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Bill Clinton: Florida, Michigan Penalty "Appropriate"
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ShareMay 22, 2008 11:30 AM
ABC News' Rick Klein and Sarah Amos Report: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday flatly rejected a proposal by Sen. Barack Obama to penalize Florida by seating only half of its convention delegates -- despite the fact that former President Bill Clinton and other top Clinton campaign officials have floated that idea as a possible compromise.
In an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Obama, D-Ill., called the idea of cutting Florida's delegation in half "a very reasonable solution" to the party's stand-off over how to treat a primary contest that was not sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee.
Sen. Clinton dismissed the suggestion, saying she would insist on 100 percent representation for Florida.
"I think that is disingenuous but it's also insulting to the 1.7-million Floridians who actually turned out to vote," Clinton, D-N.Y., said of Obama's proposal, according to the newspaper.
But just last week, Bill Clinton called giving Florida half its delegates -- similar to how the Republican National Committee penalized the state for holding an earlier-than-allowed contest -- an "appropriate penalty."
"The Republican Party said 'OK, we'd like to win Florida in the fall so we are gonna invoke our rule, they got out of turn, we will seat their delegates as half a delegate and seat their superdelegates,' " Clinton said at a campaign event in Missoula, Mon. "That is an appropriate penalty."
Later in the same speech, he pointed out that the same penalty was applied by the GOP to Michigan, which also held a primary earlier than the party allowed.
"The Republican Party knows that John McCain is popular in Michigan and would actually have a chance to win, notwithstanding the fact that it is the most hard-hit state in America, so they did what the rules permit, they are sitting the Michigan delegates as half delegates," he said. "But the Democratic party because -- for a lot of reasons, they decided to destroy the Michigan campaign."
Two weeks ago, Clinton campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe said on NBC's "Meet the Press" said the campaign "certainly might" agree to a compromise whereby the primary results would be used to award half of the Michigan and Florida’s allotted number of delegates.
McAuliffe, a former DNC chairman, noted that such a penalty would be in accordance with the DNC's own rules.
"The rule is 50 percent," McAuliffe said. "Had they done that, we wouldn't be having this discussion."
Top Clinton adviser Harold Ickes was among the DNC members who voted last year to strip all of Michigan and Florida's delegates, though he has more recently insisted that the delegates be awarded to the two states.
"Both delegations should be seated," Ickes said on a conference call with reporters Thursday. "All delegates should be seated. And all delegates should have a full vote each."
Howard Wolfson, a Clinton spokesman, said Sen. Clinton's statement is accurate: The campaign is insisting that Michigan and Florida receive their full allotments of delegates.
"Our position is pretty clear and consistent," he said. "100 percent."
The Clinton campaign will make its case to seat the full Michigan and Florida delegations May 31, at a DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting in Washington.
Getting full representation for those states is critical to Clinton’s campaign strategy: Seating the delegations in full in accordance with the election results in those states would allow her to make up 71 delegates in her race against Obama, according to ABC's calculations.
It would also change the magic number needed for the nomination.
On the trail of late, Sen. Clinton has asserted that the number of delegates needed to secure the Democratic nod is 2,210 -- the number that assumes full delegate representation for Florida and Michigan. The DNC’s official number -- and the number used by the Obama campaign -- is 2,026.
May 22, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (132)
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This is not about the Voters having their voice heard.
This is about Hillary's Voice, which apparently she has found again.
The Voters are Secondary to Hillary's needs. She'd just as soon disenfranchise them all so she can play the victim rather than to compromise and seat the delegates.
All about Hills, always has been, always will be.
Posted by: The Commander Guy | May 22, 2008 11:37:45 AM
I agree... Full representation!
Posted by: The Commander Guy | May 22, 2008 11:47:00 AM
Follow the rules
Sex does not matter
Race does not matter
Follow the rules!
How can anyone of us be expected to abide by rules and laws, when they can summarily be changed and dismissed to accommodate a few.
Follow the rules that have been set!
Posted by: MyAudacity | May 22, 2008 11:55:31 AM
Seriously, if the roles were reversed and Obama was the one asking the delegates in these two states to be seated, would anyone actually think Clinton would feel the same way as she does now (which she didn't feel last year when her chances of winning were higher)?
If she somehow scams her way to the nomination, the Democratic party will be forever known as a joke and Clinton appeasers.
Posted by: Greg | May 22, 2008 12:03:20 PM
I predict many rule changes midgame in the future.
Posted by: Huh | May 22, 2008 12:05:17 PM
If it's HRC - I'll vote Bob Barr (L).
Posted by: MI VOTER | May 22, 2008 12:06:23 PM
Is this an example of how women should get ahead in society? Breaking the rules only come back to haunt you. Her campaign his been riddled with miscalculations, bad management (financial and political) and no concrete message to the voters from Day 1. She's quite frankly all over the place. I wish her well, but I also wish she'd tone it down and campaign for the people's best interests rather than her own.
Posted by: Jaxxon | May 22, 2008 12:08:11 PM
Bill is for the half delegates in Michigan and Florida.
