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This page contains a single entry by Mark Willen
published on
March 21, 2008 11:37 AM.
Clinton's Records -- Treasure for Opponents was the previous entry.
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DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN
Democrats Need to Get Real About Fla., Mich.
It's time for Democrats to stop acting like school children about
Let's try to put this controversy in perspective with a few facts:
1) Democratic Party officials in
2) It's nonsense to argue that Democratic voters in the two states are being disenfranchised, as Hillary Clinton and leaders of the two states are claiming. Lots of states have always had primaries that didn't matter. How often, for example, have Californians voted long after the nominations were decided? Let's face it, the two states moved up their primaries to increase their influence and the gamble failed. So be it.
3) Clinton is over the top in blaming Barack Obama for this mess -- even describing his position as un-American. Sure, she's desperate for the contests to take place, but she accepted the rules and it's unfair to change positions midstream. She now says the nominee may be seen as "illegitimate" if
4) That said, I agree with my colleague Jon Frandsen, who wrote some time ago that Obama ought to back a revote, given how things have turned out. To do otherwise makes him look like he's afraid of the outcome, which of course he is.
5) The notion that if
6) Despite all of the above, it shouldn't be that hard to work something out. How about a convention in the two states to elect new delegates? Or splitting the delegations three ways -- one third for Obama, one third for Clinton and one third uncommitted, vetted by neutral party elders to make sure they truly are uncommitted. Or if none of those work, surely someone can come up with a plan that does. If not, seat them but deny them the vote, as the initial rule requires.
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Hillary Clinton has conniptions at the very mention of any C word, either caucus or convention, which makes your suggested option an impossibility. I agree with your assessment that if the rules were made and agreed upon, they should be honored. You fail to address another big problem in Michigan--an open primary--where Democrats who might have decided to vote in the Republican primary since the Democratic one "didn't matter" would be unable to take part in any re-vote. It would be patently unfair to expect Obama's campaign to try to mount an organization on this late notice. As for the Croco-Mooses, they broke curfew, so 'ground' them!
"Democratic Party officials in Florida and Michigan took a gamble and broke the rules."
Incorrect -- see me after class. }:)
The primary date was changed by the 2-house FL state legislature & the FL governor. All 3 of those entities are solidly controlled by the GOP, not your summarily-dismissed "Democratic Party officials in Florida" who allegeldy "broke the rules."
As my dear old granddaddy used to say, "To be righteous, one must first be right." Potential Pundits should endeavor to make their facts Facts. Any questions? I thought not -- class dismissed. [grin]
Bill Nichols (above) makes a valid point, and I was wrong to be so cavalier. BUT, the Democrats in Florida chose not to stand in the way of the legislature. They may not have had the votes, but they could have spoken out. Instead they endorsed the plan and they opted to sue the national party and did nothing when they lost those suits. They could have spent the last three months coming up with an alternative approach that was workable instead of just sitting on their hands. And Obama and Clinton did agree to follow the national party's admonition to the two states and did not campaign in either. But thanks, Bill, for keeping us honest. And for some background on the role of Democrats in Florida, here's an interesting story from December in the Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071217/moser
Whoa, Bill, before you get so high and mighty, you'd better check and you'll find that those Florida Dems in the legislature were perfectly happy to go along with moving up the primaries. And since you're so into the academic theme, the correct spelling is ALLEGEDLY not "allegeldy" (sounds likes a deprived horse).
Every time I hear the 'hearts and flowers' over the poor voters of Michigan and Florida being disenfranchised, I think of the (possibly apocryphal) story of Lyndon Johnson when he was campaigning for Congress in Texas in 1937. It was an extremely close race where every vote was crucial; in the end Johnson won by only 47 votes and gained the nickname "Landslide Lyndon." Supposedly Johnson took several cronies out to the local cemetery to get names and birth dates to add to the voter rolls. When questioned by one of his buddies about the wisdom of their activities, Johnson supposedly replied, with righteous indignation, "These poor folks deserve to vote just as much as anybody else." I suppose it's all in the level of desperation of the candidate as to the lengths to which they'll go in their quest for the nomination.
Thanks a lot DNC. By not counting our Florida vote in the primary, you have made it an easy choice for us in the November general election!!!
McCain '08 is now the only choice you've left for Floridians.