The Story
The Democratic Party has under consideration a proposal to eliminate the “superdelegates,” long a controversial part of its system of nominating a candidate for President.
What it Means
The term “superdelegate” refers to an delegate to a nominating convention who is neither elected nor pledged to a particular candidate by any party or state rules. The includion of such figures, representing party leadership and continuity, was in party a response to the 1972 debacle where the grassroots candidate amongst primary voters, George McGovern, proved disastrously unpopular among the rest of the electorate. It was hoped that the superdelegates would act as the “cooler heads” who could head off another such disaster.
The Thing to Know:
Needs more work. Something on the Sanders v. Clinton angle here?
