NPR: Tenn. Gov Urges Superdelegate Primary

Tenn. Gov Urges Superdelegate Primary

Many Democrats worry that the lengthy contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will make it harder for the party come November's general election. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen has a solution -- hold a primary for the superdelegates in June.

His suggestion comes as more Democrats express unease with the increasingly personal mudslinging between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

He tells Day by Day's Madeleine Brand that the Democratic National Committee will have to organize the primary. "My thought would be that it would just be a business-like meeting. Have it some place that's easily accessible."

The powers-that-be inside the beltway (Washington) don't like it, but it's been getting a much more positive reception in the rest of the country.

"I think they look at it and say it's a common-sense idea ... Let's not just go on auto-pilot. Let's steer this thing," says Bredesen. He added that Sen. Barack Obama has indicated interest in the issue.

6:52 PM ET | 03-26-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

That's just crazy enough that it might work. And it sounds, you know, ethical.

Sent by Victoria Marinelli | 7:16 PM ET | 03-26-2008

I'd like to see this discussed more fully by all the media, superdelegates and candidates. What have we got to lose? Does this in some way minimize the possible role of the superdelegates? Would they bar it with the hopes of playing a more dramatic role at the convention? Surely they care more about the primary than their own egos. (Why does that last statement not ring true?)

Sent by Patricia Rich | 8:30 PM ET | 03-26-2008

Or so it sounds well on paper, but I somehow have a felling that like every other big event thus far in the Dem. primaries, it could leave things as uncertain as ever. Considering Hillary has the bigger black book, and is more likely to offer back room deals (Obama's message of change evaporates when he begins playing the politics-as-usual game), she is more likely to wind up with a bigger share of superdels. Seeing as how there will always be a sizeable enough population to not attend the vote, I have a feeling that not even this would be able to solve the Dem's dilemma, still forcing them to fight on until August.

Sent by Chuck | 8:21 AM ET | 03-27-2008

Since this is the system that we have it seems more practical to get a nominee before the convention; however, I have a lot of suspicion that a lot of pork trading will be done for votes at a time when I feel we need to watch the budget carefully and use the money for prevention of collapse of economy and markets (dollar, inflation, joblessness, etc.). There is too much room for the "corrupt bargain" a.ka. Henry Clay.

Sent by Steve Ferrel | 8:32 AM ET | 03-27-2008

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