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Bill Clinton Says No Re-Vote in MI and FL is a Deliberate Attempt to Disenfranchise Voters
March 24, 2008 3:01 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Former President Bill Clinton celebrated the Polish holiday Dingus Day in South Bend, IN this morning, rallying Hooisers around his wife Hillary's campaign. Clinton had strong words when talking about the decision not to hold new primaries in Michigan and Florida, saying the decision is "a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise" voters.
"I must say that this new strategy of denying and disempowering and disenfranchising the voters in Florida and Michigan is, I believe, a terrible mistake. Hillary believes their votes should be counted. And I don't know how we're gonna go to those people in the general election and say you gotta vote for us even though we dumped all over you in the primary," Clinton told a crowd at the Westside Democratic Club in South Bend.
Clinton later warned a crowd at a nearby Elk's Club of the same problem by keeping Florida and Michigan out of the primary process, adding that Senator McCain is a strong candidate in both Michigan and Florida, but Hillary is stronger. A re-vote in Florida and Michigan would greatly benefit Senator Clinton's attempt to gain delegates and overtake Sen. Obama, D-Ill., in the popular vote. Senator Clinton won both of the original primary votes, however, she was the only major candidate to appear on the Michigan ballot and none of the candidates campaigned in either state.
The former President also spoke confidently about Hillary's chances in a general election, "I believe she will win Ohio, Florida, West Virginia and Arkansas, four states we have lost the last two times. If we win Ohio and Florida it is inconcieveable that we can lose the election," Clinton told a group at a local Elks Club. "Look if we win these four states we will win the White House, there is no point in doing this if we are not going to win," reiterated to the crowd.
Clinton was joined by his daughter Chelsea, who told the crowd she would be spending lots of time in Indiana this week, visiting colleges and talking with young voters across the state. Former Lt. Governor of Maryland, and daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, Kathleen Townsend, joined the Clintons on the stump today. Townsend spoke of her fond memories of South Bend and how one of the first songs her parents taught her was the Notre Dame fight song. Clinton now heads south in the Hooiser state, with three more camapign stops for Hillary today.
March 24, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (128)
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I agree with Bill this is just stupid we all know that no one will ever believe this is right how unfair have we gone crazy?
Posted by: Bishop | Mar 24, 2008 3:12:53 PM
I have always been a Bill Clinton fan, however, I am getting very tired of his shenanigans. He knew exactly what he was doing with his comments this past weekend when he implied that Barack is not patriotic and here he goes again. FL & MI broke the rules and they knew they were breaking the rules. Obama 2008!!!
Posted by: pt | Mar 24, 2008 3:17:05 PM
Good for you president clinton. Its true he slants this for his wife, but what he is saying is TRUE. Its also a fact that both Hillary and Obama agreed the vote shoulndt count, but neither thought they would need the vote to put them over the top.
Hanging them out to dry -yet NEEDING SUPERDELEGATES to decide the thing - is just plain stupid.
If Howard Dean knew that the race would be this close, and the SUPER DELEGATES would have to decide it, then he would never have taken all the delegates away. He probably would have gone for a 1/2 thing like the republicans.
The fact is OBAMA is not so secretly trying to BLOCK the revote. This is totally uncool, and Mc Cain will hit Obama over the head with it in the general election.
Obama is unelectable folks. Dont make the mistake of RAMMING him down our throats because he won caucus's and red states he cant win in the general election
Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 24, 2008 3:17:17 PM
Dem. supposes to win this election but
commit Harakiri itself. How can we do
enfrancise two very large important
states like Michigan and Florida and
expect to win the election?
Posted by: Ted | Mar 24, 2008 3:21:34 PM
I bet Brett Farve would sure like to re-do that last interception he threw. YOU DO NOT CHANGE RULES AT HALFTIME. Why don't people understand this? Many people didn't even vote in FL & MI because they knew it wouldn't count and the candidates did not campaign there so you can't count those votes. I don't understand why Hillary left her name on the ballot in MI. Obama 2008!!
Posted by: pt | Mar 24, 2008 3:24:03 PM
How can you not count two large states like Michigan and Florida? You will have some ###### off democrats come November
Posted by: Nick | Mar 24, 2008 3:25:16 PM
I only have one question to the American public
WHO WANTS A PRESIDENT THAT WILL NOT SALUTE THE AMERICAN FLAG AND WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN MADE BY ALL CANIDATES IN THIS POLITICAL MESS?
I had thought Obama was the right person for the job until I read and saw this. NO MORE.
Posted by: Barbara Pazienza | Mar 24, 2008 3:25:29 PM
When the DNC decided to exclude Florida and Michigan, Clinton went along with it and approved it. But just as a little extra "insurance", she went to Florida the day of voting, which none of the other candidates did. She also put her name on the Mich. ballot which none of the others did. Maybe she was preparing for a "just in case" scenario such as the one that is transpiring now. I don't think Hillary ever expected to go up against a strong candidate like Barack and now she refuses to acknowledge she is not going to win the nomination.
