Florida and Michigan governors tell parties 'seat our delegates'

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The governors of Florida and Michigan have a message for the Democratic and Republican national committees: let our delegates count.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm released a joint statement Wednesday making the plea and saying the voices of 5 million voters should not be "silenced."


Read more: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080305/APP/803050830

---

Fla. and Mich. guvs: Seat our delegates
by Frank James

Forget the fact that the state legislatures in both Michigan and Florida were forewarned that if they moved up their states' primary dates their states would be penalized by the Democratic and Republican National Committees. The governors of both states are demanding that the delegates from both states' primaries earlier this year be seated at the respective party conventions this summer.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican, and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, issued the following statement:


Florida and Michigan Governors to DNC and RNC:
Don’t Silence 5,163,271 Americans

TALLAHASSEE- Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm released a joint statement today calling on the Democratic and Republican National Committees with a very clear message: Seat our delegates.

Joint Statement from Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.

“The right to vote is at the very foundation of our democracy. This primary season, voters have turned out in record numbers to exercise that right, and it is reprehensible that anyone would seek to silence the voices of 5,163,271 Americans. It is intolerable that the national political parties have denied the citizens of Michigan and Florida their votes and voices at their respective national conventions.

more:http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/03/fla_and_mich_guvs_seat_our_del.html



DNC on hot seat over Florida and Michigan
Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor March 5, 2008 01:34 PM
A Democratic National Committee spokeswoman brushed off questions today about what to do about Florida and Michigan, states which Hillary Clinton won, but which held contests that weren't fully contested and didn't award any delegates.

Spokeswoman Karen Finney said on MSNBC that the state parties could hold "do-over" votes or submit proposals to the credentials committee for the national convention to get the delegates seated. "Both options are still on the table," she said.

more:http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/03/dnc_on_hot_seat.html

[spotbird]

1. Huh, they

wouldn't have other motivations now that McCain is the nominee, would they?

[shaniqua6392]

2. This Michigan voter says:

YIPPEEEE!!! I have been waiting for them to say something. I hope we hear something soon.

[skipos]

7. This MI voters says: FUCK THAT

I know what Granholm's angle is, and I really don't like being used as a pawn in her quest to have Hillary nominated.

They told us our election wouldn't count.
We had an election that MANY people sat out of because we were told it wouldn't count.
Now they are trying to make it count?
Fuck that.

That seems like a pretty bad way to handle this, regardless of which candidate it benefits.

[Horse with no Name]

11. Not only that

But how many Democrats crossed over and voted republican thinking that their vote didn't count...and used their vote to sway the republican nomination?
Even if they re-voted...the ones who voted republican would lose their vote in the process.
That isn't fair.

[shaniqua6392]

18. If it was not going to count

then it would have been just canceled. I heard many times before our primary that the delegates would probably be seated at the convention. We were told that if we wanted Obama or Edwards, that we should vote uncommitted. I wish they would have just left their names on the ballot though. Why did they keep them on in Florida and take them off in Michigan? But I think that even if we revoted, Clinton would win Michigan and Florida again. I don't know what is the right thing to do, but I sure do want my vote to count.

[harmonicon]

25. but your vote doesn't count if there are Michigan delegates

.... because it wasn't really an election. Every Michigan primary vote was a sham.

[harmonicon]

24. I couldn't agree more

I didn't vote, because the primary was a sham. This is not a question of seating delegates - if delegates are seated in the name of Michigan voters, it's a complete fraud. Of course it's incredibly fishy that Granholm says this after endorsing Clinton. Would she be whistling the same tune if the election had come down to a contest between Richardson and Edwards (or any two apart from Clinton)?

I am so incredibly angry with the Michigan Democratic party. Does Granholm not realize that she's in office only because the Republicans have run horrible candidates against her? I can't wait to see her leave office (assuming she's not replaced by a brainless nutjob like DeVos).

[roguevalley]

31. do it again or abide the rules.

[superkia]

33. You are right. If this would have taken place here in Maryland, ...

there is no way that I would take off of work or waste time to spend with my family just to go vote in a primary that I was told wouldn't count. In my opinion, this was calculated and is just another way of stealing elections. There are only two ways to go here, either stick with the original decision or redo the primaries so that ALL of the citizens in those states count!


The next president will be either Clinton or McCain and there is nothing the American people can do. We can only get out and place our votes until the end and thats it. We the people, cant beat the powerful and corrupt so get ready to except their candidate and continue on with the elite agenda.

[PassingFair]

36. This Michigan voter says fuck that TWICE!

I went to County-wide meetings on this.
We were not allowed to vote.

Our "views" were asked for.

NOT ONE COMMITTEE MEMBER at ANY MEETING
wanted the early primary at the cost of
not having all of our candidates on the
ballot.

Mark Brewer said that he would convey
our feelings to the State Chairs.

We were completely discounted.

There is still time for a caucus if they
want to make this thing right.

They can finally get their "spotlight on Michigan",
which is what the CLAIM they wanted in the first place.

It's a WIN-WIN, right?

Right?

