Thomas Edsall, writing for the Huffington Post, has an article reporting that the Clinton campaign is considering a “nuclear option” to try to win the Democratic nomination. Basically, it involves trying to force a DNC committee to seat delegates from Michigan — despite party rules that stripped the state of its delegates because the state’s Democrats refused to abide by the party’s primary rules and despite the fact that Obama’s name wasn’t on the ballot because of the party’s ruling to strip the delegates. To succeed in this maneuver, the Clinton campaign would have to get through the first committee, more than 50% of which is comprised of her supporters. Then, her campaign would have to survive an appeal to the credentials committee, dominated by Obama supporters with the balance of power held by DNC chairman Howard Dean.
This is, to put it mildly, a Bad Idea. The winning candidate is going to have to win without Michigan or Florida delegates. Those votes are tainted because the state parties broke the rules and a penalty was imposed. The candidates planned their campaigns with the expectation that the penalty would be enforced. To change the balance of power by waffling on the penalty after the fact for the sole purpose of benefiting a particular candidate is unacceptable. It would rip the party apart and leave us with a McCain Presidency.
Wow. The article you linked to now says that HRC’s campaign is discussing it openly. This isn’t just a rumor now, it looks like this is really her plan!
One of the comments mentions that anyone that was upset about the Supreme Court’s role in the 2000 election CAN NOT support this idea. I think that is a good point.
Keep in mind that even without Obama on the ballot, HRC only got 55%. She can’t even begin to say that the same amount would have voted for her if Obama was on the ticket.
Another thing that usually doesn’t get discussed about Michigan and Florida is the fact that Obama’s campaigning usually makes quite a difference. In most states, Clinton has lost ground once the campaigning started.
That’s not entirely her fault — a lot of her initial support was based on name recognition and not a lot more. Once the campaigns started, some of her support solidified while some went to Obama.
In Michigan and Florida, there was never any campaigning because the candidates agreed not to.
The party was interested enough to try to find a way to get a new election of some type in both states as the party can’t afford to disenfranchise two states’ voters.
My guess is that, should the first ballot at the convention still not yeild the necessary votes, the party will seat the two states’ delegates. Aren’t all delegates only pledged for the first ballot anyway?
No matter what, we’re going to be left with either a McCain presidency, a Clinton presidency, or an Obama presidency. Having the parties ripped apart seems like a good idea.
And so says the man whose party would benefit most from a breakup. ;)
And this is the kind of person Indiana voters will throw their support behind in tomorrow’s primary.
Ugh.
Michigan & Florida disenfranchised themselves. I don’t see how the party can allow a state to break the rules with impunity and expect to have the rules followed in the future.
Hopefully the race can be decided without regard to whether their delegates are seated or not — e.g. enough superdelegates breaking en masse for one of the two. Otherwise, it’s bad juju no matter what happens.
Weren’t Florida’s rules changed by a Republican legislature and Republican Governor?
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Nope, the Democrats in Florida went right along with the Republicans and didn’t put up anything resembling a fight to stop it. See this post for more, including a video of the Florida Democratic minority leader basically dismissing the potential for sanctions.
Like I’ve said before, HRC will destroy the Democratic Party if that’s what it takes to win the nomination.
What would put a stop to that is the superdelegates coming out en masse for Obama to save their party. I don’t think they’re smart enough, nor have enough sack, to do so.
I think we will see the first large break of Dems after the IN Primary. If this goes much more than the end of May it may be irreparable. I saw some of that animus last night when people I’ve known for a logn time sneered at my Obama button.
We’ll see about it tomorrow.
GOOO-BAMA!
Just had a 72 year old woman stop by for Obama. First time I’ve EVER had anyone stop by my humble house to ask for my vote for president. (Did have the township trustee stop by last year.) She was glad to hear that I am for Obama. (although my six year old told her that he was voting for George Washington.) She wanted to know why I was voting for Obama and I told her that I thought our country needed a major change.