Clinton: Florida, Michigan Primaries Were

Clinton: Florida, Michigan Primaries Were "Fair" And Should Be "Honored"

Huffington Post   |   March 12, 2008 12:38 PM


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Sen. Clinton, speaking today at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, argued today that the delegates from Florida and Michigan should be seated, in some form or another:

"If you are a voter from Florida or Michigan, you know that we should count your vote. The nearly two and a half million Americans in those two states who participated in the primary elections are in danger of being excluded from our democratic process and I think that's wrong. The results of those primaries were fair and they should be honored. Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of discussion about what we should do to ensure that the voters in Florida and Michigan are counted.


"In my view there are two options: Honor the results or hold new primary elections. I don't see any other solutions that are fair and honor the commitment that two and a half million voters made in the Democratic primaries in those two states. Whether voters are clamoring for solutions to the challenges that we face or not, or whether people are coming out in droves to be heard, we have a basic obligation to make sure that every vote in America counts.

I hope that Senator Obama's campaign will join me in working to make that happen. I think that that is a non-partisan solution to make sure that we do count these votes."

These comments follows a public letter from her campaign manager Maggie Williams sent to Obama's David Plouffe, seeking a resolution of the delegates from both states. Here is the text of the letter:

David Plouffe Obama for America Chicago, Illinois


Dear David:

The 2008 primary campaign has been a spirited contest that has resulted in record voter turnout. Both of our candidates can proudly boast of bringing new people into the process and energizing our Democratic Party.

With the campaign now entering the final phase of the nominating contest, it is vital that both of our campaigns come together to ensure that the delegations from Florida and Michigan be seated to reflect the will of the voters.

In Florida and Michigan, nearly 2.5 million Americans made their voices heard and participated in primary elections. We think the results of those primaries were fair and should be honored.

Over the last few weeks, there has been much discussion about how to ensure that the Florida and Michigan delegations are seated. We think there are two options: Either honor the results or hold new primary elections.

To that end, we are in active consultation with all of our supporters in Florida, including Members of Congress. In Michigan, we are in active consultation with the committee appointed by Governor Granholm.

We hope that your campaign will join us in our efforts to ensure that these votes are counted.

Sincerely,

Maggie Williams
Campaign Manager



 
 

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Correction above: The votes in question were at two Texas caucus sites, NOT primaries.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:08 PM on 03/23/2008

What honesty and integrity Hillary shows us as she claims the Michigan contest was somehow fair. A contest where she got 55% and Obama got 0% due to the fact he wasn't even on the ballot. Is this concept of "fair" what you want in from next president?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:31 AM on 03/14/2008

If fair is defined as "I gave you chance to run in Michigan and you chose to pull out because you wanted to game Iowa" then yeah. it was fair.

Hillary is proposing that if you don't do a re-do then she gets 55% and Obama the rest. The point being is that Obama and the others voluntarily took their names off MI b/c they wanted to kiss butt to Iowa. They (the non-Hillary) weren't looking at the big picture - MI would be important in the general election.

Obama had a fair chance to be on the ballot, He was on the ballot. He chose to take his name off.
Also, when Obama realized they needed to be somehow on the ballot, they ran a very strong uncommitted campaign. (so they can't argue they didn't campaign, unlike in FL where they did not campaign except that Obama had a CNN national ad that ran there...)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:27 AM on 03/19/2008

Split 'm & seat 'm. That's my take. I heard this interview with Clinton while driving to work and couldn't believe my ears. She is absolutely shameless. To suggest that those were fair election is truly "Orwellian"as Tucker Carlson just suggested. (By the way, I'm not in the habit of quoting Carlson but this comment was totally apropos)
What does she say to all those people who were under the impression that the elections in Florida and Michigan would not count and decided not to take time away from work and family to vote in a sham election. She herself admitted asmuch when she said a while back that the votes from those states wouldn't count. If she can lie repeatedly and with a straignt face, what kind of person would want this liar holding the highest position in the land. If she can lie this easily about these two state elections, what else is she lying about? I will never vote for her despite being an "older democratic woman" If she gets the nomination, chances are I will for the first time in my life become an "older Republican woman"

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:27 PM on 03/13/2008

I am a resident of Florida. The primary here was not "fair" simply because the public had been told that their votes would NOT count. There is no way to tell how many people would have voted (in addition to those who did) if they had known that their votes would, in fact, count. They have been denied an opportunity to vote. What would be more unfair than that? Clinton is only saying it's fair because the votes that were made were in her favor. If the vote had been in Obama's favor, she would be saying something entirely different.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:19 PM on 03/13/2008

Florida was fair and should be honored.

Michigan did not all the names on the ballot, and therefore should NOT be honored.

