Florida Democrats Won't Hold Re-Do Primary

Party Chairwoman Cites Lack Of Support For Idea; Fate Of Delegates Now Rests With DNC

(CBS/AP)  Facing strong opposition, Florida Democrats on Monday abandoned plans to hold a do-over presidential primary with a mail-in vote and threw the delegate dispute into the lap of the national party.

While the decision by Florida Democrats left the state's 210 delegates in limbo, Democrats in Michigan moved closer to holding another contest on June 3. Legislative leaders reviewed a measure Monday that would set up a privately funded, state-administered do-over primary, The Associated Press learned.

In Florida, a frustrated Democratic Party chairwoman Karen L. Thurman sent a letter announcing the decision.

"A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the party were to pay for it," Thurman said. "... This doesn't mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April."

Members of Florida's congressional delegation unanimously opposed the plan, and Barack Obama expressed concern about the security of a mail-in vote organized so quickly. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign expressed disappointment with Florida's decision.

"Today's announcement brings us no closer to counting the votes of the nearly 1.7 million people who voted in January," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said. "We hope the Obama campaign shares our belief that Florida's voters must be counted and cannot be disenfranchised."

Obama's campaign said it looked forward to an agreement on what to do about Florida.

"We hope that all parties can agree on a fair seating of the Florida delegates so that Florida can participate in the Democratic Convention, and we look forward to working with the Florida Democratic Party and competing vigorously in the state so that Barack Obama can put Florida back into the Democratic column in November," said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor

The national party punished Michigan and Florida for holding primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates to the party's national convention this summer in Denver. All the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in the states, and Obama did not appear on Michigan's ballot.

Clinton won both primaries. As the race with Obama has tightened, she has argued the delegates should be seated or new primaries held.

"The decision not to re-vote keeps the state's Democratic delegates in limbo," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "It is hard to see them being seated solely based on the results of the January vote anytime before the convention and just as difficult to think they would be divided equally between the two candidates. This would appear to be a blow to the Clinton campaign which needs to find a way to make up deficits in both the pledged delegate count and the popular vote."

Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who backs Clinton, has suggested one alternative - seating all Florida delegates already chosen but only giving them half a vote each. Nelson discussed this idea with Clinton and Obama on the Senate floor last week. Based on the Jan. 29 results, Clinton would have won 105, Obama 67 and John Edwards 13. Instead they would get half those delegate votes.

"We will continue to work with both Florida and Michigan to come to a solution that's fair and within the rules," said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Stacie Paxton.

Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the congressional delegation is talking with the DNC and both campaigns to find another solution to seating Florida's delegates, including an idea that would take into account the January vote among other factors.

The draft Michigan legislation included language that would approve spending privately raised funds for the election, according to a Democratic leader who spoke on condition of anonymity because lawmakers and the campaigns are still considering the proposal.

[samthetvcat]

This state is so incompetent . . . how about we collectively all make a pledge of three strikes and they''re out?

[blkpresident]

Nice job, Florida. Good for you guys for saving your time and money. After PA., let''s hope Missy steps aside and let Obama square off with OLD man McCain. Sorry about your delusion ''lil Hillary about a women becoming president.

[carlad1958]

Since everyone played by the same rules - none of the candidates campaigned in Florida - it is time for the DNC to back down and let the vote stand. I realize that since Howard Dean does not want HRC in the White House, that is a stumbling block, but he and the DNC should grow up. How dare they disenfranchise an entire state just because they wanted to. The people have spoken and they are supposed to have the power.

[grazinggoat]

Democrats | 2,025 Needed to Clinch
OBAMA 1,612
CLINTON 1,476
EDWARDS 18

The GAP favoring BO over Hilary is growing by the hour (Actaully by the day, LOL!) 136 delegates have favored Barack Obama, and you know what? THEY ARE RIGHT!

