Acknowledgements: The authors thank Vincent Vecera for his contributions to an earlier exploration of this topic, and Dan Franklin and Dante Scala for helpful comments on earlier versions of this article. We also thank Amelia Schoeneman and Matt Davis for research assistance, as well as Kitty Asberry, Rachel Binah, Toby Condliffe, Liv Gibbons, Billi Gosh, David Hardy, Therese Hunkin, Randy Roy, Rich Shaffer, and Christopher Stampolis for their assistance in recreating the timeline of 2008's primary season endorsements.
1747-1346/asset/POLP_left.gif?v=1&s=3da770ba96dcddf23f899d74695d81ffabfee546)
1747-1346/asset/POLP_centre.gif?v=1&s=7c2178cd61ae4834d5ab4c0b6f450454a9d1b409)
1747-1346/asset/POLP_right.gif?v=1&s=1d6f36fac71d7278285e8ad928626d18eae872cc)
Original Article
Superdelegate Decision Making during the 2008 Democratic Primaries
Article first published online: 3 AUG 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00367.x
© The Policy Studies Organization
Additional Information
How to Cite
Galdieri, C. J., Parsneau, K. and Granberg-Rademacker, J. S. (2012), Superdelegate Decision Making during the 2008 Democratic Primaries. Politics & Policy, 40: 680–703. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00367.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 3 AUG 2012
- Article first published online: 3 AUG 2012
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Superdelegates;
- Democratic Primaries;
- Barack Obama;
- Hillary Clinton;
- Superdelegate Endorsements;
- 2008 Presidential Nomination;
- Party Elites
The race for superdelegate support during the extended competition between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination offers a unique opportunity to examine the behavior of party elites with regard to their party's rank and file. The choice and timing of superdelegates' endorsements were examined, as well as measures of superdelegate loyalty, enthusiasm, considerations of candidate viability, and strategic endorsements. Did superdelegates endorse candidates based on personal or political ties, or to settle old political scores, as much of the press coverage suggested? Did superdelegates try to hijack the nomination for a candidate other than the one preferred by party rank-and-file participants in primaries and caucuses? We find that, taken in the aggregate, superdelegate endorsements were based on systematic considerations about candidates' standing as measured by national opinion polling, state support for candidates, and the candidate delegate count. Furthermore, female superdelegates showed more enthusiastic support for Clinton, while elected officials who were superdelegates were more likely to support Obama.
Related Articles
and . 2011. “The Impact of Prolonged Nomination Contests on Presidential Candidate Evaluations and General Election Vote Choice: The Case of 2008.” Politics & Policy 39 (5): 741-759. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00311.x/abstract , and . 2012. “Mixed Signals? Gender and the Media's Coverage of the 2008 Vice Presidential Candidates.” Politics & Policy 40 (2): 221-257. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00350.x/abstract 1998. “Women and Representation at Major Party Conventions, 1972-1992. Southeastern Political Review 26 (1): 45-77. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.1998.tb00471.x/abstract
Related Media
Film Clips: TPM TV. 2008. “David Wilhelm on the Role of Super-Delegates.” YouTube . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpzCBPE3j6k State of the Black Union. 2008 “Hillary Clinton Speech.” http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/204090-3
La carrera por el apoyo de los superdelegados durante la extensa competencia entre Hillary Clinton y Barack Obama por la nominación presidencial en 2008 del partido Demócrata ofrece una oportunidad única para examinar el comportamiento de la élite del partido en relación al resto de sus miembros. Se examinó la elección y coordinación de los superdelegados para expresar su apoyo, así como sus niveles de lealtad, entusiasmo, consideraciones de viabilidad del candidato, y ratificaciones estratégicas. ¿Fueron las ratificaciones de los superdelegados basadas en lazos políticos o personales? ¿Trataron los superdelegados de adueñarse de la nominación de un candidato que fuera diferente del preferido debido a su posición en el partido en las elecciones primarias y los cáucuses? Encontramos que en agregado, las ratificaciones de los superdelegados se basaron en consideraciones sistemáticas de la posición de los candidatos, medida por encuestas de opinión nacional, apoyo estatal por el candidato, y la cuenta de delegados del candidato. Además, las mujeres superdelegadas mostraron un apoyo más entusiasta por Clinton, mientras que oficiales elegidos que a su vez eran superdelegados mostraban una mayor probabilidad a apoyar a Obama.