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In a surprising move toward reconciliation, Howard Dean has declared Florida’s delegates will be seated. Right now the only steps to doing this are in reaching a compromise between the two remaining Democratic candidates. This is a change in previous arguments, which made the blocking of Florida and Michigan’s delegates due to DNC policies.
According to Ken Thomas of the Associated Press, April 2, 2008:
Dean met with Florida lawmakers to discuss ways of allocating delegates among Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton and prepare for the fall campaign in the battleground state.
The party stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates to the national convention in Denver because they ignored party rules and moved their primaries to January.
“We are committed to making sure that we do everything in our power to seat a delegation from Florida,” Dean said. “We believe we will seat a delegation from Florida.”
But the party chairman said it was critical that Obama and Clinton were “comfortable with the compromises that have to be worked out.” The two campaigns did not have representatives at the hourlong meeting.
“It’s our hope that the candidates will join us in this effort and without them an agreement is not possible,” said Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.
Dean and Florida Democratic chair Karen Thurman released a joint statement after the meeting underscoring their intention to find a solution.
Dean also said discussions were continuing over Michigan and he was “optimistic” that the state’s delegates would also be seated.
Here’s the video clip of Dean from CNN:
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Much like the reaction of the Democrats to the supreme court decision in 2000, The rules established beforehand aren’t as important as a positive outcome for the Democrat party.
I guess that the fact Florida, and Michigan broke the rules doesn’t matter. I am not for any of the 3 candidates completely yet they all have some things about them I like and dislike (though I will be voting democrat; if I vote with this type of thing happening) but a move like that really makes my opinion of the democratic party waiver. If you can’t be expected to follow your own rules; why would I think you would follow the rules that protect me as an ordinary citizen. Rules are rules for a reason.
Just a thought
As a conservative, all I can do is sit back and enjoy the show. The DNC is going to destroy either candidates chance of winning in November.
Oh good old Howie is back in action. It won’t be long now till he sticks another foot in his mouth.
Stalin, I too am having a great time watching the blood bath take place in the democratic party. What will we do when it’s all over and there’s just a dem candidate, I guess we can’t forget about McCain, I’m sure we conservatives will be able to point and laugh as McCain will try and make the argument that he’s a “conservative liberal”.
Millions of people in Florida went to the polls to make their voices heard in the Democratic Presidential primary. They deserve to have their votes count.
Yes, they do, Curtis. Floridians went to the polls and voted on the day that their state government told them to, just as in every other state. They shouldn’t be penalized for that. Obama has spent some 1.3 million advertising dollars in Florida, he should want them counted as well.
Even if the voters were heard, Hillary doesn’t seem to think their delegates are committed to listen to them. I guess in that respect she sort of thinks every state is like Florida and Michigan - voting is a symbolic gesture only.
“There’s no such thing as a committed delegate” I wonder why she’s been fighting so hard for the people of Florida and Mass if she doesn’t really think that voters should have rights in this process.
Personally, I’m still quite upset that a revote hasn’t materialized in both states, and that both campaigns haven’t fully supported one. I really can’t believe what a mess this has become.
IndiMinded, do you think that a shorter primary period would have avoided a lot of the problems? I tend to think if the primaries were not so spread out time wise, that it would not have had time to get as petty as it has on a lot of fronts, to include a caucus vote in Texas that STILL has yet to count all the votes! I mean, shouldn’t there be a time limit on counting any kind of votes? How many elections are the Democrats actually holding here - a general election for voters gets counted, then the delegates, and then the superdelegates. And the big debate also seems to be which of these three will actually decide the nomination. And the longer the primary period, the more funds that has to be raised from taxpayers to pay for all the media blitz of infighting. And how many voters who voted in an early primary now have voters remorse and will change their vote in the general election just because there’s more info or mudslinging to take sides with now? How crazy is this system?
It’s a pretty crazy system - I do think they need to focus on one single method of voting. This combination method of primaries, caucuses, and superdelegates - Oh my! It’s a lot to take it and it mixes things up.
I think having the primaries less spread out than they are would definitely be a good thing. Not too short, because if everyone had voted in a month or so it probably would have been Hillary vs Guiliani as most people expected it would be, but ending it by April would seem pretty reasonable.
More than that though, I think issues like we saw in Florida and Michigan need to be sorted out better - obviously states that vote early have greater influence in the election than states that vote later. Obama’s win in Iowa was obviously more important to his presidential bid than his win in Wyoming - and Hillary’s loss there was obviously more devastating to her.
I don’t really blame Florida and Michigan for wanting to move their election up. My state was tied for 35th to vote - which actually meant something this year, but usually wouldn’t amount to much. I wish states would rotate their voting order raffle style, so that it wasn’t always Iowa where the races kick off. I’d really like to see some major voting reform for the primaries before next election.
I think the MI and Fl people should be upset with their own state representatives for putting them into this position. I don’t think their votes should count at all for several reasons.
1. Not all candidates were on the ballot in MI.
2. No campaigning in either state to give residents a real choice.
3. Each state broke the rules and knew it before they held their vote.
4. The people of both states also knew their votes wouldn’t count.
Other things to consider would be how many people voted for the only one on the ballot because there was no choice. How many people voted for the only name they clearly recognized. How many people didn’t bother because it wouldn’t count. Neither vote was fair and with a re-vote, wouldn’t be fair either because votes today may be different then what they were in Jan. I don’t think that Hillary Clinton would necessarily like the results of a re-vote.
I also think that FL needs to stop messing up the elections.
The only fair thing may be a 50/50 split, but it won’t solve any vote difference for the candidates. The thing is also that even if delegates are divided 50/50 anyone can change their vote at National.
Although, it wouldn’t please Clinton who agreed to abide by the rules then changed her mind when she realized how far behind she was. I guess for her it is only convenient if it goes her way.
At this point I dont want to hear another word about oral sex, bullets, or preachers. I dont care, Because the bigger issue is campaign funds from corporations and hidden deals to get enough money to win an election. Obviously bush is a good example of a how flawed the system is. They are the same on the issues, and when that happens I go with experience. We have horrible international relations right now but the Clinton name still is respected. Also the middle east has elected females into office, America hasnt… So which place is more backwards. And I dont care who you are Votes should count, and not split 50 50 that is not a solution, it eliminates the votes, leaving the problem the same as it already is and that is that millions of american voters are being denied a voice. Florida was always Hillarys she had the latin and older vote. Of course Obama doenst want them counted, but I promise you he would be singing a different tune, and if Hillary got her votes in Florida Obama wouldnt be as far ahead in the polls.
Seriously I no longer beleive in this country and its supposed democracy. Canada is looking better and better…..