Obama Wants Full Voting Rights for Florida and Michigan Delegates
NY Times
It seems like another lifetime ago, but remember all the fuss about Michigan and Florida?
After those states held their primaries in violation of Democratic Party rules, the party cracked down on them and said their delegates would not have a voice at the national convention in Denver. Then in May, the rules committee agreed to let their delegates have half a vote each.
Now Senator Barack Obama, the party’s presumptive nominee, has asked the credentials committee to let the two states have full voting rights at the convention after all.
The request is likely to be granted since it comes from the all-but-certain nominee, who now controls the party apparatus.
The move was not unexpected. No nominee could afford to alienate the delegates, and voters, from two such important states.
Moreover, Mr. Obama had essentially promised the two states that he would seek to restore their full voting strength, as we wrote on June 2 after the rules committee restored only half a vote to each of the states’ delegates.
Why would their voting strength matter when it is clear who the nominee will be?
Because, as Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, said at the time, party conventions do more than pick a nominee; they also begin to establish the framework for the primary calendar in the next presidential election. And Michigan, for one, has been trying for years to topple Iowa and New Hampshire from their first-in-the-nation voting perches. Having full votes at the convention will give Michigan more power to pursue that agenda.
At the same time, Mr. Obama’s “request” to restore full voting strength to Florida and Michigan is likely to cause heartburn for party officials, who have struggled to maintain some authority over the primary calendar.
By granting Mr. Obama’s request, the party will essentially be giving a green light to other states to ignore the calendar next time because there will be no consequences.
The credentials committee is to meet Aug. 24, the day before the convention begins in Denver, to determine who will be seated.
In a letter today to committee officials, Mr. Obama asked that a resolution be passed to entitle each delegate from Florida and Michigan to cast a full vote.
The party must be united in the fall, he said, adding, “To that end, Democrats in Florida and Michigan must know that they are full partners and colleagues in our historic mission to reshape Washington and lead our country in a new direction.”
The party sent back a noncommittal response noting that it had received Mr. Obama’s request.
“We deeply appreciate and value Senator Obama’s perspective on this important issue,” the Democratic National Committee said in a statement. “This matter will be the top priority for the credentials committee when we meet on August 24th. As always our goal is to ensure a fair process and a unified Democratic Party so that we can win in November.”
The status of the two states was an explosive issue throughout much of the primary season. Back then, the Obama camp was on the other side, arguing that the two states broke the rules by moving up their primaries and should be punished.
His chief rival, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, had received more votes in both states but Mr. Obama had taken his name off the ballot in Michigan, and neither campaigned in Florida.
Mrs. Clinton had campaigned fiercely for the delegates in Florida and Michigan to be given full voting status, hoping this would legitimize their primaries, which in turn might bolster her argument that she had won more popular votes than Mr. Obama. Still, she trailed him in delegates, which is the standard by which the nominee is chosen.
The whole subject remains a sore point with some Clinton supporters.
But Mr. Obama’s letter today seems timed to try to minimize any damage, coming almost two months after Mrs. Clinton threw her support to him and after it appears unlikely that she will be his choice for vice president.
Later in the day, Mrs. Clinton urged the party to grant Mr. Obama’s request to restore full voting rights for Michigan and Florida. Here is her statement:
“During the campaign, I strongly advocated for the Democratic Party to seat the Florida and Michigan delegation with their full votes. The Democratic Party has always stood up for the principle of counting every person’s vote. Today, Senator Obama has requested that the Credentials Committee give Florida and Michigan delegates their full votes. This is the right position for the Democratic Party and for the country and I urge the Credentials Committee to restore full votes to Florida and Michigan delegates.”
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Wild Thing’s comment…………
The Messiah has spoken it seems.
My first thought was why would he do this? It stands to help Hillary. What could Obama stand to gain?
Wanna see some examples of the “reaction” to the Obamassiah’s “request”?
Here is a link to the same information as above that the NY Times publised but this one is at ABC News Blog. They have a special palce under the article to leave comments.
If you want to just Click on this link for a real eyeopener, especially from the Hillary supporters.
IMHO, if the reactions I read so far are an indication of what’s coming Obamassiah’s way, he might want to try to find a new FULL TIME employee, with full health coverage and an excellent life insurance policy, to start his “Obama ’08 Campaign Bus” for him until AFTER he loses the election.
The “replies” are in “reverse order” with the “latest” on top. Just th ereverse as how it is on here.
Here are just a few examples:
* “Oh – NOW you want to count all the delegates in FL & MI – you sure are arrogant! How dare you even suggest this after you blocked re-votes in both states, and demanded your “fair” share of votes – that you did not earn.
