Clinton Compares FL/MI Fight To Civil Rights, Suffragists, Bush V. Gore, Zimbabwe

Sen. Hillary Clinton is making a full-court, last-ditch effort to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida at the Democratic convention.

Campaigning in Florida today, Clinton compared the fight to have those two states seated to no less than four other historic events: the U.S. Civil Rights movement, the struggle for women's suffrage, the contested Bush v. Gore election in 2000, and even the recent violent elections in Zimbabwe. An overview:

FLORIDA/MICHIGAN = CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?

Hillary Clinton compared her effort to seat Florida and Michigan delegates to epic American struggles, including those to free the slaves and win the right to vote for blacks and women...

"This work to extend the franchise to all of our citizens is a core mission of the modern Democratic party," she said. "From signing the Voting Rights Act and fighting racial discrimination at the ballot box to lowering the voting age so those old enough to fight and die in war would have the right to choose their commander in chief, to fighting for multi-lingual ballots so you can make your voice heard no matter what language you speak."

FLORIDA/MICHIGAN = SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT?

Jettisoning her standard stump speech, Clinton gave a 25-minute sermon on the sacred place voting holds in American history, invoking women's suffrage and the long struggle for minorities to gain voting rights.

"Each vote you cast is a prayer for our nation," she said. "Each vote is a tool, one used throughout history, to break barriers, open doors and widen the circle of opportunity."

FLORIDA/MICHIGAN = BUSH V. GORE?

Invoking the controversial dispute over electoral results in Florida in 2000, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in areas where Democrats felt their votes were not counted fairly then and demanding that this year's results of primaries both in the Sunshine State and Michigan be counted, even though they violated Democratic Party rules.

"We believe the popular vote is the truest expression of your will. We believe it today just as we believed it back in 2000 when, right here in Florida, you learned the hard way what happens when your votes aren't counted and a candidate with fewer votes is declared the winner," Clinton told a crowd at retirement home in Boca Raton. "The lesson of 2000 here in Florida is crystal clear: if any votes aren't counted, the will of the people isn't realized and our democracy is diminished."

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FLORIDA/MICHIGAN = ZIMBABWE?

Desperate to get attention for her cause to seat Florida and Michigan delegates, Hillary Clinton compared the plight of Zimbabweans in their recent fraudulent election to the uncounted votes of Michigan and Florida voters saying it is wrong when "people go through the motions of an election only to have them discarded and disregarded."

"We're seeing that right now in Zimbabwe," Clinton explained. "Tragically, an election was held, the president lost, they refused to abide by the will of the people," Clinton told the crowd of senior citizens at a retirement community in south Florida.

"So we can never take for granted our precious right to vote. It is the single most important, privilege and right any of us have, because in that ballot box we are all equal. You're equal to a billionaire. You're equal to the president, every single one of us."

Meanwhile, in an interview with NPR today, Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod seemed open to a deal on Michigan and Florida:

"We are open to comprise [sic]. We are willing to go more than half way. We're willing to work to make sure that we can achieve a compromise. And I guess the question is: is Senator Clinton's campaign willing to do the same?"

Axelrod continues: "Well, obviously, any compromise is going to involve some give, and that means if there's something on the table, we're willing to consider it. That may include us yielding more delegates than perhaps we would have, simply on the basis of the rules."

Comments

[ellen63]

More hyperbole from Hillary.

[MaineMike]

I figured out what she's doing!

She's doing a promo for HBO's "Recount" to earn some extra cash to pay some bills.

After her next speech, everyone in attendance will get a free HBO mug.

[Mygirl]

Do we really want someone like this for President ? Has Bush not taught us anything ?

[HannaB]

This woman gets more hilarious every day! How does she sleep at night? How does she face herself in the mirror in the morning? She will go down kicking and screaming! Will NY take her back? Are they ashamed of her?

Since she wants to change the DNC rules, she should run for it's chairmanship!

[Sloppyseconds]

I don't think she can see herself in the mirror.

[Dendera]

So, let me get the analogy: in Zimbabwe a black president is trying to crush the will of the people; and, thereby, Obama is trying to be yet another such black president.

Thanks for the lesson, Hillary.

Now, will you take your hatred and ignorance and go away.

[PumaJ]

The woman has gone over the edge! This new rhetoric of hers only convinces me more that choosing her to run our country would not be a good idea.

[zann]

Wikipedia has a list of superdelegates. I found my congressman on the list as uncommitted and emailed him a request to commit to Obama.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Democratic_Party_(United_States)_superdelegates,_2008

[LisaMarieC]

Thanks for this information. I am doing the same.

