Some sensible thoughts from Castor and Kerry about Florida...and another lawsuit looms.

[madfloridian]

Some thoughts and insights on the revote from people I respect.

Kathy Castor has impressed me. She started out going along with the early primary date. She has separated herself from them and has endorsed Obama. She has this to say.

Election Do-Over Spurs Talk, Talk, Talk

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who recently endorsed Obama, said in a statement Sunday that she considers a revote very unlikely.

"It appears to me that those who are calling for a change in the rules of the game at the 11th hour are arguing for what is politically expedient rather than what is right," she said.

John Kerry has been in his advocacy for Barack Obama. He had this to say.

Obama backer Sen. John Kerry said much the same on "Face the Nation" in a confrontation with Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who was advocating a plan for the state of Florida to supervise a Democratic primary revote with mail-in ballots.

The conflict, Kerry said, is between "two different attitudes about how American politics ought to be played: Barack Obama will play by the rules. Sen. Clinton is trying to change the rules. She's busy gaming it."

Good for Kerry and Castor.

More from Castor and Crist who disagree, and Dean who disagreed with Crist.

Crist said he thinks under Florida law, the state Legislature "probably" would have to supervise an election. Dean disagreed, and Crist acknowledged that a recent court decision, in a lawsuit Nelson filed over the primary, indicates he could be wrong. Castor, like Crist, contended that a vote-by-mail election "is not permitted under current law."

Bill Nelson still blames the situation on Dean, and in this statement he tells the prevailing lie..."the GOP made us do it."

Nelson expressed the frustration of Florida Democrats over the situation and called on Dean to help find a way out. Nelson said he has been trying for eight months "to avoid this train wreck, and the Democratic National Committee, the chairman, they were just hard-over - you're going to do it our way, even though ... a Republican Legislature with a Republican governor changed the date.

Oh, no, Bill, you are not getting away with that anymore. The Democrats
introduced the bill and moved it along and voted 115 to 1

He then said Dean needed to get the campaigns together and get things straightened out. When this was told to Dean he said he was waiting on a plan from Nelson and someone in Michigan. THEN he would talk to the campaigns.

It is amazing how Bill Nelson has ordered Dean around over all this, and Dean was gracious today, saying he has been working with Nelson to find a solution.

To top it all off, another lawsuit is on the horizon. As if the one by DiMaio is not enough..and the injunction he might file is not enough....

Here comes another one.

Lawsuit Eyed by Sharpton Over Florida: Seen as Maneuvering To Aid Obama's Campaign

Laying the groundwork for a court battle that could divide the Democratic Party, the Reverend Al Sharpton is threatening to sue the Democratic National Committee if it counts Florida's primary results in the official presidential delegates tally.

Rev. Sharpton is traveling to Florida today to compile lists of residents who skipped the January contest because they thought their votes would not count. He plans to have those residents sign affidavits saying they would be disenfranchised by the seating of the Florida delegation, in the event the Democratic Party allowed that to happen.

...Mrs. Clinton's campaign has said it wants the Florida and Michigan primaries to count, while Mr. Obama's campaign has said it will support the Democratic National Committee's rules.

The most important thing today was said by Howard Dean while he was being bombarded with "why don't you fix this now" stuff. He calmly said that he was trying to work it out so that those on the losing side of the deal felt that they were being treated fairly by all involved.

Dean actually thought of the voters and their feelings.

I hope Florida realizes it is in danger now. The rest of the country is thinking of cutting it off and letting it drift toward Cuba.

[leftofcool]

1. Enter the good "Reverend."

Can Jesse be far behind? Louis is sure to catch up soon.

[thoughtcrime1984]

2. Good grief

Like Obama asked Sharpton to do this. Like he asked Farrakhan for his endorsement. If anything, this is being viewed as detrimental to Obama's campaign. Do you really think he wants to be perceived as someone who NEEDS Sharpton and Farrakhan?

