DNC Rule Geeks - Does Hillary Even Benefit From An Assasination?

[Median Democrat]

Reading the transcripts of Hillary's assassination comments, she cited RFK's assassination as a reason why she should continue to stay in the race. My question is whether Hillary somehow wins the Deomcratic nomination by default if something were to happen to Obama? For example, I have a hard time believing that if something were to happen to McCain, that Ron Paul would somehow win the GOP nomination by default because he has stayed in the race.

In other words, what is the relevance of a potential assination to Hillary's decision to stay in the race? Is it because by continuing to garner delegates, she would have more leverage in the event that event occurred? Or, under DNC rules, does the candidate in the race with the largest number of delegates get the nomination by default?

Thanks in advance!

[krispos42]

1. Ooo....

:popcorn:

[anonymous171]

2. Obama should will his delegates to Kucinich if something happens.

The NWO would never touch him.

[anigbrowl]

3. Other people would be niminated at the convention and those nominations put to a floor vote.

Gore would almost certainly become the party's nominee.

[Median Democrat]

12. Other People? Follow-Up ?

Who can nominate the candidates and what happens to Obama's delegates? Under DNC rules, do they no longer count if something were to happen to Obama? If so, I can understand Hillary's justification of the possibility of assassination as a reason for staying in the race. Or, are Obama's delegates automatically consolidated with Hillary's?

Likewise, I assume that Hillary would retain control over her own delegates in the event something were to happen to Obama. Does anyone have a link to any DNC rules or by-laws? Also, could the rules be changed mid-stream?

Just looking for a even keeled explanation of how this process works from those who know?

Thanks!

[AllentownJake]

17. Obama Delegates

would all be unpledged delegates free to decide on any nominee they choose.

All delegates can change their mind so if the candidate were to somehow not be able to be the nominee than they could pick someone else.

[Median Democrat]

23. Thanks! Is this what happened in 1968!

Thank you for the response. I just wanted a straught answer. Not one of these crazy ones from Obama/Hillary partisans.

[AllentownJake]

24. 1968

I don't know. The rules were so much different back than. There were only 13 primaries and 2 caucuses back than.

Before 1980 delegates were required to vote for who they were pledged to on the first ballot. In 1984 the rule was changed that they could vote for whoever they wanted to but were picked by the candidates.

[Median Democrat]

25. Here is the Wikpedia Description of 1968 Dem Primary

As you point out, I do not know if the 1968 rules still apply, but here is the description on Wikpedia of what happened in 1968 to RFK's delegates. Again, I am not sure of the relevance of Hillary's reference to 1968, since it would cast her in the role of Hubert Humphrey unless that was the point she was trying to make:

Democratic Convention and antiwar protests
Robert Kennedy's death altered the dynamics of the race, and threw the Democratic Party into disarray. Although Humphrey appeared the prohibitive favorite for the nomination, thanks to his support from the traditional power blocs of the party, he was an unpopular choice with many of the antiwar elements within the party, who identified him with Johnson's controversial position on the Vietnam War. However, Kennedy's delegates failed to unite behind a single candidate who could have prevented Humphrey from getting the nomination. Some of Kennedy's support went to McCarthy, but many of Kennedy's delegates, remembering their bitter primary battles with McCarthy, refused to vote for him. Instead, these delegates rallied around the late-starting candidacy of Senator George McGovern of South Dakota, a Kennedy supporter in the spring primaries who had presidential ambitions himself. This dividing of the antiwar votes at the Democratic Convention made it easier for Humphrey to gather the delegates he needed to win the nomination.

When the 1968 Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago, thousands of young activists from around the nation gathered in the city to protest the Vietnam War. In a clash which was covered on live television, Americans were shocked to see Chicago police brutally beating antiwar protesters in the streets of Chicago. While the protesters chanted "The whole world's watching," the police used clubs and tear gas to beat back the protesters, leaving many of them bloody and dazed. The tear gas even wafted into numerous hotel suites; in one of them Vice-President Humphrey was watching the proceedings on television. Meanwhile, the convention itself was marred by the strong-arm tactics of Chicago's mayor Richard J. Daley (who was seen on television angrily cursing Senator Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut, who made a speech at the convention denouncing the excesses of the Chicago police in the riots). In the end, the nomination itself was anticlimactic, with Vice President Humphrey handily beating McCarthy and McGovern on the first ballot. The convention then chose Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine as Humphrey's running mate. However, the tragedy of the antiwar riots crippled Humphrey's campaign from the start, and it never fully recovered. (White, pgs. 377-378; <2>)

