Florida Democrats announce redo-election plan specifics

[Wretched Excess]

Democrats announce redo-election specifics

TALLAHASSEE  -- Florida's Democratic Party chair is urging the presidential candidates—as well as national and state party leaders—to consider a combined vote-by-mail/in-person plan as a redo of the January 29th presidential primary.

The idea would be to mail ballots to all registered Democratic voters and set up 50 regional voting offices to help "disadvantaged communities" participate in an election ending June 3rd.

That's according to a memo by Karen Thurman, sent to Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, among others.

Democrats in Florida and Michigan have been scrambling to come up with alternatives to ensure their delegates will be seated at the national convention in Denver this summer. The Democratic National Committee punished the states for moving their primaries ahead of February 5th and stripped them of all their delegates.

Clinton won Florida and Michigan, although she was the only major candidate on the ballot in Michigan.

Senate Minority leader Steve Geller announced details of the proposal Wednesday afternoon.

Under the proposal, Democrats would send out 4.1 million ballots to every registered Democrat in Florida who voted in the primary election January 29th. The ballots would go out next month, and have to be returned and counted by June 10th.

It would be paid for by funds raised by the Florida Democratic Party.

Hillary Clinton is all for it

"I hope that senator Obama's campaign will join me in working to make that happen," Clinton said.

Geller said he did a poll of 600 registered Democrats, and found that 59 percent would support a revote.

But Democrats in congress oppose it, and election managers say it could be riddled with mistakes. There would be no state oversight, and no way to verify signatures. For those reasons, Howard Dean and the other party bosses may not approve it.

But if there is no revote, it may cost Democrats the White House.

Geller says he is pushing the more acceptable of some bad options.

"What is more unacceptable to me is our having no input at all, so if I have to choose between two bad choices, I'll choose the one that's least objectionable and the one that the 1.7 million Democrats endorsed," Geller said.

House minority leader Dan Gelber said taking action soon is imperative.

"I don't think we can continue to argue about it because if all we do is argue about it, any possible prospect of doing something that allows delegates to be seated is going to be gone," Gelber said.

And Republican Governor Charlie Crist wants to make sure Florida voters have their votes counted. 

"The concern I have as the governor of Florida is that an awful lot of the people that I work for will be disenfranchised. That's unacceptable. Their vote should count, they took the time and the

trouble to exercise that precious right to vote. The Democratic National Committee should recognize it. I think everybody agrees with that and that's what we should do," Crist said.


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I begin to wonder if hillary's support of the florida revote is about trying to narrow to gap in the popular vote.  I read someplace (before the mississippi primary) that if you included the totals from florida and mishigan, the gap in the popular vote was only about 3,000 votes.  she knows she is going to the convention behind in delegates, and is trying to create a persuasive case for the superdelegates. 

[Lauri]

Hilary is good buddies with Queen Christine Gregoire... I imagine the two of them are filling out thousands of mail in ballots as we speak.

then, when they get this all straightened out in those two states, she will eke out a really slim margin of votes, say 120something 'extra' votes that were found in a locker somewhere.

[Duke Nukum]

And Republican Governor Charlie Crist wants to make sure Florida voters have their votes counted. 

"The concern I have as the governor of Florida is that an awful lot of the people that I work for will be disenfranchised. That's unacceptable. Their vote should count, they took the time and the trouble to exercise that precious right to vote. The Democratic National Committee should recognize it. I think everybody agrees with that and that's what we should do," Crist said.

Plus, it's really fun to see the Democrats at each other's throats.   

[Tess Anderson]

Hilary is good buddies with Queen Christine Gregoire... I imagine the two of them are filling out thousands of mail in ballots as we speak.

then, when they get this all straightened out in those two states, she will eke out a really slim margin of votes, say 120something 'extra' votes that were found in a locker somewhere.

To beat a dead horse AGAIN, I really hope Gregoire loses her re-election bid here - that's more likely to happen than for Hillary NOT to get her way and become their nominee. It does seem like the DNC is behind a Clinton nomination nowadays, too bad, Juan'll have a harder time beating Hillary than that other liberal.

