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By:
Josephine Hearn
Feb 15, 2008 06:05 AM EST
White men hold superdelegate power balance
Regarding the current method of selecting superdelegates,
Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), an Obama supporter, said:
'Obviously it’s an imperfect system. It smacks a lot of
the old state legislatures electing senators.'
Photo: AP
In an ironic twist to the historic Democratic nominating
contest between an African-American and a woman, the balance of
power may be held by a more familiar face: the white male.
According to a Politico analysis, close to half of the 700-plus
Democratic superdelegates who could end up determining the party
nominee are white men.
One Obama superdelegate, a House member, had sharp criticism for
the superdelegate racial and gender makeup, a reaction that
reflects the sensitivities surrounding the issue.
“It’s still the old guard, the white men. They always want to
control the outcome,” the superdelegate said. “But this time,
they won’t be able to do it.”
That strong response could portend a messy intraparty fight in
the event that superdelegates cast the decisive votes for the
nominee.
The exact percentage of white males varies slightly depending on
whether the penalized Michigan and Florida delegation
superdelegates are counted, but the overall percentage is at
least 46 percent. Overall, men of all races represent 64 percent
of the party’s superdelegates.
Unlike traditional pledged delegates, superdelegates are
unbound by the outcome of any primary vote or caucus. They are
allowed to make their own choice for the nomination, and this
year, the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton
are aggressively courting their support in the event that
superdelegate votes are needed to determine which candidate wins
the nomination.
Representing about 20 percent of all delegates to the Democratic
National Convention, the
superdelegate
roster is composed of members of Congress, other elected
officeholders and party officials.
The percentage of white male superdelegates is disproportionate
to the share of white males who make up the overall Democratic
electorate. According to a January 2008 national poll by Zogby
International, 28 percent of Democratic voters are white men.
Women account for 55 percent of Democratic voters.
But superdelegates have never reflected the diversity of the
Democratic party as a whole, nor were they designed to. They
represent the party insiders, a group that white men still
dominate.
Among the superdelegates, including Michigan's and Florida's,
there are 28 governors (21 white men), 49 senators (33 white
men) and 228 representatives (137 white men). Members of the
Democratic National Committee are also superdelegates, and among
this group, there is more diversity.
Many superdelegates were not surprised that there were so many
white males in their ranks.
“Obviously it’s an imperfect system. It smacks a lot of the old
state legislatures electing senators,” said Rep. John B. Larson
(D-Conn.), an Obama supporter. “I do think you’ll see some kind
of reform after this to make it binding with the majority of
votes.”
Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-N.Y.), a Clinton backer, noted
that delegates were much more diverse than they were in 1972,
when she first became a delegate under party rules that
specifically required more participation by women.
“I remember how excited we were to stop stuffing envelopes and
go to the convention,” she recalled. “I’m not surprised that
there are still a lot of men. It’s just staying power. We still
have a ways to go.”
Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-Calif.), also a Clinton supporter, said
she was more concerned about the decisions of the superdelegates
than their gender and racial identities.
“Women and minorities often have a diminished presence,” she
said. “But what really matters to me is who they’re lining up
with.”
Among the more than 700 superdelegates named by the Democratic
National Committee, Clinton leads Obama by 231 to 140.5 (the
eight members of Democrats Abroad receive a half vote.). Among
white men, at least 81 were supporting Clinton and at least 63
were backing Obama. Many more remain uncommitted.
Stacie Paxton, a DNC spokeswoman, said that DNC members
represent the party’s rich diversity and include
African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native
Americans and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.
"Superdelegates are a diverse group of people from all parts of
the country and all walks of life," said Paxton.
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