Who's getting the big superdelegates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We've been closely tracking superdelegate endorsements since early this month, and a clear trend has been observed. If I had written this post yesterday, Obama would have gained 25 superdelegates since January 12, and Clinton gained 23 delegates, pretty even. But Obama surged ahead today, with 6 more superdelegates, now showing a gain of 31 vs. 23 for Clinton. But even more interesting is where the gains have come from:

Obama has gained 20 endorsements from Congress and Governors since Jan 12:
Governors Sebelius and Napolitano, Senators Ben Nelson, McCaskill, Kennedy, and Leahy, and 14 Representatives.

Clinton has gained only 10 endorsements from Congress and Governors since Jan 12:
Governor Rendell, Senators Murray and Bill Nelson (FL - so not included in above numbers), and 7 Representatives.

While these superdelegates get the same single vote as other superdelegates, I think it's fair to say that Obama is getting a significantly larger share of "known" superdelegates. That's something that should help him next week, and may also indicate a growing preference among established national Democrats over who they want their nominee to be.

The first online primary - Democrats Abroad to decide delegates online on Super Tuesday

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

For the first time ever on February 5th Americans living outside of the United States will be able to vote for their favorite Democratic candidates over the Internet. Super Tuesday starts abroad this election cycle.

Thailand:

About 1,500 expatriate Americans are expected to cast ballots at voting centres here or via the internet in a presidential primary for Americans living abroad.

Five hundred Democrat supporters in Bangkok are expected to cast ballots, while another 1,000 living elsewhere in the country are likely to exercise their rights via the internet, in what is being billed as the first hi-tech primary vote for Democrats abroad, said Philip Robertson, chair of Democrats Abroad Thailand (Dat).

Democrats Abroad, a branch of the party representing overseas voters, will hold its first global presidential preference primary from Feb 5 to 12, with expatriates selecting the candidate of their choice by internet, fax, mail and drop-in ballots at polling places in more than 100 countries. The Democrats Abroad global primary will determine which presidential candidates the 22 delegates of Democrats Abroad support when they go to the Democratic National Convention in the US in August. In Thailand, poll centres will open in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nong Khai and Udon Thani. - Bangkok Post

Canada:

Come Feb. 5, the mega primary day in the U.S. election, Toronto resident and American citizen Anne Borden can vote in the first ever global online presidential primary for overseas Democrats.

At the Democratic national convention in August, the expatriate cyber votes will be represented by delegates of Democrats Abroad.

"They helped me register to vote. I didn't even know I could vote," says Borden, a copy writer who moved to Canada in 2003.

The online primary is part of the Democrats' get-out-the-vote campaign, no matter where the voters live. The presidential election in 2000, when the Florida count was so close, showed that every vote matters. - Toronto Star

Italy:

Thanks to the Internet, Americans who belong to the Democratic Party are getting a voice of their own in the presidential nomination, as the party has agreed to allow expatriates to choose 22 delegates to the national convention as part of the so-called Super Tuesday voting next month.

Everyone Counts, a company based in San Diego that specializes in online voting, is running the Internet voting for the Democrat primary for overseas residents. Everyone Counts handled the voting by Internet for local elections in British cities in 2003 and 2007 as well as the online voting for the Australian election in November, handling voting by soldiers stationed in Iraq and other spots overseas.

The Democratic primary for Americans abroad will start Feb. 5, the Tuesday when 21 states will hold primaries, and run until Feb. 12. In addition to voting by Internet, people can also cast ballots by mail, fax or - in 34 countries - they can vote in person. - International Herald

India:

Americans in Delhi who are registered Democrats will trek to Ploof Restaurant in Lodhi Colony on February 5, when there will be a showdown across the US between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that may point to the eventual winner of the Democratic presidential nomination.

February 5 is known here as “Super Tuesday” because that day 24 states, including the more populous ones like California and New York, will choose their delegates to the nominating national convention of either party.

American Democrats in Delhi who wish to cast their ballots at the voting station in Lodhi Colony have been asked to bring their passports or any other proof of US citizenship.

Americans living elsewhere in India have been asked to register to vote and join Democrats Abroad by January 31. A ballot, a secure ID and instructions for voting will then be sent to them so that they can vote online in the Democratic Global Primary on February 5 and 6. - The Telegraph

Democrats Abroad have a total of 22 delegates but each vote only counts for 1/2 a vote. The delegation will be staying at the Red Lion Inn Denver Central just outside of downtown Denver during the convention.

Edwards out

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

John Edwards is dropping out of the race today. What happens to his delegates? First, all of his superdelegates go back into the no endorsement pool. Second, his 4 delegates from New Hampshire and his 8 delegates from South Carolina will go to the convention as Uncommitted. And finally, his delegates from Iowa don't exist anymore, but will be replaced with Clinton or Obama delegates. That's because delegates to the national convention haven't actually been picked yet in Iowa. There are Congressional District (CD) and state conventions still to come, and all his delegates to the CD conventions will have to vote for one of the remaining candidates to the state level convention. We'll get the delegate trackers updated as the day goes on.

Update 1: The post above has gotten a lot of play around the net, but one thing must be corrected.

Iowa: Edwards received 14 delegates from Iowa, but they were split. 5 were state-level delegates, and 9 were CD-level delegates. The CD-level delegates are basically history. First, there are county conventions, and then CD conventions. Since Edwards won't meet the 15% threshold at the county conventions, he won't have any representation at the CD conventions, and won't get any CD-level delegates. Where they go at this point is impossible to say. But he will keep his 5 state-level delegates. By keep, what I mean is that his campaign gets to choose the 5 delegates. Who they end up voting is still up in the air. We'll update the Delegate Tracker.

Update 1A: Turns out I was right in the first place. The state-level delegates are chosen in the state convention, and as Edwards won't meet the 15% threshold, he won't get any state-level delegates either.

Update 2: The South Carolina situation is a bit confusing. But reading the South Carolina Delegate Selection Plan, they essentially have a system similar to Iowa's, except the final number of delegates selected for each candidate have to match the numbers out of the primary. There's no mention of a candidate "releasing" his delegates, so for now, we'll assume Edwards gets to name his 8 delegates. (Who they end up voting for at the convention is another matter).

Update 3: a non-incremental version of this post can be found at MyDD. Also note the following:

There is no first-ballot "vote for your candidate" rule at the Democratic Convention. Technically, any delegate is free to vote for any candidate on any ballot. (There may be state rules mandating a vote - we're still looking into that). Therefore, there is no such thing as a "legal" release of delegates. There is a political "release" - almost all delegates will vote for their candidate unless their candidate tells them they don't have to. But from a Rules point of view, a "release" of delegates mean nothing.

And therefore, it doesn't matter whether Edwards "ended" his campaign or "suspended" it as far as his delegates go. My guess is he will tell any delegates he has left that they can vote for who they want, or he could endorse someone and tell his delegates to vote for that person. But it doesn't matter from a rules point of view. They can vote for anybody at any time anyway, regardless of what Edwards did or say today or does in the future.

Original Update: Before we remove John Edwards' endorsements and numbers I wanted to add them to this post so we have a record of where things stood when he dropped out.

Endorsements: Edwards Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC) Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC) Rep. Brad Miller (NC) Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD) Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (TX) Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN) Rep. David Obey (WI) Rep. David Price (NC) Rep. Heath Shuler (NC) Rep. Bart Stupak (MI) Rep. Mel Watt (NC) Rep. Michael Michaud (ME) Rep. Bruce Braley (IA) DNC Joe Wineke (WI) DNC Sarah Swisher (IA) DNC Nancy Larson (MN) DNC Mary Jo Neville (MD) DNC Muriel Offerman (NC) DNC Elisa Parker (TN) DNC Carol Peterson (NC) DNC C Richard Cranwell (VA) DNC Diane Saxe (MA) DNC Jim Frasier (OK) DNC Richard Machacek (IA) DNC John Knutson (ME) DNC Vince Powers (NE) DNC John Perez (CA)

How Green Will The Convention Be?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

I listened to a great interview yesterday on Colorado Public Radio about the unprecedented work being done to "green" the convention. Andrea Robinson, the Director of Greening for the DNCC and Parry Burnap, the Greening Coordinator for the Host Committee

Click here to listen

More information on greening can be found in this Denver Post Article

Come Aug. 25 (or sooner), some 35,000 Democrats and members of the news media will flood into Denver, where they will eat at local restaurants, explore the metro area's cultural establishments, and be entertained at more than 1,000 parties and events. But while they're adding an estimated $160 million to the area's coffers, will they also be adding to its traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon footprint?

The city of Denver and the Democratic National Committee hope not, so they have joined together as the DNC Host Committee to "green" the convention and create a permanent legacy of environmental improvements for the city.

The committee has established 10 task forces to ease the environmental impact of the convention. One group will focus on educating hotels, restaurants and event planners. Last week, workshops underwritten by the Environmental Protection Agency attracted 150 people from the Colorado Restaurant Association, where they learned how they can minimize water use, offset electricity use, and buy food grown locally to reduce energy used for transportation. Parry Burnap, greening director for the committee, says similar workshops are planned for the hotel industry. - Denver Post

Denver: We'll pay you to stay off the roads

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Lets get those bicycles working:

Those who work in downtown Denver could get money or perks for taking public transportation or riding bikes during the month of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, courtesy of federal taxpayers.

Gift cards for $100, free and unlimited transit passes for the month of August, and even free bike locks, helmets and secure parking all are under consideration.

The Downtown Denver Partnership, which advocates for the area, has won a $173,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that it plans to match with $43,000 to offer the program.

The goal is to "take advantage of the fear of extra traffic and added congestion" as well as the convention's "green" theme to spur the 110,000 downtown workers into alternative transportation, according to the partnership's project description.

Florida primaries today

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The Florida primaries, whose 210 delegates were disqualified for Democrats, take place today. The DNC stripped Florida of its delegates after the state moved its primary before February 5th.

Florida's Democratic Chairperson Karen L. Thurman posted this note on the Florida Democratic Party website.

Dear Florida Democrat,

Florida is in the driver's seat. Despite what the Washington skeptics and pre-programmed pundits predicted, the nation's eyes are turning to our January 29th Presidential Primary. It is important to vote in this election.

There's been a lot of fuss about delegates, but it's time to forget all that and just vote. The nationally respected RealClearPolitics website noted today that the Florida Democratic Primary will "include all the candidates on the ballot, and the entire media universe will be watching the outcome, guaranteeing the Sunshine State a big impact on the presidential race as it hurtles toward a critical moment the following week on Tsunami Tuesday."

...

Make no mistake, Florida Democrats will be heard on January 29th. The energy and momentum is on the Democratic Party's side nationwide, and Florida is no different. Thousands upon thousands of Florida Democrats are heading to the polls to make their voice heard in the final primary in the country before February 5th (the potentially decisive "Tsunami" or "Super Duper" Tuesday when more than 20 states will hold primaries or caucuses).

Update: Clinton obviously won, and McCain is now in the driver's seat for the GOP nomination. If anyone has Florida Democratic delegate estimates, please let us know. Also, the email at right is now working again.

Update 2: One estimate for the statewide delegates only is Clinton 38, Obama 26. There are 121 other delegates to be allocated by Congressional District.

Update 3: From the Green Papers, but it's a rough estimate as vote by CD was not available: Clinton 108, Obama 77. Note that Edwards received 14.76% of the vote, so did not meet the 15% threshold to get any state-wide delegates. (He missed by 4,000 votes - anyone for a Florida recount?). He will surely get delegates at the CD level when the CD votes and delegates are available. A quick estimate would give him 12-15 delegates, coming from both Clinton and Obama.

Another superdelegate switches from Edwards to Obama

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva switched his endorsement from John Edwards to Brack Obama today.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona is endorsing Barack Obama after earlier backing John Edwards in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Grijalva cited Obama's electability and his intention to "fundamentally change the rules of the game" in Washington, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press in advance of a planned Tuesday conference call with reporters.

...

Grijalva had endorsed Edwards on May 3, saying the former senator from North Carolina "has shown principled leadership on the way in Iraq and on economic opportunity in America."

In the statement explaining his switch to Obama, Grijalva said it "was not a repudiation of Senator Edwards, rather the understanding that Senator Barack Obama is the future."

"The best opportunity to win in November rests with Senator Obama," Grijalva added. "I am proud to support Senator Obama as we move forward toward the nomination. This election is not merely about moving the pieces around in Washington D.C., but to fundamentally change the rules of the game. I am proud to help Senator Obama work toward that change."

Grijalva is the second superdelegate to switch from Edwards to Obama. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (NC) switched earlier this month.

We may see more of John Edwards' endorsers jumping ship in the near future.

Update: Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has endorsed Obama

Update II: Representative Maxine Waters (CA) endorsed Clinton today.

Superdelegates Are People Too - Jenny Greenleaf (OR)

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Over the last two months we have looked at the dark and mysterious world of the superdelegates. Some people have called their power tyrannical and others think their very existence is undemocratic. Last week I entered this dark world and spoke to one of these "undemocratic tyrants".

Jenny Greenleaf is one of us. She's not a demon bent on the end of our democracy. She has no intention of denying American citizens of their right to choose their preferred candidate.

And as one of Oregon's 13 superdelegates, Greenleaf will be able to choose who she wants to be nominated as the next President of the United States.

After seeing the following comment on MyDD, I had to talk to her:

I'm a DNC committeeperson from Oregon, which makes me a superdelegate.

I get a call from two or three media organizations every week. I politely explain that I am not endorsing any of our great candidates yet. They then ask if I am leaning toward anyone, and I say no. (Because I'm an officer of the state party, and we don't want the state party to be seen as providing more or better services to one candidate or another, I plan to stay neutral until Oregon's late primary in May.

So, ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS/New York Times call the superdelegates constantly. I suspect that when the reporters count up the superdelegates, they are using slightly different ways of deciding if someone is a supporter or not. It depends on whether they count the leaners. And how many people they managed to reach for that particular poll.

Greenleaf isn't a life-long party member. Like many people she became politically active in 2002. After being laid off from a tech job she wanted to work on something that would make a difference. Her goal was to make the Democratic Party less mysterious and more efficient.

She started out doing fundraisers and moved on to help the Dean and Kerry campaigns in 2004. Jenny was selected as a delegate and attended the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. At the time she was a regular blogger on American Street. She told me that the delegates were really just extras on the convention floor and that she spent a lot of time hanging out in the nose-bleed seats with the other bloggers. Greenleaf won her DNC seat in Dec. '04, and thus became a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

The media calls her at least once a week asking for her preference. The Oregon Democratic Party has decided not to make endorsements yet, so she remains Uncommitted. The Clinton, Edwards and Obama campaigns call to ask for an endorsement about every other week. Greenleaf mentioned that the Clinton campaign has made the most calls.

We will continue to follow our Oregon superdelegate through the convention and bring you more proof that superdelegates are people too.

Update: Jenny Greenleaf left a comment to this story on MyDD

I am not undemocratic. I work really hard to make sure the Party is transparent. I got involved because I thought the Party needed to change. I personally find the processes we use to elect our leaders to be Byzantine, to say the least. I'm not going to defend it, but I do believe you have to understand how it works to try to change it. I've been on a mission to do that since I got started in 2002.

