How can Democrats reduce the bloodshed that's accompanying their protracted nomination fight, and which seems likely to continue all the way to Denver? One idea that's emerged is to have the superdelegates caucus in advance of the convention -- perhaps in June -- to anoint a nominee and a runner up, and allow the general election preparations to continue. Craig Crawford has a pretty apt analogy for this -- a meeting of the College of Cardinals:
The Democrats are between a rock and a hard place, and there's no way to make the outcome pretty, but this might at least let them lance the boil early. Still, the idea has its share of problems -- in particular that the spectacle surrounding the meeting would convey the image that the primaries were largely meaningless, that a few hundred un-elected superdelegates were going to meet in a smoke-filled room to select the nominee. If the superdelegates wait until Denver on the other hand, their votes will at least seem more organic, and part of the process. Further, will enough superdelegates agree to abbreviate the process? There's no reason this meeting can't happen now -- but it hasn't. Once the primaries are over, there may be more support for a meeting, but if one candidate feels like a distinct underdog, he/she may well want to hold out until Denver.
That points up the biggest variable, regardless of when the nominee is chosen: how will the loser take the decision. Sure, either Obama or Clinton can be counted on to make a speech in support of the winner. But will supporters and campaign workers strongly and clearly close ranks, or will there be a great whispering campaign about the illegitimate process? Will donors sit on their hands, or support the winner? When the superdelegates make their choice, they'll be hoping the runner up takes the loss graciously.
