Obama Let’s Count Florida And Michigan

Senator Clinton acts as if there were no DNC rules and that it’s Senator Obama’s fault that Florida and Michigan didn’t adhere to those rules. What would have happened if all the other states that have held contests had decided not to adhere to the rules? Can you imagine the chaos and mayhem? Senator Clinton is a selfish candidate looking strictly out for herself and her own interest. A serious candidate can’t shift the goal post and change the rules to come out with a favorable outcome. Senator Clinton is being dishonest. She agreed to the rule at the start of the campaigning. Senator Clinton is not crying for voters in Florida and Michigan. She trails Senator Obama who has an insurmountable delegates lead and that’s the only reason why she now wants the rules changed. Even if Clinton were handed 10% wins in Florida and Michigan, she would not gain enough delegates. She would still trail Obama by more than 100. She exhibits tendencies that we ordinarily expect from so-called "third world" politicians, such as in Kenya, where President Mwai Kibaki lost the vote, changed the rules, provoked violence and bloodshed, and yielded a favorable outcome. Senator Clinton, in many ways during this campaign has revealed qualities that raise serious concerns about what a Clinton presidency would be like. This is a sad day for American politics.

[Elections 2008: Clinton Letter To Obama]

Dear Senator Obama,

This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.

One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.

I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. 

When efforts were untaken by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party’s rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically opposed them.

In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.

Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.

I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party’s nominee. 


Black Star Publisher’s Comment:
Senator Clinton acts as if there were no DNC rules and that it’s Senator Obama’s fault that Florida and Michigan didn’t adhere to those rules. What would have happened if all the other states that have held contests had decided not to adhere to the rules? Can you imagine the chaos and mayhem? Senator Clinton is a selfish candidate looking strictly out for herself and her own interest. A serious candidate can’t shift the goal post and change the rules to come out with a favorable outcome. Senator Clinton is being dishonest. She agreed to the rule at the start of the campaigning. Senator Clinton is not crying for voters in Florida and Michigan. She trails Senator Obama who has an insurmountable delegates lead and that’s the only reason why she now wants the rules changed. Even if Clinton were handed 10% wins in Florida and Michigan, she would not gain enough delegates. She would still trail Obama by more than 100. She exhibits tendencies that we ordinarily expect from so-called “third world” politicians, such as in Kenya, where President Mwai Kibaki lost the vote, changed the rules, provoked violence and bloodshed, and yielded a favorable outcome. Senator Clinton, in many ways during this campaign has revealed qualities that raise serious concerns about what a Clinton presidency would be like. This is a sad day for American politics. 

 
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