I live in Michigan and didn't vote!?!

[DougieZero]

The Democratic primaries was not even talked about here. It was all about the Republicans. I didn't vote nor did anyone else I know who is into progressive politics around me.

The Democratic primaries weren't supposed to count or matter. My candidate was Obama and he wasn't even on the ballot. It was Hillary by default.

Now they changed their minds?

[skipos]

1. I am in MI. Hillary started to care about us once she realized that the coronation

wasn't going to plan.

I voted, and most everyone I know voted. Uncommitted won my county.

[seybor]

24. Thank you, but consider this - why I fell out of love w/Obama

Thank you for pointing out that Obama, while not on the ticket, was represented in the primary.

Consider how he has subsequently treated us, though. I respect his decision to stand by the DNC consequence, and I think it is a more savvy campaign position because to do otherwise could alienate all of the upcoming states that followed the rules. What troubles me is that he has been very cold. Good teachers know that consequences delivered with compassion are far more effective. I could see 2 ways he could have expressed his position after Clinton called for the two states to count:
1) Give a conciliatory nod to the fact that our unemployment rate is double IA or NH - that we're the only state that had a statistically significant loss of jobs (78k) in 2007. Acknowledge that MI acted out of desperation, and THEN explain that the primary calendar had spiraled out of control and the consequences were meant to avoid election fatigue and even higher campaign spending.
-or-
2) “Sen. Clinton's own campaign has repeatedly said that this is a contest for delegates, and Florida is a contest that offers zero.” (Obama campaign manager David Plouffe)

This ticked me off, and turned me off - I favored Clinton, but really liked them both before all of this. It also concerns me - I think it reflects on his diplomatic skills/approach, and it is not an approach to diplomacy I am comfortable with in global interactions.

[polichick]

2. Call Howard Dean if you haven't already. nt

[joshcryer]

3. They don't count, but they might matter if neither candidate can get a majority.

In which case you should've voted because they clearly were having primaries.

[K Gardner]

7. Stop this bullcrap already. Hillary is cheating and you're telling people they

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN she was going to cheat and ergo, they should have voted in a primary which they were told DIDNT COUNT. You're not helping her. Only furthering her reputation as an amoral cheater.

[joshcryer]

10. The uncommitted will go to Obama, don't be silly.

You are the crazy people parroting this irrational belief that 1 million plus votes should simply be thrown out.

Or that they should revote, invalidating the whole reason to not count them to begin with (they broke rules, they must be punished).

Let them get their punishment and let the DNC decide to seat them or not. It's fucking democracy people.

[DougieZero]

12. Yeah, it's a democracy....

So don't hold "not gonna count" elections.... tell everyone it's not going to count.... then change your mind.

you don't think that turns off people who would of voted?

[joshcryer]

19. It's like telling a kid they're not getting candy, but if they behave, you give them candy.

That's exactly what's happening here. They never said that "YOUR VOTES DON'T COUNT EVER IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE," they said, "Your votes won't be seated."

Dean and Pelosi of course noted that they could be seated at the DNC if the majority of votes agreed tha they *should* be seated.

And of course that's where uncommitted comes in at.

[John Q. Citizen]

13. Hillary and bush - They both have to cheat to win!

[joshcryer]

20. OMG I can't take it anymore!

People here are so idiotic!

[John Q. Citizen]

22. We just don't like cheating. I don't find that to be idiotic, but hey, if you do...

[seybor]

25. If either cheated, it was Obama

Obama had "get out the uncommitted vote" rallies promoted on his website the week before the MI primary. Clinton left MI off her website altogher.
Obama ran regional ads that aired in FL. He claimed he couldn't control that, but that's just rediculous. He may have been forced to *pay* for FL ads as they were part of a national bundle, but he could have asked that they not *air* in FL.
Clinton held fundraisers in FL, which was not a breech of the DNC rules. Her victory speech might have seemed a bit skeevy, but it didn't break the rules. In Michigan, she declined invitations to speak or raise funds prior to the election.

[Yossariant]

4. Conyers was all over the media telling you to vote. You should have listened to him.

[557188]

5. Progessive politics?

Uhh Kucinich was on the ballot.

Somehow I doubt the people you know are really into progressive politics if they ignore Kucinich.

[joshcryer]

6. Hah, good point.

Owned?

[DougieZero]

11. Not owned

Why is the hell would we vote for him?... we weren't doing protest Nader votes. We all supported Obama... He wasn't on the ballot.

Oh yeah... He was "Uncommited"... that was next the option "Spiderman".....

We wanted to vote for OUR choice.

[Yossariant]

14. Your choice CHOSE to take his name off your ballot to pander to the early voting states.

Democratic candidates John Edwards, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden have withdrawn their names from the ballot to satisfy Iowa and New Hampshire, which were unhappy Michigan was challenging their leadoff status on the primary calendar.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22054151/

He didn't care about YOUR vote.

[nonconformist]

16. Then you should have voted Uncommitted, which is what other Obama supporters did.

It's nobody's fault that you chose not to vote at all but your own.

[DougieZero]

21. Obama supporters?

Oh yeah... I can just imagine a Michigan ballot.

< > Hillary
< > A mixture of whatever

That looks like a ballot in Iraq.

[dogman]

8. Haven't you heard "all politics is local"?

There are usually more things at stake than the Presidential contest. Your candidate chose to remove himself as a choice to help with his win in Iowa.

[sandnsea]

9. Get your friends down to your Dem Club

and raise holy hell. She will steal your state if you don't.

[nonconformist]

15. All my family and friends in Michigan voted.

In the hopes that it WOULD count.

Most of them voted for Hillary, because she was their choice. But a few supported Edwards or Obama, and they voted "Uncommitted".

[DougieZero]

17. "Uncommited" is not Obama.

Obama = Obama

[seybor]

26. Obama's website advertised "uncommitted = Obama"

[Pathwalker]

18. Don't vote? Don't Bitch!!!

So, you couldn't get your butt to a voting site - and you want people here to feel sorry for you?
My whole damned family managed to get to the polls and vote, despite three of them having to work that day.

[seybor]

23. I listen to MI Public Radio and the dems were ALL they talked about

With particular attention to the "get out the uncommitted vote" campaign on the part of Obama supporters. Rallies to get out the uncommitted vote were posted on Obama's website.

Our primaries are always done on the same day as the Republicans.

I had to go out of town the day of the primary, so I went to my city hall and voted absentee because I felt strongly about voting for Hillary - even if my vote wouldn't be counted at the convention.

Obama made an agreement with Edwards and a couple of the candidates who were still in the race to remove their names. In MI, the state adds names - the candidates can then file paperwork to remove their names. If they'd changed their minds, they could have filled out paperwork to "accept write-in" votes. They did not. Clinton's statement was that she did not think it was necessary to remove her name and it was not part of the commitment made to the DNC.

If you live in the SE Michigan area, Flint, SW Michigan/Grand Rapids, I highly recommend Michigan Public radio as a helpful and timely news source.