Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., greets supporters as she participates in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Clinton Backs Michigan Revote Plan

BETH FOUHY | March 15, 2008 03:57 PM EST | AP

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SCRANTON, Penn. — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton Saturday said she supported an effort by Michigan Democrats to hold a new primary in June.

"It needs to get resolved and hopefully Michigan by the end of this week will have done that," Clinton told reporters on her campaign plane between stops in Pennsylvania. "I think they are moving in an appropriate direction to have a revote."

Under a plan being finalized by several Democratic members of Congress and other party leaders in Michigan, the state would hold a new primary in early June _ most likely on June 3 _ that would allow its delegates to be seated at the party's national convention this summer in Denver. The state Legislature is expected to take up the matter next week.

The Democratic National Committee punished Michigan and Florida for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates. The two states have been struggling to come up with alternative plans, but Michigan appears closer to resolving the matter.

Clinton won the Michigan primary on Jan. 15 and has said she would like those results to stand. But Obama removed his name from the ballot after the DNC stripped the state of delegates for moving up its primary and did not campaign there.

Clinton also won Florida's primary on Jan. 29, where both candidates names were on the ballot but neither campaigned in the state at the request of the DNC.

"I feel really strongly about it," Clinton said. "The 2.5 million people (in Michigan and Florida) who voted deserve to be counted. If it were my preference, we'd count their votes but if not, then they should have the opportunity to have a full-fledged primary waged for them and revote."

Obama currently leads Clinton among overall delegates, 1603 to 1497, and his campaign has been openly skeptical of Clinton's eagerness to seat the delegations from the two disputed states. Spokesman Tommy Vietor Saturday said the campaign was open to a "fair and practical" resolution of the conflict.

"Hillary Clinton said in October the Michigan primary would not 'count for anything.' Now she is trying to change the rules and claim the votes of the primary she said didn't count should be counted," Vietor said. "We will evaluate the details of any new proposed election carefully as well as any efforts to come to a fair seating of the delegates from Michigan."

Clinton marched in two St. Patrick's Day parades Saturday in Pittsburgh and Scranton. In Pittsburgh, she walked the mile-long parade route alongside the city's mayor, Luke Ravenstahl; Gov. Ed Rendell, and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. Dozens of supporters waving "Hillary 08" shamrocks and green "Clinton Country" signs led the crowd in rousing cheers.

"Happy St. Patrick's Day, Pittsburgh. This is a great parade," Clinton shouted into a microphone near the end of the parade. "Let the luck of the Irish be with us all."

Pennsylvania holds its primary April 22, the next big prize in the nomination race between Clinton and Obama.

Also Saturday, the former first lady said her primary wins in big states like Ohio showed she would be a stronger candidate in the general election against Republican John McCain. Clinton has won just 17 contests compared to 29 for Obama, but her campaign has said many of the states Obama won would not be competitive for Democrats in November.

"I don't think anyone doubts that a Democrat has to have a number of the big states anchored in order to put together the electoral votes needed to win," Clinton said. "I think it is significant that I won Ohio, that I won Florida, I've won the big states that serve as anchors on the electoral map. And I also think it's significant because those states represents a much broader cross section of the voters we're going to need to win in the fall."

Clinton refused to comment on new information about Obama's relationship with Antoin Rezko, a former political patron on trial for felony fraud charges. In interviews with two Chicago newspapers published Saturday, the Illinois senator disclosed he had accepted $250,000 in campaign donations from Rezko _ about $100,000 more than had previously been disclosed.

But on a conference call with reporters, Clinton senior strategist Mark Penn said the new information pointed to a "troubling pattern" of obfuscation.

"We're finding out on Rezko, much of what he said turns out to be just words as we learn more and more information," Penn said.

Obama "has talked about the politics of hope, but he has throughout this campaign launched a series of personal attacks on Senator Clinton, calling her disingenuous," Penn said. "We think now the real question before us is to Senator Obama, is, 'Will you make full disclosure of all this information related to the Rezko matter? Will you put to rest all these troubling questions?'"


 
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hrc, what was wrong with the original DNC stance that you agreed to?? Did you not read it and sign it?? Do you believe, like BUsh, that rules don't apply to him? Is this an indication that you will use signing statements as the president? Sorry, has acceptable as you would be to me as president (even tho I support Obama first) - that is NO i repeat NO appropriate and intelligent context that I can put your stance on MI and FLA in.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:29 AM on 03/16/2008

SO can I demand a "re-vote" in November if it doesn't come out how I like it?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:56 AM on 03/16/2008

"In interviews with two Chicago newspapers published Saturday, the Illinois senator disclosed he had accepted $250,000 in campaign donations from Rezko _ about $100,000 more than had previously been disclosed."

Back on January 27th, Obama Spokesman Bill Burton dismissed reports from the LA Times that estrimated the amount of the Rezko donation at $200.000 as way too high.
Two days later, he announced that the $150.000 given to charity included _all_ and _any_ donations one could _reasonably_ come up with.

