Clinton Camp Opposes Mich. Delegate Plan

State Party's Plan Would Give Clinton 69 Delegates And Obama 59 Delegates

(AP)  Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign opposes Michigan's plan to give fewer delegates to her and more to rival Barack Obama.

The Democratic National Committee stripped Michigan and Florida of their convention delegates for holding their primaries before Feb. 5. Both are looking for compromises that would get their delegates seated.

Michigan Democrats now back a plan that would give Clinton four delegates less than the 73 she gained by winning the state's Jan. 15 primary. Obama would get 59 pledged delegates even though he took his name off the ballot, forcing his supporters to vote for Uncommitted.

A Clinton campaign spokesman said Thursday that the campaign won't support any proposal that gives Clinton less than the delegates she earned winning the primary.

Clinton won the Jan. 15 Michigan primary and was to get 73 pledged delegates under state party rules, while Obama was to get 55. The state also has 29 superdelegates.

The state party's executive committee voted Wednesday to ask the national party's Rules and Bylaws Committee to approve the 69-59 delegate split when it meets May 31. The plan would shrink Clinton's delegate edge in Michigan from 18 to 10 and allow the state's 157 delegates and superdelegates to be seated at the convention.

The state's Democratic leaders also pushed back the date of the party's State Central Committee meeting from May 17 to June 14 to give the rules committee time to act. The party is to pick 45 pledged delegates and two superdelegates at that meeting. It chose 83 pledged delegates last month at district conventions.

A separate plan submitted to the rules committee by Democratic National Committee members Joel Ferguson of Michigan and Jon Ausman of Florida, both superdelegates, apparently will be withdrawn now that the Michigan executive committee has settled on the 69-59 plan. Under their proposal, delegates would have been allocated based on the primary election results, but have had only half a vote each. The superdelegates would have had full voting rights.

A message seeking comment was left on Ferguson's cell phone Wednesday evening.

The DNC stripped Michigan and Florida of their convention delegates - 366 in all, including pledged delegates and superdelegates - for holding their primaries too early in the nominating process, which violated party rules.

The 69-59 split was proposed last week by four prominent Michigan Democrats who have been working for months to find a way to get Michigan's delegates seated at the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver: U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and DNC member Debbie Dingell.

State party Chairman Mark Brewer said he thinks the state is closer to reaching a solution agreeable to the candidates and state and national party officials, although there is no guarantee that the rules committee will accept the plan or agree to seat the delegates.

"This does move the process forward in terms of stating our own position to the DNC. I really appreciate all the work of the working group to get us this far," Brewer said Wednesday after the meeting.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said of the decision, "It is clear results in January won't be used to allocate delegates, and we agree with that decision. We have been talking with Michigan leaders about this proposal and will continue to do so."

Clinton spokesman Isaac Baker said the campaign expects a quick resolution. "The bottom line is that the delegates from Michigan and Florida must be seated," he said in a statement released Wednesday night.

Trailing in delegates, Clinton and her campaign have been pressing for her wins in Florida and Michigan to be recognized and the delegates seated. Obama, who wants to preserve his lead, has suggested other solutions such as splitting the delegates evenly.

Obama joined several candidates who removed their names from Michigan's ballot, and Clinton and Obama agreed not to campaign in either state.

Their absence has given GOP presidential candidate John McCain a chance to make up ground in Michigan, which has voted Democratic in the past four presidential elections. He attended a fundraiser in the state Tuesday night with former rival Mitt Romney before holding a town hall meeting Wednesday morning at Oakland University in the Detroit suburb of Rochester.

"Clinton and Obama have boycotted Michigan for a long time while John McCain has been getting to know us," state Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis said Wednesday in his blog.

[homjett]

I find it so refreshing to see the Demos fighting over votes. After the Fla fiasco in 2000, wouldnt you think that the Demos would have learned a lesson an not messed with the election process in their own primary. My guess is at the time, the figured Hillary to be a shoe in, but "oops"somethin went wrong. For those that think Obama is for change, listen to his comments to the Teamsters to get their endorsement. Its sad, very sad. Teamsters asking for favors after he is elected???? Google it, its interesting for sure. Makers Hillary look like Goldilocks.