McAuliffe (Hillary's campaign manager) wrote in his "What A Party!" book, that in 2004 as DNC chairman he told Michigan they would never be allowed anywhere near the city of the DNC Convention.
Ickes votes to punish Michigan and Florida.
Hillary told New Hampshire public radio that Michigan votes can't count because they refused to listen to the DNC rules.
Now, all of them are saying count the votes as they were cast. Obama gets 0 from Michigan because his name wasn't on the ballot.
Florida is a full vote.
Anything other than Hillary's proposal would be a travesty of justice.
No wonder polling numbers this week started showing Obama improving in Michigan and Florida.
In Michigan, Obama is ahead of McCain, while Hillary is trailing McCain.
Posted by: Debbie | May 22, 2008 12:08:12 PM
Obama must respect the will of the voters. DNC endorses Obama that why they don't want to count the votes. If he doesn't want to count, why we bother to vote in the primary. He tries to delay until he got the majority of superdelegates and he claim a victory.
Posted by: Stephanie | May 22, 2008 12:14:26 PM
Send Hillary back to New York, so that she can voted out of the Senate in the next election. She lies, cheat, grovels, whines and will say anything to get elected. Is it any wonder that the vast majority of Americans think she is very untrustworthy. She is like the woman in fatal Attraction!
Posted by: jld1959 | May 22, 2008 12:22:15 PM
MI Voter - Good choice. voting for Barr would be a good thing. I believe a 3rd party win, which isn't going to happen yet, would definetly be in America's best interests. I myself will write in Paul.
Posted by: Huh | May 22, 2008 12:24:31 PM
Voters in FL and MI were repeatedly told their votes would not count. How is it fair to disenfranchise those who stayed home because they were told votes would not count? The only "American" thing to do is play by the rules. Anything else would be "UnAmerican".
Posted by: davie | May 22, 2008 12:32:41 PM
ALL DEMOCRATS For 1 Second STOP thinking about who the nominee may be and think ONLY about the gereral election. The Democrats CAN NOT win the general election without Florida And Michigan.Florida and Michigan Delegates MUST be seated or McCain wins no matter who the Democrat Nominee is.Stop looking at MEDIA generated Polls. The Media is once again trying to control the out come of the general elected to favor themself and other Corporations.If Florida and Michigan are not counted than MOST of them will either not vote in the general election or will vote McCain or Independant.The VOTERS of Florida and Michigan VOTERS DID NOTHING WRONG, It was Republican and Democrat politicians that caused this mess!
Posted by: Matt | May 22, 2008 12:34:01 PM
Let's not kid ourselves here. She's got more of an emotional attachment to her naval lint than she does with the voters in those states.
According to the statements above, her ego is now so out of control, she's even at odds with her own campaign. WOW!
Old woman shakes fist at cloud.
Posted by: Texas Voter | May 22, 2008 12:36:22 PM
At heart I consider myself a democrat. This primary and the self serving arguments raised by senator Clinton and many of her advisors have made me rethink. I cannot agree with republicans.
For me, it is time to shake up the democratic party. Others might dream of the dream ticket, first woman or first black president. I am dreaming of Barack and his supporters splitting from the democratic party and to run as an independent candidate. Let the misinformed, race or gender biased votes be split by McCain and Hillary, rest will support Barack. THIS CAN WORK!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!! LET THE CHANGE COME!!!!!!!!!
An independent, intelligent president for the united states of america.
GO OBAMA!
Posted by: kshar | May 22, 2008 12:38:27 PM
Wait a minute. So the Clintons are proposing NO PENALTY for these two states who violated the rules. That they should be treated exactly the same as the 48 states who stayed within DNC rules. This sets a dangerous precedent for future nomination contests. Get ready for Iowa and 49 other states to all vote on the same day in 2012. There is no way they could enforce any penalty down the road of MI and FL receive no penalty for violating the rules.
Posted by: Wayne | May 22, 2008 12:38:38 PM
Matt - All indications are that the delegations will be seated at half strength by the Rules and Bylaws Committee. That committee has a plurality of members from the Clinton campaign, so you can't cry disenfranchisement there.
It will be all over soon. Trust me....
Posted by: Texas Voter | May 22, 2008 12:40:07 PM
Bottom Line: She pledged to honor the rule last Fall. She has broken her word. Ask yourself one question: What does this say about the character of this candidate? How will that character represent the honor of the United States? She broke her word. THAT is despicable. Period.
Posted by: Alexandra | May 22, 2008 12:40:19 PM
now why is it again that South Carolina was allowed to break the rules but not Michigan and Florida?
Hillary '08
Posted by: rd | May 22, 2008 12:44:23 PM
I agree... Full representation!
Pelosi, Dean, Kennedy, Kerry - are on to destrying the party's chance to win in November. We do not know what their agenda is!
What's Pelosi doing anyway in the Congress after they won the House?? Nothing so far!!!
Posted by: Jkan | May 22, 2008 12:44:33 PM
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