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Clinton Campaign Chair Threatened to Strip Michigan of Delegates in 2004

April 26, 2008 5:33 PM

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has staked her path to the Democratic nomination on the officially illegitimate contests held in Michigan and Florida somehow being recognized, in opposition to Democratic National Committee rules.

What's so remarkable about this is that two of the Clinton campaign's most important strategists have in the past taken the stand that these states should abide by the DNC's instructions -- even if that meant stripping them of their delegates.

In direct contrast to the positions they hold now.

Senior strategist Harold Ickes as a DNC Rules Committee member in 2007 voted -- along with the other 11 Clinton supporters on the 30-member committee -- to strip Michigan and Florida of their delegates as punishment for disobeying the DNC primary calendar schedule.

Ickes now is a leader of the "count Michigan and Florida" rhetoric coming from the Clinton campaign, despite his previous position.

Now comes this curious find, on Daily Kos.

It turns out that irrepressible Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe once -- when he was DNC chairman -- threatened to strip Michigan of delegates if that state's Democrats carried out their long-time goal of disobeying the DNC calendar.

In his lively book, "What A Party!: My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other Wild Animals," McAuliffe tells the tale. If you're an Amazon.com member, you can read the passage for yourself on pages 324 and 325.

McAuliffe at the time had been pushing for early contests for South Carolina and a Western state with a large Latino population, perhaps Arizona or New Mexico.

"Our plan became very controversial," McAuliffe writes. "Some people thought any change was bad. Others thought we were not shaking things up enough. Leading the charge for more radical alterations in the primary calendar was Michigan Senator Carl Levin, who thought Iowa and New Hampshire should not have exclusive rights on voting first and that it was time for other states to have a turn. He had pushed unsuccessfully for change before the 2000 elections and was back in full force this election cycle. He made it very clear on the telephone that if I allowed Iowa and New Hampshire to go first, then Michigan was going to act on its own and put its primary first."

McAuliffe invited Levin to make his argument before the full DNC meeting on Jan. 19, 2002. Levin did, and his motion was defeated by a unanimous vote.

"After the vote, the issue was settled in my mind -- however, not in Carl's," McAuliffe writes.

On Feb. 1, 2003, Levin, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Dingell's wife Debbie (a DNC member and power broker unto herself) called McAuliffe.

"They told me they were going to hold the Michigan primary before New Hampshire's," McAuliffe writes, "which would have led to complete chaos since New Hampshire has a law stating that it must hold the first primary and the DNC had already voted on this issue and settled it.

"'If you do that, I will take away 50 percent of your delegates,' I told him.

"They thought I was bluffing. But it was my responsibility as chairman to take action for the good of the party, and taking away half their delegates was well within my authority...The whole primary calendar was in danger of spinning out of control. The candidates kept calling me and asking what was happening with the schedule, and I made it clear that I was not going to let Michigan throw the entire process out of whack. Finally I'd had enough and scheduled a meeting in Carl's Senate office for April 2 to settle this once and for all...

"Soon Carl and I were going at it.

"'I'm going outside the primary window,' he told me definitively.

"'If I allow you to do that, the whole system collapses,' I said. 'We will have chaos. I let you make your case to the DNC, and we voted unanimously and you lost.'

"He kept insisting that they were going to move up Michigan on their own, even though if they did that, they would lose half their delegates. By that point Carl and I were leaning toward each other over a table in the middle of the room, shouting and dropping the occasional expletive.

"'You won't deny us seats at the convention,' he said.

"'Carl, take it to the bank,' I said. 'They will not get a credential. The closest they'll get to Boston will be watching it on television. I will not let you break this entire nominating process for one state. The rules are the rules. If you want to call my bluff, Carl, you go ahead and do it.'

"We glared at each other some more, but there was nothing much left to say. I was holding all the cards and Levin knew it."

Clinton herself said, in October 2007, "It's clear, this election they're having is not going to count for anything." She said she was keeping her name on the ballot (unlike her competitors) just so when it came time for the general election she could argue she had not ignored the state.

It wasn't until Clinton lost the Iowa caucuses in January that she acted as if the Florida and Michigan contests had any meaning at all. As Tallahassee political journalist S.V. Dáte recently wrote in Slate, "Last summer and fall, when the DNC made these decisions, she had a lot more clout. She exercised none of it."

As for Ickes and McAuliffe -- they have exercised a great deal of clout. But it has been in the name of preserving order, even if that meant stripping recalcitrant state Democrats of their delegates.

