There have been repeated reports that the Clinton campaign is going after delegates pledged to Obama. While her campaign has previously denied this, ABC News reports that Clinton is going after pledged delegates in North Dakota:
Sen. Hillary Clinton made a blunt appeal to North Dakota delegates to switch their support to her, despite the fact that Sen. Barack Obama handily defeated her in the state’s caucus in February.
In an indication of how tense the battle has become for each Democratic delegate, Obama abandoned the campaign trail in Pennsylvania and scooted to North Dakota for the state party’s annual dinner last night, despite the fact that he’s already won 14 of the state’s 21 delegates as well as six of the state’s seven superdelegates.
The two candidates also will battle for votes tonight in Butte, Mont., when Democrats there hold their annual dinner. The Montana primary, which offers only a handful of delegates, is scheduled for June.
Clinton made it clear to North Dakota Democrats last night that she believes there is no such thing as a pledged delegate and highlighted that stubborn streak in her appeal for delegates to switch from Obama to her when the Democratic national party holds its nominating convention this August.
The strategy appears futile. Pledged delegates are chosen for their loyalty to the candidate. Clinton is unlikely to pick up more delegates by such tactics, but they do reinforce the view that she is willing to do anything to win the nomination, regardless of how dishonest.
