https://ricochet.com/on-to-south-carolina-and-nevada-and-nevada-and-south-carolina/Jon Gabriel, Ed.
February 10, 2016
As campaign suspensions, political fallout, and bitter recriminations rain down after the New Hampshire vote, what is the state of the race? I’ll handle the circus on the left first.
Cirque du Socialisme: After the near even split of Iowa followed by Bernie Sanders’s 22-point trouncing of Hillary in New Hampshire, the red diaper pensioner should be in great shape, right? Not so fast. This being the Democratic Party, Feel the Berners have good reason to complain about rich, powerful interests gaming the system to keep them down.
New Hampshire has 24 pledged delegates, allotted based on the popular vote. Sanders has 15, Clinton has nine, and the last two are uncommitted. So far, so good. But there are also eight unpledged delegates, or “superdelegates” — party officials who can support whomever they wish. Surprise, surprise, six of these are firmly in Hillary’s pantsuit pocket, while the other two are uncommitted. So, despite the historic shellacking, Clinton and Sanders both leave the Granite State with 15 delegates. Wait, it gets worse, Team Bernie!
The squeaker in Iowa left Hillary with 29 delegates to Bernie’s 21. Superdelegates made the difference there as well. But then you need to factor in the superdelegates all over the country. Before a single vote was cast, Hillary already secured the support of a whopping 300 while Bernie had only eight.
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