Let me see if I can clear up some misconceptions about the superdelegates. For the most part, they are elected in one fashion or another. The congress members and governors were elected by the people in their states. Most of the DNC members are elected by their parties. Others are elected by organizations, such as the Democratic Secretaries of State. A few were appointed by Governor Dean.

I worked my tail off in the 2002 and 2004 campaigns. That's how I got on the DNC....it certainly wasn't decided in a smoke-filled room. The people who elected me to the DNC were elected to the state party from their county parties. Our county parties contain the most progressive activists in our state, and it's those folks who elect the DNC members.

While campaigns do call us with requests for endorsement, nobody has tried to twist my arm or offer me an ambassadorship to New Zealand. Nobody has been anything but polite. I have received no calls from any dark, shadowy bodies informing me that they've chosen the candidate. It's all quite above board.

Some of you have said that a superdelegate vote counts more than yours. Again, not defending the status quo, it is true that the superdelegates could make a difference if they vote in a monolithic bloc. I don't know the congresspeople real well, but I do know that DNC members have a widely varied set of backgrounds, allegiances, and preferences. I expect their votes will be as varied. by Jenny Greenleaf on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 01:13:42 PM MST

Superdelegates: The Invisible Primary

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The NY Times gives us its view of the superdelegate race:

The superdelegates are the target of something of an invisible primary as the rival campaigns woo them for endorsements, for the political connections such public backing can bring and for their actual support at the convention, should it be needed. The superdelegates can also be influenced by the primaries. An aide to Senator Barbara Boxer of California said Ms. Boxer would cast her superdelegate vote for the winner of the California primary on Feb. 5.

Superdelegates were created after the 1980 election and were intended to restore some of the power over the nomination process to party insiders, keeping a lid on the zeal of party activists. They immediately came in handy for Mr. Mondale in his 1984 presidential bid, when they gave him a cushion over the upstart campaign of Gary Hart.
...
According to a recent telephone survey of superdelegates by The New York Times and CBS News, about one-third have expressed no preference in the 2008 race, about 25 percent support Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and about 10 percent favor Senator Barack Obama. The remainder did not return calls or refused to comment.

But nothing in the rules binds any of the superdelegates, and they are free to shift positions, unlike pledged delegates who are committed to support a particular candidate at least through an initial convention vote. That creates a situation that political aficionados dream about: a deadlocked convention up for grabs until a bloc of superdelegates comes together and anoints a nominee.

Two comments. First, the note about Boxer is very interesting. It's a safe tactic to take, and one that would make critics of the superdelegate system happy. We'll keep an eye out for other superdelegates who commit in the same way.

Second, the Times says that pledged delegates "are committed to support a particular candidate at least through an initial convention vote." There is nothing in the convention rules that say that. As far as the national party is concerned, delegates are supposed to vote for the candidate they were elected for, but there is no binding requirement to do so. (Although we have heard that there are state rules that may bind delegates - but that needs more research).

How would the Florida and Michigan delegates actually be seated?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

With all the controversy surrounding the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations at the Democratic Convention, it's worth taking a look at how the process would actually work.

First, what rule did Florida and Michigan break? Section 11A of the Delegate Selection Rules of the 2008 Democratic National Convention:

No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in the presidential nomination process (the date of the primary in primary states, and the date of the first tier caucus in caucus states) may be held prior to the first Tuesday in February or after the second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention. [Except for Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina].

On Aug 26, 2007, the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee stripped Florida (and later Michigan), of all its delegates:

Donna Brazile, a member of the rules committee who argued for a swift and harsh punishment for Florida, said states' desire to be more relevant in the nominating process does not excuse violations of rules intended to make the system fair for everyone.

"I understand how states crave to be first. I understand that they're envious of the role that Iowa and New Hampshiree have traditionally played," said Brazile, who was Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000. "The truth is, we had a process. . . . We're going to back these rules.

Now the Call for the 2008 Democratic National Convention ("the Call") states in section II-(B):

Only delegates and alternates selected under a delegate selection procedure approved by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee and in accordance with the rules shall be placed on the Temporary Roll of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

So Michigan and Florida will not be placed on the Temporary Roll. And then it's in the hands of the 2008 Democratic Convention Credentials Committee. From The Call, section VII-(J)(1,2,3):

The Credentials Committee shall determine and resolve questions concerning the seating of delegates and alternates to the Convention pursuant to the resolution entitled the “Relationship Between the 2008 Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee and the 2008 Delegate Selection Rules,” which includes the “Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee of the 2008 Democratic National Convention” hereby approved and adopted by the Democratic National Committee, and set forth in full in the Appendix to this Call. The committee shall report to the Convention for final determination and resolution of all such questions.

Challenges to the seating of any delegate or alternate shall be in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Credentials Committee. Any challenge to the seating of a delegate or alternate that is not made in conformity with these rules shall be deemed waived.

Upon the request of members representing twenty percent (20%) of the total votes of the Credentials Committee, a minority report shall be prepared for distribution to the Convention delegates and alternates as part of the committee’s report.

And here's where we diverge if the seating is contested or not. If it's not contested, someone will challenge the non-seating of the delegates, the Credentials Committee will likely unanimously approve the challenge, the Committee will recommend in its main report that the delegates should be seated, the convention will approve the seating, and the Michigan and Florida delegates will march onto the floor with great ceremony.

But if the seating is contested, a Minority Report will be issued by the Credentials Committee.

And then we get to the convention. The report of the Credentials Committee is the very first piece of real business to occur at the convention. The Call, VIII-(C)(1)(a,b):

a. The Temporary Chair shall recognize the Chair of the Credentials Committee for up to thirty (30) minutes to present the committee’s report unless a longer period of time shall be provided in a special order of business agreed upon by the Convention. The Chair of the committee may present committee amendments, yield part of his or her time to others and may yield for the presentation and disposition of minority reports without losing the right to the floor.

b. The Temporary Chair shall arrange for the orderly presentation of amendments and of minority reports offered at the direction of the committee. Twenty (20) minutes shall be allowed for the presentation of each committee amendment or minority report unless a longer period for any committee amendment or minority report is provided in special orders of business agreed to by the Convention. Time shall be allotted equally to proponents and opponents of each committee amendment or minority report. The questions shall be put on each committee
amendment or minority report immediately following its presentation without intervening motion.

And we have a vote, state-by-state, the first meaningful state-by-state roll call at a Democratic Convention since 1980. Clinton would need a majority of the delegates (not including Florida and Michigan) to approve the Minority Report.

And then reality strikes. If Clinton can get a majority of delegates to support the Minority Report, than she has a majority of the delegates supporting her anyway, and she doesn't need Michigan and Florida.

But if she doesn't have a majority of the delegates supporting her, its hard to see why delegates supporting other candidates would vote to seat the two delegations, essentially helping her out. After fighting for the nomination for 2 years, why would Obama or Edwards and their delegates give up the fight in this way. It's just not going to happen. The delegations will NOT be seated if the nomination is contested.

Obama wins South Carolina easily

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Latest results here, still waiting for final delegate counts.

Update: Obama 25, Clinton 12, Edwards 8. Delegate Trackers have been updated.

Missing superdelegate endorsements

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

As our regular readers know, we only count a superdelegate for a candidate if there is a public record of support for the candidate. That puts our numbers lower then some media organizations, which use a much lower bar for their numbers.

We know that we have avid supporters from all the campaigns posting and sending us tips about endorsements, so we're asking for your help. The AP provides a state-by-state breakdown of their delegate count. We've compared it with our state-by-state breakdown, and we've identified the states where we are missing some superdelegate endorsements. We've listed below every state where the AP shows 2 or more superdelegates than we do. Go out and hit Google or Lexus-Nexus, and find our missing superdelegates. Remember, we need publicly available sources.

Clinton: Alabama - 2, Guam - 2, Kentucky - 2, Louisiana - 2, Massachusetts - 3, New York - 6, Pennsylvania - 5, West Virginia - 2.

Obama: California - 4, DC - 2, Illinois - 3, Massachusetts - 2, South Dakota - 2.

Edwards: California - 2, North Carolina - 3.

(In case you're wondering why the numbers may not add up, there are states where we have more superdelegate endorsements than the AP. We have 4 for Clinton from MO, the AP has 2. We have 3 for Clinton from Puerto Rico, the AP has zippo. Not bad for a small blog compared to the biggest media organization in the world).

Major Media starts looking at superdelegates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

On Friday night Keith Olbermann did a story on superdelegates and how they may be the key to a candidate getting the nomination. Crooks and Liars is hosting the video in a post called Forget Super Tuesday Or Even Tsunami Tuesday, It’s All About The Super-Delegates

Video from Crooks and Liars

If Keith needs some help with superdelegates Matt and I would be happy to help him.

Update: Keith, here's some help. There are not 386 superdelegates being elected or selected on super Tuesday. The superdelegates are already chosen by virtue of their position. and to imply otherwise is very misleading. Also, Keith combines the 720 unpledged PLEOs (Party Leaders and Elected Officials), with the unpledged add-ons. There are 76 of these unpledged add-ons, 1-5 per state, and they get selected at the various state conventions. We're not tracking them here, yet, because we don't know who they are.

And one interesting thing: According to the Call of the Democratic Convention, there are, as I stated above, 720 PLEOs + 76 add-ons, giving 796 total superdelegates. But twice Keith mentions that there are 797 superdelegates. Does he know something that the DNC doesn't even know?

Is Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin still a superdelegate?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

A commenter tipped us off to the fact that Providence Mayor David Cicilline was elected yesterday to head the National Conference of Democratic Mayors. Mayor Cicilline takes over for Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. From everything we've heard from the DNC, this position comes with superdelegate status.

Here's where things get interesting. If Mayor Franklin loses her superdelegate status (which we will try to confirm on Monday) Barack Obama loses one of his endorsers. Mayor Cicilline on the other hand backs Clinton adding a superdelegate to her tally. For now we will leave Franklin on Obama's list but I have linked her name to the article above.

As a reminder, we will only add an endorsement once it's official and can be proven by a press release or news article. Thanks to all of the readers who are helping to make our lists and our numbers the most accurate ones available.

Conventional Wisdom

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

• Andre Walker at MyDD discusses how the Georgia delegate selection rules could hurt Obama
• Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper discussed the $50 million in security funds with Justice Dept. officials.
• Washington & Lee University holds its mock Democratic Convention this weekend. They've had them since 1948, and their pick has been wrong only once, in 1972. You can watch the live webcast here. Update: Clinton won.
  

South Carolina Primary Today

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

South Carolina holds its Democratic primary today. This is the last (binding) primary for the Democrats before Super Tuesday on February 5th. Polls opened at 7 am and will close at 7 pm.

South Carolina residents can find their polling places at SCVotes.org

Results will be posted at the South Carolina Democrats Website

After the diversions, distractions, and debates that have roiled the campaign in recent weeks, Democrats will finally cast their ballots in the South Carolina presidential primary Saturday.

The polls, if they can be believed, indicate a strong victory ahead for Barack Obama over Hillary Ciinton and John Edwards, on the strength of his support from African-Americans, who probably will be a majority of the Democratic electorate. An NBC survey released Thursday night found that Obama had 38 percent, Clinton 30, and Edwards 19, with blacks overwhelmingly backing Obama and whites split between Edwards and Clinton.

Obama, Clinton and Edwards attend a NAACP rally to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in South Carolina.

(Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)

The three main candidates have sparred, sometimes angrily, over a variety of issues, including the Iraq war, healthcare, and how to overcome special interests in Washington. But much of the talk in the past few days has focused on former President Bill Clinton, who has gone on the attack against Obama, prompting some of his ex-advisers and friends to say he is going too far with his harsh tone. - US News & World Report

CBS: Obama over 100 superdelegates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Just a quick note that CBS now has Obama at 106 superdelegates, the first time any media organization has had him over 100. We've got him at 85 public superdelegates, so there are 21 Obama delegates, as well as 26 Clinton and 11 Edwards delegates, that are hiding out there. (We'll have Sen. Bill Nelson's endorsement of Clinton on the list when its announced on Tuesday).

Clinton wants Florida and Michigan delegates counted

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We've been tracking the controversy over the Florida and Michigan delegates to the Democratic Convention, and today it took center stage in the Democratic race:

In a bit of political theater, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Florida Democratic Party clamored to restore convention delegates that had been stripped by the national party. At stake: 185 delegates in a state where Clinton leads almost 2-to-1.

The presidential candidate said Friday — just four days before Florida's primary — that she wants the convention delegates from Florida and Michigan reinstated. The national party eliminated all the delegates from those states — more than 350 in all — because they broke party rules against holding their primaries before Feb. 5. All the major Democratic candidates also made pledges not to campaign in those states before their primaries.

Clinton could claim most of the Michigan delegates because she won that state's primary after the other major candidates pulled their names from the ballot.
...
In an earlier statement, Clinton said, "I believe our nominee will need the enthusiastic support of Democrats in these states to win the general election, and so I will ask my Democratic convention delegates to support seating the delegations from Florida and Michigan," she said.

The Obama campaign responded:

"Senator Clinton's own campaign has repeatedly said that this is a contest for delegates, and Florida is a contest that offers zero," Plouffe said. "Whether it is Barack Obama's record, her position on Social Security, or even the meaning of the Florida Primary, it seems like Hillary Clinton will do or say anything to win an election."

Many Democratic insiders believe the eventual nominee — whoever it is — will work to reinstate the delegates at the convention to promote party unity going into the general election, despite two overwhelming votes by the party's rules panel to strip them.

Under the rules for the Democratic convention, the candidate with the most delegates at the convention will control who gets seated — if the delegates follow the candidate's wishes.

Not true. A majority of the other delegates gets to decide whether to seat Florida and Michigan, not just the candidate with the most delegates. If Clinton has an actual majority of the delegates, then she has the nomination, and the question of Florida and Michigan is moot anyway.

In reality, this is really just a political position by Clinton, as she already has a large majority of the delegates in Michigan, and she hopes this stand will attract undecided voters in Florida. It's just really hard to construct a scenario that seats the two delegations if Clinton doesn't have a majority of the delegates going into the convention.

Denver Public Schools won't delay start

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We finally have an answer from Denver Public Schools as to whether or not they will delay opening schools due to security concerns from the convention.

Students in Denver Public Schools will return to classes as usual in August, after school board members on Thursday vetoed a plan to delay the school start date for the Democratic National Convention.

Board members voted 5-2 to start school on Aug. 18 this fall, rather than wait until Sept 2. The DNC is scheduled to bring 35,000 visitors to Denver between Aug. 25 and 28.

Earlier this month, DPS Security Chief Ed Ray and Justin DeMello, head of the city's Office of Emergency Management, told board members that the city and district could better share resources in the event of a DNC emergency if schools were not in session.

But a survey of parents, students, teachers and community members found 57 percent preferred the earlier start. Only one group - parents - came out in favor of the later return. - RMN

You can read our previous stories on the possible delay by using our Tag List on the right and choosing security. I guess they figured the chance of "mass casualties" at the convention were too slim to delay opening schools.

Kucinich drops out

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Dennis Kucinich has ended his campaign for the presidency.

For more coverage of Dennis Kucinich, go to the Openers blog.

We'll put Kucinich and his lone superdelegate supporter Jon Ausman (FL) back into the not endorsing list and will remove him from our trackers.

Kucinich said he will not endorse another candidate in the primary.

