Top Clinton Superdelegate Hunter Harold Ickes: ‘We’re Going to Win This Nomination’
In a conference call today, Harold Ickes, party operative for 40 years and former White House deputy chief to President Clinton, boldly predicted Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination and do so soon after the last party primary on June 7 in Puerto Rico.
“We’re going to win this nomination,” Ickes said. “You’re not going to see this go to the convention floor.”
Ickes predicted Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will run “neck-and-neck” in the 18 remaining state and territorial primaries and caucuses and that there will be a “minuscule amount of difference” between the two in pledged delegates and that so-called Super Delegates will determine the outcome and side in larger numbers for Clinton.
Ickes denounced the term Super Delegates and said the Clinton camp henceforth will refer to them as “automatic delegates.”
“The Fourth Estate created the term Super Delegate,” Ickes said, even though Democrats have used the Super Delegate term widely in the roiling debate of their allegiances and responsibilities in the increasingly competitive and high-stakes battle for Democratic presidential nomination. “They don’t have super powers,” Ickes said of the Super Delegates. “It’s one-person, one-vote. They have no more power than any other delegate. But they do have a sense of what it takes to get elected.”
He said Super Delegates must “exercise their best judgment” about who can win the White House.
“They are closely in touch with the issues and ideas of the jurisdiction they represent and they are as much or more in touch than delegates won or recruited by presidential campaigns.”
In essence, Ickes argued the party 795 Super Delegates (Connecticut Independent-Democrat Sen. Joe Lieberman was stripped of his Super Delegate status recently), were in a better position to assess electability and suitability for the presidency than party regulars who will attend the national convention in late August as pledged delegates won through elections in either primaries or caucuses.
Many top Democrats, among them House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have said Super Delegates should follow the will of voters expressed through primaries and caucuses and not trump those votes.
Ickes said Super Delegates were created to augment the elections process and those delegates are duty-bound by rule and precedent to weigh all considerations - not just votes taken in primaries or caucuses before rendering a judgment.
Obama currently leads Clinton by 136 in pledged delegates but trails by 95 in Super Delegates, according to calculations given by both campaigns.
“Hillary will end up with more automatic delegates than Obama,” Ickes said. The number of elections won by Obama is “irrelevant to the obligations of automatic delegates.”
Ickes said he was “too dim of mind” to understand how some might wonder if the Clinton campaign might lure Super Delegates with promises of political favors. “I don’t even understand what that is referring to,” Ickes said, declining to guarantee the campaign will use no promises of tangible benefits to Super Delegates to win them to Clinton’s campaign.
Ickes also quoted top Obama adviser David Axelrod as saying Super Delegates “should vote for what’s best for party and country.”
Axelrod meant Super Delegates should follow the will of voters expressed through primaries and caucuses, but the Clinton campaign interprets it to mean exercise broader judgment linked to larger political aims - specifically choosing Clinton over Obama as the more battle-hardened Democrat capable of winning in November.
“Deciding who you should support, these are not easy judgments. The question is who can make a good and possibly great president. This is a political process.”
I am from Illinois and this just says it all. Hope you can use it.
Herald & Review (Decatur, IL)
February 17, 2008
Section: News
Page: B1
Hynes sees déjà vu in primary
INGRAM & FRAZIER
Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes was one of the earliest backers of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential bid. But Hynes told the Herald & Review editorial board last week he has some sympathy for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York as the former first lady has started to fall behind Obama in the Democratic presidential primary sweepstakes.
“It’s the phenomenon that I faced when he and I ran against each other,” Hynes said.
Hynes was one of six Democrats who opposed Obama in Illinois 2004 U.S. Senate primary. He came in a distant second place, despite starting with greater name recognition and institutional support than Obama.
“When people get to know him, they get to hear him, they get to see him, they’re swept away - and it’s not artificial by any means,” Hynes said. “It’s real, and it’s warranted, but it takes that exposure.”
Hynes said he had a bit of a “deja vu” feeling watching Obama pick up steam in recent contests as he’s won eight in a row, many by large margins.
“I think the Clintons are baffled by it, to be quite honest,” he said. “I don’t think they know what to do. They’ve changed their slogans 15 times. They’ve changed their strategy. Now, they’re changing their staff.”
