Ruminations of an Expatriate

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Saturday, March 29th, 2008...9:03 pm

“Super Delegates”

Just in case you’re wondering about those democratic “super delegates” whom pundits are wringing their hands over, while never explaining who they are, here you go. From the Democratic National Committee website.

As you can see they’re actually referred to as “Unpledged Delegates”.

9. UNPLEDGED AND PLEDGED PARTY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIAL DELEGATES
A. The procedure to be used for certifying unpledged party leader and elected official delegates is as
follows:

Not later than March 1, 2008, the Secretary of the Democratic National Committee shall officially confirm to each State Democratic Chair the names of the following unpledged delegates who legally reside in their respective state and who shall be recognized as part of their state’s delegation unless any such member has publicly expressed support for the election of, or has endorsed, a presidential candidate of another political party:

1. The individuals recognized as members of the DNC (as set forth in Article Three, Sections 2 and 3 of the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States); and, [These are folks elected by their democratic compatriots at the state level to represent their state on the Democratic National Committee. There are required to be equally divided by gender and general are representative of the racial composition of the states they represent.]

2. The Democratic President and the Democratic Vice President of the United States, if applicable; and,

3. All Democratic members of the United States House of Representatives and all Democratic members of the United States Senate; and,

4. The Democratic Governor, if applicable; and,

5. All former Democratic Presidents, all former Democratic Vice Presidents, all former Democratic Leaders of the U.S. Senate, all former Democratic Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic Minority Leaders, as applicable, and all former Chairs of the Democratic National Committee. [These are so called “distinguished party leaders”. By my count there are 24, of whom may be counted President Clinton, President Carter, Walter Mondale, Al Gore, Tom Foley, to enumerated but a few.]

B. Following the selection of district-level delegates, and prior to the selection of pledged party leader and elected official delegates, unpledged add-on delegates shall be selected according to the following procedures:

1. Unpledged add-on delegates may be selected by either the same selecting body which will select the state’s party leader and elected official delegates, or by the same selecting body which will select the state’s at-large delegates and alternates.

2. The equal division and affirmative action provisions of Rule 10.A. apply to the selection of unpledged add-on delegates.

3. The list from which the selecting body chooses the unpledged add-on delegates shall contain the same minimum number of names for every such add-on position to be filled as the minimum number of names required by the state’s delegate selection plan to remain on the list of bona fide supporters for each at-large and pledged party leader and elected official delegate pursuant to Rule 12.E.(2).

4. Unpledged add-on delegates are not entitled to alternates, and neither shall the delegation be entitled to a replacement, except in the case of death.

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