Florida, Michigan delegates cannot save Clinton

Associated Press ^ | 5-16-08 | NEDRA PICKLER

[kingattax]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sorry, Sen. Clinton. Michigan and Florida can't save your campaign. Interviews with those considering how to handle the two states' banished convention delegates found little interest in the former first lady's best-case scenario.

Her position, part of a formidable comeback challenge, is that all the delegates be seated in accordance with their disputed primaries.

And even if they were, it wouldn't erase Barack Obama's growing lead in delegates over Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee, a 30-member panel charged with interpreting and enforcing party rules, is scheduled to meet May 31 to consider how to handle Michigan and Florida's 366 delegates.

Last year, the panel imposed the harshest punishment it could render against the two states after they scheduled primaries in January, even though they were instructed not to vote until Feb. 5 or later. Michigan and Florida lost all their delegates to the national convention, and all the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in the two states, stripping them of all the influence they were trying to build by voting early.

But now there is agreement on all sides that at least some of the delegates should be restored in a gesture of party unity and respect to voters in two general election battlegrounds.

Clinton has been arguing for full reinstatement, which would boost her standing. She won both states, even though they didn't count toward the nomination and neither candidate campaigned in them. Obama even had his name pulled from Michigan's ballot.

[Joe Boucher]

The headline is accurate,
Niether Florida Nor Michigan nor anyone or anywhere can save Mrs. Bill Clinton. I think she is going to hell regardless of what happens with her from here on.

[Shady]

Don’t count this out just yet, The Queen does have a secret police after all. She has to completely and utterly destroy Obammie - It’s the ONLY way she gets the nod. Don’t put it past her, folks. Chaos.

[rod1]

Pickler obviously does not come close to being sufficiently imagiative to enough to understand the route through which Hillary would try to get this nomination. Apparently, the Clintons have a “raw ambition” rating that far exceeds that of most journalists, reporters, writers and politicos.

[epluribus_2]

...wait for it...

[Brilliant]

In that case, you can be absolutely certain that Obama will now agree to let the Florida and Michigan delegates awarded to Clinton participate in the convention.

[gww1210]

I disagree with your suggestion that Hillary is out of luck here:

The Superdelegate system was put in place when it was found that sometimes the candidate with the most delegates might not be the "most electable" candidate in the general election -recall Jimmy Carter, anyone?

Therefore, since Hillary...

#1: Leads in POPULAR vote (West Virginia put her over the top)
#2: Is more experiences
#3: Has a better chance of beating McCain (as most polls suggest), and
#4: Is more correct on the issues..., then...

Whay shouldn't the remaining superdelegates back here as the party's nominee?

For further reading:

TITLE: "How Hillary Might Win + Who's at fault in FLA & MI"

Editorial

www.GordonWayneWatts.com/HowHillaryMightWin.html

or

www.GordonWatts.com/HowHillaryMightWin.html

:-)

I'm Gordon Watts, and I approve this message.