Don't you think you should mention why Obama's campaign has a problem with the current revote plan?

Although Michigan has always run open elections, which allow voters to vote in whatever primary they prefer, voters who participated in the Republican primary in January could not vote in the June election under the proposed law. This class of voters includes Democrats and Independents who chose not to vote in the invalid Democratic primary at the time because the majority of active candidates did not appear on the ballot and the results would not be accepted under party rules.

This provision raises a significant constitutional question and, along with it, the prospect for litigation that would undermine the perceived legitimacy of the election and bring preparations to a standstill under circumstances in which such delay is effectively fatal. The claim here could also be presented to the party, under party rules, with a similar effect of putting the election and its results in serious question.

The burden on voters here is one of complete disqualification--they cannot participate in the Democratic primary in June if they voted in the January Republican primary. Their claim of a violation of their rights would rest on the fact that that the state "changed the rules in the middle of the game." These voters' choice was entirely reasonable in the circumstances: there was no valid Democratic primary available to them at the time, and they could not know that, when their choice was made, that they were disqualifying themselves from participating in a re-run Democratic primary this year that they could know would be held.

Posturing won't help.

With no way to prevail barring a suicidal (for the party) insider coup, it's time.

5 years Iraq

http://ccoaler.blogspot.com/2008/03/5-ye ars-iraq-bush-speech-prerelease.html

Bush speech prerelease/final americablog/final cnn

http://ccoaler.blogspot.com/2008/03/us-r ep-murtha-endorses-clinton-for.html

U.S. Rep. Murtha endorses Clinton for president

Murthas endorsement comes at a time when Obamas bein accused of treating Iraq second best-March 19th:day of Iraq invasion
Pennsylvania

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/ 2008/president/nc/north_carolina_democra tic_primary-275.html

Obama's lead in NC is gone -- down to one point.

And the latest PPP poll says Obama loses OH to McCain, while Hillary wins.

Taegan Goddard has looked at the data and says:

Rift Forming in Democratic Party
Two new Public Policy Polling surveys testing general election match ups in the swing states of Florida and Ohio reveal possible trouble for Democrats.

Key finding: Obama is polling under 60% with white Democrats in both states, while Clinton is polling under 55% with African Americans.

"That's an indication that the bad feelings between supporters of the two candidates could have bad implications for Democratic prospects this fall, particularly if folks end up feeling that the nominee was not chosen through a fair process."

Hope those Michigan pols know what they're doing.

If Hillary Clinton was indeed a champion of voter's rights she would have been vigorously advocating all the while for a comprehensive re-vote in Michigan.  But she didn't.  Let's recall that she is on record as saying that the elections in that state would not count.  Then, after things started looking grim for her campaign, she begin telling us that she deserved to have those delegates seated, even though Obama and Edwards weren't on the ballot.  Now, she's back in Michigan trying to bullshit the voters there into thinking that she was on their side all along.  This whole thing has been a transparent, self-serving charade.

If Obama had come out ahead in the Michigan vote, would Hillary be standing up and righteously defending the rights of Michigan voters to be included?  Anyone who can answer 'yes' to that one with a straight face is a master of denial.

Ha.

CNN just cut away from Obama talking about Iraq to Clinton talking about trying to seat the Florida and Michigan delegates.

Striking difference on the 5th anniversary of our invasion of Iraq.

...but it strikes me as perhaps relevant to note that Senator Clinton didn't care about counting these votes untill after Iowa and NH had already voted.  Which is why she signed a pledge not to campaign in the states & affirmatively stated that the primaries would not count for anything.  

I didn't like the DNC's decision when it was made and don't necessarily have any problem with a revote.  But presenting this issue as HRC as an altruistic protector of voting rights and BHO as trying to run out the clock strikes me as overly symplistic, to say the least.  

"    I will protect and cherish the right to vote.  I will always defend your right to vote no matter whom you choose to vote for. "

Translation: I will fight as hard as I can to stay in this thing.

I can't believe that people take her seriously on this issue at all.  If she truly felt this way she NEVER would have agreed to the DNC deal in the first place.  She did so, b/c she didn't think it would matter to her nomination.  Now, FL and MI represent her only hope; so she's hanging on to them as tight as possible while casting herself as some sort of champion of voting rights.  And it's bullshit.  It's not consistent with her earlier statements or actions whatsoever.  Only with political expediency.

Lies.

Why is MyDD so pro-Hillary?

You know fully well that Michigan was not be contested, as agreed to by all candidates.