NY Times/CBS Superdelegate survey

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The New York Times and CBS News just completed their latest survey of superdelegates for the 2008 Democratic Convention:

In an indication of where Democratic Party leaders are leaning, the telephone survey of the party’s superdelegates found about one-third of them undecided, 25 percent favoring Mrs. Clinton and about 10 percent supporting Mr. Obama. In an earlier survey completed by The Times and CBS News in November, more of the party leaders were undecided, though they supported Mrs. Clinton over Mr. Obama then as well.

Clinton: 202
Obama: 96
Edwards: 33
Kucinich: 1
Undecided: 274.5
No answer: 189.5

Survey conducted Jan 1-17. Florida & Michigan not included. (Democrats Abroad get 1/2 vote per delegate).

A couple of notes:
The CBS News election website still has the old numbers.
Edwards number went down from 41 to 33, but is now in line with the other media surveys. (See tracker at left).
Almost a quarter of the superdelegates refused to answer or were not reachable.
There are 464 superdelegate votes still up for grabs.

Convention volunteer hopefuls be on the lookout for an email to update your profile

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Just got this from the Host Committee. If you plan on volunteering for the convention it looks like you'll need to reapply so that you are entered into their new system.

The Host Committee is enhancing its volunteer file. Over the next several weeks each volunteer in our data base will receive an email asking him/her to go to a linked web site. This email will include instructions on how to log in and how to add information to our files. A few volunteers have already been contacted to test this new system. Now we are ready to phase in all our volunteers, but not all at once.

Watch for your email and when it comes, it is important to follow directions and fill out the new volunteer profile form. It will allow you to let us know what type of jobs you're interested in and what days and time of day you're generally available.

It also allows the Host Committee's volunteer coordinators to match volunteers, like Marie Baumunk shown above working the Host Committee's office phones, with jobs that suit them as well as fill jobs deemed critical by the Host Commitee.

This is an important step we're taking to organize the volunteer base. So remember, keep an eye out for that email and respond as soon as you can.

It doesn't say exactly when they plan on sending the emails but I would say if you don't get one in the next few weeks you might want to check into it.

Obama and Clinton each get a Former DNC Chair's Endorsement

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

If you read Matt's Distinguished Party Leaders post a couple weeks ago you'll remember that all former DNC Chairmen are superdelegates. Today we can cross off two of the DPL's from our non-endorse list and move them to the endorsement list.

Pennsylvania Governor (and former DNC Chair) Ed Rendell endorsed Hillary Clinton today. He is considered a DPL in the superdelegate world and not a Governor. Barack Obama followed up with a lesser known DPL when Former DNC Chairman Fred Harris from New Mexico endorsed him.

Rendell served as DNC Chairman from 1999 to 2001 and Harris served from 1969 to 1970.

Delegate counts all over the place

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Everyone's got 2008 Democratic Convention delegate counts, and just about everybody's count is different. Why? Well, it's not the pledged delegates. Most media organizations (CNN, CBS, AP and NBC) are consistent, showing Obama with 38, Clinton with 36 and Edwards with 18 pledged delegates. Then there's the NY Times, which is not including Iowa or Nevada as they haven't selected actual national delegates yet. And then there are outlets reporting numbers with Michigan and Florida included, which greatly increases Clinton's lead. The GreenPapers and MyDD are tracking this way, and we've got both sets of numbers in the sidebar.

But even assuming no delegates for Florida and Michigan, the superdelegate numbers are different everywhere. As seen on our Superdelegate Tracker (as of 1/22), CNN has it 174/85/34, CBS has it 195/88/41, and the AP, via the Chicago Tribune, has it 200/98/34.

And then there's NBC, which doesn't seem to acknowledge the existence of superdelegates:

"I don't understand why people haven't allocated the superdelegates," [director of surveys for CBS News, Kathy] Frankovic said. "Certainly, they'll be counted as much" as those selected state by state, she said.

But lets focus on those organizations that do acknowledge superdelegates. Here we count only publicly announced endorsements, and so have it at 173/80/28. Why do CBS and the AP have higher numbers?

"It's very good to stay scientific as much as you can, but you've got to apply reporters' intelligence," a former political director at ABC News, Hal Bruno, said. "My hunch is everybody is so oriented to computers now that all they can do is crunch numbers. You've got to do the reporting. The reporting is as important as the number crunching."
...
Mr. Bruno, who headed ABC's political shop for 19 years, said he used to hire a well-connected Democrat and a well-connected Republican for the presidential election year to work contacts in each state. "A lot of superdelegates say they're uncommitted and it's untrue," he said, adding that reporting could usually establish at least that a delegate was leaning toward one candidate or another. The former journalist said he also checked in regularly with people the campaigns hired or assigned to tally delegates.
...
Mr. Bruno said that at different times during the campaign season he produced separate tallies of "hatched," "unhatched," "leaning," and "firm" delegates, though he acknowledged that the numbers were usually blended together before being broadcast.

I'm sure that the many of the unannounced endorsements assumed by the media organizations are accurate, but there's no way to know, as they don't publish any information. So we'll continue to publish only sourced endorsements, we'll note the media counts as a comparison, and we'll keep tracking the numbers until only one candidate is left standing, whether that's sometime this spring, or in Denver in late August.

Convention vendor directory surpasses 1000 businesses

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Over 1000 vendors are now listed in the DNCC's vendor directory.

Among the hopeful vendors are 255 minority-owned businesses, 22 businesses owned by persons with disabilities, 68 "green businesses" and 410 women-owned businesses.

"The vendor directory is one of the quickest and easiest ways for area businesses to market themselves to the 35,000 attendees of the convention," Elbra Wedgeworth, president and chair of the host committee said in a statement. "The level of participation this early on has exceeded our expectations, and we hope that more and more businesses take advantage of this service." - Denver Business Journal

You can find anything from searchlights to an Uncle Sam stilt walker in the list.

Could Edwards be a Kingmaker?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

There's been talk of Edwards playing kingmaker at the convention, sending his delegates one way or another for whatever reason. But I think this assumes a time gone by, when delegates would march in lockstep for their state bosses and/or their candidate. The Politco agrees:

And his delegates won’t automatically follow his lead, and might instead shift to a media-anointed front-runner.

“Nobody’s bound to him. You guys, the media, are the ones who will decide,” said one veteran of past delegate processes who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he supports one of Edwards’ rivals.

Edwards could make a deal or an endorsement, but we shouldn't assume that his delegates would follow blindly in line.

Convention delegates not bound to candidates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

To our loyal readers: Oreo and I have been invited to post on occasion to MyDD. Oreo made his first post on Friday (can you guess the subject), and I just made my first one today, which is also below. Be assured we will continue to provide you the most deep and detailed coverage of the convention and the nominating process right here at 2008 Democratic Convention Watch.

For those of us who have been around a while, the last time a Democratic Convention had even a little suspense was 1980, in Madison Square Garden, New York. Ted Kennedy was making a last attempt to try and get the nomination from President Carter. The problem: Rule F(3)(c), which officially bound delegates to the candidate they had been elected for on the first ballot. But with a weak Carter campaign on the horizon, Kennedy thought that if the delegates were released from their pledges, he could get enough votes to get the nomination. The problem was, Carter still had a majority of the delegates, and they voted not to overturn the rule, and Kennedy's campaign was over.

But subsequently, the rules were changed, and now convention delegates are free to vote for whomever they want to. The Call for the 2008 Democratic National Convention states:

VIII C(7)(c) Delegates may vote for the candidate of their choice whether or not the name of such candidate was placed in nomination.

The Delegate Selection Rules state:

12 I: No delegate at any level of the delegate selection process shall be mandated by law or Party rule to vote contrary to that person’s presidential choice as expressed at the time the delegate is elected.

12 J. Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.

But nowhere does it state that delegates are bound, either legally, or by rule, to vote for the candidate they were elected for, whether on the first ballot, or any subsequent ballot.

Now lets be realistic. The campaigns who put the delegate slates together are not going to put anybody but the most committed loyalists on the ballot. But once those delegates get to the convention they are free to vote for whomever they want. In reality the only way for a candidate to lose those delegates would be for some major political damage to happen to a candidate between the time he or she secures a majority of votes and the convention, and for the candidate to refuse to withdraw. In that scenario, you could see delegates being pressured to change their vote, and they would be able to under the rules. The 796 superdelegates would also be under the same pressure to revoke any endorsements they had made. It's an unlikely scenario, but, the point is, it is possible. Delegates are not bound to the candidates.

Nevada delegate controversy

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

While Clinton won the Nevada caucus with more votes today, the delegate situation has gotten all muddled. First, the news media gave Clinton 13 and Obama 12. Then, they changed to it Obama 13, Clinton 12, based on Obama gaining a couple of delegates in rural areas, but likely with small vote margins. Then, the Nevada Democratic Party said, wait a minute, no one got delegates, its a 3 step process.

A couple of things. Nevada sounds no different than Iowa. Both have these 3-stage processes of electing delegates, so estimates of national delegates for both states are the same. If you accepted the Iowa delegates counts, you have to accept Nevada.

Also, there are a lot of people (i.e., Obama supporters), saying, isn't it the delegates that matter? Well, we're talking about only 1 delegate difference in a pool of over 4,000. And then there are a lot of other people (i.e., Clinton supporters), saying, we won the popular vote - that should be what matters. Well, as Al Gore saw in 2000, winning the popular vote in an election is only worth something if it actually wins you the election.

Update: The Nevada Democratic Party has backtracked a little, realizing they were delegitimizing their whole caucus by saying that no national delegates were selected today:

If the delegate preferences remain unchanged between now and April 2008, the calculations of national convention delegates being circulated by the Associated Press [Obama 13, Clinton 12] are correct.

Campaigns preparing for brokered convention

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Delegate tracking operations? Brokered Convention Madness has broken out in the campaigns:

Still, the prospect of serious wrangling in Denver remains a distinct possibility, and the leading campaigns say they’ve begun to focus on the prospect of running the kind of delegate operations that were common in the 1980s, when campaigns would employ a dozen or more staffers, each assigned to minding a set of delegates.

“The most likely scenario now after the fifth of February is that Obama and Clinton will basically split the delegates,” said [Tad Devine, a veteran Democratic consultant who ran Michael Dukakis’s delegate-tracking operation in 1988].

“The only real question is will there be a third candidate who can win between 10 and 20 percent of the delegates, and become a serious force.”

Forgetting the question of why Mike Dukakis needed a delegate tracking operation in 1988 in Atlanta, I'm still of the belief that this will be decided before the convention. But if it isn't, we are in for a great summer.

Update: Even Kos is catching Brokered Convention Madness:

What's interesting about this whole affair is that neither Clinton nor Barack are delivering knockout blows. Hillary will likely emerge with a couple more delegates than Barack, but nothing to essentially knock him out of the race. He's got plenty of cash to go on. She certainly does. This race can drag out for a long time.

Two brokered conventions in the same year? Wouldn't that be something!

Meet your convention delegates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

I promise we won't do this for all the delegates, but New Hampshire was the first state to select actual Democratic National Convention delegates, and here are four of them:

Four area residents are among those named by the New Hampshire Democratic Party as delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Among those who will be attending the convention are Exeter resident Russell Weatherspoon, Joshua Denton of Portsmouth, Joanne Dowdell of Portsmouth and Paul O'Connor of Exeter.

Weatherspoon will be a delegate in support of Sen. Hillary Clinton. He is the dean of residential life at Phillips Exeter Academy and an English and religion teacher.

Denton will be a delegate for former Sen. John Edwards. Capt. Denton is an Iraq War veteran.

Dowdell and O'Connor are New Hampshire delegates for Sen. Barack Obama. Dowdell is a vice president at Citizens Advisors Inc. and a member of the Seacoast African American Cultural Center and the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail. O'Connor is president of Metal Trades Council at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

In this group, 2 for Obama, 1 for Clinton and 1 for Edwards.

Nevada caucuses today

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Now that the lawsuit over the at-large caucuses on the Las Vegas strip has been settled we can take a look at what's going to happen today.

Nevada has a total of 33 delegates up for grabs. The breakdown according to the Green Papers is: 16 district / 6 at large; 3 Pledged PLEOs; 7 Unpledged PLEOs; 1 Unpledged add-on
(For those not paying attention in class a PLEO's are Party Leaders and Elected Officials)

From the Nevada Secretary of State website:

Democrats
Saturday, January 19, 2008

Detailed Caucus Information: www.nvdemscaucus.com

Eligible Participants: Open to all registered Democrats. If you are not already registered but eligible to vote, you may complete a registration form and participate on the day of the caucus. If you will be 18 by November 4, 2008 and are otherwise eligible to vote, you may participate in the caucus.

Caucus Locations: Check my Caucus Location

Sign-In: Arrive by 11:30 am

Basic Caucus Process: Caucus participants will indicate which candidate they support. The precinct caucus chair will then announce which candidates have the most support and which candidates do not have enough support to meet the “viability” threshold. Caucus participants who support a candidate who is not viable and has not met the threshold of support to continue will then realign themselves with their second choice candidate. Based on the size of the presidential preference groups in support of one candidate or another, the delegates to the county convention are apportioned. Additional Information

Absentee Voting: Not permitted

So for all of you East coasters... you won't have to stay up until 1am to get the results.

Update: You can get results from the Nevada Democratic Party here
Also... Mitt Romney has won the Nevada Republican caucus (event though Ron Paul was the only one to campaign there)
McCain has a 1% lead over Paul for second place.

Update II: NBC News has declared Hillary Clinton the winner of the Nevada caucus

Update III: Huge delegate victory for Clinton. She received 13 delegates, while Obama was far behind with, uh, 12 delegates.

Update IV: Turns out, Obama got 13 delegates. No, turns out we have no idea how many delegates Clinton and Obama got.

23 States' Blogger credentials haven't been applied for

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

According to the Democratic National Convention Committee's blog as of January 8th there are still 23 states that have no applications filed for blogger credentials. The DNCC will issue credentials to one blogger in each state.

Most surprisingly bordering states that are an easy drive to Denver are mostly open.
5 out of 7 of Colorado's neighbors have had no applications sent in for what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

To see a map of which states have no applications click here. States that already have applications are not necessarily out of reach as the final decision won't be made for at least a couple months.

For anyone interested you can get more information from the DNCC

2008 DemConvention State Blogger Corps
Recognizing the growth of more localized blogs, this pool is designed for those covering state and local politics. To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant’s blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.

Once the state bloggers have been identified for the DemConvention State Blogger Corps, the applications of those not selected for this program will all be transferred for consideration for the general blogger pool.

Update from Matt: And don't forget, if you want to follow the drive to find a blogger from Guam to cover the convention, check out Guam Loves Jason Rosenberg.

Want to be an Uncommitted Michigan delegate?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

So here's the question: how exactly do you pick an "Uncommitted" delegate? The Detroit News tries to figure it out:

Four in 10 voters in Tuesday's Michigan Democratic primary cast their ballots for nameless, faceless "uncommitted," which is undoubtedly unprecedented. So how many state party delegates will go to the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer with an uncommitted tag -- and what will become of them once they get there?

Michiganians familiar with the mess that was the Democratic primary won't be surprised to learn the answer: Nobody is quite sure. "This is by far our largest uncommitted vote," said Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "I can't remember the last time we sent uncommitted delegates to a national convention based on a primary. We're in uncharted territory.

