Florida, Michigan Primary Do-Overs?
CNET
The governors of Michigan and Florida are saying it's increasingly important that delegates from the two states be seated.
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Florida Governor Charlie Crist say it's "reprehensible" the voices of 5.2 million people who voted in the two primaries would be silenced.
Granholm, along with top officials in Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign and Florida's state party chair, are now saying they would consider holding a sort of do-over contest by June. That's a change from their previous insistence that the primaries their states held in January should determine how their delegates are allocated.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reported Wednesday that the Clinton campaign was considering asking for "re-dos" in the two states.
Clinton won both contests, but the results were meaningless because the elections violated national party rules.
The Democratic National Committee stripped both states of all delegates for holding the primaries too early, and all Democratic candidates - including Clinton and rival Barack Obama - agreed not to campaign in either state. Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot.
"A do-over could change the whole complexion of this race," Greenfield said.
Crist and Granholm called it "intolerable" Wednesday that the DNC had stripped the states of their delegates for moving up their primaries in violation of DNC rules.
DNC officials have suggested to both Michigan and Florida that holding another presidential contest of some kind would be one way to get the delegates seated. Both states had maintained that holding caucuses would be too expensive.
Florida and Michigan moved up their dates to protest the party's decision to allow Iowa and New Hampshire to go first, followed by South Carolina and Nevada, giving them a disproportionate influence on the presidential selection process.
Ironically, Michigan and Florida could have held crucial primaries had they stayed with their traditional later dates. They may yet do so if they decide to hold new contests as Clinton and Obama compete to the wire.
Clinton has been insisting that the desires of more than 2 million people who cast Democratic ballots in the two states should be reflected at the convention, which would help her catch up to Obama in the race for delegates. Obama has said that he, too, wants the delegates from the two critical swing states to participate, but not if Clinton is rewarded for victories in boycotted primaries.
"Let's let all of the voters go again if they are willing to do it," Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday night on MSNBC. "Whatever we have to do to get people in the system, let's do it."
The new contests could be part of a strategy for Clinton to come back in the race and attract votes from super delegates who are not bound by any primary or caucus votes, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told the network. "Let's assume for the moment Hillary Clinton wins Ohio and Texas, she wins Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan have primaries in June, she wins both of those," said Rendell, who has endorsed Clinton. "Then, can the super delegates look at that and say, `Gosh, she's won the last five big primaries in a row. She's won almost every big primary since we began.'"
Granholm, a Clinton supporter, told the Detroit Free Press that Clinton's victory in Ohio changes "the landscape a bit." She said it could open the door to a caucus, if it can be privately funded and both candidates agree.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Florida Governor Charlie Crist say it's "reprehensible" the voices of 5.2 million people who voted in the two primaries would be silenced.
Granholm, along with top officials in Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign and Florida's state party chair, are now saying they would consider holding a sort of do-over contest by June. That's a change from their previous insistence that the primaries their states held in January should determine how their delegates are allocated.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield reported Wednesday that the Clinton campaign was considering asking for "re-dos" in the two states.
Clinton won both contests, but the results were meaningless because the elections violated national party rules.
The Democratic National Committee stripped both states of all delegates for holding the primaries too early, and all Democratic candidates - including Clinton and rival Barack Obama - agreed not to campaign in either state. Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot.
"A do-over could change the whole complexion of this race," Greenfield said.
Crist and Granholm called it "intolerable" Wednesday that the DNC had stripped the states of their delegates for moving up their primaries in violation of DNC rules.
DNC officials have suggested to both Michigan and Florida that holding another presidential contest of some kind would be one way to get the delegates seated. Both states had maintained that holding caucuses would be too expensive.
Florida and Michigan moved up their dates to protest the party's decision to allow Iowa and New Hampshire to go first, followed by South Carolina and Nevada, giving them a disproportionate influence on the presidential selection process.
But no one predicted the race would still be very close at this point in the year.
Ironically, Michigan and Florida could have held crucial primaries had they stayed with their traditional later dates. They may yet do so if they decide to hold new contests as Clinton and Obama compete to the wire.
Clinton has been insisting that the desires of more than 2 million people who cast Democratic ballots in the two states should be reflected at the convention, which would help her catch up to Obama in the race for delegates. Obama has said that he, too, wants the delegates from the two critical swing states to participate, but not if Clinton is rewarded for victories in boycotted primaries.
"Let's let all of the voters go again if they are willing to do it," Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday night on MSNBC. "Whatever we have to do to get people in the system, let's do it."
The new contests could be part of a strategy for Clinton to come back in the race and attract votes from super delegates who are not bound by any primary or caucus votes, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told the network. "Let's assume for the moment Hillary Clinton wins Ohio and Texas, she wins Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan have primaries in June, she wins both of those," said Rendell, who has endorsed Clinton. "Then, can the super delegates look at that and say, `Gosh, she's won the last five big primaries in a row. She's won almost every big primary since we began.'"
Granholm, a Clinton supporter, told the Detroit Free Press that Clinton's victory in Ohio changes "the landscape a bit." She said it could open the door to a caucus, if it can be privately funded and both candidates agree.
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It will be something to temporarily to point out how all these disenfranchised Clinton voters in Florida & Michigan, by breaking the DNC rules should receive a special pardon & reconsideration.
Why don''t we have every State that feels as though they''ve been slighted by DNC own actions come forward an ask for another primary. That is, just those that Obama won. Sounds fair to me!
The Clinton Media & Press machine will buy into it & rush to judgment for Hillary. If Obama was in this situation the DNC, Rendell, Media, & Press would be looking the other way.
The Clinton Conspiracy is becoming more & more transparent. It is real & it is here to prevent Obama , The People & This Country from the opportunity to make their Country a better place.
The Republicans are not loving the coverage, but they will love any excessive money that the DNC or state parties have to spend to hold another election. This is money that would be typically used against their candidates and may result in higher percentages of Republicans in the Michigan and Florida state and national (congress) offices ....
1. Let the popular vote decide who wins. 51% is the winnner, anything less than 51% but more than 50% should be re-voted.
2. All States would hold their primaries and final month voting on the same dates.
3. This would also save many millions of dollars that are wasted on this unfair system.
There is too much room for problems within the electoral votes system and it would also help to limit the amount of corruption available to unethical politicians.
Why put the ultimate decision to elect a president in the hands of Super Delegates who may have insider connections to one candidate or the other?
It is simply not a fair, honest, system.
Makes sense to me.
Posted by donbl1 at 12:56 PM : Mar 06, 2008"
I trust in a career politician to do what is best for him/her self. That means they are not going to go against the will of the people who gave them the job and risk having to go back to selling furniture.
will see you later as got to go back to work.
don
Posted by jasonfought at 12:53 PM : Mar 06, 2008"
Why because we actually have an interesting vibrant race for our candidate? The Republicans should be looking at this in horror noting that the Dem turnout has been historic and has exceeded the Rep turn out by 300%. Dems are more energized and excited about this election than they have been in a generation. The only thing I''d be thinking as a Republican is whether I''m going to wear black to the Dem inauguration.
One problem for Clinton is that a lot of her delegates are from states she will not take in the general election as they have been red states for 30 years.
A good way to pick a probable winner would be to only count delegates from historically blue states and swing states. i think Obama would come out ahead but have not done the math.