CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
May 31, 2008 – 11:20 p.m.
Dems Compromise on Florida and Michigan: Each Delegate Gets 1/2 Vote
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
Washington — In a hotel ballroom packed with contentious Obama and Clinton supporters, the Democratic Party Rules and Bylaws Committee finally resolved to allow the Florida and Michigan delegations to vote in the Democratic National Convention.
The net effect of the ruling means that Obama now has 2,052 delegates (including unpledged superdelegates) and Clinton had 1,877, according to the Associated Press. A candidate needs 2,118 delegates to win the nomination.
But Clinton advisor Harold Ickes said Clinton was reserving the right to take the dispute to the party credentials committee. And, widespread upset among Clinton supporters indicate Democrats face a tough road in achieving Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean’s expectation the meeting Saturday “will put our party on a course of unity.”
Under the proposal, which passed unanimously for Florida, each pledged and unpledged delegate (superdelegate) would get 1/2 of a vote at the Denver convention. The first vote, to restore all of the delegates with full voting power, failed.
For Florida, that means Hillary Rodham Clinton would receive 52.5 votes at the convention, Barack Obama , 33.5 votes and former candidate John Edwards , 6 votes. Edwards has endorsed Obama.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s good,” said Clinton supporter Alice A. Huffman of the Florida decision. Just before the vote passed Huffman had offered a plan to fully seat the entire delegation with whole votes, which was rejected.
For Michigan, the equation was a little different. Clinton’s campaign argued that the state’s entire delegation should be seated according to the results of the Jan. 15 primary, where Clinton got 55 percent of the vote and 40 percent voted “uncommitted.” But Obama’s name was not on the primary ballot — he and several other candidates had removed their names because the state violated national party rules.
The Michigan Democratic Party proposed solution was to seat the state’s entire delegation to the convention, allocating 69 delegates to Clinton and 59 to Obama.
The committee voted to accept that equation and seat all the delegates, but, as with Florida, give each delegate 1/2 of a vote. That means Clinton would get 34.5 votes and Obama would get 29.5 votes from Michigan.
The vote on the Michigan proposal was 19 for and 8 against.
An irate Ickes objected to the Michigan solution, saying: “Not only will this motion hijack four delegates from Mrs. Clinton, it will take 55 delegates from uncommitted status, which is a recognized presidential status under our constitution and convert them to Barack Obama .”
“Was the (whole process) flawed? You bet your ass it was flawed,” he said.
Hundreds of Obama and Clinton supporters applauded and jeered throughout the testimony, but it was the successful vote on the Michigan plan that drew the most outcry.
Dems Compromise on Florida and Michigan: Each Delegate Gets 1/2 Vote
Shouts of “Denver, Denver!” were heard from the floor, referring to the possibility of Clinton disputing the nomination all the way to the August convention, while several of the more vocal protesters were escorted out of the hotel ballroom.
“We’re not there, but we’ve got to start from somewhere,” Donna Brazile, a member of the Rules and Bylaws Committee, said after the meeting. Brazile has not declared her support for either candidate but said Saturday that she expected undecided superdelegates like herself to make a decision after the final contests of the primary season concluded Tuesday.
“Once that process is done on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning, whenever we count all the votes in Montana and South Dakota, then I think the remaining undecided superdelegates will have enough evidence to cast their ballots,” she said.
Florida Clinton supporters Lydia Lopez, Anne Swanson and Paola LaRivera came to Washington for the meeting but did not make it into the ballroom. They watched the results on the televisions downstairs and said they were disappointed by the results, but saw it coming.
“They’ve pretty much been set on what they were going to do for a while now. It wasn’t very surprising,” Lopez said.
All three wore T-shirts that said, “I’m half a vote,” and said it would be difficult to feel party unity unless their votes were fully counted.
Mother and daughter Evelina Rector and Vanessa Rector, Clinton supporters from Long Beach, N.Y., said they were disappointed and insulted by the Rules and Bylaws Committee decisions.
Evelina Rector said she was concerned the decision Saturday would create a rupture within the Democratic Party.
“That was, that was just a big shock,” said Vanessa Rector. She said he held out hope that Clinton would contest the nomination all the way to the convention and win the nomination. Both said they were not sure they would be able to vote for Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination.
They also said the party was not transparent about the deliberation process.
“It definitely seemed as if there had been some pre-arrangements,” Vanessa Rector said.
“The fix was in,” her mother added.
But despite the disappointment of her supporters, Clinton spokeswoman Anita Dunn reacted positively to the decision.
Dems Compromise on Florida and Michigan: Each Delegate Gets 1/2 Vote
“We’re really pleased at the outcome. We think it’s a giant step toward unifying the party and a giant step toward allowing this nomination to be settled so that we can head into the general election,” she said.
When asked whether she believed Clinton would take the fight to the Credentialing Committee, Dunn sounded skeptical. “She has said — and we take her at her word — that we need a unified party, that she will work toward a unified party, and that she would like to have a Democratic president,” Dunn said of Clinton.
Dunn also distanced the campaign from the tactics of the more disruptive protesters. “Senator Clinton would not have wanted to see this kind of display here,” she said.
Former Michigan Rep. David Bonior, who presented Obama’s argument on Michigan before the panel, said the campaign expected to win the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination by “the end of the week or so. ”
He said he also thought the party would be able to unify despite the conflict Saturday. “It’s been a very, hard difficult campaign. There’s going to be people disappointed, but I think in the end the alternative is not taking our government back.”
Barack Obama , campaigning in South Dakota, reacted to the decision by saying: “There were compromises. ... I’m glad the DNC worked it through and I hope we can start focusing on substance as opposed to process.”
