Superdelegates Are White Men

Possible decision-makers represent paradoxical turn in historic primary

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 15, 2008 11:44 AM CST

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Superdelegates Are White Men — In this file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., takes the microphone from former Vice President Walter Mondale, a Minnesota superdelegate, after he introduced her at a rally at Augsburg College in Minneapolis Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. With presidential candidates... (Associated Press)

If the Democratic primary comes down to the superdelegate vote, the historic black man-vs.-white-woman race will be decided by ... white men. At least 46% of the party’s superdelegates are white men, compared to just 28% of Democratic voters. “Obviously, it’s an imperfect system,” one representative tells Politico. “I do think you’ll see some reform after this.”

“It’s still the old guard, the white men,” said one disgusted Obama-backing superdelegate. "They always want to control the outcome." Superdelegates were never intended to represent voters, though; they're stand-ins for the party hierarchy. “I’m not surprised there are still a lot of men,” said a female superdelegate. “It’s just staying power.” (More superdelegates stories.)

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