by Matthew Hay Brown
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer wants to see the race for the Democratic presidential nomination wrapped up before the national convention this summer. And he has an idea of how to do it.
“Let me tell you, in my early days, my younger days, I was a political leader in Prince George's County,” the Maryland Democrat told reporters today. “We had what was called a breakfast club. People sat around the table just like this. We rarely ever voted.
“We did have, however, significant discussion in which we ultimately came to consensus on. That didn't mean everybody was in unanimity, but it did mean that everybody agreed that, well, that seems to be the logical conclusion to reach. So you don't necessarily have to vote to reach such a conclusion.”
Hoyer, who has not backed a candidate in the primary, does not say that superdelegates should be bound by the popular vote in their districts or states. Instead, he says, they should rely on their experience and judgment.
“The people of Maryland voted on Feb. 12,” he said. “Between Feb.12 and Aug. 25 is a long period of time. A lot of things are going to happen. The people of Maryland might have voted differently on, frankly, Oct. 12 of the preceding year, may have voted differently on May 12.”
Which is not to say that the will of the voters wouldn’t influence his decision. Hoyer’s district, like Maryland as a whole, went heavily for Barack Obama.
"In November I have to stand for reelection, so whatever decision I make in August will be a component part of what my constituents in my district think of me,” Hoyer said. “If they think my judgment was good, they will say, hooray. If they think my judgments were lousy and wrong and subverted them, they can vote against me.”
As far as campaign nastiness goes, Hoyer says, he’s seen worse than what’s gone on so far in the Democratic primary. But as Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to battle, he’s urging both to tread lightly.
“I, frankly, think this has not been as tough a primary as we have necessarily had in the past,” Hoyer said. Still, he is concerned about the tone of the race.
“Uniquely, we have two candidates who are the personifications of major constituencies; Mr.. Obama obviously of African-Americans, Hillary Clinton of women,” he said. “And therefore, when one or the other is attacked by either third parties or they go after one another, it is not just them who is hearing … the disagreement, the attack, the whatever, however you want to characterize it. It is the constituencies that they personify.
" And so to that extent, I think we need to be very careful, and I would urge both candidates and am going to urge both candidates to be positive in their approach.”
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Comments
It's nice to know that the House Majority Leader encourages superdelegates to make voters' choice for them... God forbid the "voting class" be allowed to select their own candidate.
McGovern, anyone?
Posted by: Kevin | April 1, 2008 8:43 PM
We basically have a virtual tie right now- a dead statistical heat. And we need to let the next 10 states have their voices heard through their vote. And because the race is so tight- it is imperative that Michigan and Florida have their votes counted or a re vote done as soon as possible.
Clearly- there is no winner without super delegates. Because of this- Michigan and Florida need to be counted in some fair way.
Posted by: Evelyn | April 1, 2008 8:43 PM
Hey Silva, how about a post on the boldfaced lie Obama tells in his new campaign ad? His lips were moving, after all, so I guess it's not that big of a story, but Newsweek did notice.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/129895/page/1
Posted by: Jeff | April 1, 2008 9:23 PM
You thought the Clintons "won" Texas!
Who really won the Texas primary?
After the March 29th statewide caucus conventions...
Barack Obama is ahead of Clinton in "Pledged" delegates
State of Texas delegates
OBAMA 98
CLINTON 95
Like David Letterman said about Bill Clinton in a "top ten" list quote two years ago..
"That old hillbilly sure knows how to hornswoggle em."
Saddle up, Bill...it's a long ride back home..wherever home is these days.
George Shieman gshieman@aol.com
SanFrancisco/Eureka..
quote of the day..."If you keep on knockin' at the Devil's door...someday the door is going to open."
And almost nobody "hornswoggles" the Devil...{exception: Daniel Webster..}
Bill can take solace though.. Clarence Darrow once said, "It doesn't matter whether I go to heaven or hell, I've got friends in both places."
Posted by: George Shieman | April 1, 2008 10:01 PM
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer Is a shinning example of arrogance…voters don’t count.
Posted by: Bernie Holicky | April 1, 2008 10:01 PM
Clearly- there is no winner without super delegates. Because of this- Michigan and Florida need to be counted in some fair way.
