It's generally recognized that caucus results are less representative of a state's voters than primary results. Their curtailed voting hours and the lack of early voting, absentee or mail-in voting ensures it. But they count for choosing pledged delegates, so that's water under the bridge.

When it comes to electability arguments for the superdelegates, however, I think there's something they need to consider -- that caucus results vastly undercount one particular segment of voters who will vote in big numbers in the general election: The elderly and infirm, including nursing home residents who weren't mobile enough to attend a caucus but who can vote by absentee ballot in primaries and the general election.

If unable to attend caucuses, and most likely were, their preferences were excluded. This is one more reason I don't think that a superdelegate can equate a caucus win in a particular state with a win in that state against John McCain in November.

The Democratic party needs older voters this year more than ever against John McCain. And they have been coming out in primaries for Hillary. Statistics on our 37 million residents over age 65, 1.9 million of whom live in nursing homes, are below:

The Media hates the idea. The Creative Class blogs are apoplectic at the thought of it. But Democrats are strongly in favor:

By a 60 - 33 percent margin, Democrats say Obama should pick Clinton as his vice presidential running mate. "Sen. Hillary Clinton's never-say-die campaign still has lots of fans. Just as in delegates, states, money, you-name-it, Obama leads her in national support - but only by a bit," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Party leaders may be cringing over the potential damage to Democratic chances in November from the endless primary campaign, but two-thirds of the rank-and-file think Clinton ought to keep battling," Carroll added. "The 'dream ticket?' Three out of five Democrats like the idea."

I stand with the strong majority of Democrats on this one.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

There are no primary contests on May 31. But there will be a meeting of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee where the issue of the Florida and Michigan delegations will be taken up. This meeting will no doubt be the central political event of the day. It will garner a significant amount of coverage. And what will the Democratic Party say to Florida and Michigan on that day, on that stage? During today's Clinton Media Call, I asked about the May 31 RBC meeting:

The pro-choice organization NARAL has endorsed Barack Obama.

Of course, they also endorsed Joe Lieberman and had a hand in giving us Justice Sam Alito.

More here and here.

Hillary Clinton's win last night in West Virginia has resulted in a superdelegate declaring for support for Hillary today:

Tennessee Automatic Delegate Vicky Harwell announced her support for Hillary Clinton today. Harwell, of Pulaski, is president of the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women.

"Hillary's decisive victory in West Virginia is the latest evidence that she is the strongest candidate to take on John McCain and win back the White House," Harwell said. "Hillary has the plans, leadership and experience to deliver real results as President."

Hillary got 40 pledged delegates in the TN primary while Obama got 28. Breakdown of Tennessee's 85 delegates below:

Terry McCauliffe says last night was a fantastic night. There was a record turnout. Clinton won by 41%. We are in this thing. They raised over a million dollars last night. Financially they are in good shape. They feel comfortable about where they are today. A big fundraiser powwow this afternoon. Tremendous enthusiasm for this campaign.

Now ahead in the popular vote.

Howard Wolfson - we had to have a big night in WV, we had it. A stunning 40 point victory. A state where Clinton won in 1992 and 1996. A decisive state. Hillary Clinton will carry WV in November. Obama had more money and more people and more resources and Clinton decisively defeated him. WV said no to all the pundits and people who said it was time for the contest to end.

More below . . .

Barack Obama is almost certainly going to be the Democratic Presidential nominee. The Superdelegates will decree it. Of course Hillary Clinton has every right, indeed, she has an imperative, to continue. But it is my view that Obama will be the nominee. As such, he needs to think about what he needs to do to improve his chance of winning in November.

This is a Democratic year. The Dem nominee SHOULD win November. But there are some danger signs for Obama. I will concentrate on 3 in this post.

1. Unify the Party. I think this is the easiest task, if there are grownups in the Obama camp. The answer is simple. Pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Problem solved. It is a no brainer. Only Clinton haters can argue against this. Imagine for a second, two candidates running for President having such a tight race and the winner NOT picking the second place finisher? It is unthinkable. It should be unthinkable here.

More . . .

The narrative of the racist southern and/or working class white voter serves disappointed liberals by giving them a way to cope with rejection, and it serves Republicans by reassuring them that people can still be easily manipulated by racial bias.

A. Serwer, The American Prospect, via John Petty

As an elitist myself, someone who chuckled at the jokes about Bill Clinton's "feeling your pain," it has not been easy to see how the Democratic problem with white working class voters has been endemic. But this campaign season has opened my eyes. BTW, it is not about God, guns and gays. It is about standard of living. It is about respecting these voters.

In denial about Barack Obama's problem with white working class voters across the entire Eastern part of the United States (as well as parts of the Midwest and Western part of the United States), the Creative Class blogs are clinging to the fallacious Appalachian theory to explain Obama's problem with white working class voters. Josh Marshall now takes up the cause:

Barack Obama didn't win a single county in West Virginia. Here's the CNN county map. She's ahead by 41 points.

With 97% of the vote in, Hillary is leading Obama 67% to 26%. John Edwards has 7%.

West Virginia has 28 pledged and 11 unpledged delegates. It has 5 electoral votes and last voted for a Democrat in 1996. More...

MSNBC just did an electoral vote segment. They made some critical errors.

They assumed Obama would take PA because John Kerry did. Barack Obama did poorly in PA, like he did in Ohio, with rural and blue collar voters. It's more likely in my view that the Democrats will lose Ohio and PA if Obama is the nominee. Hillary has a better chance of keeping PA and winning back Ohio.

They gave no thought to Florida going Democratic in November. They assumed it will go to McCain. Hillary puts Florida in play.

Their silliest comments were that Obama could make the southern states competitive because of the large African-American turnout. Not that he would win them, just make them competitive and make Republicans nervous. But when you're talking about the electoral map, coming close doesn't count. If the Democratic nominee doesn't win the popular vote in those states, the Republican candidate gets the electoral vote.

More...

The media is not going to determine the future of the Democratic party. Voters are.

There are five states left to go. Hillary Clinton will do very well in Kentucky and Puerto Rico. Obama has a lead in Oregon. MT and SD are tiny.

The Democrats cannot expect to win Florida or Michigan in November if the 2.5 million who voted there don't have a say in choosing our nominee. They should be seated full-strength. And regardless of how the DNC decides to apportion their delegates, their popular vote count stands as is. The Democrats will not win in November without Florida and/or Michigan.

The Democrats need PA and Ohio. Hillary can win those states and other big swing and toss-up states. Barack Obama's ability to win them is unknown. He's untested. Hillary may have shown him how to be a stronger candidate, but she can't guide him to the finish line, no matter how hard she campaigns for him if he's the nominee. [More...]

Blue Dog Democrat Travis Childers has won the special election for the MS-01 Congressional race. As a Democrat, I always prefer the Democrat over the Republican. As a progressive, Childers is not a very exciting win. He is anti-choice, anti-gay marriage and very conservative generally. So one cheer for a Dem winning. I save my two cheers for progressives winning.

By Big Tent Democrat