[Yael]

4. She is staying in because she is insane.

[BlooInBloo]

5. Just like torture got mainstreamed, so too is killing Obama.

:(

[slinkerwink]

6. I'd rather have Obama's delegates vote for Gore. I don't want that creep as President.

[AZ Criminal JD]

7. You are lying and you know it

She was pointing out campaigns often go into June and beyond. She was not speculating on any "benefits".

[frustrated_lefty]

8. She only benefits if she drinks the blood?

[WeDidIt]

9. IBTL

Speculation about what would happen if a major candidat is assassinated is in poor taste.

[Median Democrat]

19. No speculation please. What happened to RFK's delegates?

I am just asking the question in reference to the context of the question posed to Hillary. I can understand the reference to Bill Clinton's campaign in 1992. What I am trying to understand, logically, is the reference to RFK.

What rules govern? In fact, what happened when RFK was assasinated, since this was before my time? What happened to RFK's delegates?

[AllentownJake]

22. I don't think the rules in 68

are anywhere close to what they are now. There were only 15 contest and the rest of the delegates were backroom deals type of thing.

All delegates are essentially unpledged even right now. They can change their mind at anytime. They are selected by Obama or Clinton but at the convention they can vote for anyone and it isn't against the rules.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. Can you imagine the conspiracy theories that would swirl around her now if even an attempt was made

...on Obama's life?

That's probably the best reason to never have used the word at all.

[AllentownJake]

15. Thats part of the reason I'm so mad

The RW could orchestrate something and a democrat would be blamed now.

[MaineDem]

11. Why are you posting something like this???

:eyes:

[Median Democrat]

21. What happened to RFK's Delegates?

Let me try it this way, because I am not getting a simple answer to a pretty straight forward question.

How about this:

1. What happened to RFK's delegates in 1968?

2. Does this process in 1968 still apply now?

Again, thanks for any informed responses.

[AllentownJake]

13. Michelle Obama

If something happened before the convention that made Obama incapasitated.

Michelle Obama would be a queen or kingmaker. Whoever she endorsed would probably be nominated. Think of Jackie O with Lyndon on Airforce one.

That being said may this never happen.

[IsItJustMe]

14. Just a guess, but I would imagine that it would be taken up at the convention. Who ever wanted it

at that point would put their name in, try to garner delegates, and when it was all said and done, the one with the most delegates would win. I think by now, it would be highly unlikely that Hillary would have a leg to stand on. Especially after her assassination comments.

[BluegrassDem]

16. Hillary is psycho is she thinks Obama's delegates would vote for her at the convention!

Even if Obama landed on Mars and wouldn't come back, there's no God on Earth way that Obama's delegates would even give a 2nd thought to Hillary. In her twisted world, she thinks the party would just fall to the ground and worship her. I think Al Gore would be the nominee hands down.

[AllentownJake]

18. or Edwards

either one would be appropriate.

[murielm99]

26. I thought it was wrong to speculate on assassination.

A couple of days ago this place went ballistic. Now you are talking about what would happen to Obama's delegates?

It's okay if Obama supporters do it, by not Clinton, or her supporters?

[Median Democrat]

27. Don't Respond If You Don't Know, Don't Want Speculation

Look at the question in this thread. I am asking for specific information:

1, What do the DNC rules actually provide?

2. What happened in 1968?

3. Do the procedures that applied in 1968 still apply now?

That is why my question is posed to DNC Rules Geeks. It is hard to get a straight answer with these types of responses from both Obama and Hillary partisans with references to conspiracy theories.

Hillary supporters say it was a random reference. Fine. My question is, well, what does happen to Obama's delegates? I was born after 1968, so I don't understand the nature of Hillary's reference to the 1968 election.

[ecstatic]

20. IBTL but... maybe Michelle Obama could run with Edwards or something

:shrug: