Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Ed Rendell says that the Democratic Party needs the “wiser heads” of superdelegates in order to select the nominee.
In an interview with The New York Daily News on Wednesday, Rendell said, “Superdelegates have a role. It’s a small role compared to the elected delegates, but there is a role. There should be a balance, and that’s what (the system) has.”
“We’re trying to field the strongest candidate we can in the fall,” claimed Rendell, a former Pennsylvania governor. “There ought to be some party elders, by virtue of their past achievements … who have input in that process… wiser heads.” (WATCH: CNN’s Tapper Challenges DNC Chair To Explain ‘Rigged’ Superdelegate System)
Rendell, who supports Hillary Clinton, said he would only vote for Bernie Sanders at the Democratic Convention if Sanders eclipses Clinton in the popular vote. However, Rendell did note that, “Some kind of rule (that would prohibit) overt conflict of interest would be good.”
Bill Clinton is a superdelegate and his wife is running for president could pose such a conflict of interest, Rendell said.
Despite all that, Rendell explained that he will most likely not change his vote from Clinton to Sanders. His criteria for who he would vote for includes “who has most pledged delegates nationwide, who has the highest share of the popular vote throughout the primaries and the caucuses and who I would believe would be the best candidate to win in the fall.”
Currently, “Ms. Clinton wins all three,” Rendell said. “So there it is.”
Earlier in March, current chair of the Democratic National Committee, [crscore]Debbie Wasserman Schultz[/crscore] said when pressed by CNN’s Jake Tapper to explain the “rigged” superdelegate system, the Florida congresswoman said, “Unpledged delegates (superdelegates) exist really to make sure that party leaders and elected officials don’t have to be in a position where they are running against grassroots activists.” (WATCH: CNN Anchor On Democratic Superdelegates: ‘Sounds Like The System Is Rigged’)