Florida, Michigan get half-say in big blow to Clinton (4th Roundup)

US News

Jun 1, 2008, 2:02 GMT

Washington - The Democratic Party Saturday agreed to give Florida and Michigan a voice in the US presidential nomination process despite their disputed January elections, but with only half their normal voting power in a significant blow to the dwindling ambitions of Hillary Clinton for the White House. Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Hillary Clinton (2-L) dances with Senator Lucy Arce (L) and Charlie Rodríguez (C) during a campaign event in old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 30 May 2008. EPA/THAIS LLORCA

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Hillary Clinton (2-L) dances with Senator Lucy Arce (L) and Charlie Rodríguez (C) during a campaign event in old San Juan, Puerto Rico, 30 May 2008. EPA/THAIS LLORCAIn a raucous meeting interrupted many times by heckling from Clinton supporters in the crowd, the party's rules committee approved but was unable to get unanimity on both decisions. Clinton advisor Harold Ickes, in a stinging rebuke of the ruling, said it would 'hijack' the democratic process. He added that Clinton reserved the right to appeal the decision, which could carry the tight nomination battle into July or beyond. The committee voted 27-0 to reinstate all of Florida's delegates, but only with half a vote each, in a compromise that reflects the results of the state's January 29 vote and gives Clinton 19 delegates more than her rival and clear frontrunner Barack Obama. But it was Michigan's January 15 vote that was most controversial. Unlike in Florida, Obama's name did not appear on the Michigan ballot - 40 per cent voted for 'uncommitted' as urged by his campaign, while Clinton received 55 per cent. Clinton supporters argued the election was still the best reflection of voter preferences and should be counted, which Obama's campaign strongly disputed. The rules committee voted 19-8 for a proposal from the Michigan Democratic Party that gives Clinton only five more delegates than Obama, in a compromise that essentially halved Clinton's victory margin in the state. The two states were stripped by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of their seats at the presidential nominating convention in August in Denver, Colorado because they violated the party's schedule for primaries. Neither candidates campaigned in the two states ahead of the primaries. The outcome set the stage for the final days of the costly and bitterly-fought Democratic primary elections. After five months and the outlay of hundreds of millions of dollars, only three events remain - in Puerto Rico on Sunday and Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday. Democratic congressional leaders have called on the 160 or so special delegates to the convention - election officials and party officials - who have not yet done so, to pick sides quickly after polls close on Tuesday. Supporters of Obama and Clinton on Saturday engaged in passionate, tense and at times testy exchanges over the disputed primaries, as Democratic leaders battled to maintain unity and keep the party's focus on winning back the White House in November. 'I am stunned that we have the gall and the hutzpah to substitute our judgement for 600,000 voters' in Michigan, said Ickes of the final decision. 'Hijacking four delegates (from Clinton) is not a good way to start down the path of party unity.' Saturday's decision puts the goalline for capturing the party's nomination at 2,118 delegates to the August convention. Obama now has 2,050 to Clinton's 1,877, as the five-month-old series of state-by- state nominating contest nears an end. Reinstating Florida and Michigan's delegates in full was one of Clinton's last hopes of wrestling the nomination from Obama, who could potentially reach the finish line as soon as Tuesday. Hundreds of supporters - mainly Clinton's - gathered inside and outside the Washington hotel as the DNC's 30-member rules committee wrestled with challenges from Michigan and Florida's Democratic parties to seat their delegates. Florida officials made a passionate plea for the state's votes to be counted and often evoked the disputed 2000 presidential election, which most Democrats believe President George W Bush unfairly won over Al Gore. 'I need not tell this committee that in Florida we're pretty sensitive about having our votes taken away,' said Florida Senator Bill Nelson. Michigan's Democratic Party argued the state is crucial to winning November's general election against presumed Republican candidate John McCain. The fine details of the US primary system have rarely taken on such a key role in an election. The DNC defended last year's threat to punish the two states, arguing they had to uphold discipline within the party. But some committee members expressed regret over that original ruling. 'Do you believe in democracy? Then if you do, here is the next best thing,' said committee member Alice Huffman, a Clinton supporter who reluctantly supported Saturday's compromise. Party leaders hope they can now put the debacle behind them, and urged Democrats to come together in time for the fall. 'We are strong enough to struggle and disagree, and even be angry and disappointed, and still come together at the end of the day and be united,' DNC Chairman Howard Dean said in opening the meeting.