As McAuliffe said then -- "the rules are the rules."

Why? "For the good of the party," he wrote (then).

- jpt

April 26, 2008 in 2008: Democrats | Permalink | Share | User Comments (234)

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The article is stating that "Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has staked her path to the Democratic nomination on the officially illegitimate contests held in Michigan and Florida somehow being recognized, in opposition to Democratic National Committee rules."

Look at what we have here, several Clinton supporting delusional fleeing from reality. She has lost.... I see dead people, it's just they don't realize they're dead.

Posted by: Fred | May 3, 2008 12:37:48 AM


Senator Obama is a train wreck, a tornado, earthquake and a hurricane all rolled up into one “typical” politician.

One simply does not know what he is or what he believes in. He keeps trying to change his colors in order to win. It looks like Obama’s chickens “are coming home to roost”.

GO, SENATOR CLINTON!

Posted by: CONCERNED | Apr 29, 2008 10:47:04 AM

Remember folks, some of the more bizarre and incendiary comments on these boards, and perhaps most of them, are from the Lush Rambo HRC for nominee contingent, right-wing nutcases many of them, Republican voters come fall every time. They are posing as both HRC backers and Obama backers in order to divide the Democrats and alienate us from sticking with the Dems if our choice is not the nominee. Don't fall for it--Dems must unite when this is over.

Posted by: stan | Apr 29, 2008 9:29:12 AM

HRC and her supporters may be hypocrits on this issues. But that's not unique. Any politician does that. Had the position reverse and Obama in HRC's shoe election result wise, he would advocate the same thing regardless of initial call. But what matter is I found democrates are really undemocratic. It's disenfranchisement of voters of two important states with their rules. I think the country is ripe for a third party. I wish HRC leaves the democrats and start a third party though unlikely, :( Dems has move too far left and not in synch with the mainstream american.

Posted by: JJ-VA | Apr 29, 2008 12:53:35 AM

VOTER “PHOTO ID” SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN ALL STATES.

OBAMA IS AFRAID TO DEBATE. HE CAN ONLY READ SPEECHES FROM A TELEPROMPTER — NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE OUR PRESIDENT!

WE HAVE 50 STATES — NOT 48! COUNT THEIR VOTES!

TODAY, THE DNC STRUCK A “MONEY DEAL” WITH OBAMA. THIS JUST MIGHT ASSURE HIM THE VOTES OF THE SUPER-DELEGATES. WE NEED TO GET RID OF DEAN, PELOSI, REID, KENNEDY AND KERRY.

HOW SAD FOR ALL AMERICANS. OUR VOTES DON’T MATTER — MONEY DOES!

THINK ABOUT TIES TO WRIGHT, AYERS, REZKO, FARRAKHAN, SINCLIAR, AMONG OTHERS!

WE NEED TO CLEAN OUT OUR WHITE HOUSE. WE NEED NEW REPRESENTATIVES FOR ALL 50 STATES! THINK BEFORE YOU VOTE FOR SENATORS AND CONGRESS MEMBERS.

VOTE HILLARY 2008!

Posted by: 4MYCOUNTRY | Apr 28, 2008 8:40:32 PM

Err....I meant stealing defeat from the jaws of victory.

Alas you know what I meant after all it is your history.

I wish there was an sane, centrist, common sense 3rd party that the intelligent people could vote in.

They would bury the Republicans and Democrats.

(shakes head)

Posted by: Chris, Jacksonville | Apr 28, 2008 5:15:24 PM

Boy I sure am glad to be an Independent. Reading these posts is enough to drive ANY sane, honest and reasonable person fromn the Democratic Party.

Continue with this and you will once again continue your glorious streak of stealing victory from the jaws of defeat and circular firing squads.

Hillary will not only lose the White House...but probably congress along with it.

Posted by: Chris, jacksonville | Apr 28, 2008 5:11:57 PM

This is another current example of Hillary's hypocrisy. The list goes on: In 2006 Hillary was refusing to have a single debate with her challenger for her seat because she was the front-runner. Now that she is not the front-runner, she considers 21 debates to be too few. She wants free air time and more opportunities to rehash the "scandals" that are the focus of her hollow campaign.

Posted by: MeMyself | Apr 28, 2008 1:46:41 PM

It's ridiculous that she wants to account FL and MG. She behaves like a kid playing games - wants to turn over what already made as a rule/voted for when she sees herself lost.

No account! If she insist, then half and half.

