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Clinton Campaign Sets Up Website to Push to Change the Rules
February 20, 2008 8:49 AM
This morning brings the news that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, has launched a new website where they are announcing how they are officially preparing to make the case that the rules of the Democratic nomination process should be changed.
Among many "facts" they declare are some accurate ones, such as the idea that superdelegates, which in true nomenclatural dexterity they now term "automatic delegates" "are expected to exercise their best judgment in the interests of the nation and the Democratic Party."
But then comes this juicy non-fact:
"FACT: Florida and Michigan should count, both in the interest of fundamental fairness and honoring the spirit of the Democrats' 50-state strategy."
That's not a fact, that's an opinion.
And it's clear evidence (not that there was any mystery about it) that the Clinton campaign is trying to change the rules in the middle of the game.
Clinton's own senior adviser, Harold Ickes, voted as a member of the DNC committee to not recognize these two state delegations because they violated the rules of the primary scheduling process. Now as a Clinton campaign representative he's making the case that they should count.
The Obama people deserve to be tweaked for suggesting that the superdelegates should follow the lead of the regular delegates -- that's not what the rules dictate, either.
But there's a difference between pressuring/lobbying/strongly suggesting that superdelegates follow the will of regular delegates -- that ultimately will be decided by each individual superdelegate -- and trying to change the rules of the nominating process.
The Clinton camp is now calling 2208 "the number required for a candidate to secure the nomination with Florida and Michigan included."
But that's not the number.
According to the DNC, the number is 2025. And Florida and Michigan don’t get included.
The three chairs of the Democratic Convention Credentials Committee, which will decide this Michigan and Florida morass, all worked in the administration of Bill Clinton: Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, Social Security Administration associate commissioner James Roosevelt Jr., and White House travel consultant Eliseo Roques-Arroyo, as noted yesterday by the Washington Times.
More and more, this reminds me of the Florida recount.
Don't like the rules? Change the rules.
Count every vote -- except the ones for the other guy.
- jpt
February 20, 2008 in Clinton, Hillary | Permalink | Share | User Comments (96)
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Hillary Logic: "There are actually 50 states in the US? Oh, and I didn't know until yesterday how Texas assigns their delegates, which is really unfair for me, so you heard me wrong when I said Texas was my firewall. Also, now that I lost WI, and OH is a lot like it, I really didn't mean that OH was my firewall either. What I meant to say is they don't really count. It's only some states after March 4 that count. I'll get back to you when I figure out which ones they are. But FL and MI definitely count, unless you re-do them and I don't like the results. By the way, my new rules for the nomination are pretty complicated. Don't bother trying to figure it out. I'll just do the math and let you know who wins."
Posted by: Leslie in Dallas | Feb 21, 2008 12:48:02 AM
She would destroy her own party to gain a nomination for a general election her actions make it impossible to win? Can you say "ash heap of history " boys and girls?
Posted by: Johnzero | Feb 21, 2008 12:36:15 AM
After readng all the comments, I wanted to add something that I have been hearing alot from friends and others that are Hillary supporters.
They are so adamant that Hillary should be the Dem nominee, 8 out of 10 Hillary supporters have said they will vote for McCain or not vote at all should she lose the nomination to Obama.
She has alot of supporters and I think Obama is going to need alot of them to back him in order to beat McCain.
This could become a problem down the road.
Posted by: courtney | Feb 21, 2008 12:13:58 AM
"HOPE"
There is very few people in this world that do not have hope.
"Hope" is nothing new...its been around forever.
I hope to lose 10 pounds, I hope to live to be 100, I hope to win the lottery.....but alas, probably not gonna' happen.
I know it....but the hope for it still gives me anticipation and makes me feel good.
I think the American people are pinning their "HOPE FOR CHANGE" on Obama. It makes them feel good for the moment, but just like "HOPE" to win the lottery, etc...there is not much chance for this miraculous change the Obama keeps shouting about.
After all is said and done, the mess the USA is in now, will continue.
At least with Clinton shes got a proven track record for all she has done.
We need somebody who has been around awhile and knows the ropes of what is needed to run the white House. She does....it is on record...it is a fact.
At least do yourself a favor and do your homework as to the achievements of Clinton vs Obama.
All the pretty speechs in the world will not be enough to turn this country around.
At the end of the day and when the air clears...to coin a phrase from Obama and the other politician that Obama seemed to "borrow" his speech from...word for word....LOL....his Hope for change will be "WORDS, JUST WORDS".
Posted by: sherry | Feb 21, 2008 12:00:05 AM
Obama is a hypocrite... last fall he said that seating the FL delegates was the right thing to do, now he's changed his mind.
Obama may win the nomination because of the disenfranchisement of FL and MI, but it will cost him the general election. No way the Democrats win in November without either MI or FL an no way that either state will vote for Obama now.
Posted by: Aaron | Feb 20, 2008 10:03:49 PM
Had a pet once who came in second place in a dog show after having flunked out of obedience school.
Her victory was the direct result of the dog show being held one gloomy night in the snow.
Forgive me for seeing a comparison between this result and the seating of the Michigan and Florida delegates from primaries in which there was only one candidate.
I'm not saying she was a dog. I am saying she flunked out of obedience school.
