Michigan Delegates May Get Seats

From the Detroit Free Press...

HTTP://WWW.FREEP.COM/APPS/PBCS.DLL/ARTICLE?AID=/20080217/NEWS15/802170638

ELECTION 2008

Mich. delegates may get seats, though it's unclear how
Second Dem vote not likely for state
February 17, 2008


WASHINGTON -- Pretty much everyone expects some or all of Michigan's delegates to be seated at this summer's Democratic presidential nominating convention in Denver.
It's the "how" that is anyone's guess.

Dismissed as a meaningless beauty pageant and ignored for campaigning by all the top Democrats, Michigan's Jan. 15 primary seems to be gaining influence because one of those Democrats, Hillary Clinton, didn't take her name off the Democratic ballot and, consequently, easily won the uncontested race.
Now, from political pundits to the candidates themselves, everyone is talking about Michigan -- and Florida -- as a razor-thin margin separates Clinton and Barack Obama.

<snip>

Former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard, who cochairs Clinton's campaign in the state, said the primary results should be certified because Obama had a chance to compete and didn't.

<snip>

What's next?

Officials will wait to see if results from contests March 4 in Texas and Ohio define a winner, though most experts expect the race to remain tight. In the absence of the emergence of a winner, the decision could fall into the lap of the party's credentials committee. And it's possible, if the race stays tight, that no compromise could be made for months if neither side blinks.

"I think the DNC is going to look at all the options, that you cannot disenfranchise the people who've already voted," said Gov. Jennifer Granholm. "The bottom line is Michigan's delegates will be seated."

<more>

Hillary getting desperate???

June 7th.

I think you'll be singing a different tune.

Yes, you may have a seat and look at the menu, but you have no say in what will be served.



Oh, and Please dont' forget to come out strong and vote Dem in November when you matter again.

:sarcasm:

.

Obama camp wants a re-try, a new primary.

If they do, I hope he shows up this time.

We the people of Florida have spoken, made our voices heard, we will not be shut out, we will not let the will of the people be overshadowed by the Howard Dean political machine. We will be counted or we will not be heard in november. If Howard Dean will not accept our votes now, he doesn't need them in November. This is the will of all floridians and we will not be pushed down as second class citizens. The constitution protects our vote and it will not be circumvented by Howard Dean.

forgot the sarcasm thing...

why would any Dem voter in FL or MI come out to support a party that tells them they are worthelss today?

I'm there, too.

since "uncommitted" came close to winning?

Proportional split?

Humilating that so many people voted against her?

A look at how Michigan's delegates would be divided
2/16/2008, 8:16 a.m. EST
The Associated Press

(AP) — If Michigan's Democratic delegates are seated at the national convention based the Jan. 15 primary results, Hillary Rodham Clinton would get 73 pledged delegates after winning 55 percent of the statewide vote. She also would get 16 pledged alternates and 10 committee members.

Another 55 delegates would be officially uncommitted to any candidate since 40 percent of the Democratic voters chose uncommitted on the ballot. Because Barack Obama and John Edwards had taken their names off the ballot, many of their supporters voted for uncommitted in the hopes of winning some delegates to the national convention. Five uncommitted alternates and 8 uncommitted committee members would go to uncommitted.

The state also has 28 superdelegates, many of whom have not endorsed a candidate.


http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-51/120316824291730.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

If seating Michigan and/or Florida delegates costs Obama the nomination I refuse to vote for Clinton. Period!

I will vote for the nominee. Neither of them was my first choice.

But I care about the Supreme Court, Iraq and many other issues.

Please vote.

You will not strong arm us. What bullies!

she had her fingers crossed behind her back.

Jesus, sometimes I think she's TRYING to make us despise her.

gives the nomination to Obama, many Clinton supporters will not vote, either.

And I have reiterated this when I called Senator Nelsons office, the FDP chair, and the DNC. However, it seems to be on deaf ear.

If Clinton wins the nomination, great. I can support her and will enthusiastically vote for her.

But if she wins the nomination because Florida and Michigan's delegates COUNT after it was agreed to that they would NOT count and a re-do with Obama on the ballot is NOT done, then I cannot vote for her. IF Obama goes into the convention with the most elected delegates and having won the most States, but Clinton wins the nomination on the strength of "super delegates," I cannot vote for her either.

please tell me it can't be possible for these delegates to take part in the convention. the unfairness boggles my mind.

I'm really disappointed in Jim Blanchard, a guy I voted for twice...and Jennifer Granholm, for whom I also voted twice. How can the people in the Clinton campaign be so craven?

This disgusts me.

As a Michigan voter, I do not want those delegates to take part. It's unfair and craven.

But Barack should have showed up.

And Edwards should have, too.

Leaders show up.

:evilfrown:

reside in the U.S. Constitution.

No one's rights will be forfeited as long as that document is the law of the land.

The right to vote is one of them.

The primary elections in America are run by their respective party's', by Party Rules.
The Federal Government has nothing to do with it.

The rules for DNC & RNC primary's are established by the rules committees and are voted on by the memberships. There has been lots of hard work and decision put forth to insure fairness throughout the Country as to who would vote when. Over the years the complaint has been, Iowa & New Hampshire were not representative (demographics) of the general population thus we needed to try a different voting time frame. That is why South Carolina & Nevada were added to the first votes.