End of story

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:44 PM on 03/13/2008

Yup, another sign of Hillary's great leadership abilities. You tell em Hillary. If you say the votes were fair, they have to be. I mean all the voters would told the election results would not count so they stayed home. Your opponent was not on the ballot. Yeah, none of these facts matter. Your campaign pledges about these states don't matter. You tell em.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:38 PM on 03/13/2008

What is fair about one candidate not even listed on the ballot ???

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:20 PM on 03/13/2008

Fair?????? Give me a break!!!...........

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:10 PM on 03/13/2008

HRC knows the primaries in Fla and MI were not democratic or fair but she knows if she says it enough times folks who do not read or investigate the facts for themselves will believe that what she says must be true. Soon it will be a "Clintonian fact " and that folks is the way the Clintons do business.
Bully, lie, cheat or steal. Politics of destruction. What an unholy pair. The Clinton have never played by the rules. Never will.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:44 PM on 03/13/2008

only a clintonista would believe that a primary where all the candidates were not on the ballot (MI) was "fair"--I would have maybe bought her idea if she had said FL was fair, MI needs to be redone...but to say both are fair portrays her and the clinton campaign for what they are: selfish, opportunistic, and UNfair! in light of this clinton campaign ploy to be greedy, it is becoming more and more clear that the only way to handle this debacle is for an "adult" to get between the "children" and to split the delegates evenly between the candidates in BOTH states.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:23 PM on 03/13/2008

Clinton proclaims: "The FL and MI primaries were "fair" and should be "honored""

Do you believe this nonsense?! Incredible. The insufferable hubris of a candidate who claims to have the best interest of the American people at heart.

What pathetic drivel from a losing candidate who, if she really did have the best interest of the American people and the Democratic party at heart, would have withdrawn from the race by now and placed her firm support behind Obama so that we can FINALLY deliver the PINK SLIPS to the ever-so-deserving slate of Republican candidates in November.

For those of you who have conveniently forgotten, Clinton and Obama both agreed PRIOR to the primaries that FL and MI would not count in the final delegate count. Now, what has changed since that time when she was Ms. Inevitable?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:24 AM on 03/13/2008

do we need another leader so morally bankrupt and delusional they don't even have the inherent sense of reason to comprehend the philosophy of reason? --"fair?"

like: "is" legitimacy does not depend on what your definition of "fair" is.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:31 AM on 03/13/2008

She really sucks.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:01 AM on 03/13/2008

NEWS FLASH

A mail in ballot is not permissible under Florida Law for the purpose of a Primary

See Florida Revised Statutes Title IX Chapter 101 2(a)

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0101/SEC6102.HTM&Title=->2000->Ch0101->Section%206102#0101.6102

FRS IX 101.6102 2(a)

2) The following elections may not be conducted by mail ballot:

(a) An election at which any candidate is nominated, elected, retained, or recalled; or
(b) An election held on the same date as another election, other than a mail ballot election, in which the qualified electors of that political subdivision are eligible to cast ballots.

Someone pointed this out to me and somehow the $million dollar consultants are peeing on the poundcake again. These guys are incompetent.

Hillary - Plan G - as in gas up the bus and go home.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:48 AM on 03/13/2008

Well Hillary, I feel disenfranchised because my vote here in Texas was undone by Bill's friend Limbaugh, which is why you won the primary in our state. And the people in Mississippi are probably feeling kinda frustrated when they learned that 25% of your votes in Mississippi was courtesy of Republicans who support McCain (according to MSNBC). Yeah, makes me real sympathetic to your position on the sanctity of those Florida and Michigan votes--which you knew beforehand would not count. Are you trying to make people think you are crazy? That's not really a characteristic we are looking for in a president.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:51 AM on 03/13/2008

Ludicrous and ridiculous. The election was not 'fair' . Hillary Clinton was a household name and Barack Obam was an unheard of Senator from Illinois. They both agreed not to campaign in Flordia and they knew that it wouldn't count. Well so did the voters so how many people didn't vote becase the knew it wouldn't count. They did not get to meet Senator Obama and make an educated choice between the two candidates or 'all' at that time. They went to the polls and voted for the person that they already knew. It's ridiculous to expect us to give Hillary delegates or popular vote numbers based on that election. You signed a contract Hillary and you agreed. You want it now not because it was a fair election but because you need more help to have any chance of winning. So now because it's convenient for you, you expect everyone to just lay down and let you walk all over them 'because your a girl' and they are so tough on you, you fighter you.... and take whatever you want. I think everyone wants to include the voters of Florida and Michigan and to find a fair way of doing this that will work for everyone. IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT BY GIVING YOU VOTES THAT YOU DIDN'T REALLY EARN AND DON'T REALLY BELONG TO YOU. That is just NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
You are shocking me with your behavior anymore. You've proved to me that you are all over the map and will do anything to try to win.
I am now among those that wouldnt vote for you period!
Someone needs to talk to Hillary and help her understand what we're seeing because it looks awful and definitely not presidential.

