[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

With the Wednesday April 2 deadline to file to run to be an Obama or Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention still a week away, a record number of Californians have already applied. On Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m., each of the two remaining Democratic candidates for President will hold caucuses in Congressional Districts throughout the state and elect 241 delegates. There is a later election of “At-Large” delegates, and of course a number of “super delegates,” but this is the way most of California’s delegates will be elected.

According to Bob Mulholland, campaign adviser for the California Democratic Party, well over 2350 people have already applied to run.

Mulholland was excited. He exclaimed yesterday when I saw him in Sacramento: “Only 241 slots! This is a record. It’s unbelievable, the interest and people in California who want to be a delegate to the national convention. We’re overwhelmed with all the paperwork.”

He noted, “Before we had 1200 to 1300 or so—and that was when we had all the candidates holding caucuses. This is the first time we are holding the caucuses after the primary. So we’re only having caucuses for the two candidates that count—the ones that won.”

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Economic forecasters at the University of Pacific have found that the Californian economy is in a recession, in contrast to the findings of the UCLA Anderson forecast, reportsthe Sac Bee. In the terms of numbers, UoP forecasters stress that it’sjust a quibble, with the economy getting only slightly worse in thelast quarter.

Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of the invasion ofIraq. Bob Mulholland of the DNC is celebrating it at the CaliforniaProgress Report by noting that the Iraq War has lasted longer than WWII. (He means US involvement in WWII, but give it a little more time.) Herightly lambasts McCain for his claim that Iran and Al-Qaeda areintimately connected, but the suggestion that McCain’s starting tosuffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s is a low blow.

Photo courtesy of the AFP.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Everybody should get out their Bob Mulholland novelty masks, just for the party access possibilities:

The road to the Democratic National Convention in Denver may go through San Jose.

The state Democratic Party is holding its annual meeting here the final weekend in March, and party officials are awaiting word on whether Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will accept invitations to appear.

Why would the dueling Democrats come when Pennsylvania holds the next crucial primary April 22?

One word: superdelegates. And perhaps a chance to throw in a megabuck fundraiser or two.

"There will more politicking going on at this convention than in decades," predicted Bob Mulholland, adviser to the state party. Mulholland would know. He's one of about 20 uncommitted superdelegates in California whom the campaigns are heavily wooing in their quest to secure their party's nomination.

The convention is right in the sweet spot, a few weeks before Pennsylvania.  And the fundraising opportunities in the Bay Area are numerous.  I don't think there's any question that Obama and Clinton will be on hand.  But will there be chocolate fountain parties for uncommitted superdelegates only?

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bob Mulholland
Campaign Advisor,
California Democratic Party

Will the candidates who have dropped out (Biden, Dodd, Kucinich, and Richardson) still be on the California statewide ballot?

Yes, and they will all get some votes – very few though.

Will the Independent votes be counted the same as Democratic votes?

Yes. If one precinct has 88 ballots cast by registered Democrats and 12 ballots cast by Independents for a total of 100, then 100 ballots are counted equally.

Does California have a Winner-Take-All (WTA) system to allocate delegates?

No, but the Republicans still use Winner-Take-All.

The Democratic National Committee has prohibited WTA since the 1972 Convention.

We use a proportional system – candidates who get 15 percent or more are entitled to delegates.

Democrats use the “15 Percent Rule” nationwide in all 50 states plus D.C., Democrats Abroad and the four U.S. territories.

In the Republican Party, the only votes that count toward delegates are the ones cast for the winner, either at the statewide or CD level, while Democrats award delegates to all the candidates with 15 percent or more of the vote.

How does the “15 Percent Rule” actually work?

by Kim Stevens [courtesy of Party Line]