Florida primary at Brave New Films

Clinton Supporter NY Gov. Patterson on Efforts to Seat FL-MI

2008-10-21T03:30:59Z

Gov. David Patterson (D-NY) on WAMC Northeast Public Radio, May 22, 2008

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McAuliffe: "Of Course" Obama Can Win Swing States

2008-10-18T03:30:14Z

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe on FOX News, May 20, 2008

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Florida Senator: Change Voting System Now

2008-11-23T02:38:38Z

Last week Jacob Soboroff visited with Senator Bill Nelson (D-FLA) in his Washington, D.C. office to discuss his plan to change the way and day we vote, and why he chose now to introduce his plan.

For more:
http://www.whytuesday.org

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Florida Democrats have yet another plan

2008-03-21T14:10:05Z

Just when you think you're safe...

Entering a new phase of wrangling over Florida's disputed presidential primary, state Democrats are pitching formulas to seat at least half of the state's delegates based on the Jan. 29 election.

So how exactly would this work?

Two Broward County state senators, Jeremy Ring and Minority Leader Steve Geller, called a news conference Wednesday in Tallahassee to propose a solution: Seat half of Florida's 188 pledged delegates based on the Jan. 29 results and half based on the national vote. Florida's 22 so-called superdelegates, who are among the 800 party insiders and elected officials who get a vote at the convention, also would be counted.

Persistent, aren't they? And who stands to benefit?

This approach would give Hillary Clinton an edge of 19 pledged delegates, thanks to her 17 percentage-point victory in Florida. She'd likely net an additional advantage from the state's superdelegates.

So far, the Clinton and Obama campaigns have yet to work this out, or "get in a room together".

The idea, though, immediately drew opposition from two South Florida Democratics, state Sens. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton and Nan Rich of Weston, both Clinton supporters.

"Democratics"?

"I don't believe our delegates should be based on what other states did; it should be based on what Florida did," Rich said.

Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Delegates Turn".

Florida Democrats abandon do-over

2008-03-21T14:23:36Z

Facing strong opposition, Florida Democrats on Monday abandoned plans to hold a do-over presidential primary with a mail-in vote and threw the delegate dispute into the lap of the national party.
While the decision by Florida Democrats left the state's 210 delegates in limbo, Democrats in Michigan moved closer to holding another contest on June 3. Legislative leaders reviewed a measure Monday that would set up a privately funded, state-administered do-over primary, The Associated Press learned.

Just what we need: Privately funded elections. Who can buy the most votes? Hands?

Florida mail-in re-vote unlikely

2008-03-16T10:56:37Z

MSNBC reporting that the Florida Democratic Chair says it won't happen. Still waiting for more news.

UPDATE: H/t to Commenter Clancy for this link that explains why this would never work. Here's an excerpt, but go read for detaily details:

Being a civil rights' lawyer, Obama is aware of this problem and has pointed out that people are going to sue; the Florida African American community is leery of changes and the state hasn't given them reasons to believe that this would be an exception.
This is a plan that's designed to fail. This late in the process, only a replacement primary is going to be legal.

UPDATE #2: Per MSNBC, Obama has concerns, as stated above. Logistical, for one. The Florida Democratic Party still wants a mail-in vote proposal to be considered.

The Florida Democratic Chairman, as stated above, does not want that to happen.

UPDATE #3: "It's simply a proposal" says she. You can offer your input on their website. It's "by no means a done deal." McClatchy news says they want to decide by next Monday whether to send the proposal to committee. By adding 50 voting centers, they're trying to cover their, um, bases. But major problems there, says McClatchy. It would have to work with "precision clockwork", he says. And that wouldn't happen, now would it?

UPDATE #4: A lot of pressure on Howard Dean, who doesn't know how to get out of this, says the other commentator, whose name I didn't get yet.

TPMtv: Sunday Show Roundup: Deep Doo-Doo-Over

2008-10-14T15:31:11Z

Your Daily Politics Video Blog: The Democratic party seems to have quite a mess on its hands with the unresolved status of Michigan and Florida's delegates. Can the party find a solution before reaching an ugly August convention battle? We search for answers in today's Sunday Show Roundup episode of TPMtv.

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Hillary Supporter Schultz (D-FL) - Forget The Rules!

2008-10-15T21:29:21Z

Congresswoman and Hillary supporter, Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) states while advocating for a new "Do-Over" Florida primary that we need to stop worrying about whether rules were broken and that "all of this talk about the rules and that kind of thing is counterproductive".

Yeah, we don't need no stink'n rules!

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Hillary Supporter Bill Nelson: Time For Florida Revote

2008-10-23T09:31:48Z

March 6. 2008

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Howard Dean states options for Florida and Michigan

2008-03-06T12:48:02Z

Howard Dean:

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean urged Florida and Michigan party officials to come up with plans to repeat their presidential nominating contests so that their delegates can be counted.

