Cirst and Granholm: Seat Our Delegates!

A joint statement from the governors of Florida and Michigan:

“The right to vote is at the very foundation of our democracy. This primary season, voters have turned out in record numbers to exercise that right, and it is reprehensible that anyone would seek to silence the voices of 5,163,271 Americans. It is intolerable that the national political parties have denied the citizens of Michigan and Florida their votes and voices at their respective national conventions.

According to the DNC and RNC, Florida and Michigan have violated party rules by moving up their primaries. Today, we each will call upon our respective state and national party chairs to resolve this matter and to ensure that the voters of Michigan and Florida are full participants in the formal selection of their parties' nominees. We must restore the rights of the more than 5 million voters whose voices have been silenced.”

Comments

It's actually "Crist," Marc. You know ... lord and savior of mankind? That guy.

Posted by Jeff Larson | March 5, 2008 3:07 PM

This kind of statement is patently stupid and wrong. This makes any legitimate future Dem disenfranchisement argument KAPUT.

Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan! Who gets the 40% Uncommitted delegates?

Stupid, stupid disingenuous Governors.

What's intolerable is breaking the Party rules.

Posted by Betty in Baltimore | March 5, 2008 3:23 PM

Tough s**t, Michigan and Florida. Should have thought about silencing your voters' voices when you moved up your primaries.

Posted by SDinIA | March 5, 2008 3:26 PM

The only way Michigan's delegates should count is if Michigan holds a real primary - not one where the choices are Hillary Clinton, Uncommitted, and Dennis Kucinich. Like many other Mich. Democrats,I refused to vote in that farce of a primary - and it's meaningless result should have no bearing whatsover on the nomination. Michigan should do it over and do it right, or Gov. Granholm and the other state party leaders who created this mess should forget about going to Denver this summer.

Posted by P.J. in Michigan | March 5, 2008 3:31 PM

This is absolutely ridiculous. Two unpopular governors (Crist somewhat less so, but Granholm is despised in Michigan) joining forces, each to further his/her own agenda. Granholm is a Clinton supporter, so of course she wants her delegates seated pursuant to results that in no way match the wishes of the voters in her state. And Crist is a McCain supporter who wants to stir up the waters in the Democratic selection process by throwing more delegates Clinton's way.

So Crist made a deal with the devil, and they're both trying to undermine the "democratic" process of selecting the Democratic nominee. Note that Granholm has absolutely nothing to lose by doing this because she's completely finished in Michigan anyway, even without term limits, so she doesn't have to face angry voters. I'm sure she'll receive a nice cushy job of some kind from the Clintons.

I can't even begin to understand how any unbiased person could say that this proposal would be fair. But then, I just heard Geraldine Ferraro (another Clinton supporter and someone I USED to admire) spouting off on NPR at great length about how Florida was an entirely fair election, and about how it would be perfectly appropriate for the Dem superdelegates to go against the voters' wishes and choose Clinton, mainly because the voters know not what they do. I am quickly losing what little faith in the system I once had.

Posted by Amy | March 5, 2008 3:34 PM

Granholm is such a twit.. The state parties knew from the get-go that messing with their primary dates would disenfranchise voters, but they did it anyway and hoped that if they whined loud enough after the fact, the national party organizations would have no choice but to recognize the outcome regardless. I do think the staggered primary system is stupid; the only way it could possibly be fair is if all states were to do it simultaneously. In lieu of that, however, what gives Michigan and Florida the right to jump the turnstile and expect to have their primaries counted when they knew well ahead of time what the consequences of their actions would be? It is disenfranchisement and it's not particularly fair but blame should be laid at the feet of those who are really responsible - the state officials.

On the other hand, as a supporter of the "alternative" candidates, my opinions really have no bearing in the final outcome of things anyway. Folks like me are disenfranchised by the first past the post, two party system long before the elections even start.

Posted by STC | March 5, 2008 3:44 PM

"Today, we each will call upon our respective state and national party chairs to resolve this matter and to ensure that the voters of Michigan and Florida are full participants in the formal selection of their parties' nominees. We must restore the rights of the more than 5 million voters whose voices have been silenced"

Note that they are not saying to seat these delegates. This is an invitation to a re-vote.

Posted by Ephus | March 5, 2008 4:02 PM

Let me get this straight. Granholm endorsed Clinton and Crist endorsed McCain. By saying this, both get what they want. Seating Michigan and Florida benefits Hillary, which benefits McCain. Nice.

Posted by NHCt | March 5, 2008 4:06 PM

Note that they are not saying to seat these delegates. This is an invitation to a re-vote.

Posted by Ephus | March 5, 2008 4:02 PM
________________________________

It's possible you're right, but I don't see Michigan being able to afford a new primary. Or Florida, for that matter. Perhaps the DNC would pay.

One interesting thing about this message is that it references both the DNC AND the RNC. Does this mean they want a re-vote of the Republican races as well? And if so, does this now mean McCain is not yet the nominee?

Posted by Amy | March 5, 2008 4:16 PM

Florida and Michigan should have their delegates counted, regardless of what that jackanapes Dean says.

Posted by Peter | March 5, 2008 4:36 PM

Florida and Michigan should have their delegates counted, regardless of what that dingbat Dean says.

Posted by Peter | March 5, 2008 4:37 PM

Florida and Michigan should have their delegates counted, regardless of what that dingbat Dean says.

Posted by Peter | March 5, 2008 4:37 PM

Why am I not surprised by liberals wanting to change the rules of the game once they discover they are wrong? Just like Al Gore trying to steal the 2000 election from Bush. Whenever the outcome is nto what liberals want, they ignore any sense of fair play, and do whatever suits them. Such it is with so-called "moral relativism".

