By Jerry Mooney
Currently in the delegate count there is a false narrative and this is no accident. In non-superdelegates, it is a flat footed tie between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, 51 to 51. But the media are reporting that Hillary has 600 to 70 lead. This is designed to make Sanders’ supporters feel like it is a foregone conclusion that Hillary will win. This is by counting pledged superdelegates.
This is a clever tactic so it is critical that Sanders’ supporters understand a few things: first, there are only 715 superdelegates and these are only pledged until the convention. They can and usually do change once the people’s voice is made known through popular voting. Second, it allows the media to continue to pound the narrative that Hillary is the presumptive candidate. This despite the fact that Bernie Sanders was late to enter the race and has overcome huge deficits in Iowa and Nevada. If viewed properly, the data shows Sanders’ campaign with the momentum, but that is not what you see from that major news networks.
The most important data to this point is that the elected delegates are tied and that the projected momentum of the Sanders’ campaign has shifted from major underdog. When many of the superdelegates were pledged, they were done with the understanding that Hillary was going to win the nomination and these superdelegates could leverage their support. If the situation changes, so do these pledges, so don’t even factor them into the race to the nomination. And as reported recently, if the popular vote goes against the superdelegates, they will change or face torches and pitchforks.
Featured image/composite: cc 2015 Phil Roeder; Hillary Clinton via Facebook. Read more at: http://reverbpress.com/politics/hillary-clinton-superdelegates-bernie-sanders/
Jerry Mooney is co-founder and managing editor of Zenruption and the author of History Yoghurt and the Moon. He studied at the University of Munich and Lewis and Clark College where he received his BA in International Affairs and West European Studies. He has taught Language and Communications at a small, private college recently and has owned various businesses, including an investment company that made him a millionaire before the age of 40. Jerry is committed to raising the floor of our world economically and zenrupting the forces that block social and economic justice. He can also be found on Twitter @JerryMooney