Harry Reid supports Obama!

[Alhena]

well, he didn't come right out and say it, but no one who reads this Kos diary will think otherwise:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/25/1341/02674/488/483614

This newspaper article has the Reid interview:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/16948521.html

So let's see here, not only has Obama gotten something like 95% of the superdelegates in the last month or so, he's got Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid carrying water for him in the delegate disputes. Now why exactly is it that Hillary thinks she has a chance?

[ThatBozGuy]

1. And Jimmy Carter

[writes3000]

2. Fantastic News! I can start believing in this party's leadership again. Great! n/t

[MADem]

3. Wait.....isn't Harry Reid a "big fucking poopy head asshole" around here?

Along with "Evil Nancy Pelosi?" But now we're relying on him and Maureen Dowd, another ecoriated blowhard, for tea leaf readings?




I can't figure out how that conclusion came out of this:

...I had a conversation with Governor Dean (Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean) today. Things are being done.

That's all the Nevada Democrat would say about it.

Whatever.

[Alhena]

4. His support for Obama is revealed by his position on Florida and Michigan ...

from the Las Vegas newspaper interview- do these sound like the words of a neutral bystander?

Reid also weighed in on the controversy over Michigan and Florida, states whose Democratic convention delegates were stripped when they scheduled primaries before Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, without permission from the DNC.

The DNC authorized only Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina to hold nominating contests before that date. Those four states teamed up to demand successfully that the Democratic candidates not campaign in the two renegade states.

The punishment was intended to be symbolic, on the assumption that a nominee would be decided early and delegate counts wouldn't matter.

That has turned out to be a bad assumption. Now Hillary Clinton, who won both states and trails in the delegate count, says Michigan and Florida shouldn't be left out, even though Barack Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan.

Both states came to the conclusion last week they couldn't hold new primaries.

"Michigan and Florida wouldn't play by the rules," Reid said. "They're not my rules. They're not the caucus' rules. They're DNC rules. They broke the rules."

Adding delegates for those states, he noted, would alter the number of delegates needed to get the nomination, currently 2,025. It wasn't crystal clear, but Reid seemed to suggest that delegations from those states should get to attend the convention, but not vote.

"Michigan and Florida delegates are going to be seated. They're going to be a part of the convention," he said. "It's a question of whether anything can be worked out to change this prior to the 2,025.

"They're the ones causing all the problems. No one else did. And so they will be seated. They're big states. They represent 29 million people. We want to make sure their delegates are part of the convention that takes place in Denver."

[MADem]

5. It wasn't crystal clear, but Reid seemed to suggest that delegations from those states should get to

attend the convention, but not vote.....

Nothing's "crystal clear" here. I just don't see "Obama supporter" in anything he said. Particularly that last line--what's the sense of making the delegates "part of the convention" if they can't participate? If you can't participate, you aren't part of the convention, for all intents and purposes.

It simply sounds like doublespeak to me--a whole lotta words, with no clarity at the end of them. If he were a diehard Obama supporter, he'd be carping at Puerto Rico's decision to hold a primary (when people actually vote, Clinton tends to do better) instead of a caucus.

[ThatBozGuy]

6. They will attend and cast their vote in unanimity after the burden is reached.

[Hepburn]

18. Burden reached?

Does this mean that Ms Bosnia Under Fire is shown the door?

[thoughtcrime1984]

14. They don't vote at a caucus? Hil voters convictions don't run deep

enough to caucus? Are they "disenfranchising" as some say, because Obama is winning them? Because perhaps there are virtually no crossover meddling Rushpublicans voting in the caucuses? I WISH my state had caucuses and made people actually think a little bit and participate at a deeper level. Employers are required to let people go vote, at least here in WI, so that shouldn't be a huge issue. What is the big beef with caucuses?

[MADem]

16. People in wheelchairs, on duty in the firehouse, in the nursing home and hospital bed,

driving the cab, working the shift, unable to find the babysitter, without transportation, or serving on active duty abroad do NOT participate in the caucus. They DO in the primary.

Clinton's voters, many of them, are older. The elderly do not caucus in the same numbers as younger and healthier voters. Many people in retirement and nursing homes who routinely vote absentee are screwed by the caucus system. The military are fucked too.

The beef with caucuses is that huge swathes of otherwise likely voters are disenfranchised. This isn't opinion. It's fact.

You might not realize that GOP voters did cross over in IA and NV, both caucus states. You can be a "Democrat for a day." All it takes is showing up and saying so. Republicans can, and did, meddle in those contests. Do the google, you'll see.

Employers are NOT required to let people go caucus. It's a long process. Do you actually think that Iowa went without firefighters or policemen or hospital workers during their set-time caucuses? If you catch that shift assignment, you're fucked. That's not the same issue with casting a ballot--you stop off before your shift starts, or vote after you've finished your shift. OR, you get an absentee ballot, and vote ahead of time.

[PassingFair]

20. In Michigan's 04 caucus, you could vote absentee and via COMPUTER, too.

No need to attend....

[MADem]

21. Not the case in IA or NV. If you weren't there, you weren't counted.

MI sounds more like a firehouse caucus, where it's basically voting like in primaries, with a little chitchat to go along with it.

[JI7]

7. since he use to support Hillary, hopefully it means

the party is starting to move in Obama's direction and unite.

[jonnyblitz]

8. that's so THRILLING!!!!!111

*squeal*

[Maddy McCall]

9. LOL.

*squeal* :rofl:

[Enrique]

10. the hated Reid and Pelosi support the beloved Obama

:rofl:

[Window]

11. Bet you wouldn't mind if "the hated Reid and Pelosi support" was in favor of Queen Hillary.

:rofl:

I imagine that is similar to the "dead to me now" posts toward folks everyone on the left used to support until they called Hilly on her bullshit.

:rofl:

[Enrique]

23. if Reid and Pelosi supported Hillary

I would be pleased. In fact I'm pleased with them supporting Obama, because I like Obama.

But I can only imagine what would be directed at them from the Hillary haters if they supported her. :scared:

[MADem]

13. I found the construct amusing, myself. NT

[Inuca]

12. I am not sure it means he supports Obama

but it clearly reads like he IS supporting reaching a solution before the convention (hopefully ASAP). I do not particularly care who Reid personally supports, as long as "Things are being done" as he says.

[davidpdx]

15. I take the interview as supportive of ending the nomination fight early

But I think it's a leap to say he supports Obama outright. I'm sure if Obama wins the nomination he will support him, but until that's done, he'll remain a Hillary supporter.

[Alter Ego]

17. Reid?

Er...

[Vinca]

19. If anyone supports Obama, now is the time to endorse.

Let's get this over with so we can go after McCain.

[Coexist]

22. thank you for posting that.