[popstom1]

abor I wiil not vote for Obama but Larry Sinclair
is a lieing sack of $hit his mama should have
throwen him in the river with a bag of rocks

[popstom1]

goat after the Rev.Wright she will carrie the poplur
vote ByeBye Obama

[rowdytexan2]

Way to go Florida! You already voted your choice! Make them let your vote stand!

[prinzowhales]

Bear Stearns, the firm of thieves that the thieves at JP Morgan just acquired, paid out billions in bonuses to its executives just six weeks ago, according to Jim Rogers an analyst, before being sold for next to nothing...Its employees owned two-thirds of the stock and it''s price dropped from around $100 a share to $2...Job well done!

Wall Street is supporting Demopublicans! You should too! Just because gas is going on four dollars a gallon...just because America is being de-industrialized...just because they support free trade and open borders and the war against freedom all over the world is no reason for you not to support Wall Street and JP Morgan...Remember! JP Morgan was the US purchasing agent for Great Britain in its war against Western Civilization in 1914 and used its influence to help get the Federal Reserve Bill passed to provide a mechanism to create a huge debt to help Great Britain in its war for fun and profit. Now, the Federal Reserve has helped it acquire Bear Stearns...Don''t you wish that you could create money out of nothing like these bankers?

[scottyusa]

This is the same party that wants to run the country folks. The stripping of the delegates was a loser in the first place. Just like the stripping of the Iraq army was one of this administrations big boo boos. Now it is time to pay for past mistakes. If you think things are going to straighten out by having a split party that makes big mistakes running the country keep dreaming.

[prinzowhales]

Bush and the Republicans couldn''t have got their war on without the able assistance of the other half of the oligarchical party--the Democrats! And, when the Democrats won control of Congress, the first thing Pelosi and Reid did was help the surge!

When you vote Demopublican...you''re not just voting for a party with two wings...a kind electoral feminine protection product for those heavy days when the Establishment is bleeding out lies and nonsense like a stuck pig...You are voting for a way of life...a Purina Cat Chow way of life... where you sit quitely like a good kitty and eat pellets out of a bowl so everyone will know that you are a pretty, well behaved and precious little American kitty who respects his betters and always uses the sandbox.

Vote Demopublican and you''ll get more kitty treats like the $1200-600 dollars the Demopublicans are going to leave by your bowl to stimulate the economy....Good kitties!

[bec67]

Time for the DNC to seat the delegates from FLA. OBAMA is toast, is numbers are going down the toilet and will never beat McCain.

[perception5]

If "only" the Democrats had just copied the GOP then they wouldn''t be in this situation.

Now do you have a better idea which party should be running the country?

By the way President Bush and the Federal Reserve GREAT JOB stablizing the markets today and even end the day +29 points........not bad .........not bad at all!

Don''t look for the most corrupt institution in America, our mostly liberal MSM wolfpack press to give our President much credit for being "really" on top of this situation over the weekend.

So while our President and the Federal Reserve stablized the markets today the members of our 110th Do Nothing DEMOCRAT Congress, with the lowerst appoval ratings in the history of Congress, were on VACATION.

Are these FACTS really sad or what................

[samthetvcat]

You know how Iowa did that ''round 2'' thingie that let Edwards'' delegates move to support the front-runners? Do they have that in Florida too? Because if that''s the case, then it wouldn''t be as much of a controversy about using the votes from before since if Florida had voted on schedule, Edwards would not have been on the ballot. That''s not to say that all of Edwards support would go to Obama - in fact it might not, but at least it''d be better than nothing at this point . . .

[downsteamjim]

It would be nice to have the Florida Democrat Party take a civics class. Their ability to run elections would embarrass a third grade class president election.

[jimmb4]

Actually CNN has Obama ahead of Clinton by 7 in the last 3 days. Clinton has lower negative than Obama according to Rass. and both are now losing to McCain. Nader has moved up to 5. The attacks on Obama has lowered Clinton and Obama and have increased McCain and Nader''s numbers. It is clear that Clinton needs to quit for the good of the Democrats. I will vote for Nader if Clinton gets the nod. In fact, I will move to Florida and vote for Nader.

