Obama: seat, don't count, FL and MI

From today's excellent AP overview: ''...Obama said Friday that he wants Michigan and Florida - two key states in the general election campaign - to participate in the convention without affecting the outcome of the election. He did not provide specifics about conditions except to say it wouldn't be fair for Clinton to get the majority.

"I want to make sure that the Michigan and Florida delegates have the means to participate," he said at a news conference. "There are probably a whole slew of different solutions that could be come up with that would both achieve the interests of making sure that Michigan and Florida delegates participate without skewing the delegate count." "

And check out Nancy Pelosi, who back in June in Broward sounded like she supported Florida Democrats scheduling an early primary. Now, she's saying FL's 1/29 vote should not be counted if it could decide the nominee.

Comments

Thats so nice of him. Sure, you can come to the party but no punch and cake.

what a bunch of double talk! The Republicans will get seated and the Democrats will not!!! How dare they put those tiny insignificate states ahead of Florida? Let them go there for votes and money. I may vote for the Republican candidate or I may just not vote but for sure I will not vote for Oboma if he is the candidate!

What happened to everyone who was saying Florida's vote would impact the election - even if the delegates were NOT seated - oh yeah, their choice, Hillary isn't the sure thing anymore...

So now they want to be seated?

This whole clusterf#%k with seating the delegates is really funny. I mean, just a deep breathe, take a step back and look at who voted to pass the bill in the legislature. RPOF did a great job of pushing this bill to make sure the dems don't seath Florida.

Sorry 2:50 - Jeremy Ring (D) was the Senator that sponsored the bill moving the primary up, which I believe every single Democrat casting a vote said AYE.

2:50 I looked at who voted and EVERY Democrat voted yes.

2:53 & 2:54 - That is my point. They all voted for it and it ended up biting them in the butt. That is what is so funny. Did any of you see all the RPOF staffers up in the Rotunda during the last few days of session? Thats why they were there.

Of course the Dems voted yes! They had no choice as the RPOF tied the paper ballot issue to the advanced primary date. The Dems voted for the greater good in the long term of knowing that our votes would not be stolen by some REPUG owned e-vote machine company! When the Dems sweep both the state and the nation this year, Florida Dems can take pride in knowing that because their fellow Dems took a stand, all votes were counted. 95% of the primary mess falls squarely in the lap of the RPOF, but future fair elections in which every vote is counted belong to the Dems in Florida!

"future fair elections in which every vote is counted belong to the Dems in Florida!"

Is that included in 2012 when Florida's primary is still before super tuesday and they WONT seat Florida Democrats?

A republican legislature change the voting date in Florida, Democrats had no control over that, where in Michigan it was Democrats that made the call.

Michigan shouldn't count for that reason and because all the candidates weren't on the ballot.

Florida had a balanced election, no one campaigned and they were all included.

According to DNC rules only 50% of the delegates should have been removed from the game, so I would imagine that counting Florida and not counting Michigan would be a compromised settlement.

3:08 they couldve voted no

3:08- There's this red button on each members desk, it's right next to the green one....

The point is Florida SHOULD be early. Who the hell is New Hampshire and Iowa in the big picture that they dictate when states can hold an election? States rights?

As a citizen I've always felt obligated to vote but since the election in Florida hasn't counted it seems and the democrats can't find their ars with both hands I'm going to hold my nose and vote in protest, for the republicans. Since a vote in Florida means nothing anyway, another exercise in futility seems to fit the bill and I get to fulfill my voting obligation.

We should, after every other state is counted hold a democrat only primary election here in Florida and, in keeping with their promise, not let anyone campaign first. That will show Mr. Obama what Florida wanted. He doesn't want us to count and we don't want him to be President, we're even.

If any candidate wants to win the general election without a win in Florida, than good luck to them. I don't give a crap about being fair to the candidates; I want my vote to count. If the January 29th election doesn't cut it, give me an election that does count. Now.

Start secession proceedings from the USA, we'll elect our own President.

Look, I get the fact that the DNC went a bit far in taking all of the delegates away, but to those of you who are going to vote for McCain in protest, please take a minute and think about this. Our delegates don't count, that sucks. Another four years of this disatrous Republican White House would suck a whole lot worse. Bush's tax cuts, 100 yrs in Iraq, I'm pretty sure McCain will invade Iran...

