Clinton Compares Florida, Michigan Situation To Zimbabwe Elections

Hillary Clinton is pushing harder and harder to convince the DNC to count the votes held in Florida in Michigan. And with reports suggesting that she is just going through the motions of the election, Clinton has apparently decided to ratchet up the rhetoric. During a rally in Florida yesterday, she not only compared the current situation to the 2000 election, she also referenced rigged elections in 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."

Steve Benen, for one, isn't exactly pleased with Clinton's comparison:

I'm 35, and have been following politics for quite a while, and I've never been so disappointed with a politician I've admired and respected. Yesterday's tactics weren't just wrong, they were offensive. For that matter, they seem to be part of a deliberate strategy to tear Democrats apart and ensure a defeat in November....

Instead of trying to help bring the party together -- Election Day is 24 weeks away -- Clinton went to Florida to argue that if Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, his nomination will be illegitimate. And if the DNC plays by the rules Clinton used to support, it's guilty of vote-suppression -- comparable to slavery, Jim Crow, and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the Obama camp has suggested their willingness to find some form of compromise. David Axelrod told NPR:

"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

[INDYBIGT]

I used to think the idea that Obama would consider Hillary for a nominee to the supreme court sounded like a good appeasement offer. But bigots, the mentally unbalanced and the unscrupulous don't belong on the court. It would have been better to have kept her mouth shut and be thought a victim than to have opened it and exposed her foolish desperation.

[emmaspeaks]

Hillary is too opinionated for be objective and make a good decision in a court.

[AmazingChicken]

It's true, Ms./Mr. Clinton don't want to go home yet. And they don't care whom they hurt with their "wah, they deserve a chance to be heard" prattle.
S/He are even grasping for Mr. Obama's greatest piece of demography, the "smart young people" that apparently have seen enough of the Clinton BS.
How? By getting a national youthish smart sort of funny clever white kinda, eh (...we don't like him but the kids think he's great...) guy to hold up that sign in the back ... see the Times photo here: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/05/22/us/22florida0.600.jpg
Now tell me that isn't smarty pants Jon Stewart back there! Or, maybe his brother, I dunno.
And if it isn't you, Jon, it COULD HAVE been. Sleep with that for a night, son!

[BTJ46]

What's been lost in most of the discussion of the Florida and Michigan primary results is .... the actual results. Although the contests were outside the rules, amounted in good part to just a name recognition contest, and had a suppressed turnout since most voters knew that the results wouldn't count and there was no organized get out the vote campaign..­. THE RESULTS SHOW NO CLEAR MANDATE FOR CLINTON.
In Michigan, where Hillary was the only major candidate left on the ballot. she won only 55% of the vote. 40% of voters voted for 'uncommited' -- which amounts to an 'anybody but Clinton' vote. And the total voter turnout in the Democratic primary was only 592,037 -- a very small sampling.
In Florida there was a somewhat larger turnout of 1.7 million, but Clinton won only 49% of the vote. Obama won 33%; Edwards 14%; Richardson and Biden both won slightly less than 1%. Since most Edwards and Richardson delegates are now moving to Obama, the combined results are essentially a tie.
In combined popular vote, Clinton won just less than 1.2 million votes or 51% with a suppressed voter turnout.
So my question is why she is pushing this outrageous argument for overturning the rules. The numbers don't help her. The argument on principal is absurd. The suspicion arises that, like Representative Clyburn and others have suggested, she is hoping to destroy Obama's chance in the general election so that she can run again in 2012.

[ApolloniaCreed]

Great points...

[estreya]

These are fantastic points.

[SayonaraSnot]

She's pushing it so she can appeal whatever decision the rules and bylaws committee makes, which will mean she gets to stay in and take her fight to the floor of the convention.

[Canaris]

Note to Sen. Clinton from a Floridian: STOP HELPING ME!

[abigail1]

from a Michigander: ME EITHER!!

[LiberTLover]

LMAO!!! Well said!

[ApolloniaCreed]

I am also a FL voter and I second that!

[PKSSK]

This woman is in desperate need of help. There is no way I can fathom another four years of a sociopath in the White House, whether President or VP. I think it is time for someone, who truly is loyal to her, to protect what is left of her character by telling her the truth, it's over.

The democratic party has been a major disappointment to many over the past 8 years and today we are seeing why, the party and its leaders fear the threats of those who are percieved to have more power. The Clinton's are beginng to take on the image of Bush/Cheney, they have proven to be the biggest threat to the destruction of what is left of our democracy and the party. Are there any leaders within the democratic party who dare to stand up to the Clinton's for the good of the party??? It is time to tell them NO, NOT THIS TIME!!!!! Where is Ed Rendell, John Corzine and Evan Bye, all men known for their great character, integrity and supposed "true loyalty"???? When are they going to step up and protect the person they have sold their soul for and tell her the truth before she totally destroys what legacy she has left and the party!!!!! It is time for her true friends to step up and tell her the truth, it is over and she must step aside for the good of the party and the nation.

[booksnmore4you]

Looks like someone forgot to give Hillary her psych meds today.

[flora68]

Hillary's losing whatever grip she had on reality & fair-play. I don’t care if she stays in the race until she’s literally voted out, it’s just tedious for this to go on and on.

She's exploiting her easily-led "base", mostly under-educated, easily-led bigots who don't know diddly about U.S. gov't, history, elections, current events, etc., & just keep stupidly cheering whatever she says, clearly not understanding the issues AT ALL.