[downsteamjim]

To Jimmb4: Imagine a President Nader! He may have an excellent chance, especially with Hillary and Obama doing the self destruct dance.

[jimmb4]

Cafferty reports in CNN that Clinton recieve 100,000 Republican votes in Ohio, 119,000 in Texas and 38,000 in Mississippi. Clearly Clinton would have been gone by now if it were not for the aid of the Reps. They voted for her, not because the like her but because they know that she will be easier to beat than Obama and she could not stay in the race on her own. Clinton is destroying the Dems. Watch Obama''s speech tomorrow if you want to learn what he really thinks about race and Wright. Give the man a chance and you will see that he is good for the country.

[hp32970c]

No matter who you support this election was not fair. Thousands and thousands of people did not vote because they were TOLD their votes would not count. A compromise should be reached but no way should the vote count as it is now. That is just plain unfair. The candidates did not make these rules. Why would you want to penalize either of them. Furthermore, Clinton signed off on the rules a year ago when she thought her nomination was inevitable. Why didn''t she say it wasn''t fair then and refuse to sign? Because she didn''t think she needed the Fl votes and didn''t care. Now she cares. Doesn''t that bother any of you Clinton supporters?

[jimmb4]

I do imagine Nader. I voted for him in 1996 and 2000. I voted for Cobb in 2004. I will vote for Obama however, if he is nominated. Funny thing is, the last Dem that I voted for was Clinton. I learned my lesson and haven''t voted for Dems since. I will give Obama a chance, because he is a new Democrat. This is why they want to destroy him so bad. They fear the fact that he doesn''t do favors people just because the contribute. This is the problem with the Rezko accusations is that Obama didn''t do anything for the guy. Whereas in Clinton''s case she won''t let us see the data so we can only deduce that she and Bill are taking money and returning favors. It must be the truth.

[hp32970c]

They voted for her, not because the like her but because they know that she will be easier to beat than Obama and she could not stay in the race on her own

This is true but they also voted for her so that this contest would continue and she and Obama would destroy each other and the party. Clinton should think of the party and the country instead of herself and step down asap!!!!!!

[jimmb4]

The only good thing about Clinton destroying the Dems is that it causes Nader''s numbers to rise. I''m moving to Florida and working for Nader.

[taddles-2009]

"Now do you have a better idea which party should be running the country?

Posted by perception5 at 07:38 PM : Mar 17, 2008"


Yea, because you useless a$$clowns have done such a great job the past 8 years. Your kind can''t even stomach your own nominee, why the he11 should we let you $hit on the constitution for another 8 years.

[jimmb4]

The economy is doing well under the Republicans. I can''t wait until tomorrow. I bet 1 Euro today the the market would crash and I lost. I am doubling down tomorrow. I bet Euros because dollars are worthless.

[jimmb4]

This is it. This is the Republican (and Clinton) campaign. The Economy fails but your guy has a bad paster so vote for me. You get McSame and get to sleep in a cardboard box when you lose your home.

[wellnotthis]

arbor30a - Larry Sinclair is a joke! listen to everything he has said so far and you''ll see he contradicts himself. He said ... they were in his limo, then on a radio show it was in Obama''s limo... I think the best thing to do is ignore him. the idiot failed two polygraph test just last week! you may just want to read his site and you''ll understand straight away that he is a joke

check http://www.bloggernews.net/114388 or google "Larry Sinclair Obama Whitehouse.com"

[perception5]

Yea, because you useless a$$clowns have done such a great job the past 8 years. Your kind can''''t even stomach your own nominee, why the he11 should we let you $hit on the constitution for another 8 years.


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

Posted by taddles at 08:04 PM

........taddles, why are your "heros" in our 110th Do Nothing Democrat Congress doing on VACATION during this serious economic situation?

........waiting for a great liberal excuse....