Now we are at $250.000 and who does believe that this is the final sum? I don't!

Same story as with Rezko's involvement concering the real estate deal where the role shifted from "hardly any influence" to "we went there and had a look around because I wanted to hear his oppinion as an expert".

This Rezko thing is far from over and the way information trickles out of the Obama Camp is less than satisfactory.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:41 AM on 03/16/2008
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Q. When will the democrats get it together?

A. After the United States is over.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:10 AM on 03/16/2008

You know of course. That Hillary started campaigning for Florida to be counted before the Florida vote. Then she went down for a fundraiser on the day of the vote and celebrated her "victory" there. So she's been setting up this conflict since the beginning. So she "followed" the rules, to the letter of the law (if only just). It's just that now she needs to change the rules to win. Oh by the way also arguing that Obama is the one who "broke" the rules because some of his national ads ended up playing on some cable in Florida.

Typical.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:21 AM on 03/16/2008
- Mas I'm a Fan of Mas permalink
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If granted, this will be a special primary election for both states, not a revote. And if granted how fair will this be to the candidates who were on the ballot at the time, maybe the outcome would have been different if all the candidates name were on a ballot. It's possible the blue collar worker state of Michigan could have swung to Edwards, changing his campaign and moving it forward. We could be looking at an Obama vs. Edwards or Edwards vs Clinton contest.

Other states have patiently waited their turn in accordance with the establish rules, the importance of the contest should be theirs not the states that sought out importance and jumped ahead of the line even after they were instructed not to (you see they have not filed suit ----no legal grounds to challenge the DNC electoral processes handed out?). Florida & Michigan delegate count should be removed from the overall count required for the nomination. A revote helps two candidates, one I'm supporting however, a special primary election revote does a disservice to the other candidates and their supporters who campaigned in earnest and followed the rules.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:59 AM on 03/16/2008

The Clinton campaign is now requesting revotes in all states that Obama won. She is claiming that nobody told her they were having primaries and even if someone did tell her, the Obama people told her they were insignificant. She did not campaign in good faith and now all the good people in those states are being screwed. It is all Obama's minister's fault. She was busy researching 20 years of sermons and didn't realize you had to campaign past super Tuesday.

Integrity used to be a good thing....

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:06 AM on 03/16/2008

I am having trust issues with Senator Clinton. When she says with a sincerity in her face that the elections in Michigan were fair" even though her name was the only one on the ballot, it makes me pause. It speaks volumes, if she can distort the obvious what will she distort if she becomes president. Don"t say this is just politics, that is not good enough. Will there be an even greater credibility gap if she becomes president?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:56 AM on 03/16/2008

I recently received a letter from the DNC asking for money and stating that I should support the party in November. My reply was to send their letter back to them with this statement: If my vote didn't count in January why should you expect it in November. The DNC strong armed the states into agreeing to the stupid rules letting the four "traditional states" go first in the primaries which is nonsense. Florida has 10.2 million registered voters; add Michigan's 7.1 million and you have 17.3 million registered voters. The four states in question combined have only 6.0 million registered. Not only that, but 3.2 million more people VOTED in Florida and Michigan than in the FOUR traditional states. The stupid caucuses in Iowa and Nevada only produced 368 thousand and 55 thousand votes, respectively. As for the candidates campaigning here in Florida, who needs them. I watched all the debates and had all the candidates rammed down my throat for the better part of a year by the news media, so why go to some rally and wave a silly sign around to hear the same horseshit in person that you can hear on TV. A lot of other Democrats here in Florida feel the same way that I do and if the DNC doesn't get its head out of it's ass this will be a McCain state in November.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:22 AM on 03/16/2008

SHE CAN"T WIN!!! The NUMBERS are NOT THERE!!!
For the good of the Party, the Country, People around the world, somebody please go tell the adults to step in and put an END TO THIS MADNESS!!! If the Republicans pull this off AGAIN!!! because of THIS self-inflected nonsense PEOPLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!! I AM NOT KIDDING!! The stakes are far TOO HIGH!!! This is far bigger and far more important than the Clintons and the Clinton Dynasty. You guys GO figure it out!! Hillary Clinton can be the Vice-President, Secretary of State, Supreme Court Nominee, WHATEVER!!! For all of ours sakes, will you guys get it together and end this so we can turn our collective attentions to dismantling this Republican Doomsday Cult. GEEZ!!! ENOUGH ALREADY!!!
-Mad Dog

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:05 PM on 03/15/2008
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Don't quit your job. Mathematics isn't in the cards.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:51 AM on 03/16/2008

The fact is, unless she won both states 100 percent, she could not win the pledged delegate count. And there is no way that can happen. It is OVER for the rule of dynastic presidents. As it should be.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:30 PM on 03/15/2008
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Don't quit your job. Mathematics isn't in the cards.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:51 AM on 03/16/2008