OBAMA/EDWARDS '08

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:40 AM on 03/13/2008

There is no way that, at the time of the Florida and Michigan primaries, Barack Obama was just and "unknown Senator from Illinois." GMAB. I have never met Barack Obama NOR HIllary Clinton. I've never "seen" either of them campaign except through television, newspapers, and the internet. How condescending of you or anybody else to think that 2.5 MILLION voters are so uninformed.

Does this country REALLY want to disenfranchise, AGAIN, TWO POINT FIVE MILLION Americans? By not counting them in the primaries, they will not be "allowed" to vote in November either.

The two Republican Governors from Michigan and Florida who very cleverly set this up longggg ago, should be removed from office if the votes don't count.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:03 PM on 03/23/2008

Hillary, stop bogarting the joint...must be some real good stuff you're smokin'....the "primaries" were DISQUALIFIED in Florida and Michigan ahead of time..you are soooo high you can't see the reality..

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:23 AM on 03/13/2008

We in Michigan felt the only alternative was to vote for "Undecided" or for Hillary, which was no choice at all. If there is a do-over, most will vote for Obama!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:22 AM on 03/13/2008

someone should tell hillary to FO . . . Florida and Michigan knew the outcome of defying the DNC . . . and still did it . . .end of story . . .

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:48 AM on 03/13/2008

might i suggest that..it is my humble opinion...that the only solution to this solomonic debacle...is a solomonic decision.split all the delegates allocated by the DNC for both michigan and florida right down the middle. give each candidate 50 percent of the delegates. if the number of delegates is odd...add a delegate to the candidate who is one short...and then lets go on with this contest.there must be some punishment for going ahead and breaking the rules.whoever is ahead when the pledged and the super delegates are counted..wins.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:58 AM on 03/13/2008

It's been suggested that both state's delegates be penalized by 50% for violating the rules of the party, and the remaining delegates split evenly. Seems fair to me.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:30 PM on 03/13/2008

I agree... split the delegates and let them be seated.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:26 AM on 03/13/2008

I WOULD VOTE FOR A WEEK OF NO CAMPAIGNING RIGHT NOW.

HILLARY CLINTON IS MANAGING, EVERY DAY, TO TAKE A PIECE OUT OF THE democratic PROCESS AND OUT OF SENATOR OBAMA.

LOOK AMERICA. SENATOR CLINTON IS SHOWING YOU HER TRUE VALUES..NOT THE ONES SHE
ESPOUSES, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE TRANSPARENT BY:

THE SPIN THAT ONLY LARGE STATES COUNT

THE BARELY VEILED RACIST COMMENTS OF BILL IN S. CAROLINA

THE PLEDGE BY CLINTON TO NOT ALLOW THE FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN PRIMARIES TO COUNT DUE TO BROKEN RULES AND THEN DEMANDING THEY BE SEATED...AS SHE CLAIMED VICTORY IN FLORIDA..WITHOUT A RACE.

THE COVER SHE HAS GIVEN GERALDINE FERRARO IN THE MOST WRETCHED, OPEN DISPLAY
OF CONTINUED RACE BATING SINCE THE 80'S.

THE.."I RESPECT MY OPPONENT AND AM PROUD TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH HIM " DRAMA MOMENT AT THE DEBATE, THEN CALLING HIM INCOMPETENT TO SERVE.

REPLYING ON A 60 MINUTES INTERVIEW THAT SENATOR OBAMA WAS NOT MUSLIM "AS FAR AS I KNOW"

MAKING CAUCUS STATES IRRELEVENT (EXCEPT NEVADA, OF COURSE)

SAYING BARACK OBAMA DOES NOT PASS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF TEST BUT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM THE PREZ AS HER VEEP.

LEAKING THAT PHOTO OF OBAMA TO DRUDGE AND DENYING IT, EVEN IN THE FACE OF DRUDGE IDENTIFYING THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN OF GIVING IT TO DRUDGE.

COUNTING FLORIDA AS A STATE SHE "WON" IN HER OHIO VICTORY SPEECH. HOW CAN SOMEONE WIN A CONTEST THAT DOES NOT EXIST?

IN HER SAYING JOHN MCCAIN IS BETTER PREPARED THAN OBAMA TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT


DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING?

THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING :

THE WAY BUSH CONTINED THE DRIP DRIP DRIP OF LIES AND SCANDAL COVER UP

AND LEAKS IS EXACTLY WHAT TRANCE HILLARY CLINTON IS EVOKING.

IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME NUMBING OF SENSIBILITY THAT KARL ROVE INVENTED.

