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

[indie17]

"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."

The above is from Maggie's letter, and of course Hillary has said the same.

I wish the MSM would continue to show that Hillary thinks its FAIR to break the rules, break her word, take delegates in a state where her opponent was not on the ballot, etc.

It's FAIR.

Good God, woman. What has happened to you? Do you have any morals, or even any intelligence left?

[Meah]

Why did she have her name on the ballots if the DNC said that it was against the rules? Obama goes by the rules, and gets shafted for that? I don't think so! How can she possibly criticize Bush or Karl Rove or any of them? Hillary Clinton just didn't count on maybe getting beaten. She deserves nothing. God Almighty, do we have to put up with more lies and manipulation from our government! She has no honor.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

If she thinks it's fair to have only her name on the ballot in Michigan, like some kind of Russian election, then she's closer to being a fascist than I ever gave her credit.

[Zorachus]

What are rules for if they can be changed mid game ? Clinton is on record saying last Fall 07' that she respected the DNC's decision that FL and MI will not count. So they had their vote dates come and pass in Feb, and at first never really heard much crying about it, NOT until Hillary started to lose those 11 in a row, she started to really worry, and now because she won MI and FL unfairly they should count for her ? I mean are you frigging serious ?


How can you be on record saying last year it is ok they will not count, and now 6 months later say, oh wait I won those, yeah those should have counted because now I am losing. What if Hillary was clearly in the lead and winning everything now, do you think she would make a case to have them do a re-vote, to help Obama ?

[Housewife]

I swear to God the Clintons are as bad as the Republicans. The bigger the lie the more they believe they can get people to swallow it. There is no planet on which anyone could conceive of the idea that the Florida and Michigan primaries were FAIR. Are people really stupid enough to buy this crap?

[ruscle]

I agree. It makes me wonder how ignorant Hillary Clinton thinks her supporters are. Welll... maybe she knows them better than I do. But it sounds more like the kind of thing Republicans try to pull on their base: Tell and obvious lie, then keep repeating it until it is believed. One more example of why Hillary is not a good choice.

[GeorgeKaplan]

I swear to god you are wrong.

[CheshireCat2]

C'mon even us Repubs aren't that bad.

[Kim445588]

She is a close second. :-)

[mcfried]

That might be the truest and saddest statement ever. You guys are at least honest about being scumbags.

[mrqcguy]

lmao...your right, they are not nearly as bad as the repubs!

[Squirtapotamus]

Of course Repubs are that bad. Fear-mongering, greedy, dishonest and bigoted. Republicans pander to the ignorant superstitions in America. So do the Clintons.

[TiffShelton]

You may have a point. I used to wonder why my co-worker's face would get red talking about the Clintons. Now I understand.

[Didi47]

You Obamayts sound petrified to have the Florida votes count. You fail to mention the Repubs made it impossible for Florida voters to do anything other than what they did. Now you're ready to throw 3 million votes in the toilet because Hillary won. You're ready to sell out Floridians votes once again just like the Repubs did twice in the past. And you tell me Obama stands for honor and transparency? Hell he ran ads in Florida.

Michigan should have a re vote. But stooping to cheating either state out of their vote is pathetic. And you all screech Hillary is to blame to boot?

This election gets creepier and creepier by the minute and you guys are making Bush look like a choir boy.

[kellygrrrl]

The Clintons' condescending arrogance and entitlement knows no bounds.

They seem to believe that the rules of law, morality, decency apply to everyone but them.

They ARE the NeoCons!

[whatchamean]

She conveniently forgets the pledge she signed. McCain is looking pretty good to me right now.
I would cut off my arm before I voted for Hillary.

[babar77]

I don't usually like to do this, but this just takes the cake - I'm going to make a blanket statement about people, and I'm not even going to listen to the replies. I don't have the time to waste on idiots that disagree with what I'm about to say.

If you think Michigan was a fair election when only one major name was on the ballot: You are either an idiot or a self-serving jack-ss. I don't care who you support. You're a waste of skin and a waste of breath and a poster child for emigration. You are the type of person America should be building fences for.

Hillary, please excuse yourself from politics completely. The world is a better place without you.

