Dean Outlines Options For Fla., Mich. Dems

But Former Party Head Says It's Doubtful Plan For Do-Over Primaries Would Be Approved

(CBS/AP)  The former head of the Democratic National Committee said Thursday it was doubtful DNC Chairman Howard Dean would be able to get approval for a plan for do-over presidential nomination contests in Florida and Michigan.

"It'll be a hellacious battle," said Don Fowler, a former DNC chairman who sits on the party's rule-making committee.

Before the primaries started, "Howard Dean had enough votes to get most everything he wanted. Now that this thing has gone as far as it has and the lines have formed according to candidates. I'm not sure how that vote would shake out now," said Fowler, who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Now, everything is being viewed in terms of how it benefits a particular candidate, not the party or the process, Fowler said.

Nonetheless, Fowler said, something has to be done, "the rules be damned" to seat delegates from states Democrats have to and can win in the general election. "We're going to forfeit those two big states? What kind of fools would we be."

Dean has 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.

"All they have to do is come before us with rules that fit into what they agreed to a year and a half ago, and then they'll be seated," Dean said in another TV appearance.

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. The DNC offered to pay for an alternative contest in Florida last summer but was turned down, officials at the party say.

A full-fledged primary could cost as much as $15 million in Florida and a little less than that in Michigan, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes. A scaled-back, or "firehouse" primary, with fewer precincts would cut the cost in half, but it would also draw fewer voters.

Michigan is considering a caucus, which could be easier to organize on short notice, Cordes reports. But Florida Democrats, still stinging from the 2000 debacle, are adamant that it's a primary or nothing.

Another of Clinton's supporters, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, also called for a new Florida primary, but paid for by the national party.

Officials in Michigan and Florida have expressed 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 said she's waiting to see what proposal Democratic leaders in Florida and Michigan put forward.

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

"I think it would be a grave disservice to the voters of Florida and Michigan to adopt any process that would disenfranchise anyone," Clinton told reporters Thursday at a news conference in Washington. "Therefore I am still committed to seating their delegations, and I know they are working with the Democratic party to determine how best to proceed."

She said it would be especially unfair to punish the 1.7 million Floridians who voted in the Democratic primary since the contest's date was moved up by the Republican-controlled state Legislature and the state's Republican governor.

"They clearly believed that their votes would count, and I think that there has to be a way to make them count," Clinton said.

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.

"The rules were set a year and a half ago," Dean said. "Florida and Michigan voted for them, then decided that they didn't need to abide by the rules. Well, when you are in a contest you do need to abide by the rules. Everybody has to play by the rules out of respect for both campaigns and the other 48 states."

[squidly8]

"The rules were set a year and a half ago," Dean said. "Florida and Michigan voted for them, then decided that they didn''t need to abide by the rules. Well, when you are in a contest you do need to abide by the rules. Everybody has to play by the rules out of respect for both campaigns and the other 48 states."

Accept of course when Hillary doesn''t like the rules or the rules work against her ever shifting strategy.

[secundus2]

Taxpayers in both states ought to be assured that only party funds are spent on do-overs, because both of these states are experiencing budget crises.

[dnamj]

I''d kick in a donation to the parties of both states. They should do an online fundraiser to run the election, paper, pencil, two candidates, and hand counted. Cheap and easy.

[oleander8]

"Accept of course when Hillary doesn''''t like the rules or the rules work against her ever shifting strategy."
Posted by squidly8

squidly8, why are you bashing Clinton on this? She has agreed to a do-over.

A better question would be how does the DNC justify disenfranchising millions of voters? This and super-delegates stink to high heaven.

[tbweb]

Clinton is interested in seating the delegates according to the results of the cough-choke non primaries in Michigan and Florida only because she left her name on the ballot and then claimed victory - with a speech in Florida.

Posted by ajk_cbsnews at 12:51 PM : Mar 06, 2008,,,

Even more to the point, had Sen. Clinton lost she would have no interest at all in seating Delegates, who does she think shes fooling?

[easeup-2009]

Howard Dean talks about his upcoming Saturday afternoon:

"First I''m going to the dry cleaner, then I''m going to Home Depot, then I''m going to Blockbuster, then I''m going to 7-11 and PICK UP SOME BEER!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

[byeneocons]

Too bad for Michigan and Florida. They made their choice, now they can deal with it.

Of course, Michigan is broke from 8 years of George Bush, and Florida is still recovering from 8 years of Jeb Bush, so they really don''t have any spare change to throw another primary.

