Ambitious Re-Vote Plans for Michigan, Florida Heading Down the Tubes
Hillary Clinton waits to speak at a campaign rally in Anderson, Ind., Thursday. (AP Photo)
Despite intensive lobbying from Hillary Clinton and her supporters, the latest pushes for re-votes in Michigan and Florida are heading down the tubes.
The Michigan Senate broke Thursday for a two-week recess without taking any action on a proposal to hold a state-conducted do-over primary June 3 with funding from private donors. A similar proposal in Florida fell apart earlier in the week.
Both states had their delegations stripped from the Democratic National Convention for holding early primaries against the wishes of the national party. Clinton, who is trailing Barack Obama in the delegate count, won the two voided primaries, which would account for 313 pledged delegates.
Aside from courting uncommitted superdelegates and mounting an electoral uprising in the April 22 Pennsylvania primary, seating the Michigan and Florida delegations was one of the stars Clinton needed to align in order for her to take the lead from Obama.
The Democratic National Committee has been firm in its enforcement of the earlier decision not to count the two states’ January primaries. James Roosevelt Jr., co-chairman of the DNC rules and bylaws committee, even told The Boston Globe in an interview published Thursday there’s “no chance” the national party would yield and seat the delegations without another contest, if doing so would influence the outcome of the race.
The prolonged stalemate over the states imperils Clinton’s chances, and the candidates haven’t stopped bickering over a way to make them count.
“I do not understand what Senator Obama is afraid of,” Clinton said Thursday in Terre Haute, Ind. “But it is going to hurt our party and our chances in November, so I would call on him once again to join me in giving the people of Florida and Michigan the chance to be counted as we move forward in this nominating process.”
Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan — one of the reasons he opposes seating the delegation — but Clinton held up the fact that she kept her name on the Michigan ballot as a sign of her commitment to the state.
The Clinton camp has accused Obama of trying to disenfranchise voters, suggesting his words of empowering Americans don’t live up to his actions.
Obama staffers fire back that Clinton has been all over the map on this issue, and his campaign says it is committed to finding a solution. The campaign released a memo Wednesday questioning the legality of holding a new Michigan primary that would ban anyone who voted in the state’s GOP primary from voting again in the Democratic one.
The Obama campaign suggested splitting Michigan’s 128 delegates evenly between the two candidates Thursday, but the Clinton campaign immediately rejected the idea.
“We support a fair solution that allows Michigan Democrats to participate at our National Convention this summer, and we look forward to working with the Michigan Democratic Party and the DNC to achieve that goal,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Thursday.
One of the concerns with leaving Michigan and Florida out of the Democratic nominating process is that it could alienate Democratic voters when they’re needed most, in the general election.
All sides of this issue have tried proposing a solution.
In Florida, the state’s Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman proposed a mail-in re-vote, but that fell through in the face of opposition from the party’s congressional delegation. In a statement, Thurman tossed the decision to the DNC rules and bylaws committee.
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson recently suggested doing what the Republicans did in his state, which was cut the available delegates in half.
Harold Ickes, who is leading the Clinton campaign’s efforts to secure delegates, said the campaign would look at a mail-in option in Michigan with the failure of the primary bill.
Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, along with three other Michigan officials, released a statement Thursday saying they would continue to work to ensure Michigan’s delegates are seated.
“We want to avoid a divisive fight at the credentials committee or on the convention floor,” they said.
FOX News’ Molly Henneberg, Aaron Bruns and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rules put in place to disallow the delegates of a state just for wanting to vote earlier in the year was a huge mistake and very undemocratic. You cannot disenfranchise the will of the people in FL and MI. It is only natural that Hillary would want a revote while the disingenuious Obama would rather split the delegates down the middle. If Obama were ahead in these two states, you can bet that the Afro-American voters in this country would be marching in the streets to get them reinstated. I find this process very unsettling and will stay an Independent for the rest of my life.
I think it’s very unfair not to count Florida and Michigan democratic votes. I really think there should be a re-vote in both states, because Hillary would probably win by an even greater margin at this time. I believe Obama is afraid she would win big in both states and that’s why he refused the re-vote. How would a re-vote be unfair? We would all get our voices heard and our votes to count like the rest of America, and both Obama and Hillary would have the same chance. They could go to both states and campaign, so what’s the problem? I have always been a democrat, but after this…..if my vote doesn’t count……I will no longer be a democrat.
I know this is all a political move. However it seems to me that if the state areed to not seat their delegates if they voted early, they would have understand that meant their delegates would not be seated. Sounds easy to understand to me. So if they wanted their delegates to be included they should have gone with the time frame set already. How many of us middle classed people get a do over just because we want it? I never knew that Politician were above the law, I thought they just acted that way.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why this is such an issue. Michigan amd Florida clearly knew they were breaking the rules by moving up the primaries. They knew the consequences as well, but choose to go ahead. If a child misbehaves and throws a tantrum, you don’t reward them by giving in! Something tells me if Obama had one both, this would not be up for discussion. I am so proud that I am a republican!