[Larkspur]

3. Crist is a Republican and has endorsed McCain. Why listen to him?

MI and FL should have another primary or a caucus to choose delegates. They broke the rules the first time and should not be allowed to seat their delegates from their early primaries.

[jackster]

27. I'm with you....

they broke the rules. They knew going into this that there was the possibility of losing the delegates. Haven't the courts decided time and again that the political parties have the right to set the primary dates? Do over, okay, but you can't seat delegates from an unfair contest. Had they left them as they were, they wouldn't be in this mess.

[Hawkeye-X]

4. DNC to the governors - pay for the primaries....

and do a do-over, then we'll think about it for June.

[MaineDem]

5. Granholm knew what would happen

She was the one pushing this in MI. The Party didn't want this but the Governor was behind it. I lost a lot of respect for her over this.

[Upfront]

22. Partly right.

Don't forget to give Levin his share of credit for this mess. He was and is the big push behind this.

[PassingFair]

37. Yup, he sent his surrogate to our county executive committe meeting to sell it to us.

Not that we had any say in it at any time.

NO ONE was buying.

[MercutioATC]

6. I believe they were given the opportunity to hold another primary.

If they were serious in their "preservation of democracy" claims, they'd take the DNC up on that offer.

[maddezmom]

13. they were AFAIK but the sticking point seems to be they don't want the states to pay for it

or that is the excuse they are using.

[MercutioATC]

17. Well, they'll have to set their priorities then.

I find it difficult to accept their motivation as "preserving democracy", however, when they have every opportunity to let their voters be represented and refuse because they don't want to bear the consequences of their actions.

[customerserviceguy]

39. If Hillary thought that the results would turn out the same

she'd have her campaign pay for the primary. And since she's "the only one who has stood up for the voters of Michigan and Florida" (I have no trouble writing the speech she'd use to announce this), she'd probably win them again.

[Horse with no Name]

8. As far as I know...the Governors don't make the rules for the Democratic Party

Giving in to that would allow other Governors to intervene in Party Business and that should never be allowed.
This is between the DNC and the state parties.
If they had followed the rules this wouldn't even be an issue.

[Lance_Boyle]

9. Granholm and Crist: LEARN THE RULES!

Hell no your botched primaries aren't going to count.

[goforit]

10. So they get a second chance.....I say Tooooooo late chumps.

[billbuckhead]

12. But what about the disenfranchised voters?

It's sickening how little respect for voters the Hillary haters have.

[k8conant]

16. Come off your dunce seat now!!

It's the states that had no respect for the voters. Are you saying Uncommitted votes in Michigan should all go to Obama? I didn't think so. Poo on you.

[shraby]

19. Talk about disenfranchised voters,

what about all the ones who sat it out because their candidate wasn't on the ballot at all? And why wasn't their candidate on the ballot? Because the candidates were told to remove their names. Hillary was on there because once again, she doesn't feel a Clinton needs to play by the rules others have to observe. Florida and Michigan have no business even asking to have their delegates seated or counted. The voting was absolutely unfair from the word go.

[Skarbrowe]

30. I heard they weren't told to remove their names. ??

[gratuitous]

21. Actually, the disrespect comes from the governors

Instead of abiding by the party rules, Michigan and Florida pushed for earlier primaries. Why? Some might conclude that they were searching for "relevance" and a chance to be the stars of their own political narrative. They were warned that holding early primaries would negate their elections, but they went ahead anyway. Now the warning has been followed through, and Michigan and Florida are trying to make this a Democratic party problem or a "Hillary hater" problem.

Even the most cursory examination of the facts puts the lie to that. It was the states, not the party, not the "Hillary haters" who disenfranchised their own voters. If the voters in Michigan and Florida are upset about being taken out of the decision to name the Democratic candidate, they should look no further than Ann Arbor and Tallahassee for the responsible parties.

[The Croquist]

28. Rules are rules

Violate the rules and pay the price.

[Justitia]

14. Sorry, they did this to themselves. Why don't they have to play by the rules like the rest of us?

[Renew Deal]

15. I have no problem as long as they either have new elections

or the candidates make an agreement (50-50 split, something else).

[flashl]

20. A good example of a reason why you can never trust what a politician says ...

Govs from FL and MI:

"It is intolerable that the national political parties have denied the citizens of Michigan and Florida their votes and voices at their respective national conventions."

The world is fully aware that it is the respective states' actions that denied their citizens' votes and voices. Yet, they insist that we are to deny our collective lying eyes.

[ElboRuum]

23. An utter crock of shit.

Yes, the people of MI and FL have the right to vote. The right to vote in the GE, that is. How parties choose their nominees for any given office is up to them. The Republicans and Democrats hold primary elections to choose theirs, and the rules of these elections are up to the individual parties to make, and if they choose, enforce.

The people in MI and FL are not being denied the right to vote in the GE, but because they did not adhere to party rules as to when their primaries were to occur, the national party offices decided to enforce the rule by not accepting their delegates. The only thing they lost is the right of helping to elect the nominee for the party.