Posted by: Evelyn | April 1, 2008 8:43 PM
This ground has been covered endlessly. They could have seated them with Clinton having a slight majority but she wanted to use the unfair results, or make the taxpayers of the states pay millions to feed her ego. A non-starter.
Posted by: Hillary's wake up call | April 1, 2008 10:04 PM
Hillary would be an April Fool's joke if she weren't so seriously scary as the reincarnation of Lady Macbeth and Tonya Harding who will choose to kneecap and assassinate her way to power. As a senior citizen feminist in the same category as Mrs. Clinton, I feel shame at her kitchen sink slime and smear machine. But Hillary Macbeth is not capable of shame. We feminists must disavow her very un-feminist, destructive, very militaristic scorched-earth campaign.
Posted by: shirl | April 1, 2008 10:07 PM
The two candidates we have put up for the publics votes may be two of the worst we have ever seen as a party, and the two candidates themselves are the ones making sure we know it.
JFK must rolling over in his grave at what has become of this once great party.
Posted by: goodbye | April 1, 2008 10:25 PM
Evelyn wrote: "We basically have a virtual tie right now- a dead statistical heat."
Only if you do statistics without NUMBERS is this a dead heat. I'm not a Hillary hater, but this notion that ther's a tie is nothing but wishfull spin.In the latest Associated Press delegate count, Obama leads with 1406 pledged delegates to Clinton's 1249. How is that a tie again?
Posted by: Fred L. | April 1, 2008 10:34 PM
Ahh! Why's it green?!? Any color but green!
Posted by: Rob | April 1, 2008 11:37 PM
so, what's the problem? are you people completely unfamiliar with web design? this is the ugliest page i have seen in a long, long time.
i won't even begin to list the horrors. i don't have the energy. but this is really amateurish. you should be embarrassed.
Posted by: Web D. Ziner | April 1, 2008 11:55 PM
You know I thought it sounded odd when it went by on the news, but if you listen to it you can definitely her her say "I never quit, I never get up."
At about 1:12 on this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaGrXmwQs2o
A bit of a Freudian slip?
Posted by: Jon | April 2, 2008 12:59 AM
Hillary would be an April Fool's joke if she weren't so seriously scary as the reincarnation of Lady Macbeth and Tonya Harding who will choose to kneecap and assassinate her way to power. As a senior citizen feminist in the same category as Mrs. Clinton, I feel shame at her kitchen sink slime and smear machine. But Hillary Macbeth is not capable of shame. We feminists must disavow her very un-feminist, destructive, very militaristic scorched-earth campaign.
Posted by: shirl | April 1, 2008 10:07 PM
SHIRL, I personally thank you for this post. I means a lot to me to know some women feel this way. I am black, and really want to see a person of color, but do NOT want it if its got to be this way. Its got to be on its own merit. Hillary is worse than a liar - she is a premeditated liar and deceiver. She shamelessly peddled that sniper story to the "naieve people who will believe anything". She tried to play us.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Chicagoan and Southsider | April 2, 2008 8:15 AM
Hilary is a straight-face LIAR and as a woman l am so disappointed in her. Trying to lie her way to get votes. ugh!! that is low.
Posted by: sandra | April 2, 2008 10:27 AM
Thanks, ladies, I wholeheartedly agree! I am a 60 year-old liberal/feminist and am ashamed of HRC. Her lies, sword-throwing, and low life tactics are unbelievable. She will fight her way to the presidency anyway she can including sliming her opponent because the public has spoken and they don't want her. Of all the arrogance! She will destroy the party before giving up her ego-based rants! I had respect for her before but no more. Obama ALL THE WAY!
Posted by: Linda Lutes | April 2, 2008 11:49 AM
Steny Hoyer may be arrogant and even vain, but it doesn't show in the comment he made quoted above. It is the very essence of prejudice when commentators bring irrelevant feelings about a person to help judge their statements. The deliberations over the nominee cannot be called an election because is is only a selection process for an election. The general election is not a real election either, but it should be.
Posted by: Gregory Lynn Kruse | April 4, 2008 9:20 AM