Michigan and Florida made their decision to have an EARLY Primary and to forfeit their DNC Delegates. No one held a gun to anyone’s head, it was THEIR decision and those who made that decision are responsible to the Democrat voters in their States. Maybe the Democrats will follow the usual rules next time.
Florida and Michigan set up their own rules and are paying the DNC price. You can’t change the rules just because it will benefit you after the fact.
Let the DNC Convention sort it all out.
So typical, we break the rules because we don’t like them (Florida and Michigan wanting to hold their primaries earlier) and then whine and complain when the rules are enforced. Wasn’t it a coincedence that even thought both candidates agreed to not campaign in Florida and Michigan that Hillary managed to show up in Florida just before the primary? Are we the voters this blind? Do the candidates think we are really this stupid?
Fair and open election is the back bone of democracy.
On the one hand, since Florida and Michigan primary election was held against the rule, those elections are invalid. Since both candidates agreed not to campaign in those states, one of them asking to validate the results of Florida and Michigan primary is nothing but selfishness and greed. Supporting to have a second election is not fair to all those in the other 48 states. Allowing a second election is like having a pre-election election before the real one.
On the other hand, both Florida and Michigan had fair and open election. Their organizers broke the rule and disenfranchised the voters. Instead of going to the polls, voters should have protested against their state breaking the rules. Florida and Michigan voters decided it was okay to break the rule as long as they are not penalized. Well, too bad. By participating in the election which was held against the rules, the voters of Florida and Michigan supported their election organizers wrong doing.
I live in Texas. If Florida and Michigan can have it their way, then I want a redo election in Texas too. It wasn’t fair for Hillary to use scare tactics to sway votes the day before election.
So let’s close this chapter in the book and move on. Don’t discount the strong possibility that Clinton was behind these 2 states trying to bud in line way at the start so that she could take an early lead and show up Obama. It’s all about her and it’s all about playing the rules. She makes them up as she goes along. Not someone we want as our president.
Step up to the plate Delegates!!!!
Make it happen for Hillary, we can not have Obama having associated himself with an American Hater and continues to support the man.
Every delegate should hear and see the surmons and then ask yourselves
do you really want someone in the White House (If he makes it-very doutful) with such bad bad and sickening judgement! Twenty years of an association with a man that obviously hates America!
Step up to the plate and give Hillary your vote, the delegates she needs to get this sickening game over!
Obama is sure to loose, as a die hard demo, if Obama should win the nomination..with heartache I will vote for John McCain but with a heart ful of love for my country!
I don’t understand why the “superdelegate” principle can’t be applied in regard to these states:
That is, have key political leaders, such as mayors, poll their communities(e.g. do random samples, and use other devices to gauge community sentiments), and also use their own judgments regarding “electability”, for example, in deciding whether to support Clinton or Obama.
I can understand why complete revotes would be too costly and unwieldy at this late date, but I definitely think the voters of Michigan and Florida deserve to be represented in the nominating process.
Any arrangement should have to be approved by National Democratic Party, taking into consideration the input of everyone, including the respective campaigns.
Sincerely,
Harry Toder
Springfield, Ky.
Obama needs to step down! Wright is and will always be his mentor. and with that mentoring who needs enemies in America.
Obama needs to step down! He has chosen his mentor for twenty years knowing that he hates America, knowing all the horrible and disgusting comments and sermons he has made. We do not need this, America does not need this..Send the message that we Love America and that we are not going to put up with this.
Obama needs to step down.
I don’t understand why something like the “superdelegate” principle can’t be applied, with regard to these states.
Political leaders, such as mayors, for example, could poll their communities(e.g. do random samples) and also use their own judgments regarding “electability”, for example, in deciding whether to support Obama or Clinton. Both camps and the nati
I can understand the cost involved in doing a re-vote, and the aforementioned might be a reasonable compromise.
It is not fair for the people in Florida and Michigan not to be represented, in some way, in the nomination process.
Whaaaaaa our hearts are bleeding that one more avenue for Clinton to attempt to steal the election has been slammed in her face…….guess you guys could alway6s hire her at Fox?
Hillary is a Champion!
Hillary has championed the rights of Michigan and Florida citizens right to be counted!
The DNC has approved the plan!
Michigan Hillary supporters are ready to get there fellow citizens voices counted
Senator Obama keeps finding a way to say NO to counting both Florida and Michigan’s voices
Senator Obama’s supporters are blocking there own citizens voices from being counted
WHY? Who is playing politics?