[schwarzzennegger]

Duh..THE Florida Democratic Party knew the rules and the consequences of going against them, and did so anyway. All candidates agreed to not participate. Result ? DON"T COUNT THEM as agreed !!! Florida voters will get a chance to vote in the general election, and to clean up their reputation that they can''t do anything right. Don''t rules, and keeping your word amount to anything anymore ? I guess not, judging by the state of politics in the USA these days. We''re moving in the direction of some 3rd world countries !

[gkc99]

Florons, Floridiots, no matter what you call them, the message is the same. Florida sucks. They screwed up the 2000 election with their incompetence, and now they''ll screw up this one.

Why should their delegates be seated when they brought this on themselves?

Split their delegates half and half and be done with it!

[obamagrls-bf]

hehehehhe Hilarry''s but t is kicked by dean..

Bill kicked longback to go wid Monica ..

truely I never seen such a mosterous wuman in my life ...

go PELOSI go OBAMA

[obamagrls-bf]

CLINTONS POOR IN MATHS

on April 22, the big one%u2014Pennsylvania%u2014and it''s a Clinton blowout: 60-40, with Clinton picking up a whopping 32 delegates. Enough blacks desert Obama to give North Carolina to Hillary in another big win, 55-45, netting her seven more delegates.May 13 in West Virginia is no kinder to Obama, and he loses by double digits, netting Clinton two delegates. Another 60-40 landslide on May 20 in Kentucky nets her 11 more. Oregon, a classic Obama state. Ooops! He loses there 52-48. Clinton wins by 10 in Montana and South Dakota on June 3 and the scheduled primary season ends on June 7 in Puerto Rico Clinton pulls off a 60-40 landslide, giving her another 11 delegates.

this fanciful calculation gives Hillary the lead, right? Actually, it makes the score 1,625 to 1,584 for Obama. A margin of 39 pledged delegates may not seem like much, but remember, the chances of Obama losing state after state by 20-point margins are slim to none.

So no matter how you cut it, Obama will almost certainly end the primaries with a pledged delegate lead, courtesy of all those landslides in February.

But that''s only under my crazy pro-Hillary projections. More likely, Obama would need about 50-100 of the approximately 500 uncommitted superdelegates, which shouldn''t be too difficult.

[jimmb4]

You know what. If the people in Florida want to vote for eternal war run on borrowed money from China while they sleep in cardboard boxes then they will vote for Republicans. Otherwise they will choose some other party. The Republicans are the biggest failures. Hillary you have crossed the failure line. McCain has crossed the failure line. Tomorrow, tune in for Barack''s speech.

[jimmb4]

Hillary is ready to fail on day 1. McCain is ready to fail on day 1. Barack will be giving an inauguration speech.

[jimmb4]

I don''t get your test, so I choose D because at least I''ll be drunk.

[x123123]

Hey want to hear something cool that pertains to this article? A Radical terrorist or radical Muslim or a radical Russian etc. etc. can come over here to America become citizens and then go back to where they came and groom their children in their ways. Then bring them back over to America and have their children run for office, remember now they are American citizens, and become President. What you say this could not happen? Well one prime example of someone living for a long time outside of our country with values from that country teaching him is Obama! He will tell you the same. This is no hidden secret! And he decided to continue his education in a church that its loyalty is to Africa. What you say this cannot be true. Yes the pastor of Obama church said %u201CWhite America was the reason for 911 that they are racist along with Israel that God would D-A-M-N America%u201D. It seems Obama%u2019s statement on this is he was never present on any day that his pastor spoke in racial undertone? Obama claims he knew nothing of what was transpiring with in his cell church life!

[mortok99]

The way this democratic party treats people with this florida thing, and these "superdelegates", I think I see whats so great about Bush.

