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

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.

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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

Comments

[lissielu]

Hilary Clinton is ruining the Democratic party with her negativity. I know a lot of democrats that will not vote if she gets the nomination. She has turned off everybody I know.

[atila]

this people is really desperate.­........

[mooph]

Sing along with me: "Some of these are not like the others..."

Fair would necessitate open campaigning and all (both) candidates on the ballot. If this is Clinton's version of fair....

[seenitall]

no, they were unfair, but that's the Clinton's for you...

[pkmaz]

The Michigan results were fair???? Maybe in the old USSR, Hillary, but in this country - we expect to have the names of all of the candidates on the ballot.

[jfromga]

If the voters had not already been told the votes would not count, turnout would probably be closer to the kinds of records seen in other states, not a mere 2.5 million in both Florida and Michigan combined. So there is nothing fair about counting the votes as is, especially as Obama's name wasn't on the ballot in Michigan. Obama's campaign has been clear that it will support whatever DNC and the state parties work out. It is also clear that these issues are not even well resolved at the state level, as the parties in each state fight internally over what would be fair, cost effective and appropriate. This kind of positioning statement by the Clinton camp, in direct opposition to Clinton's earlier agreements that the votes shouldn't count, are part and parcel of a larger pattern of creating factless news releases that imply negatives about Obama's campaign in direct contradiction of his stated positions and hoping that if they are repeated often enough, Clinton's bloc of voters won't notice.

[johnnygoodwud]

hillary your idea of 'fair' i dare say, is not what the american people thinks is fair. according to the latest news from fla. there won't be a new primary. how is it fair that all the other candidates removed their names from the mich. ballot in respect to the nat. dem. party, but you left you name on? how is that fair? and how is it that the candidates all agreed to not campaign in fla. but you held 'fundraisers' there? hillary and the word fair just don't seem to go together very well.

[AustinDemocrat]

I hope that people remember that everyone agreed to the terms of this far in advance. How can anyone act as if they are indignant about not having their votes counted? Everyone knew the rules going into the game. What poor sportsmanship to behave like this now.

[joekonn]

"Fair"? If Hillary thinks that the Florida and Michigan primaries were fair, she is insane. There was only Hillary on the Michigan ballot, that is fair?
Honestly, how can she take this position? This is the kind of tactic which has cost her many many supporters and undermines any sense that she belongs in any position of trust. Being president of a declining US will be tough job, we do not need someone who will take unfair advantage of a situation and call it fair. Bill is, apparently, not the only cheater in the Clinton family.

[joehigashi]

Sorry sister. Thanks for playing.

[AnninCA]

Good. A clear answer from Maggie.

Primaries or honor the votes.

[TheOtherMaven]

There is no such thing as a "fair" election (or primary) when only one of the major candidates has her name on the ballot. That's exactly the kind of "fair" elections that are held in Cuba.

Want to change your name to Hillary Castro?