Clinton backers at odds with her on Fla., Mich.

[RamboLiberal]

Source: LA Times

Two prominent Democratic governors, both supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, voiced doubts Saturday about her argument that her victories in Florida and Michigan should count toward her delegate total.

Pennsylvania's Edward G. Rendell and New Jersey's Jon Corzine suggested that it would be seen as unfair to award those delegates to Clinton, given the Democratic Party's ruling that the vote in those two states would not count.

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Several Democratic governors interviewed at the winter meeting of the National Governors Assn. here said that would be a mistake.

Rendell said the Clinton camp could not make a convincing case that Michigan delegates should be added to her column: "You can't make any argument in Michigan, because Hillary was the only person who was on the ballot. I'm as avid a Hillary supporter as there is, but I don't think we can make an argument in Michigan."

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"I think actually given how the votes came about, we probably need a revote," Corzine said. "Some kind of new primary. I don't really see how you can ignore Florida and Michigan."


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-govs24feb24,0,7593293.story

[Baby Snooks]

1. But of course if Obama had won....

But of course if Obama had won Florida and Michigan, she would insist everyone play by the rules. Walks like a Democrat, talks like a Democrat, but plays by the rules like a Republican. Like a Bush.

[Demeter]

2. Revote Is The Only Way

And our Jennifer Granholm is really shooting herself in the foot over this, pressing for seating the illegals. I understand she's term-limited out of the governorship, but this ain't any way to win a Senate seat! Michigan isn't that feeble-minded.

She is a loyal DLC member, though. And she tried very hard as governor to educate and herd the GOP neanderthals in Amway country....

[damntexdem]

9. And it had better be soon, but not too soon.

The Party shot itself in the foot by punishing voters for what state Dem leaders did. Now the voters need a chance to vote, or at least caucus. There's not much time to set anything up. But there has to be enough time for campaigns to be activated.

[lark]

11. What happened to one person, one vote?

I'm from FL and I'm mad as hell about this. Around 4.5 million democrats voted in Florida, so we mean nothing to anyone? We picked who we wanted, everyone was on the ballot, why should we be punished because of politicians in Tallahassee (most of whom are Republicans) voted to screw us and move up the primary? While Florida politicians are known for suppressing the vote, this is the first time I've ever heard of that being a Democratic attribute. You can't be for voting rights only when it's convenient. Disgusting!!

Of course BHO backers want caucuses, their supporters aren't working folks and they can attend. Primaries are very expensive. Yeah, let's waste all the Dem money on non-productive primaries and caucuses for Florida when close to 5 million Democratic folks have already chosen. Let's just help the Repugs even more by starting out with the party being broke.

Michigan is a totally different story. Only HRC was on the ballot, so it obviously didn't give a lot of people the opportunity to vote for their candidate. That is not the case in Florida.

Do you think that Barack wouldn't want our delegates seated if we'd picked him - you know for sure he would! First he said all superdelegates had to vote like their state, but when it was pointed out to him that Kennedy was from Mass. which went for Hillary, he immediately backtracked and then said well, they should go with the majority nationwide. He is self serving and arrogant.

I'm not a huge Hillary fan, but I absolutely detest self righteous smug Obama. I also hate the way the media is fawing now, but will turn around and attack him mercilessly once he's the nominee.

lark

[Matteon]

3. The DNC should have

just let those states have their primaries whenever they wanted and not made any effort to coerce them otherwise. The DNC has no business telling states when to hold elections and just letting them happen and ignoring when they happened would have averted this whole clusterfuck nightmare.

[last1standing]

4. Do you have any clue what the DNC is?

It's the Democratic National Committee and it's sole purpose is to see that Democrats are elected into office. Part of their responsibility is to organize the primaries and caucuses so that they don't all happen at the same time or keep getting pushed earlier and earlier like Michigan and Florida tried to do this year. If the states are allowed to hold their primaries any time they wish, we'll very soon have them happening right after the previous election as states jockey for position. Would you prefer that clusterfuck nightmare?

The DNC did what it had to do and it's up to the corrupt local officials who are maneuvering for power in a new administration to relent and let us have a real vote. Anything else will demoralize the Democrats in both states.

[PassingFair]

8. Here, here!

Great post.

:toast:

The DNC IS the party.
It sets the rules.
Florida and Michigan were
in flagrant violation of them.

The DNC may decide to seat them yet.

It has also offered to pay for
caucuses in those states, I
believe, as long as they are held
by June.

[damntexdem]

10. They DID NOT have to say that the delegates from those states would not be counted.

They could have done like the GOP did and reduce the number of delegates.

They could have eliminated all superdelegates and only recognized those from fully-contested early primaries.

Or they could have insisted way back when that later primaries be organized that would count, no matter what the cost to the state parties.

What they should not have done is what they did: told the VOTERS of two states that their votes don't count.

[Zhade]

5. Yeah, because that would be CHEATING.

Seems her own backers have more integrity than her (and many of her supporters).

Sorry, Clinton. No cheating for you!

[HockeyMom]

6. Why is Florida holding us hostage again?

DUMP the Florida votes. One state is not above all the others.

I voted here in Florida knowing full well my vote would not count. Let me count the ways I cannot stand this state.

[eilen]

7. Perhaps they should just split the delegates.

I think doing a revote would be cost prohibitive. Honestly, how can it be fair when no one campaigned in either state? Plus, Hillary went to Florida while they were voting although not "campaigning" everyone still knew she was there. Granted, Obama could have done the same thing but for what end-- when those delegates wouldn't factor in anyway? It was disingenuous and the fact Clinton hadn't withdrawn her name in Michigan, then showed up in FL... seems to indicate planning this from the beginning, even as she signed that pledge. If I am wrong, please correct me (because I really don't like to be that cynical).