[x123123]

Obama%u2019s message of Hope

GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA

Oprah was the sales lady

[wellnotthis]

X123123 - I''m from that part of Europe where I can proudly tell you my grandparent were not murderers,rapist or slave traders... can you say the same of your ancestors? Then get wise and stop complaining! It was USA, France, UK and Portugal that enslaved the whole of Africa for 200 or so years... your economy was actually built with their bloods so ...

[obamagrls-bf]

pls have some petience .. let us wait PELOSI as president right after obama''s term..

she a brave wuman, stood by what is fair .. the FLA and MI we excluded in the begining of the race ..no one can chnage that in the middle of the knockout game ..let it be splited equally..what PELOSI has done for DNC even RICHARDSON, EDWARDS, BIDDEN cudn''t do it...

If Pelosi was against Obama i wud have voted PElosi a TRUE courageous lady ...nt like sobbing monster Hillary...

[donbl1]

And I thought the Evil Clintons would have been banished by the convention.

Now we will have to put up with them through the general election.

What a mess.

[x123123]

The time is right now. Place; were on the floor above where the plane hit at the World Trade Tower. We are scared! There is fire everywhere! We are about to jump! We look with our binoculars to the church Obama attends. We see people looking at us laughing as we are about to jump to our deaths! And we cry are they the ones? Then we jump. As we are falling clutching the air we again hear the laughter coming from Obama%u2019s church! We hit the pavement and we are no more. A few feet away from the impact of our bodies there stands a man who is smiling. He smiles because he attends the same church Barack Obama attends. Do you still hear the laughing? As the months go by they find our body limbs and still that church Obama attends is laughing. Seven years later Barack Obama is running for president and all the years of laughing comes out in a victory chant by the church Obama is sitting right now in the front pew of this magnificent church? Look closely now do you see him, was he tardy today? Do you still hear the laughter? The pastor for at least the last seven years shouts from his pulpit %u201CWhite America" had the 9/11 attacks coming.%u201D Do you still hear the laughter? Obama wants to change you, will you let him? Are you laughing now?

[obamagrls-bf]

so it the news of the evening ...after Bin Laden ..Hillary Clinton is the most hated person in America...
....

let us wait PELOSI as president right after obama''''s

term..

she a brave wuman, stood by what is fair to Americans .. the FLA and MI we

excluded in the begining of the race, no one can chnage that in the middle of the

knockout game ..let it be splited equally..what PELOSI has done for DNC even

RICHARDSON, EDWARDS, BIDDEN cudn''''t do it...

If Pelosi was against Obama i wud have voted PElosi a TRUE courageous lady ...not

like sobbing monster Hillary...

[Fareed17]

Florida had no plan, money, time or leadership to hold "Re-Do elections for their citizens. Three strikes, 2000 Could not conduct Recount, 2008 DNC violation, 2008 Could not fashion remedy for earlier DNC violation. We now have computer voting machines, perhaps in Florida we will need third party contractors to conduct our elections in the future if we will elections in the future. This is serious, we might have to outsource our government.

[x123123]

Did you not know when the plane hit the first tower certain people snickered? You know the people who go to that whatyoumacall it racist church! They laugh and laugh and laugh! Then when they saw all the people running for their lives it gave them a thrill that America was learning their lesson. When people started jumping out the windows and splatting against the sidewalks they shouted "They are getting what they deserve."
This is what is being taught in Obama%u2019s church!
Black power baby!
Remember now disguise it with racism
or is it the other way around?
When they found some of the remains of the people from the world trade tower the congregation from Obama%u2019s church wanted them as souvenirs to hang on their wall as a remembrance of their hatred for America and how we only had to pay for it a little! They figured that the future of America could get the same! %u201CWhite America" had the 9/11 attacks coming.%u201D Obama is nowhere to be found? GOD
D-A-M-N AMERICA!

