The Next Clinton Battleground: DNC Rules Committee Meeting

What you'll see televised from the DNC's Rules and By-laws Committee meeting on Saturday, May 31, will be a swarm of irate Hillary Backers carrying signs and protesting any possible outcome of the Mich./Fl. debacle other than a no-fault decision with the votes going to HRC. She needs 'em. And she needs the rules changed, despite the fact that she agreed with the DNC's decision last fall. But that was when she was still "inevitable".

While Camp Clinton bats their collective baby blues and denies organizing a mini-mob scene to influence the decision (Those pesky volunteers do the darnedest things without any encouragement!), they've been actively urging Clinton supporters to pressure the DNC to fix the game Hillary's Way.

What you won't see is a swarm of irate Obama supporters protesting the protesters or anything else. Not that there weren't thousands of on-line members of My.BO ready to go at the first hint of the Clinton Crowd's descending on D.C. All of them were as passionate as Hillary supporters. Many of them were just as angry. With an on-line organization as large Obama's, his volunteers, with a little encouragement, could have overrun the city.

They got no such encouragement. What Obama volunteers got from HQ was a clear message: Do not go. Do not protest. Do not pressure the DNC. This is not who we are. We are about changing this kind of political posturing. There are better ways, more positive ways, to use your time. Phone banking. Canvassing. Registering new voters.

Whether he liked them or not, Senator Obama played by the DNC's rules in Michigan and Florida. Senator Clinton thought the rules were just fine so long as she was front runner and destined to win the nomination. The specter of losing compels Hillary to change the rules.

Of course, she's not playing this bait and switch game only because she has to win this thing any way she can--she's the new, improved populist who cannot bear the thought of a single vote not counting for all it's worth. Not a one.

Unless it's a caucus state vote.

Comments

[obamagirl1968]

Obama is a class act!

[KathyIndiana]

It doesn't matter what conclusion they come to Saturday, nor does it matter what the delegate count is on June 3rd. Hillary is going to the convention; she is obsessive about her right to the presidency and will do anything to get it. I feel that someone who wants it that badly should NEVER have it; I really don't think she's mentally stable. In the end she will wreck the Democratic party unless she is stopped, but I don't think she will ever be president and for that I say thank God for Obama. If not for him we'd have another nut job leading our country.

[WarriorLemming]

I've already given up on hoping that the Democrats will have a win in Nov. Hillary is doing the Republicans a great favor and will have to join them because she'll have few friends when this is over. :(

[Dalpine]

Hillary just wants to punish the Democrats because she knows she can't win. She is using supporters to do some of her dirty work as she continues to try to divide and weaken the party.

[cattletracks]

The Clinton lawyer has sent out a statement that the Clinton campaign will not accept any resolution in Michigan that awards Obama any delegates. Clinton supposedly is so worried about everyone's voices being heard, but I guess the 40% of us who did vote Uncommitted don't count, nor do the rest of the folks who stayed at home that day and didn't vote because we were told our votes would not count. I am FURIOUS! Should Clinton prevail using these strong-armed tactics, she can count on not carrying Michigan in November. There are too many of us here who didn't vote for her in the primary and certainly won't after her use of these tactics and her shameful conduct during the primaries. Clinton AGREED to the terms prior to the election. If the Rules committee lets Hillary get her way with this one, they'll be opening the flood gates for every state in subsequent elections to break the rules with no fear of any consequences.

[LongTom]

What the Clinton camapign "accepts" is irrelevant, really. What's she going to do? If she doesn't suspend her campaign and start working for Obama within the next couple of weeks, she'll become a pariah. She knows she's lost. Bill's lobbying for her place on the ticket is evidence enough of that. If Obama loses after her divisive campaign, she'll go down in history as the biggest asshole in the history of electoral politics.

She's got a few more days of this. The statement by the lawyer you cited is just pre-meeting posturing. There will be some rational compromise, and if the campaign doesn't like it, tough shit. She'll be done with this by the end of next week.

[nacilbuper]

the math ain't hard.

rules = rules

you agree to the rules -- NUFF SAID!

if you don't like the rules...

...DON'T PLAY THE GAME!!!

[MalamuteMan]

“If a football player doesn't want to get tackled or want the risk of an occasional clip he shouldn't put the pads on."
- Bill Clinton

[justobserve]

Hillary, the "every vote counts" champion: Please have my placard up" "I DIDN'T VOTE IN FLORIDA. PLEASE COUNT ME IN FOR OBAMA".

[nacilbuper]

"every vote counts"

unless, of course, they're caucus state votes.

[demfriend]

As an Obama supporter I am glad there is somone who sees the reasons behind the not going to "protest" or "rally" as they are calling it. The thing I see out of the femaes that are willing to pu themselves out in the limelight all to show how desperate they are to have Hillary elected makes me somehow saddened and sick. Being female I cannot see the reason nor the source of the desperation to elect Hillary on the basis she is a female otherwise there would also be a massive amount of males supporting this also. That is exactly the point. I never cared for kids in the play yard who changes rules so they could win and as an adult female I am just as put off by Hillary doing the same and making females and herself look bad as a result of her behavior. There will be another female who has gone throught the system on her own and not the coattails of a husband who will have a place in the presidential race. Not Hillary.

[groosemoose]

I agree with everything you said.

Feminists for Obama '08

[Skytouch]

Well stated demfriend. At the start of this campaign I respected both candidates and could imagine voting for either Obama or Clinton on their merits. But as weeks turned into months, the character of each campaign became clear.

Obama's campaign has been consistently disciplined, organized, populist, on-message and textbook-effective. Clinton's campaign? Not so much.

It's unfortunate that Clinton's biggest mistake happened early in the contest, when she deluded herself of her own inevitability and therefore had no backup plan after the Feb 5 surprise. All that came afterward - shapeshifting, deceptions, red ink and unpaid bills occurred as a consequence of her initial flawed sense of entitlement.

[Lonestarmom]

So glad to see some truth....Please Obama supporters do as Senator Obama asks...do something positive on Saturday...The Clinton campaign is already calling any on the RBC who support Clinton but vote for the rules "defectors" which is ridiculous. I trust in the Democratic Party to do what is right and this long, exasperating primary season will soon be over! Get ready for the GE cause its really gonna be rough but we will prevail...

[NavyMom44]

You know it seems a lot of people is missing the effect on our children. I am CONSTANTLY telling my son (nickname "why") that rules are rules, breaking them means he must face the consequences. But HRC determination to break the rules now has him saying "but" or "if" the adults are breaking the rules why can't I and it is causing him to lose MANY privileges so far.

But, now I feel like he's being punished for the actions of "adults".

[lvdragonlady]

I agree with what you said. I have seen articles about how clinton is 'suppose to be' an example for young girls everywhere and my concern was that:
1. she was not playing by the rules
2. she was caught lying
3. she would misspeak and the giggle when called on it..........
What does this show young girls??? That if you want to make it in life you have to break the rules, lie and then pretend you did not say it...........not such a great example if you ask me........

[MidMo]

Thanks for this post. What I see - this man looks to be the real deal- something new and different. And has a style we see little of. CLASS.

[cyndeewi]

yes, she will. Hillary has shown her true colors. I just don't understand why her supporters do not see it. I guess they are saying the same thing about how we feel about Obama..lol.

[realistxxx]

Yes, and we Obama supporters are the Kool-Aid drinking cult members...

[MrKnuckles]

Oooo, yeah! I like lemon lime the best!

Uh, no.

[Peteyman]

Republicans drink the McCain-o-rade!

[chriss0114]

It looks like HRC really will do anything and everything no matter how dirty to "win"