[leftofcool]

3. Perception is what it's all about

This is what the Republicans have been waiting on. They just had to wait on it. Al Sharpton for Obama's Secretary of State

[thoughtcrime1984]

4. Hopefully, people will be just a hair smarter than that.

But, I suppose that'll be the headline of the day tomorrow. The MSM is sticking it to Obama every chance they get, which is no surprise to any of us.

[leftofcool]

5. It isn't that people are dumb or smart

It is more that you have Dems sitting on the fence over this nomination.....enter Al who 90% of the Dems do not trust for very good reason....and what do you have? Dems voting for a Republican in the GE.

[madfloridian]

7. Of all the good things in the post...stop focusing on that.

Actually Al's lawsuit is the most sensible one so far.

[krkaufman]

13. That point did seem to be lost on the reader. n/t

[blm]

10. They would do that to ANY BLACK Dem. Apparently you WANT all black Dems to get in the back

of the bus because YOU CAN'T HANDLE defending them as you should any Dem nominee.

[krkaufman]

15. Maybe they're ready to defend them.

As staunchly as Hillary defended Barack on '60 Minutes' last week.

[madfloridian]

19. My perception of your comments.....

you really do not want to hear about it.

[writes3000]

8. Black, Black, Black. I'm sorry did you say something else? Didn't think so. n/t

[krkaufman]

12. chuckle. Excellent way to communicate the problem with racist statements.

Little else comes across aside from the racism.

[krkaufman]

11. Astoundingly racist statement.

I lie, of course. It's not all that astounding.

Sharpton's action, according to the article, would seem to be very reasonable, regardless of the race of the surrogate facilitating the effort, if one campaign is championing the seating of FLorida's delegates "as-is." Hundreds of thousands of Floridians skipped the primary because they had been told it did not count.

Even the normally obtuse Bill Schneider of CNN is on-the-ball on this one.

[catgirl]

26. What a stupid comment

And racist at that. How disgusting.

[UALRBSofL]

6. I think the MSM should listen to Sharpton more

Because he represents Obama and Sharpton's voice should be heard.

[Not the Only One]

18. Sharpton only represents himself

Nice try. He's not an Obama surrogate.

[krkaufman]

9. As always, thanks for keeping us informed.

Also, I just reviewed your other post, discussing the genesis of the move to the early primary, and have to comment that Geller's presumption regarding the effect on candidates' fundraising made me chuckle a bit. ($90 million between them, in Feb; I think they're doing OK)

Thanks again for your tireless tracking of this issue, madfloridian.

[Inuca]

14. Thanks a lot for the info n/t

[JimGinPA]

16. This Whole "Re-Vote" Meme Is Just An Attempt By HRC To Extend The Race

To enhance the perception she has a chance to win and the M$M is buying into it, as usual.

[Not the Only One]

17. Sharpton is right

African Americans are more likely to be low income and work more than one job to get by and they are hardest hit by taking the time to go to the polls (including getting child care). It's a hardship. If you tell them that there is no benefit for them to endure that hardship because the votes won't count, they won't be inclined to endure the hardship and show up to vote.

The results from FL must not count. They are hopelessly tainted.

[madfloridian]

20. Bill Nelson was ugly toward Dean on Sunday morning TV.

I just was looking at the TPMtv video. He must absolutely despise Dean to talk so angrily about him on TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuvbfVjc3C4

I think this is how it will end. Nelson and Clinton's other surrogates will keep hammering until they diminish the DNC's role in this issue.

It is amazing how they have done it.
How it began last August....how Florida Democrats began their propaganda war

Nelson said yesterday that he had tried to get Dean to do the right thing for 8 months. Yet, that is not what Dean says.

Dean says MI and FL took it public and bypassed the DNC

The NPR interview in which he says it is at the link. He says they took it public first without consulting the DNC.

So that is how they will do it. Hillary said the DNC rules for delegates did not apply to her. I think she meant it.

[ZinZen]

22. MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[ZinZen]

23. MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[ZinZen]

24. MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[ZinZen]

MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[madfloridian]

27. Depends...if a person is not aware of the truth...Nelson is a hero.

He is taking their vote back from the big bad Dean and the DNC. To those informed...he is mostly just tolerated...or despised.