She demands the rules she previously agreed to be changed after the fact, because when she agreed to them, she thought she'd win! (Talk about situational ethics!) She’s comparing the Fla./Mich. situation to slavery, Jim Crow laws, & Zimbabwe, which is more delusional than her confusion over the difference between Bosnian sniper-fire & Bosnian flowers. When a kid acted like her, making up rules on the fly & breaking real ones, that kid was branded a “cheater” (which used to be a big deal), & that kid couldn't play with us if he didn’t cut it out & play whatever-it-was by the rules, fair & square.

Her claims of sexism are a slap in the face to women who have to deal with REAL sexism, all to distract us from the fact that she owes her biggest victories to racism & ignorance. Gimme a break.

She'll be dragged off the stage with a giant hook, throwing increasingly irrational tantrums & leaving her teeth marks on the podium, instead of withdrawing with the maturity & class we need in a President.

[jah2008]

This is Hillary's Bosnia moment again. She is hallucinating that Palm Beach is Zimbabwe.

[kay]

She should be pilloried for that, and Democrats, if they want to retain any credibility at all, should be the first to do it.

Imagine if John McCain had said that? Biden and Reid and the rest would be all over that.

The silence is deafening.

[justmeandnikki]

We want a "fighter" in the White House? How childish. How many of you have enjoyed your life experiences dealing with a "fighter"? (in relationships, with a boss/superior). This is bonkers and plain stupid. How many of you think American youth are learning good lessons on how to conduct themselves watching Hillary? Must be OK to lie and cheat! Hillary herself has stated how she enjoys this controversy and "fighting". Does history prove these pugnacious "fighters/bullies" end up accomplishing more than people with other skills? "Fighting" bosses on the job end up being hated and employees resist and sabotage their efforts. Ultimately those who view "fighting" as the way to get things done fail. Much like Hillary's effort with health care under Bill's administration.
Don't forget, you have a "fighter" in the White House at this very moment. How many of you have enjoyed the ride of this "fighter"?

[emmaspeaks]

We have a boy on our street who is extremely competitive and bossy. My husband used to tell me that although he didn't like the behavior, this boy would grow up to be one of the leaders in our country or a corporation. How sad.

Its time to have a leader who we look up to and admire for his values.

[booksnmore4you]

These are good points. I have NEVER enjoyed life around a "fighter". I've enjoyed it around collaborators.

[Dap]

It's clear to see now, Hillary did not put up with Bill out of love, but because Hillary understands lust, her own lust for power.

[jimchap]

man, she's taken the racists train to a whole nother level.....­..........­.amazing.

[ATLiberal]

The poisoning of the water is in full gear now. Obama = Mugabe?

Can we please engage in some critical thinking?? The only way for Hillary to win is to overturn the delegate leader. If I were an AA, which I am not, I would see that as re-affirmation of the same old same old.

Sorry, it was a nice try, but we just aren't ready for a black president. We are going to change the rules now, and you lose.

I believe that will unleash an incredible anger from AA's that will absolutely torpedo any chance for the Dems to get the White House. And by the way, the "hard working white" vote is notoriously opposed to Dems in elections, while the AA vote is rock solid. That bears out in election after election. Do we really think "hard working whites" are going to vote for the woman over the white man in greater numbers that the white man vs the black man?

[McPander]

Yes this comparison is being used by Right Wing radio. They talk about how once Obama takes office he will do to America exactly what Mugabe did. Send blacks to kill all the white land owners.

Just more of her Race Baiting.

"Hard Working Americans, White Americans"

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

"Yes this comparison is being used by Right Wing radio. They talk about how once Obama takes office he will do to America exactly what Mugabe did. Send blacks to kill all the white land owners."

exactly. and if it's not intentional, the fact that she didn't even consider how this was going to be interpreted once again shows her lack of good judgement.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

the more this goes on, the more I think hillary is trying to get herself pushed out of politics so she can travel the world with bill, make tons of money off of his speeches, and sip cosompolitans in the french riviera.

the only reason hillary ran for senate was to lay the groundwork for her presidential run. now that it's clear she will not become president, she has no use for this senate seat anymore, either. but she can't leave on her own accord, because then the entire country would question her years of insisting that she was all about serving the people. so she has to get herself run out to keep up the appearance that she wasn't lying all these years.

fraud.

[Jazione]

Hillary has become a cartoon character for women in politics. I am embarrassed for myself and all women who manage to keep their dignity in difficult situations and avoid becoming unhinged and hysterical. Romney and Huckabee are at this point classy compared to her divisive, unethical, "Clintons before everyone and everything" behaviour. Horrible and yet it keeps happening and the democrats sit on their collective hands and let it go on. Which is also pathetic.
Signed a 50 year old woman

[McPander]

It would seem that Hillary Clinton is displaying all the characteristics of a spouse in a codependent relationship.

Extreme Martyrdom.

Its his fault not mine denial.

It is so obvious that Bubba's Sex addiction and her codependency are being shown to the public now.

[DShawn233]

A question to all, something just made me have to ask this question: What would The Republican Party do with a candidate that acted like Hillary is acting right now?

[thepoliticalcat]

Chop them off at the knees, what else? They'd have a closed-door meeting with the candidate, threatening to expose every unsavoury thing about them (of which Clinton has plenty) and they'd use every media outlet to publicize that information. Simultaneously, they'd cut off every source of funds.

But the Repugnicans really want to run against Hillary because she has a houseful of dirt they can use against her. So they're keeping her alive in the hope that she will beat Obama, who doesn't have much they can work with.

[Gumby123]

Immediately nominate her for the candidacy.