Clinton Keeps Spotlight On Disputed Votes

Democrat Pushes For Contested Primaries To Count; Reacts To Iffy Campaign Story

(AP)  Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton Saturday strengthened her pitch to allow disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida to be counted in the nominating contest, noting the vote totals had been officially recognized in each state.

"Some say their votes should be ignored and the popular vote in Michigan and Florida should be discounted. Well, I have a different view," Clinton said at a rally here. "The popular vote in Florida and Michigan has already been counted. It was determined by election results, it was certified by election officials in each state, it's been officially tallied by the secretary of state in each state, and the question is whether those 2.3 million Democrats will be honored and their delegates seated by the Democratic Party."

Both the Michigan and Florida primaries were essentially nullified after they were moved into January in violation of national Democratic party rules. The party voted to strip both states of their delegates and all the candidates, including Clinton and rival Barack Obama, signed a pledge not to campaign in either state.

Obama and several other Democratic candidates also removed their names from the Michigan primary ballot.

Both states saw record turnout in their primaries and the former first lady won both contests. Her campaign has pressed hard for the results to be recognized, even as the Obama campaign has argued Clinton is trying to circumvent rules she agreed to long ago.

Clinton's latest comments came a day after Michigan Democrats announced there would be no do-over of that state's Jan. 15 primary, vastly dimming the New York senator's chances of catching Obama in the popular vote and in pledged delegates. Democrats in Florida had already announced there would be no revote there.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has been conferring with party leaders in both states, hoping to find a way to seat their delegations. The Obama campaign has proposed a 50-50 split of both states' delegations, an option Clinton advisers have resisted.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton dismissed Clinton's latest call to recognize Florida and Michigan's results.

"Senator Clinton herself said these contests 'didn't count for anything.' But now that it serves her own political self-interest, she's trying to change the rules and count the results of contests where she and every other candidate pledged not to campaign," Burton said. "In Michigan, Senator Obama wasn't even on the ballot. Our focus should now be on seating the Michigan and Florida delegations in a fair manner."

It was Clinton's first campaign visit to Oregon, whose primary is May 20. The state holds a largely vote-by-mail primary with ballots mailed starting April 28.

At a rally in Eugene, Clinton tangled with an Obama supporter who asked whether she feared her criticisms of the Illinois senator would damage his chances if he became the party's nominee.

"I obviously see it differently," Clinton replied. "For those who are new to politics, you can take very personally anything anybody says. I have to tell you that there have even been some things said about me. I don't take any of it personally, or most of it seriously. That's what happens in politics."

Also Saturday, Clinton campaign officials acknowledged that an anecdote Clinton has made a staple of her stump speech in recent weeks may not have been true and wasn't thoroughly checked for accuracy before she began repeating it on the campaign trail.

Since competing in Ohio's March 4 primary, Clinton has shared the story of an Ohio woman who worked in a pizza parlor and died after giving birth to a stillborn child. The woman was uninsured, Clinton said, and twice denied medical care at a local hospital because she couldn't pay a $100 fee.

Clinton said she learned of the story from a deputy sheriff whose home she visited while campaigning in Ohio. She told the story as recently as late Friday, at a rally in Grand Forks, N.D.

Officials with O'Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens, Ohio, have disputed the story, saying the woman, Trina Bachtel, was insured and did receive care through an obstetric practice affiliated with the hospital, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Hospital officials did not immediately return phone calls Saturday from The Associated Press.

Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee acknowledged that the campaign had tried but hadn't been able to "fully vet" the story before she began repeating it on the campaign trail.

"She tells the story as it was told to her by the deputy sheriff. She had no reason to doubt his word," Elleithee said. "If the hospital claims it didn't happen that way, we certainly respect that and she won't repeat the story. She never mentions the hospital by name and isn't trying to cast blame."

Elleithee noted that candidates often retell stories they are told by voters they meet on the campaign trail.

[b-easy63]

I''ll say it again...

Clinton to Pledged Delegates she lost: "Go against the will of the voters."
Clinton to Superdelegates she lost: "Go against the will of the voters."
Clinton to Richardson: "You ***. You went against the will of your voters."
Clinton to Florida and Michigan voters: "Your voices must be heard!"

(taken from another blog) lmao

[b-easy63]

Rasmussen most recent poll of Michigan shows Clinton 41%/Obama 41%. Rasmussen also shows both of them in statistical tie with McCain for Michigan.Posted by karela33 at 11:45 PM : Apr 07, 2008


Rules with punitive measures have to be upheld and enforced or they are meaningless. If they are meaningless, then so is the body that created the rules and mayhem would ensue. Mi and Fl knew the stakes and the punishment before they ever broke the rules. All the candidates signed pledges upholding the rules including 100% NON SEATING of the delegates from those states. That was then. To change it now, is a disservice to all candidates who are no longer in the race as well as Obama and perhaps also Hillary.