Those rules were voted on and put in place. Those that broke them (Michigan & Florida) did so with full knowledge of what the consequences would be.

Instead of railing against the rules or the rule makers, I suggest you look no further than the Republican Legislature in Florida, and certain DLC types in Michigan when you cast blame for this.

:applause:


:toast:

you want Hillary to win bad enough to cheat??

because that's what you're doing. I wanted Edwards. If he had cheated and stayed on the ballot, and if he was desperate like you are, I still wouldn't want those delegates counted. I WOULDN'T WANT TO WIN BY CHEATING. That's Bu$h style.

Clinton supporters need to stop this shit while the rest of us still have some respect for them.

My 2 cnets

but I still don't think any of them should be seated.

And the superdelegates should vote for whom they wish, without being influenced by who is ahead in pledged delegates.

The decision is ultimately their's. I completely understand that. But I hope they wouldnt go against the will of the people.

Classy! :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

I've decided that if Hillary gets the nomination b/ of shady back door deals like this, then I'm done supporting these spineless, Puke lite, Democrats. Hello, irrelevant 3rd party... here I come.

Paul is dead?

B-)

:7:

EDIT: I just now noticed your username. I wouldn't have thought I was so damn clever if I'd paid attention to what it was. :blush:

Let's hope and pray they're seated. Then sit back and watch the fireworks begin as the Dems tear each other apart from limb to limb.
:popcorn:

Sometimes I feel like I'm swimming upriver on here.

I appreciate it!

But it makes you stronger.

Obama made the decision not to have his name on the ballot...Just like when someone chooses to NOT buy a lottery ticket and their numbers which they always play happens to hit that day he didn't play.

Yes, Michigan will seat all the Delegates.

It's clear now.

The DNC told Mich and Fla that if they held the primary on the dates they did, their delegates would not be certified. Taking the DNC at their word, Obama and Clinton vowed not to campaign in those states. Clinton, in an 11th hour end-run, reversed her position and did campaign. What's the purpose of a party if they don't establish and enforce well reasoned structure? Aren't most of the posters here often angry at the dems for not taking a principled position and sticking to it? The only fair alternative is splitting the ordinary delegates evenly between Clinton and Obama and letting the super-delagates follow their conscience.

Kucinich was the only one who campaigned in Michigan.

She advertised heavily in the four days preceeding the primary. That IS campaigning.

I didn't see one Hillary ad.

Not one.

The only ads I saw here was Obama's a couple of weeks after Jan 15th.

I would like to see some evidence of that, please.

If these votes were to help Hillary win the nomination--they will also be Hillary's poison pill. Those of us who will feel Obama got screwed will sit on our hands for the election. We might choke and vote for her--but many of us will not work for her. Much of the talk of dems standing up for fair elections will be undercut. It will be the same old Clinton sleaze in the eyes of many.

Once again Hillary will have put the interests of the Clintons above that of the party. She will reap the whirlwind of defeat in November.

I feel the same way about Obama. :)

So what you're saying is that if the party breaks it's own rules in favor of Clinton (when she's on the ropes) you'll
be a loyalist. But if they follow the rules that all candidates agreed to, you'll take your ball and go home; irs that right??

Hillary could conceivably win the General Election*- without the states won by Obama in the Primaries to date. Those numbers do not yet add up for Obama. It's too early to tell.

*electoral votes

http://www.fec.gov/pages/elecvote.htm

He and my stepfather are friends from way back... he was extremely helpful in getting out the Hispanic and Labor vote for Blanchard in the '80s. Blanchard is a good man.

And, he's right. As is Gov. Grandholm.

because most dems did take their name off the ballot--except Hillary and Kucinich. They were observing the DNC rules. Obama's name wasn't on it. Blanchard can say "Obama had his chance" but all the Dems, including HRC, agreed and changing rules at this late in the game is unfair. If Obama is leading in the delegates at the end of this there is no way that MI will be counted unless they want civil war at the convention.

It's called the U.S. Constitution.

Exactly where in the Constitution does it say that a political party can't establish the rules by which it choses it's candidates??

The US Constitution actually allows Parties to make their own rules, or so the consistent reading of the Court says.

Parties are private organizations that operate in a system of public elections. If Clinton really cared about their vote then she would have been much more vocal before the elections about counting everyones vote. Florida and Michigan wanted to move up so they could have a 'say' but they did that knowing the rules.

I think Clinton cares because Clinton is loosing.

..to not campaign in these states until after the primaries. It was not required to take their names off the ballots.

with the the exception of Clinton, Kucinich and Gravel (if I'm correct).

Not going along with the gang on that didn't reflect well on Clinton, in my opinion.

I have always been a supporter of both Clintons....with votes and money. I purchased 100 copies of Joe Conason's "Hunting of the President" which I've given out to rightwingnut friends over the last decade. I worked on both of Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns. I campaigned in northern New York for Sen. Clinton during her last Senate campaign.

It's a great disappointment to see them fight so hard for the Michigan and Florida delegates when they know full well what the party rules were/are. Shame on them and all of you who are so willing to break the rules. We can't win that way!

What a mess it's all been though.

It's basically a huge piece puffing up saying "There's a chance Michigan delegates might get seated" with no details or any real development other than a quote from Granholm who doesn't make that call.

Meaningless.