[phillysage]

If we let Michigan''s and Florida''s votes be counted either the ones that have been cast or in a new election--(since surely we''ll have to let media-spoiled baby Obama have his way), Hillary will have a majority of votes. She has won California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Texas, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan. She will win Florida and Michigan again if need be and if we have to spend even more money to suit the 3-year Senator from Illinois. Hillary has won every big state except for Illinois. Places like Wyoming and Mississippi which seem to love Obama are places which wouldn''t vote Democrat if hell froze over!

[easeup-2009]

"Of course, Michigan is broke from 8 years of George Bush, and Florida is still recovering from 8 years of Jeb Bush, so they really don''''t have any spare change to throw another primary.

Posted by ByeNeocons at 01:17 PM : Mar 06, 2008"

Why is Michigan "broke" because of Bush & not the Democratic Governor & Florida "recovering" from it''s Governor & not Bush?

You are one flaming hack.

[perception5]

Just like the Democrats now to want to count the votes........unless it helps them of course.

I feel bad for folks in Michigan.......decades of Democrat rule has pretty much destroyed that state.

Detroit, a deep blue city, is even worse off.

Only 22% of the children in Detroit graduate from K thru Grade 12. This is a city that has the UAW headquarters, a large NAACP division, and a city government that been Democrat for decades and generations.

Democrats "talk" about helping the poor people yet in "every" deep blue city in America today there is nothing but poverty and despair.

Is this what the Democrats call "Social Justice".

As a neocon I would call it a CRIME!

[dchoggettes]

phillysage,
you are a complete idiot. Since when did only the BIG states matter. How arrogant of Hillary and her minions like yourself to presume that since a state is bigger therefore it is more important. If you didn''t notice Dems outnumbered Repubs by more than a 2 to 1 margin. Consequently, there will no longer be any true RED states because of the lack of enthusiam. Most Dems will vote for either canidate because the Repubs are worse. Furthermore, Obama didn''t cry for a re-vote he simply followed the rules....something the Hillary the Snake Clinton refuses to do! You Moron. PS if the little states didn''t matter, then tell my why Hillary is losing so big.

[mbcsmith]

Of course, Michigan is broke from 8 years of George Bush, and Florida is still recovering from 8 years of Jeb Bush, so they really don''''t have any spare change to throw another primary.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by ByeNeocons at 01:17 PM : Mar 06, 2008


LOL...LOL again. Typical LIB. Can''t even hold a primary and they want to run the country. I think not.

Michigan is broke because labor unions killed the goose that laid the golden egg.
Florida? Jeb left office with a 76% approval rating.

[phillysage]

"So this is how the Clintons are going to steal the election from a negro who they cant defeat by the rules."
LMAO
Posted by TracyMorgan8

Why are the Obamites more interested in "rules" than true democracy? And this they call "CHANGE"--gimme a break. You know, folks, they''ve been drinking a little too much of that Kool-Aid Michelle''s servin up when they continue crying "racism" against Hillary and their supporters. Sexism is an even greater problem in this nation, not racism--this we can see by the media''s harsh treatment of Hillary and her family as opposed to the babying they continue to shower the 3-year Senator from Illinois with. By the way, I do think Hillary should have a black runningmate, but it shouldn''t be Obama--their are many blacks worthy, mature, experienced and accomplished who could serve as President--Baroque whatever his name is, is NoT one of them.
And I am one Democrat who would vote for McCain, if he''s on the ticket--and I have never voted Republican in my life!

[liberalme]

I live in Florida--What ever the Fl DNC decides there could be a potential lawsuit.
Many of us didn''t vote because we knew it wouldn''t count--now there are only 2 on the ballot instead of several.

There should not be a re-vote--they violated the rules and can''t have it both ways--they knew what they were doing from the beginning.

[liberalme]

Why is Michigan "broke" because of Bush & not the Democratic Governor & Florida "recovering" from it''''s Governor & not Bush?

You are one flaming hack.
Posted by easeup at 01:28 PM

Maybe because Jebbie did nothing for Florida but sure did a lot for his brother!

Florida is well rid of ole Jebbie

[nolalou]

"Taxpayers in both states ought to be assured that only party funds are spent on do-overs, because both of these states are experiencing budget crises." Posted by secundus2

I disagree, because it was the state legislature that set the date of the primaries! In Florida for example, the Republican controlled legislature decided to go against party rules and move up the date of the primary! It was not done by the party, so why should they have to pay for the do-over! Maybe the state legislatures will learn their lesson, or maybe next time they will be voted out of office for their stupidity and stubbornness!