Mi and FL knew the stakes and broke the rules anyway--if the Dem party had principles, they''d live and die by their rules and words--even if it meant losing the election. That''s the meaning of principles--things one believes worth fighting and dying and/or losing over.

They broke the rules, the got punished, all candidates should honor what they pledged to agree to--including Hillary--even if it is not to her advantage to do so. That is honor.

[b-easy63]

EUREKA!!!! It turns out HRC DID actually sign a pledge agreeing not only to not campaign in Mi and FL but also agreeing to NOT seat the delegates. She signed it in the fall of 07.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x115322

Now, of course she wants to renege, because what has occurred does not favor her. Sounds like someone just wants to cheat..er I mean... win..any way she can even if it means breaking her SIGNED pledge. So much for what that woman promises--broken when it''s not convenient.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by craigh9 at 09:28 AM : Apr 08, 2008

Sorry, she''s not going to stand down until the DNC nominates. She is fighting to win this nomination, as is her right!

Hang in there Hillary! All the way to convention and get your support!

[craigh9]

I find it fascinating that Hillary can be so 2 faced about votes counting and her faithful just climb on board fat and happy. In one breath she claims"all votes must be counted" - of course thats when the discussion revolves around Florida and Michigan or when pressured to drop from the race. Then in the next breath she says "there is no such thing as pledged delegates, they should feel free to vote as they see fit" - which equates to not counting anyones vote, just let those that get a free vacation to the convention decide who the nominee is between cocktails. Hillary bends in the wind to suit herself and herself alone. Its time her supporters realize that and get her to drop out so that the party can move forward.

[blackspirit3]

On June 6, 1996, The Los Angeles Times reported that the White House sought confidential FBI background documents on fired White House Travel Office chief Billy Dale. The next day, the White House admits it ordered FBI files of more than 330 people, including dozens of Republican leaders, saying it was working off an "outdated list" of people who had applied for access to the White House. Eventually it is discovered that about 1,000 people''s FBI files were obtained by Clinton officials.

[blackspirit3]

rowdy and pop - supporting a women who will use the story of a dying baby and its mother as a stump speach tells me that you two have no real clue about politricks.

[blackspirit3]

IN 1992 THE CLINTONS WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO FIX THINGS

- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court

IN 2008 LETS SEND THEM BACK TO FINISH THEIR JOB

[kansas1946]

AP) Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton Saturday strengthened her pitch to allow disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida to be counted in the nominating contest, noting the vote totals had been officially recognized in each state.
*****************************************

This is getting really tiresome. I didn''t hear her screaming and ranting about these states losing their delegate count when the national Democratic party set the rules. If she can''t play by the rules, then she needs to get out of the game. Not only is she whining about the rules set by her own national party, she was trying to bully Texas into changing the manner in which they vote. What a cry baby.

[karela33]

Rasmussen most recent poll of Michigan shows Clinton 41%/Obama 41%. Rasmussen also shows both of them in statistical tie with McCain for Michigan. We don''t have a spare $10 million dollars in Michigan to re-do the primary, but even if we did, it would still be even. A 50/50 split is a fair option. And it still gives the Clintons an advantage because most of our state party super delegates are pro Clinton. If at the time of the convention Obama is still ahead in pledged delegates, as he will be unless the sky is falling, then he will have a slight advantage in the seating of delegates on the credentials committee which means Mrs. Clinton will never get the full votes from the disputed elections from either state. It would be wise to take the 50/50 now. Both candidates would then be closer to the needed number of delegates and both still have ten elections in which to prove their stuff. It''s a fair deal with an edge for Clinton in the supers.

[obama8years]

OBAMA HAS LINKS TO HAMAS AND ISM

If Barack Obama didn%u2019t know about Abunimah%u2019s writings (and Abunimah says he did), the same as his claims of being unaware of Reverend Wright%u2019s remarks after 20 years, then Obama is not competent to be our President. Abunimah likes to lie and claim Al Awda has nothing to do with the ISM or Electronic Intifada, though plenty of evidence exists on the website the homepage at www.StoptheISM.com showing the contrary.

But Obama%u2019s association with the ISM through his church and lobbying in Chicago goes even deeper than just his past links to Al Awda and Ali Abunimah. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, are both equally involved with the ISM.