Point is, there are a lot worse things than not having delegates. The rules were made, the choice was made, they all stuck with it, they all agreed that they weren't campaigning here and that it didn't count. Don't think for one second that the Clintons would be this adamant about this if she were winning. And please, for the sake of those of us who'd rather not deal with this insanity for another four years, don't hand McCain Florida. Send a letter or something, but don't contribute to the problem.

[BooBoo]

Here Here 3:38!!! Thant's what I say don't go and vote repub because your mad at the DNC. My mind is made up I voted for Hillary in the primary but if Obama gets the nod I go with him. Having a son in Iraq I want this war done and over. Lets get our Country back first then bicker about who's first. Vote Dem!!!!

Hillary Clinton is only supporting the delegates because she "won" the straw poll in Florida (and barely beat "Undecided" in Michigan). She would scream "obey the rules" if she had lost or were way ahead in delegates. This isn't a principled stance -- its crass political opportunism by a desperate candidate. Typical Clinton Mafia tactics.
I hope she goes down screaming.

If Obama does not win by more than 100 pledge delegates, the super delegates could swing it to Hillary.

Florida & Michigan would have probably given Hillary around 100 more pledge delegates if the elections counted.

Florida was won around 65% by Hillary.
I think polling in Michigan had Hillary around same %.

Either way, it's going to get very ugly since Hillary looks likely to win Texas, Ohio & Pennsylvania.

No way I will vote Hillary or Obama. You guys ignored FL, live with it.

War hero John McCain gets my vote. I like the way he can unite both Democrats & Republicans.

A new poll just out shows McCain beating both in FL

Stripclub hero Jim Greer gets my vote. I like the way he can unite both dollar bills and strippers.

[Gene Smith]

To all the Republicans on this thread who said they are going to vote Republican in the General election because "their" vote didn't count in the DEM primary: Thanks for your concern, you trolls.

No serious Democrat is really going to vote for four more years of George W Bush's policies and 100 more years in Iraq (what John McCain has promised us). This is just a little internecine battle amongst us Democrats. We'll get over it.

Thanks for your concern.

[Gene Smith]

To all the Republicans on this thread who said they are going to vote Republican in the General election because "their" vote didn't count in the DEM primary: Thanks for your concern, you trolls.

No serious Democrat is really going to vote for four more years of George W Bush's policies and 100 more years in Iraq (what John McCain has promised us). This is just a little internecine battle amongst us Democrats. We'll get over it.

Thanks for your concern.

[Gene Smith]

To all the Republicans on this thread who said they are going to vote Republican in the General election because "their" vote didn't count in the DEM primary: Thanks for your concern, you trolls.

No serious Democrat is really going to vote for four more years of George W Bush's policies and 100 more years in Iraq (what John McCain has promised us). This is just a little internecine battle amongst us Democrats. We'll get over it.

Thanks for your concern.

[Gene Smith]

To all the Republicans on this thread who said they are going to vote Republican in the General election because "their" vote didn't count in the DEM primary: Thanks for your concern, you trolls.

No serious Democrat is really going to vote for four more years of George W Bush's policies and 100 more years in Iraq (what John McCain has promised us). This is just a little internecine battle amongst us Democrats. We'll get over it.

Thanks for your concern.

Voting democrats = surrendering to terrorist.

Obama used cocaine. No frigging way we put that drug user in our White House.

[Reality Check]

Obama is wonderful when you're talking about rhetoric. However, he comes up a little short when actual facts are the focus.

The reality is that more than 1.7 million Democrats voted in the January 29th Florida Presidential in this state, shattering every previous Democratic Primary turnout record.

The overwhelming choice of these Florida Democratic voters was Hillary Clinton.

Were any of the non-voters PREVENTED from voting? No. Were they DISSUADED from voting? Probably, if they chose to listen to self-important national media pundits instead of their local party leadership or the hordes of grassroots activists who were very visible and very effective in their efforts to get out the vote.

Should non-voters be rewarded for the low motivation they demonstated? I think not.

Should the will of the people be recognized and votes for Hillary counted? Absolutely!

That is the only "fair" resolution to this question. Anything else reflects an undemocratic and extremely partisan bias against counting the results of this historic, record-breaking Florida Primary Election.

Anything else, my friends, would be a clear, prima facie case of "theft"!

7:58 Pres George Bush used cocaine too. Did you vote for him?