[nolalou]

phillysage just becuase Obama is asking that the rules should apply doesn''t make him a ''media controlled baby'', after all , it''s Hillary insisting Florida and Michigan votes should count, even though they broke party rules they had previously agreed to!

Sorry, phillysage , but all you''ve managed to prove is that your are a blithering IDIOT!

[mbcsmith]

Maybe because Jebbie did nothing for Florida but sure did a lot for his brother!

Florida is well rid of ole Jebbie


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by liberalme at 01:55 PM : Mar 06, 2008


Jeb left office with a 76% approval rating.

[liberalvet]

phillysage

Your blind allegiance to Hillary is preventing you from thinking rationally. Both candidates are Democrats. Why are you attacking a fellow democrat so viciously? He has simply has more appeal to more democrats than Hillary has. I was supporting Hillary last year, simply because at the time I did not see any better candidate. It was not because I had any deep fondness for her or her political points. Once Obama emerged it gave me a choice, and one that I found more appealing than another Clinton. But I refuse to tear person down; if she wins the democratic ticket I will vote for her. But that does not mean I think she is better than Obama, it simply means we need a democrat in the White House.

[dchoggettes]

phillysage,
rules are a part of democracy! Duh. A true democracy is playing by the well established rules and standards in order to come together for a particular cause or purpose with which the majority agrees! If Obama was leading in Florida and Michigan, then I''d bet you would feel differently. And if you think sexism is worse than racism in this country, then you are probably a white middle-aged feminist who has a vendetta against men. There are only 2 sexes, men and women. Each group comprises about half of the world. There are dozens of races ie Black, Indian, white, Korean, Japanese...etc therefore, there are more differences and a greater opportunity for discrimination. I would suggest going to you local library and reading up on American history. White women were never hung for being white, but Blacks (men and women) were hung while white women watched.....and you think sexism ia a bigger problem. Not very intelligent.

[troytiedeman]

I live in Michigan and I believe that it''s all Michigans fault for the election. If they would have just stuck to the rules, instead of trying to be an important early state like Iowa and New Hampshire, then everything would be fine.

It is really too bad that we probably will not find out the democractic nominee until May.

[ioweign]

Jeb left office with a 76% approval rating.

Posted by mbcsmith at 01:51 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Jeb Bush:
76 percent approval rating and 0 in the state treasury...

Shrub Bush:
76 disapproval rating and $10 trillion National Debt

Similiarities

Bush
Republican
Fiscal Irresponsible

[liberalvet]

phillysage

With both candidates given the same rules I see a tight and close race in both Michigan and Florida. Obama was not even on the ticket in Michigan and those Floridians that supported Obama did not even waste time to show up at the polls. Trust me we will if given the oppurtunity to have our vote count, and Obama has became very popular in Florida recently. Just like all other states Clinton can not expect to win, she must earn it from here on out. Hopefully all this will not destroy the Democrats changes of taking the White House.....

[infidel_us]

I''m sure the losers will find some way to conduct ANOTHER election at eh expense of the taxpayers of both states.

If they try it, I''d sue to prevent it.

[mbcsmith]

Bush
Republica
n
Fiscal Irresponsible






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by IOWEIGN at 02:08 PM : Mar 06, 2008


Get some facts. Florida has a constitutionally mandated balanced budget.

George W- It''s expensive protecting your worthless a$$. You can credit $6 trillion to prior administrations.

How''s that pesky primary thing coming along. Tough business disenfranchising milioons of voters huh? Democracy LIB style. LOL.

[ioweign]

Get some facts. Florida has a constitutionally mandated balanced budget.

George W- It''''s expensive protecting your worthless a$$. You can credit $6 trillion to prior administrations.

How''''s that pesky primary thing coming along. Tough business disenfranchising milioons of voters huh? Democracy LIB style. LOL.


Posted by mbcsmith at 02:13 PM : Mar 06, 2008


Not in Iraq he is not - even Petraeus says that.

And it is $5 trillion - Bush has doubled the National Debt.

