Matthew Yglesias (February 11, 2008) - Good Advice (Politics)

Matt,

Break a story for us - how does a 21 year old (or anyone not a long standing party hack/politician, for that matter) become a super delegate?

And I'm not just asking so that Scarlett Johansson might call me in 2012, but...

Posted by SoCalJustice | February 11, 2008 5:00 PM

But wouldn't that be pimping out Scarlett Johansson.....

Posted by Chris R. | February 11, 2008 5:04 PM

>>pimping out Scarlett Johansson.....

Yes, please.

Posted by WannaBe | February 11, 2008 5:05 PM

Break a story for us - how does a 21 year old (or anyone not a long standing party hack/politician, for that matter) become a super delegate?

Sexual favors.

Maybe he's gay, in which case Ms Johansson might not have the desired effect.

Posted by Mixner | February 11, 2008 5:07 PM

This post is useless without a picture. And not of John Kerry.

Posted by Al | February 11, 2008 5:08 PM

how does a 21 year old (or anyone not a long standing party hack/politician, for that matter) become a super delegate?

Basically, he convinced the Wisconsin Democratic Party to make him a DNC member.

Posted by Gabriel | February 11, 2008 5:09 PM

I knew knew knew that there would instantly be a comment like Chirs R.'s.

If only we could somehow break the vicious cycle of not-getting-laid and misogyny....

Posted by lemuel pitkin | February 11, 2008 5:09 PM

I'm gonna take a wild guess that this kid has some sort of position in the College Democrats.

Posted by Eric k | February 11, 2008 5:10 PM

read the wiki on him... doesn't explain the "why" but the "how and who" -- nothing like political entrepreneurship ...

as for the scarlett johansson issue ... I'd be happy to get right on top of it

Posted by mike c | February 11, 2008 5:12 PM

Forget Scarlett Johansson. When the bidding gets fully engaged, Mr. Rae will be looking at guaranteed law school (of his choosing) admission with full scholarship and a glamorous schedule c federal appointment when he graduates.

Posted by dry_fish | February 11, 2008 5:15 PM

thats the problem and don't know why this info isn't all over

Out of the 789 super delegates - @390 are not elected party insiders/ex elected officials --

If there were to be super delegates - elected officials - Gov/Sen and Reps could follow the will of the electorate -- but the other 390 who are insiders -- these people get a voice in who the next President could be??

Lanny Davis said on Morning Joe today he was on the committee that drafted the Super Delegate rule, and Terry McAuliffe was the head of the DNC and they appointed the majority of these people-- so talk about overcoming obstacles

Please tell everyone - there is a web site
SuperDelegates.org that lists all of them by name and affiliation

Obama may have to call Brad and George as well as Scarlet and Julia -- and that is really absurd--

Posted by alison weil | February 11, 2008 5:16 PM

Maybe Hillary should consider trying to win a state or two in the next few months instead of trying to steal this thing through superdelegates and seating Michigan and Florida. Just a thought.

Posted by slicky | February 11, 2008 5:17 PM

thats the problem and don't know why this info isn't all over

Out of the 789 super delegates - @390 are not elected party insiders/ex elected officials --

If there were to be super delegates - elected officials - Gov/Sen and Reps could follow the will of the electorate -- but the other 390 who are insiders -- these people get a voice in who the next President could be??

Lanny Davis said on Morning Joe today he was on the committee that drafted the Super Delegate rule, and Terry McAuliffe was the head of the DNC and they appointed the majority of these people-- so talk about overcoming obstacles

Please tell everyone - there is a web site
SuperDelegates.org that lists all of them by name and affiliation

Obama may have to call Brad and George as well as Scarlet and Julia -- and that is really absurd--

Posted by alison weil | February 11, 2008 5:17 PM

Yeah, I agree, it's absurd this kid gets to be a superdelegate.

They should abolish the vast majority of these DNC superdelegate positions. Howard Dean and the executive leadership of the party, and maybe the 50 state party chairs, deserve automatic seats, if we're doing the whole superdelegate thing, but the other 300 odd can go stuff it. Get elected a pledged delegate like everybody else, assholes.

Their role was supposed to be greatly reduced after the 1988 convention, but apparently the DNC actually voted themselves back in when nobody was looking. Totally shameful.

Posted by John | February 11, 2008 5:24 PM

Maybe he'd even settle for Chris Rock.

Perhaps will.i.am could write a little jingle for Jason's Valentine's Day date.

SoCal, I think most young people with DNC votes get them through the College Dems. I think there may also be a few other young people Dem groups that get a couple of superdelegates each.

Posted by bob | February 11, 2008 5:24 PM

This is about the same reaction I had to this piece. Obama better step it up.

