Ed Rendell Comments on MTP: Read it and Weep. This Is What Its Come Down To

[K Gardner]

http://thepeoplesplatform.blogspot.com/2008/03/meet-press-transcript-obama-clinton.html

MR. RUSSERT: Should the candidate who has the most elected delegates be the nominee?

FMR. SEN. DASCHLE: Absolutely. I don't see how we could possibly do anything other than respect the will of the people who have voted in caucus and primary states all over the country. And what it would say to the world, to the country that we'd overturn the verdict of those, of those elections would be travesty for, for the party and for the country.

<...>MR. RUSSERT: Governor Rendell, if, in fact, Barack Obama goes to the convention in Colorado in August with the most elected delegates, having won more contests and a higher popular vote, the cumulative vote, could he be denied the nomination?

GOV. RENDELL: Well, sure, Tim, because, number one, Hillary Clinton has won states with about 260 electoral votes. Barack Obama has won states with about 190. And we decide the presidency not by a popular vote, we decide it by the electoral vote. And the traditional role of the superdelegates is to determine who's going to be our strongest candidate. Tim, you and I have been doing this for a long time, as Tom has, and we know the big four in any presidential election recently are Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and Michigan. And in all four of those states--Pennsylvania hasn't voted yet, but I assume we're going to do real well--Hillary Clinton will have taken those states, if it--she takes Pennsylvania, and will have taken them by significant majorities. She's clearly the strongest candidate in the states that Democrats must win to have a chance. Look, it's great that Barack Obama is doing wonderfully well in Wyoming and Utah and, and places like that, but there's no chance we're going to carry those states. Whether he gets 44 percent as opposed to 39 percent doesn't matter, but we're not going to carry those states. We do have a chance to carry the big four. We've got to in three of the big four. Hillary Clinton's the strongest candidate to do that. That's been proven by the voters in the--those states and hopefully by Pennsylvania as well.

MR. RUSSERT: But, Governor, you're counting Florida when, in fact, the candidates did not campaign in Florida. So you--are you suggesting Hillary Clinton won?

GOV. RENDELL: Oh, there's no question. In an even playing field, nobody campaigned, 1.7 million Floridians voted, and she won by 17 percent. But I have a suggestion, if you don't like that, Tim, or if Tom doesn't like that, let's revote in Michigan and Florida. Let's end all the suspense. If our campaign is wrong and we are not going to be the strongest in those states, let the voters choose it. And Tom always talks about--the Obama folks talk about undemocratic. How can the Democratic Party go to Denver and deny the people of Michigan and Florida, two crucial states, a voice in this, in this nominating process? Makes no sense at all. Let's revote, and let's see how we do.

MR. RUSSERT: But in Michigan, you'll acknowledge that you have said repeatedly that the Clinton campaign cannot make the statement that they won Michigan.

GOV. RENDELL: Right. Which is why I'm calling for a revote.

<snip> more outrage at link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23546011/

[K Gardner]

1. Ed Rendell Waxes Poetic: "Caucuses are Undemocratic"....

MR. RUSSERT: Would you accept the caucus in Michigan?

GOV. RENDELL: No. Caucuses are undemocratic. That's another thing. We talk about the superdelegates being undemocratic. If you're a caucus, older people can't vote, older people who vote by absentee ballot. There's no absentee ballots in a caucus. Tim, if you're a shift worker and a lot of our workers, because they're low-income workers, are shift workers, you can't vote in a caucus. So we want primaries. That's the way we elect presidents. We don't have caucuses to elect presidents in the fall. Let's have a primary. Let's decide this. Let's hear from the Obama campaign about a revote in Florida and Michigan.

MR. RUSSERT: So the Iowa caucus, the Nevada caucus were undemocratic.

GOV. RENDELL: Undemocratic compared to primaries, yes.

MR. RUSSERT: Senator...

GOV. RENDELL: Absolutely.

MR. RUSSERT: Senator...

GOV. RENDELL: Tim, do you believe, do you believe older people should have the right to vote? They can't in a caucus because they can't get out of the house. So you're disenfranchising some of the most important voters in the fall election. How about that shift worker who works 4 to 12? He can't vote. He might really want to vote, but he can't.

<...>MR. RUSSERT: Senator Daschle, a proposal from the Clinton campaign to have new primaries in Florida, in Michigan, paid for by private donors.

FMR. SEN. DASCHLE: Well, Tim, first of all I think it'll come as a real shock to Iowa and to Nevada and to many other states that they don't have a democratic process. I think that it's very democratic, and we saw yesterday in Wyoming we had a lot of seniors and older people to participate. People from all walks. They were participating in unprecedented numbers, so I, I don't concede that point at all. But let me just say...