Posted by: Robert Campbell | Feb 20, 2008 8:24:55 PM
If either candidate gets their way, someone is disenfranchised. Voters are set to lose. By granting MI and FL their delegates, they got what they wanted and their punishment becomes moot. (aside argument - why can't they vote when they want? What's democratic about that rule DNC?) If they get to vote again, they become bigger king/queen-makers than they would have been originally. If they caucus, not every voter that went to the polls can/will make it, and their vote is lost. Both sides are taking undemocratic positions. If it stands as it is, millions of people's votes don't count and probably a couple million more (who originally stayed home, conscious of the delegatelessness) never had a say in this historic, dramatically close primary.
What is the solution? What is worse in democracy than votes not counting or prevented from being cast?
Posted by: Michael | Feb 20, 2008 6:38:29 PM
What disgusting tactics by the Clinton campaign.
Put a stop to this DNC!!!!!
Posted by: Naomi | Feb 20, 2008 5:52:12 PM
Hillary Clinton is a CHEATER!
I will not vote for a rules-breaking CHEATER! I will not send her money, write in favor of her, or vote for her in November.
She'll break any law, restriction, limit, or contract in order to get the position of Empress because she feels RNTITLED to rulership. Well, this is not yet a banana republic, and we do not yet vote for rulers based upon name alone. Clinton supported Bhutto's illegal play at getting a third term... how many terms does she want for herself?
NO DAMNED DYNASTIES!!!!!
And, cheaters can take their marbles and go back to work.
Posted by: hauksdottir | Feb 20, 2008 5:45:21 PM
I just returned from Obama's Dallas ralley and I promise, there is no need to worry. Obama will carry Texas.
What was it Hillary said..."come on down to Texas we are ready for you". We sure were. I have never seen so many people at one place, at one time in my life. Amazing crowd in Dallas; amazing crowd in Houston. WELCOME TO TEXAS OBAMA!
We are going to finish Hillary's campaign off right here in the Lone Star State. She can't possibly think so many people will let her get away with changing the rules AFTER THE GAME STARTED/FINISHED. The DNC set the rules, everyone agreed, and AFTER THE RESULTS CAME IN, she wants to rewrite the rule book for an ELECTION...NOT A GAME AN ELECTION. That is against the very nature of American democracy.
THANK YOU WISCONSIN...THANK YOU HAWAII. Texas and Ohio have the ball now. I don't know about Ohio, but we have Emmett Smith of the Dallas Cowboys carrying the ball for us down here in Texas.
Let's get this done TEXAS!!!!!! Let's get this done Ohio!!!!!
Posted by: Texan for Obama in Dallas | Feb 20, 2008 5:44:56 PM
I am outraged that even the Clintons can get this low. I am so saddend to hear what she would do to get this nomination. As I would tell my kids play fair or get out of the game.
Posted by: Tracey | Feb 20, 2008 5:11:05 PM
What a poor looser.
YES WE CAN!!!!! BARACK OBAMA 2008
Posted by: judesuper | Feb 20, 2008 4:54:29 PM
Seat the delegates. Split the votes 50-50.
Because the Democrats in BOTH states had the opportunity to do SOMETHING to comply with the compact they'd made with the other 48 states. And to break that compact would be to say that Florida and Michigan are ABOVE the rules.
So, forgive 'em. Embrace 'em. And let them cancel themselves out. And, while we're at it, do you suppose that we could FIX a broken primary system for next time? We've known it was broken since AT LEAST 2000.
Posted by: Hart Williams | Feb 20, 2008 3:55:24 PM
As Commander and Cheeef, I want all the votes to be counted. After all, they were counted for me in 2000.
Go Hillary!
G.W.
Posted by: President Bush | Feb 20, 2008 3:53:38 PM
Good comment Irama.
VOTE THE DELEGATES IN FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN!!!!
Posted by: Navid | Feb 20, 2008 3:52:20 PM
CITIZENS SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED DUE TO INCOMPETENCE BY STATE REPRESENTATIVES. ALL VOTES SHOULD BE COUNTED INCLUDING FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN. AFTER ALL, BOTH CLINTON AND OBAMA HAD RUNNING ADS IN BOTH OF THESE STATES.
LET DEMOCRACY WORK!
Posted by: Navid | Feb 20, 2008 3:50:15 PM
And you expected any better behavior from Clinton? No sane person would let her make them a sandwich, much less be a Presidential Nominee.
Posted by: jonolan | Feb 20, 2008 3:40:10 PM
Shame on the Clintons for trying to changes the rules in the middle of the game.......Obama is the winner
Posted by: Vectorpedia (Rick) | Feb 20, 2008 3:11:25 PM
EXACTLY CAROL! THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE IN FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE'S WILL TOO. THEY ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR THE DECISIONS OF THE PARTY OFFICIALS.
Posted by: irma | Feb 20, 2008 3:09:05 PM
OBAMA RELEASED AN AD IN FLORIDA BEFORE THE PRIMARY. HE CLAIMED HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES. REALLY, A HARVARD MAN DIDN'T UNDERSTAND? HIS SURROGATES AND SUPPORTERS CAMPAIGNED TO VOTE AGAINST HILLARY IN MICH. NOW HE WANTS HER COMMITTED SUPER DELEGATES TO SUPPORT HIM IF HE GETS THE POPULAR VOTE. HE KNEW THE RULES. SINCE HE BROKE THE RULES FOR MICH AND FLORIDA, THEIR VOTES SHOULD COUNT. Now as for the Super Delegates. There are rules stating they vote for the best candidate as their judgement provides. Yet Obama has gotten the people worked up because the numbers are not in his favor. He knows the rules and he tries to be sneaky or change them using pressure. AT LEAST HILLARY IS UP FRONT ABOUT IT.
Posted by: irma | Feb 20, 2008 3:04:11 PM
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