[phillysage]

There are only 2 sexes, men and women . . . Posted by dchoggettes

Gee, we would have never known! And when white men gave black men the right to vote after the Civil War, if you took History 101, you would have discovered that, women still had no right to vote among other rights. I am not a woman, by the way--do you have to be a woman to care about them? Macho male, Baroque or whatever his name is wanted to knock Hillary out, but found out the lady packed a mean punch! Bring out the pillows, MSNBC, ABC, etc. And more Kool-Aid, please, the people are beginning to lose their hangover!

[ioweign]

I''''m sure the losers will find some way to conduct ANOTHER election at eh expense of the taxpayers of both states.

If they try it, I''''d sue to prevent it.

Posted by Infidel_US at 02:13 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Hey - the states brought this on themselves.

The governors - one D and one R - have painted themselves into a corner by creating their own rules. Gee this sounds familiar...

[jersupporter]

''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 is complicated, bureaucratic and just plain ignorant, or they can simply just ignore everything and disenfranchise all those voters in Florida and Michigan. None of these choices are good choices, but heck, we are the Dummycratic Party.''
Continue that bickering on rules folks and just get use to hearing - THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES - JOHN MCCAIN. LOL

[jack99123]

Now that Hillary has won three primaries in a row, it''s time for Obama to do the classy thing and withdraw from the race.
Even now with winner take all Clinton will have 1721 pledged delegates including Florida & Michigan and Obama will have 1142. Obama would have been gone by now. Not only that if the electoral vote method is used, Hillary will have 263 votes and Obama 190. Only 270 votes are needed to win

Winner Take All

Clinton Obama
Alabama 52
Alaska* 13
Arizona 56
Arkansas 35
California 365
Colorado 46
Connecticut 48
Delaware 15
DC 14
Florida 210
Georgia 87
Hawaii* 20
Idaho* 18
ILL 153
Iowa* 31
Kansas* 32
Lousina 56
Maine* 24
Maryland 57
Mass 93
Michigan 156 0
Minn* 72
MO 72

Nebraska* 24
Nevada* 25
New Hampshire 18
NJ 107
NM 26
NY 232
ND 13
Ohio 130
OK 38
PA
RI 21
SC 37
Tn 68
TX 126
Utah 23
Vermont 15
VA 83
WA 78
WV
Wisconsin 74
Wyoming




1721 1142

[liberalvet]

Macho male, Baroque or whatever his name is wanted to knock Hillary out, but found out the lady packed a mean punch! Bring out the pillows, MSNBC, ABC, etc. And more Kool-Aid, please, the people are beginning to lose their hangover!

Posted by phillysage at 02:22 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Once again you show your lack of rational thought. You will post venomous statement about Obama and in the same sentence complain Hillary is getting a bum rap from the press and all us Obama supporters. You my friend have taken the drinks from the Kool-Aid. A Kool-Aid that was created from a recipe written by KARL ROVE. You call for us to wake up from our stupor....when all the while you my friend are the one being blindly lead like a lemming.

I guareentee you will be spitting nails if Hillary wins this thing and the GOP starts its swiftboating of her. But it is ok for her to swiftboat Obama....

[dchoggettes]

Jack99123,
You are a certified moron. You are another Clinton supporter trying to change the rules in order to make your canidate win. Iv''e got delegate scnarion for you. If you take number of delagates won, multiply them by the square root 2, divide it by the number of skittles in a bag, and multiply the average of pi 3.14, then subtract the degree of a equilateral triangle...then Obam wins 324,456,322,567,000 to 3. lol lol you are an idiot. The rules are the rules.

[liberalvet]

jack99123....you last post is really reaching buddy. Have you not been paying attention NO DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS WINNER TAKE ALL AND FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN DOES NOT COUNT. I know it is hard to see reason while being blinded by swiftboat propaganda like the Clinton Campaign has been spewing lately, but come on there has to be some point you stop and think for yourself....

[jack99123]

Hillary won all the big states except Illinois , which count towards victory in the general election. Getting delegates was just a game to get more people registered as democrats. That will be very useful in the general election .Obama won a whole bunch of small states and that also Caucus states. There are no Caucuses in the general election. The electoral vote method gives more advantage to the big states and that is the way the constitution was set up so that states with larger populations have more say in the selection of the next President.

[jack99123]

Even now in Texas , Hillary won Texas in the Primary and Obama won in the Caucus part of the election. Nowhere else in the world , Caucuses are done to run any election . Caucuses can easily be manipulated by hiring a lot of volunteers for $100 to $1000 for one or two week period. These paid volunteers then bring all their friends to come to attend the Caucus and the candidate who spent the most money for hiring paid volunteers wins the Caucus. Since Obama raised more money , he spent more on hiring these paid volunteers mostly university students and unemployed workers and this is why he won all the caucus states. These are only games that Obama has been playing to win a large number of small caucus states and other states where he was able to outspend Hillary 4 to 1 .
The GAMES are now over.

