Whereas I am not equating age to astuteness in any way, Cat, I'm betting that you are not old enough to remember the Chicago Democratic convention of 1968. As a result of the bitter feud between the Old and New Guard, the Democratic Party was in shambles for years afterward. If the superdelegates hand the prize to Hillary, the Democratic Party IMO will be fragmented as never before. Hillary knows this, but doesn't care.
Democrats trying to attack McCain on Keating 5 is like the Republicans trying to attack Obama about Rezko or the Clintons with Whitewater. Nobody has a leg to stand on by attacking them with stuff they didn't commit a crime. So go ahead Dems and Repubs, battle it out over stuff that is ancient history. Meanwhile, the MAIN ISSUE people should be focusing is OUR ECONOMY. The war is pretty much is what it is. All 3 candidates are going to take the advice of the military ANYWAYS. Tell me what all 3 candidates plan on doing for the economy. Trying to DIG UP DIRT over 2 decades old isn't going to help this country.
I agree with you, if Clinton doesn't win the popular vote. But if she does, it wouldn't necessarily be handing her the prize. The pledged delegate system isn't fair either. For example, she won the primaries in Nevada and Texas, yet she lost delegates in both. How does that represent the will of the people? Hillary has millions of dedicated supporters. If a majority of Democratic voters decide she should be the party's nominee, I think that would be a very compelling argument. In addition, I think denying the candidate with a majority of the vote would be damaging to the party as well.
Very true. If Bobby Kennedy lives, he wins the election, we don't get Nixon, IMO, we aren't in Vietnam nearly as long as Tricky Dick had us there, and so on, and so on. Even with RFK's death, Hubert Humphrey, a fine man, would have defeated Nixon and changed history, if the '68 Democratic Convention hadn't fallen into chaos. It was a bummer, dude. Impeach Bush and Save Us from Canada!
According to Real Clear Politics, Obama is currently winning the popular vote by 291,009. That is including the vote in Florida.
Complicating things more is that Michigan is now thinking of doing a caucus, which if history holds, Obama has an advantage in - though he doesn't have any on-the-ground organization there yet, so who knows.
If money makes the difference, he has that in spades. I've been following politics a very long time and I've NEVER seen the fundraising display being put on by Obama and Clinton. In any other political year, what Hillary Clinton has raised is amazing. $35 million in a month! Barack? $55 million bucks! Impeach Bush.
What might neutralize that is that the firehouse caucus they were discussing would allow only registered Dems to vote, from what I read...
Yeah. EDIT: The AP also mentions it here. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080305/ap_on_el_pr/primary_scramble
Local leaders prefer caucus to primary in Michigan by Nora Gathings (hsgathings@wsbt.com) BERRIEN COUNTY — Few primaries are left, and the Democratic Presidential race is still too close to call. Michigan and Florida delegates could decide the winner. That's why Governor Jennifer Granholm and local Democrats are pushing to have Michigan delegates seated at this summer's convention. Barack Obama is leading Hillary Clinton by 62 delegates. Florida and Michigan's 313 would tip the scale in Clinton's favor. The DNC now wants those delegates seated, so Florida and Michigan have been told to hold new primaries or caucuses at their own expense. Granholm and local Democrats are leaning towards a caucus, which would save the state $10 million. A caucus or primary would give both candidates the opportunity to campaign and appear on the ballot. "Now, we are going to have a voice in the nominee. Before we would have had no voice because in years past, it's been settled before," said Jess Minks of the South County Democratic Club. But that voice won't come cheap. January's primary cost Michigan $10 million. "If there is a new primary, it will cost as much as last winter's primary perhaps more, given I think you will have a high turnout," said Mark Brewer of Michigan's Democratic party. "I don't think the state can afford it because of the financial situation." So, leaders are leaning towards a caucus, which would cost local Democratic parties $2 to $4 million. "We'll start talking to folks asking for that $2, $3 donation. We'll do a fundraiser. We'll do what we have to do," said Minks said. In the midst of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: it won't be done at taxpayer expense. "They've already paid for an election. We are not going to ask taxpayers to do that again," said Granholm. The primary or caucus would be held in early June. Even Clinton who won the January primary wants it. Her campaign believes she would get more votes, giving her more delegates. If the state decides to hold a caucus, people won't get shuffled from room to room. They would get ballots and vote in private booths, like a primary. A candidate would have to get 15 percent of the vote to be awarded delegates. http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/16366871.html
Where was the will of the Texas people represented when Hillary won the Popular vote but lost the delegate count to Obama? How is that fair? If she won the popular vote then she should of won more delegates but that was not the case this past tuesday was it. Now they want to run caucus elections in Michigan and Florida? Insanity!
Did you feel the same way when Gore won the popular vote in 2000 and the SC gave the election to Bush?
Certainly true - and even if they allow independents, a lot of them will have voted GOP since they assumed the Dem primary didn't count for anything.
Interesting news from Puerto Rico: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/ Puerto Rico moves Puerto Rico's Democrats tonight voted to ditch their June 7 caucus, and to replace it with a June 1 primary. The only reporting on it I've seen so far is in Spanish: Anoche el Comité Ejecutivo del Partido Demócrata de Puerto Rico aprobó por unanimidad una modificación al plan de selección de delegados para convertirlo en una primaria abierta a celebrarse el 1 de junio. A first, late evening thought is that that's good news for Clinton. It also makes the Montana and South Dakota primaries June 3 the last contests, but leaves the rest of June open for Florida and Michigan.
I sure did. You would've thought we all would learn from that but its back to politics as usual. I especially wouldn't think that the democratic party wouldn't allow this.
