Hillary fat cats try to push Pelosi (Updated)
A bunch of big Clinton donors have written a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi complaining about her pro-Obama stance on superdelegate with a veiled threat to undercut Democratic efforts to hold or expand their House majority if she doesn't toe a new line -- the first time either side has suggested the intra-party war may expand beyond the presidential campaign.
The letter, reported by TPM, contains the following reference to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the national fundraising arm for Pelosi's House majority:
"We have been strong supporters of the DCCC. We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August. We appreciate your activities in support of the Democratic Party and your leadership role in the Party and hope you will be responsive to some of your major enthusiastic supporters."
The substantive objection: The donors didn't like Pelosi saying superdelegates should follow the will of rank-and-file Dems as reflected in pledged delegates, where Obama will likely have an edge, and instead favor Clinton's idea of a free for all -- in which superdelegates and, apparently, "pledged" delegates as well, would be untethered from the popular vote and make their own decision about who the strongest candidate would be.
The problem: Party leaders like Pelosi are supposed to hold the party together. Partisans may see her position on super-delegates as pro-Obama, but isn't it kind of objectively obvious that it would fracture the party to overturn the verdict of rank-and-file voters? People are allowed to disagree with Clinton. But the letter suggests that her camp is prepared to put Congressional Democrats at risk in her quest -- which may scare them, or may infuriate them.
Update: Obama campaign responds: “This letter is inappropriate and we hope the Clinton campaign will reject the insinuation contained in it. Regardless of the outcome of the nomination fight, Senator Obama will continue to urge his supporters to assist Speaker Pelosi in her efforts to maintain and build a working majority in the House of Representatives.”
Full text of the letter and list of signers appears after the jump.
Dear Madame Speaker,
As Democrats, we have been heartened by the overwhelming response that our fellow Democrats have shown for our party’s candidates during this primary season. Each caucus and each primary has seen a record turnout of voters. But this dynamic primary season is not at an end. Several states and millions of Democratic voters have not yet had a chance to cast their votes.
We respect those voters and believe that they, like the voters in the states that have already participated, have a right to be heard. None of us should make declarative statements that diminish the importance of their voices and their votes. We are writing to say we believe your remarks on ABC News This Week on March 16th did just that.
During your appearance, you suggested super-delegates have an obligation to support the candidate who leads in the pledged delegate count as of June 3rd , whether that lead be by 500 delegates or 2. This is an untenable position that runs counter to the party’s intent in establishing super-delegates in 1984 as well as your own comments recorded in The Hill ten days earlier:
"I believe super-delegates have to use their own judgment and there will be many equities that they have to weigh when they make the decision. Their own belief and who they think will be the best president, who they think can win, how their own region voted, and their own responsibility.’”
Super-delegates, like all delegates, have an obligation to make an informed, individual decision about whom to support and who would be the party’s strongest nominee. Both campaigns agree that at the end of the primary contests neither will have enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination. In that situation, super-delegates must look to not one criterion but to the full panoply of factors that will help them assess who will be the party’s strongest nominee in the general election.
We have been strong supporters of the DCCC. We therefore urge you to clarify your position on super-delegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the National Convention in August. We appreciate your activities in support of the Democratic Party and your leadership role in the Party and hope you will be responsive to some of your major enthusiastic supporters.
Signers: Marc Aronchick, Clarence Avant, Susie Tompkins Buell, Sim Farar, Robert Johnson, Chris Korge, Marc and Cathy Lasry, Hassan Nemazee, Alan and Susan Patricoff, JB Pritzker, Amy Rao, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Haim Saban, Bernard Schwartz, Stanley Shuman, Jay and Tracy Snyder and Maureen White and Steve Rattner.
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Comments (3)
Dear Senator Nancy Pelosi,
I admire your courage in voicing your opinion and concern for the party. Please be brave and denounce those who threatened you when you spoke the truth about the ongoing dirty fighting and lies that Clinton campaign is spewing out. There are far more good people in this country to support you when the time comes for you to stand for re-election. Think of the good people who were percicuted for standing up against evil. Think of the men and women of US armed forces who are in Afghanistan to fight against crooks that make life miserable for good common people. Be brave. Don't faulter. Stand up for what is right.
Senator Pelosi -hold your ground! More Clinton politics as usual, now by a handfull of Clinton supporting super-delegates, with super egos, that think they're more important than the people of this country.
I guess Dave & Sue are new to politics They seem to think that SPEAKER Pelosi is a SENATOR.
Poor Hillary Soprano she does not seem to get the message.
Bill & Speaker Pelosi both are supporting Obama. They both know that In the end there can only be one who was president not two
It's BILL, I repeat BILLLLLLLLLLLL