- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Clinton Meets With Party Elite to Count Florida & Michigan Vote
May 07, 2008 6:06 PM
ABC News' Matthew Jaffe and Z. Byron Wolf Report: The day after a tight win in Indiana and solid loss in North Carolina, Hillary Clinton spent ninety minutes Thursday convincing superdelegates of her case for staying in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"I met with a number of members of Congress and others who have a role to play in this process," Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., said as she emerged from the Democratic National Committee offices on Capitol Hill in Washington.
"We talked a lot about Florida and Michigan. There was a demonstration here right before I got here from West Virginia and I think that everybody realizes that we've got to resolve what's going to happen with the delegates from Florida and Michigan. And I'll continue to emphasize and stress that we cannot disenfranchise those voters and I hope we'll have a resolution," she said.
In the two hours Clinton was inside the DNC, several members of Congress came and went but only Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Penn., confirmed he met with Clinton and a number of others said that they were not there for that purpose.
Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates by the Democratic party when those two states leaped ahead of others in the primary calendar. They held votes but in Michigan, Obama's name did not appear on the ballot and both candidates agreed not to campaign in either state.
"I'm staying in this race until there's a nominee," Clinton told reporters at a press conference in West Virginia on Wednesday.
When asked if she would accept Obama as the party's nominee if he reached 2,210 delegates, Clinton praised the reporter for using the 2,210 instead of 2,025 calling it "the right figure".
I'm glad you used the figure 2,210 because I think that's the right figure because that includes the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan something that I have said consistently as I have said consistently for months now," Clinton said without directly answering the query.
With roughly 18 delegates (of the 187 that were at stake Tuesday) left to be allocated, Obama is 182 delegates shy of reaching the magic number 2,025 to secure the nomination. Clinton is 346 delegates away -- that is roughly 70% of the total remaining pledged and unpledged (super) delegates left to be allocated.
ABC News' David Chalian, Eloise Harper, Jake Tapper and Karen Travers contributed to this report.
May 7, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (139)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Wah wah wah - I am losing - let changes the rules until I can win!
Posted by: jozy | May 7, 2008 6:17:58 PM
How much more lying smears against Obama from Clinton do we have to put up with? Let's get this straight. Florida and Michigan should NOT count - they broke the rules and were disqualified. That's the way it works and procedure was followed. This call for those votes to count is only because she cannot possibly win without them(9even with them it's unlikely). If the roles were reversed, she would support their disqualification from the contest. She is the biggest hypocrite you can possibly imagine.
Posted by: jegmeister | May 7, 2008 6:41:21 PM
Obama is all bs. There are millions of us dems who will never support BO. He is just another McGovern, only without any military service.
Posted by: al | May 7, 2008 6:42:12 PM
You know..I really try sometimes to give Hillary the benefit of the doubt...
but, c'mon...why does she keep wanting to change the rules everytime her campaign falters??? I sincerely doubt she would care much about poor, "disenfranchised" voters if they would count in Obama's favor. I bet if Barack tried these arguments the Clinton campaign would loudly proclaim 'FOUL!" with ample righteous indignation about Obama trying to change the well-established and agreed upon rules. It IS time to gracefully step aside Mrs. Clinton.
Posted by: michael | May 7, 2008 6:43:16 PM
Always two sets of rules one for her and one for the rest of us.This woman has no clue what to do she is wasting money,people have spoke and said she can leave now.Do not ruin this party anymore then you have already done.You will not be VP if you are I will stay home and not vote at all.They would have you killed off like many others and she would be Pres,, she is dirty and underhanded so put nothing past her ....
Posted by: older wh lady | May 7, 2008 6:45:29 PM
If Obama had won the votes in Florida and Michigan...Clinton would not be campaigning for them to be counted. She would be saying "Sorry, those were the rules the party decided on...Obama don't be a whiner and a rule-breaker. It's not fair to change the rules in the middle of the game...blah blah blah."
Obama wasn't even an option on the Michigan ballots. The candidates vowed to not campaign in those two states..but Clinton decided to do a brief campaign in Florida anyway.
If she wants to count the votes..then they need to have a second primary after BOTH candidates have the opportunity to campaign there.
