Tonight the Associated Press and MSNBC have called the Democratic nomination for Hillary Clinton based on her 31-delegate haul from Puerto Rico and the apparent declaration of a dozen previously-undeclared super delegates.
In a tweet, Secretary Clinton said: “We’re flattered, @AP, but we’ve got primaries to win. CA, MT, NM, ND, NJ, SD, vote tomorrow!”
With so many pledged delegates still at stake, Bernie Sanders partisans (of which I am one) are likely to cry foul because of the media’s premature calling of the race in advance of primaries in California, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, New Jersey, and South Dakota. Sen. Sanders is expected to win a number of these states. Already a least five states – Maine, Alaska, Vermont, Colorado, and Wisconsin – have approved resolutions to abolish superdelegates. It remains to be seen if the DNC will recognize these amendments.
So what’s next for Senator Sanders and the People’s Revolution he has inspired? Watch this space! For now, it will suffice to say it ain’t over yet.
UPDATE: STATEMENT FROM SEN. SANDERS
SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ spokesman, Michael Briggs, on Monday issued the following statement:
“It is unfortunate that the media, in a rush to judgement, are ignoring the Democratic National Committee’s clear statement that it is wrong to count the votes of superdelegates before they actually vote at the convention this summer.
“Secretary Clinton does not have and will not have the requisite number of pledged delegates to secure the nomination. She will be dependent on superdelegates who do not vote until July 25 and who can change their minds between now and then. They include more than 400 superdelegates who endorsed Secretary Clinton 10 months before the first caucuses and primaries and long before any other candidate was in the race.
“Our job from now until the convention is to convince those superdelegates that Bernie is by far the strongest candidate against Donald Trump.”