And then they have the nerve (ignorance) to accuse the right?

Also, watch (and deny) as Clinton and Obama use the supposedly right-wing tactics on each other for the remainder of the campaign.

Liberals are liars and cheaters. Sure, there are plenty of sc*mbags on the right too. Granted. But the notion of integrity and principles is much more highly held by the right than the ANYTHING GOES left. I believe ti's beacuse the kids on the right are taught codes of ethics, whether it be religious or otherwise. When you are raised in the ideology that everything is relative and that there is no truly right or wrong, well then, you get people who don't believe in principles but rather only in what they can get away with.

There really is no issue here. The rules were well known BEFORE the votes were cast. There is no gray area. What is FAIR and JUST is very clear, i.e. the votes don't count.

And any other "solution" is making up the rules as you go along (after the fact).

I'll admit it is amusing and satisfying watching the various faults of liberalism eat away at itself. So many delicious examples. That's waht you get with such a flawed ideology.

Posted by slick | March 5, 2008 4:38 PM

Republicans and Canadians are not the most popular people in the Democratic party right now.

Posted by David B. | March 5, 2008 4:42 PM

Given the enormous amount of money poured into these campaigns, and the maxed-out superwealthy who were talking about an anti-Obama 527, I foresee no problem in getting the funding for a revote. If the DNC, Michigan and Florida agree (and the legislatures comply), get ready for a July 1 revote.

Posted by Ephus | March 5, 2008 4:44 PM

So Peter, what made you decide to go with "dingbat" instead of "jackanapes"?

Also, with respect to my earlier post, I have been informed that "Christ" -- not "Crist" -- is the lord and savior of mankind. I regret the error.

Posted by Jeff Larson | March 5, 2008 5:19 PM

In general, I am opposed to a re-vote BUT...

I don't understand why this would be seen by the MSM and public as good for Clinton. She won only 50% of the vote in Florida in a non-competitive election. Obama and Edwards combined for 47%.

I'm not saying Obama would win, but I think he would have a good shot in looking at the Exit Poll data.

Posted by RDH | March 5, 2008 5:27 PM

I see Michigan has someone who favors banana republic /dictatorship style "elections". Congrats Michigan!

Posted by Jay | March 5, 2008 6:14 PM

I have yet to see a real warranted argument against a re-vote, other than "not enough money". The money can be found, so why don't we do it. It's gotta be redone in Florida, too.

Also, the letter is vague - it says neither "seat our delegates" nor is it an explicit invitation to re-vote.

Posted by Caleb | March 5, 2008 6:37 PM

F*** Michigan!

Posted by steve | March 5, 2008 7:39 PM

F*** Michigan! Go BUCKS!

Posted by steve | March 5, 2008 7:41 PM

"The rules, which were agreed to by the full DNC including representatives from Florida and Michigan over 18 months ago, allow for two options. First, either state can choose to resubmit a plan and run a party process to select delegates to the convention; second, they can wait until this summer and appeal to the Convention Credentials Committee, which determines and resolves any outstanding questions about the seating of delegates."
- Howard Dean

I agree with Howard Dean. Where were these two crybabies 18 months ago? Making a wrong bet that Clinton would have the nomination sewn up anyway. They lost the bet, and probably their re-elections. But why should the rest of us bail them out?

Posted by Tom J | March 5, 2008 10:52 PM

Crist does not stand to gain anything from demanding that FL voters be recognized. If they are not, Democrats will lose FL in November, which benefits Gov. Crist. I'm a Florida voter and I can assure you, per a statement made just today by the Florida Democratic Party; Florida is not holding a re-vote. We already voted, chose our delegates, and we expect those votes to be counted and the delegates to be seated. Period.
http://seatourdelegates.com

Posted by Cultfree | March 6, 2008 2:54 AM

Look to this statement as a perfect example of what it means to completely ignore any of the issues that don't help your argument. It's pathetic in its narrow-scoped pandering and idiocy. Ugh. As an Independent, stunts like this make me want to piss on the Democratic Party.... not that the Reps would be much better, but I'm trying to engage and be passionate about politics here, and this is what we get?

Posted by aeli | March 6, 2008 9:15 AM

Democrats are lemmings, led by titans like
Howie Dean, who mass every 4 years to make
the symbolic leap to political Valhalla. Your
primary SNAFUs this year are of your own doing.
You are offering up a tough-as-testosterone
Hillary vs. a sensitive, day-dreamer Obama. While
your mismanaged party dukes it out, the rest
of America will watch with glee. See you in November!

Posted by interferon | March 7, 2008 12:05 AM

Lets remember it was not the voters of Michigan & Florida that move the primary's up earlier, so the fact that these more than 5 million American Voters are to be told sorry your vote won't count, Not so, all is well, you must remember if this is done to these to great states when election time comes 5 million votes could cause trouble for the Democratic Party, so the DNC better come up with a solution or this will end up blowing up in their face come election. American voter's, no matter what state deserve to be counted, they are being blamed for the party insiders that moved the primary up. Don't worry Florida & Michigan from what I am getting from a few insiders is that no matter what YOUR VOTES WILL COUNT! Interesting developments are in the works so don't give up quite yet, The decision to move up the two states primary's was in my opinion a planned move to in the end get these two great states eliminated from the count, but fear not Florida & Michigan, before or at the Democratic Convention your great voices will be heard, the back lash is to great for this not to occur!

True Democratic American!!!!

Posted by Rick | March 29, 2008 2:52 PM