[jack99123]

The election in November is the real thing .The winner takes all the electoral votes in any state even though he wins by only one vote in that state. No more Caucuses and no more 4 to 1 money advantage to one candidate over the other. The Obama supporters should now wake up and gracefully nominate Hillary Clinton, as she has already won all the big states . Obama%u2019s inexperience clearly shows here but it is too late for him. Hillary has 263 electoral votes from all the states she has won. Obama has 190 electoral votes. Do not feel bad Mr. Obama. You will still be the Vice Presidential candidate and sooner you realize that the sooner we will start getting ready for the Republicans.
Electoral college Votes

Clinton Obama
9
3
10
6
55
9
7
3
3
27
4
4
21

7
6
9
4
10

12
17
10

11
3
5
5
4
15
5
31

3
20
7


4
8

11
34
5
3
13
11

10
263 190

[dchoggettes]

Hey Jack99123,
Iv''e got news. Don''t tell anyone that I let you in on a secret...but here goes. There are no electoral votes in the Primaries...just delegates. The electorals are for the General Election. And as for your proclaimation that Obama can''t win the general, just look at the polling that stated otherwise. By the way, Iv''e got one more secret to tell you. The Democrats outvoted the Republicans from the very beggining of the Primary season by well over 2 to 1. What does this mean? It means the states that generally run republican can be teken by Dems because of the lack of interest and support for McCain. There will be more DEms voting than Repubs. Again shhhh dont tell!

[liberalme]

5 Year unmet goals by DHS--way to go bushites!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23494846

[liberalme]

Jeb left office with a 76% approval rating.
Posted by mbcsmith

That''s because Florida is essentially a red state, Jebbie and the cons worked together.

Crist, on the other hand, will be a one-timer, he''s hitting too many of the working class in the wallet!

[gretagreen]

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Florida party leaders. I want their names. They KNEW this was going to happen (they just didn''t think the race would be close enough to matter.)
Who are these idiots who caused this mess?
Florida is kind of whacky regarding government, isn''t it?

[liberalme]

Fox News: - Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is demanding that the Democratic National Committee either accept the results of his state%u2019s primary or cough up the money to stage another election


We%u2019re coming to the biggest train wreck that you%u2019ve ever seen,%u201D Nelson said. %u201CBecause if they go to the convention and stiff arm the Florida delegation, how in the world do you think Floridians are going to support a Democratic nominee Nov. 4, only two months after the convention?%u201D
Posted by trapbreak at 03:25 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Now why in the world would they "accept the results" when not everyone voted because we were being told it wouldn''t count anyway!!!

If they want results--then they will have to vote again and give everyone the opportunity--however, there were about 4 other candidates then than now--what about them?

Can you see the lawsuits?

Florida screwed up again--and Jebbie wasn''t even here!

[ioweign]

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Florida party leaders. I want their names. They KNEW this was going to happen (they just didn''''t think the race would be close enough to matter.)
Who are these idiots who caused this mess?
Florida is kind of whacky regarding government, isn''''t it?

Posted by gretagreen at 03:57 PM : Mar 06, 2008

I believe Florida is Republican controlled and they voted for this primary date changed. Hmm - meddling in someones political process.

[jegibbons]

This would be COMICAL if it weren''t so sad!

Al Queda is watching. The Iraqi electorate are watching. The GOP is watching.
Does any loyal Blue State Democrat believe this debacle does anything but hurt their chances to gain the White House?

There has not been an uglier face in party politics than Howard Dean since the likes of Newt Gingrich!
The DNC needs to fix this. They should do the right thing by their voters. Pay for do-over elections in Florida and Michigan then FIRE Howard Dean! Send him back to Vermont to detox off his psyche meds at the Brattleboro Retreat.

[dchoggettes]

JEGibbons,
why in the hell should the DNC and Howard Dean pay for the ignorance and negligence of Gov. Christ (FL) and Gov. Granholm (MI). These are the people who let the voters down, not the DNC. The voters in these 2 states should rememeber what they did when they are up for re-election. If you run a stop sign and a police officer gives you a ticket should he have to pay for it becuase you are upset? No. Anyone who blames the DNC or Howard Dean for establishing a set of rules that have been on the books for nearly 2 years is an idiot!

