Obama, Clinton Shower Cash on Delegates

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Obama, Clinton Shower Cash on Delegates

February 14, 2008 5:30 PM

ABC News Rick Klein Reports: They're by far the most influential 796 Democratic voters in the country, and they're being . . . showered with cash by the two remaining Democratic candidates?

It's not quite as unseemly as it sounds. But an eyebrow-raising study from the Center for Responsive Politics shows that "superdelegates" have received at least $890,000 in political contributions from Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton -- going back to 2005 -- with Obama sending a larger share of cash to the influential party insiders.

The study found that Obama has sent more than $694,000 from either his campaign account or his political action committee to superdelegates -- the members of Congress, governors, and other party leaders who receive automatic votes at the Democratic National Convention.

About 40 percent of the elected officials who have endorsed Obama have received campaign contributions from him, the center reports. Those superdelegates have received a total of $228,000 from him.

By contrast, Clinton sent out only $195,500 to superdelegates, and only 12 percent of her superdelegates received money from her for their campaigns, according to the report.

And quantities may count.

"In cases where superdelegates had received contributions from both Clinton and Obama, all seven elected officials who received more money from Clinton have committed to her," the report states. "Thirty-four of the 43 superdelegates who received more money from Obama, or 79 percent, are backing him."

While such contributions are perfectly legal, they shine a light on another element of the little-understood process by which the Democratic Party chooses a nominee: Superdelegates could determine the nomination, and many of them are politicians themselves, with their own reelection campaigns to worry about when they make their choices.

February 14, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (192)

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So why have all the primaries in all these states, spending billions of dollars, if the people's vote isn't going to count? Go figure, a stupid Democratic process. GO OBAMA!!!! Beat the witch!

Posted by: elsies | Feb 14, 2008 5:48:28 PM

Rick - Not to be morbid, but is it now 795 superd.s with the passing of Lantos, or does someone automatically replace him? Also, I read that Roz Samuels in NJ switched from Clinton to Obama today. Think that may start a trend? Also, in the VA paper today Del. Spruill (a black legislator and superd.) suggested that due to the overwhelming support by his constituency for Obama, he is feeling pressure to switch.

Posted by: Kevin | Feb 14, 2008 5:49:17 PM

Big Deal...ABC almost makes it look like it is a bribe. When I am giving money to someone, I would rather give to someone who would support me. No big deal!!!

Posted by: Talk2TechGuy | Feb 14, 2008 5:51:52 PM

Interesting that Obama is giving bribe money to the super delegates. Makes you wonder how clean he is on the receiving end!

Posted by: ges | Feb 14, 2008 5:52:41 PM

What happened to "free and fair"??? This amounts to bribery. Nauseating.I haven't even voted in a primary yet and the election in November is being decided now by Superdelegates.

Posted by: Momvar | Feb 14, 2008 5:53:38 PM

So is Obama going to spend some of his money and BUY HIMSELF SOME EXPERIENCE?!! Obama has never been to Iraq, so how can he possibly pull us out of the middle east safely? Hillary has been to Iraq multiple times and met with military personnel. He is preaching hope, while she has been working on solutions. Obama has NO chance against a war hero veteran like McCain. The democrats will loose the white house again if Obama is the nominee.

Posted by: buysomeexperience | Feb 14, 2008 5:53:54 PM

Whether this is status quo or not for a primary ... this is bad. It's great to support members of their party but... it seems like a harbinger of what is to come.
A VERY LARGE reason why superdelegates should not override the parties democratic vote... in either direction.

I am a democrat and fight for it's standing but I like many, many others will leave the party if the superdelegates overturn the will of the people.

Posted by: dl | Feb 14, 2008 5:54:00 PM

Very very bad system even if legal; because there is a very very thin line between campaign contribution to so-called super delegates and vote buying.
This makes the super delegate system even the more odious; but that is 'democracy' -- ILLUSION of fair play. People can be bought

Posted by: New Yorker | Feb 14, 2008 5:54:14 PM

ges you're very smart to note that Obama gave "bribes", but Hillary didn't. Very articulate. Lol, they comes in all shapes and sizes, these idiots.

Posted by: Roca | Feb 14, 2008 5:54:39 PM

I've been getting an uneasy feeling about the Democrat's Superdelegates ever since this season's race became a toss up.

Wow, the Democrats Elite get to choose the next President without regard to the voting public. Now we find out that whomever can pay the superdelegates the most payola will win.

This is an embarrassment to democracy.

Here I am, one of those Republicans who was planning on voting for Obama...

Posted by: Charlie | Feb 14, 2008 5:54:49 PM

Is Obama's squeaky clean image breaking! Sounds like "bribe" money to me.

Posted by: JAS | Feb 14, 2008 5:55:25 PM

Hillary is slipping..didn't her campaign manager..or asst manager just quit?...

Posted by: Ramage100 | Feb 14, 2008 5:55:44 PM

you are very daft. Haven't you heard that what we don't need right now is more of the same pathetic experience? Bill Clinton hadn't been to foreign countries when he becanme President, but if i recall correctly, it didn't hurt him much when it came to foreign affairs.

Posted by: Roca | Feb 14, 2008 5:57:17 PM

Wow.

Bribe money to the super delegates. Lol. Im sure Senator Mc Cain is going to have a field day with this one.

Republican LANDSLIDE folks. Obama is an media invented IDIOT.

Posted by: tom | Feb 14, 2008 5:58:31 PM

Posted by: New Yorker | Feb 14, 2008 5:59:25 PM

When you "give" money to 40% of the people who support you it's a bribe. Obama - "no you can't"!

Posted by: ges | Feb 14, 2008 6:01:03 PM

fem Obtle is the reason God considers bearing false witness right up there with murder , It is so easy to lie it seems

Posted by: don quixote | Feb 14, 2008 6:01:41 PM

So it's fair to say OBAMA is playing POLITICS AS USUAL? Contributing more than Senator Clinton...

Tsk Tsk...

Posted by: matthew | Feb 14, 2008 6:06:14 PM

“Thirty-four of the 43 superdelegates who received more money from Obama, or 79 percent, are backing him."

Obama is not clean and he cheated us. Why did so many young voters supported him?

Obama is time for you to stop playing game now.

Posted by: Mike_88 | Feb 14, 2008 6:07:20 PM

Let's see - technically it's legal for Obama to bribe 40% of the super delegates that support him - technically it was legal for him to pay $300,000 less than asking price for his house. What about ETHICALLY!

Posted by: Jeff | Feb 14, 2008 6:08:01 PM

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