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/2462

[obama8years]

Hospital Obama Scandal

obamatruth.org

[obama8years]

OBAMA TIES TO TERRORISM

The question is if we want a man in the White House who will regularly give his ear to the likes of a Reverend Wright, his and Sabeel%u2019s replacement theologies, and pro-terrorist propagandists like Ali Abunimah on a regular basis? In one sense, Obama could be considered the ISM%u2019s Manchurian candidate given his wide connections to ISM activists and campaign movements such as the Wheels of Justice Tour, Joseph Carr a.k.a. Joseph Smith, Hannah Mermelstein, Anna Baltzer and others

[rowdytexan2]

Did you hear the news! Obama the Scama campaign strikes OUT again!

Hillary told the hospital insurance story right in the first place!

Good for HIllary!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/is-hillarys-muc.html

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by BLACKSPIRIT3 at 02:17 PM : Apr 07, 2008

Hahahaha! The ''right-wing conspiracy'' spend $60 million trying to prove up that krap! Not a chance!

[popstom1]

Blackspit were do you get that info a little bird flys
in your window and speaks with you
Telling all the Clinton secrets HAHAHA

A citizen of New York with a legal education should not have the power to disenfranchse the populations of Florida and Michigan. Neither should a citizen of Illinois with a legal education. In this country, no one person should be granted that power. If they signed such a contract, qualified lawyers that they were, it should be declared null, void and unenforceable, just as a contract signed by them to ignore the results of the electoral college would be untenable. Or to make red stop lights green, and water "falls" flow "up." And it should be especially noted their willingness to engage in such tomfoolery does not bode well for this nation no matter which one, if either, is finally selected as our "leader." Beyond that, I deeply resent references to the people of Florida and Michigan being "at the bottom of the barrel." Well, maybe not Michigan, but I have relatives in Florida. So cut it out.

[jockh]

I am sick to death of Hillary using the voters of Fl and Mi for her own political purpose. When she thought her nomination was inevitable she didn''''t give a hoot about Fl and Mi voters. She put that in writing. Yes all you Hillary supporters should read that again. HILLARY SIGNED A PLEDGE THAT THE VOTES IN FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN WOULD NOT BE COUNTED.

When these states were voting, she is on record as saying that %u201CTHEIR VOTES ARENT GOING TO COUNT%u201D

Why didn%u2019t she shout, cry and go into hysterics then? Because she thought she was going to win anyway, that why !!!!!!!


HILLARY AGREED to sanctions against Mi and Fl prior to their vote.
HILLARY AGREED with DNC that sanctions were appropriate.
HILLARY AGREED not to campaign in those states.
HILLARY SIGNED a pledge that their votes would not count.


But now, she has developed this sudden desire for their votes to count not because she cares for them but purely for selfish reasons. She is now scraping the bottom of the barrel for support and suddenly she cares sooo much for the voters in Mi and Fl.

[blackspirit3]

HILLARY CRIMINAL RECORD


%u2022 Lied to investigators about her knowledge about billing records.
%u2022 Lied to investigators about her involvement in the Castle Grande land flip con.
%u2022 Ordered the use of the FBI to discredit Travel Office employees.
%u2022 Lied to investigators about her involvement in the firing of Travel Office Employees. In May 1993, the co-president was accused of having a central hand in firing several long-time employees of the White House Travel Office, the better to give the pricey travel business to her Hollywood pals, Linda Bloodworth Thomason and Harry Thomason. Hillary denied everything and when Whitewater Independent Counsel Robert Ray investigated Travelgate, he concluded that there was substantial evidence that involved Hillary but not enough to warrant an indictment.
%u2022 A Federal judge orders a trial on July 25, 1994 to determine if Hillary Clinton''s heath care task force illegally operated in secret.
%u2022 The White House finally releases more than 2,000 documents on June 25, 1996, relating to the travel office firings, originally requested two years prior by congressional investigators.

[blackspirit3]

Hillary Clinton became the first first lady to testify before a grand jury when she was subpeonaed by the Whitewater grand jury.
%u2022 Took a $100,000 bribe, camouflaged as futures trades, from Tyson Foods Inc. At issue was a $100,000 windfall from cattle futures after a $1,000 investment.
%u2022 Speculated in Health Care industry futures while overseeing legislative reform of same.
%u2022 Failed to correct false testimony by co-defendant Ira Magaziner in Health Care trial.
%u2022 Ordered members of the Health Care Task Force to shred documents that were the target of a court probe.
%u2022 Obstructed justice by ordering the shredding of Vince Foster''s documents in the Rose Law Firm.
%u2022 In 1996, Hillary was accused by the Senate Special Whitewater Committee of ordering the removal of potentially damaging files related to Whitewater from Foster''s office on the night of his death and telling aides to lie about their removal. Of course, Hillary denied everything.
%u2022 Obstructed justice by keeping her billing records, a document sought under subpoena, in the White House residence.