By the way, how's Hillary coming along with that pro-Iraq War vote?

Well, what are 100,000s of Americans and millions of Iraqi lives worth? Certainly not an apology!

Obama loses nothing with a revote in Michigan. Even if he lost it would amount to very little in total delegates and the popular vote is likely to be very very close. You have no idea what's going on behind the scenes with the Obama and Clinton folks. The continual pro Clinton spin in your postings is thinly veiled and gets tiresome.

The bottom line is that in ethical terms the votes shouldn't count. Signed agreement by all candidates. Clear choice to defy the DNC. We teach our kids about being held accountable for breaking the rules and about consequences. Then we teach them that political expediency is more important.

Clinton and Co. are understandably clawing for every vote, strategizing, manipulating. Then when Obama does that he's
accused of obstructing.

Nice game.  Won't work this time.

MP

HRC '08 is now banking on their interpretation of what the meaning of "participate" is.

"I will protect and cherish the right to vote."

Uh, how does that square with the Clinton effort to delay the Texas caucus vote count?

Oh, that's different.

By the way, it's the 5th anniversary of our invasion of Iraq.  What does Clinton have to say about that today?  Nothing?  Nothing at all?

Well, that's so . . . puzzling.

Why didn't she care in January?

MEMORANDUM

TO: DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee Members
FROM: Alexis Herman & James Roosevelt, Jr., Co-Chairs DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee
RE: Update on Proposed Michigan Legislation
DATE: March 19, 2008

We have recently been asked whether the legislation as proposed by Michigan would fit within the framework of the National Party's Delegate Selection Rules. Our review of this legislation indicates that it would, in fact, fit within the framework of the Rules if, it were, passed by the state legislature and used by the Michigan State Democratic Party as the basis of drafting a formal Delegate Selection Plan. If a formal Delegate Selection Plan is received we will convene a meeting of the RBC to consider such a Plan.

We look forward to talking with you soon.

So, Obama said he would abide by what the DNC said. They have spoken. What say you, Obama?

   now she's using the "Democrats are turning out in record #'s" argument, while in the past, mocking such Democrats as "latte liberals" b/c...in case y'all forgot, Obama is beating her in the popular vote.

  Clinton will really go in any direction. It's quite pathetic. What should've been an easy nomination for her is now all but lost thanks to her own arrogance and deceptive tactics. Good riddance.

  One other point. I can't believe that more people on this site are not outraged over her comments praising the GOP nominee John McCain while bashing Barack Obama. She may have handed McCain the rationale for his candidacy. Had Obama done that, y'all would've blown a gasket. Why the hell do y'all let Hillary get away with that crap?

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id= D8URO9HG0&show_article=1

Clinton's advisor Harold Ickes is one of the DNC officials who voted to exclude FL and MI as a penalty for moving their primary up in the schedule.

Harold, would you like some mustard on your crow?

Perhaps, instead of all these ra-ra diaries, someone should post a discussion of the actual details of this proposed re-vote.  It's dishonest to say that either candidate is for or against "enfranchising" Michigan voters when we don't even have the full details of the plan, nor has there been a credible explanation as to how certain of the rumored details (such as the exclusion of people who voted in the Republican primary) are fair.

Looks like it's dead anyways

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0 308/Doover_is_dead.html

March 19, 2008
Categories: Primary Calendar

'Do-over is dead'

The headline from MIRS, Michigan's Hotline:

Ding-Dong, Do-Over Primary Is Dead

"Time of death for the do-over Michigan primary? Call it at about 11 a.m. today."

A Lansing insider IMs to explain:

   The Senate Dems just had a long caucus meeting following their long phone call with the Gang of Four [as Carl Levin and others pushing a re-vote are called], and the result is that no one moved. Votes aren't there. Thus, it will not go to a vote in the Senate. And barring some other last minute miracle that doesn't involve those four, the Governor, and Hillary traveling to Michigan, it is dead as a doornail.

In my estimation, Hillary is near finished at this point.  She cannot win enough delegates without MI and FL included in the mix, and that's not going to happen.

>> In my estimation, Hillary is near finished at this point.  She cannot win enough delegates without MI and FL included in the mix, and that's not going to happen.

But that's OK.  She'll remain in the race anyway, destroying the Democratic party in the process.  This campaign has always been about one thing: Hillary.

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is a half-Nelson.

If you don't count Michigan and Florida, don't count on them in November.  Obama doesn't want those states to vote again because he knows he can't win them, especially Florida.  If Obama wants to give rights back to American, he needs to support a recount.  Hell, he's got the money to run a campaign there, so what's the problem Barak baby?

