Recent Wikileaks' emails suggesting Democratic Party insiders plotted to sideline Bernie Sanders have only further angered Sanders delegates gathered for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Throughout the primary Sanders claimed the nomination process was “rigged,” and said that the inclusion of super delegates appointed by the Party provided an unfair advantage to Hillary Clinton.
As part of Texas Public Radio’s “Dare to Listen” campaign, Shelley Kofler sat down with three Clinton and three Sanders supporters who don’t see eye to eye on the issue of super delegates, but they agreed to hear each other out.
The Sanders supporters said they want super delegates to have less influence and want to ban corporate lobbyists from being named super delegates. The Clinton supporters believe super delegates provide important Party diversity, and said business supporters should not be excluded.
Listen to the excerpt from our conversation with:
Sanders Supporters:
- Hobie Hukill, a Dallas librarian from Samuell High School. He says super delegates are “a fundamentally paternalistic institution.”
- Alexander Limon, an 18- year old from Austin, is voting for the first time. He says super delegates have more influence than other elected delegates and that’s unfair.
- Danielle Pellett, a chemist from Dallas, is a delegate at the national convention. She says corporate lobbyists should be banned because they represent “money” but may not represent Party principals.
Clinton Supporters:
- Leslie Pool, an Austin City Council member and delegate, says super delegates ensure demographic representation at the national convention.
- Ann Kitchen is an Austin City Council member working with the Clinton campaign in Philadelphia. She says naming elected officials as super delegates honors their commitment to the Party.
- Gene Collins, an Odessa insurance agent and delegate, says business lobbyists shouldn’t be banned. “I would rather have them on our side, than on the other side.”