I'm not even a huge Bill Clinton fan, but if the guy called me, I'd probably lose it. I mean seriously - can you imagine just shootin' the shit with Bill Clinton? Even for what is - I'm sure - a two minute phone call.

And then John Kerry calls. Yawn.

But then this kid is a 21-year-old super delegate and I'm....well....not.

Posted by CM Burns | February 11, 2008 5:25 PM

Well, Scarlett got us some votes here in Iowa. How can a college basketball team resist a pizza party with Scarlett Johansson?

Posted by Meng Bomin | February 11, 2008 5:34 PM

dry_fish:
law school over Scarlett Johansson? What perverted priorities have you Sir! :-)

Posted by Jozo | February 11, 2008 5:34 PM

>>

>>But wouldn't that be pimping out Scarlett Johansson.....

>>Posted by Chris R. | February 11, 2008 5:04 PM

Ho Ho, progressive frat boy misogynist, that was a clever one. Grow up.

Posted by lymie | February 11, 2008 5:35 PM

Basically, he convinced the Wisconsin Democratic Party to make him a DNC member.

No, he ran for the position and won, beating two other candidates when he was 17. He sounds like a very dedicated and industrious young man. Who cares that he is a junior in college? You want to tell him he was to wait until he has grey or receding hair before he's allowed to have influence?

Now, if you want to say the rest of the non-public-office holding superdelegates shouldn't have a vote, or all of them, then I won't argue. But this guy has about as much claim as any of the other DNC members. Treat him right and he has half a century of helping the liberal cause ahead of him.

Posted by winner | February 11, 2008 5:49 PM

Will someone tell me why a 21-year old political opportunist SHOULDN'T be a superdelegate? Why is there even sentiment that his age is a factor?

Posted by Aaron | February 11, 2008 5:52 PM

Maybe this is exactly why Hilllary's campaign didn't win a single state this weekend. She's trying to win the superdelegates while Obama is crushing her by winning the popular vote. Nice strategy, Mr. Penn. Guess you're going to lose again and again and again.

Posted by kidkostar | February 11, 2008 5:52 PM

If Bill Clinton called me, I'd asked him what was he thinking when he hooked up with a White House intern. Come on dude, you're the President.

I'd vote for Huckabee if Scarlett called me.

Lanny Davis said on Morning Joe today he was on the committee that drafted the Super Delegate rule, and Terry McAuliffe was the head of the DNC and they appointed the majority of these people-- so talk about overcoming obstacles

And McAuliffe is Clinton's chief fund-raiser... And isn't Lanny Davis a Clinton partisan?

Posted by Peter K. | February 11, 2008 5:52 PM

>>But wouldn't that be pimping out Scarlett Johansson.....

>>Posted by Chris R. | February 11, 2008 5:04 PM

>Ho Ho, progressive frat boy misogynist, that was a >clever one. Grow up.

>Posted by lymie | February 11, 2008 5:35 PM

umm. you know he was probably referencing the "pimping out Chelsea" that precipitated a firing right? No wonder some people find us progressives touchy, righteous, holier than thou and a general drag to be around.

Posted by jcroot | February 11, 2008 5:58 PM

I'ma make make make make you scream
Make you scream make you scream

cause of my humps my hump my hump my hump
My hump my hump my hump my lovely lady lumps

Posted by Scarlett | February 11, 2008 6:23 PM

Re "I'm not even a huge Bill Clinton fan, but if the guy called me, I'd probably lose it. I mean seriously - can you imagine just shootin' the shit with Bill Clinton"
-----------
I guarantee you that Bill would be two hours late for the meeting.

Posted by Don Williams | February 11, 2008 6:48 PM

Re "When the bidding gets fully engaged, Mr. Rae will be looking at guaranteed law school (of his choosing) admission with full scholarship and a glamorous schedule c federal appointment when he graduates."
-----------
Er..more likely, kiddie porn will be found on Mr Rae's home computer by his local police --along with some cocaine in his car.

And this terrifying legal shitstorm will all disappear if he does what he is told.

Unless Mr Rae has GOOD connections and patrons. In which case, Law school is definitely a possibility. Although I would insist on cash -- in $100 bills. To be stored at a secure, undisclosed location.

Posted by Don Williams | February 11, 2008 6:53 PM

how does a 21 year old . . . become a super delegate?

In two steps:

(1) Get elected to the DNC (takes care of the "delegate" part).
(2) Get bitten by a radioactive spider . . .

Posted by rea | February 11, 2008 7:00 PM

Okay, I may be the only one, but I would much rather get a call from John Kerry than Bill Clinton.

Posted by beachmom | February 11, 2008 8:21 PM

"This post is useless without a picture. And not of John Kerry."

For once, Al is right.

