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May 31, 2008
Florida, Michigan delegates to be seated with half-votes
A long and sometimes contentious meeting of the national Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) has essentially ended, and the two state parties who brought challenges concerning delegates to the national convention walked away with the results they sought.
Supporters of U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton booed and chanted after the committee reverted to the automatic penalty for each state moving its primary ahead of the prescribed schedule, which is a 50 percent reduction in delegate votes, as compared to the stiffer penalty of 100 percent reduction (zero delegate votes) that had been handed down earlier.
There was also the problem of allocating the Michigan delegates, since U.S. Senator Barack Obama was not on the ballot, yet a great many of the votes cast for "uncommitted" were assumed, through subsequent research by the state party, to have been in support of Obama or one of the former rivals that have since endorsed Obama (such as John Edwards and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson).
The end result was a compromise that awarded 69 pledged delegates (with a vote total of 34.5) to Senator Clinton, and 59 pledged delegates (with a vote total of 29.5) to Senator Obama. This proposal passed by a 19-8 majority on the committee.
A couple of personal observations from a day of watching this ordeal with the wife (and a very patient three-year-old who had to delay watching (for the umpteenth time) his favorite movie). To remind readers (or catch up newcomers), I am an independent voter who unabashedly supports Barack Obama in this election.
1. The Clinton supporters in attendance were much more rude and unreasonable than those backing Obama. This, says the wife, points in large part to the leadership capabilities possessed by Obama. We know he has vocal, passionate supporters; but he specifically asked them to show restraint during this process. That they did not defy his request demonstrates a respect for leadership, class and dignity that the Clinton campaign has not.
2. The Clinton supporters on the committee used all kinds of emotional pleas about disenfranchisement toward their cause; but it was clear that they cared less about honoring the votes and much more about helping their candidate. Besides, if they feel that strongly about "one person, one vote," how do they sit back and let delegates representing U.S. territories and other populations continue to get half-votes?
3. Speaking of Clinton supporters on the committee, why was Harold Ickes able to vote on these measures, even though he is a high-ranking Clinton campaign staffer? I personally find a difference between a volunteer endorsement, which many of the members have made, and a paid position to advance the campaign's interests. Why was he not called out for this obvious conflict? (Note: if there were any Obama staffers on the committee, I am not aware of them, but my question would apply equally to them.)
4. Florida and Michigan started the day with zero delegates, and ended the day with all delegates being seated with a half-vote each. The primaries in those states were arguably unbalanced in Senator Clinton's favor, so her supporters should accept this compromise and move on. But will they? It doesn't sound like it. I really hope that Senator Obama is able to secure the delegates needed to win this nomination in the coming days, and not only because I want to vote for him in the general election.
What are your thoughts on all of this? I'm interested in hearing from non-Democrats as well as Democrats.
Political News | By joe lance | 08:17 PM
Comments
Florida and Michigan Democrats should be outraged that their votes only count for half. This is worse than the "3/5s" vote that slaves were given before the Civil War. Does the Democratic Party feel that Forida and Michigan Democrats are no better than slaves? These voters should show the Party that they are NOT slaves and vote for a different party's candidate in November.
Posted by: Dave at June 3, 2008 05:38 PM