MI Dems, Clinton SuperD Beg to Differ on Delegates
Both a Hillary Clinton superdelegate on the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (R&BC) and a spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party seem to contradict the Clinton campaign stance on the seating of the Michigan delegation, in interviews given earlier this week.
Liz Kerr, the Communications Director for the Michigan Democratic Party re-emphasized what State Chairman Mark Brewer has been saying all along. "We want full participation for the Michigan delegation, and we'd prefer to settle this sooner, rather than later." But above all, the MI Dems stress, "both camps must agree" to any solution presented for ratification to the R&BC on May 31. Brewer is a member of R&BC, but not eligible to vote on issues regarding his own state.
Mame Reiley of Virginia is also a member of the R&BC and a long-declared superdelegate for Hillary Clinton. She says she will keep an open mind and try to be fair to all parties involved on May 31. She feels that both states have paid a price by not hosting full-out primary campaigns, which would have brought considerable revenue to them. In Florida, she is inclined to seat the delegation as is, due to the full slate of candidates there. "But," she says, "this is a whole different ballgame with Michigan." Her decision there, Reiley said, "might make Hillary not happy with me."
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Good. The Democratic Party needs to put Clinton's delusional and bully support of this issue to an end. MI residents.
We want you there... but not if you expect favoritism and special consideration. That's what got you into trouble in the first place. This subject has been discussed enough.. to the point that you know the objections that most ALL other Democrats have made. You are NOT that special... but you are special enough to be invited to the party. Accept the invitation by all of us who played by the rules.
Clinton lost. It does not benefit to deny that reality. Come to the party. Accept the Democratic Party's terms. See you there!
When talking about disenfranchising the voters of Michigan and Florida, analysts rarely mentioned all the people who stayed home—in both Michigan and Florida&md
What should have happened is a re-vote. But since the states refused to pay for that process, we're stuck with a bad situation in both states. I don't see the legitimacy of seating FL, as is, any more than I see the legitimacy of seating MI, as is.
I hope a compromised can be worked out. And let's hope this kind of thing doesn't happen again any time soon.
For those who think that if Obama loses because of what Hillary and Bill have done to hurt his chances in November, better think again. She could run if she wants in 2012, but she will lose without the AA support. Keep threatening to vote for McCain and it will come back to haunt you in 2012, 2016, and 2020. The AA vote will no longer be taken for granted by either party again. We have voted enmasse for the Dem party for years. Not anymore! She nor any other person will win anything. We are a VERY forgiving people, but don't poop on us and tell us it's good for us. WE KNOW BETTER! If in anyway it's perceived that they didn't campaign for him and help him as much as they can, get ready for Rethuglicans to win the next several until there is a uniting between working class blacks and whites. He,he,he! Don't say I didn't warn you.
I agree! Let me start by saying that I loved the Clintons - sick, sin, and all their crap! Well, that was until the day HRC referred to hard working American people being white people. Until that moment, she would have had my vote if she became the nominee. IMHO, what she said and insinuated was beyond unforgivable!
So let her hardworking American people, white people vote for her. The AA vote is clearly insignificant and since we are not hardworking clearly it would be too much of an effort to get to the polling station!
So to all the HRC supporters who are clearly not affected by this crap – good luck!
If there was any chance that the DNC was going to count the election, then they should have allowed the candidates to campaign there. To rule that the election would not count, then turn around and count it is so unfair to anybody who did not have Clinton's 15 year name in the party. It also does not include the voters who stayed home because they were told by the DNC it didn't count.
It seems to be a good arguing point for a national election committee to ensure this cannot and will not happen again. I say get rid of the old election ways and reform the primary season to fit with the diverse population of the entire country. Start the season with a number of small states with a big kick-off election night. The states electing this night should be from different parts of the country, North and South, East, West and central, urban and rural and everything in between. But they should also be states which have relatively small numbers of delegates each. No one state at the beginning of the election process should have such a great influence over who will be on the ballot in future state primary elections. If we save the largest states for later in the season we reserve the most campaign coverage for the most people. It just doesn't make sense right now that campaigns spend months upon months in states like Iowa and New Hampshire but only really get a week or two to concentrate on California and New York, the two most populous states.
So the decision in the end will either be to punish the candidates who were following the rules of the DNC and did not campaign in these states or even, for some, have their names on the ballots, or we will punish the voters of these states by telling them that they don't count. Seems to me like there is one party here that is going to be getting away scott free in either case: the State Party Committee that decided to hold the primaries early and in effect disenfranchise their own voters. No one is talking about what to do about preventing this from occurring again next election season.
why is it that lawmakers are law breakers??? why even bother to have rules, if you are going to bend them and shape them according to the whims are a whiner like Hillary? This super delegate from VA is going on record to state that she will be biased. Sheesh. Find nonbiased people to decide from the pool of non committed delegates.