Posted by: bornjustice | Apr 28, 2008 12:02:38 PM

The Democratic leadership in Michigan is to blame for our delegates not being seated. They knew that the DNC would strip us of delegates if we voted early, and they deliberately ignored party rules and held the primary early anyways. Many people, myself included, voted differently (or not at all), knowing that it would not make a difference at the convention. Now that she is losing, Hillary wants to count the votes. WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISILLUSIONED IN MICHIGAN. COUNTING OUR DELEGATES NOW WILL ONLY FURTHER OUR DISILLUSIONMENT. Just do your best in the remaining contests, and don't worry that MI and FL would refuse to vote in the General Election. That is ridiculous - us folks up here in Michigan are even MORE excited to vote in the General Election! I hope to be able to vote for the candidate that has more delegates, more of the popular vote, and more electability - BARACK OBAMA!

Posted by: Jaime | Apr 28, 2008 10:03:46 AM

"Terry McAuliffe once threatened to strip Michigan of delegates" So what? he threatened, he didn't, he was wrong, what is the issue?

Posted by: libre | Apr 28, 2008 4:36:00 AM

People in Michigan and Florida are going to be very upset if their votes are not counted in this historical election. This needs to be fair. We are The United States of America.

Chris in Indiana
(where my vote will count....we need Michigan and Florida and all of the states to be fair!)

Posted by: chris | Apr 28, 2008 3:34:08 AM

Just Words?! Clinton Says Actions Matter - They Do!

CLINTONS:
Paula Jones - LIE
MONICA - LIE,
BOSNIA - LIE,
COLUMBIA - LIE,
IRAQ VOTE - LIE,
NAFTA - LIE,
WRIGHT ONLY FRIEND OF OBAMA NOT CLINTON - LIE,
RUNNING FOR 2008 BUT NOT FOR 2012 - LIE
RACE CARD - LIE
RE-OPENING MI, FL VOTE - LIE
OBAMA AS VP - LIE
POPULAR VOTE - LIE
FERRARO - LIE
FARRAKHAN NOT FRIEND FOR ED RANDELL - LIE
$105 MILLION ASSET, 50% NOT FROM LOBBYISTS - LIE
ENDING IRAQ WAR - LIE
BILL, not intentionally "RACE CARD" topic every primary day to capture more WHITE VOTES - LIE
NOT FLIP-FLOPING ON OBAMA ELECTABILITY IN DEBATE vs RALLY - LIE
CLAIMING HER FAILED HEALTH INSURANCE UNIVERSAL - LIE
BILL "NOT" Bombing other countries 7 times day before Monica's Court Appearance - LIE
HILLARY NOT USING 3AM Ad, "BIN LADEN" to use BUSH SCARE TACTICS - LIE
Last 20 YEARS its "BUSH+CLINTONS" like SADDAM HUSSAIN did to IRAQ REGIME. USA IS NOT REGIME - LIE

Do you really want to VOTE for 8 more years of these?

Posted by: kg | Apr 28, 2008 12:57:56 AM

Hi All,

We still have a horse race between two
good candidates.

The top candidate needs two win with
2025 or more delegates, but, must win
by a 369 vote over the 2nd place
candidate.

The 369 vote gap can be made moot if
the Dems ask and help pay for primaries
in Florida and Michigan.

Thanks and Good Luck

Posted by: Frank Henry | Apr 28, 2008 12:17:53 AM

With Hillary winning PA she has won ALL the BIG State's. People say "Obama has won more State's" Yes, true. But don;t you see taht the majority of these are SAFE REPUBLICAN State's? In some States not even 10,000 voters came out, compared to the millions in PA, FL, OH, and even MI.
As far as I am concerned, they better count our Votes of us in MI, and our friends in Florida. Obama is trying to get it his way. Too bad he wanted his name OFF THE BALLOT in MI, HIS CHOICE, unlike some of the folks on here trying to see he didn't have time to put it on.
Bullcrap. He was on the ballot in FL, and still lost by DOUBLE DIGITS. The Democrats pass him through as our nominee, this is one lifetime Democrat voter going to cross over to McCain.
No Obama presidency for me.
Shirley, MI

Posted by: ShirleyD | Apr 27, 2008 10:51:28 PM

Fact: all of the Democratic Party candidates agreed to respect the stripping of Michingan's and Florida's delegates, and to not campaign in those states. Fact: the voters in Michigan did not have a true choice in the Democratic primary, because Obama, Edwards, et al. were not even on th ballot because of the aforementioned agreement (not because they supposedly proscrastinated and missed the deadline). The results of the Michigan primary therefore don't truly represent the choice of the voters in that state, because they didn't have the ability to choose between all of the candidates officially in the race. Michigan's primary was an illegitimate primary no matter how you look at it.

