Wasserman says Superdelegates exist to stop grassroots activism

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, head of the Democratic Party, was asked on CNN why Hillary is leaving New Hampshire with about the same number of delegates for the final convention as Bernie Sanders—despite Bernie beating her handily. Her answer is amazingly honest:

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.

TAPPER: What do you tell voters who are new to the process who say this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Let me just make sure I can clarify what was available during the primaries in Iowa and 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 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 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: I’m not sure that that answer would satisfy an anxious, young voter but let’s move on.