"We have party rules on this but it'll take a few weeks to figure it all out." It's no wonder. The party's delegation selection plan is 40 pages long. Here's the deal: New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, the only leading Democratic candidate on Tuesday's ballot, won 55 percent of the vote. Uncommitted finished second at 40 percent.
...
Technically, uncommitted delegates are not bound to any candidate. But in a practical sense, in order to be elected delegates at the state party's March 29 powwow, they'll likely have to promise to support one candidate or another, Brewer said.

How all this breaks out largely depends on which candidates are still in the running in late March, and how they're doing. The delegate selection process becomes more important if no clear leader has emerged and there's a possibility of a "brokered convention," meaning the nominee would actually be chosen at the convention and not known beforehand.

Of course, all this assumes Michigan's delegation will be seated at the convention. That's not a slam dunk. As it stands, the national party has stripped Michigan of its delegate votes because it broke party rules with the early primary date. But state party leaders are convinced the Michigan delegates ultimately will take their chairs on the floor.

Don't know if they'll be seated, but we'll keep you up-to-date no matter what happens.

When a superdelegate isn't so super

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

At DemConWatch we strive to be the most accurate source for delegate counts.

While going over our numbers we realized that we had too many superdelegates listed. With the addition of the 76 add-on superdelegates that haven't been selected yet our total was greater than the 796 superdelegates available.

After a little digging we discovered that some superdelegates aren't as super as the others. Democrats Abroad, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Washington DC and Puerto Rico will all send delegates and superdelegates to the convention. However Democrats Abroad's superdelegates only count for 1/2 a vote.

Update: We incorrectly identified Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands as having 1/2 votes. Democrats Abroad are the only ones whose superdelegates only have 1/2 a vote. Thanks to a commenter we have corrected this.

Convention Standing Committee Chairs Named

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Democratic Conventions have 3 Standing Committees: Credentials, Platform, and Rules. What does each of these committees do?

• The Credentials Committee is charged with coordinating issues around the selection of delegates and alternates to the Convention and will likely meet in the summer. The committee will issue a report that is the first official item of business at the Convention.
• The Rules Committee is responsible for proposing the Permanent Rules for the Convention, adopting the proposed Convention agenda and making recommendations for permanent Convention officers - all addressed as the second official item of business at the Convention.
• The Platform Committee is responsible for drafting and recommending a proposed National Platform for approval at the Convention.

Each committee, interestingly enough, has 3 chairs. So as we discuss whether the delegates for Michigan and Florida will be seated, lets see who is in charge of the Credentials Committee that will make the first recommendation:

• Alexis Herman, no endorsement made, U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1997 to 2001, CEO of the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Since 2005, she has served as a Co-Chair of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee and also served as a Co-Chair of the Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling. That would be the Commission that set the up the schedule that Florida and Michigan violated.
• James Roosevelt, Jr, no endorsement made, Co-Chair of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee
• Eliseo Roques-Arroyo, no endorsement made, former Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico

Rules Committee:

• Sunita Leeds,no endorsement made, Chair of the DNC Indo-American Leadership Council Advisory Board
• Mary Rose Oakar, no endorsement made, former Congresswoman, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
• David Walters,no endorsement made, former Governor of Oklahoma

Platform Committee:

• Patricia Madrid, no endorsement made an Edwards supporter, served two terms as the Attorney General of New Mexico
• Judith McHale, a Clinton supporter, the former President and CEO of Discovery Communications, Inc.
• Deval Patrick, an Obama supporter, Governor of Massachusetts.

A number of other members of the committees have been named. A full list of committee members and biographies is available from the DNCC.

Convention Committee names production team

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

This won't be your father's convention

The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that four seasoned professionals from the entertainment industry will help craft the overall look, sound and execution of the Convention program, including the stage and podium design, for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, to be held August 25-28 in Denver.

"From Olympic Games to Super Bowls and everything in between, this team has done it all," said Ricky Kirshner, executive producer for the Convention. "They are true veterans of the stage and screen, and we're fortunate to have them on board as we create the most engaging and inspiring Democratic National Convention our country has ever seen. Governor Howard Dean gave us a mandate for our Convention planning early on - to break the mold and take our thinking outside the box. This team is well suited to do just that, and their early work already reflects the cutting-edge approach we're applying to numerous elements throughout the Convention Hall."

The DNCC announced today that Bruce Rodgers will serve as production designer, Lisa Geers as line producer, Bob Dickinson as lighting designer and Pat Baltzell as audio designer. - Full Press Release

Be sure to read the entire press release. These guys have some serious experience.

Michigan Delegate Estimate

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The major media has decided unilaterally to not report the potential delegate totals of the Michigan primary. While officially Michigan has 0 delegates, such a decision can be overturned at the convention. So what were the results? Goobergunch over at MyDD was kind enough to run through the numbers and provide an estimate. This is extremely unofficial, but, it likely to be rather close to the final numbers:

Clinton: 73 delegates
Uncommitted: 55 delegates

We will update the delegate tracker.

Update: The GreenPapers has come up with the exact same estimate: 73 and 55.

Superdelegate madness: 1984 version

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Ah, the good old days:

On the morning of June 6, 1984, Walter Mondale's campaign aides woke the Democratic presidential candidate to inform him of a big problem. California and New Jersey had held primaries the day before. The former vice president had confidently scheduled a press conference to announce that he had finally amassed enough delegates to claim the nomination over Colorado Sen. Gary Hart.

There was just one glitch: Mondale was about 40 delegates short. Hart had won California; even worse, Mondale had not done well enough there to pick up as many delegates as the campaign had counted on. So frantic Mondale aides hit the phones to the superdelegates. These were the Democratic insiders who had been given a big new voice in the process, a change to party rules engineered by Mondale backers anticipating the need for just such a firewall.

Mondale managed to pull it off that day. Though the story may sound like ancient history, it remains relevant -- more relevant than it's been in years -- as a reminder of the importance of the arcane rules for choosing and allocating delegates.

Indeed, 2008 is looking like 1984 on steroids: For the poorly organized, underfinanced insurgent (Hart), substitute a candidate (Barack Obama) with the money and organization to compete with the establishment candidate (Hillary Clinton). For a front-runner about whom the party faithful are hardly enthusiastic (Mondale), substitute a candidate (Clinton) who has a loyal, energized following.

In addition, the biggest factor pointing to an extended, delegate-by-delegate slog is one that didn't exist in 1984: the relentless arithmetic of the party's proportional representation rules, in which candidates receive delegates according to their share of the vote in each congressional district and, for a smaller number, statewide. Although that provision was adopted in 1988, it has never become relevant, because a clear front-runner has emerged in every contest since.

However, in a close race, the rules make it difficult for a single candidate to pile up a big enough margin to amass the necessary number of delegates. Given the contours of this contest, that may well not happen in the supposed tsunami of voting on Feb. 5, at which point Democrats will have picked 1,818 delegates, 45 percent of the total.

It's only difficult in a 3 or more person race. In a 2 person race, it's hard to deny one of the candidates a majority.

If the race continues beyond Feb. 5, as the Mondale precedent suggests it might, superdelegates could come into play. These bigwigs -- governors, members of Congress, Democratic National Committee members -- account for 796, or nearly 20 percent, of the Democratic delegates. They are finger-in-the-wind fickle. But they could be decisive in a close contest, a factor that would tend to help Clinton, who has already amassed a superdelegate lead.

Then there are the graduate seminar-level questions that could arise if the contest becomes really close or even heads into the convention unsettled. One is the Edwards Factor. Former North Carolina senator John Edwards's path to the nomination seems blocked, but that does not necessarily render him irrelevant. Edwards can keep collecting delegates so long as he receives 15 percent of the vote in a congressional district or statewide.

If so, he could have sway over a potentially decisive share of delegates whom he could urge to back a particular candidate, and his inclination in Obama's direction seems clear. Edwards's delegates would not be obligated to follow his direction, but his view would be influential.

Similarly, and this one is for real rules junkies, there could be a convention fight over seating the Michigan and Florida delegations. Those states have supposedly been stripped of their delegates as punishment for accelerating their primaries to before Feb. 5, but it's not entirely fanciful to imagine that a challenge to their credentials could determine the outcome.

"Real rules junkies"? A convention fight over the Michigan and Florida delegations? Brokered convention madness is breaking out all over.

Security officials urge Denver School Board to delay opening

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

A decision on whether or not Denver schools will delay opening until after Labor Day is expected by next Thursday. An article in today's Denver Post quotes several DPS and city security officials on the importance of delaying the opening of schools close to the Pepsi Center.

We've followed the story of the proposed delayed opening from the beginning. Call me naive but I was thinking about heavy traffic and security causing the need for the delay. The Post article goes off on a whole new tangent.

"We don't know the threats," he said. "But there is going to be disruption. Any DPS facilty in the area will have disruption."

Any major incident involving the convention would affect the schools, because every city resource would be called in to assist, Ray said. That could leave the schools vulnerable. Plus, parents would likely rush to their children's schools, which would create even more problems, he said.

Schools also would be offered as alternate care sites if there were mass casualities, he said.

WOW! I plan on being in the midst of the convention madness... nobody told me there could be mass casualties! Duct tape and plastic wrap will be issued to anyone entering the downtown area and the alert level will be raised to magenta.

At least they didn't say anything about a mile-wide radius lockdown.

CNN: Obama cuts Clinton superdelegate lead by 18

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Lots of discussion about whether Obama's recent success will help him cut into Clinton's superdelegate lead. Well the lead has been cut. According to CNN's superdelegate count, Obama has gained 25 superdelegates since their last count, while Clinton has gained 7, for a net gain of 18. The delegate tracker at left has been updated.

CBS has also updated their numbers, with Obama gaining 20 and Clinton gaining 18 superdelegates.

As always, our own superdelegate numbers are based on publicly available sources, so keep those updates coming in.

Michigan Primary today... Democratic Debate in Nevada tonight

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Matt asked last week Will Michigan Matter? We probably won't find that out today but we will find out what the disenfranchised Michigan Democratic voters decide to do.

I've seen several different proposals on what we may see today. The first is very low voter turnout on the Democratic side. This is pretty much a given as any votes made for the Democrats will be ignored as far as delegates are concerned.

With only Hillary Clinton, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel on the ballot will people give a token vote to Kucinich? Will Hillary win in a landslide? Any write-ins for Obama or Edwards will automatically be thrown out so what will their supporters do?

Another option is to vote "Uncommitted" If 15% of the vote goes to Uncommitted some of the delegates will be divided between the candidates not on the ballot.

And last but not least, Markos Moulitsas from Daily Kos has an interesting idea.... vote for Mitt Romney.

With a history of meddling in our primaries, why don't we try and return the favor. Next Tuesday, January 15th, Michigan will hold its primary. Michigan Democrats should vote for Mitt Romney, because if Mitt wins, Democrats win. How so?

For Michigan Democrats, the Democratic primary is meaningless since the DNC stripped the state of all its delegates (at least temporarily) for violating party rules. Hillary Clinton is alone on the ballot.

But on the GOP side, this primary will be fiercely contested. John McCain is currently enjoying the afterglow of media love since his New Hamsphire victory, while Iowa winner Mike Huckabee is poised to do well in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, poor Mitt Romney, who’s suffered back-to-back losses in the last week, desperately needs to win Michigan in order to keep his campaign afloat. Bottom line, if Romney loses Michigan, he's out. If he wins, he stays in.

And we want Romney in, because the more Republican candidates we have fighting it out, trashing each other with negative ads and spending tons of money, the better it is for us. We want Mitt to stay in the race, and to do that, we need him to win in Michigan.

The Democratic Debate from Nevada can be seen at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC

The debate, which is cosponsored by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, IMPACTO, 100 Black Men of America, the African American Democratic Leadership Council and the College of Southern Nevada, will include issues important to communities of color and will be telecast live by MSNBC at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 15th from 6:00 ­ 8:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.

Nevada, the second state in the nation to hold a presidential caucus and the first in the West to host an early window nominating contest, was chosen as an early state in part because 40 percent of its population is minority.

Will Bill Richardson make an endorsement?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

In an article titled "Clinton, Obama search for heroes in 'super delegates'" [I could have sworn there was another major contender for the nomination], the LA Times discusses the race for former candidate Bill Richardson's endorsement:

Erstwhile presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson looms as a trophy endorsement. The candidate who reels in Richardson gets a super delegate and a high-profile Latino who has the loyalty of New Mexico state lawmakers and donors -- all rolled into one.

The report last week that he was dropping out of the Democratic presidential race had barely moved on the wire services when Richardson's phone rang. It was the Clintons, looking for his endorsement. Phone calls from Obama and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina came soon afterward.

"There's a massive push for endorsements," Richardson, who hasn't committed himself, said in an interview. "It's gone pretty far."

and here's some color on how Obama got McCaskill's endorsement:

Sen. Claire McCaskill was another prize. The Missouri Democrat had been holding out, opting to stay neutral during the campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire. Her hesitation was in part a courtesy to Clinton. In the spring, she said, she had her first real face-to-face conversation with Clinton when the two met for lunch. Clinton knew that McCaskill leaned toward Obama but asked for a favor: Would she at least hold off and make no endorsement?

McCaskill agreed to wait.

But in recent weeks, Obama's campaign had been in touch, asking if she'd take a call from the candidate and hear his pitch. McCaskill said there was no need. She considered Obama a friend and was grateful that he had campaigned for her in 2006, helping her get to the Senate. Plus, her children like him and had been nagging her to endorse. So on Sunday morning she made her announcement.

"It was really just now or never," McCaskill, also a super delegate, said in an interview. "If I wanted to try and make a difference, obviously it was do it now or stay on the sidelines until the nominee was decided."

You can just imagine that the superdelegates, especially the well-known ones, are starting to get lots of pressure from the campaigns to make an endorsement.

Will Michigan matter?

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We've been making fun of the Michigan delegation's lack of hotel rooms at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, but with the Michigan primary two days away, it's time to get serious. Michigan was stripped of all its delegates (both elected and superdelegates) because they violated the DNC's rules on frontloading of primaries. The DNC had good intentions - trying to bring some order to the mad rush to move each state's primary earlier and earlier in order to have an effect on the nomination - and they used the only power they had - stripping of delegates.

So where does that leave us? With a primary on Tuesday with technically no delegates at stake, and even stranger, only Hillary Clinton in the ballot. How did this happen?:

It started within the Obama camp, and they would only pull themselves off of the Michigan ballot if Edwards also agreed to pull his name from the ballot. They also got some other candidates to go along with the move. Let me be clear, for those candidates, it wasn't a request by Obama's team, but a ultimatum-- 'we will only pull out if you will too.'

I don't know the strategy behind what the Obama team thought they would achieve by pulling out of Michigan. My guess is that they thought they could bully Clinton into also withdrawing.

So Clinton is on the ballot, and Obama and Edwards are not. So Clinton's a lock to win, right? Not necessarily. Uncommitted delegates are about to have their biggest day in the Democratic sun since Jimmy Carter placed second to Uncommitted in the 1976 Iowa caucuses:

Top Michigan Democrats made another plea Wednesday to coax supporters of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John Edwards to vote "uncommitted" in Tuesday's Michigan primary, rather than staying home or crossing over to vote in the Republican contest.
...
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and state Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said Michigan Dems can still have an indirect say in the nominating process if they check the "uncommitted" box on the ballot. State law prohibits write-ins for candidates who have not authorized write-in campaigns; Obama, Edwards and Richardson have not.

