AP Should Start Reporting the Real Delegate Count

Email Print posted by Cenk 02/20/2008 02:35:49 PM EST

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For most of this primary race, the Associated Press has been publishing a misleading delegate count. I don't think they have bad intent in doing this and they are trying to be as accurate as possible, but when they keep reporting the overall delegate count -- including super delegates -- they are giving a false sense of the race.

Counting the super delegates now is misleading for two important reasons. First, they can and often do change their minds. Just last week at least three super delegates left the Clinton camp and went over to Obama. Second, at this point, it appears unlikely that they will vote against the interests of the Democratic voters, so their endorsements do not indicate how they will actually cast their ballots at the convention.

If one of the candidates wins a clear majority of the pledged delegates, it is very unlikely for the super delegates to vote to override that outcome. There will be tremendous pressure from the public, the press and the party to put aside earlier endorsements and vote the same way as the pledged delegates.

Hence, giving an account of the race with the super delegates counted in as if they have already voted is very misleading. Also, it doesn't give you a true sense of how large Senator Obama's lead is at this point. Readers might be surprised to see how Senator Clinton is trying desperately to climb back into the race when she doesn't seem that far behind based on the AP count. In reality, she understands she can't afford to lose the real count - of pledges delegates - and in that count she is now way behind.

Tonight, at the very end of the night, the AP finally made this distinction (I have seen them make the distinction on a few earlier occasions, but almost all of their stories regularly only give the count that includes super delegates). With the super delegates counted, even with the Wisconsin win, Senator Obama only has a 70 delegate lead. But when you look only at the pledged delegates, he has a whopping 145 delegate lead.

The pledged delegates are the ones voters actually voted on and they are the ones most likely to determine the final outcome. So, for the sake of accuracy and clarity, the Associated Press and the rest of the media should report the real count of this election - the pledged delegate count.

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AP Should Start Reporting the Real Delegate Count | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)
I've been saying this since the night of Iowa. (none / 0)
Thanks for saying this. I have been saying the same since the night of the Iowa caucus.  Obama has been in the lead in elected pledged delegates since the first night in Iowa and has not lost that lead since. But because the mainstream media wanted to report wins and losses they didn't even cover any of the delegate counting until after South Carolina.   Then they still were reporting Clinton ahead by including the unpledged delegates.

On Feb 6, 2008, the CNN delegate scoreboard had Clinton ahead in superdelegates by 87, Today, 2/20/08, the CNN count has Clinton ahead by 73. So her lead in unpledged delegates is dwindling too.

by Gregory Wonderwheel on 02/20/2008 06:02:35 PM EST

AP has been reporting delegates count this (none / 0)

way since SDs have been created. It's been the real, accurate count, until now when we have a close nomination. And please, to win it's the number of delegates, 2025, not just the pledged delegate lead or popular vote. The rules allow for SDs to vote anyway they want, otherwise, why create them?

This is a party nomination, not a democracy, under current rules.  Hell, even the GE is not a democracy, but a republican system, set up by the framers, hence the electoral college. The Democratic Party and the founding fathers didn't want to leave it up to the average voter.

by Hue on 02/20/2008 06:23:40 PM EST

Needless to say I agree (none / 0)
I think you don't hear it much in the media for two reasons:
1.  The delegate count is a little too deep for the media.  News has to be palatable and easy to understand in order for people to watch it.  Delegate counts get confusing for me sometimes, and I consider myself to be pretty well informed on this stuff.
2.  They need to keep Obama from being inevitable for as long as possible.  That way Hillary will stay in because she has the slimmest glimmer of hope (ironically), and they get to cover the horserace for a little bit longer.
I know we're talking about the AP and not necessarily the cable news, but one effects the other.

by Spencer on 02/20/2008 06:27:54 PM EST

AP Should Start Reporting the Real Delegate Count | 3 comments (3 topical, 0 hidden)
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