From The Road
March 12, 2008 12:27 PM

Clinton Links Hispanics to Stripped Delegate States

By
Ryan Corsaro
Topics
Hillary Clinton
(CBS)
From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Clinton compared the Hispanic community to Florida and Michigan – states stripped of their delegates in the Democratic primaries - as voices that should be heard in the race for the Democratic presidential nominee.

Clinton spoke today to over 100 attendees of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington.

Already taking fire for comments made by Geraldine Ferraro, a supporter of Clinton's who inferred that Barack Obama's race gave him an advantage in this election, Clinton went on to compare Latinos as a minority who needed to be counted just as Florida and Michigan voters should.

"My first job in politics was working in South Texas to register Latino voters for the 1972 presidential campaign. I threw myself into that job because I believe every vote must count and every vote deserves to have its time. And that means you've got to make it easier for people to vote and then you've got to be sure you count all the votes. It's something I believed then and it's something I believe passionately now," said Clinton.

"If you're a voter from Florida or Michigan, you know that we should count your votes. The nearly two and half million voters in those two states are who participated in the primary elections are in danger of being excluded from our Democratic process, and I think that's wrong," Clinton said.

"The results of those primaries were and they should be honored. Over the past few weeks there's been a lot of discussion about what we should do to ensure that the voters from Florida and Michigan are counted. Well, in my view, there are two options – honor those votes or hold new elections."

"We have a basic obligation to make sure every vote in America counts. And I hope Senator Obama's campaign will join me in working to make that happen. I think that is a non-partisan solution, to make sure we count those votes."

Clinton went on to say she welcomed the support of those who represent "voices never heard, especially those of the Hispanic community" to join in the debate on this issue.

Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates by the Democratic National Committee after attempting to move their primaries to earlier dates – a decision by the DNC that both Clinton and Obama's campaigns agreed to respect at the time.

Clinton took the stage this morning shortly after the audience was addressed by Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., who spent 20 minutes expressing her support for Obama.

While a sense of awkwardness stifled the room at first, Sanchez was applauded for her speech. Although Clinton was not named, Sanchez did say that Obama "doesn't pander and he doesn't compromise his principles" on issues such as driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, which was clearly aimed at Clinton. At a Democratic debate last fall, Clinton gave a muddled answer on whether or not she was against issuing drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, while Obama said he was in favor of the plan.

Add a Comment See all 24 Comments
by cathreina March 13, 2008 3:24 PM EDT
hhkeller you have to catch up with the rest of us. Rekco/Obama is old news and nothing criminal about it. However, we know the Clintons have received donations from Rekcos co-defendents and since we''ve yet to see any Clinton tax records, leaves room for many questions that Hillary has yet to answer. HRC''s campaign is backed up to a wall and have thrown thier morals and democracy out the window in order to fight their way back into the nomination.
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by standlee5 March 13, 2008 4:27 AM EDT
So now once again they''re reducing an entire race to victim status. Hispanics don''t need special consideration anymore than any other new immigrants to this country. STop it already.
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by hhkeller March 12, 2008 10:17 PM EDT
Obama is transparent.
He did nothing for the folks in Illinois as reported by the local news. His ties to Rezko are criminal. His votes in the Senate are opposite of what he says.
Too bad he was vetted earlier.


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by swanspirit-2009 March 12, 2008 9:48 PM EDT
Sorry for the typo "splitting "
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by swanspirit-2009 March 12, 2008 9:47 PM EDT
i Wright on the disappearance of Natalee Holloway: %u201CBlack women are being raped daily in Africa. One white girl from Alabama gets drunk at a graduation trip to Aruba, goes off and gives it up while in a foreign country and that stays in the news for months /i this is from OBAMAS PASTOR ...
Now who is splotting whom ??
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by missglo March 12, 2008 9:28 PM EDT
I guess any excuse, is better than nothing. Hillary has brought the race card up to many times. That is why, I can not understand why someone Black, will give her their vote.The way she has attacked Obama,and now it is Back-fireing.
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by sosoe-2009 March 12, 2008 8:49 PM EDT
Boy,oh boy!! Hillary is a "piece of work"!She only wants Florida and Michigan to vote because she won both primaries. (Obama was not on the Michigan ticket). She knew what the decision was months ago when the Democratic party agreed to punish Michigan and Forida. She did''nt have a problem with the decision UNTIL she needed the delegates for HER benefit. She needs those delegates.Talking all that bull---- about every vote counting. She''ll do ANYTHING to get what she wants!.She''s trying to portray that ALL Blacks are voting for Obama, so Whites and Latinos should vote for her! SO WHAT, IF BLACKS ARE VOTING FOR OBAMA!!!You mean to tell me if Latinos or Mexicans had someone running for president they would''nt get behind one of their own!! Yes they would! AND WE BLACK FOLKS DON''T GIVE A RAT''S A-- WHAT ANYBODY THINKS ABOUT OUR SUPPORT FOR BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is as qualified as anyone of those white "gentlemen" we''ve had in the whitehouse to this point!We have the right to vote for whomever we please, and not have to explain it! The Clinton''s have come to rely on the Black vote, and now that they aren''t getting it, they''re trying to turn it into a negative.Now it''s a big deal because we aren''t supporting Hillary!! Nobody wants to elaborate the fact that white women are predominately voting for Hillary! And to think that I''ve always voted for the Clintons.How STUPID of me!! Voted for that Geraldine Hag, too!! That was before they showed me their true colors!!!!!!!!!!
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by lumpygravee March 12, 2008 8:30 PM EDT
Although I''m a moderate liberal and align with the Democratic party, if it comes down to Hillary and McCain for the election, I will vote for McCain without any hesitation.

I am white male, 44, professional, college educated.

I like Obama, however I was prompted for this comment simply because Hillary is pulling out the dirty tricks to take this election.

I''m sorry the Floridians won''t be counted, but the Democratic party there is responsible for *** up.
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by dnsallday March 12, 2008 8:26 PM EDT
If all these votes really mattered to Clinton then why would she agree before the primaries that they would not count. When the polls had her running ahead all over the country, She was more than willing to sign a pledge saying she understood and she agreed that these delegates would not be seated.
So now because she is behind all of a sudden she cares about this. The sad, sad case of it all is that so many people realize the lack of integrity she has and are still willing to support her and vote for her. Sad, sad, sad.
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by ladyraestewa March 12, 2008 8:16 PM EDT
HRC has already shown her hand - she is above nothing in an attempt to get what she wants and in this case the prize is the Oval Office. She plays dirty politics to deflect. She promotes a double standard by accepting dirty money but condemning Obama for his returning dirty money. She agrees to rules she later violates then cries foul if it might work against her. She jumps the gun claiming victory when in fact victory wasn''t hers (can anyone say Texas). Then plays the female card by crying to gain sympathy. I''m still waiting for the woman to step forward and give us her public position on the NY Governor''s resignation. The woman can only bury that knife in her back deeper regardless of her stance --- and silence on her part, just twists it a little bit more!
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