April 2, 2008 Mass. women call on superdelegates to sign pledge Play video

(NECN) - Still shadowing the Democratic race - what to do about the delegates from Florida and Michigan? National Chairman Howard Dean is working publicly and behind the scenes for solutions that will restore those states' delegates before the National Convention in August.

The problem - an allotment formula acceptable to both Clinton and Obama. Now, some Massachusetts women are calling on the superdelegates to pledge themselves to a fair and inclusive process.

NECN's Alison King explains.

Script:

Clinton supporters here in Massachusetts are hoping to start a trend around the country - which includes getting superdelegates to commit to signing a pledge - a pledge some Obama supporters are not sure would help their candidate.

Representative Marie Saint Fleur, (D) Boston: “For the first time in history, we have a black male and a woman running, and we're saying, ‘let's shut down the process. Tell the woman to get out - step to the back of the line’ - I think that's outrageous, and they should be ashamed of themselves.”

Massachusetts State Representative Marie Saint Fleur was one of more than a dozen women leaders -- including Senate President Therese Murray, Boston City Counselor Maureen Feeney and Sheriff Andrea Cabral -- all supporters of Hillary Clinton, who gathered at the State House - calling on superdelegates to sign a pledge.

Saint Fleur: “And that pledge is, that they will not be engaged in any process

The Democratic Party stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates to the National Convention last year when they moved their primaries up to January. Many Obama supporters say it would be unfair to count the votes in Florida where Obama never campaigned, and in Michigan where he wasn't even on the ballot. But Clinton supporters, say to ignore those voters would be even worse.

Saint Fleur: “It's adding insult to injury, to ask the very same people who took days off, who got up early and went to vote, that these votes will not count.”

The women are hoping that key Massachusetts superdelegates for Obama, like Senators Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and Governor Deval Patrick, will be among the first to join them.

The women are particularly hopeful that Governor Deval Patrick will sign the pledge since, they say, he ran on a platform of fairness and inclusion. So far, the Governor has offered to meet on April 10th -- the women say that is too late.

Steve Grossman: “To some extent, the women said, ‘we want the Democrats to win, but we're prepared to start a revolution here, and hopefully it will spread across the country if the leaders of our party don't understand the overwhelming fairness of counting every vote.’”

Steve Grossman -- also a Clinton supporter – is a former Democratic National Committee Chairman.

He defends current DNC Chair Howard dean -- who some Democrats feel is not doing enough to resolve the process. Dean met with Florida lawmakers Wednesday and now says, the party is committed to seating Florida's delegates, as long as both Obama and Clinton support any agreement. The problem is, agreement on anything about this process, has been just about impossible to find.