However, I do say that the idea that two whole states won't be represented in this process is a bit unfair due to the action of state party leaders. In other words, the voters didn't do anything wrong, yet they are the ones being punished in the process.

In all fairness though, in order to seat delegates, they'd have to recast the primary election for each state and the national party office would have to say up front whether this would be an acceptable resolution and, if so, agree to seat them.

[happygoluckytoyou]

26. THE STATES SILENCED THEIR OWN SELVES

DONT MISTAKENLY THING THAT THIS RESTS WITH THE DNC...

BULLSHIT...

GET SOME ADULTS IN HERE...if the democrats of those states should be angry AND THEY SHOULD BE...

it should be with their OWN STATE PARTY.... who was warned... and was told... and was rewarned..

AND CHOSE TO IGNORE THE RULING OF THE DNC...

-----IT WAS A CHOICE.... A BAD CHOICE.... BUT A CHOICE....

IF WE ARE EVER TO BE THE PARTY OF RESPONSIBILITY THEN FOR THE LOVE OF POOP LIVE WITH THEIR CHOICE

AND QUIT CRYING ABOUT IT.....most of the democrats in those states are proud people... they should live with the CRAP they have been handed and REMEMBER THAT when it is 2008 NOVEMBER and they should up to vote for THEIR OWN PARTY'S REPLACEMENTS by people who make better choices...

[progressoid]

29. Ow, we shot our selves in the foot.

Call a Waaaahbulance.

[pompano]

32. I am

a Florida voter. The time to call the "waaahmbulance" and cry about disenfranchisement is not mid stream and when one candidate needs all the help she can get. This is calling the "waaahmbulance" for delegate meds a little late. We have had plenty of time to cry about disenfranchisement but who would have seen this comming?

If I were a Michigan voter my ass would be chapped about this.

[Pharlo]

34. SInce the whole issue here is that the states are supposed to have their primaries

in a particular order, and since MI and FL skipped in line, make them go to the end of the line.

The DNC and RNC could announce tomorrow that they sympathize with the voters of these two states, but that their respective parties need to be rebuked for, essentially, jumping in line. Reschedule their primaries for after the last state(s) in the existing order.

Solve both problems: give the voters a chance to be heard, and reprove their parties for trying to cut in line.

[seafan]

35. FL Governor Charlie Crist already said he's open to a revote. Wants it both ways.

The only way out of this problem is a revote. Charlie's in favor. But he hasn't offered to help pay for it. But he wants to *seat our delegates.* (We don't have any, Charlie.)

Florida has no legitimate delegates at present, according to the rules agreed to early on.


Crist says he's OK with Dem do-over

From staff and wire reports
March 3, 2008

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said Sunday that he would support a repeat of the Democratic presidential primary so the state's delegates can be counted at the party's national convention.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he's open to the possibility.

Primary elections are paid for by a state's taxpayers, so the offer from Crist, a Republican, is "very helpful" because money is an issue, Dean said on CNN's Late Edition.

Later Sunday, Crist spokeswoman Erin Isaac told the Orlando Sentinel that though the governor supports seating Florida Democratic delegates at the party's convention this summer, he did not commit the state to paying for a redo of the Jan. 29 primary, declared nonbinding by the Democratic National Committee because the early date violated party rules.

"He supports seating the delegates, but he's not saying how it should happen," Isaac said.

The DNC has suggested that Florida Democrats hold caucuses before mid-June that could be used to decide delegates. But such an event would cost about $4 million, with another primary topping even that price tag.

Florida taxpayers paid for the Jan. 29 election, but with the state budget facing cuts because of the weak economy, state officials have said they would not help underwrite a Democratic do-over.

.....

But today's story is:

Florida and Michigan governors tell parties 'seat our delegates'

March 5, 2008

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The governors of Florida and Michigan have a message for the Democratic and Republican national committees: let our delegates count.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm released a joint statement Wednesday making the plea and saying the voices of 5 million voters should not be "silenced."

.....

Florida must not capitulate to pressure from the Clinton campaign.


Even Bob Graham weighed in on it:

Bob Graham: Counting Florida's mostly Clinton delegates after the fact would be unfair., February 11, 2008


Again, Governor Crist (R), we have no legitimate delegates.



The ONLY solution for Florida is a revote. A primary would cost ~$10 Million. A caucus would cost ~$4 Million.

It would be less expensive in this cash-strapped state to hold caucuses.


But the Clinton campaign does not like caucuses. We know why.

[Purveyor]

38. Michigan already has established May 6th as a statewide election date. IF there needs to

be a re-do, it could be held on that date where most polling stations would be open anyway.

[NoodleyAppendage]

40. Repuke Governor wants to HELP Clinton...shouldn't this TELL US SOMETHING???

Have the HillBots gotten the message yet with this news and the recent encouragement by Limpballs for his Dittoheads to vote for Clinton in Texas.

Why would these Repukes be actively encouraging and assisting Clinton in capturing the nomination??

Seriously...can a Hillary supporter please explain why the Repukes are helping Clinton?

J