[sjc_1]

No one forced Obama off the Michigan ballot, he did it himself. That is a forfeit and he should have to give up any claim to any delegates there.

You follow through with your name on the ballot and let the party decide. He knew that it would cause confusion to pull his name off the ballot, so that is just what he did.

[oldwhiteguy1]

Hillary... shut up and go home!
You first agree MI shouldn''t count, then when your losing THEY MUST COUNT, so they bend over backwards to "suit" you and it ain''t good enough.
Get a grip- you and Bill were great in the day but that day is over, now you''re plain white trash. No matter how you lie, cheat and steal ...YOU''RE TOAST. ITS OVER!
OBAMA 2008/2012

[sjc_1]

She won 73 and 40% uncommitted, which does not mean that they go to Obama. Edwards was getting a percentage and picking up delegates as well.

[eddynewhope]

I think it is just disgusting that Hillary Clinton would choose to disenfranchise Michigan voters. Does their voice not count for anything? Even though she was the only one on the ballot? Bwaaaaaaaaaaaahh! What a pathetic bunch of hypocritical loosers.

And if any of you Clinton supporters don''t think she was playing the race card yesterday, trying to divide the Dem party into factions a la the Karl Rove strategy, you are friggen delusional. She''s finished and I am so very pleased to see her waddle around utterly humiliated. LOL

[omaar-101]

Wow !!

Hillary had better go back to (NC) and Demand a Recount of all those White Counties..then.

HAHAHAHA !!!

Hillary saying, "White people want me."

North Carolina: White Rural, Bible Belt, Southern Fed & Southern Bred, Confederate Flag Waving, Bible & Gun Toting, NASCAR WEEKEND North Carolina....Did Not Think So


George MCGovern doesnt think so....Anymore, especially after this Weeks Elections !!


Bill Clinton in 17 of the Whitest of White (NC) Counties and Chelsea in all the (NC) Colleges & Universities and she was still Beaten by a LANDSLIDE !!!




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[craigh9]

She has been adamant that the Michigan delegation has to be seated. Now that a fair and equitable plan has been put forth it really isn''t that important that they be seated and their "voices be heard". What is important is that she get full credit for a primary where she was the only person on the ballot.
This has been a sham from the beginning and shows clearly once again that Hillary is only interested in Hillary.
Remeber she wants everyones'' vote to count - until she needs the superdelegates to completely ignore all those votes and the will of the people to allow her to be the nominee.
How ridiculous and embarassing for her.

[pensacola88]

I''de do the same thing if I was Hillary Clinton. Anyone who wants to win will do this. There is a quality to avoid selling yourself short in all situtations, especially the adversarial or competitive ones.

If she demanding 100 delegates out of a state that only had 99, then I''de be questioning her actions.

Our country needs good negotiators to advocate for us. We often are a victim of bad trade agreements handled with poor negotiators. I will quote Ross Perot when he said, "One way to see if our agreements are fair are to finish a negotiation and then exchange places with the other party and see if it is still fair and acceptable for both us and them...if we both agree that it is, then we can say it is fair!"

Hillary Clinton is an excellent negotiator. I have not seen such an effective negotiator in years. She is a good asset for the Democratic Party. She knows a loss is not going to kill her, but a poor negotiation will!!!

[rufisgufis]

HILLARY LOVED IT WHEN OVER 90% OF THE BLACKS VOTED FOR BILL FOR PRESIDENT IN 1992 AND 1996. NOW SHE HAS TURNED HER BACK ON THE VOTERS WHO SUPPORTED THEM IN THE PAST. THIS RACIST POSTURE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A LONG TIME.

[marymary4868]

Clinon is greedy, and power hungry , another varation of bush, the DNC gave her the offer ----WAY more than she deserved for breaking the rules, I say give her ZIP!!!! We can''t afford another untrustworthy president in office!!!!