Senator Hillary Clinton EARNED her votes – she is qualified to lead our country – you are NOT and will never win.” – Perry
* “This is one of the slimiest things he’s done, and that is saying a LOT. I cannot express how angry I am. Obama has gone too far this time. I disliked the way he ran his campaign before, but now, you can bet, I (and millions of other ticked off democrats) will work day and night to work against Obama. “- Jersey
* “Obama is now telling us that those delegates should count in full now that it won’t count toward who will win the nomination (since he has been crowned). Now, he wants justice???? Now, he wants those delegates to count in full???? Does he even understand how arrogant and self-serving this appears? He is truly in his ego-filled bubble. This makes my vote for McCain easier as a lifelong Democrat. “- Katherine
* “So now, he is the ruler of the DNC rules committee as well. So even though they were doing his bidding, he now throws them under the bus. I hope he gives back those votes in Michigan that were NEVER cast for him. Obama is the worst candidate the Dems could have put forth. He is the most politically expedient flip-flopper I have ever seen in my lifetime. Please, superdelegates, give us Hillary at the convention.
Hillary ’08” – JO CHGO
* “Obama is attempting to “unite” the party so he can squeeze out Hillary as a VP choice. Did you hear David Gergen’s warning to Obama today on This Week? Get ready for the Republican Attack Machine, they were just priming the pump this past week, with great success, so you better have Hillary to watch your back. I really don’t think Obama’s brain, Axelrod, is smart enough to do it.” – West Coast Messenger
* “All I can say is I watched the whole DNC rules committee hearing on that Saturday. This is like asking the rape victim to fall in love with the attacker.” – won’t _forget
* “Illegitimate candidate now wants legitimacy and validation. I guess those pesky poll numbers can sober anyone up. I guess ‘Da Rulz’ don’t matter anymore.
The DNC can ignore the rigging of the caucuses, keep a complicit silence while you play the race card in your own party, carry you over the finish line to hand you the nomination, now they can try and help you with the unity pony.
But don’t expect a reward vote from people who see through this chicanery.
PUMA!!!! ” – lamecandidate
* “OMG people…the DNC should not have given votes at ALL on this. Those states were told NOT to move their primaries or their votes would NOT be counted. Period. Unfortunate. But they did it anyway. Yes, the voters had no say, their elected officials made this decision. However, rules are rules. Supposedly. In this democracy. Supposedly. I am a PROUD Hillary supporter and it is the ONE thing I disagreed with her on. Once those decisions were made to not count the votes, that should have been the end of it. But as an earlier poster stated, the DNC does whatever the hell it wants to get “The Precious” in office. And no, he does NOT have the nomination, officially. Period GO PUMA ” – Dawne
* “Hillary suspended her campaign. She never conceded. She hasn’t released her delegates. She is the real nominee of this party and they better own up to it. Obama can not be trusted. He is a empty suit.
Now there will be a fight on the convention floor.
This is a whole new ball game.
DNC wake up and stop drinking the Kool Aide. You have a winning nominee-Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Super Delegates wake up with Obama you lose. He is tanking. He tried the race card against Mc Cain and it backfired. Now he wants Michigan and Florida-he’s desperate. Even he knows he can’t win. Give Hillary the nomination which she won or lose big time in November and risk losing the voters of the Democratic Party. Without them you have no party. The party will be over.
The last one to leave turn the lights out.” – basil
Moses Obama realizes that the Clintonistas will vote for McCain in three months, and that the Naderites will get 3% of the DSP votes. This way Hillary runs again in 2012. It’s too late Zebra King! Jeremiah 13:23 reads “Can the Ethiopian CHANGE his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”
– The same goes for a ZEBRA’S stripes and colors!
Another ploy, he is stumbling, he won’t debate McCain one on one in a townhall style debate, and he is getting boring, he has to add, inject some spark into the campaign, there are a bunch of disenfranchised voters out there looking at McCain to support.
I think Hussein has run out of bullets.
I sure like those comments. Seems like the Dems have a lot of disappointed fans. I hope they are even angrier after the convention in Denver.
Darth, I think so too. I think he got worried when he slipped in the polls after this ego Tour out of the country.
Mark, hahaha I like this….”I think Hussein has run out of bullets”.
Wouldn’t it be funny if some or all of the delegates from Florida and Michigan cast their votes for Hillary Rodham Clinton?
Tom, me too wouldn’t that be wonderful. I would love for there to be a lot of outrage by their people after their convention.
Les, OH they did, she won Florida and then they gave her votes most of them to Obama. It was so funny and aad too, I would have that to happen to us on our vote.
He just isn’t happy unless he cheats to win, is he?
Wonder what Bitchelle gave him for his birthday.
They’ve already made their decisions and now he wants them changed again! What an ass.
I particularly liked this comment “* “All I can say is I watched the whole DNC rules committee hearing on that Saturday. This is like asking the rape victim to fall in love with the attacker.” – won’t _forget”
Neither will we.