Clinton Visits Florida Ahead Of Primary

Democrat Hopes Big Showing Can Blunt Obama's Momentum, Even With No Delegates At Stake

(AP)  Stung by her lopsided loss to Barack Obama in South Carolina, Hillary Rodham Clinton is trying to shift her momentum in Florida - even though its Democratic primary won't count for much.

Like her rivals, Clinton has agreed to a pledge imposed by national party leaders not to publicly campaign in the state. But after South Carolina, Clinton was skating up against the edge of that agreement and trying to lend some credibility to the outcome Tuesday.

She arrived in Florida on Sunday for two events - both closed fundraisers, in keeping with the pledge not to campaign. She clearly winked at that pledge with her arrival, joking about the warm weather and positioning herself so photographers had a palm tree for a backdrop.

"It is absolutely glorious," said Clinton. "It is a perfect day here in Florida."

Earlier, Clinton said there's intense interest in the campaign in Florida, where early voting is heavy.

"Hundreds of thousands of people have already voted in Florida and I want them to know I will be there to be part of what they have tried to do to make sure their voices are heard," Clinton said. She will campaign in the state on Tuesday, but only after the polls have closed.

No Democratic delegates will be allocated as a result of the Florida voting, and none of the candidates has made an effort in the state. While there has been heavy activity in early voting, it's largely driven by state issues.

After Florida moved its primary up to Tuesday in an attempt to play a bigger role in choosing the presidential nominees, the Democratic National Committee said it would refuse to seat the state's delegation at the national convention in late August. But it is expected that the eventual nominee will try to reverse that decision because of Florida's crucial role in the general election.

Clinton already is on record favoring that step.

"I will try to persuade my delegates to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida," said Clinton. "Democrats have to win Michigan and have to try to win Florida and I intend to do that. The people of Florida deserve to be represented in the process of picking a candidate for president of the United States."

Michigan also violated party rules by moving its primary to Jan. 15, and party leaders voted to strip the state of its 156 delegates as punishment.

Campaign aides defended Clinton's new focus on Florida.

"I think it's a mistake for any party, for any candidate to tell the voters in Florida they don't matter," said spokesman Jay Carson. "It's wrong for any Democrat to send a message that the voters of any state don't matter."

Carson argued that all the candidates will be on the Florida ballot Tuesday, and the number of voters will be large.

On Monday, former Attorney General Janet Reno announced she is endorsing Clinton. Reno was appointed by Clinton's husband, President Clinton. Reno, who lives in Miami, later ran for Florida governor, losing a 2002 primary to Bill McBride.

[sjbj2322]

Amen Metroduck - I think its wrong what the DNC did to the citizens of Florida and Michigan. Who in their right mind sold out the constituency of those two states...they should be run out of town. I frankly don''t care which candidate would have won - the point is they should have been given their place to have a voice. Thank goodness they will have a say in November and I just pray that they are able to back the same candidate they would have in the primary. So much for Obama speaking for the disenfranchised. I applaud Hillary for at least going to them and saying its not right and she is doing nothing wrong in doing so. The rules specifically allowed any candidate to hold fundraisers in those states - it just prohibited campaigning. The event that Hillary attended was a private affair. If others came out to see her when she arrived or departed, that only speaks volumes about how unfairly they were treated by the DNC.

[chill4change]

the fact is, the major candidates agreed not to campaign in michigan and florida. technically she can attend a closed fund-raiser. but she arranged for every photo-op along the way, gaining any advantage she could. she agreed with obama & edwards to follow the party''s decision. her spokespeople are now trying to make something of the results should she win. it''s pathetic. same with michigan, where i live. they agree not to campaign in my state but what do you know, somehow hilary forgot to take her name off the ballot like the others did. it''s not "guts", it''s do-anything, win-at-all-costs dirty politics. if she had a problem with it, she should have brought it up before agreeing to the hands-off strategy... NOT to agree to it and then go back on her word.

[rowdytexan2]

Leaving these two states out is a totally assanine decision in the first place. This is the UNITED States of America. What kind of divisive krap is this?

[gunownerdan]

Both Obama and Clinton will say law-abiding citizens should not be trusted to own common handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Meanwhile they both rely on armed guards who carry MACHINE GUNS every single day!

"How a politician stands on the Second Amendment tells you how he or she views you as an individual ... as a trustworthy and productive citizen, or as part of an unruly crowd that needs to be lorded over, controlled, supervised, and taken care of."
- Suzanna Gratia-Hupp

[jack3213]

This woman is EVIL, pure & simple.

[chill4change]

the fact is, the major candidates agreed not to campaign in michigan and florida. technically she can attend a closed fund-raiser. but she arranged for every photo-op along the way, gaining any advantage she could. she agreed with obama & edwards to follow the party''s decision. her spokespeople are now trying to make something of the results should she win. it''s pathetic. same with michigan, where i live. they agree not to campaign in my state but what do you know, somehow hilary forgot to take her name off the ballot like the others did. it''s not "guts", it''s do-anything, win-at-all-costs dirty politics. if she had a problem with it, she should have brought it up before agreeing to the hands-off strategy... NOT to agree to it and then go back on her word.

