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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 23 augusT 2018

Democrats gather to confront lingering 2016 frustration

By BILL BARROW of the 2,382 delegate votes
Associated Press needed to win the nomi-
CHICAGO (AP) — Demo- nation. Her advantage
crats are bullish about their among superdelegates
prospects in the November made her nomination a fait
midterms, and are peek- accompli, but their influ-
ing around the corner at ence ultimately reflected
a 2020 rematch with Presi- the will of the Democratic
dent Donald Trump. But voters who'd been vot-
first, they're confronting the ing over the preceding
lingering frustration from months.
2016. As the latest proposal
That bitter nominating fight stands, superdelegates in
between Hillary Clinton such an instance would
and Bernie Sanders is front be apportioned along with
and center in Chicago this the pledged delegates to
week as members of the reflect that primary and
Democratic National Com- caucus voting. If that still
mittee gather for their sum- left no candidate with a
mer meeting. They'll decide majority, superdelegates
the fate of so-called super- then would be free to vote
delegates — DNC mem- however they pleased on
bers, elected officials and In this Nov. 3, 2016, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie subsequent ballots.
other party dignitaries. Two Sanders, I-Vt., appear on stage at a rally in Raleigh, N.C. Superdelegates would still
years after such delegates Associated Press be on the convention floor
overwhelmingly backed as delegates regardless,
Clinton, Sanders supporters ers' supporters and grass- The situation comes as of sorting into groups and but Mulholland, the Califor-
argue that this group is the roots activists, Perez has Democrats are trying to counting heads. New York, nia DNC member, scoffs at
epitome of establishment inflamed tensions among weather domestic abuse meanwhile, would be pres- that concession. "Janitors
favoritism. the DNC membership and allegations facing their sured to relax its party reg- and reporters have floor
As he seeks to build a uni- on Capitol Hill, where rank- deputy chairman, Keith El- istration deadline, which in access but not votes," he
fied front among Demo- and-file party leaders and lison. The Minnesota con- 2016 fell six months before said. "It's spin. I don't like
crats heading into the next Congressional Black Cau- gressman, who last week the primary, leaving many spin from Trump, and I don't
presidential primary, DNC cus Chairman Cedric Rich- secured his party's nomina- independents who wanted like spin from Perez."
Chairman Tom Perez is mond have blasted the tion to compete for state to back Sanders no option Perez's allies say party stal-
pushing a proposal to limit proposal. attorney general, denies to vote. warts aren't facing the real-
the influence of superdele- "Three months before the the accusations from an Those changes may have ities of a populist era driven
gates at the 2020 conven- midterms, and this is what ex-girlfriend and is not ex- the most tangible effects by activists who may never
tion. The primary could fea- Bernie Sanders and Tom pected to attend the party on average voters, but su- affiliate formally with a par-
ture as many as two dozen Perez have us discuss- gathering as he campaigns perdelegates have drawn ty but want to have a say
Democrats vying to take ing? Such fools," said Bob back home. Perez has said the most attention, draw- beyond the general elec-
on Trump. Mulholland, a DNC mem- the DNC is investigating the ing comparisons to the tion ballot.
"These moves are about ber from California who matter. bygone era of brokered "We need to lift people up
rebuilding trust," Perez told backed Clinton in 2016 and Beyond changing the rules conventions where party from the grassroots level
reporters recently, defend- has protested since then for superdelegates at the bosses picked nominees. and make them a part of
ing a plan that would strip that Sanders' backers have 2020 convention, the rules In 2016, superdelegates, of- the process," said David
party insiders of their votes wielded undue influence overhaul includes provi- ficially called "unpledged Bowen, vice chairman of
on the first ballot of a con- over the party because the sions intended to make delegates" in party rules, the Wisconsin Democratic
tested nominating conven- Vermont senator is elected vote counting at presiden- accounted for about 15 Party and a state repre-
tion, leaving the outcome as an independent. tial preference caucuses percent of the 4,763 dele- sentative. That includes,
to pledged delegates Don Fowler, who served more transparent, while gates. The rest were appor- he said, voters who were
whose votes are dictated as DNC chairman during making it easier for voters tioned based on state-by- influenced by Russian pro-
by the results of state pri- President Bill Clinton's ad- other than longtime reg- state primary and caucus paganda and hackers
maries and caucuses. ministration, said the party istered Democrats to par- results. Whatever the lean- who exposed internal DNC
Perez predicted he'll secure is punishing loyal party ticipate in caucuses and ings of DNC officials during communications that sug-
the DNC majority required leaders "on some vague primaries. That could affect the campaign, Clinton got gested favoritism toward
to change party rules when presumption that it will be states such as Iowa, which 3.7 million more votes than Clinton.
the full committee consid- fairer." He promised an or- might have to develop pa- Sanders in cumulative pri- "Doing this," Bowen said,
ers the matter Saturday. ganized opposition at Sat- per ballots for caucus sites mary and caucus popular "will fly in the face of that
Yet in trying to mollify Sand- urday's meeting. instead of its usual method vote. Still, she was just short criticism."q