"They have two options," Dean said on CBS News' The Early Show. "One: they can come before the DNC rules committee and submit a process that does comply with the rules, that is fair to both campaigns and the other states, or they can simply appeal their denial to the credentials committee at the convention. One of those choices is a good choice. We'd love to see Florida and Michigan, but it's going to be done within the rules."

The two state parties will have to find the funds to pay for new contests without help from the national party, Dean said.

"We can't afford to do that. That's not our problem. We need our money to win the presidential race," he said.

That would be the very same presidential race that will determine the next Supreme Court. I can't drive that point home hard enough.

Officials in Michigan and Florida are showing renewed interest in holding repeat presidential nominating contests so that their votes will count in the epic Democratic campaign.

The Michigan governor, top officials in Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign, and Florida's state party chair all are now saying they would consider holding a sort of do-over contest by June. That's a change from the previous insistence from officials in both states that the primaries they held in January should determine how their delegates are allocated.

Clinton won both contests, but the results were meaningless because the elections violated national party rules.

If there are do-overs, somebody better make sure that they are fair, legal, and accurate, with every vote counted and no disenfranchisement.

Oh wait. This is America. What am I even thinking?

DNC Vice Chair discusses superdelegates, Michigan, Florida

2008-03-05T12:32:41Z

On Thom Hartmann right now: Vice Chair DNC Susan Turnbull www.democrats.org

Topic: Shouldn't the Michigan and Florida Delegates be decided on quickly (before PA) by the Democrats?

My patented, award-winning, internationally acclaimed quick notes:

ST: Bottom line, nobody on DNC who would disenfranchise anyone. Primaries are still coming up, about 5 million more voters. Efforts will be made to include everyone.

No delegates were elected in the Michigan primary, and they broke the rules.

TH: Republicans in Michigan had a lot to do with this process in Michigan.

ST: Efforts made to talk to the parties about allowing people to participate and follow the rules. That option was made to Michigan and Florida, and they turned it down. We want a fair process, and that the superdelegates should have no more weight than if a vote was cast by a voter.

I've paid my dues with this party, and that's why I'm a superdelegate... because I'm a member of the DNC. I've been active in elections, handing out fliers, etc. But some superdelegates are not like me.

The whole notion of it being insiders in a smoke filled room, is not gonna happen. We cannot afford another Bush term with McCain.

TH: Nor can it be like 1968. Humphrey used the smoke filled rooms, and a lot of young people, very involved ones, just walked away and Nixon won.

ST: We can't have that happen. The good news from last night was the record numbers, young Democrats in Ohio. New people are coming into the process. We want a unified party, a unified nation.

TH: On Fox this morning [Thom was on], we discussed how many Republicans voted for Hillary. A lot! Now they're angry because they couldn't vote for down ticket Republicans. Can we make sure Florida and Michigan caucuses would be closed?

ST: Yes. This election is so critical.

TH: The Supreme Court is at stake here.

Where'd I hear that before?

Dear Hillary, sometimes it's not counting that counts

2008-02-24T20:37:58Z

Hillary is making some of her own backers uncomfortable, including a few governors:

Two prominent Democratic governors, both supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, voiced doubts Saturday about her argument that her victories in Florida and Michigan should count toward her delegate total.

Pennsylvania's Edward G. Rendell and New Jersey's Jon Corzine suggested that it would be seen as unfair to award those delegates to Clinton, given the Democratic Party's ruling that the vote in those two states would not count.

Are you listening, Hillary?

Several Democratic governors interviewed at the winter meeting of the National Governors Assn. here said that would be a mistake.

Rendell said ...: "You can't make any argument in Michigan, because Hillary was the only person who was on the ballot. I'm as avid a Hillary supporter as there is, but I don't think we can make an argument in Michigan."

Think of your party, think of the voters. Think, period.

When it comes to Florida, Rendell said, "At least you can make a tenable argument . . . I'm not sure it's a winning argument."

(Obama was on the ballot in Florida.)

Other Democratic governors who have not endorsed a candidate took positions at odds with that of the Clinton campaign.

"I hate to see anyone disenfranchised, but my gut reaction to that whole thing is there were a bunch of rules that were set and you just don't go changing the rules after the fact," said Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee.

No, you don't. Following the rules is part of playing well with others. If you start switching everything around now, it might look-- what's the word?-- self-serving. Especially when you're on a losing streak.

It's time to put this to rest, Senator Clinton. You're a smart, well-qualified candidate. This kind of publicity is not serving you well at all.