I think Hillary had something to do with Chris' missing dog, but that's just conjecture at this point.

[Rebel Yell]

Either way the dems are screwed.  A redo "disenfranchises" (I hate that word, and is the first time I've ever actualy used it) the black vote, because they are changing the rules to benefit the white candidate.  If they leave well enough alone, then McCain can easily walk in and take FL, no contest.  That's what they get for not letting every vote count.  Either candidate they try to dig out just throws the dirt on the other.  I love it.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Either way the dems are screwed.  A redo "disenfranchises" (I hate that word, and is the first time I've ever actualy used it) the black vote, because they are changing the rules to benefit the white candidate.  If they leave well enough alone, then McCain can easily walk in and take FL, no contest.  That's what they get for not letting every vote count.  Either candidate they try to dig out just throws the dirt on the other.  I love it.

Would that McCain could take on a solid conservative like Michael Steele...who also happens to be black...and who was solidly supported by blacks in his gubernatorial race...and was beat down on mercilessly by white liberals for failing to be black enough.

[Texacon]

Man, I would be so embarrassed to live in FL.  When will the Dems down there learn how to vote?  It isn't rocket science.

KC

[Rebel Yell]

Either way the dems are screwed.  A redo "disenfranchises" (I hate that word, and is the first time I've ever actualy used it) the black vote, because they are changing the rules to benefit the white candidate.  If they leave well enough alone, then McCain can easily walk in and take FL, no contest.  That's what they get for not letting every vote count.  Either candidate they try to dig out just throws the dirt on the other.  I love it.

Would that McCain could take on a solid conservative like Michael Steele...who also happens to be black...and who was solidly supported by blacks in his gubernatorial race...and was beat down on mercilessly by white liberals for failing to be black enough.

That would be a hell of a ticket.  Or perhaps Alan Keyes.  On a lighter note, he could pick up Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson.  That would make for a hell of a V.P. debate.

[Rebel Yell]

Man, I would be so embarrassed to live in FL.  When will the Dems down there learn how to vote?  It isn't rocket science.

KC

Rocket science would be a piece of cake for them.  It's that common sense that throws them for a loop.

Like we say down here, "All that education, and they couldn't pour piss out of a rubber boot with directions on the bottom."

[Lauri]

Hilary is good buddies with Queen Christine Gregoire... I imagine the two of them are filling out thousands of mail in ballots as we speak.

then, when they get this all straightened out in those two states, she will eke out a really slim margin of votes, say 120something 'extra' votes that were found in a locker somewhere.

To beat a dead horse AGAIN, I really hope Gregoire loses her re-election bid here - that's more likely to happen than for Hillary NOT to get her way and become their nominee. It does seem like the DNC is behind a Clinton nomination nowadays, too bad, Juan'll have a harder time beating Hillary than that other liberal.

I think Hillary had something to do with Chris' missing dog, but that's just conjecture at this point.

you think Hil put a hit on the Queen's dog??? 

as for Christine and Dino, right now Dino is leading in the polls and I've seen very little about him here locally.. so far. I know Christine is stumping for Obama now, but that will probably hurt her. Obama is not all that well known here and there are more Ron Paul supporters here than anyone else.. idiots. 

[Wretched Excess]

Either way the dems are screwed.  A redo "disenfranchises" (I hate that word, and is the first time I've ever actualy used it) the black vote, because they are changing the rules to benefit the white candidate.  If they leave well enough alone, then McCain can easily walk in and take FL, no contest.  That's what they get for not letting every vote count.  Either candidate they try to dig out just throws the dirt on the other.  I love it.

Would that McCain could take on a solid conservative like Michael Steele...who also happens to be black...and who was solidly supported by blacks in his gubernatorial race...and was beat down on mercilessly by white liberals for failing to be black enough.

That would be a hell of a ticket.  Or perhaps Alan Keyes.  On a lighter note, he could pick up Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson.  That would make for a hell of a V.P. debate.

the schedule is in our favor.  their convention is before our convention, so we will know what their ticket looks like before mccain has to tap a veep nominee.