[rowdytexan2]

Wrong. And it was not the DNC. The Michigan Democratic Party formed a committee, led by Harold Ickes. At that time he was Hillary''''s co-campaign manager with Mark Penn. He insisted, with Hillary''''''''s agreement, to move the date for the primary up in violation of the DNC.


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Posted by rufisgufis at 02:04 PM : May 09, 2008

Sure they did! Ya right!

[rufisgufis]

HILLARY WILL SPIN IT TO WIN IT!

AT LEAST UNTIL SHE CAN GET ENOUGH SUCKERS SO SHE CAN TAKE HER OWN MONEY BACK OFF THE TABLE.

[rufisgufis]

HILLARY LOVED IT WHEN OVER 90% OF THE BLACKS VOTED FOR BILL FOR PRESIDENT IN 1992 and 1996. NOW HILLARY HAS MADE IT CLEAR SHE COULDN''T CARE LESS ABOUT THE BLACK VOTERS.

[rowdytexan2]

RowdyTexan,

As usual your post doesn''''t have a htread of truth to it(except when you say that Hillary is no dummy).

You invent facts as you go nd you expose yourself over and over by getting caught in easily refuted lies, you never source any of your claims because you can''''t, and you make claims that are illogical n the face of them.

I could see this devotion to your candidate when she had even the remotest chance of running the table and pulling off a likely win but it''''s time to come back to planet earth now.




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Posted by realpatriot1 at 01:22 PM : May 09, 2008

Actually, everything I said in my post is fact.

Unlike you who just believe everything Obama TELLS you, I go out and find the the facts.

[rufisgufis]

Actually Hillary didn''''t start this mess. The DNC did by trying to deny their votes.

Posted by StupidRowdyTexan2 at 01:05 PM : May 09, 2008
____________________

Wrong. And it was not the DNC. The Michigan Democratic Party formed a committee, led by Harold Ickes. At that time he was Hillary''s co-campaign manager with Mark Penn. He insisted, with Hillary''''s agreement, to move the date for the primary up in violation of the DNC.

[rufisgufis]

Actually Hillary didn''t start this mess. The DNC did by trying to deny their votes.

Posted by StupidRowdyTexan2 at 01:05 PM : May 09, 2008
____________________

Wrong. And it was not the DNC. The Michigan Democratic Party formed a committee, led by Harold Ickes. At that time he was co-campaign manager with Mark Penn. He insisted, with Hillary''s agreement, to move the date for the primary up in violation of the DNC.

[realpatriot1]

eatmochickn,

If you were black you''d agree with my statement...ignorant troll!

[realpatriot1]

RowdyTexan,

As usual your post doesn''t have a htread of truth to it(except when you say that Hillary is no dummy).

You invent facts as you go nd you expose yourself over and over by getting caught in easily refuted lies, you never source any of your claims because you can''t, and you make claims that are illogical n the face of them.

I could see this devotion to your candidate when she had even the remotest chance of running the table and pulling off a likely win but it''s time to come back to planet earth now.

[dnsallday]

This isn''t the first time she has rejected a proposal to settle this matter and get delegates settled. One solution that was offered was to redo the Michigan caucus with both candidates name on the ballot, but no she did not want a cuacus. But she consistantly deceives her supporters by telling them that It is Obama''s fault. The woman doesn''t know how to take responsibilty for herself. Who knows, maybe if I had 100 million dollars in my back pocket, my morals would fly out the window too.

[rowdytexan2]

The voters in Florida should be angry with their Republican Legislature and the voters in both states should be angry with Hillary for causing this mess.

I think most of those who''''ve been following this are.


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Posted by realpatriot1 at 10:57 AM : May 09, 2008

Actually Hillary didn''t start this mess. The DNC did by trying to deny their votes.

Obama was screaming just as loudy for the re-vote also, until somebody reminded him that he broke the DNC rules in both states, and can''t claim a vote or delegate from either state.

Why do you think he''s trying to force Hillary into agreeing to let him them! lol She''s no dummy.