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Argument: Superdelegates should vote their beliefs, not according to popular vote

Issue Report: Superdelegates

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  • Clinton. November 2008 – “Superdelegates are by design supposed to exercise independent judgment”. She claimed that Obama’s belief that superdelegates should vote according popular opinion is “contrary to what the definition of superdelegate has historically been.”[1]
  • Rick Pearson. “Hillary Clinton camp defends superdelegate clout”. Feburary 16, 2008 – “These are not easy judgments to make and reasonable people can disagree, but at bottom, as I told a group of our members of Congress who are supporting Hillary early in the week, our obligation as a delegate, whether you are an automatic delegate, whether you’re a member of Congress, a member of the DNC, or elected from the districts…is to try to decide who will make a good president and hopefully a great president. But very importantly, who will fare the best and carry the ticket in November?”
  • Geraldine Ferraro. “Got a Problem? Ask the Super”. New York Times. February 25, 2008 – “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.”

Supporting videos

“Hillary Discusses Superdelegates at Black State of the Union”[2]