Did Barrack Obama really used cocaine?

A great role model?

The congress will be democrat, McCain will be a LameDuck from the start. he won't get his tax Cuts, he won't extend the war any further than the point when he can say, We've Won. He won't give in to the religious right, he won't be able to select judges without congress, he will be a powerless centrist.

One good thing about him is that he won't spend like Obama plans to spend, the guy has already promised close to a trillion dollars in programs.

McCain is a better Democrat than either of our choices.

If you look a Bush's record as he left Texas, you will see that he had broke the bank, just as he plans to do now. We can't spend our way out of this mess with programs for everyone, Second Chance Finance and Leave No Liberal Behind.

The Blue Collar Workers will not vote for Obama because they lost their livelihoods to Liberal Minority Programs They are the ones who had to pay for the quotas imposed upon the labor market and they suspect that it will happen again.

While collar workers were threatened by Women entering the work force, so naturally they are opposed to giving more power to women. Not to mention the Christian/Islamic ethos that Women should live under a mans thumb.

McCain is not my choice, but since the DNC removed my choice I will join the republican party, hope someday that a Real third party is established and vote for McCain in November.

06:49 PM Take your troll and stick it where you vote now stands. Laying down for these Party Poopers is UnAmerican, I will not give away my right to vote on the sayso of AirHeads playing silly games.

[Laura Lynn]

oh and don't forget the current First Lady - killed a boy while SHE was driving drunk. W - he can't remember life before he was 40 - too coked out - and that's not a youthful indescretion - he was a grown man - oh yeah, don't forget the binLaden bank helping him when his companies went bankrupt.

Republicans on this thread - get your heads out from between your legs, please.

The Primary in Florida took out Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. SO WORTH IT.

NO COCAINE DRUG USER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

JUST SAY NO TO OBAMA.

We need a President who OBEYS the law. Obama is following the rules (laws) of his party. Good sign.

Our votes haven't counted since Bushies and their Texas mafia perverted the process. Democrats went along with early primary -- to try to get back REAL count of ALL votes.

Our late primary votes in the past rarely made a difference anyway. So it was a better ethical trade-off.

Republicans wanted this dustup -- to put focus on Bushpet Gov. Crist to promote him as veep. Don't fall for it.

If you want revenge, give ALL ex-felons their vote back so neo-con-artists can never cheat non-felons out of their vote again. We fought a revolution to prevent TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. Ex-felons pay taxes.

It is double jeopardy to punish again, for life -- after "debt" paid.

Removing ex-felon right to vote was put in law after civil war -- deliberately to take away vote from blacks convicted by all white juries. Are we OVER that yet? Voters make better citizens.

Until we stop the old bigotry -- even a "re-vote" primary, which we could have if we want to pay for it, will still not produce a FAIR VOTE.

I'm tired of eating CHAD. I'm tired of being PLAYED by the Bush Cabal. I DON'T WANT MY DELEGATE SEATED.

Laws have consequences. What do we teach our children, if we refuse to obey rules?????? I'm tired of Bush era dirty tricks, politics of fear, hardcore efforts to split Americans into helpless splinter groups by pounding messages of hate and fear.

Seat Florida delegation -- when it is time to VOTE on NEW RULES for the NEXT election cycle. THAT is the American way.

[Boo Boo]

Thank you Gene Smitn whoever you are your statement "No serious Democrat is really going to vote for four more years of George W Bush's policies".

Truer words have never been said. All you neo cons are finally twisting in the wind. Trying to convince someone here your a Dem that will turn Repub because of Hillary. We know the truth!
Florida will be Blue in Novemeber!!!

Last poll I saw says McCain beating Obama & Hillary in Florida.

06:41 AM, not trying to convince anyone, it's just a statement of fact. Not because of Hillary, but because the DNC has taken my vote away. If I were a Republican and the RNC took my vote away I would vote Democrat. The law was broken by the DNC when they removed my right to have my vote counted.

09:08 AM….well that's the point isn't it. What gives a Party the right to put our Votes into play? Our votes are not some negotiating chip to be added or subtracted by some useless hacks with their own agenda. There was a ballot presented with choices to be made, voters made their choice and by law the vote should count.

The voters of Florida didn't give Billary, Obummer, or Edwerdo permission to discount our votes. They had no right to make a deal with the DNC.

[Is So]

The votes that don't count, shouldn't count.