Posted by: Jim | Apr 27, 2008 10:42:07 PM

Most ultra liberal democrats don't care about all of baracks baggage:
-James Wright's "god damn America" sermon,
-Antoine' Rezco, got barak's campiagn started, jailed political fixer
-domestic terrorists Ayers and Dorhn
these guys blew up 25 bombs in the US
-bitter small town Americans
-HAMAS in the church bulletin
-he admitted smoking crakc / cocaine

but most mainstream americans / democrats do:
see PA OH vote results and if the media got on barack earlier, he would never have won the earlier states he did...

FOR 16 months hillary got hammered and obama got a free ride... now that some of his skeletons are out of the closet he can't win dem primary... look at his rresults with PA AND OH DEMOGRAHPICS

smells like mcgovern
and dukakis and gore and kerry.. the ultra liberal democrats are going to give the whouse to mccain...

PA PUTS CLINTON BACK ON TOP
FLORIDA and PENNSYLVANIA are identical demographically speaking.

Barack will be painted quite easily as less than american - wright, rezco, ayers, dohrn, farrakhan, HAMAS in the church bulletin, and the list goes on...

The republican dirty tricks bag is limitless and they can't kill hillary --- her ideas wont die.

Hillary got tough questions for 16 months as the front runner, now obama cant handle the heat unless its from the end of his pipe or cigarette.

no smoking in the whitehouse
and yes ... he admitted smoking CRack in his youth.... if hillary did, she would be gone a long time ago.... Hillary fired her campaign manager in NHampshire for talking about it.... though ..the republicans are going to grind him into soup meat, if he wins ...

u can't win in November
WHEN IT COUNTS THE MOST
with out FLORIDA
and PENNSYLVANIA

Obama is electorally doa.

Posted by: demvoter | Apr 27, 2008 9:51:59 PM

Hillary, a matter of character: I landed in Bosnia under sniper fire (bluff). A pregnant woman in labor and without insurance wasn't accepted in a hospital. She died later on (bluff).She
(Hillary)has received more votes than her opponent in this election campaing(bluff)...and on, and on, and on.
Let's review:If she counts the Florida and Michigan votes, and gives Obama credit for the caucuses on those states, he is still ahead by more than 500,000 votes yet. Any other bluffs?

Posted by: Robert | Apr 27, 2008 9:14:29 PM

Hillary is liar... If you're willing to do or say anything to be President, then you don't deserve to be President... it is as simple as that.

Posted by: Vision Quest | Apr 27, 2008 8:03:40 PM

Doreen said: What this misleading article proves is that Ickes and McAuliffe never stripped Michigan and Florida of their delegates at any time. In addition, Hillary only promised not to campaign in Florida and Michigan, she never said that the votes shouldn't count. Hillary is entitled to these votes, she won them fair and square.

Here is another lie. Doreen you should get your facts straight before you post things.

CLINTON RHETORIC: "Let's talk about the agreement. The only agreement I entered into was not to campaign in Michigan and Florida. It had nothing to do with not seating the delegates. I think that's an important distinction. I did not campaign... that's not the case at all. I signed an agreement not to campaign in Michigan and Florida."

REALITY: Clinton Said "It's Clear" That The Michigan Primary Won't "Count For Anything"
Clinton Said "It's Clear" That The Michigan Primary Won't Count For Anything. Clinton, on why she stayed on the ballot for the Michigan primary said, "Well, you know, people in Michigan are flat on their backs. They have the highest unemployment rate in America. They are now grappling finally with what they are going to do with the auto industry. 1 in 10 jobs in America is tied to the auto industry which is -- the American auto industry, which as we know is centered in Michigan. You know, it's clear this election they're having isn't going to count for anything. But I just personally didn't want to set up a situation where the Republicans are going to be campaigning between now and whenever. And then after the nomination we have to go in and repair the damage and be ready to win Michigan in November 2008." [NHPR Interview, 10/11/07]

Clinton Campaign Said She Was "Not Participating in the Michigan Primary." Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said, "Clinton signed a pledge saying she will not campaign. She is not participating in the Michigan primary because she is not campaigning there. She is honoring the pledge." [New Hampshire Union Leader, 10/11/07]

Posted by: Dennis in Orlando, FL | Apr 27, 2008 7:46:41 PM

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