[jegibbons]

Posted by dchoggettes == You got your facts twisted.
The Republican Governor of Florida did not decide when the Democratic Party in Florida should have their primary. It''s the Democratic party in Florida that makes that call.
MORE IS THE POINT Who is Howard Dean to dictate when a state should have its primaries???
What is not being stated here: THE PROVERBIAL ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM is this: This is a blatant manipulation to get specific results.

Small ''d'' democracy works from the people on up mot from party central down to the voters. That''s the way it works in Communist Countries!!! Like Cuba where elections are largely a matter for show not for substance.

[dchoggettes]

JEGibbons,
Have you taken the time to read any newspapers, which describes exactly why the primaries were moved. Gov. Christ was the centerpiece in moving the primaries, and she spearheaded the idea in order to get attention to the Floridian economy and to have more impact on the Primary outcome. Why do you think she is so outraged. As to Howard Dean''s place in the matter...Maybe you din''t know that he is the head of the DNC! Consequently, he along with other DNC members (democratically) decide when the votes take place. There has to be some semblance of order becuase the DNC is partially reponsible for ensuring that the elections are fair ie.... making sure that there is equal representaion between those who transfer the ballots, the credentials of the polling operators, the approval of other various matters. All of these mechanisms fall in-part under the DNC, therfore you can not have states going around having elections at their whim. You should probably get more informed...I would suggest going to the DNC website and also watching Anderson Cooper on CNN or even Bill Oreilly on FoxNews. Just get educated and come back to me.

[ioweign]

The Republican Governor of Florida did not decide when the Democratic Party in Florida should have their primary. It''s the Democratic party in Florida that makes that call.
MORE IS THE POINT Who is Howard Dean to dictate when a state should have its primaries?
What is not being stated here: THE PROVERBIAL ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM is this: This is a blatant manipulation to get specific results.


Posted by JEGibbons at 04:52 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Wrong Gibbons - Florida Republicans made it a law.



The state ran afoul of the committee%u2019s new primary rules when it decided to adhere to a new state law that moved the primary to Jan. 29, in violation of the DNC rule preventing unapproved states from holding a nominating contest before Feb. 5. The rules committee officially found the delegate selection plan Florida submitted to be in noncompliance Saturday when it adopted Dawson%u2019s resolution.

Florida party representatives argued unsuccessfully that they should be given an exemption and not be punished because they had taken "provable, positive steps" to obey the rule, but they were unsuccessful because of the actions of a Republican controlled legislature and a Republican governor.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/dnc-tells-florida-dems-to-change-primary-plan-2007-08-25.html

[ioweign]

The DNC needs to fix this. They should do the right thing by their voters. Pay for do-over elections in Florida and Michigan then FIRE Howard Dean! Send him back to Vermont to detox off his psyche meds at the Brattleboro Retreat.

Posted by JEGibbons at 04:25 PM : Mar 06, 2008

The state of Florida created the problem by making it a law. The State of Florida is liable for its own actions.

[jegibbons]

"There has to be some semblance of order..." ==Posted by dchoggettes. Sounds familiar!
Isn''t that what they use to say in East Berlin was the reason for that ten foot wall?
Or was that: "YOUR PAPERS ARE NOT IN ORDER!!"

This is STILL a blatant manipulation to get specific results.
The Bigger More Government Intrusions traditionally characteristic of the Democratic party have finally become its UNDOING.

"He who laughs last laughs best."

Come November when the Democrats get crushed once again. They will rightfully point their fingers to this debacle and particularly at the DNC''s chairman Doctor/former Governor Howard Dean who couldn''t arrange a hen laying contest without managing to irritate the hens and the judges. The Man is INSANE!

[jegibbons]

"Florida party representatives argued unsuccessfully that they should be given an exemption and not be punished because they had taken "provable, positive steps" to obey the rule, but they were unsuccessful because of the actions of a Republican controlled legislature and a Republican governor."==
All well and good. Am I to believe that the Republican party in Florida is able to control the DNC where the Republican party in other red states cannot? How NAIVE you are to believe this?

The problem is with the obstinate DNC CHAIRMAN
who is clearly unwilling to work with anyone.
Get a clue. You don''t understand how this really works. Dean is a DICTATOR who believes he has all the answers that the Democratic Party will ever need. You folks are being duped. The Chairman is the PROBLEM!