Clinton pushes party to recognise Florida delegates

[Wretched Excess]

Clinton pushes party to recognise Florida delegates

The Clinton camp today renewed efforts to force the Democratic party to recognise the outcome of the Florida primary and allow the state's 185 delegates to be counted in a tight race.

Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, said they would push the Democratic National Committee to allow the results of both Florida and Michigan to be counted at the party's convention in August. Any challenge by Clinton supporters will be vigorously resisted by the Obama camp.

Hundreds of thousands of Democrats took part in today's primary, outstripping the numbers who participated in earlier caucuses and primaries.

However the Democratic national committee (DNC), the party's ruling body, will not recognise the outcome because the state broke party rules by holding its primary early. "Nothing has changed," a party source said. "Florida will still have zero delegates. The party has booked no rooms for them at the convention."

Hillary Clinton is challenging that ruling. Her chief strategist, Mark Penn, held a phone conference with reporters today on 'Why Florida matters' and Clinton was scheduled to hold a party in Davie, Florida, last night.

The Clinton team said that while it was reluctant to get into an argument with the DNC the votes of 1 million people mattered.

Penn said that while the candidates had not campaigned in Florida - though he accused Obama of breaching the rules by running ads - voters had seen the televised debates and had followed the campaigns elsewhere. "That makes it an election," he said.

Florida could become pivotal for the Democratic party in much the same way that it was central to the outcome of the 2000 presidential election between George Bush and Al Gore in which the result came down to the courts and hanging chads.

It is the fourth most populous state in the country and pressure will mount on the Democratic national committee to review its decision, not just from the Clintons but influential Democratic figures from Michigan, which has also been stripped of its delegates, and Florida.

The DNC in November stripped the state of its delegates when it opted to hold its primary before February 5. Florida was fed up that small states going early such as Iowa and New Hampshire received almost all the media attention.

Barack Obama and Clinton signed voluntary agreements not to campaign in rebel states, Michigan as well as Florida.

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this could get interesting.  I'll bet it winds up in the courts, and a major component in favor of seating the delegates is the same "disenfranchised minority voters" argument that algore used in 2000, with the obama camp strongly opposed.

how delicious is that?

[DixieBelle]

Oh God, not Florida and votes again!!!!

[Wretched Excess]

Oh God, not Florida and votes again!!!!

and michigan, too.  but yeah.  funny how this could happen all over gain.

[Lacarnut]

The gang of four from the N.E. states will fight Clinton tooth and nail. That should be fun.

[Lauri]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

[Lord Undies]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

At this point HC is trying to project an image of momentum.  If she can steal the delegates later, all the better.

[Lauri]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

At this point HC is trying to project an image of momentum.  If she can steal the delegates later, all the better.

I'm surprised the DNC or the RNC hasnt come out tonight and said, "knock it off" to Hilary yet.. she's obviously stealing something very blatantly and the media is helping her.

[Wretched Excess]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

At this point HC is trying to project an image of momentum.  If she can steal the delegates later, all the better.

I'm surprised the DNC or the RNC hasnt come out tonight and said, "knock it off" to Hilary yet.. she's obviously stealing something very blatantly and the media is helping her.

this florida thing is going to be a big deal.  remember "count every vote"?   the dems can't very well back away from all that overblown rhetoric without looking like, well, the hypocrites that they are.

of course, it will be even more fun watching obama trying to disenfranchise 2 million democrat primary voters.

[Lauri]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

At this point HC is trying to project an image of momentum.  If she can steal the delegates later, all the better.

I'm surprised the DNC or the RNC hasnt come out tonight and said, "knock it off" to Hilary yet.. she's obviously stealing something very blatantly and the media is helping her.

this florida thing is going to be a big deal.  remember "count every vote"?   the dems can't very well back away from all that overblown rhetoric without looking like, well, the hypocrites that they are.

of course, it will be even more fun watching obama trying to disenfranchise 2 million moonbat primary voters.

and so far, not one of the talking heads has brought up that very important point..

Rush better knock this one out of the park for the next few weeks and MAKE it a big deal.

[Wretched Excess]

ok, so what was all that today then? why did Hilary declare victory tonight?

seems like a big waste of energy for everyone... for nothing..

At this point HC is trying to project an image of momentum.  If she can steal the delegates later, all the better.

I'm surprised the DNC or the RNC hasnt come out tonight and said, "knock it off" to Hilary yet.. she's obviously stealing something very blatantly and the media is helping her.

this florida thing is going to be a big deal.  remember "count every vote"?   the dems can't very well back away from all that overblown rhetoric without looking like, well, the hypocrites that they are.

of course, it will be even more fun watching obama trying to disenfranchise 2 million moonbat primary voters.

and so far, not one of the talking heads has brought up that very important point..

Rush better knock this one out of the park for the next few weeks and MAKE it a big deal.

I don't think we will even have to get our hands dirty.  team clinton, always praised as the "ultimate politicians" then they were actually the "ultimate self promoters", will handle it for us.  of course, I am sure rush will help

Hillary already got the ball rolling in her acceptance speech, saying she would "fight" for the "voice" of the florida voters. 

I'm tellin' ya, this is gonna be big.

[Lauri]

i hope this blows up big in the next few days.. especially since Hilary herself is pushing it so much.

the national parties should make it perfectly clear that they are not seating those delegates... the sooner the better before people forget about Florida.

[NHSparky]

I love it when a Dem goes back on a WRITTEN promise.  The GOP nominee had better use this info 24/7 if she becomes the nominee.

[paladin0]

None of the candidates campaigned in Florida, and didn't have a presence there based on the DNC's stripping of the delegates. If they go back on it now, it would be unfair to the others. If Hillary starts to get momentum and the delegates from Florida become un-important, they'll reverse course. If it remains a tight race, forget it.

Paladin0

[Lauri]

I love it when a Dem goes back on a WRITTEN promise.  The GOP nominee had better use this info 24/7 if she becomes the nominee.

McCain wont utter one single word about it.

Romney might though..