G
Gandalf Grey
Guest
AP Should Start Reporting the Real Delegate Count
By Cenk Uygur
Created Feb 20 2008 - 10:01am
For most of this primary race, the Associated Press has been publishing a
misleading delegate count. I don't think they have bad intent in doing this
and they are trying to be as accurate as possible, but when they keep
reporting the overall delegate count - including super delegates - they are
giving a false sense of the race.
Counting the super delegates now is misleading for two important reasons.
First, they can and often do change their minds. Just last week at least
three super delegates left the Clinton camp and went over to Obama. Second,
at this point, it appears unlikely that they will vote against the interests
of the Democratic voters, so their endorsements do not indicate how they
will actually cast their ballots at the convention.
If one of the candidates wins a clear majority of the pledged delegates, it
is very unlikely for the super delegates to vote to override that outcome.
There will be tremendous pressure from the public, the press and the party
to put aside earlier endorsements and vote the same way as the pledged
delegates.
Hence, giving an account of the race with the super delegates counted in as
if they have already voted is very misleading. Also, it doesn't give you a
true sense of how large Senator Obama's lead is at this point. Readers might
be surprised to see how Senator Clinton is trying desperately to climb back
into the race when she doesn't seem that far behind based on the AP count.
In reality, she understands she can't afford to lose the real count - of
pledges delegates - and in that count she is now way behind.
Tonight, at the very end of the night, the AP finally made this distinction
[1] (I have seen them make the distinction on a few earlier occasions, but
almost all of their stories regularly only give the count that includes
super delegates). With the super delegates counted, even with the Wisconsin
win, Senator Obama only has a 70 delegate lead. But when you look only at
the pledged delegates, he has a whopping 145 delegate lead.
The pledged delegates are the ones voters actually voted on and they are the
ones most likely to determine the final outcome. So, for the sake of
accuracy and clarity, the Associated Press and the rest of the media should
report the real count of this election - the pledged delegate count.
Young Turks on You Tube [2]
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
By Cenk Uygur
Created Feb 20 2008 - 10:01am
For most of this primary race, the Associated Press has been publishing a
misleading delegate count. I don't think they have bad intent in doing this
and they are trying to be as accurate as possible, but when they keep
reporting the overall delegate count - including super delegates - they are
giving a false sense of the race.
Counting the super delegates now is misleading for two important reasons.
First, they can and often do change their minds. Just last week at least
three super delegates left the Clinton camp and went over to Obama. Second,
at this point, it appears unlikely that they will vote against the interests
of the Democratic voters, so their endorsements do not indicate how they
will actually cast their ballots at the convention.
If one of the candidates wins a clear majority of the pledged delegates, it
is very unlikely for the super delegates to vote to override that outcome.
There will be tremendous pressure from the public, the press and the party
to put aside earlier endorsements and vote the same way as the pledged
delegates.
Hence, giving an account of the race with the super delegates counted in as
if they have already voted is very misleading. Also, it doesn't give you a
true sense of how large Senator Obama's lead is at this point. Readers might
be surprised to see how Senator Clinton is trying desperately to climb back
into the race when she doesn't seem that far behind based on the AP count.
In reality, she understands she can't afford to lose the real count - of
pledges delegates - and in that count she is now way behind.
Tonight, at the very end of the night, the AP finally made this distinction
[1] (I have seen them make the distinction on a few earlier occasions, but
almost all of their stories regularly only give the count that includes
super delegates). With the super delegates counted, even with the Wisconsin
win, Senator Obama only has a 70 delegate lead. But when you look only at
the pledged delegates, he has a whopping 145 delegate lead.
The pledged delegates are the ones voters actually voted on and they are the
ones most likely to determine the final outcome. So, for the sake of
accuracy and clarity, the Associated Press and the rest of the media should
report the real count of this election - the pledged delegate count.
Young Turks on You Tube [2]
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