In an overwhelming urge to serve the great "Big Media Matt", here you go:

http://www.timboucher.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/scarlett_johansson_allure.jpg

http://charagoesquerdo.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/scarlett_johansson.jpg

http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/76/92/0000037692_20070212152524.jpg

Let's hope this isn't blocked by the Atlantic spam filter.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | February 11, 2008 8:37 PM

"Okay, I may be the only one, but I would much rather get a call from John Kerry than Bill Clinton."

Actually, so would I.

Incidentally, Kerry is the perfect person to send around explaining why Clinton's election strategy isn't going to work. It's the same one he used in 2004.

People give the Swift Boaters too much credit. It was his "flip-flop" on the Iraq war and the "Massachusetts liberal" label that did him in. The Swift Boat fiasco only obscured the fact that Kerry didn't do very much to counter either of the other two things.

Posted by Splitting Image | February 11, 2008 8:52 PM

Wacked Econ warned Obama about the super-delegates last week. See here (http://www.wackedecon.com/index.php/2008/02/07/obama-and-the-super-delegates/).

Posted by Murraymises | February 11, 2008 9:33 PM

Richard,

Next time you may want to warn us married men before we make the jump.

Posted by WillyK | February 12, 2008 12:21 AM

hahaha I loved rea's post.

Only one or two college democrats are DNC members by virtue of their positions (the president and I think maybe the VP). This is the same as all the other constituency caucuses.

Posted by Anonymous | February 12, 2008 6:40 AM

Actually, I'm guessing Scarlett Johanssen wouldn't do much good.

Posted by EarBucket | February 12, 2008 4:34 PM

*Sigh*
This IS suggesting "pimping" out SJ.
Stop the misogyny. Just cut it the crap out.
Let's be #$%^& adults.

Posted by AnthroBabe | February 12, 2008 5:21 PM

Willy, if you don't know what Scarlett can do to you as a married man, I don't know what to tell you!

And she isn't even in my Top Ten list!

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | February 13, 2008 12:03 AM

Are you kidding me - the fate of a country in the hands of a baby - sounds like another Bush flop. No wonder the election process is so tainted.

21 or not - not he nor I have the experience required to choose the path of a country. To put 13000 votes in this 21 year old kids hands is absurd.

For the sake of good grades man - stay in school, and keep your hand out of things that matter.

Vote as a person Jason Rae - not as a superdelegate - that would be responsible, but vote as a superdelegate and you may destroy that which you so much cherish for not knowing what you are doing.

Posted by Rob "the Watcher" | February 13, 2008 2:40 AM

Are you kidding me - the fate of a country in the hands of a baby - sounds like another Bush flop. No wonder the election process is so tainted.

21 or not - not he nor I have the experience required to choose the path of a country. To put 13000 votes in this 21 year old kids hands is absurd.

For the sake of good grades man - stay in school, and keep your hand out of things that matter.

Vote as a person Jason Rae - not as a superdelegate - that would be responsible, but vote as a superdelegate and you may destroy that which you so much cherish for not knowing what you are doing.

Posted by Rob "the Watcher" | February 13, 2008 2:41 AM

21 ok, i agree is young. But quite honestly there are people who are much older that should be given that power either.

Posted by CJ | February 13, 2008 5:01 PM

21 ok, i agree is young. But quite honestly there are people who are much older that shouldn't be given that power either.

Posted by CJ | February 13, 2008 5:02 PM

I go to Marquette University and was proud of the job that Jason did on CNN yesterday. Seeing that this was his second time speaking nationally for the Democratic party and knowing him personally I couldn't think of anyone better to have the super delegate position for Wisconsin. I believe he is fully competent and deserves the title and responsibility he has been given! He is taking this position very seriously and I know there are many of us at Marquette and in Wisconsin who are proud that he represented the young voters so well!

Posted by Erin | February 13, 2008 6:29 PM

I go to Marquette University and was proud of the job that Jason did on CNN. Seeing that this was his second time speaking nationally for the Democratic party and knowing him personally I couldn't think of anyone better to have the super delegate position for Wisconsin. I believe he is fully competent and deserves the title and responsibility he has been given! He is taking this position very seriously and I know there are many of us at Marquette and in Wisconsin who are proud that he represented the young voters so well!

Posted by Erin | February 13, 2008 6:30 PM

Jason Rae is the 1st vice-chair of the College Democrats of Wisconsin.

http://wiscollegedems.org/

Posted by Alan G. | February 21, 2008 2:32 PM

MESSAGE

Posted by ISHMAel back | February 29, 2008 6:35 AM

MESSAGE

Posted by ISHMAel back | March 3, 2008 9:27 PM

MESSAGE

Posted by ISHMAel back | March 3, 2008 9:28 PM

MESSAGE

Posted by ISHMAel back | March 3, 2008 9:28 PM