Posted on 02/06/2008 7:50:37 AM PST by Congressman Billybob
The first state results to be reported on Super Tuesday came from the Republican Caucus in West Virginia. The result was that Mike Huckabee got all the delegates from that state to the Republican Convention. What makes the story really interesting is, HOW he got those delegates.
From the report I have, here’s how the delegates voted in round one:
* Romney 464 * Huckabee 375 * McCain 176 * Paul 118
Ron Paul, who got the fewest votes, was dropped from the ballot for the next round of voting. The results then became:
* Huckabee 524 * Romney 479 * McCain 11
Anyone who can count to twenty without removing his socks can see what happened. McCain’s operatives saw that they were going nowhere in West Virginia. So they instructed their people to give the state to Huckabee. And most of their delegates obeyed that order.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ran this title on the story: “Wild and Wonderful Win for Huckabee.” That title is false. This was a “Down and Dirty Win for McCain.” Huckabee is going nowhere. Eventually, at the Republican Convention if not before, Huckabee’s candidacy will fold like a cheap lawn chair. At that point, who will get those West Virginia delegates?
If you guessed Mitt Romney, I’ll allow you another guess. John McCain has just stolen the votes of West Virginia by giving them, temporarily, to his ally in the theft, Mike Huckabee. By the way, national convention delegates must vote as they were pledged when elected, depending on state laws. I understand that none remain bound beyond the third roll-call vote.
As the saying goes, politics ain’t beanbag. What was just done in West Virginia is entirely legal. But it smells as bad as a dumpster full of day-old crab shells behind Phillips Crab House in Ocean City, Maryland, in mid-July. Believe you me, that is REALLY rank.
If the delegates from West Virginia are enough to put McCain over the top, then McCain has just stolen the nomination. Right in front of God and everybody.
Well, has anything similar happening among the Democrats? Just by coincidence, it has.
In order to preserve the special status of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, the Democratic National Committee required that no other state conduct its Democrat primaries before a certain date in 2008. Democrats in Florida and Michigan decided to move their primaries up in violation of that limit.
The DNC then “stripped” the delegates from both states for the Convention. No delegates were then elected in the “beauty contest primaries” in those two states. Democrat candidates had also pledged not to campaign in those states, and in Michigan, Hillary Clinton was the only major candidate to leave her name on the state ballot.
Well, Hillary Clinton won both of those states. After those non-delegate elections, she wrote a letter to the DNC demanding that delegates for her from those states be seated at the Convention. The rest of this discussion is somewhat obscure, but I guarantee it is correct. I speak as the former Parliamentarian for a national political convention. (The convention was for Ross Perot’s Reform Party. But the principles of operating a convention are the same, regardless of the candidate’s chance of winning the coming election.)
When the Democrats meet in Convention in the summer, initially no delegates from Florida or Michigan will be seated. But let’s say at that point that Hillary Clinton has a majority of the seated delegates, but not the absolute majority of all authorized delegates which is required for nomination. You with me so far?
Who gets to decide whether Hillary Clinton delegates from Florida and Michigan get seated? Why, it’s the delegates who are already seated, that’s who. In that circumstance, Hillary can use her plurality on the floor to steal the delegates from those two states. Having done that, she will have stolen the nomination. Right in front of God and everybody.
In short, there is a possibility that the 2008 presidential election may be unique in American history. Before 2008, nominations have been stolen. Elections have been stolen (recall the Hayes-Tilden race of 1876). But never before have two candidates, both of whom stole their nominations, faced each other in a general election.
If the vote tallies are tight at both the Republican and Democrat national conventions, it is possible we might see that unique circumstance, two election thieves facing each other with one guaranteed to win, between John McCain and Hillary Clinton.
Sorta makes you proud to be an American, don’t it?
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About the Author: John Armor practiced in the US Supreme Court for 33 years. John_Armor@aya.yale.edu He lives in the 11th Congressional District of North Carolina.
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Payback will be your next president.
I’m hoping for Mark Sanford on the fifth ballot at a contested convention. Hey, I want change and hope.
I’m not ignoring McCain, I’m simply discussing why I believe Romney’s campaign is failing. I’ve also never said that his tactics were unfair. I don’t think any of the attacks from any of the candidates has been unfair. Of course every candidate uses attack ads, but if you’re going to repeatedly rake your opponents over the coals, don’t be suprised if they go out of their way to hurt you down the road.
As for Romney, I’ll support and vote for him if he’s the nominee. I think he’ll be a strong economic conservative and his foreign policy ideas sound reasonable. The major shifts on social issues have been the sticking points for me and that’s why I’m not backing him in the primaries (incidentally, I did not vote as a ‘protest’ in my state’s primary; I will vote for the nominee, however, in November).
Yea I was planted here to knee cap mitt when he was still pro choice...
“McCain has done nothing but act to further McCain all these years and the White House has been his goal all along.”
And Flipper becoming Pro-Life, Pro-Second Amendment, and trying to carry Regan’s jock strap after trashing him in the 90’s is doing what exactly?
“What a pity he chose to cozy up to the dems rather than the conservatives over the years - might have made this a little easier on him.”
What conservatives? the only consistent social conservative left is Huckabee (whom I caucused for last night)
“don’t worry about them - they have no where else to go”
Maybe thats the echo of the mittwits talking about the pr lifers a few months ago..
He is a businessman and has great expertise in this area - whereas McCain does not in the least.
I’m against government run universal healthcare. Don’t know of the circumstances in Mass. but feel sure conservatives would not be promoting him if he is going to federalize health care now.
Maybe he is touting change but private supplier rather than government.
Don’t know
You’re not fit to hold John Armor’s jock strap. The guy is doing the forum a huge service, and your chiming in to peddle your demagogue.
Just thought I’d point it out for the folks that don’t have a program.
As I’ve said, repeatedly, what McCain’s people did was NOT illegal. It was, however, just as scummy though for less total votes at the Convention, than Hillary’s attempted heist of the Florida and Michigan delegates.
John / Billybob
Let’s stick to the subject at hand, which is the sad and shady process of nominating presidential candidates in 2008, shall we? Please?
John / Billybob
“Those of you Romney supporters incensed at McCain’s tactics in WV need to research history a bit more”
Politics is a tough game. There was nothing wrong with what happened. But by any face, it was a back-room deal. But that’s politics.
However, when Romney drops out, he will hold his Delegates at the Convention (more than what Huckabee has) and he will graciously act the statesman and hand them over to McCain (we’ll see how the big govt Hucksters like that deal).
Romney who is now playing for 2012, will gain influence by being the statesman (for the good of the Party)...and thus gain friends in the process for next year. Watch how fast McCain’s liberal establishment boys push Huckster off the stage. They don’t need him now.
So, it’s dirty politics, as usual. < :(
So send his campaign some money rather than talking about jockstraps or attacking me. You classy thing!
Esquire?
If I’d have known you were a lawyer, I wouldn’t have bothered!
Seriously, thanks for the report, and keep it up. The inmates are officially running the asylum now.
CG
Thanks for the history lesson.
Inc
Interesting article by conressman billybob
Some interesting posts
bump
Juan will probably toss him under the bus when he is no longer useful.
Interesting stuff, John.
Thanks for the explanation!
Wow. What an election cycle huh Billybob!
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