Thanks Hillary, I am now dumber for reading your moronic statement.

[adzeman]

Hillary I guess you being the only one on the ballot is fair? Probably the only way you can win except for cheating which I now know you are capable of. You disgust me.

[suekzoo]

This Michigan voter will never claim our vote was fair. Never.

[ljsfolly]

In a true and honest world those dems who have delegates still after all the waiting time should give them to Barack. Gore should back Barack. Edwards and Richardson, endorse Barack. These guys honored the pledge they all signed, they ALL agreed to but.....Hillary decided to no longer honor it once she got behind. Since then she has attacked, attacked and attacked the idea of everyone who will not grant her the delegates not won inraces agreed by all that did not count. How can anyone in any race or attempt to get a job decide like a two-4 yr old child to change the rules when they are not winning. We as adults teach and know about fair play and would not assume to change rules mid race to wn unless we are not honest and and are bullies forcing others to go our way. Hillary has the same problems that bush has taught us well "In my world I am going to win because I am the decider and I will have my way no matter who suffers".

[alwayslearning]

Senator Clinton was the only person who respected these two States from the beginning by not removing her name - especially in Michigan. This was before she knew she might need these delegates. Who would have thought that a young man with almost non-existent credentials and almost non-existent experience would be able to sway so many people with his rhetoric and oratory. Senator Obama appears to want to deprive these two States of their right to vote. That is not the American way!!! The rules are the rules....sounds like junior high school!!!

[snowcat]

David Plouffe:

When we won Iowa, the Clinton campaign said it's not the number of states you win, it's "a contest for delegates."

When we won a significant lead in delegates, they said it's really about which states you win.

When we won South Carolina, they discounted the votes of African-Americans.

When we won predominantly white, rural states like Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska, they said those didn't count because they won't be competitive in the general election.

When we won in Washington State, Wisconsin, and Missouri -- general election battlegrounds where polls show Barack is a stronger candidate against John McCain -- the Clinton campaign attacked those voters as "latte-sipping" elitists.

And now that we've won more than twice as many states, the Clinton spin is that only certain states really count.

But the facts are clear.

For all their attempts to discount, distract, and distort, we have won more delegates, more states, and more votes.

Meanwhile, more than half of the votes that Senator Clinton has won so far have come from just five states. And in four of these five states, polls show that Barack would be a stronger general election candidate against McCain than Clinton.

[uberlefty]

I find it revealing that the Hillary has called for a non partisan solution. Arent they in the same party? Once again we see the Clinton campaign resort to divisive tactics to obtain a fraudulent victory. Trying to frame Obama as somehow of a different party. Everyday I hear more and more word games come from their lying mouths. Hillary agreed that Florida and Michigan shouldnt count. That is when she thought this would be over in February. Now that she needs them she is their champion! What BS. I am not surprised at her tactics but am disappointed in her loyal followers echoing her hypocrisy. Shameful behavior is the norm for politicians and I expect no less from her. Her followers on the other hand seem more than willing to follow her down the rabbit hole. Shame on all of them. Unless you hold your candidate to a high standard they will have no motivation to campaign to a higher standard. If this is how she runs a campaign how will she run this country? No more old school politics. Time for a change.

[adroind]

How desperate is Hillary?

I live in FL and even though the Dems all agreed not to campaign here, she found a way to circumvent the parties agreement and managed to conduct "fundraisers" here + some minor campaigning along the way.

I don't agree with the way the DNC handled Fl, but the rule are the rules and Edwards, Obama, Biden, Dodd adhered to them and were no shows. Hillary would still win over Obama in Fl, I think, but there's only one way to find out - a fair & equitable campaign.

This isn't the way to settle it.

The one thing that is absolutely clear - Hillary's lack of class & respect for agreed upon rules is identical to Bush's respect for the constitution and international rules - nonexistent and despicable.

[chouwalker]

Barack Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan.

If a Michigan voter wrote in Obama's name, the ballot would be rejected and not counted.

Hillary Clinton thinks that is fair?

This is the kind of thing that makes me realize how incredibly full of crap Hillary is.

Calling the Michigan election fair means that Hillary is either stupid or dishonest.

Either way, stupid or dishonest, she is not suited to be president.