John and Monica Conyers urge Mich. Democrats to vote "Uncommitted"

[MadBadger]

Two supporters of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama announced today that they will produce and air campaign advertisements urging voters to cast "uncommitted" ballots in Michigan's Democratic Presidential primary on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, and Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers said they are acting because of the failure of state and national leaders of the Democratic Party to salvage a consequential primary for voters in Michigan.

"Democratic voters have been disenfranchised, indeed had their vote rendered meaningless, by not being able to vote for viable Democratic candidates because of Democratic party rules that evade reality," said Monica Conyers. "We urge Democratic party voters to cast a ballot for uncommitted if the candidate of their choice, such as Senator Barack Obama, is not on the ballot."

Advertisement

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who achieved a surprise victory in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire Tuesday, is the leading Democrat on the ballot in Michigan. Obama, the Democrat from Illinois who prevailed in the Iowa caucuses Thursday, and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina removed their names from the ballot after Michigan Democrats chose to violate party rules by moving the timing of the primary forward in a failed effort to garner more attention for the campaigns in Michigan.

/snip/

The Conyerses, who are married, both support Obama, according to Sam Riddle, Monica Conyers' chief of staff.

"Here in Michigan, the primary is almost meaningless," said Riddle, who blamed both state and national party leaders for effectively disenfranchising Democratic voters in Michigan. "Because of the screwed up process, no one is really having a chance to endorse any of the candidates. That's why we are urging people to vote uncommitted."

Radio advertisements will begin running as soon as today, Riddle said, and the Conyerses also hope to run advertisements on television.

The cost of the advertising will likely be between $15,000 and $25,000, Riddle said.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/POLITICS01/801090443/1022

[skipos]

1. I am voting UNCOMMITED. Edwards and Obama supporters KEEP THIS KICKED!

Posting it in the MI forum is a good idea too.

edit: Richardson supporters too.

[MadBadger]

3. I posted it in the Michigan forum too. Keep it kicked if you want. Ill help out.

Its obvious that some stand with the party, and some only stand with themselves.

[rinsd]

2. Seems like that PR stunt in Oct is backfiring.

Also if they do this the DNC should fine the Obama campaign for doing campaigning in MI.

[cyclezealot]

6. Sounds like a private action by the Conyers

Not an authorized O'Bama event. ? How could the author of the COnyers health bill go for O'Bama. O'bama has one of the worst health car plans. No problem for this family. We are voting for Kucinich. Good for Michigan Democrats. we have all had enough of New Hampshire's undue influence over the process.

[tekisui]

4. Uncommitted '08!

[MadBadger]

5. here here!

[sjdnb]

12. Obama and Edwards pulled their names off?

What were they thinking? It sounds like they did it to support the DNC - I thought Clinton was supposed to be the 'party-liner'? Anyone have any more background?

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080109/POLITICS01/801090375

"They're among the Democrats who pulled their names off the ballot in deference to the traditional early primary calendar, where Iowa, New Hampshire and the national party call the shots and the states usually fall in line. The only top contender on Michigan's ballot is New York Sen. Hillary Clinton."

"the state is stripped of it's delegates"

"It was the decision of the Obama and Edwards campaigns to remove themselves from Michigan's ballot. Both campaigns may now regret this decision," said Mark Gaffney, president of the Michigan AFL-CIO and an Edwards supporter."

And, now that NH and Iowa did go first can the party reinstate the MI delegates?

[bigwillq]

Or residents can vote for the only progressive

in the race: Kucinich! :bounce:

[Snotcicles]

7. I F'ed up and voted Kucinich absentee, what a mistake.

I thought he might toss his Iowa people to Edwards.
My wife will be their voting Uncommitted.

[bigwillq]

8. You never F-up

when you vote for Kucinich.

what an insult to the only real progressive in the race.

[Snotcicles]

9. Sorry

I should have said I wasted my fucking vote.

[bicentennial_baby]

11. Agreed....

:pals:

[Seabiscuit]

10. Kicking! nt

[UrbScotty]

13. I already voted Uncommitted by absentee ballot (nt)

[Kermit77]

14. Others should join this effort

Detroit's Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his mother, Rep. Kilpatrick should support this effort as well, but I am afraid they may be in the pocket of the Clintons.

[Infinite Hope]

15. If successful, it could be a vague measure of how well Obama would do if Edwards dropped out.

The "uncommitted" vote will essentially be those unwilling to support Hillary.