Hard to say what pisses me off more: the fact that the Michigan Democratic party screwed voters out of our opportunity to have a say in choosing a presidential nominee, or the asinine machinations to try to un-do that mess. A fine example of how this party can eat their own.
And here's another. Hillary Clinton herself said in January that the Michigan primary, in which she took 55 percent of the vote while “uncommitted” won 40 percent (Obama's name was not on the ballot) "didn't count for anything." Now she is the major force in trying to get our delegates seated (a dead issue at this point) or for the state to have a re-vote.
She showed up in Detroit today to lay on the heat. She contends that Obama's lack of support for a re-vote violates "a bedrock American principle" that every vote should count. Spare me. This wasn't the general election, it was a primary. Nobody is suggesting our votes won't count in November. Not to mention she opposed Michigan's decision to go ahead with an early primary and agreed to the rules -- that the delegates would not be seated.
"I believe the families of Michigan are just as important as the families of any of any other state," Clinton said. What bullshit. The fact is, even counting the results of the January primary or a new primary, she still can't get enough delegates to clinch the nomination, a fact even her Michigan co-chair admits!
What Clinton wants is to have the Michigan superdelegates seated. Superdelegates that she believes should vote their conscience, not follow the will of the people who have given Obama the lead in the popular vote and pledged delegate count. Seven of the eight currently committed Michigan superdelegates are Clinton supporters;19 are uncommitted but many are considered in her camp. These are the people whose votes she cares about, not mine.
I have a lot to say on the topic of this primary mess (not the least of which is, "State party officials who created this debacle -- I will not vote for you again!"), but I'll let it simmer until the issue is resolved one way or another.
Addendum: On Hardball, Chris Matthews proposed an interesting "solution" to the Michigan re-vote stalemate. Obama agrees to a new primary under one condition: that whoever wins the most votes in all the primaries takes the nomination. No superdelegates, just the people. Obama is currently about 700,000 votes ahead, but it's possible Clinton could squeak ahead. My guess is that despite all her talk, she wouldn't do it.
Bootstrap for President!
Posted by: Hawkeye | 19 March 2008 at 06:37 PM
The DNC should get some blame too. Setting up a situation where there are illicit primaries that award no delegates was bound to lead to trouble because whoever won the primaries would want the delegates seated. Maybe some better negotiation instead of posturing would have resolved the problem last summer.
Anyway, the February 5 rule was just there to massage politicians' egos in Iowa and New Hampshire. I don't think the rest of the states should have to defer to them every year.
Posted by: John | 19 March 2008 at 08:34 PM
I agree that the primary system is a mess, but this was the wrong way to try to "fix" it. The head of the Michigan Dems insisted from the beginning, "Don't worry. They'll seat the delegates." Meanwhile, they did nothing to help voters understand what to do on primary day -- there was nothing on their web site! I wrote and complained to them, and didn't even get a response.
Posturing? I can suggest a couple of postures for them!
Posted by: Nuthatch | 19 March 2008 at 08:46 PM
From our incompetent Dems who have made Michigan look foolish on the national stage to the Democratic Party leaders who allowed it to proceed to Hilary not removing her name from the ballot when the others did and pretending as if the vote expressed some kind of will of the people, the whole thing burns me up.
State party officials who created this debacle -- I will not vote for you again either!
Posted by: farlane | 20 March 2008 at 08:13 AM
You really say it like it is! Nothing to do with the post content, just needed to comment that your colorful language is a breath of fresh air. Thanks!
Posted by: JP | 22 March 2008 at 11:51 PM
You should hear me in person!
Posted by: Nuthatch | 23 March 2008 at 03:02 PM