If "uncommitted" draws at least 15 percent of the vote in a congressional district, delegates not bound to any candidate could be sent to the national convention, possibly enabling Obama and Edwards supporters to play a role in the nomination.

And of course, we have a poll: Hillary Clinton with 48%, "Uncommitted" with 28%.

So Clinton is likely going to win most of the delegates. But will it have any effect? We asked in December, Will the Media Count Florida and Michigan? And the answer is pretty clear now, and it's NO. No major media delegate counting site I've seen is counting the Michigan delegates or including them in their overall numbers. Not CNN, not CBS, and not the AP. So while Clinton may win the lion's share of delegates, and while these delegates may even eventually be seated at the convention, they will not help her to achieve a bigger delegate majority than she already has. And that is a victory for the Obama team.

Protests to have daily '"themes"

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Those outside the Pepsi Center are preparing for the convention also:

Activists targeting August's Democratic National Convention are developing a sophisticated protest plan - one including a different demonstration "theme" each day. In addition, organizers intend to help individual groups aim their protests to specific state convention delegations, and hope to throw a five-day festival in Civic Center with music, a health clinic, and even meals for the homeless.

"We know that people are going to be coming to Denver from around the country for this event, and it seems silly not to take advantage of it," said Mark Cohen, one of those involved in the planning. "It's an opportunity for those people to make connections with each other and share their concerns. Cohen's group is one of more than two-dozen involved in protest planning, which is being overseen by an organization calling itself Recreate 68.
...
But a number of the details are not settled. For example, the city and the Secret Service have not yet decided on the "security zone" around the Pepsi Center. The drawing of that line will help define where protesters can and cannot gather. And the Denver City Council is expected to take up legislation on Jan. 22 that would refine the process used to issue permits for special events and parades.

We'll be following the protest preparations and responses closely. After all, it wouldn't be a Democratic National Convention without protests.

Superdelegate switches from Edwards to Obama

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The beginning of a trend, or just a one-time thing? North Carolina Congressman G.K. Butterfield has switched his endorsement from John Edwards to Barack Obama:

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield has endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president. The Wilson Democrat had previously backed former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In a statement from the Obama campaign, Butterfield was quoted as saying that he believes that Edwards is basically out of the race. "In what has become a two-person race for the Democratic nomination, I believe our country needs Senator Barack Obama," Butterfield said in the statement.

Will voters follow Buttefield's move? More from Matt Stoller at Open Left:

It's not clear who wins the Edwards voters. There is evidence either way. Demographically, Edwards supporters are closer to Clinton supporters, but in terms of who they went for in 2004 they are closer to Obama supporters. With Clinton nearly taking 50% in the latest CNN/Opinion Research poll, and a set of national primaries coming on February 5th, whether Edwards stays in or collapses may determine whether Obama has a shot.

Picking an ass for the convention

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

There's no way I'm going to miss this:

Say what you will about Curtis Imrie, just don't insult his ass. It's patient, wise and nicknamed Mordecai.

Measuring 65 inches at the shoulder, people notice when Mordecai is out in public, but it will take more than size for Imrie's donkey to win over a panel of Democrats at this year's National Western.

The judges are only interested in the most beautiful and photogenic ass of the bunch as party mascot for the 2008 Democratic Convention.

"If people didn't vote for me, maybe they'll vote for my jackass," said Imrie, a two-time congressional candidate and donkey rancher from Buena Vista. "I can't help but think this is a natural fit and that I might have a donkey that could be that symbol of humility and humor."

The winning donkey will be selected by a panel of high-up Democrats, Ettleman said, and Gov. Bill Ritter and U.S. Rep. Mark Udall of Eldorado Springs have expressed interest in judging the competition.

The contest will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26, in conjunction with the National Western's Mule and Donkey Show on Jan. 25-27. - Denver Post

I'd much rather pick an ass than watch another month of the primary catfights.

Howard Dean knows paint

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

You thought Governor Howard Dean only knew how to turn around a political party and fight for all 50 states instead of only fighting for the easy pickings.

Once a symbol of failure within urban schools, the experiment that is the newly reopened Manual High School got a visit and a helping hand from top members of the Democratic Party on Thursday.

Howard Dean, the party's chairman, and executives and staff with the Democratic National Convention Committee volunteered during the afternoon and painted Classroom 103 an industrial white — not blue — and did arts and crafts with Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps members for Martin Luther King Day.

"Congratulations on doing this," Dean said of the reopening to Denver Superintendent Michael Bennet — from atop a stepladder while painting window trim. "It's a big risk, and I hope it turns out well."

Academics were so poor that Bennet closed the school last year, attracting national attention. The school opened this year for ninth-graders only and will add a grade each year.

Principal Rob Stein said the visit from Dean would give students "an incredible energy boost," but he acknowledged he looked forward to the day Manual no longer is held up as a school in need. - Denver Post

Superdelegates: Numbers Madness

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

In the sidebar at left we're tracking the number of superdelegates who have announced endorsements. But we're not the only organization tracking superdelegate endorsements. (Although we are the only site that backs up their numbers with published sources). And the numbers vary depending on whether the superdelegates for Florida and Michigan are counted.

Here's where our numbers stand vs some major media organizations:

Includes Florida and Michigan:

Clinton Obama Edwards Kucinich

DCW 177 70 30 2

Without Florida and Michigan:

Clinton Obama Edwards Kucinich

DCW 169 67 29 1

CNN 159 53 34 1

CBS 177 68 40 1

AP 160 59 32 1

We're pretty much on track, although the Edwards numbers are low. Help us out Edwards folks, where are your endorsements?

Update: See the sidebar for the latest numbers.

Convention planning on track

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

With all of the primary craziness going on we'd like to take a moment to talk about the main reason for this site... the Democratic National Convention.

As Denver marks the one-year anniversary since the city was selected to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced that planning for the four-day event is on pace or ahead of schedule across the board.
"It's remarkable how time flies," said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. "And with just eight months to go, we have not a moment to waste. But we have certainly made the most of every hour of every day during this last year. From assigning hotel rooms to mapping our transportation system to engaging the community in our planning, our team has worked tirelessly to ensure we are on pace or even ahead of schedule on all fronts. All of this progress would not have been possible without the steadfast support from our partners here in Colorado - in particular, Governor Ritter, Senator Salazar, Representative DeGette and Mayor Hickenlooper, the Mile High City's best ambassadors." - Press Release

So what is a "Distinguished Party Leader?"

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

As we unravel the mystery of who is a superdelegate for the 2008 Democratic Convention, there is a special category of superdelegates called "Distinguished Party Leaders". What is a Distinguished Party Leader, or, as we like to call them here, DPLs?

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. - DNCC

And who are the DPLs? Here's a list, along with the delegation they are a part of, and any endorsement they may have made:

President Jimmy Carter - GA President Bill Clinton - NY - Clinton Vice President Walter Mondale - MN - Clinton Vice President Al Gore - TN Speaker Jim Wright - TX - Clinton Speaker Tom Foley - WA - Clinton House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt - MO - Clinton Sen. Majority Leader Robert Byrd - WV - Obama Sen. Majority Leader George Mitchell - ME Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle - SD - Obama

DNC Chairman Fred Harris - NM - Obama DNC Chairman Robert Strauss - TX DNC Chairman Ken Curtis - FL - Clinton DNC Chairman Charles Manatt - CA - Clinton DNC Chairman Paul Kirk - MA - Obama DNC Chairman David Wilhelm - OH - Obama DNC Chairwoman Debra DeLee - MA - Clinton DNC Chairman Chris Dodd - CT - Obama DNC Chairman Steven Grossman - MA - Clinton DNC Chairman Joseph Andrew - IN - Obama DNC Chairman Roy Romer - CO - Obama DNC Chairman Ed Rendell - PA - Clinton DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe - VA - Clinton

Some of these people also qualify as a superdelegate in other ways. Dodd and Byrd are Senators, and Rendell is a Governor. But don't worry, they only get one vote. The DNC classifies them as DPWs, so, for example, the Pennsylvania delegation lists 1 DPW, but 0 Governors. But other sources, such as the GreenPapers, classify them under their current office, which is what we do also. Also, former DNC Chairman Don Fowler is a current member of the DNC, so he is listed as a DNC member, not as a DPW.

Superdelegate Endorsement Notes

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Click Here To See The Rest of the Blog

This list is frozen as of June 6.

We began noting all of our additions, changes and deletions on January 11th. In order to reduce the clutter on the Superdelegate list we will only keep a couple of days' worth of notes on the list.

You can see all of the superdelegates that have endorsed a candidate here

All remaining uncommitted superdelegates can be viewed here.

Dates shown are when we added the endorsement which doesn't necessarily mean the endorsement was made on that day.

6-6-08
All endorsements for Obama:
Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC)
Rep. Bob Etheridge (NC)
Sen. Jack Reed (RI)
Gov. Steve Beshear (KY)
Gov. Joe Manchin (WV)
DNC Nick Casey (WV)
Rep. Tim Ryan (OH) (switch from Clinton)
DNC Garry Shay (CA) (switch from Clinton)
DNC Yolanda Caraway (DC) (switch from Clinton)
Rep. Jason Altmire (PA)

6-5-08
All endorsements for Obama:
Former House Speaker Tom Foley (WA) (switch from Clinton)
Rep. Jay Inslee (WA) (switch from Clinton)
Rep. Nikki Tsongas (MA)
Gov. Ted Strickland (OH) (switch from Clinton)
DNC Billi Gosh (VT) (switch from Clinton)
DNC Richard Ray (GA)
DNC Dick Cranwell (VA)
Rep. Diana DeGette (CO) (switch from Clinton)
Rep. Zach Space (OH)
DNC Chris Redfern (OH)
Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL)*
Rep. Corrine Brown (FL)*
Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (FL)*
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)*
Rep. Jim Matheson (UT)
DNC Helan Langan (UT)
All 23 members of the NY Congressional Delegation, all switches from Clinton: Anthony Weiner, Brian Higgins, Carolyn Maloney, Carolyn McCarthy, Charles Rangel, Edolphus Towns, Eliot Engel, Gary Ackerman, Gregory Meeks, Jerrold Nadler, John Hall, Jose Serrano, Joseph Crowley, Kirsten Gillibrand, Louise Slaughter, Maurice Hinchey, Michael Arcuri, Michael McNulty, Nita Lowey, Nydia Velazquez, Steve Israel, Timothy Bishop, Yvette D. Clarke
Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)
Rep. Betty Sutton (OH) (Switch from Clinton)
Rep. Norm Dicks (WA) (Switch from Clinton)
Sen. Jim Webb (VA)
DNC Robert Rankin (CA)
Add-on Jim Hoffa (MI)#

6-4-08 - Added Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD) for Obama
- Switched VP Walter Mondale (MN) from Clinton to Obama
- Added Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ) for Obama
- Added Gov. Phil Bredesen (TN) for Obama
- Added DNC Gray Sasser (TN) for Obama
- Added DNC Inez Crutchfield (TN) for Obama
- Added Rep. Rahm Emanuel (IL) for Obama
- Added Rep. Mike Doyle (PA) for Obama
- Added Sen. Ken Salazar (CO) for Obama
- Added Sen. Tom Harkin (IA) for Obama
- Added Rep. Tom Udall (NM) for Obama
- Added Sen. Ben Cardin (MD) for Obama
- Added Sen Herb Kohl (WI) for Obama
- Switched DNC Karen Hale (UT) from Clinton to Obama
- Added Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) for Obama
- Added Terry Goddard (AZ)# for Obama
- Added Rep. John Salazar (CO) for Obama
- Added Rep. Mark Udall (CO) for Obama
- Added DNC David Strauss (ND) for Obama
- Added Sen. Tom Carper (DE) for Obama
- Added Sen. Mary Landrieu (LA) for Obama
- Switched Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA) from Clinton to Obama
- Added DNC Paula Zellner (WI) for Obama
- Added DNC Ed Cote (WA) for Obama
- Added DNC Sharon Mast (WA) for Obama
- Added DNC Cheryl Chapman (SD) for Clinton
- Switched Sen. Tim Johnson (SD) from Obama to Clinton
- Added Rep. Michael Michaud (ME) for Obama
- Added DNC Ivan Holmes (OK) for Obama
- Added Rep. Susan Davis (CA) for Obama
- Switched DNC Claude "Buddy" Leach (LA) from Clinton to Obama

6-3-08 - Added DNC Maria Chappelle-Nadal (MO) for Obama
- Added DNC Joyce Lalonde (MI)* for Obama
- Added Rep. John Olver (MA) for Obama
- Added Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI)* for Obama
- Added DNC Debbie Dingell (MI)* for Obama
- Added DNC Richard Wiener (MI)* for Obama
- Added DNC Jennifer DeChant (ME) for Obama
- Added DNC Joyce Beatty (OH) for Obama
- Added DNC Kwame Kilpatrick (MI)* for Obama
- Added Rep. John Spratt (SC) for Obama
- Added DNC Debra Kozikowski (MA) for Obama
- Added DNC Jon Ausman (FL)* for Clinton
- Added DNC John Perez (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Carnelia Fondren (MS) for Obama
- Added Jimmy Carter (GA) for Obama
- Added DNC Tina Abbott (MI)* for Obama
- Switched DNC Ben Johnson (DC) from Clinton to Obama
- Switched DNC Kamil Hasan (CA) from Clinton to Obama
- Added DNC Diane Glasser (FL)* for Obama
- Switched Rep. Maxine Waters (CA) from Clinton to Obama
- Added DNC John Daniello (DE) for Obama
-Added DNC Harriet Smith-Windsor (DE) for Obama
- Switched DNC Rhett Ruggerio (DE) from Clinton to Obama
- Added Rep. Dennis Moore (KS) for Obama
-Added DNC Belkis (Bel) Leong-Hong (MD) for Obama.
-Added LA Rep. William Jefferson (LA) for Obama.
-Added WY DNC Cindy Nunley (WY) for Clinton.