GOV. RENDELL: What about shift workers, Tom? What about shift workers and people who can't get out of their homes?

FMR. SEN. DASCHLE: Shift workers, too, Ed. Absolutely.

GOV. RENDELL: What about people who can't get out of their homes?

FMR. SEN. DASCHLE: No, I think--I think everybody--we'll accommodate. We'll accommodate them.

GOV. RENDELL: You can't. There's no absentee ballots in caucuses.

[babylonsister]

2. Did you see Levin on This Week? Oye.

From one side of his mouth he claims he wants his constituents in MI heard, yet spewing from the other side is his notion that the MI votes should remain as is. Doesn't once address those who voted non-committed. :puke:

[K Gardner]

5. No.. after Rendell I turned the TV off and haven't turned it back on. I can't

take six weeks of this, much less now until August. It simply has to stop.

[Inuca]

9. I thought he did not endorse anyone

Did he? I did not see him, by the way, what argument could he give for the MI to stay as is short of "I fucked up"?

[babylonsister]

16. Maybe he hasn't. I thought I had heard or read

he supports Clinton; today, he sure sounded like it, but I don't have proof.

He accepted no responsibility for what has happened in MI.

[stillcool]

24. He has...

He is a super-delegate and has already pledged his support.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

[babylonsister]

31. Thank you for that-I thought so. nt

[KaryninMiami]

8. I love Tom Dascle. I miss him in the Senate-- Gov. Rendell however, not so much.

Too bad because I had a lot of respect for Rendell previously but this morning, he lost all credibility. What is it that happens to people like him (and Debbie Wasserman Schultz) who used to be fair minded, Democratic party elected officials that are now so willing to disenfranchise millions of votes so that their candidate can win a nomination by cheating? Insulting the caucus process and the states that hold them (which I happen to think is terrific- talk about democracy in action and empowering voters to really feel like they are involved in the process)- shame on you Gov. Rendell.

On another note, what about Tom Daschile as VP for Obama?

[Donna Zen]

11. Calling Ed Rendell

We have a caucus; we offer absentee ballots; we don't have the big bucks to run a primary. Maybe PA should put upt the cash for Maine to join in his brand of Democracy.

[0007]

12. How in the same hell did Rendell become Governor?

Is he a male Monica Lewinsky on the loose, or something of that nature? :crazy:

[SKKY]

3. Where is his logic?

What states would HRC carry that Obama won't?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Arkansas.

[Cha]

19. Yeah, she'll be campaigning for

mccain there.

[DJ13]

4. So the Clintons are going to pull a switcheroo between delegates and electorial votes

Nothing says corruption quite like the Clintons.

[K Gardner]

7. "Nothing says corruption quite like the Clintons" = TShirt of the Year

[Dudley_DUright]

14. Sounds like Calvinball to me

1.2. Any player may declare a new rule at any point in the game (Figure 1.2). The player may do this audibly or silently depending on what zone (Refer to Rule 1.5) the player is in.

http://www.simplych.com/cb_rules.htm

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Fuck Ed Rendell.

[noel711]

10. Rendell has lost all political credibility....

He has no future in politics. But maybe he knows that,
not being about to run again as governor, so he'll
spend his time as houseboy for Hillary..

[Barack_America]

13. This is wonderful.

If he keeps this shit up, perhaps we'll be able to rid ourselves of him as well as the Clintons!

We can make it a full DLC-ectomy.

Mmm, I can't wait to hear how these comments go over with Pennsylvanians.

[Mooney]

32. DLC-ectomy

Increasingly, this is becoming more and more the entire point of this election to me.

[Uben]

17. Makes perfect logical sense

.....you elect the candidate that you feel has the best chance to win. I understand this to be their mission. It takes grown-ups to make hard decisions like these and the SDs were appointed for just that reason. In the absence of a clear winner in the pledged delegate race, these individuals will decide who the nominee will be. We can gripe and bitch about it all day, but that is what it comes down to, and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. They are not bound by anything, delegate count, popular vote, public sentiment....nothing!

[greyghost]

23. Exactly. Having lived through McGovern I wouldn't have it...

any other way.

Don't like it? Then change the constitution, that's what it comes down to.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

42. Last time the "grown-ups" decided we got Mondale.

Granted, any Dem would have had a tough time against Reagan, but surely we could have done better than a 49 state landslide loss, dontcha think?