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BobJun 1st, 2008 - 03:24:36

Will Hillary appeal the decision and extend the Drama all the way to Denver?

Part of me wants her to continue making a fool of herself; the other part wants her to just go away!

Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!

klintons.com

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www.recreate68.orgJun 1st, 2008 - 06:42:29

Meet us in Denver as we take back democracy away from the political machines and cooperate stooges!

During the Convention, there will be five major protests, one each day. Each protest will focus on a symptom of the disease of an Imperialist, Capitalist, Racist system as seen in our communities. Some of the proposed themes are as follows:

Sunday - End All Occupations at Home and Abroad
Monday - Human Rights/Free All Political Prisoners
Tuesday - No Borders
Wednesday - No Warming
Thursday - No Racism/Imperialism

As actions develop, we will post more information! Time to take our democracy back, from the floor of the convention!

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darc_starrJun 1st, 2008 - 07:04:12

It's bad enough Senator Clinton is making such a spectacle

of herself in prolonging the agony. I am only hoping the affair involving her personal assistant and herself stays undercover. According to

reports I have seen three New York papers have been sitting on this bombshell since November 2007.

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NoharnessJun 1st, 2008 - 10:11:59

Oh, it's already 1968 all over again. The Democrat Party is busting up like a covey of frightened quail and the GOP has nominated another closet socialist as its presidential nominee. What? You mean you guys forgot that Nixon won the White House? Just how thick can you get? Oh, but that's what you really want, isn't it? You WANT John McCain to win the White House.

Well, I'm going to vote against you. I am going vote for Senator Obama and hope he wins. The Democrats DESERVE Obama.

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AN APPRECIATION OF TALENT - SP4Jun 1st, 2008 - 11:40:42

All the Dummercrats who voice their verbal abuse against SP4 are simply showing their inadequate intelligence, obviously an ingredient of low class Dummercrat zombies, who support their leaders whatever they are told.
The Lemming syndrome.

It is the age-old philosophy of the troglodyte and brainwashed idiot.

SP4 always gives a factual comment on all matters raised in these pages.
He is an undisputed Grand Master.

Those who are lacking in comprehension of what is being said, should really enrol for an infantile educational course on political and social science as well as learning that the United States is actually in North America.

It is no good showing blatant ignorance by hurling abuse at those who have the supreme intelligence to portray the factual evidence of events and can assimilate situations correctly. If you only have the educational standard of a five year old, don`t play games with the big boys.

When a peasant is faced with an educated synopsis they do not understand, they always resort to abuse, they have no intellectual choice. To swear, insult and curse is the natural resort of the ignorant.

SP4 always gives an extremely accurate text on all subjects and if the uneducated masses of the Dummercratic Party cannot understand such an artistry of interpretation, then they must go ahead and put their blind obedience in an insulting American disgrace like the two vile objects that the wretched Dummercratic party has put up to provide an American nightmare as President.

Ya wohl mein Fuhrer ! We will exterminate the American dream.

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SEMPER FIDELISJun 1st, 2008 - 13:56:03

America has a proud and valiant history in the short period this country has carved out of the past 300-400 years by sheer blood, sweat, guts and tears. No other nation on earth has such a magnificent and hard earned record, not even the despicable British.

How such a hard won democracy can let an insulting and depraved political party like the Democrats get so much support from ordinary Americans, is beyond sane imagination.

