Clinton Backer Pitches Compromise to DNC Over Michigan Delegate Dispute
LANSING, Mich. — A top supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton has filed a challenge with the Democratic National Committee to try to seat Michigan’s pledged delegates — most of them likely to support the New York senator — at the national convention in Denver.
Under DNC member Joel Ferguson’s proposal, Michigan would send its 28 unpledged superdelegates and 128 pledged delegates to Denver despite being stripped of delegates for holding its primary too early. Florida was similarly punished for its early primary.
Ferguson said it would be fair punishment to give each pledged delegate only half a vote for breaking DNC rules. He said superdelegates — of which he is one — should get a full vote.
Ferguson proposed to award the delegates based on the results of the Jan. 15 primary. Clinton won the primary, but her victory is called into question because rival Barack Obama’s name was not on the ballot. Obama and other candidates had their names removed because of the violation of party rules over the primary’s date.
Obama’s campaign on Wednesday reiterated its view that Michigan and Florida delegates should be split evenly between the two candidates. Clinton won the Florida primary, and although Obama never campaigned there, his name was on the ballot.
Ferguson argued in his challenge that not seating the delegates is “weakening the Democratic Party in Michigan and harming its ability to cast its electoral votes for the Democratic nominee for president.”
DNC spokesman Damien LaVera said Ferguson’s challenge was being reviewed.
Maria - I feel compelled to respond to your comments about what Obama supporters want.
I don’t support Obama but what I want is for you, Clinton, and all of her supporters to realize is that your candidate signed her name to the petition backing the decision to strip the votes. She did that when she was predicted to be the hands down winner of the nomination. It was not until after she unexpectedly fell behind in votes and delegates, and AFTER FL and MI had voted and the results were known did she then come out against it.
Obama has not refused to count the votes. He has simply said to split them. You CANNOT say that the vote is valid since there was no actual campaigning in those states. Many people also did not vote due to them already believing that their votes would not be counted. It simply was not a true representation of the facts. No matter how you spin it you cannot ever truely say that the true and fair will of ALL the people in those states was represented.
What I do know is this. Hillary signed the petition saying that she was in agreement with what the RBC had decided. That much is a fact. Like it or not. For her now to change her mind and then try to say that Obama is screwed really highlights to me the fact that she has serious charactor problems that I do not want in a president. How could I ever trust that if she signed an agreement with ANYONE, be it another country, state, or even an individual that she would then not try to back out of it just because she found later that it wasn’t to her distinct advantage.
I may not be a supporter to Obama but I can tell you that Hillary is definately NOT the answer for this country. In my opinion she embodies many of the same qualities that we LOVE so much in the current POTUS. She is dishonest, lies, and her word cannot be trusted. Sound familiar?
I voted in MI for Hillary and I now see that as a huge mistake. I voted for her at the time because I thought that she was the best candidate but as time has gone by I have realized that she is a terrible person who cannot be trusted in the White House. I do believe that had the candidates been given the opportunity to campaign here that I might have come to that conclusion sooner so in a way I am thankful that my vote won’t be counted. I just am having a hard time coming to grips with putting another person that I, like a vast majority of other Americans I might add, feel is a dishonest person. How can 60% of Americans feel that she is dishonest but yet we still somehow kid ourselves that she is the best person to win in the fall? Doesn’t make sense. The problem is that she has now convinced her supporters that it should either be HER or no one from the Democratic party that wins this in the fall. That, win at all costs, attitude is another major factor of why I no longer could ever support her. Look at how she has turned her supporters against her own party. Unreal…
I simply cannot believe I am reading this!!!. This has got to be the most “unfair” practice I’ve ever seen or heard about in my 70 years on this earth..
If this is allowed to happen, I hope Senator Obama gets plenty of money and sues the DNC..I will be one of the first to donate.
You can’t change the rules to fit one person’s gain.
The fact that Obama supporters want to discount FL and MI voters is really short sighted - do you think that a candidate who doesn’t want the voices of the people of those states heard can really count on their support in the general election - The current President won his first term based solely on FL - the dismissive comments that the Obama campaign and supporters have made during this primary season will catch up to them in November - I don’t think many Obama supporters realize that discounting FL and MI is a bigger problem than taking lobbyist money - after all if Obama really cared about what the people - the voters wanted - he would be doing everything in his power - including pledging money to support a fair re-vote - I know if I was a citizen of FL or MI I would not cast a vote for Obama because he seems to be someone who only cares about those who can get him something - not about what is best for all Americans
This is what comes from unwise change by people who are just passing through…Those DNC suits are just passing through.
I agree with Marla. They knew the votes were Not to be counted.
Who is whinning now.
Obama– 08
The DNC cannot count these illegitimate votes. They were told they would not count and they should not count. They are null and void.
In an open primary in MI, she wants to make it closed for a revote to her benefit. She does not want to follow the policies of MI. She wants them to have a revote her way. Why not run a new election the way it was. She does not give a darn about the voters of MI or FL. It is all about her. And the people of MI who did not vote in the primary because they follow the rules should be mad as hell if they let them count. The absurdity that someone would hold an election that did not count and then go claim victory in that election just baffles me.