[Sloppyseconds]

Next Hillary Clinton is going to tell her Spartan subjects that she is the incarnation of King Leonidas from the Battle of Thermopylae and she will save America from the evil Barack Xerxes Obama. Then it's off to crossing the Alps as Napoleon and finally, for the good of all hardworking blue collar white workers everywhere, it's the self-sacrifice of Joan of Arc. It just keeps getting better and better with each passing day.

[plantsman]

I somehow doubt Hillary Clinton was the Champion for Appalachian downscale White Folks before her chief competitor for the nomination was a black man. Indeed. I'm certain she had been the butt of many jokes among such people for many years until very recently.

[Ermasdaughter]

She is simply sickening. The super D's need to stop her (IMO months ago) but they seriously need to stop her now. What's it going to take! On one hand she's saying she'll clean up her campaign and now she's threatening to take this to the convention AND compairing FL and MI to, my god I can hardly believe it, the civil rights struggle! This woman is dillusional and dangerous!

Please end her now.

[mahermaduke]

i think her comparisons are invalid. however, what is so threatening about a new vote in fla/mich?? rules, rules, rules is just blah, blah, blah. what does obama have to lose - it's simply not possible that he'll fall behind on delegates. besides, doesn't he plan to win, or at least contest fla/mich against mccain?? wouldn't this be a great opportunity for him to get a head start in 2 battleground states while at the same time serving as a gleeming example of the restoration of democracy in one of our most seemingly muddled states?? the calls for hope and change ring hollow and the influx of new voters in obama's coalition seem committed not to democracy but to obamacy (work with me here) when they refuse to fight for every person's vote. obama's campaign has been nearly flawless, but the desperate clinging to "the rules" in these contests is straight out of "the politics of old" playbook. lets hope for a revote to change the murky history of florida electoral politics. the votes would bring finality. obama could knock clintion out for good and really ramp up his general election prospects. i don't see how he loses . . . unless he loses. big. and then hillary does have a pop vote lead. and then all hell breaks loose because we have a dem nominee who didn't win the popular vote. yikes. no wonder obamanians are "clinging" to the rules, displaying antithapy to anyone not willing to headlock democracy.

[naewing]

"i think her comparisons are invalid. however, what is so threatening about a new vote in fla/mich??"

Hillary Clinton is not asking for a new vote. She wants the vote counted as it stands. That is, all votes counted for her and none for anyone else, as they took their names off the ballot as agreed to.
And when she says she won the popular vote, she is counting her votes in Fl and MI, but no votes for Obama in the caucus states which do not tally a popular vote count, and which he won. Those states don't record a popular vote because the election is NOT decided based on popular vote.

[Gma11]

Tell that to your boss. Tell him, her that all the rules of the organization you, your spouse, your parents, your children, your friends, are just blah, blah, blah.

All formal organizations have rules. You don't like the rules. Don't join the organization.

[CTmom13]

He is already winning over most all of her supporters

The broadening of Obama's appeal for the nomination seen in Gallup's May 16-18 polling is fairly widespread, with the percentage favoring him increasing among most demographic categories of Democratic voters. However, as a result, certain groups that were already highly supportive of Obama for the nomination -- men, 18- to 29-year-olds, postgrads, and upper-income Democrats -- are now overwhelmingly in his camp. Obama is currently favored among these groups by a 2-to-1 margin, or better, over Clinton.


At the same time, support for Clinton among some of her traditionally stalwart support groups -- women, Easterners, whites, adults with no college education, and Hispanics -- has fallen below 50%.


The only major demographic group still supporting Clinton to the tune of 51% or more is women aged 50 and older. This group's preferences have changed little during May, at the same time that Clinton's support among younger men (those 18 to 49) has declined by nearly 10 points.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/107407/Obama-Surge-Fairly-BroadBased.aspx

[IndependentAllways]

Before a competition begins rules are set in place and when you decide to run you agree to abide by the rules and based on these rules you strategise and come up with your plans and strategies to win within the rules. Everyone knew there would be caucuses and you strategise accordingly. AFTER the conclusion you (as a party) can decide to change the rules for the next election but you cannot change the rules during the competition because you are losing. (Does anyone believe that Sen. Clinton would be fighting for votes to be counted in FL/MI if she were winning?)
I don't mind the discussion whether FL/MI should be counted or not, as I see that as an internal party rules issue. But the basic fact is that Sen. Clinton's winning strategy was flawed and the manner in which she is using these arguments is unethical in my view. Senator Clinton believes she would be the best president and I respect that, however I do not think her actions and words are reflective of an ethical person. While she claims the experience she fataly underestimated the intelligence of an "inexperienced" candidate and it has cost her dearly and now her so called "fight on by all means possible" is displaying a side to her character which is too similar to the Republican brand for me to like.