The comptroller said he thinks the Clintons eventually will have to acknowledge the same thing he had to acknowledge following his primary loss to Obama when a reporter asked him what went wrong in his campaign.
“I said it had nothing to do with what I did or what I didn’t do,” Hynes said. “It was just the phenomenon of Barack Obama.”
I hope Mr.Ickes is correct and Hillary will wrap up this race. I have a problem with the super delegates. Everyone says the super delegates have to go by who their state wants ie if Obama won the popular vote he should get the delegates, well I believe most states who want Obama decided to have a caucus instead of a primary. A primary gives more people a chance to vote. I feel in my state of Kansas my vote was ripped away from me. Every election here in Kansas I have voted in has been a primary where I could vote right here in my small town of about 1,000 people. This year our Governor who supports Obama decided to hold a caucus on Super Tuesday Feb 5 2008. Well that day in Kansas we had a severe ice and snow storm which made it difficult to vote anyway, but even harder still was they had the caucus by district not county. So here in our little town we had to drive over an hour in a half in a blinding snow and ice storm to exercise our right to vote. Of course if you were elderly disabled or just had transportation problems that made it impossible. My husband and I fell in that category so we were unable to vote for Senator Clinton. Our district had 124 people show up, after the pressure of only raising hands to show support supposedly the count came out 68 for Obama and 56 for Hillary Clinton. Our Republican caucus was by counties, by secret ballet and on a Saturday which made it easy for more people to vote.
Now in Maryland they extended the voting because of bad weather maybe that way Obama would get full advantage of the African American vote. We were not given any opportunity here in Kansas, We had no help for the elderly or disabled no earlier opening before the bad weather. Because my Governor wants Obama why does she get to use her super delegate to vote for me. They say this campaign should not be about race or gender, well I believe it definitely is about race. The news about Obama is never negative it is always about how great he is how he can change America. He is changing it alright. In America we are so concerned about the African American vote, Hispanic vote, Muslim vote or if we owe people for past history mistakes. I never hear anyone say anything positive about the white voters. Do we not count? Are we not Americans? Now, everyone is already saying if Obama wins the popular vote but Hillary wins by the delegates we will have uprisings and riots by the African Americans. So, how will that change the election in 2008. It will make people afraid to vote for who they really believe should be President. I hope people will vote their conscience not because they are afraid or this will be historic that either a black man or a woman will have a chance to be president. Look at the persons history, experience, capabilities and what they can do for America. Don’t vote for the color of skin, gender or even age. The only reason you should vote for that candidate is because they will make the best President and keep America strong and the BEST country in the world. Sometimes people try to make us feel like our country is bad, But I am proud to be an American. Proud to live in America. We are the BEST country!
Democrats wake up, this is what the Republicans want !
McCain is sure to be elected if the following takes place:
Sen. Obama becomes the democratic nominee, and selects
an Afro-American Vice Presidential running mate.
I am not so sure White America would really be ready for this double
Black ticket; this could lead to McCain taking the race!
What are your thoughts?
isn’t it obvious frm the cross carpetting of black super delegates that Obama’s campaign is guilty of what they accuse
if the super delegates vote for clinton over the populer vote and deligate count, then millions of voters on both sides have wasted there time I believe the voters would fail to contribute in any future primaries it only proves that the the behind the doors insiders run the demicratic party
with no regaurd Joe six pack
I want both of them in office. In my opinion that would be the dream team
He means steal.
Thank GOD for superdelegates, the people especially in this election need to be protected from themselves. It’s obvious people are voting in droves for Obama because of his speeches and personality not because of his ideas or plans for this country’s future. His lack of insight and knowledge concerning Foreign Policy has shone through in the debates. Is this the man we want our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers to serve under as Commander in Chief.
A man who admits using cocaine in the past, attends a church whose Minister is a freind of Lewis Farrakhan (head of the Muslim Church in the U.S.) and travelled to Libya with him. A man whose wife recently said “for the first time in my lifetime I am proud of my country” she is completely unappreciative for all this country has given her and her family. It scares me to think that Barack Obama could get the Democratic nomination it really terrifies me, I don’t trust him with is arrogant, narrcissistic attitude. Obama voters be careful what you wish for you just might get it and live to regret it.
