CNN’s Tapper to Wasserman Schultz: I’m Not Sure Your Answer Why the Dem Process Isn’t Rigged Would Satisfy People

CNN’s “The Lead” host Jake Tapper told DNC Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) that he wasn’t sure her explanation for why the nomination process isn’t rigged to help Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over fellow candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) would “satisfy” those who think the process is rigged on Thursday.

Tapper asked Wassereman Schultz, “Hillary Clinton lost to Bernie Sanders in new hampshire by 22 percentage points, the biggest victory in a contested Democratic primary there since John F. Kennedy, but it looks as though Clinton and Sanders are leaving the Granite State with the same number of delegates in their pockets, because Clinton has the support of New Hampshire’s superdelegates, these party insiders. What do you tell voters who are new to the process who [say] this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?”

She answered, “Well, let me just make sure that I can clarify exactly what was available, during the primaries in Iowa and in New Hampshire. The unpledged delegates are a separate category. The only thing available on the ballot in a primary and a caucus is the pledged delegates, those that are tied to the candidate that they are pledged to support, and they receive a proportional number of delegates going into the — going into our convention. Unpledged delegates 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. We are, as a Democratic Party, — really highlight and emphasize inclusiveness and diversity at our convention, and so we want to give every opportunity to grassroots activists, and diverse, committed Democrats to be able to participate, attend, and be a delegate at the convention, and so we separate out those unpledged delegates to make sure that there isn’t competition between them.”

Tapper then responded, “I’m not sure that that would — that answer would satisfy an anxious young voter, but let’s move on.”

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