those voters, elected officials serving as superdelegates have received about $890,000 from Obama and Clinton in the form of campaign contributions over the last three years," the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics reported today.

About half the 800 superdelegates -- elected officials, party leaders, and others -- have committed to either Clinton or Obama, though they can change their minds until the convention.

Obama's political action committee has doled out more than $694,000 to superdelegates since 2005, the study found, and of the 81 who had announced their support for Obama, 34 had received donations totaling $228,000.

Clinton's political action committee has distributed about $195,000 to superdelegates, and only 13 of the 109 who had announced for her have received money, totaling about $95,000.

-----------
No more at link:
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/02/superdelegates.html

[NoodleBoy]

1. the title and initial wording of the article make it sound like Obama and Clinton are giving them

their own money.

Intellectual dishonesty FTL!

[ZombieHorde]

2. Your right, it does.

The article mentions pac's, but if you are only skimming the news that day...

[pinto]

3. I suggest this is much to do about nothing. Or, more accurately, fishing for a scandal.

Further down in the article, it's noted that other primary contenders, Gov. Richardson as one, were recipients and, as a side note, the two front runners have donated to each others campaigns at times.

Please note, folks, this is a tracking from 2005 up to now. And, we had a major Congressional election in 2006.

The implication of a quid pro quo is over the top, on this one.

Oh, and for perspective - $694,000 over three years averages out to $330,000/year spread out over a number of campaigns. And $195,000 over three years averages out to $65,000/year spread out over a number of campaigns.

Some of all that may have gone to 2006 races, dontcha think?

[TexasObserver]

4. Very true. They give to elected officials, and many are superDs.

All Dem House and Senate members, and all Dem governors are superdelegates.

No one really expected this to go to the superDs.

It's taking some facts and rearranging them so that it tells a story by connecting the wrong dots.

[LiberalFighter]

7. I agree... the time frame should start later. Like after 2006.

[pinto]

8. Yeah. Good points. And it's worth noting the 'super delegate' membership,

as well. These officially uncommitted delegates to the convention are hardly a monolithic voting bloc, by any stretch. They run the gamut of elected Democratic officials.

I support the party revisiting this system, but fishing for a scandal that is no scandal doesn't seem the way to go about it, imho.

[Alamom]

5. dupe.

[Alamom]

6. It's interesting to see, "Who got what from Who".....especially now.

JMHO

[onehandle]

9. Obama outbribed Clinton by almost 4 to 1?

Interesting?

This is change?