TPMtv Sunday Show Roundup: Rules, Rules, Rules

2008-10-16T09:31:01Z

The Republicans' best hope in 2008 might just be the maddening debate raging within the Democratic Party over the rules governing super delegates and the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan. Who's playing by the rules, who's trying to change them mid-game, and how might the Democrats find a way to screw up 2008?

We explore in today's Sunday Show Roundup episode of TPMtv.

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Florida lawmaker comes up with Florida re-vote idea

2008-02-19T13:55:56Z

He suggests having a primary in which everyone votes by mail:

Now Florida's House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber has suggested on a blog on his website that the state could instead vote again by mail so that millions there could have a say after all.
"As the primary slog continues ... Florida Democrats find themselves wondering whether that all too familiar combination of self-destructiveness and bad luck will once again snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory," he wrote.
"Perhaps we should consider a primary election by mail that includes Independent voters," he added, in the posting on Friday. Only Democrats were allowed to cast ballots in January's primary.

And what does the Clinton campaign think of this?

With Clinton running neck-and-neck nationwide against rival Barack Obama, extra delegates could now nudge her towards the magic number of 2,025 needed to clinch the party's nod.
Clinton's camp dismissed Gelber's suggestion, the Miami Herald reported Saturday. It added that Obama -- who did not bother to campaign in Florida after its delegates were revoked -- could stand to win there in a re-vote.

So if this increases Obama's chances, it could never work. But by not having a mail-in vote, it might increase hers, and that works just fine. There was no mention of how Obama's people feel about this.

Does anyone know if voting by mail would be feasible and/or cost-effective?

Are there no black Republicans in Florida?

2008-10-19T15:30:37Z

more at theuptake.org U of MN Professor John Logie interprets the meaning behind exit poll metrics for both Republicans and Democrats. E.g. are there no black Republicans in Florida? Prof. Logie also comments on the Clinton strategy of trying to seat Florida delegates at the DNC.

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TPMtv: Romney's Only Hope

2008-10-19T09:31:01Z

Your Daily Politics Video Blog: With John McCain's pretty solid victory over Mitt Romney last night in Florida, Mitt's going to have to rely on a nationwide chorus of 'wingers to knock McCain around enough to allow Mitt to get back into contention. In today's episode of TPMtv, we survey the possibilities.

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Romney: I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

2008-10-19T09:30:19Z

Mitt Romney, January 30, 2008

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Behind Florida Exit Polls

2008-10-23T09:32:48Z

more at theuptake.org
U of MN Professor John Logie interprets the meaning behind exit poll metrics for both Republicans and Democrats. E.g. are there no black Republicans in Florida? Prof. Logie also comments on the Clinton strategy of trying to seat Florida delegates at the DNC.

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Interview with Romney pushes Mark Larsen to support Ron Paul

2008-10-18T09:31:24Z

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TYT Calls It - McCain Wins Florida

2008-10-19T15:31:42Z

Watch the show interview at www.theyoungturks.com

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Tom Brokaw on the Giuliani Campaign

2008-10-19T09:30:02Z

January 29, 2008

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Rudy Giuliani Florida Primary Concession Speech

2008-10-19T09:30:06Z

January 29, 2008

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John McCain Florida Primary Victory Speech

2008-10-19T09:30:12Z

January 29, 2008

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Pat Buchanan on the John McCain Platform

2008-10-19T09:30:02Z

John McCain's platform: Jobs are never coming back, the immigration issue cannot be resolved but we're going to start a lot more wars.

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McCain wins Florida.

2008-01-30T07:39:19Z

'Nuff said.

UPDATE: Rev Huck is staying in. That could deliver a bunch of delegates to McCain.

Rudy's about to speak:

It's not over until it's over, a fan says.

I love competition, but it must be for a larger purpose. Elections are about fighting for a cause larger than ourselves. ... He's proud of the young people who voted... Congratulating opponents... He nearly forgot to mention Rev Huck and Ron Paul...afterthoughts. ... They're all honorable men... But win or lose, our work is not done.... If you believe in a cause, you continue to fight for it and we will... We ran a campaign that was uplifting (no attacks, smears)... Honesty and substance [!!] are important (paraphrased)... Terrorism... war on us... we can't wish it away, hope it away... peace through overwhelming strength... Stay on offense for economic security... Commit to lower taxes, less spending, reasonable regulations and (his emphasis) LESS LAWSUITS [is he the recipient?]... The sky is the limit... A one-page tax form... economy, economy... 12 commitments.. Reestablish that the Republican party (the party of Bush, he says), when we do it right, we are the party of freedom, of the people [!!]... We're a BIG party!... I'm even in this party! This is a big party!... Reach out across ethnic lines...

Okay, I've had enough...how much can one Laffy take? And they're cutting to Romney now.