If we begin the slide into not following the rules, there will never again be rules to follow. Every race, every election will be open to debate and the outcomes will be contested and litigated. This is a dangerous precedent for democracy and for the Democratic party.
If Florida and Michigan thinks Hillary would care about them if the election of delegates had been done the right way they are crazy. This only thing this lady care about is trying to steal the nomination. If she keep on messing around she want be able to be elected dog catcher.
FL & MI are history. FL & MI broke the rules of the party, and Hillary, Obama and the rest of the candidates agreed to punish them for violating the rules.
All this back and forth willing and dealing by some of the superdelegates is to help Hillary. Superdelegates are not there to change the rules of the party back and forth in order to help a candidate. Superdelegates are there to make the laws and to see that everyone follows it. This back door politics which is a way of paying back favors owed has to stop.
This a democracy not some kind of a ruling party!
The only voter that Hillary cares about is herself. She did not care about those Mi/Fl voters until she knew that she needed them to win. We need to stop this madness. Split the votes and delegates in Fl and Mi and forget about it. This is the only fair thing to do. The fact that she believes that she should be handed votes which do not relect a reality says a lot about her and that it is all about winning to her, no matter how it appears. Who cares what we think?
All the candidates agreed on these rules at the beginning of the race. Clinton went under the radar to try to win support for herself. Even if it was not the fault of the Democrats in Fla, the rules were broken. People should consider that when voting in their state elections and throw out the idiots who allowed it to happen, but rules are rules. The states new what would happen. At this point, Obama could probably be magnanimus and say go ahead and count them, but what will happen in 2010? We will be holding Thanksgiving primaries! There has to be a point when states are expected to make a choice - do your primaries on this day or they will not be counted. How long has it been since a Democrat really won in those states?
Why do I get a whiff of CARL ROVE being behind this un-uniformed type of voting. He knew FL was a McCain state - I wouldn't be surprised if he was behind this scenario. Why can't the DNC pay for a re-do of the election?
The Democratic National Committee should not pay for a redo. The state Democratic parties willingly and intentionally defied the rules, therefore they should pay for reelections if they want them. Even that would not be fair, because the results of the entire national race are pretty much known now. Essentially they wanted to be first to cast their votes, and last to cast their votes also. How is that not fair?
At least making the states pay for their own redo constitutes some form of punishment.
There is a video on YouTube of the Florida committee making the decision to hold the primary early in defiance of the DNC. The speaker was smirking, sarcastic, mocking. Obviously Florida thought it was a great big joke. Florida deserves no consideration at all.
Why does Florida mess up our elections, every time?
Al in favor of giving Florida to Cuba and giving Texass back to Mexico raise your hand.
SPLIT THE DELEGATES IN MICHIGAN AND GIVE HILLARY A 55% to OBAMA 45% AND THEN GIVE EACH DELEGATE 1/2 VOTE AS A PENALTY. ENOUGH SAID!
And your plan for Florida?
Each delegate gets half a vote. Simple, effective, and doesn't really affect the outcome.
Also, Howard Dean, Karen Thurman, and whatever bonehead sponsored the bill, all get a pie to the face.
Good thinking. I like that proposal!
Let's put this puppy to rest. Have Obama and Hillary submit their plans for seating FL & MI to the DNC to be decide at their meeting at the end of May. The agreement between the candidates is that the decision between the two plans will be binding, in other words its binding arbitration. Let's get something concrete and be done with it. p
Are you f***ing kidding?!!! Obama plays by the rules and doesn't campaign in FL, and is not even on the ballot in MI, and Clinton wants the results to count?!!! The very idea proves that she has no sense of fair play, and doesn't deserve any office, much less the nomination. I once thought I could vote for her should she be the candidate.
wood,
Obama was the only one advertizing in FL. Stop smoking whatever yiou are, sober up and you might remember
And Obama will lose FL by 15 to McCain
And Clinton will win FL by 15 over McCain1 Yeah, right.
I believe the ads were run in Georgia, but spilled into Florida. Of course we can concede Florida to the republicans now if you want. You only need a majority in November.
WHOA! Get your facts straight. Hillary actually CAMPAIGNED in Florida the night before the primary.
Obama had a note from the DNC for those ads.
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