A while back we got reports that Hillary was going to go after pledged delegates. I was pretty ticked off about that, because those are delegates that actually voted for by the people, and, as such, they should be sacrosanct in a democracy. They represent the votes of the citizenry, and therefore should be hands off.
I'm not a Clinton supporter, but I was still very relieved when it was reported that this would NOT be the case. Hillary would not be trying to flip pledged delegates and therefore - in my eyes - subvert Democracy. Since I planned to vote for her if Obama didn't get the nod, I was glad she wasn't that ruthless.
Today it seems to be a different story, though.
(CNN) — In a new interview, Hillary Clinton again seems to raise the prospect that "pledged" delegates - those awarded based on election results - might still be considered up for grabs..
"There are elected delegates, caucus delegates and superdelegates, all for different reasons, and they're all equal in their ability to cast their vote for whomever they choose," she told Newsweek in an interview published Sunday. "Even elected and caucus delegates are not required to stay with whomever they are pledged to."
What is it about the word "pledged" does she not understand? Yes, they can flip, technically... but, as delegates elected by the votes of the citizens, they damned well shouldn't. She may find them "equal in their ability to cast their vote for whomever they choose," but I don't.
I don't like the Superdelegate system, I think it's a dumb thing that the Democratic party does, and I hope they put some thought into doing away with it for the next election... but, yes, those delegates are in play. But to try to influence delegates who represent actual votes? That seems to be spitting on the democratic process itself.
As someone who may have to eventually vote for this woman if she ends up the nominee, I don't like this. At all. I'm having enough trouble trying to get around the whole "endorsing McCain over her fellow Democrat" thing, and now this shit's back on the table?
If this ends up being the way she does it, I don't know if I will vote for her, because I've got a conscience to live with...