HILLARY IS BUSH IN A SKIRT, AND ANYONE WHO THINKS OTHEWISE HAS ONLY TO LOOK AT HER VOTES ON IRAQ AND IRAN...AND HOW SHE IS RUNNING HER CAMPAIGN.

BUSH IN A SKIRT IN 08. I AM GETTING MY PASSPORT UPDATE.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:14 AM on 03/13/2008

This year more then anytime in the past Hillary has shown us her 'true colors.' Supporting Bush and saying she would not make the same mistakes she did in the past. All the while endorsing the war with her votes. I'm reminded of Jerry Oppenheimer's book State of the Union: Inside the Complex Marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton and I can't get over what we've allowed this country to become.

http://polidics.com/news/hillary-clintons-jew-bastard.html

Pick up the phone now Hillary ....

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:06 AM on 03/13/2008

Senator Clinton: I'm sad to say that you are a liar. When you thought you were the "INEVITABLE ONE", you agreed that both Florida and Michigan WOULD NOT COUNT. Once you started losing, you "forgot" all about your pledge. And shame on you, too, Terry McAuliffe: I can't believe you once were the head of the party.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:21 AM on 03/13/2008

The Clintons live in an alternative universe.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:09 AM on 03/13/2008

Hillary makes me sick in my stomach.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:39 AM on 03/13/2008

How dare Hillary Clinton and her surrogates holding elected political positions look the American people in the face and say the delegates from Michigan and Florida should be seated based on the January 15 and January 29 primaries respectively.
How dare you!
They say we shouldn"t disenfranchise the people that went to the polls and voted. How about the voters who did not vote because they understood the rules set by the DNC?
How can politicians that were elected to their positions in FAIR, OPEN and HONEST elections - tell their constituencies that the Michigan and Florida results should count? Where do they get the NERVE and AUDACITY to look the people that elected them to public office in the face and tell them with a straight face these elections should be counted?
What a disgrace " outrage and fleecing of the American people.
I hope every one of the elected officials is in the same situation when they run for re-election or another elected position -
1. They are not allowed to campaign " and there opponent is one of the most recognized names in the WORLD
2. They remove there name from the Ballot " and their opponent keeps their name on the ballot
3. The rules which they agreed to before the election " are changed after the election
After an election with the conditions that you so honorable support on behalf of Hillary Clinton " I hope you LOSE! I hope you LOSE! I hope you LOSE!
Oh wait " that"s right " you won"t consider it a loss until the law suit you file results in a revote! Maybe this time you will demand a FAIR, OPEN and HONEST election.
How dare you!
Speak up America and demand a stop to the deceptive, divisive politics employed by the Clinton campaign and their disgraceful surrogates holding public positions.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:28 AM on 03/13/2008

Clinton has gone TOTAL Faux Nooze... she thinks the fact that Obama and Edwards weren't on the ballot in Michigan was "fair"???? She's totally nuckin futz.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:27 AM on 03/13/2008

Clinton: Florida, Michigan Primaries Were "Fair" And Should Be "Honored"

Well, if that is fairness for her, now we know she why she cannot be president.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:16 AM on 03/13/2008

And this is fair?

Discriminating against senior voters
Discriminating against shift workers
No absentee ballots allowed...

This is the system by which Obama won most of his victories...in the wholly unfair, undemocratic caucus bullshit, where peer pressure was the hallmark of determining a candidate...so all you Obamabots getting on your righteous high horses, come down off of them...you have been called out!

Hillary WILL get Michigan and Florida, and you can whine and bitch to doomsday...tough shit!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:08 AM on 03/13/2008

Dear Moron Everlasting 08 (ME08),
---PRIMARIES Obama won:
MS, VT, WI, VA, MD, DC, DEMS ABROAD, LA, IL, GA, MO, AL, CT, UT, DE, SC, VIRGIN ISLANDS=17
---CAUCUSES Obama won:
WY, TX, HI, ME, WA, NE, MN, CO, KS, AK, ID, IA=12
---I am not great at math, but I do KNOW that 17 primary wins is greater than 12 caucus wins, and that primaries award more delegates that caucuses....so please, PLEASE, please, STFU---and quit "whining and bitching" out your bunghole

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:51 PM on 03/13/2008

Your beef is with the state party reps. To blame Obama is lunatic. I was at a caucus where the entire process was run by Clinton supporters and there was some strong-arming tactics used, and not by Obama supporters.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:31 AM on 03/13/2008

I can say exactly the same about two Texas primaries, where the vote was clearly for Hillary, but were "given" to Obama. Those results are still being investigated and were reported to the DNC as fraudulent.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:07 PM on 03/23/2008

these are the rules, again, which clinton agreed to until inevitability vanished.

hillary will NOT get FL and MI as they sit.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:37 AM on 03/13/2008
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