[Hollyse]

Hillary is exhaustive. Her civil rights language suggests a rally to a personal means, a designed law for her gathering usefulness. She was part of the "voting to go to war machine' and now she wants to subordinate the rules laid out by the civil rights act. Why do I see another book over the horizon, 'The Idiot's Handbook to Getting Elected" first publication, publishing co. Civil Rights Books, USA, 2008? Hillary knows wars are never meant to be won. They're vehicles tyo moving the masses. Listen to the wording Hillary carefully uses when including 'We the People' to take a stand and rise up against the injustice of not having your vote counted. Betcha Hillary will take this one all the way to the supreme court, no, not for an appointment for supreme court judge by the president , but to make a case for an illegal election! She can tie up the election for years leaving GW /Cheney sitting president(s) for the next four years. Politicians are paid handsomely for playing both ends against the middle. Remember Hillary grew up in a country run by politicians who sent the pilots to man the bombers to kill the babies to make the world safe for children to grow up in. "It Takes a Village" book was that first copyrighted decades ago or newly released for another edition? Shame on you Hillary. You're all over the map.

[FogCityJohn]

I agree with many of the posters here. The real fault here lies with the Democratic superdelegates. There is no reason for them to permit this to go on. Hillary Clinton is tearing the Democratic Party apart for no other reason than her own vanity and unquenchable ambition. The SDs really, really need to step up now and put an end to this. I know they may be nervous, because the Clintons are two of the most vindictive people in American politics, as Bill Richardson can attest. But still, someone needs to stop Hillary's antics NOW.

[Cyndee1113]

FogCityJohn, So true, the longer this goes on with Hillary the worst it will become. I blame the super delegates, not Hillary. If she takes it further it will be their fault and I will bow out of this party.

[westminster]

I don't recall any person being fire hosed or had dogs being set upon them in Michigan and Florida concerning whether they could vote or not. This woman is despicable­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!! And as far as trying to compare the whole thing to the Al Gore and George Bush debacle. Hillary Clinton, you are NO Al Gore. He's decent and tells the truth.

[Michael2007usa]

This woman has either lost her mind completely, or she is evil of the highest order. The sooner she is booted out, the better. What a disgusting show: she, her husband and their daughter .... all together, trying so hard to deceive and destroy. This is not about the American people, its about her. I am surprised at how President Clinton is allowing himself to be used in such ways that will leave a terrible mark on his legacy to our nation. Or is he also a part of the evil?

[Ping]

It's so sad to see that the one time presumptive Democratic nominee for President would become the butt of late night comedian's jokes. Last year at this time, she was the feared front runner with many supporters in the msm and here on Huffpo. I can remember the Clintonian bullying as well as the lame arguments from Clinton supporters that Obama was inexperienced. But a year later we see Clinton on TV everyday trying out a new lame reason why the Super delegates should select her instead of Obama. And now we just laugh at her, because she has become a joke. She can say bye bye to Senate Majority Leader and Vice President. Her inability to play ball for the greater benefit of the Democratic Party as well as the nation, disqualifies her from any leadership position.

To the end she is proving her detractors were correct, she will say and do anything to get elected President.

[abby4ever]

Do you think it's possible that she was seriously thinking of conceding but then somehow realized that her ambitions in the Senate are now doomed--indeed, realized that she has ruined herself for any high-ranking post? And then, realizing all this, decided to stay in the race, having nowhere else to go and nothing else to shoot for? Just a thought I had.
As for the superdelegates, I've been saying for a fortnight that they must take the blame along with Hillary if they don't stop this. Immediately. They are being cowardly--or else simply gullible. If they think she is going to suddenly concede when all the primaries are over, they are mistaken. This woman is winding up for a big fight, and snatching at every argument that crosses her mind to whip her supporters into a frenzy. I expect marches and protests next---unless she is stopped. However, I think we are at the point where, if she IS stopped, her supporters will go mad. And that she planned it this way. God, I do now think she is what many have said she is: just plain evil.

[Sparty1]

Unbelievable! This woman is now the Civil Rights Movement to get elected. She truly has no shame.

[abby4ever]

Well, Obama has more of the black vote than she has, and she needs it. The great irony is that Obama is probably the one who should have used this comparison, not Hillary. But he has too much honor, she has none.
Sadly, honor doesn't always win, in fact it usually doesn 't. But ruthlessness does.