To offer this great nation two unworthy and disgusting candidates for President of the United States, as they have done today - A WOMAN AND A NON-INDIGENOUS BLACK MAN is about the biggest insult any American can bestow on his nation.

To actually know that this scourge of a party have the support of 50 million people is unbelievable.

This slimy turn of a black man is SO against all that is WHITE, American and traditional, that he is so obviously still fighting a Malcolm 'X' and Black Panther syndrome.

For God`s sake America, get rid of this black curse to your way-of-life and freedom before he destroys everything you have fought for.

Once you let this vile creature into the White House, there will be no turning back - the disaster will be irretrievable. The prospect is a horrific nightmare for America and the entire world.

What the Japs, Germans and Russians never did, HE WILL and with your eternal blessing and gratitude if you all depart of your senses.

GO AHEAD - COMMIT POLITICAL AND DEMOCRATIC SUICIDE. HAVE A NICE DAY !

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SP4: well dumbassJun 1st, 2008 - 14:00:00

..your kind tried that and failed. In fact, you couldn't even manage to exterminate a people, something other totalitarians had done for centuries. On top of that, nazi uniforms look...well...fruity..ya know? Take off the swastikas and you could cruise any bar in San Francisco or the village.

Besides....your excellency.....you had better take another look at the dem players.

Obama has managed, in 8 years, to climb to the top of the dem party, making precise moves for power. This is not the mark of a doo dah fool. Now he may be stupid, but like Bush, he's NOT stupid about politics. He sat in theblack church, carefully built his constituancy and when a power vacuum hit, he pounced.

Hillary is essentially the same. She grabbed power quickly too, and leveraged her husbands old political machine to get her to the finish line. It was fast and effective.

The best part:for them: at the end of this EVERYONE will know who they are! I would bet that, if you polled now, more folks know who the dems are than the republican nominee.

So, before you shoot your mouth off again, go inform yourself..Mein Herr. The worst american leader is worlds ahead of what is out there.

So ponder this: why do you think I call some of these folks libnazis?

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Half SayJun 1st, 2008 - 14:27:13

How about 3/5's?

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TO SP4 WITH THANKSJun 1st, 2008 - 17:51:39

OH dear, from your reply to my SEMPER FIDELIS, I know you don`t love me anymore. Kiss and make up ?

Get yourself a nice Rupert-the-Bear book in large print, a big Hershey bar, an ice bag for your head and go to bed. You are overdoing it on this complicated political thingy, it`s making you ill.

I thought you were a Republican, but after your expression of sheer infatuation with the Dummycratic Muppet Show, it looks like you have shown a Dummycrat flag. Don`t waiver now ESS PEE, or the other Dummycrat voter will feel mighty lonely on his own.

I`m dreaming of a WHITE Christmas, just like the one`s we used to know -- dee--daa--dee--daa.

Even the Russians are disgusted - they sent you this message ;-

ÄËß ÁÎËÜØÎÉ ÍÀÖÈÈ ÊÀÊ ÀÌÅÐÈÊÀ, ×ÒÎÁÛ ÎÑÊÎÐÁÈÒÜ ÅÅ ËÞÄÅÉ ÏÐÈ ÍÀËÈ×ÈÈ ×ÅÐÍÎÌÀÇÎÃÎ ÊÀÊ ÊÀÍÄÈÄÀÒ Â ÏÐÅÇÈÄÅÍÒÛ, ßÂËßÅÒÑß ÂÍÅ ËÞÁÎÃÎ ÖÈÂÈËÈÇÎÂÀÍÍÎÃÎ ÏÎÂÅÄÅÍÈß. ÝÒÈ ËÞÄÈ - ÍÅ ÁÎËÜØÅ, ×ÅÌ ÄÈÊÀÐÈ - ÑÌÎÒÐßÒ ÍÀ ÀÔÐÈÊÓ

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SP4: what I thought..Jun 1st, 2008 - 18:12:37

...another M&C tinfoil hat-wearing goof....

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