Posted by: Justme | May 7, 2008 6:50:14 PM
Listen up, Dems out there: there are MANY MANY MANY Dems like me, who have always voted Democrat, but who will NEVER NEVER NEVER vote for Obama! I will vote for McCain before I let that dangerous liar Obama into the Whitehouse. This goes beyond party affiliation: my country and my family's safety and security is most important. If the Dems nominate Obama as their candidate, you have given the whitehouse to the GOP with a big red bow. COUNT ON IT.
Posted by: doublestandard | May 7, 2008 6:52:25 PM
doublestandard -- I think you'll have to use something a bit more concrete that your *conclusion* that Sen. Obama is a "dangerous liar" who threatens safety and security. Would you care to be more specific? I'm an Obama supporter and lifelong Democrat who decided several months ago that I would not be able to vote for Sen. Clinton if she were the nominee. If asked to explain my reasons for that decision, I could have recited them - chapter, verse and citation to supporting documents and reports. All I'm asking is that you do the same. Thank you.
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 7, 2008 6:58:49 PM
doublestandard
there isn't as many of you as you think...
if the choice is between a candidate who will overthrow roe vs. wade and keep us at war and destroy healthcare and send us into even more dangerous territory because he has no way with his foreign policy stance to change the view of us from the world at large...
and a man who has already changed the face of politics and the bar for running with his campaign...
if you choose the former...you'd be both dumb and hurting every generation to come... and if you have kids I hope you will be happy when they come and ask and you have to say you voted ofr McCain.
Posted by: dl | May 7, 2008 7:02:04 PM
Hillary Clinton has officially crossed the threshold to become the Democratic version of Huckabee!
Posted by: ron | May 7, 2008 7:09:57 PM
It's about time Americans stand up for something goog, special, and that is really worth fighting for - that's Obama. The first African-American, who has been able to challenge the whole Clinton Clan and defeated them in what they know how to do best till date. For a "freshman" to have done this without much sweat, it goes along way to show that the republicans will not be able to stop him. No Debate. Afterall, we all know the end result between David and Golaith.
Posted by: Justin | May 7, 2008 7:10:09 PM
Lets not disenfranchise American voters cause their Republican controlled states voted for early elections. If it were YOUR vote would ya CARE? Why doesn'tMr Obama who refuses to let thse two states vote again? The re-votes are being paid for by private donations. I don't see why every American vote is a CHANGE in the RULES?? its unconstitutional to disenfranchise an American's vote..Just ask B.O.
Posted by: DaneNM | May 7, 2008 7:10:49 PM
DaneNM: That's where your wrong. Both legislators in MI are controlled by Dems. and the gov. is a Dem. (and a Clinton supporter) as well. Get your facts straight!
Posted by: ron | May 7, 2008 7:12:21 PM
Justin,
I am sick of hearing that Obama is the first African American.... Can you stop pointing that out? Hillary, on the ohter hand, is the first woman... but few pepople are mentioning that.. It's all about Barry, the African American.. Posts like yours reveal the truth: this election has been all about race!
Posted by: DMK | May 7, 2008 7:13:20 PM
Again, don't you really think Dems can save US economy? The one fundamental difference between Dems and Reps is: Reps perfers tax cut and smaller government while Dems prefer tax increase and more government control. They are different approaches, the question is which approach will be the best to boost our economy?? No one has a clear and convincing answer...
Posted by: True Truth | May 7, 2008 7:13:27 PM
One more point...even if FL and MI were counted completly as they are right now, Clinton would still be behind...its over.
Posted by: ron | May 7, 2008 7:13:48 PM
As a republican I want to extend my most sincere thanks to senator Obama for allowing us the best chance to compete and win in November. once again, Thanks.
Sincerely yours
Michael Mouse
Posted by: Michael Mouse | May 7, 2008 7:15:02 PM
Michael Mouse: Right, because John "bomb, bomb Iran" Mccain stands a big chance of winning....LOL!!!
Posted by: ron | May 7, 2008 7:16:10 PM
5% is all it will take and thier are many of us you will see jsut like Kennedy and Carter hello McCain. When 180,million go to vote you will see Rev Wright and much more.
Posted by: Bishop | May 7, 2008 7:17:32 PM
OBAMA NATION!!! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!
We worked hard to get where we are. Let's do it again in November!
Signed,
A Fellow Obamanite!
Posted by: Que | May 7, 2008 7:17:56 PM
Post a comment