I have read your Philadelphia speech; I have read it over and over; I have read your book; I am not as eloquent as you are, but I have something to say to you.
What you said in Philadelphia was obviously well planned, as was your timing and the venue. You are quite amazing, Senator Obama.
But what you are doing is ten times, no …. thousand times worse than Pastor Jeremiah. It is very clever, yes, and you hide it well; what you are planning is racial incitement under a cloak of dignity. You are using Holy things, you play with them; to you the voter is just an object to use, you know that, Senator, but you want to be Messiah more than you want to be President. You are brilliant, we know that, but we know what drives you.
You disgust me, Senator. You obviously think enough American Voters are as dumb and gullible as you wish them to be, to obtain your dark objectives. You plant the seeds of destruction …. no one sees you are the one behind it; then another Grand Speech to inflate your massive Ego; while you tear the Heart out of America.
That is why you answer questions through cleverly designed statements in these columns; so you don’t have to reveal who you are.
Very clever, yes Sir, but you will ultimately Fail, and Fall, because America is much greater than you are.
Mr.Obama doesn’t want 9% of the U.S population to count. If you are not for him he doesn’t care about you. If these states were a different set of demographics they wouldn’t dare not be counted.
His message: “If you don’t have something for me, I don’t care about what you have to say.”
I am from a state that will be counted, and I am counting on and for Hillary.
What is Obama afraid of? Are you aware that his loss in Florida occured even though he was the only one to have campaign ads running there? You are not allowed to campaign locally, but he placed national ads in the weeks leading up to the Florida primary. This form of ad purchase is not the most economical or logical way to purchase campaign time and appears to be an attempt to win in a state where he is not the choice of the people. If his ads had worked and he had won you can bet he would be fighting to let the people be heard.
this should not even be a issue. The DNC made their ruling. Clinton and Obama both agreed.The states knew and held their primmaries early anyway.
What kind of commitment will Clinton stick to if she becomes the president when she can’t commit to her own party.
Will Obama just tell us what we want to hear if he becomes president.
I think it will only get worse, down the tubes is right.
Both states shoud be counted. Who needs a full Re-Vote for Michigan, Florida. A random poll of registered Democrates selected from each county could determine deligates. This would require about 20,000 random “Votes” to determine the 210 delegates. The accuracy would be within about 1-2 votes, probably close enough overall. The other option is to just make all delegates from Florida and Michigan superdelegates and let them fight it out at the convention. Ignoring Florida and Michigan votes is just not the best for the Democratic party.
thank you Howard Dean for yet another fine mess………..he broke it, he should fix it and fix it fast………………
All this fighting over a decision already made and being enforced by their own party. They need to stop trying to change the decision and live with the consequences of their actions in Florida and Michigan. If you want your votes counted next time, simply follow the rules of your organization. It doesn’t get any easier than that and it is a simple principle we teach to our children..actions have consequences you must live with. So live with it.
I guess they’ll just have to live with the consequences of their actions. What a novel concept…but unfortunately something many Democrats never understand.
How can the U.S. go around the world preaching fair elections in other countries and leave out the people’s voice in 2 states in our own. I find this disgusting and hipocritical.
Clinton states here that she left her name on the ballot as a sign of her commitment to the state yet in earlier statements I believe she said it remained on the ballot because she did not submit her request to remove it in time. Which is the truth? Or is she just trying (again) to speak from both sides of her mouth?
I don’t think that it will matter, Republicans are going to win it is obvious that the democrats cannot and will not hesitate to violate our rights and they both worked for civil rights. Is the right to vote in this country rewritten without the citizens voting on that as well? What have our families that fought in the civil war and killed there own families to support this government, what were they fighting for? And then again in Germany, what for (maybe to give the people the right to be heard in their countries and have some say in the safety of their peoples). So I do not think that it matters , and we are being discriminated against as part of this country.
Senator Obama talks about reaching across to the other side and working things out. His whole campaign is about bridging the gap between people. But when it come to making a decision on allowing a revote in Florida and Michigan he won’t work out an agreement. I heard him say No to Michigan the other day with his own lips. Talk is cheap. Words with no backing mean nothing. I am a republican and was interested in Obama until I started to see his true nature in the past few weeks. I do not think he can bring anyone together Obama has no record of bringing people together.
Which candidate is a religious opportunist.
Which candidate only wants some of the electorate counted.
No it’s not Bush, Obama
LOL at the comments to this article. The people of Michigan and Florida have only their respective Democratic Party chairperson for this mishap. The rules were clear and both states broke them, now Clinton sees a chance to unfair gain - and all you clowns are crying about equality. LOL at you, open your eyes