[chill4change]

the fact is, the major candidates agreed not to campaign in michigan and florida. technically she can attend a closed fund-raiser. but she arranged for every photo-op along the way, gaining any advantage she could. she agreed with obama & edwards to follow the party''s decision. her spokespeople are now trying to make something of the results should she win. it''s pathetic. same with michigan, where i live. they agree not to campaign in my state but what do you know, somehow hilary forgot to take her name off the ballot like the others did. it''s not "guts", it''s do-anything, win-at-all-costs dirty politics. if she had a problem with it, she should have brought it up before agreeing to the hands-off strategy... NOT to agree to it and then go back on her word.

[candide777]

This woman is EVIL, pure & simple.
Posted by jack3213 at 07:25 PM : Jan 28, 2008

Jack is brain-dead, pure and simple. Couldn''t build a persuassive argument if his life depended on it.

[suet123-2009]

Hillary is either too stupid to understand the pledge she made OR thinks it''s OK to not keep her word. She really will SAY OR DO ANYTHING TO GET ELECTED!!!

[jack3213]

COURTING VOTERS in Iowa and New Hampshire, last August Sen. Hillary Clinton signed a pledge not to "campaign or participate" in the Michigan or Florida Democratic primaries. She participated in both primaries and is campaigning in Florida. Which proves, again, that Hillary Clinton is a liar.

Clinton kept her name on the Michigan ballot when others removed theirs, she campaigned this past weekend in Florida, and she is pushing to seat Michigan and Florida delegates at the Democratic National Convention. The party stripped those states of delegates as punishment for moving up their primary dates.

"I will try to persuade my delegates to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida," Clinton said last week, after the New Hampshire primaries and Iowa caucuses were safely over.

Clinton coldly and knowingly lied to New Hampshire and Iowa. Her promise was not a vague statement. It was a signed pledge with a clear and unequivocal meaning.

She signed it thinking that keeping the other candidates out of Michigan and Florida was to her advantage, but knowing she would break it if that proved beneficial later on. It did, and she did.

New Hampshire voters, you were played for suckers.

[jack3213]

Candide777- FU- plain & simple- see below

[jazione]

Important Note to Media Watchers, Independents and Moderates:

What will the media do with the Florida Democratic Primary today?

Watch for any television, print or web news site and compare if its coverage of Hillary''s winning Florida''s primary today is any more than it gave to the Michigan primaries. That is the key measurement. If it does, it is only one of these three things:

1. Slanted towards the Clintons
2. Playing along with the Clintons'' spin by following the pretty bright light%u2026
3. Not very intelligent


This will be interesting

Thank you,
Jane

[eddynewhope]

Typical Clinton operation tactic: break the DNC agreement not to campaign in Florida, then try to get their lawyers to change the rules. Why such desperation? Even if the DNC does change the rules (which they won''t), doesn''t that undermine the legitimacy of her victory?

[b-easy63]

I applaud Hillary for at least going to them and saying its not right and she is doing nothing wrong in doing so. The rules specifically allowed any candidate to hold fundraisers in those states - it just prohibited campaigning. The event that Hillary attended was a private affair. If others came out to see her when she arrived or departed, that only speaks volumes about how unfairly they were treated by the DNC.

Posted by sjbj2322 at 02:06 PM : Jan 28, 2008


te DNC did not break the rules, they merely enforced them, each states Dems party broke the rules and cost their delegates their vote.

You applaud what Hilary is doing?

Did you also applaud when she agreed NOT to do what she is now doing?

Anything to win--sounds like shades of Bush.

[b-easy63]

Hilary supporters are just like Bush''s base: ignoring when their guy/gal breaks rules or laws and justifying anything they do. This is good, it will forever show that the only difference between a neo con sheeple and a Democratic sheeple, is the color the candidate is wearing.

They all are liars and defenders of anything--as long as their choice is doing it.

[b-easy63]

My, my, my what a turnabout. Guess the ol'' girl''s word does not mean squat if she can get some mileage out of breaking it....

i would think Hilary''''s supporters would be more concerned about her not honoring the agreement to uphold the DNC''''s restricitions on Fl and MI than they are on a supposed ''''snub'''' from Obama. AFter all, if Hilary is willing to ignore, and flout her word to her own Party--which ones and how many of her promises to America and her own supporters will she ignore or trash when it''''s convenient for her too? LOL

For her supporters--when she does renege on her promises--it won''''t be like she did not give you all a really huge clue as to that particular quirk in her integrity. lmao

Thank you Hilary--YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN ANY WORDS.....So which campaign promises to the sheeple will Hilary break first to win over those Republicans. ROTFLMAO

[b-easy63]

Hillary is the REAL DEAL.

She does not pretend to be "uniter".... She does not give people false hope.

Posted by metroduck75 at 09:16 AM : Jan 29, 2008

YEAH. And all you Hilaryettes remember that when she begins breaking her promises to YOU to get more mileage for herself. It is all about her, isn''t it? Can''t wait until she d111cks you for the Republican contigency and you all holler "no fair". LMAO YOu deserve that drubbing in the same way Bush gave it to his "support him no matter what" brain dead voters.