[crater7]

THE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY VOTED IN FLORIDA. THERE IS NO NEED FOR A REVOTE. BOTH CLINTON AND OBAMA WERE ON THE BALLOT, NEITHER CANDIDATE CAMPAIGNED IN THE STATE. THIS ELECTION WAS FAIR. LET THE VOTES STAND. MICHIGAN IS A DIFFERENT STORY. THERE IS A NEED FOR A REVOTE. LET THEM VOTE AND GET ON WITH THE TASK OF ENDING THE MOST CORRUPT, INCOMPETENT, ARROGANT AND BLUNDERING ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY.

GOD "BLESS" AMERICA

[x123123]

Did you not know when the plane hit the first tower certain people snickered? You know the people who go to that whatyoumacall it racist church! They laugh and laugh and laugh! Then when they saw all the people running for their lives it gave them a thrill that America was learning their lesson. When people started jumping out the windows and splatting against the sidewalks they shouted "They are getting what they deserve."
This is what is being taught in Obama%u2019s church!
Black power baby!
Remember now disguise it with racism
or is it the other way around?
When they found some of the remains of the people from the world trade tower the congregation from Obama%u2019s church wanted them as souvenirs to hang on their wall as a remembrance of their hatred for America and how we only had to pay for it a little! They figured that the future of America could get the same! %u201CWhite America" had the 9/11 attacks coming.%u201D Obama is nowhere to be found? GOD
D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA!

[x123123]

Did you not know when the plane hit the first tower certain people snickered? You know the people who go to that whatyoumacall it racist church! They laugh and laugh and laugh! Then when they saw all the people running for their lives it gave them a thrill that America was learning their lesson. When people started jumping out the windows and splatting against the sidewalks they shouted "They are getting what they deserve."
This is what is being taught in Obama%u2019s church!
Black power baby!
Remember now disguise it with racism
or is it the other way around?
When they found some of the remains of the people from the world trade tower the congregation from Obama%u2019s church wanted them as souvenirs to hang on their wall as a remembrance of their hatred for America and how we only had to pay for it a little! They figured that the future of America could get the same! %u201CWhite America" had the 9/11 attacks coming.%u201D Obama is nowhere to be found? GOD
D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA! Said right From the mans own mouth that he is connected with!

[x123123]

Obama%u2019s message of Hope

GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA
GOD D-A-M-N WHITE AMERICA

Oprah was the sales lady
I cannot believe this!
Is it you cannot believe this or you will not believe his!

[rfcrtl]

That''s unfortunate that stupid little Obama has to have his way again.

[obamagrls-bf]

let us wait PELOSI as president right after obama''''''''s

term..

she a brave wuman, stood by what is fair to Americans .. the FLA and MI we

excluded in the begining of the race, no one can chnage that in the middle of the

knockout game ..let it be splited equally..what PELOSI has done for DNC even

RICHARDSON, EDWARDS, BIDDEN cudn''''''''t do it...

If Pelosi was against Obama i wud have voted PElosi a TRUE courageous lady ...not

like sobbing monster Hillary...

[jockh]

If Hillary can loan 5 million dollars to her campaign then surely the voters have a right to know the source of her funding.

Why wont Hillary release her tax returns? People with nothing to hide don''t usually hide.
The main excuse we''ve gotten so far is that Hillary Clinton just has too much on her plate. "I''m a little busy right now," she said during the Ohio debate. "I hardly have time to sleep. But I will certainly work toward releasing, and we will get that done and in the public domain."

That was three weeks ago. Two weeks ago, Howard Wolfson promised the returns would be released "on or around April 15." But weren''t the returns completed and filed a long time ago? Doesn''t Clinton''s accountant have time to print them out and make some copies (note to Clinton''s accountant: many Kinko''s are open 24 hours).

In short, it''s well past time for Hillary Clinton to be as "vetted" as she claims to already be -- and to have this vetting done now by Democratic voters rather than later by GOP hit squads. She needs to live up to the standard she laid out for Rick Lazio, the opponent in her 2000 Senate race. At that time, she said it was "frankly disturbing" that Lazio was holding back on releasing his tax returns.

What a difference eight years -- and tens of millions of dollars (some of them from questionable deals) -- can make.