[ZinZen]

MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[ZinZen]

MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[ZinZen]

25. MF, how popular is Nelson in Fl?

can he face and be beaten by a stealth primary challenger. Nelson does not look right in the head.

[madfloridian]

21. Almost certain that votes to seat FL and MI delegates "as is" won't exist.

Interesting analysis.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/michigan_florida_options_shrin.html

"When both states' legislators moved their contests to January 15, in Michigan, and January 29, in Florida, they thought they knew exactly what they were doing: While the DNC might strip them of delegates, the eventual nominee would instruct credentials committee members to allow the two states' slates to sit n the convention floor. But that plan did not factor in the possibility of a contested convention.

Now, based on delegate allocation, it looks almost certain that votes to seat the delegations in their current iterations - both overwhelmingly favoring Hillary Clinton - will not exist. Examining the 186 members of the DNC's Credentials Committee, which would decide any contested delegations, the deck is heavily stacked against both states.

Of the twenty eight members DNC chair Howard Dean appointed, five have already voted to strip the states' delegates. Committee chairs Alexis Herman and Jim Roosevelt, along with members Ralph Dawson, Tina Flournoy and Janice Griffin, all served on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee, which decided the punishments for non-compliant states. The remaining twenty three members will likely follow suit and vote to uphold the rules.

Based on results so far, it appears that Barack Obama's team will control at least 68 seats on the credentials committee, after an estimate that is, if anything, generous to Clinton. Clinton's wins have netted her 55 seats, while states that have yet to hold contests -- Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennyslvania, South Dakota, West Virginia and Puerto Rico - have yet to allocate their combined 22 seats. With Dean's selections voting to uphold the rules and Obama's delegates voting in their candidate's interest, 96 delegates would vote to keep Michigan and Florida out. "

[Skarbrowe]

28. I cannot wait to get out of the state of Florida. This has been such

a freaking nightmare that I will be so happy to put this state and politics in my rear view mirror. I stood outside the Broward County Courthouse as hundreds stood in front of the Miami/Dade Courthouse in late 2000 carry my Gore/Lieberman signs and protesting to have MY VOTE COUNTED. What a joke. In 2002 I voted, on the new touchscreen voting machines, for Janet Reno for Governor, then for the guy who beat her in the primaries to try and defeat Jeb Bush. What a joke.

I used an absentee ballot to vote for Kerry/Edwards in 2004 because I heard that the "machines" could be manipulated. Then found out they called the state for Bush before they even counted most of the absentee ballots. What a joke.

On January 29th of this year, I went to vote because that's the only day I had been given to vote for the primary candidate I wanted. What a fucking joke.

I have no candidate now. I really don't care if Obama wins or Hillary. I just love seeing so many people across this country making sure that my vote doesn't get counted in ANY WAY.

MadFloridian, you have done a great job of keeping people posted about the craziness that ALWAYS goes on in Florida voting. I just wonder, though. What if Obama had won on January 29th by about 300,000 votes over Hillary and Hillary had taken her name off the ballot in Michigan when she wasn't required to do so, and Obama didn't. If Hillary was ahead a hundred or more so delegates at this point, are you sure you would still be wanting to make sure no one in Florida or Michigan got a chance to vote because the the stupid state officials thought they were being forced into voting for a paper ballot count last year when this crap happened and they took advantage of moving up the date set by Crist and the Republican legislature.....geez...the Republicans sure know how to screw up the Democratic vote in this state. Sorry for the ridiculous sentence. It's just so frustrating I want this to be the last time I talk about it. Ever.

Don't you think the Republicans knew this would cause trouble. And yes, the Democratic leadership in the state went along with the date change for whatever reason they want to say they did now. But, I FREAKIN' lost my vote. Again. This is actually worse than the disenfranchisement of the African American vote on the voter roll purge in 1998-2000. What. a. joke.

Getting out of here before hurricane season anyway. A big one is due here sometime and I don't want Florida weather or it's sickening politics.

I will vote Obama or Hillary, whomever wins. I'll still be dumb enough, where ever I live, to think my vote just might count. Somewhere far away from Florida.