All below endosements for Obama
-Added Rep. Bob Brady (PA)
-Added DNC Mike Tardiff (MI)*
-Added DNC Ray Buckley (NH)
-Added DNC Frank Dixon (OR)
-Added DNC Margaret Campbell (MT)
- Added DNC Muriel Offerman (NC)
Rep. John Sarbarnes (MD)
Margaret Campbell (MT)
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (AZ)
Don Bivens (AZ)
Christine Pelosi (CA)
Rachel Binah (CA) (Switch from Clinton to Obama)
Rep. Sam Farr (CA)
Rep. Bob Filner (CA)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA)
Gov. Bill Ritter (CO)
Michell Ceasar (FL)*
Rep. Ron Klein (FL)*
Michael Thurmond (GA) (switches from Clinton to Obama)
Helen Knetzer (KS)
Patsy Arceneaux (LA) (switches from Clinton to Obama)
Sam Spencer (ME)
Rep. Bart Stupak (MI)*
Yolanda Wheat (MO)
Sam Lieberman (NV)
Catherine Cortez Masto (NV)
Rep. Rush Holt (NJ)
David Parker (NC)
Jay Parmley (OK)
Bill Bradbury (OR)
Frank Dixon (OR)
Ian Murray (PA) (switched from Clinton)
Jim Leaman (VA)
Rep. Ron Sims (WA) (switched from Clinton)
Heather Mizeur (MD)
Rick Stafford (MN) (switch from Clinton)
Jay Nixon (MO)
Robin Carnahan (MO)
John Temporiti (MO)
Sen. Max Baucus (MT)
Sen. Jon Tester (MT)
Governor Brian Schweitzer (MT)
Dennis MacDonald (MT)

6-2-08 - Added DNC Jerome Wiley Segovia (VA) for Obama
- Added DNC Nancy DiNardo (CT) for Obama
- Added DNC Chris Whittington (LA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Brenda Lawrence (MI)* for Obama
- Added DNC Lu Battaglieri (MI)* for Obama
- Added DNC Irene Stein (NY) for Clinton
- Added DNC Janee Murphy (FL)* for Obama
- Added DNC David McDonald (WA) for Obama
- Added Rep. James Clyburn (SC) for Obama

6-1-08 - Added DNC Yvonne Gates (NV) for Obama
- Added Maine add-on Gwethalyn Phillips (ME)# for Obama

5-31-08 - Added DNC Claude "Buddy" Leach (LA) for Clinton

5-29-08 - Added DNC Gail Rasmussen (OR) for Obama
- Added DNC Eileen MacColl (WA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Alan Mollohan (WV) for Obama
- Added DNC Boyd Richie (TX) for Obama
- Added DNC Betty Richie (TX) for Obama

5-28-08 - Added DNC Pat Waak (CO) for Obama
- Added DNC Meredith Woods-Smith (OR) for Obama
- Added DNC Wayne Kinney (OR) for Obama

5-27-08 - Added DNC Nancy Drummond (WY) for Obama
- Switched DNC Kevin Rodriquez (VI) from Obama to Clinton. He switched from Clinton to Obama on 5/10. We got confirmation from the Clinton campaign that he has re-endorsed Clinton
- Added DNC Ben Pangelinan (GU) for Obama

5-25-08 - Added DNC Brian Schatz (HI) and DNC Kari Luna (HI) and James Burns (HI)# for Obama

5-24-08 - Added Verna Cleveland (GA)# for Clinton
- Added Stephen Leeds (GA)# for Obama
- Added W. Patrick Goggles (WY)# for Obama
- Added Tony Knowles (AK)# for Obama

5-23-08 - Added Rep. Jim Costa (CA) for Obama
- Switched Rep. Dennis Cardoza (CA) from Clinton to Obama
- Added DNC Jenny Greenleaf (OR) for Obama

5-22-08 - Added DNC Pilar Lujan (GU) for Clinton

5-21-08 - Added Ohio add-on William Bashein (OH)# for Clinton
- Added Rep. Joe Courtney (CT) for Obama
- Added DNC Wayne Dowdy (MS) for Obama

5-20-08 - Added Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (GU) for Obama
- Added DNC Scott Brennan (IA) for Obama
- Added Massachusetts add-on Martha Coakley (MA)# for Clinton

5-19-08 - Added DNC Dwight Pelz (WA) for Obama
- Added Sen. Robert Byrd (WV) for Obama
- Added DNC Larry Gates (KS) for Obama
- Added DNC Blake Johnson (AK) and DNC Cindy Spanyers (AK) for Obama

5-18-08 - Added California add-ons Carolyn Doggett (CA)#, Dario Frommer (CA)# and Dora Rubio (CA)# for Clinton
- Added California add-ons William Quay Hays (CA)# and Lou Paulson (CA)# for Obama

5-17-08 - Added DNC Greg Pecoraro (MD) , new Kansas add-on Mark Parkinson (KS)# for Obama
- Colorado add-on Federico Pena (CO)# added for Obama

5-16-08 - Added Rep. Pete Stark (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Keith Umemoto (CA) for Clinton. He endorsed "months ago" but just made it public.
- Added Rep. Brad Ellsworth (IN) for Clinton.
- Added DNC Eric Coleman (MI)and DNC Virgie Rollins (MI) for Obama.

5-15-08 - Added Rep. Jim McDermott (WA) for Obama
-Added Rep. Howard Berman (CA) for Obama
-Added Rep. Henry Waxman (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Larry Cohen (DC) for Obama

5-14-08 - Added DNC Christine Marques (DA)* for Obama
- Added Rep. Peter Visclosky (IN) for Obama
- Added TN Add-on Vicky Harwell (TN)# for Clinton
- Added DNC Mike Morgan (OK) for Obama
- Added DNC Lena Taylor (WI) for Obama
- Added DNC Robert Ficano (MI) for Obama

5-13-08 - Added Rep. Joe Donnelly (IN) for Obama
- Added LA add-on Ray Nagin (LA)# for Obama
- Added DPL Roy Romer (CO) for Obama. Romer removed from Pelosi Club
- Added DNC Anita Bonds (DC) for Obama
- Added DNC Awais Khaleel (WI) and DNC Lauren Wolfe (MI) for Obama

5-12-08 - Added Rep. Tom Allen (ME) for Obama
- Added DNC Dolly Strazar (HI) for Obama
- Added Sen. Daniel Akaka (HI) for Obama
- Added Idaho Democratic Party Chair DNC R. Keith Roark (ID) for Obama

5-11-08 - Added DNC Crystal Strait (CA) for Obama

5-10-08 - - Added new Utah addon Kristi Cumming(UT)# for Obama
- Added DNC Carol Burke (VI) for Obama
- Switched DNC Kevin Rodriguez (VI) from Clinton to Obama.
- Added Ohio add-on Dave Regan (OH)# for Obama
- Added Massachusetts add-on Arthur Powell (MA)# for Clinton
- Added Rep. Harry Mitchell (AZ) for Obama

5-9-08 - Switched Rep. Donald Payne (NJ) from Clinton to Obama
- Added Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR) for Obama
- Added Rep. Chris Carney for Clinton
- Added DNC John Gage (MD) for Obama
- Added DNC Edward Espinoza (CA) (aka Mr. Super) for Obama
- Added DNC Vernon Watkins (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Wilbur Lee Jeffcoat (SC) for Obama
- Added New Mexico add-on Laurie Weahkee (NM)# for Obama
- Added Rep. Mazie Hirono (HI) for Obama
- Added DNC Joe Johnson (VA) for Obama. Obama campaign confirmed his endorsement.
- Added Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (TX) for Clinton.

5-8-08 - Added Rep. Brad Miller (NC) for Obama
- Added Rep. Rick Larsen (WA) for Obama

5-7-08 - Added Rep. Heath Shuler (NC) for Clinton.
- Added DNC Jerry Meek (NC) and DNC Inola Henry (CA) for Obama
- Added add-on Dan Gelber (FL)# for Obama
- Switched DNC Jennifer McClellan (VA) from Clinton to Obama after getting confirmation from the Obama campaign. We are awaiting confirmation from the Clinton campaign on Rep. Brad Ellsworth (IN) who reportedly endorsed her today.

5-6-08 - Added IL add-ons Barbara Flynn Currie (IL)# and Todd Stroger (IL)# for Obama.
- Added DNC Jeanette Council (NC) for Obama

5-5-08 - Added DNC Kalyn Free (OK) for Obama.
- Added DNC Theresa Morelli (DA)* for Clinton.
- Added DNC Michael Cryor (MD) and DNC Lauren Glover (MD) for Obama
- Added IL add-on Richard Daley (IL)# for Obama. 2 other IL add-ons will be added when we get a valid source.

5-4-08 - Added DNC Robert Martinez (TX) for Clinton
- Added Parris Glendening (MD)# for Obama.

5-3-08 - Added DNC Brian Colon (NM), new add-on Inez Tenenbaum (SC)#, and new Guam Vice-Chair Jaime Paulino (GU) for Obama
Added new add-on Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (MD)# for Clinton. We don't have a good source for Glendending for Obama, so we're holding off adding him for now.

5-2-08 - Added DNC Jaime Gonzalez Jr. (TX) for Clinton

5-1-08 - Switched DNC Joe Andrew (IN) from Clinton to Obama.
- Added DNC John Patrick (TX) for Obama
- Added NY add-ons Andrew Cuomo (NY)#, Tom DiNapoli (NY)#, Virginia Fields (NY)# and Carmen Arroyo (NY)# for Clinton
- Added DNC John Olsen (CT) for Clinton
- Added DNC Herman Farrell Jr. (NY) for Clinton. He endorsed in 2007 but DCW has now received a statement from Farrell confirming his endorsement of Clinton.

4-30-08 - Added Rep. Bruce Braley (IA) for Obama
- Added DNC William George (PA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Baron Hill (IN) for Obama
- Added Rep. Lois Capps (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC Luisette Cabanas (PR) for Clinton

4-29-08 - Added Gov. Mike Easley (NC) for Clinton
- Added DNC Richard Machacek (IA) for Obama.
- Added Rep. Ben Chandler (KY) for Obama
- Added Rep. Ike Skelton (MO) for Clinton

4-28-08 - Added Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM) for Obama.
- Added Fmr. DNC Chairman Paul Kirk (MA) for Obama. He endorsed a while ago but we never had a valid source.

4-26-08 - Added Kathy Sullivan (NH)# new NH add-on, for Clinton. Added DNC Charlene Fernandez (AZ) new AZ state vice-chair, for Obama.

4-24-08 - Added Rep. David Wu (OR) for Obama

4-23-08 Added Gov. Brad Henry (OK) for Obama.
- Added Rep. John Tanner (TN) for Clinton
- Added DNC Audra Ostergard (NE) for Obama

4-21-08 - Added DNC Enid Goubeaux (OH) for Obama

4-20-08 - Added DNC Moretta Bosley (KY) for Clinton. She endorsed a while ago but we never had a valid source.

4-19-08 - Added DNC Steven Achelpohl (NE) for Obama
- Added Rep. Tim Ryan (OH) for Clinton

4-18-08 - NY State Party Vice Chair Dave Pollak removed from Clinton and replaced with new Vice Chair Reginald LaFayette who also supports Clinton.
- Added Rep. Betty Sutton (OH) for Clinton
- Added DNC Janice Griffin (MD) for Obama. She endorsed a while ago but we never had a valid source.

4-17-08 - Added Add-on Reggie Whitten (OK) and Add-on Harry Thomas Jr.(DC)# for Obama
Added Add-ons Jim Florio (NJ)# and Brendan Byrne (NJ)# for Clinton.

4-16-08 - Added Rep. Andre Carson (IN) , Rep. Mel Watt (NC) and Rep. David Price (NC) for Obama
Moved Aleita Huguenin (CA) back to Clinton. She has confirmed both to Politico and DCW that her comments last week were misinterpreted, and that she remains a firm Clinton supporter.

4-13-08 - Added DNC Nancy Larson (MN) for Obama

4-12-08 - Added DNC Taling Taitano for Clinton. She endorsed a while ago but we never got a source for it.

4-11-08 - Added Rep. Jackie Speier (CA) for Clinton.

4-10-08 - Added DNC Sophie Masloff (PA), DNC William Burga (OH) for Clinton
- Added DNC Wayne Holland Jr. (UT) for Obama
- Added DNC Ronald Donatucci (PA) for Clinton. He endorsed a while ago but we never got a source for it.

4-9-08 - Removed Aleita Huguenin (CA) from Clinton.

4-8-08 - DNC Harry Thomas Jr.(DC)# removed from Hillary Clinton's list after he withdrew his support for her.

4-7-08 - Added DNC Jean Lemire Dahlman (MT) for Obama
- Removed DNC Margarett Campbell (MT) from Obama after she pulled back her endorsement due to MT party rules.
Added Mark Wilcox (AR)# for Clinton.

4-6-08 Replaced Mary Lou Winters (Clinton) with Elsie Burkhalter as DNC member from LA. Burkhalter is being placed on the uncommitted list
- Added North Dakota add-on Dan Hannaher (ND)# for Obama.
- Added DNC Margarett Campbell (MT) for Obama.

4-5-08 - Removed DNC Helen Langan (UT) from Clinton and put her on the uncommitted list.
Added Missouri add-on Susan Montee (MO)# , Delaware add-on Rob Carver (DE)# , Yvette Alexander(DC)# for Obama.
Added Harry Thomas Jr.(DC)# for Clinton.

4-2-08 - Added Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal for Obama
- Removed Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) from Obama. He told a paper last week: "I am very torn between the two candidates.”
- Added Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) back for Obama. "I give the greatest deference to what (my) state did," said Feingold, who voted for Obama in that contest.
- Added DNC John Melcher (MT) for Obama

3-31-08 - Sen. Amy Klobuchar(MN) added for Obama.
- Added DNC Al Edwards (TX) for Obama. Endorsement was made in early March, but not verified until now.

3-29-08 - Upon further review... Lofgren and Cantwell were put back for Obama and Clinton. We will continue to discuss how to note cases like theirs.

3-28-08 - Added Sen. Bob Casey (PA) , DNC Steven Alari (CA) for Obama.
Moved Sen. Maria Cantwell (WA) from Clinton to Undecided.
Moved Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA) from Obama to Undecided.

3-27-08 - Added new Connecticut Add-on Don Williams (CT)# for Obama.
- Removed Rep. Albert Wynn (MD) from Obama after he announced his resignation today.

3-26-08 - Added Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL) for Obama

3-25-08 - Removed DNC Paul Kirk (MA) for Obama. Link we used doesn't meet our standards. New article is saying he is uncommitted

3-22-08 - Removed Mike Panetta (DC)# from the superdelegate list. He had endorsed Obama.

3-20-08 - Added Gov. Bill Richardson (NM) for Obama.
- Added DNC Carol Ronen (IL) for Obama. She endorsed him a while ago but we just found a valid source.

3-19-08 - Added DNC Pat Maroney (WV) for Clinton

3-18-08 - Added Rep. John Murtha (PA) for Clinton

3-17-08 - Added DNC Margie Woods (IL) for Obama

3-14-08 - Added DNC Melissa Schroeder (WI) for Obama

3-12-08 - Moved DNC David Hardt (TX) from Clinton back to uncommitted.
- Removed Gov. Eliot Spitzer (NY) from Clinton's endorsement list after he announced his resignation that will be effective on March 17th.

3-11-08 - Added DNC Kevin Rodriguez (VI) who endorsed Clinton in February


3-10-08 - Added DNC Joyce Brayboy (NC) and DNC Everett Sanders (MS) for Obama
- Added DNC Roberto Ramirez (NY) for Clinton

3-9-08 - Added DNC Mary Jo Neville (MD) for Obama

3-8-08 - Added DNC Mary Lou Winters (LA) for Clinton
Added new superdelegate Rep. Bill Foster (IL) for Obama

3-7-08 - Added DNC Aleita Huguenin (CA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker (CA) for Obama

3-6-08 - Added DNC Connie Thurman (IN) , Rep. Nick Rahall (WV) , DNC Teresa Benitez-Thompson (NV) for Obama
- Added Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA) , DNC Mona Mohib (DC) for Clinton.
- We added Ian Carleton for Obama back on 2-13 with what we thought was enough for an endorsement.

3-5-08 - Added DNC Rhine McLin (OH) , DNC Jane Kidd (GA) and DNC Darlena Williams-Burnett (IL) for Obama

3-4-08 - Added DNC Carol Fowler (SC) , DNC Mary Long (GA) , DNC Roy LaVerne Brooks (TX) for Obama

3-3-08 - Changed DNC member Joe Andrew from MD to IN

3-1-08 - Added DNC Joe Wineke (WI) for Obama. Added Stewart Burkhalter (AL)# as new add-on superdelegate for Obama.