The Democrats can't win without those two states.  COUNT THE VOTES!!!

Barack Obama is a liar,,,

To all
Obama speech ,,,, Not sure if you caught Not only did Obama,,, Refuses to denounce him,, but even More,, He say in his own words,,,
Barack Obama was in church when Jeremiah Wright,, was spewing Anti-American, Racist ism ,,,, Those were his own words,,, barack was there
After going on keith Oberman ,Show obama said he would denounce that if he heard that language he would leave and not tolerate it , and denounce it
After he went on MSNBC,, he went on FOX CNN ABC< all the news station saying he was never there,,, in his church when he said these things,,
But Now today during his speech,,He states flat out Say's HE was there,,, Last week Barack Obama Lied,, went on all the news stations, and Lied,,
But your not reporting that,,,, You can rest assure,,, cnn ,,, Fox , ABC,,, Msnbc,, are getting more on this ,,, they will be reporting on this, and we will see
If you chose to report, Obama Lying on tv,,, If this was Hilary clinton lying and caught lying on all the new station,,, you can be sure,, you would talk about it every hour
people will be on your station debating this,,,, people analysing , if it is hilary clinton but it was not her it was Barack Obama, ,, it bad enought He lied, about being in church
With Jeremiah Write, when he said these anti american ,,,,,and still refuse to denounce him...all the news agency want to do is speak on how good his speech was,
Not that he lied,,, Last week on all the news agency ,, He was never there today in how own speech He say I was there,,,,should play all Obama videos from last week
stating he was not there,,, or heard any of the anti-american Jeremiah Write, said in his churc then play his speech today saying he was there and he did hear him in church and refuse to denounce Jeremiah Write,,,

I think the idea of a re-vote is best.  I wish there could be a re-vote in Florida as well, and I thik not seating the FL and MI delegates is a form of disenfranchisement.  However, it is a disenfranchisement caused by neither of the candidates or the DNC but the state parties.  Hence, the states need to find the money and best approach to fix the problem they brought upon themselves.

I also struggle with Hillary claiming the mantle of righteousness on this issue not only because it contradicts her earlier stance, but because her argument has been not simple to re-vote but to accept the votes as is.  She is endorsing a plan that beyond any doubt is unethical and lays the groundwork for much more division and chaos within the DNC in the primary season of 2012.  

I agree that one can criticize the Obama camp for being slow on the uptake.  However, his stance has more consistently fit with the best interests of the Democratic party as whole, and I applaud him for that.  Hillary's stance has shifted in whichever direction best suits her need.  This, to my view, can not be applauded.

Lastly, someone earlier called Obama's speech yesterday simply politics. I do not consider myself naive, and I understand that on some level everything is political.  But his speech transcended politics and to deny that is to deny not just his candidacy but his identity and experiences  as a black man in America.  If Hillary gave a personal and upfront speech on gender issues, I, for one, would not dismiss it as mere politics.  

Let us be part of the equation that lifts the discourse and raises the nation, not reductive partisans bent on tearing our party down.

"This is a crucial test: does he mean what he says or not?"

....

"That is why generations of brave men and women marched and protested, risked and gave their lives for this right and it is because of them that Sen. Obama I stand before you as candidates for the Democratic nomination,"

Let the people vote Obama.

1. Where's Howie?  
   
2. Shouldn't he be the one dealing with this, instead of passing the buck like he has the past few months?  "Oh it'll work itself out."
   
3. Private funding of public elections is a bad idea.

A day after making a good, albeit I would say pretty standard, speech about race relations in this country, is he going to tarnish him by being the candidate of disenfranchisement? Strong support for a revote plan in MI could jumpstart a last ditch hope of getting a plan done. Is he going to stand for Democracys or isn't he?

The Michigan and Florida State Legislature disenfranchised their constituents ---- not Obama not Clinton and the DNC needs to tell both states that its your own damn fault.

Given the delgate braekdowns in other states neither campaign is going to get the percentages that will create a subtantial advantage for delegates.

SPLIT EM UP AND SHUT EM UP

The once great matron of the Democratic Party who planned on cruising to the nomination on autopilot now reduced to desperately scraping the barrel for delegates.

There must be a Greek tragedy that covers Hillary's downfall.

I'm visiting this site for the first time, and notice the delegate counters on the sidebar. I'm curious, where are the numbers including FL and MI from? Is that based on the vote that happened already, or an estimation of what the numbers might look like if there is a re-vote?