Handy Guide to how Hillary Clinton agreed that Michigan and Florida primaries wouldn't count

[zulchzulu]

The Four State Pledge, which Hillary Clinton signed on to, made sure that Michigan and Florida would not be rewarded for trying to cheat on the rules based on the actions of their state Democratic Party officials.

On September 1, 2007, the Hillary Clinton campaign put out the following press release (now not available on her campaign website):



Clinton Campaign Statement on the Four State Pledge

The following is a statement by Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle.

"We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process. And we believe the DNC’s rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role. Thus, we will be signing the pledge to adhere to the DNC approved nominating calendar."

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=3134

On September 2, 2007, the New York Times reported:

Three of the major Democratic presidential candidates on Saturday pledged not to campaign in Florida, Michigan and other states trying to leapfrog the 2008 primary calendar, a move that solidified the importance of the opening contests of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Hours after Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina agreed to sign a loyalty pledge put forward by party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York followed suit. The decision seemed to dash any hopes of Mrs. Clinton relying on a strong showing in Florida as a springboard to the nomination.

“We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process,” Patti Solis Doyle, the Clinton campaign manager, said in a statement.

The pledge sought to preserve the status of traditional early-voting states and bring order to an unwieldy series of primaries that threatened to accelerate the selection process. It was devised to keep candidates from campaigning in Florida, where the primary is set for Jan. 29, and Michigan, which is trying to move its contest to Jan. 15.

The Democratic National Committee has vowed to take away Florida’s 210 delegates — and those of any other state that moved its nominating contest before Feb. 5 — if it does not come up with an alternative plan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/us/politics/02dems.html

Additionally, it was common knowledge that Hillary Clinton knew about the Four State Pledge as early as last August, 2007:

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON pledged in August, "I shall not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential primary election or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina."

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=36993ac7-40a6-40d1-a96a-55253123b1a1&headline=Clinton's+'is'+moment%3A+Who+cares+what+words+mean%3F

Now she accuses Barack Obama of being "unAmerican" for not following what she in fact had stated many times in interviews and on her own web site. Last I checked, it is a great American trait to FOLLOW THE RULES.

[Tarc]

1. You ignore simple political reality

If these states are left uncounted, both will go red in the general election as the Democratic Party's message of "sorry, we don't care about your voice" becomes a perfect storm of an advertising spot for John McCain.

This is the fault of the state parties stubbornness, and the DNC's draconian all-or-nothing response. Either come to an agreement, or lose the White House. There's no wiggle room here.

[zulchzulu]

2. Should simple DNC rules be freely not followed?

If there is anyone to blame, it's the state Democratic Party officials in both Michigan and Florida who knew they were going to have their delegates NOT COUNT if they didn't follow THE RULES.

Is it Obama's fault that they didn't play fair? Does rewarding a state that doesn't follow the rules and willingly breaks them help? Should all the states be able to change their schedule to what ever they want?

The political reality is obvious for both Michigan and Florida. The Democrats will not vote for McCain because he represents Bush Part III with the same disastrous free trade policies, anti-choice legislation and other issues that would only hurt them. Democrats in both states should look at their leadership and kick them out if possible for being the ones who actually disenfranchised the voters with breaking the rules.

These officials knew it. Contact them:

Michigan Democratic Party Officials
http://www.michigandems.com/leadership.html

Mark Brewer, Chair
Tina Abbott, First Vice Chair
Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Second Vice Chair
Ismael Ahmed, Third Vice Chair
Rosa Holliday, Recording and Corresponding Secretary
Dianne Byrum, Treasurer

Florida Democratic Party Officials
http://www.fladems.com/content/your_party_officials

Karen L. Thurman, Chair
Diane Glasser, First Vice Chair
Mayor Clarence Anthony, Vice Chair
Former Congresswoman Carrie Meek, Vice Chair
Rep. Luis Garcia, Vice Chair
Janee Murphy, Secretary
Charles Whitehead, Chair Emeritus
Rudolph Parker, Treasurer
Jon Ausman
Terrie Brady
Mitch Ceasar
Representative Joyce Cusack
Diane Glasser
Commissioner Allan Katz
Mayor Raul Martinez
Chuck Mohlke
Janee Murphy
Rudolph Parker

[zulchzulu]

4. Why aren't the state party officials getting skewered?

They are the ones who knew that they will lose delegates and disenfranchise their own voters. Where are they?

[madfloridian]

5. Reality....Clinton is not telling the truth. FL and MI were tools

and they are left looking like fools.

[roguevalley]

8. they won't go red. the alternative =-million year war= is too terrible

[donheld]

9. they won't go red. the alternative = an extreme right wing supreme court

Voting republican is cutting their noses off to spite their faces.

[Scurrilous]

3. K & R

:thumbsup:

[WolverineDG]

6. But back then no one could have foreseen

that she wouldn't have the race wrapped up on Super Tuesday & would therefore not need delegates from MI & FL.

:eyes:

dg

[zulchzulu]

7. Contact information for Michigan Democratic Leaders who screwed Over Michigan Democrats

Michigan Democratic Party officials are to blame for changing the dates on the Michigan Democratic Primary, contrary to the RULES set forth by the DNC.

If you're pissed off about Michigan voters not being able to get their votes counted, look no further than here:

Michigan Democratic Party Officials
http://www.michigandems.com/leadership.html

Mark Brewer, Chair
Tina Abbott, First Vice Chair
Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Second Vice Chair
Ismael Ahmed, Third Vice Chair

The Michigan Democratic Party is located at 606 Townsend St., Lansing, MI 48933. The MDP can be reached by telephone at 517-371-5410.