2-29-08 - Added DNC Brian Melendez (MN) and DNC Donna Cassutt ( MN) for Obama
- Added DNC Renee Pfenning (ND) for Obama
- Added DNC Rep. Hon. Yvonne Davis (TX) for Obama
- Added Sen. Jay Rockefeller (WV) for Obama

2-28-08 - Changed DNC Ken Curtis (FL) from Maine to Florida after confirmation from the DNC. Superdelegate total is now 794.
- Added Rep. John Barrow (GA) for Obama
- Added DNC Ben Jeffers (LA) for Obama
- Added DNC Renee Gill-Pratt (LA) for Clinton

2-27-08 - Added DNC Dennis Mehiel (NY) and DNC Sylvia Tokasz (NY) for Clinton
- Added Sen. Byron Dorgan (ND) for Obama
- Added Rep. John Lewis (GA) for Obama, completing a switch from Clinton.
- Added DNC Marianne Stevens (ME) for Obama
- Switched DNC Senfronia Thompson (TX) from Clinton to Obama

2-26-08 - Sen. Chris Dodd (CT), Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), DNC Steve Powell (IL) added for Obama
- Added "Shadow Senators" Michael Brown (DC) and Paul Strauss (DC) for Obama

2-25-08 - Returned DNC Lionel Spruill Sr. (VA) after deciding the article was too vague to warrant his removal.
- Added DNC Mark Mallory (OH) for Obama

2-24-08 - Removed DNC Lionel Spruill Sr. (VA) from Clinton and returned to uncommitted

2-22-08 - Added DNC Sonni Nardi (OH) for Obama
- Added Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) for Obama
- Added DNC Connie Borde (DA)* for Obama
- Added DNC Leon Lynch (PA) for Obama
- Added DNC Belinda Biofore (WV) for Clinton

2-21-08 - Added DNC Jason Rae (WI) for Obama.
- Added DNC Margaret Xifaras (MA) for Obama
- Added Rep. Steve Kagen (WI) for Obama

2-20-08 - Moved DNC John Rednour (IL) to Obama from Clinton. His son, also John Rednour, is on Clinton's steering committee
- Added DNC Donald Norcross (NJ) for Obama.
- Switched DNC Dana Redd (NJ) from Clinton to Obama
- Added Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX) , Rep. Ron Kind (WI) , Rep. Kathy Castor (FL) for Obama

2-19-08 Moved Rep. Jay Inslee (WA) back to Clinton after the Politico corrects yesterday's story.
- Added DNC Grace Diaz (RI) for Clinton who was named as the new Vice Chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Party.
- Added DNC Garry Shay (CA) for Clinton.
- Added DNC Carol Ann Campbell (PA) for Obama

2-18-08 - Removed Christina Montague (MI) (Obama). Not a superdelegate.
Added Rep. Chet Edwards (TX) for Obama.
Moved Rep. Jay Inslee (WA) to the no-endorse list.

2-17-08 - Added DNC Anna Burger (DC) , DNC Liv Gibbons (DA)* and DNC Brent O'Leary (DA)* for Obama
Added DNC Leo Perez Minaya (DA)* , DNC David Hardt (TX) , DNC Bob Slagle (TX) for Clinton
Remove DNC Denise Johnson (TX) from Clinton to Uncommitted. No longer listed on Clinton TX Press Release that was original source.

2-16-08 - Added Marie Prezioso (WV), Edna O'Neill Matson (RI). Hon. Frank Montanaro (RI) for Clinton
Added Mike Panetta (DC)# for Obama. Panetta, DC Statehood Representative, is an automatic add-on superdelegate from DC.
Added Toby Condliffe (DA)* for Obama, DNC Robert Bell (DA)* for Clinton, both 1/2 vote.

2-15-08 - Added DNC Ruth Rudy (PA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Ian Murray (PA) for Clinton
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that John Lewis' office is denying reports that he has moved to Obama. We will move him back to the non-endorse list until this is sorted out.
- Added Rep. Brian Baird (WA) , Dr. Celita Arroyo de Roques (PR) for Obama
- DNC Sarah Swisher (IA) switches endorsements again. This time going from Clinton to Obama.
- Added DNC Jack Billion (SD) and DNC Sharon Stroschein (SD) for Obama
- Added DNC Marianne Spraggins (NY) for Obama
- Added DNC John Davies (AK) for Obama

2-14-08 - Added DNC Will Cheek (TN) for Obama
- Added DNC Jimmie Farris (TN) for Clinton
- Added DNC Marcel Groen (PA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Christine "Roz" Samuels (NJ) for Obama. Samuels switched from Clinton to uncommitted last week.
- Added DNC Ed Tinsley (MT) for Obama
- Switched Rep. David Scott (GA) from Clinton to Obama
- Moved Rep. John Lewis (GA) from Clinton to Obama

2-13-08 - Added DNC Mary Ellen Early (CA) , Cecil Benjamin (VI) for Obama
- Added DNC Yvonne Kennedy (AL) , DNC Randy Kelley (AL) for Clinton
- Added DNC Raymond Jordan (MA), DNC David O'Brien (MA), DNC John Walsh (MA) and DNC Paul Kirk (MA) for Obama
- Added DNC Debra DeLee (MA) and DNC Gus Bickford (MA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Joyce Cusack (FL) for Obama
- Added DNC Evelyn Richardson (PA), DNC Richard Port (HI) and DNC Chuck Mohlke FL) for Clinton
- Added Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (PR) for Obama
- Added DNC Nicholas Nemec (SD) and DNC David Wilhelm (OH) for Obama. (Wilhelm had been (IL)).
-Added DNC Ian Carleton (VT) for Obama
- Removed DNC Mark Schauer (MI) (Clinton) Not a superdelegate.


2-12-08 - Added Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) for Obama
- Added DNC Jeanne Buell (ID), DNC Jeffrey Richardson (DC) for Obama
- Added DNC Terry McBrayer (KY) and DNC Jo Etta Wickliffe (KY) for Clinton
- Added DNC Dannie Montgomery (NC) for Obama
- Gov. Jim Doyle (WI) was added for Obama a couple of days ago, but not Noted until now. It was already reflected in the numbers.

2-11-08 - Representative Tom Lantos has died. Lantos was 80 years old and the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress. I always liked listening to him on CSPAN... he will be missed by all.
- Added DNC Christina Montague (MI) for Obama.
- Added DNC Stan Gruszynski (WI) for Obama
- Added Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (TX) for Obama
- Added DNC Cordelia Lewis Burks (IN) for Obama
- Added DNC Patsy Arcenaux (LA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Kathleen Fahey (NE) for Obama

2-10-08 - Added DNC Jeremy Bernard (CA) for Obama (new to list)

2-9-08 - Added Barbara Easterling (VA) for Clinton.
Added Rep. Jim Moran (VA) , John Knutson (ME) for Obama.
Removed Shirley Franklin (GA), (Obama), no longer a superdelegate.

2-9-08 - Added Hon. Christopher Stampolis (CA) , Hon. Raymond Sanchez (NM) , Christine Trujillo (NM) , Annadelle Sanchez (NM) for Clinton
Added Theresa Hunkin (AS) , DNC Patrick Lynch (RI) for Obama

2-8-08 Added DNC Bill Gwatney (AR) , Carole Dabbs (GA) , DNC Sarah Swisher (IA), DNC Rachel Binah (CA) , DNC Christine "Roz" Samuels (NJ) , DNC Norma Fisher Flores (TX) , DNC David Holmes (TX), Billi Gosh (VT) , DNC Hon. Myron Lowery (TN) , DNC Glenard Middleton (MD) , Alvaro Cifuentes (MD) , Richard Michalski (MD), Michael Steed (MD), DNC Mike Gronstal (IA) , Lonnie Plott (GA) , Maria Cordone (MD), for Clinton
Added Mark Bryant (MO), Judy Bevans (VT) , DNC Chuck Ross Jr. (VT), Gov. Christine Gregoire (WA) , Rep. John Yarmuth (KY) , Rep. David Obey (WI) , Frank LaMere (NE), Anthony Avallone (CT) for Obama
Removed DNC Christine "Roz" Samuels (NJ) from Clinton back to Uncommitted

2-7-08 - Debbie Dingell (MI) moved back to the No-endorse list. She had been Clinton.
- Added Sen. Blanche Lincoln (AR) , Mark Schauer (MI) , Rep. Norm Dicks (WA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) , Gov. Chet Culber (IA) ,Vince Powers (NE) for Obama

2-6-08 - Rep. Tim Walz (MN) and DNC Randy Roy (KS) added for Obama
- Added Rep. Dale Kildee (MI) and Rep. John Dingell (MI) for Clinton
-Added Former Speaker Jim Wright (TX) for Clinton
- Added Ken Foxworth (MN) for Obama

2-5-08 - Added DNC Dr. James Zogby (DC) for Obama

2-4-08 - Added DNC Rena Baumgartner (PA), DNC Jean Milko (PA), DNC Mary Gail Gwaltney (NM), DNC Diane Saxe (MA)for Clinton.
- Added Rep. Steve Cohen (TN), DNC JW Postal (CO) for Obama
- Removed Patrick Lynch (RI) from Clinton

2-3-08 - Added Hon. Patrick Lynch (RI), Richard Schaffer (NY), Rep. Paul Kanjorski (PA) for Clinton, Hon. Mee Moua (MN) for Obama.

2-2-08 - Added Rep. Gene Green (TX), Rep. Solomon Ortiz (TX), DNC Elisa Parker (TN) , Hon. TJ Rooney (PA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT), Debbie Marquez (CO)for Obama

2-1-08 - Added DNC Susan Burgess (NC), Hon. Carolyn Warner (AZ), Dr. Elaine Kamarck (MA) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR), Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN), DNC Everett Ward (NC) for Obama.

1-31-08 - Added Connecticut representatives John Larson and Chris Murphy for Obama
- Added Rep. Earl Pomeroy (ND), DNC Peter Jorgenson (MT) , E. Lee Kinch (KS), Pat Notter (WA) for Obama

1/30/08 - Removed John Edwards' Superdelegates after he dropped out today.
- Added Washington Senator Patty Murray for Clinton
- Added Florida Senator Bill Nelson for Clinton
- Added California Rep. Anna Eshoo and DNC Bill Orton (UT) for Obama

1/29/08 - Added DNC Teresa Krusor (KS) and DNC Don Beavers (AR) for Clinton
- Switched Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ) from Edwards to Obama
- Added Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for Obama
- Added Rep. Maxine Waters (CA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Grant Burgoyne (ID) for Obama

1/28/08 - Added Sen. Ted Kennedy (MA) and Rep. Patrick Kennedy (RI) for Obama
- Added Rep. Michael Capuano (MA) for Obama

1/27/08 - Senator Ted Kennedy is expected to endorse Barack Obama on Monday. We'll post it when it becomes official.
- Added Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA) for Obama
- Added DNC June O'Neill (NY) and DNC Dave Pollak (NY) for Clinton
- Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will endorse Obama, reportedly on Tuesday. We will add he once it becomes official.
- Rep. Patrick Kennedy (RI) will endorse Obama alongside his father Senator Ted Kennedy

1/26/08 - Added DNC member DNC David Cicilline (RI) and DNC Member Joseph DeCotiis (NJ) for Clinton
- Added DNC Lois DeBerry (TN) for Obama

1/25/08 - Added Rhode Island DNC Chair William Lynch, DNC member Janice C. Brunson (AZ) and Alaska DNC Chair Patti Higgins for Clinton.

- Added DNC member Norma Torres (CA) and DNC member Arrington Dixon (DC) for Obama
- Senator Bill Nelson from Florida is expected to endorse Hillary Clinton next week. We will add him as soon as it becomes official

1/24/08 - Dennis Kucinich and Jon Ausman have been returned to the non-endorse list after Kucinich dropped out today.

1/23/08 - Added DNC Betty McElderry (OK) for Clinton and DNC Kitti Asbury - (OK) for Obama
- Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell endorsed Clinton
- Added DNC Constance Howard (IL) who endorsed Obama last month
- Fmr DNC Chair Fred Harris (NM) has endorsed Obama
- Added DNC Rhett Ruggerio (DE) and DNC Karen Valentine (DE) for Clinton

1/22/08 - Added Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS) for Obama
- Added DNC Michael Madigan (IL) for Obama.
- Added DNC Roberto Prats Palerm (PR) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Joe Baca (CA) for Clinton

1/21/08 -Added Rick Boucher (VA) for Obama.

1/20/08 -Added Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ) for Clinton

1/18/08 - California Representative Linda Sanchez endorses Barack Obama
- Added Rep. Steve Rothman (NJ) who endorsed Obama back in July
- Added DNC Waring Howe Jr. (SC) for Obama,Rep. Silvestre Reyes (TX) and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (CA) for Clinton.

1/17/08 - Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont has endorsed Obama.
- Added Maryland Representative Al Wynn who endorsed Obama on Monday
- Added DNC Ramona Martinez (CO), DNC Debbie Dingell (MI), and DNC Martin Chavez for Clinton
- Added Rep. Peter Welch (VT) and DNC Moses Mercado for Obama
- Added DNC John Perez CA) for John Edwards
- Removed duplicate of Alice Huffman (CA) - Clinton

1/14/08 - Added Rep. Sander Levin from Michigan who endorsed Clinton
- Removed Thurbert Baker (GA), Tommy Irvin (GA), Michael Mauro (IA) and Hubert "Buck" Humphrey who all endorsed Clinton but are not superdelegates.
- Rep Zoe Lofgren (CA) is reported to have endorsed Obama today. We'll get her name up as soon as I can find another source. Lofgren's Washington office confirms that she will be endorsing Obama today.
- New Mexico's Liet. Governor Diane Denish has endorsed Clinton.
- CA DNC member Alice Huffman has endorsed Clinton
- Rep Mike Thompson (CA) has endorsed Clinton
- Michigan Lt Governor John Cherry endorsed Clinton

1/12/2008 - Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska has endorsed Barack Obama
- Added Senator Claire McCaskill to Obama list
- Moved MD Rep. Al Wynn to the no-endorse list.

1/11/2008 - Removed Dan Boren who was listed as a Clinton endorser in my original source has said he will not be endorsing a candidate.
- Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano has been added to the Obama list of superdelegates after her endorsement today.
- We are waiting for an official announcement from Representative James Clyburn (SC) who is rumored to be endorsing Barack Obama
- A large number of DNC endorsements have been verified and added thanks to an anonymous commenter.

Click Here To See The Rest of the Blog

Denver backs down on park and parade permit change

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Good news from the Denver City Council regarding their plans to change park permits

Reacting to criticism, Denver officials removed language from a proposed rule change that would have given governments first dibs on park and parade permits.

The rule changes, which are being considered in anticipation of thousands of protesters converging on Denver during the Democratic National Convention in August, had sparked harsh words last month from the American Civil Liberties Union and the protest group Re-Create 68.
Although city officials insist they are trying to craft a process that protects the free-speech rights of protesters, City Attorney David Fine said Wednesday that the city still can exert its powers.

In a letter to the ACLU, Fine said that "the City's inherent power to reserve its parks for its own purposes during the convention or otherwise remains unchanged."
Alluding to ACLU comments, Fine added that "the City does not intend 'to monopolize Denver's traditional public forums' during the convention."