Comments
Many Democrats are tired of the poor sports Clintonites. Obama was gracious to change the rules for Michigan and Florida. Clinton and her people had agreed to the original rules yet somehow they care for Michigan and Florida Democrats when their candidacy is in trouble. The Clinton supporters should not blame the DNC, the media or Obama. Their frustration and anger ought to be directed at Hillary and Bill. This couple blundered and are not willing to accept responsibility for the mistakes made.
here here!
I agree with you 100%. They have underestimated Obama and thought the election would be over by Super Tuesday. They made no plans for the Caucuses either. They have also completely mismanaged their funds. The campaign is short in cash after they have raised over 250 millions dollars. They certainly show they are not ready to fix our financial mess.
The message of today? Rules are made to be broken. How civil is that?
Here, Here I second
I don't think blaming Hillary's supporters helps unite the party. Rather what would really unite the party is if Sen. Obama offered Clinton the Vice-Presidential ticket. Then we can move toward a victory in November together. Sen. Obama's fans should realize that they need the support of Sen. Clintons fans if the Democrats are to retake the Presidency.
Bill & Hillary are two of the greatest political gamers in recent American history. Every political insider knows they worked the DNC Rules to favor Hillary's run for the nom. Then when the Obama freight train pushed her off-track, they've been working and manipulating to recover the advantage ever since. Don't anyone cry for the Clintons! They've had their turn in the WH and need to back off. After gaming the process and losing, it's time to admit that it's "Game Over." As for the demise of democracy, our rights as citizens are chipped away every time Big Money is used to manipulate the political process. And the biggest manipulation of all has been the aggressive extension of the political season which has benefited the mainstream broadcast media as they rake in the Big Money in ad revenue. Scandalous conflict of interest by the media! Who could we trust to take on this kind of scandal? Probably not the Dems, unfortunately. McCain's credentials are unbeatable as a maverick and an unrepentant crusader for campaign finance reform. Maybe he can lead the charge to restore some integrity and dignity to the political process.
Presuming it survives the scrutiny of the Credentials Committee - to say nothing of the challenge by the Rodhamista Machine - the "Compromise Plan" indeed serves both to not totally leave out these crucial states and punish them for willfully violating the clear rules. Two questions: 1] Why did the DNC not take away merely 1/2 or (even) 3/4 of the delegate votes from the outset, and stick with that stand throughout? and 2] Why did it and/or the Early Four (IA, NH, NV, and SC) supposedly pressure all the contenders not only not campaign in those venues but also remove their names from the ballot in the Wolverine State? (evidently that option was barred per the election laws of the Sunshine State)
Nothing wwould satisfy these people. they would do anything, blame anyone, and cause trouble. Obama does not have to win in November, vote for whoever you want to vote for. He obeyed the rules, but then they say all sort of evil things about him. All the negative things they are saying about Obama only exposes them for what they are. They used fear, lies, gender, racism, and protests!
So many people are not been honest about the outcome of the Rules committee ruling. All the candidates followed the rules set before the primaries started even Senetor Clinton, she only shifted gear when she needed the delegates. Let us all be truthul to ourselves for once the committee did what it had to do to maintain the santity of the system. This means that all parties involved was will to make concession. For all the clinton supporters i know this is difficult seen your candidate loss but such is politics, you win some and loss some life goes on.
As a white, middle-class, feminist, Michiganian woman from the 60s, I am very pleased with the results from DNC. I, and many people I know, voted for "uncommitted" as a vote for Obama. We were told NOT to write in Obama's name, as it would NOT be counted, as is shown in the 30,000 votes that were not counted. Many people did not vote because of that. Eighty per cent of the vote from Detroit, a primarily African-American community chose 'uncommitted.' If we had the ability to write in a candidate, I would not feel this way. The people of Michigan were not happy with our election and the Michigan legislature did an excellent job of trying to amend their flawed election so the voice of the ALL the people of Michigan would be heard, my sincere thanks to the DNC for understanding our unique position. The protesters you mentioned are from New York, exactly how do they figure into my Michigan vote. Please don't use my vote as your game piece. I'm very pleased that my vote, and the votes of many of my fellow Michiganians, now counts.
What I don't understand about Hillary supporters is their claim that 'not counting all the votes is undemocratic.' What is actually undemocratic is the fact that both Obama AND Clinton pledged to not campaign in both Michigan and Florida. To say that vote-counting pure and simple is always a democratic process is both short-sighted and unfounded. Not having a choice is the real problem. For Hillary supporters to keep harping on the 'votes not being counted' line shows that they are merely exercising a will to power. Because let's be honest, the election that did go on in Michigan and Florida would be considered by most accounts to be a sham. Why then we should consider those votes to be valid is beyond me. That's sounds a lot like robbing Paul to pay Peter. To further accentuate this point, consider what happens when you extend this line of reasoning. If we take Hillary supporters' rationale for counting all the votes, what should happen in the general election is that we should ban one of the candidates from campaigning in either Michigan or Florida. Because if it doesn't matter what choice you get, but the mere fact that you get to vote, then all is well. Of course it isn't. Which is why Clinton supporters need to reevaluate who they are actually helping? Voters in Michigan and Florida? Or their own agendas? I'm guessing by most accounts, the answer is the latter.
Is Hillary Clinton honestly the one women want to represent them as "The First Female President"?
You really have to wonder what Hillary's position would have been if the results for her an Obama were reversed. Would she have still demanded that the results for Florida and Michigan be counted, and perhaps help Obama> You bet your butt she would not--and that's the difference between the two--integrity versus convenience.
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