Candidates Donate to Superdelegates

[Algorem]

Source: AP


By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER – 7 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Campaign committees controlled by Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have donated at least $890,000 to the campaigns of superdelegates, according to a report by a group that tracks money in politics.

Obama donated the largest amount, about $694,000, to those campaigns in the past three years, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Clinton donated $195,500.

Both campaigns are furiously lobbying for support among the Democratic Party's nearly 800 superdelegates, who will be free to support whomever they choose at the convention, regardless of the outcome of the primaries. Superdelegates include all Democratic members of Congress, Democratic governors and other party officials...

"People put a lot of trust in their elected officials to represent them," said Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics. "It would be particularly unpalatable if money seemed to be a factor in who ultimately got the nomination."...

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5y6nS4ErwjpwekMrJe53uPrnTcwD8UQCMEG2

[Tatiana]

1. Also discussed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4599912

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4594300&mesg_id=4594300

[Zynx]

2. This is the sort of story that just makes one sick.

[frog92969]

3. WTF?

This stinks to high hell.
:wtf:

[ixion]

4. way to buy those votes...

:eyes: :puke:

[LeftHander]

5. Many ways the the people are prevented from selecting the President....

Electoral college, party chicanery...butterfly ballots and touchscreen voting machines.

[onehandle]

6. Obama outbribed Clinton by almost 4 to 1?

Interesting.

This is change?

[Baby Snooks]

7. Superdelegate's "Superfund"

This certainly has proven to be a good way to have presidential candidates put money back into the local coffers. Unfortunately it is also a very sleazy was and smacks of "quid pro quo" which of course raises the question of which pot is calling the kettle black every time the question of ethics is raised on a partisan basis.

So much for the expectation that the Clintons would merely steal the superdelegates. Barack Obama appears to be buying them.

Perception is all in politics. And this is another example of why so many are so tired of both parties. The perception is they are all on the take. And only representing the special interest instead of the public interest. And in this case, their own self-interest.

[BearSquirrel2]

8. This is gross ...

So now the candidates are reduced to bribing super delegates. They need to reduce the influence of the SuperDelegates so they can merely call a close race rather than overthrowing the will of the electorate.

[eilen]

9. Where's my check?

Hell, I'm a voter. Oh yeah, that's right, I'm getting one under the "Economic Stimulus Package" yeah, that's right.