OK, Obamanables, take your shots. What has she done NOW? Revote not enough? Fair and square, it sounds like. But somehow this is going to be construed as calculating and evil, right?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:22 PM on 03/15/2008
- loki I'm a Fan of loki permalink
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If your going to have a revote, you need to include ALL the candidates who were running when they were excluded. Both these excluded states could have changed the whole election and others may be where clinton and obama are today. But we wont know because everyone of them agreed NOT to allow these states in. But now that its a close race, they want to allow the states in? Its totally unfair to those who were in the race when these states had their elections. The only way it would be really fair and democratic is if you allowed everyone back in for this, and then figure from where these 2 states would have normally in. Then re-do each and every state whose election dates came after Florida and Michigan. But this isnt about fair, this is about winning. And Hillary apparently wants to win at all cost, that includes unfair elections. No, I dont think Obama is much better than Hillary, and I dont think either is much better than McCain. They are all just puppets of the corporate controllers.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:57 PM on 03/15/2008
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Obamanables? Cute, real cute.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:08 PM on 03/15/2008

Dump the Clinton"s-- NOW!

Every Democratic Party platform embraces tolerance and embraces diversity and eschews racism and bigotry. Senator Barack Obama has been the victim of vicious, hateful, racist, religiously bigoted email and whisper campaigns. Senator Clinton"s campaign has on multiple occasions aided and abetted this attack. Several Clinton campaign officials, including Bill Clinton, have attempted to malign Obama"s reputation. When given a chance to "denounce and reject" the hateful email campaign, Senator Clinton qualified her response ("not that I know of") just enough to stoke the suspicions of those who stand gullibly ready to believe the email slander.
Senator Clinton compounded the insult and injury by effectively endorsing John McCain over Barack Obama. Beyond making a great attack ad for the GOP, she has eliminated her own ability to campaign for Senator Obama when he becomes the Democratic nominee.
So, is there any principle the Democratic Party loves more than it loves the Clintons? What does the Democratic Party stand for?

Decision time Democrats: Hope for Change with Obama or keep rolling in the mud with the Clintons.

In the wake of her comments of the last week, Senator Hillary Clinton should abandon her Presidential Campaign. In fact she should probably resign her Senate seat. Endorsing the Republican candidate over Senator Obama and casting aspersions on Senator Obama's patriotism and religion are tactics we expect from certain Republican political advisers. We do not expect them someone who would ask us to vote for her for President.

A petition made by Obama supporters to be sent to the DNC
stating that if Senator Clinton becomes the Democratic Nominee for
the presidential election, you will either:
a) abstain from voting in the general election
or
b) a third-party-candidate during the general election.
Here's the link: http://www.petitiononline.com/obama725/petition.html

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:09 PM on 03/15/2008
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Fari and square is playing by the rules. The states broke the rules and now HRC in her inimitable audacity is showing the DNC her middle finger. IMHO she is finally getting to act out all her adolescent rebelliousness and in the best traditions of that particular behavior, to hell with the consequences.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:23 PM on 03/15/2008

Is the QUEEN happy now? She makes all the rules and for some reason the media and we, the people -- and in my case a WOMAN --allow her to get away with it. Her latest: SHE'S DECIDED SHE'S NOT GOING TO RELEASE ALL HER EARMARKS. OBAMA has, no one else has a problem.
I'm sure they're with her income tax papers.

Does her need/demand for secrecy smack anyone else of GEORGE W. BUSH?!!! He did/and does whatever he wants. So does Hillary. Do we want yet another president who basically says "screw you" to the people, the laws and the basic sense of right & wrong?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:44 AM on 03/16/2008

I cant believe that the media has let Clinton gt away with her conflicting positions. She agreed to follow the party rules and that Florida and Michagan would not count. When she thought the election was hers. But once se started losing and needed the delegates, she started demanding that they count and that it was "unfair" and that sje "won." Nobody in the media is getting her to explain how this position isn't completely self serving and a fraud. Just like her husband, Hillary believes she is above the "law" and that she can do anything as long as she wins. The Clintons dont have one ounce of integrity or shame.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:11 PM on 03/15/2008

Is anybody going to ask Hillary about Hsu? Why isn't the msm onto this and reporting it. Why is Hillary allowed to call the shots all of the time; this state is important and this state isn't, she decides that she wants Michigan and Florida to count , she's telling the media that Obama should be more vetted when his involvement with Rezco and the flap over his pastor is nothing compared to what she has been and is involved in. She hasn't released any earmarks and she hasn't released her taxes. I am sick of wondering what she is up to and what she is going to do next. There have been 20 debates. I'm not watching anymore. I 've had it with Hillary and her campaign strategists and can't wait till this is over.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:09 PM on 03/15/2008

I'm curious about your definition of sabotage here? Michigan voters endorsed "uncommitted" as I recall. This will all get worked out, and in the end, all this kerfluffle could have been avoided if Michigan had just voted when it was originally supposed to!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:59 PM on 03/15/2008
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