Posted by: jon sid | Mar 24, 2008 3:26:24 PM
Bill Clinton is 100% correct this time. The voting situation in Florida and Michigan SHOULD be unconstitutional. The public is being excluded from the election process; this doesn't sound like the same America in which I was born. Florida and Michigan are worried about the "cost". How about the "cost" to our way of life? The entire nominating process needs an overhaul, with every state holding a BINDING primary election on the same date, along with abolishing the conventions. Caucuses should be outlawed completely.
Posted by: Rhys | Mar 24, 2008 3:27:49 PM
Nobody has EVER won the white house when losing the Ohio, Pennysvannia and California primiaries. Ever. Not once. Forget it. Finished.
But hey, Obama has won more caucus's and red states he has no hope in during the general election.
See how electable he is !!!!!
This too was before the Wright scandal . Now, if you were to redo the votes, he doesnt have any advantage whatsoever.
If the democratic party insists on putting up a guy who will get perpetually SAND BAGGED AND SWIFT BOATED all thru the general election, they are dumber than I thought.
But then again, its all backed by Kerry and Kennedy and Pelosi, the biggest losers in the democratic party.
Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 24, 2008 3:29:15 PM
Folks, I wonder why everyone thinks Mccain will win in Nov. He's the oldest candidate ever (out of touch with most folks), and he's got only one thing to run on-Iraq, and that's going bad. Dems, finish this fight for the nomination quickly and let's take the Mccains on.
Posted by: Rxy | Mar 24, 2008 3:34:18 PM
tomdavie, I've never been a Hillary Clinton "fan", but I am now! BHO's dirty laundry has been displayed early enough that we can see through the charisma and oratory. Let's hope it's not too late. Old Man McCain's chances have improved greatly in the last couple of weeks, but if the Democrats still want to get into the White House it will be through Hillary, if at all.
Posted by: Rhys | Mar 24, 2008 3:35:17 PM
I don't buy the disenfranchized argument with FL & MI. If I was from one of these states I would not vote for McCain because some idiots from my state elected to move the primary up, which everyone knew was against the rules. I would not vote for McCain and continue this terrible war indefinitely, just because I want to get back at the DNC..... Let's give FL & MI votes more credit than that. Obama 2008!
Posted by: pt | Mar 24, 2008 3:36:35 PM
Here we go!
Can you see the red-faced former president trying to change the election rules now that Hillary is mathematically defeated by a total newcomer? Whining and crying, lying and conflating, indignant finger pointing, the whole sleazy Clinton bag of tricks. Takes me back to the 1990s. She's already getting caught in a bunch of campaign lies about NAFTA, Bosnia, you name it. These people are either pathetic or hilarious.
Posted by: matt | Mar 24, 2008 3:40:08 PM
Against the "rules"? WHOSE rules?! Since when do party officials in their "smoke-filled rooms" behind closed doors have the right to decide for whom we can vote? This is "Boss Tweed" politics, which went out of style in the 1930's. We need OPEN elections, or our system is no better than Russia's, where voters have a choice of one candidate. If you don't call it "disenfranchised", what DO you call it?!
Posted by: Rhys | Mar 24, 2008 3:44:15 PM
I only hope Hillary doesn't give up; she is our last chance! Keep fighting, Hillary!
Posted by: Rhys | Mar 24, 2008 3:45:48 PM
I feel that the people who voted in MI and FL should have their votes counted. The heck with a re do.
Obama be DAMNED just like his Minister says. Obama is not for a ONE America he is only for a BLACK America
Posted by: Joyce | Mar 24, 2008 3:46:18 PM
These Obama lovers keep saying he has 'mathematically eliminated' Clinton. Im cracking up. Obama cant get 2024 delegates. He NEEDS the super delegates.
The super delegates need to pick the person who is most electable. Not just do what the Obama zombies want. Obama is unelectable now.
The super hype has been exposed. The media shield is gone. He cannot close the pandoras box and go back to his MESSIAH days.
The Obama lovers insist somehow Obama has won? He CANT WIN . He CANT get 2024 delegates on his own. The super delegates must decide. If Obama is unelectable, then they aint nominating him are they?
Idiots.
Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 24, 2008 3:46:32 PM
Not only did Howard Dean pull a brain #### on taking ALL the delegates away, he needs to get RID of these stupid caucus's. Primaries mirror a general election. They should have 50 primaries to select the nominee. Caucus's disenfranchise too many elderly and others who cant come within the couple of hours specified.
Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 24, 2008 3:48:46 PM
Rhys, these are the RULES set up by each party. I too wish there were not an electorial college, since Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000. (Sure would have saved this country from the HUGE mess we have now.) It sounds like you never played sports otherwise you would understand why there are RULES. Let's all hope FL & MI don't screw up again in the Fall........ Obama 2008!!!
Posted by: pt | Mar 24, 2008 3:49:42 PM
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