[Window]

18. Watched it. Loved it!

Especially the following:

MR. RUSSERT: Let's go right to it. Here are the latest delegate counts according to NBC News. Obama, elected delegates, 1374; Clinton, 1232. That's an Obama lead of 142. Superdelegates: Obama, 215; Clinton, 254. Since Super Tuesday Obama has gained 45 elected delegates, Clinton has lost six. Thus far, total contests, Obama has won 27; Clinton, 14. The popular vote is tight: Obama, 13.1 million; Clinton 12.5 million. That's 49-to-47.

And, it's only going to get better!!!

[stray cat]

20. How many sides of his mouth does Rendell have anyway?

[VolcanoJen]

21. His argument is mind-bending and awkward, at best.

Never underestimate the ability of Ed Rendell to make a complete ass out of himself on national television.

[greyghost]

26. Actually, that's exactly how the game is played. Welcome to

presidential politics.

[VolcanoJen]

28. Another way of practicing presidential politics...

.. is to use condescension in the face of criticism. You really don't know me at all, do you?

[greyghost]

34. One can only read and reply to the posts as written.

[K Gardner]

37. Well, if you'd spend a bit of time getting to know people before insulting them,

you'd know that Jen is one of our most outspoken progressive voices here and has a very loyal following. She is respected among her peers, her advice and commentary is sought after and she works tirelessly for the Party. Nuff said. You really should apologize.

[greyghost]

40. No, because quite frankly Rendall explained his position VERY

clearly. She was wrong to call him an ass, and I called her on it.

[VolcanoJen]

46. Defend Ed all you'd like

He's was an outspoken asshat today. He has been before. He likely will be again.

Since when did Ed Rendell become a sacred cow of the Democratic Party?

[greyghost]

47. He has every right to express his opinion without being called an

ass. He's a fellow Democratic and deserves that much.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

22. Gov. Ed Rendell

If Obama goes to the Convention with the lead in popular votes, pledged delegates and number of states won and it is turned over by superdelegates to Hillary you will see millions of new voters, blacks, and Obama supporters not vote Democrat in the fall. I expect it would be the same if Hillary went in with the popular vote lead, pledged vote lead, and number of states won. You are disenfranchising millions of people. I myself would simply not vote for president.
We would simply be going back to party politics in the past. I also suspect that McCain would win in a cakewalk. It is not that Hillary would win the nominations, it would be how.

[Uben]

25. What happened to playing by the rules?

You guys say MI and Fla can't be seated because of the rules. Well, these are rules too, and none of us wants the rules broken, do we?

[thoughtcrime1984]

36. It'd be the Dem party's suicide

WILL NOT HAPPEN

[GeorgeGist]

27. Forgive me WHILE I feign s-u-r-p-r-i-s-e

POLITICIANS RIG ELECTIONS TO WIN!
OH, MY!

[jenmito]

29. K&R. It was clear who the dirty player was and who the clean player was today...

Daschle said he'd vote for Hillary if SHE ended up having the most elected delegates and Rendell said he wouldn't do the same if it was Obama. AND Rendell had to explain his and Hillary's own comments about how Obama is NOT ready to be the CIC yet he'd be a GREAT VP (a heartbeat away from the presidency). Like supporter like candidate. :eyes:

[tblue37]

30. But Hillary *herself *has said that she is absolutely *against*

allowing a revote in either state--probably because she knows she would lose a real vote.

[Justice Is Comin]

33. If reporters hadn't coddled him

like a little fluffy toy for half the campaign season, he wouldn't even be a blip on the radar screen now.

He never had an original thought in his life and doesn't have the credentials to be a governor. The press has just come out of their coma and he's going down.

There will be a former first lady giving the acceptance speech at the convention.

[greyghost]

35. The press has indeed FINALLY woken up.

[K Gardner]

38. Maybe you two should get a room.

[greyghost]

39. We'll need more then that after this week. I'm looking into a...

convention hotel in Vegas to accommodate the crowd.

[wileedog]

41. If so

"There will be a former first lady giving the acceptance speech at the convention."

Then there will be a half filled room she is giving it too.

[greyghost]

45. Don't think for a NY minute that the DNC won't have the numbers to back

their play. I'll vote for who ever they nominate, and millions of Dem's & Indies will join me. It's about taking the WH. PERIOD

[BenDavid]

43. Well alright there Govenor.......to have dashle and kerry as his

spokesperson on the sunday shows reminds folks they are both losers.....

[Zhade]

44. Clinton "took" MI because it was an "election" straight from the USSR.

Rendell's lying - she didn't take either MI or FL BECAUSE THEY DON'T AND WON'T COUNT.