Its obvious that Ickes is completely bias towards Hillary. Look if Obama would have lost 11 contests in a row he would no longer be in this campaign. People would have stopped donating a long time ago. This is ridiculous that he says she WILL win the nomination. If you ask me that is why she is losing because she was so sure of her success. Hillary also saying she wants to be the first woman pres. is beneath this election. Although history is being made this election shouldn’t be about gender or race. It should be about who is a leader and will lead this country proudly and intelligently and strategically. Obama exhibits a leader with good judgment and strategy. I am thoroughly disgusted with the media coverage he receives from FOX. They are obviously republican or anti-Obama. THey degrade him for everything that he is and they put Hillary on a pedestal. Obama is winning anyway and the commentators cannot stand it because even though they dog him out all over their broadcasts Obama is still raising more money than her and continues to come closer and closer to winning the most important states. I don’t think she will withdraw if she loses Texas and Ohio. She is being stubborn. FOX, especially Sean, get over it, even your blatant negativity towards this man will not stop him. You make yourself look like a smallminded critic of change. If anything I believe that your constant degradation of his candidacy will only help him. Thank you.
VOTE OBAMA 08!!!!
I am for it..let the good time roll for Hilliary
what else is is obama hiding why the fuss over a middle name and a picture and he can’t cross his heart reciding the oath ? Hillary has to win this one
Divisive, whining hypocrite and enabler of George Bush, will no doubt make promises to super delegates in an attempt to win the democratic nomination and ignore the will of the American people.
Give America back to the people, vote Obama ‘08….. it may be the only chance in your life time to have a politician ready to work for the people.
i think Mr. Ickes is right. these so called super delegate was already on for a long long time and we should follow the rules. i think all of them knows their responsibilities. we people should know what is best for our country esp. for the future of our children. to avoid the confussion, i think their is the over all chairman of the so called super delegate, and if their is he or she should come out and read the rules and reguations on how the super delegate works.(read on the air) these fight for the right pres. and the good for AMERICA is not an easy to choice. these is not a game like we elect our class pres. in our school. that if we dont like wecan change it on the next school year. FOUR YEAR IS LONG YEAR.
Right now I am watching a live show at fox news channel “America’s Election HQ”. I noticed that all the guests in the show are pro Obama and they are all speaking against Clinton. Even when they were asked if anybody can give any legislation that Obama was involved, no one can answer the question but yet they still choose Obama. I don’t understand that. Also why did fox invite all pro Obama guests when the media were already criticized about being unfair and too hard to clinton? Can fox give me and answer? I don’t have any party affiliation. I’m just an observer.
You may do just that! But, you’re going to lose the election! The Clinton Camp’s “kitchen sink” knocked me out!
Unfortunately, as I’ve previously stated as far back as “Super Tuesday” in February, the Clintons will do whatever necessary to get seated back in the White House. Senator Clinton simply does not have the credentials necessary to be President of the United States. She’s obnoxious, rude, shallow and aloof of those around her. Her most recent actions, those being her remarks about her abilities when it comes for foreign policy are marked by her fabrications of her landing in a “hot zone”. She may be a legend in her own mind, but that’s certainly not the person that the American citizens need leading our country. Senator Obama on the other hand, has continued to remain, for the most part, above the fray, not lowering himself to Senator Clinton’s or her husband’s level. Now it seems, that Ms. Clinton feels that the party should take a hard look at counting the Electoral College delegate for her in order that she might come closer to Senator Obama’s lead thus far in the primary. Apparently, someone forgot to tell Ms. Clinton, that Electoral College delegates count only in the general election. How disgusting does it need to become before someone with a sense of good judgement and command within the party steps in and points out to Ms. Clinton that her actions are destestable. Hopefully, they don’t feel that if they do, the Clintons will come after them. I could go on about it like the news agencies, but everyone already knows that in order to step up to the plate for the welfare of the American people and the party which Hillary Clinton belongs to, she would have to be a big person, and we all know, she just doesn’t have the character of being that type of person. I wouldn’t hire her to fetch abstracts, even with her law degree. She remains in this person’s opinion, untrustworthy to hold the highest office in the land.