Camp Clinton: Florida voters already spoke, remember?

Despite growing buzz about holding a do-ever to bring Florida and Michigan in line with Democratic party rules regarding the presidential primary contest, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said the campaign still believes Florida and Michigan’s delegates should be seated according to the results of their unapproved primaries.

“We have certainly noted with interest the conversations that are occurring in Florida and Michigan about the possibility of some way to rectify the situation that currently exists,” Wolfson said in a conference call this morning.

“Our position has been all along that the people of these states have spoken, that their votes ought to count, and we have urged our delegation to seat those delegations.”

Most of the Democratic members of the U.S. House from Florida met with their Michigan counterparts Wednesday evening to begin discussing potential ways to hold a re-vote. While Michigan is leaning toward holding community caucuses, meeting participants said there was little enthusiasm for holding caucuses in Florida, and members agreed that holding another primary, at a cost of some $25-million, would be too expensive, unless they got extensive outside funding.

Clinton, of course, won both states handily – Florida on Jan. 29, and Michigan on Jan. 15. But none of the Democratic candidates campaigned there, and Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign says it would be unfair to seat the delegates based on the percentage of votes that Clinton won.

Wolfson said it’s too early to discuss what type of re-vote the Clinton campaign would prefer, but hinted that its pick would be a primary. Obama has won most of the states that hold caucuses.

“We certainly believe that given how well we did in those states, that were there to be a primary, we would have a good opportunity to do well again,’’ he said. “But I haven’t seen any specific plan floated out of those states and I think it’s premature to comment.”

Asked if it would be “cast a pall” on the Democratic nomination process to seat Florida and Michigan delegations as-is – especially if they put Clinton over the top – considering no one campaign there,  Wolfson said, “I think quite the opposite.”

“Not giving participation to the delegations of those states would send a very unsettling signal to the people of those states,” he said.

Comments

Again, no revote on the backs of taxpayers. Florida had a record turnout of both democrats and republicans. Count them or don't but unless the DNC wants to fund a redo, forget it.

[Flagophile]

As an ardent but I think moderate Democrat, I'm finally beginning to understand why Republicans so despised the Clintons.

If they count the votes in Florida and Michigan, despite the fact that Obama didn't campaign in either (in fact, his name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan), I will vote for McCain.

The same goes if Hillary is behind in pledged delegates and popular vote and she steals the election by persuading superdelegates to vote for her.

Who the hell do these people think they are?

Hillary thinks she's entitled to be president. She's been in "public service" for the past 35 years in order to reach that goal at the right time. She's not going to let some upstart with 3 years of experience in the Senate upstage her. You can bet there will be lawsuits, more turban photos released, etc.

http://countfloridavotes.com/

[Democracy-o-phile]

As a former Republican, I'm finally beginning to understand why Democrats so despise us.

Even though our favorite President and the GOP-led Congress have been the absolute worst thing ever to happen to American democracy, we're going to try to fan this little delegate thing into a major issue, to try to help our candidate make some political hay.

At the same time, we can humbly refer to the DEMs delegate system as being unrepresentative, while rendering ourselves willfully blind to the absolute fiasco by which our own much loved candidate, despite not winning the popular vote, stole the election outright in 2000, in a complete abortion of the intended election process.

Who the hell do we think we are?

How could the Democratic Party have done any worse? They create a rule that strips Florida and Michigan of their delegates thereby disenfranchising voters. Fearing party bosses in Iowa and New Hampshire, the weak kneed candidates voluntarily pledge not to campaign in Florida and Michigan. But they talk to anybody with a check. Then they have a system of elite "super delegates" who vote however they want without regard to the actual voters. That's democratic? As Democrat leader Howard Dean said "three words: we can do better."

[Democracy-o-phile]

1:19 The DEMs can do better, but the GOP never will until they admit their own mistakes are much greater. Thanks for making my point!

1:19,

And then there's the Republicans... who just steal it, and allow our children to die for corporate profit.

... I see your point.

Democracy-o-phile,

You have your facts wrong. The US Congress is led by democrats under Nancy Pelosi. They have a much lower approval rating than George W Bush in the low teens.

It's time to vote these do-nothing idiots out of Congress.

[Campaign Manager]

Of course, the reason why Congress has such low numbers is because the public disapproves of the lack on action on rolling back President Bush's actions - particularly on Iraq.