Pelosi: Superdelegates Should Not Overturn Peoples' Decision

Nancy Pelosi, herself a powerful superdelegate, appears to be signalling that she won't abide efforts to use superdelegates to override a popular vote victory.    

Hillary Clinton's campaign has recently made clear that it is going to use any means necessary to take the nomination, even if they come up short in popular support.  The key would be to lean on superdelegates to overrule the decision of the people:

Mrs. Clinton’s aides said they would also argue to superdelegates that they should give less deference to a lead from Mr. Obama because much of that had been built up in states where there were caucuses, which tend to attract far fewer voters than primaries, where Mrs. Clinton has tended to do better than she has done in caucuses.

"I think for superdelegates, the quality of where the win comes from should matter in terms of making a judgment about who might be the best general election candidate," said Mark Penn, Mrs. Clinton’s senior campaign adviser.

But Nancy Pelosi has signalled that this scorched-earth strategy will not be acceptable:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, who is neutral in the race, said she hopes one or the other of the rivals emerges as the clear winner through the primaries and caucuses.

"I don't think it was ever intended that superdelegates would overturn the verdict, the decision of the American people," she said Thursday.

Pelosi is being subtle about it, but the message is clear.  The party will not allow itself to be torn apart from within.