Clinton: Dispute Over Mich. and Fla. Votes "A Civil Rights Issue"

By: Fernando Suarez
Topics: Hillary Clinton

(CBS)

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In her harshest words yet over the disputed votes in Florida and Michigan, Hillary Clinton called it "a civil rights issue" and said she plans on sending a letter to Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and Barack Obama urging them to support seating Florida and Michigan delegates and counting their votes.

Clinton and her campaign know that the road to victory for her must include a resolution to the Florida and Michigan votes, something that has been dragging on since both states voted in January in violation of Democratic Party rules. Later this month the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the DNC will meet to discuss the matter.

But despite rumors that Clinton may throw in the towel in her quest for the nomination Clinton told the crowd of 1,300 women at a fund-raiser, "I am in this race. I am staying in this race."

The event was titled "Generations of Women for Hillary" that was hosted by Hillary, daughter Chelsea and her mother Dorothy Rodham. Clinton tried to put to rest growing anxiety that her candidacy was in its final days.

"There really is no cause for nervousness," Clinton said. "There is no cause for alarm. Sometimes you gotta calm people down a little bit."

Clinton said there is "plenty of time" to make a case against John McCain and made the point that after losing in Iowa in January, she landed in New Hampshire down 9 points on a Thursday and came back to win 5 days later. "You can turn an election around," Clinton said.

The fund-raiser was interrupted briefly at the beginning when a protestor stood on his chair with a large sign that read "Obliterate Iran? Apologize." The sign referred to some comments Clinton made in regards to bombing Iran if they attacked Israel with a nuclear weapon. The man tussled with the women at his table. Clinton looked on in silence. Eventually, Secret Service escorted the man out of the building. Clinton then joked, "I hope he didn't step on any of the cookies." Shortly after another woman stood in protest for the war in Iraq; she left the building without incident.

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by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 11:33 PM EDT: I''m sorry my post got on 5 times. I kept getting a message that read, "The Publish button will be enabled shortly. We have temporarily disabled it so everyone has an opportunity to comment." I didn''t expect it to get on 5 times. I kept pushing "Publish" because I thought I had to keep doing it because the other times didn''t work. i hope the folks at CBS delete all the others. So please excuse me.
Thanks; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 11:32 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 11:08 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 11:05 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 11:05 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 10:58 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by nammyohoreng May 10, 2008 10:56 PM EDT: My username is based on a Buddhist chant, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the law of the universe, happiness, peace and solidarity of the human family. After spending a day among my Buddhist family--the members of the Soka Gakkai International--www.sgi-usa.org--it is such a contrast to come back here and see such hatred and invective thrown out not toward Republicans but among fellow Democrats, who are supposed to be the Party of hope, the Party of inclusiveness for all, the Party of real solutions, and yes, the Party of change. A Buddhist writing states: "If the spirit of many in body but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can achieve nothing remarkable. The more than three thousand volumes of Confucian and Taoist literature are filled with examples. King Chou of Yin led seven hundred thousand soldiers into battle against King Wu of Chou and his eight hundred men. Yet King Chou%u2019s army lost because of disunity while King Wu%u2019s men defeated him because of perfect unity. Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind."; Reply to this comment


by glady1930 May 8, 2008 2:26 PM EDT: I am sick of hearing Michelle Obama whine. Women have been working for this country and have a right to serve if they want. GO HILLARY............I have voted since the 1952 election, but I may stay home this year. Will be 1st election I have failed to vote in.; Reply to this comment


by Lai K W May 8, 2008 2:11 PM EDT: IF THIS IS NOT COMMUNIST, WHAT IS IT?

FOR THE PARTY, OF THE PARTY, BY THE PARTY.

THAT IS A COMMUNIST PARTY WITH SCUMBAGS LIKE JOE ANDREW, RICHARDSON, PELOSI, HOWARD DEAN AND THE CLOWNS OF NBC; Reply to this comment


by greenfun May 8, 2008 1:47 PM EDT: Go Clinton GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need a courageous fighter in the Oval office.
Just say no to the flip/flopping hypocrite that has blocked the rights of voters-Obama.
We lost to Bush because of FL and OH--are they going to go for Obama this year? It sure doesn''t look like it. Especially after he has blocked the re-vote in FL.
Obama is political suicide for Democrats.; Reply to this comment