Katherine Archuleta, the city's liaison for the convention, said the city has no intention of reserving any of the parks during convention week. - Denver Post

Bill Richardson officially exits race

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

New Mexico Governor ended his presidential campaign today.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said on Thursday he was dropping his bid for the Democratic U.S. presidential nomination after a poor showing in the early contests.

"It is with great pride, understanding and acceptance that I am ending my campaign for president of the United States," he told supporters in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"It's been an exhilarating and humbling year. An experience I will treasure and I will never forget."

Richardson, 60, who would have been the first Hispanic U.S. president if elected, won only 5 percent of the Democratic vote in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, behind Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Richardson grabbed only 2 percent of the vote in last week's Iowa caucuses, which kicked off the state-by-state process of selecting Democratic and Republican candidates for the presidential election in November to succeed President George W. Bush. - Reuters

Now we'll wait and see who he throws his support to. Richardson had 11 superdelegates that endorsed him and is a superdelegate himself.

Richardson dropping out

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We'll update the superdelegate lists after the announcement tomorrow.

Obama strategist: We'll close the superdelegate gap

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

As part of the post-New Hampshire frenzy, superdelegates is the word of the day. We've been tracking which superdelegates have made endorsements, and which haven't. The numbers show Clinton with a significant lead in the superdelegate endorsement race, but there are hundreds of superdelegates who haven't announced an endorsement yet. So can Obama make inroads with the Democratic party establishment and close the gap? Obama campaign manager David Plouffe says yes:

We expect to see a great deal of movement to Obama from superdelegates in the coming days, seriously eroding the Clintons’ existing advantage in this universe.

Will it happen? Check back here often to watch it unfold.

Convention organizers press the easy button - name Staples as the "Official Office Products Provider"

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The Host Committee won't need to buy Post-its or pens anymore.

Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS), the world's largest office products company, has been named the official office products provider for the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee. Staples, which has a growing presence throughout the Denver area, will work closely with the Denver Host Committee to help ensure that the 2008 Democratic National Convention is the greenest political event ever staged.

This sponsorship is one way we are making it easy for our customers to make a difference for the environment - what we call EcoEasy. We are thrilled to collaborate with the committee to make the 2008 convention the greenest to date.

"We are very proud as a Host Committee to have an organization like Staples as a Gold-Level sponsor," said Elbra Wedgeworth, President/Chair of the Denver Host Committee. "With Staples' growing presence in the Rocky Mountain region and its commitment to environmentally preferable products, this sponsorship continues to demonstrate how important the Democratic National Convention is for Denver."

Staples will provide the Host Committee with office supplies, furniture, equipment and other goods and services needed for the upcoming 2008 national convention.

"Supporting the Denver Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention helps Staples showcase the great city of Denver while providing convention attendees and partners with our wide range of environmentally-friendly products and services," said Mark Buckley, vice president of environmental affairs, Staples. "This sponsorship is one way we are making it easy for our customers to make a difference for the environment - what we call EcoEasy. We are thrilled to collaborate with the committee to make the 2008 convention the greenest to date."

As part of its support of the convention, Staples will provide the host committee and convention attendees "green" office products and environmentally-friendly copy and print services.

You can read the full press release here

The Ascension to the Convention

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Now that we know the nomination isn't a done deal I figured we should come up with a corny title and back it up with a majestic horn section and some timpani and repeat it every three minutes. If we're going to be a news organization we need to act like one! Other possibilities are "The Contention for the Convention" or "Center of Attention at the Convention"

Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire primary win puts her 9 delegates closer to the nomination. Although he finished second, Barack Obama also got 9 delegates and John Edwards followed up with 4 delegates.
We continue to update the Delegate Tracker (on the left) as well as our Superdelegate List and our List of Superdelegates who haven't endorsed whenever we get new information.

Next up is Michigan on January 15th (which if you haven't kept up with is quite a story) followed by Nevada on the 19th and South Carolina on the 26th.

Won't the media ever learn

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The media has such a herd mentality. And every 4 years, the same things happen. 90% of the people voting in these early primaries, and actually, in all the primaries, don't pay attention until the last couple of days, and don't care about who the media has coronated. In addition, New Hampshire has a history of ignoring the results of Iowa - not always, but often enough. Gephardt in 1988, Mondale in 1984, Huckabee in 2008, Bush in 2000, Dole in 1996, Dole in 1988, Bush in 1980, all winners in Iowa who lost in New Hampshire. Of the 10 primaries (without an incumbent president) since Iowa became a factor since 1980 (ignoring Carter's 2nd place in Iowa in '76), 78 of the 10 have had different winners in Iowa and New Hampshire. Now Obama may still pull it out tonight. But the exit polls seem to indicate that the good people of New Hampshire decided in the last 24 hours that they weren't ready to end this primary and Hillary Clinton's bid to be president. Good for them.

Update: It's now 8 9 of 11 since 1980. And 5 of 5 for the GOP. (Iowa and NH GOP electorate very different).

New Hampshire Primary Day... things might get interesting

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

The first primary of this election year started at midnight in the small northern New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch. At stake in today's primary are New Hampshire's 22 Democratic delegates.
Most polls will close at 7pm with a few staying open until 8.

Streaming coverage can be seen on MSNBC and from WMUR sometime during the day. You can also watch CSPAN starting at 7 Eastern.

You can see sample a sample ballot complete with 21 Democratic candidates here (pdf)
And if you live in NH but don't know where to vote you can find out on the Secretary of State's site.

Update: MSNBC just reported that several precincts are expressing concerns that they won't have enough ballots. The Secretary of State has said they will be sending more ballots to precincts that request them. MSNBC specifically added that these were predominantly Democratic districts.

Update II: 8:10PM NBC has called New Hampshire for John McCain

Update III: Results can be seen as they come in on WMUR

Update IV: MSNBC calls it for Clinton. To Nevada and South Carolina we go.

Governor Dean in Denver on Thursday to help fix Manual High School

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Governor Howard Dean will be in Denver on Tuesday to help work on the recently re-opened Manual High School in Denver.

DNCC Press Release:

DENVER - Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean, along with members of the DNC's Executive Committee, will join Convention CEO Leah D. Daughtry and the staff of the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) for a service project at 3:00 p.m. on THURSDAY, January 10, 2008. In a project coordinated by the Colorado branch of Volunteers of America, Dean and the DNCC team will paint and plaster a room in need of repair at Manual High School and partner with students for a crafts project in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.As one of Denver's oldest schools, Manual first opened its doors in the 1890s. After a recent closure due to declining enrollment and low student performance, Manual re-opened its doors this past fall with a goal of emerging as one of Denver's premier high schools.

WHAT:
Governor Howard Dean will join the DNCC CEO and staff for a community service project at Manual High School. The event marks the most recent outing in a series of "DNCC Service Days" focused on three areas of importance to the Denver-area community: youth, environmental projects and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger.

WHO:
Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the DNC
Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC
Members of the DNC's Executive Committee
DNCC Staff

WHEN:
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Thursday, January 10, 2008

WHERE:
Manual High School
1700 E 28th Ave
Denver, CO

You can read more about Manual in this Denver Post article from June

The "new" Manual - its characteristics lifted from flourishing private and charter schools - won't look like any traditional Denver high school when its doors swing open in August.

All kids will have "family" groups to talk about home or friend problems. The school days will be longer for those falling behind academically. Students will most likely have a dress code.

"A lot of the kids have jobs where they show up on time, they behave, they dress appropriately," said incoming principal Rob Stein. "I think it will look like a good business."

Harry Reid and Leah Daughtry to speak to NV voters on Wednesday

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

If any readers attend this event we'd love to hear from you

DNCC Press Release:
With excitement mounting among Nevadans for the state's January caucus and then building toward August and the 2008 Democratic National Convention in neighboring Colorado, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will join Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) CEO Leah D. Daughtry for the fourth in a series of DNCC community forums at 1:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, January 9, 2008, in Las Vegas. The event marks the first time the DNCC has traveled outside of Colorado for a Convention forum.

The series - "Convention Conversations: A Traveling Forum Sponsored by the DNCC" - launched in Denver in September and traveled to Pueblo, Colo. and Boulder, Colo. in recent months. The community forums are designed to provide residents throughout the Intermountain West with opportunities for direct communication with top Convention organizers and a venue to ask questions, share ideas and find out how they can get involved in the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

WHAT:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will join DNCC CEO Leah D. Daughtry for the first "Convention Conversations" forum outside of Colorado to answer questions and offer information to Las Vegas residents about the historic regional opportunities presented by the early Nevada caucus and the Democratic National Convention in 2008.

WHO:
Senator Harry Reid, Majority Leader
Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC

WHEN:
1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 9, 2008

WHERE:
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 525
760 North Lamb Blvd.
Las Vegas, Nevada

NOTE: Members of the public interested in attending the forum are asked to RSVP to rsvp@demconvention.com or (720) DNC-2008, as space is limited. Members of the media do not need to RSVP.

Michigan loses its hotel rooms at the Red Lion

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

It looks like Michigan delegates will need to start searching for hotel rooms outside of the Denver metro area. Unless the reservations aren't truly released delegates will be hard-pressed to find a hotel with enough rooms anywhere close to downtown.

Michigan Democrats no longer can count on getting hotel rooms at their national convention in Denver.

The Democratic National Committee's Rules Committee last month stripped Michigan of its 156 national convention delegates as punishment for scheduling an early presidential primary in violation of party rules. State party officials had until Saturday to come up with an alternative to the Jan. 15 contest, but declined to do so.

That decision caused the DNC to informally tell state Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer that the party no longer has reservations at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Central during the Aug. 25-28 convention, state party spokesman Jason Moon said Monday. - AP

You can read our previous stories about Michigan and the convention here

Florida teen reporting his way to the convention

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

You may have read the AP article about 15-year-old Noah Gray who has attended a debate and interviewed four of the Democratic candidates for President. In the article Noah expressed his interest in coming to Denver for the convention

Noah wants to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver next August and interview more candidates. Someday he hopes to make documentaries or maybe be involved in journalism.

The article (incorrectly) gave a link to Noah's website which is called Virgin Voting. The site has an amazing video that Noah produced about the 2008 Elections and the importance of youth voting. After watching the video I wanted to know more about Noah. I asked him some questions and he was kind enough to reply.

What first got you into politics?

I started being interested in politics during the 2000 presidential election when George W. Bush ran against Al Gore. I was in third grade at the time and we were doing a unit on the election in school. I remember staying up late with a “scorecard” of states and erasing and changing the colors a lot. At around midnight, my parents told me to go to bed, since it wasn’t going to be over that night. I was “hooked” on the process ever since.

If you had 10 seconds with someone of voting age but said they don’t vote, what would you say?

I would ask them how they could let other people make decisions about their lives for them without them having a say so! I would tell them that it could be them going off to war someday and possibly dying for a cause they don’t believe in!

Who would you most like to meet at the convention?

Any candidate or person in power with a lot of media pull who can help me be successful in getting the attention of 18 to 24 year olds and motivate them to get informed and vote! Also, whoever wins the nomination to be the Democratic presidential candidate, because that would be really cool.

Have you ever been to Denver?

No, I have never been to Denver, but I am really looking forward to going (even though the convention is during the first week of school for me).

When you get older do you see yourself as a reporter or a politician?

I see myself as being more of a reporter or documentary filmmaker than a politician, even though I am excited by politics. I’d like to continue to combine both my passions and cover the political process.

How do you feel about the current state of the media?

I am disappointed about how the media doesn’t give enough coverage to the second and third tier candidates and only focus on who they think will be the frontrunners. I think this influences how people think and vote. I think it is only fair that everyone should have as much information as possible about each candidate so they can make informed decisions. Each candidate should have as much airtime as possible, not just what they can afford – they should all be seen and heard equally. That is what I am trying to do by covering as many candidates as I can (even the Republicans) and asking them all the same questions.

Candidates, news organizations and convention leaders can reach Noah by email (his address can be found on his website). I think it would be a great idea to get him involved to help push more young voters to the polls in November.

We look forward to hearing more about Noah and his quest to go to the convention. And I really think his teachers would excuse him if he has to miss his first week of school.

Brokered Convention Madness

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

As happens every four years, what can only be described as "brokered convention madness" has broken out. It's something people can write about, and political reporters and bloggers would just love to report on a convention that really meant something. But it just isn't going to happen. With a hattip to our friends over at The GOP Convention Report, comes this quote from The Corner:

I have been writing about conventions professionally since 1976, and following elections since 1968. Every cycle, the breathless pieces on the brokered convention come out.

It never happened in the last 39 years, and it won't happen next year. When candidates lose a few, their money dries up, and the madness of crowds takes over.

I'll throw another reason out there. The media is relentless in asking trailing candidates when they are going to drop out, totally drowning out any message they have. I mean, Edwards was already getting the question this weekend.

There's absolutely no way one of the top three Democratic candidates won't drop out (and release their delegates) after the rush of primaries in the next few weeks. Now, admittedly, it's easier to construct a scenario on the Republican side, with 4 or 5 major candidates still hanging in, but it's not going to happen.

Clinton trying to hold her superdelegates

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

We all know that Clinton has a lead in superdelegates. Well, apparently her finish in Iowa may be causing that solid block of support to crumble, setting off a crisis in Clinton land:

The scope of Barack Obama's victory in Iowa has shaken the Clinton machine down to its bolts. Donors are panicking. The campaign has been making a round of calls to reassure notoriously fickle "superdelegates" — elected officials and party regulars who are awarded convention spots by virtue of their titles and positions — who might be reconsidering their decisions to back the candidate who formerly looked like a sure winner.

We'll report any superdelegates who withdraw their endorsement. And keep on eye on Bill Clinton, who himself is a superdelegate. If he withdraws his support, then we'll know she's in trouble!

DNCC names GM Official Vehicle Provider for the convention

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Denver area residents get ready for a blowout used car sale in September! Prices will be low low low for these lightly used GM cars.

The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today named General Motors Corporation (GM) as the official vehicle provider for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, to be held August 25-28 in Denver. In keeping with the DNCC's commitment to making this the most sustainably-produced political Convention in history, the DNCC will be working closely with GM to select a fleet of vehicles designed to maximize fuel efficiencies and take advantage of new flex fuel and hybrid vehicle technologies.
'As the country's largest manufacturer, GM has a long history with the American people and with the Democratic National Convention,' said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. 'We're proud to welcome them back to the team for 2008. GM has an established track record that demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting technological innovation and improving the fuel economy of all GM vehicles. GM's leadership in this area will play a critical role in our event - helping us make this the 'greenest' political Convention our country has ever seen, while providing our guests with yet another convenient option for getting around Denver.'

You can read the entire press release here.

Ritz-Carlton set to open in Denver next week

WE'VE MOVED! DemConWatch is now at http://www.demconwatchblog.com

Denver will have its first 5-star hotel next week when the Ritz-Carlton opens. The $75 million hotel will added 2002 much needed rooms to downtown Denver.

King said the Ritz is booked solid for the Democratic National Convention this August. The hoteliers are in the dark about whom the guests will be, having been told only by the DNC that it will not house state delegates there. -Rocky Mountain News

As the most premier hotel in Denver I'm sure this is where all of the bigwigs will be including candidates and congresspeople will be staying.