Obama's Michigan supporters will fight for "their" Uncommitted delegates

Yesterday, my ten-day-old nerdy post about Michigan's Uncommitted delegates -- in which I asserted that "if the Democratic presidential race goes all the way to the convention, and if Michigan's disputed delegation is ultimately seated, an absolutely crucial question will be the identities and loyalties of the state's 55 'Uncommitted' delegates" -- got a comment from one Abby Dart, the deputy director of Michiganders for Obama. Dart wrote that "we are running an aggressive campaign to elect our slate of Michigan Obama delegates. We aren't going to let the Clinton campaign gain any of our hard fought for uncommitted delegates."

Intrigued, I e-mailed Dart to get more information on this effort. Among other things, I asked whether, to her knowledge, the Clinton campaign is also mounting an organized effort to elect their loyalists as "Uncommitted" delegates -- something they have every legal right to do, voters' intent be damned. Dart answered in the affirmative: "I've heard that the Clinton team in Michigan is organizing as well to try to get our uncommitted [delegates]." But, she added, "now we have the labor unions (of course, critical interest group in Michigan) assisting us and the press understands what is at stake."

Anyway, according to Dart, Michiganders for Obama is "going to run a very detailed campaign, including mailers, emails etc to get our slate elected." The group's website says many of its members have submitted their names as candidates for the Uncommitted delegate slots, and they're encouraging people to register as Democrats so they're eligible to vote in the March 29 district conventions that will elect the district-level delegates. (The at-large delegates will be selected on May 17 at the party's State Central Committee meeting.) The website adds:

We will not allow anyone to disrespect us by attempting to take our 'uncommitted' delegate slots. ... [W]e expect our slates of March 29 and May 17 to be elected.  Michiganders for Obama will not be deterred. We are determined. We are even more energized by the resounding message of Yes We Can!

On Saturday, the group held a rally demanding that the state party ensure that all Uncommitted delegates go to Obama. Procedurally, I doubt that will happen at the district level. The key, I think (aside from GOTV efforts, of course), is to rachet up the pressure so that electing Hillary loyalists as Uncommitted delegates will be seen by the media -- and, even more importantly, the State Central Committee, which picks the at-large delegates -- as undemocratic thievery. I'm guessing that, really, was the central aim of the rally.

What makes this whole effort slightly surreal is that Michiganders for Obama is opposed to the seating of the very delegates they're trying to elect. I quote from Dart's e-mail:

At this point, our position is that the January 15 primary was not legitimate and that Senator Obama played by the DNC rules.  Therefore, the DNC position, which stripped Michigan of the delegates for violating the rules, should stand and Michigan delegates should not be seated.

That being said, Michiganders for Obama still needs to be ready in light of this very fluid and ever changing race.  Therefore we are making sure that we have strong candidates for uncommitted delegates in each of Michigan's 15 Congressional Districts.

I totally agree with their position, of course, but I think it's sort of funny at a certain level. Their slate's slogan should be, "Vote for us! If elected, we shall not serve!" :)

Anyway, I'm glad this bit of procedural minutia is being taken seriously, considering its potential importance. Go, Michiganders for Obama!

Comments

[Marc]

There were four people on the ballot in Michigan; Clinton, Dodd, Kucinich and Gravel plus the "uncommitted" section. The four people on the ballot took a gamble that their votes would eventually count and their Delegates would eventually be seated at the Democratic National Convention. The "uncommitted" voters are exactly what they said they are and who they voted for. These are not all Obama votes, these are "uncommitted" votes. Obama had his name on the ballot and then took it off the ballot and later when he thought this wasn't such a good idea tried to put his name back on the ballot but was rebuffed by the Michigan State Senate. He may have told his people to vote "uncommitted" but he certainly can't claim all these votes. "Uncommitted" ballots are not necessarily Obama votes. And yes, some people may have still been "uncommitted" about Clinton at the time.

[Brendan]

Okay Marc, but somebody has to be elected to fill those 55 delegate slots. 55 human beings will go to the convention as "Uncommitted" delegates. Those human beings will either be Obama loyalists or Clinton loyalists, unless you think a majority of voters at the district conventions or the State Central Committee meeting are going to vote for a delegate with no known loyalties (or who supports somebody else). Basically, it's a zero-sum game: either they're "Uncommitteds for Hillary" or they're "Uncommitteds for Obama." Conceding that neither solution is perfect, which one would you say is more in keeping with the voters' preferences, generally speaking? I think the answer is obvious.

[Joe Loy]

The elegant solution :} to this Conundrum is to be found sitting right there, plain as day :>, in Section 12 of the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention (click on said Link within Footnote 4 at the very top of the linked page), to wit:

Section 12

...B. All persons wishing to be elected to a district-level or at-large delegate position must file a statement of candidacy designating the presidential or uncommitted preference of the delegate candidate and a signed pledge of support for the presidential candidate (including uncommitted status) the person favors, if any,...

D. Prior to the selection of national convention delegates and alternates, the state party shall convey to the presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), a list of all persons who have filed for delegate or alternate positions pledged to that presidential candidate. All such delegate and alternate candidates shall be considered bona fide supporters of the presidential candidate whom they have pledged to support, unless the presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), signifies otherwise in writing to the state party... (1.) Presidential candidates shall certify in writing to the Democratic State Chair the name(s) of their authorized representative(s)...

E. National convention delegate and alternate candidates removed from the list of bona fide supporters by a presidential candidate, or that candidate’s authorized representative(s), may not be elected as a delegate or alternate at that level pledged to that presidential candidate (including uncommitted status)...

Thus it is clear, construing (as we Must :) the pertinent Rules in their full Context, that true to its Core Principles of Equality, Inclusiveness and Diversity, the National Democratic Party guarantees the same rights & opportunities to Uncommitted Status as it does to any Other presidential Candidate :). Any doubts in this regard are surely settled by the language establishing the foundational requirement that each Delegate Candidate shall sign (emphases added) a "...pledge of support for the presidential candidate (including uncommitted status) the person favors, IF ANY..." ;]. This black-letter distinction between support for a Candidate, e.g. Uncommitted Status, on the one hand, and the holding of no preference (as reflected by the crucial "if any" proviso :) on the other, is entirely consistent with the procedures as subsequently set forth. ;>

Therefore all that is Called for here is for presidential contender Uncommitted Status to duly submit written certification, pursuant to 12 D (1) above, of the name(s) of his her its Authorized Representative(s), and then signify in writing (directly or through such representatives) the names of any would-be Uncommitted Status Delegates whom it does Not consider to be Bona Fide Supporters, thus forever Striking all such phonies, plants and moles :> from the eligible U-list.

In this way, exactly as envisioned by the wise rules-authors' Original Intent, the Michigan Delegation (If Any :) to the Convention will include a robust, genuine & loyal pro-Uncommitted Status contingent.

:)