Post from Blue Virginia:
When is a Press Conference Not Campaigning?
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Old News: Florida chose not to seek inclusion in the early states primaries/caucuses selection process, then moved their primary up into January. This violated the agreement they had signed, and the rules of the DNC. As a result, the major Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in Florida -- fundraising is excluded, press conferences are not.

New News: This weekend, Barack Obama attended a fundraiser in Tampa (that's fine) and then walked across the street to the reporters gathered outside and began answering questions (that's not so clear).

When asked whether what he was doing was in violation of the rules, according to the Tampa Tribune, he responded:
"I was just doing you guys a favor. ... If that's the case, then we won't do it again."


Other New News: At the fundraiser, Obama is reported to have indicated that he'd "do right" by Florida if he becomes the presumptive nominee prior to the convention, hinting at seating the Florida delegates despite the DNC rules and sanctions.

Question:

So, did Obama intentionally or otherwise break his own promise not to campaign in Florida, less than a day after it went into force? or, When is a Press Conference Not Campaigning?

Reader Comments
  
Promised to seat delegates from Florida
By sirius Oct 1st 2007 at 2:13 pm EDT
What concerns me most about this is that during this impromptu press conference, he promised to seat Florida's delegates at the convention if he's the nominee. That seems like he's making a campaign promise to Florida voters and I would definitely interpret it as campaigning.
Re: Promised to seat delegates from Florida
By FreedomOfSpeech Oct 1st 2007 at 3:48 pm EDT
Well, again. I don't know. I am waiting for a response from someone who does , but again, I think the DNC should tread very softly on how they talk to Obama about this because it can have an unprecedented backfire on the Party.
  
Obama campaigns; pledge is broken
By Jim Callahan Oct 1st 2007 at 4:09 pm EDT
So, now all we need is for the all of the other candidates to campaign in Florida. If all the candidates are penalized equally, the penalties offset.
Jim Callahan
Orlando, FL