Posts with the tag delegates
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I NEVER agree with Ann Coulter, but her words today struck a chord. How can we Democrats be outraged because Al gore lost an election even though he had the popular vote and then turn around within our own party and allow delgates to nominate Obama when Hillary has won the popular vote across the board? If we, as a party allow this to happen, we can NEVER find fault again with the 2000 election!!
For all the complaining about the primary process, in the end it worked just fine. All delegates are not created equal, each state can chose how to elect those delegates, but in the end, we had had two really amazing candidates and a party split nearly in half and we got a result! And as the superdelegate accept that result, the margin for the winner increases to a point where no can dispute who the winner is. There was only one mistake in the process and that was penalizing MI and FL 100%. But even that was resolved to the satisfaction of the majority of democrats. Nice Job DNC.
I'm really sick of hearing the media say "they" (meaning the voters decided to move up their primary). Did any of the actual Florida/Michigan voters have a choice? The delegate process should be eliminated. The popular vote should be the deciding factor on elections. Isn't that what democracy is all about? Using delegates to decide on a winner is a very elitist way of doing things. I'm very disenfranchised with the DNC at the this point. The "every vote counts" statement is now just a big joke among the Republicans! Great job DNC rules committee.
Super Delegates Nominate Hillary Clinton The title some what fictitious but the reality of possibilities is not very far from the truth. With all the misplaced enthusiasm of adolescent perceptions in a political reality stating the world is what it is supposed to be (but is not so don’t hold your breath) the world is held captive in the turmoil generated by a corporate media that seems to hold little value in truth. To judge the world by the headlines of the corporate media and most others that maintain those views which hold us prisoner to falsehood: Thinking that “Barack Obama has locked up the Democratic Party nomination for the 2008 Presidential election†in what is misplaced because in truth that is the farthest thing from the truth unless you support the business as usual crowd for maintaining the status quo. “Barack Obama has locked up the Democratic Party nomination for the 2008 Presidential election “ Is that really so? Is that way the Democratic Party will do it? Or is that what some would have us think in what is the jockeying for positioning related to the final voting. One Super delegate offered his vote for sale for supposed altruistic reasons I am sure he is not the only one. What all the wonderful over paid, over educated, over played, over valued, and worthless spin doctors and pundits (mainly of the mainstream corporate media) fail to state is that due to the brilliance of the National Democratic Party and its rules: Super delegates on which Barack Obama is based can vote for whom ever they feel like in views that can change as often as those delegates can change their mind in preference up until the moment they vote at the National Democratic Party Convention for as long as it takes to reach a successful conclusion. Imagine the possible headlines: “Super delegates nominate FDR to run again with Bonzo as his running mate, as FDR is brought back to life due to advanced DNA cloning†I do not agree with the super delegate system but as a realistic observer I am cognizant of it as a reality of real circumstances not imagined ones. In theory the super delegates do not have to vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. So why have so many mainstream media sources chosen to illuminate us with such falsehoods, to simplify the political landscape so we can receive their simplified views in what is once again dumb and dumber? Surely they will rationalize truthfully that most likely delegates will do this and that but not once will they challenge the underpinnings of on which all that political trash and waste is based! Why is it that the most complicated country in the world embroiled in every corner of the world with the most subversive of intrigues is summarized into the most simplistic of explanations that most of the time is simply untrue and false, unethical and immoral? Let us ask what Jesus would do! Let us ask what Buddha would say! Let us ask what ET would say and do! But most of all let us ask why has America declined to such a low point of ignorant discussion as is maintain in the mainstream media. The fact of the matter is that without super delegates neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama has enough support to be nominated as the rules currently stand. As Barack Obama has 1,765½ delegates (52%) and Hillary Clinton 1,639½ (48%) with approx 690 super delegates deciding the outcome as it now stands though that means the Democratic Party is not expressing the will of the people but the established circles of power.. But who says that being democratic or republican means one is supposed to be fair and egalitarian? But do I hear anyone except myself discussing or calling for the elimination of the super delegate system? NOOOOOO! The fact of the matter remains that if the super delegates decide in convention to change their votes to support Hillary Clinton she will become the Democratic Party’s nominee albeit one without a full mandate from the people just like Barack Obama will not have a mandate of the people if he was nominated on which grounds I oppose them as weak wasteful candidates currently destined for defeat.
...Well, that's what he'd do if he had any integrity at all. You can't VOLUNTARILY take your name off a ballot, then expect to win 40% of the delegates, and several of your opponents too...
...Unless you are of course...Barack Obama, the affirmative action candidate.
DNC to Obama: "No future president Obama, you don't have to actually WIN, we'll give you the delegates anyway! We just hate Hillary so much, we'll nominate anyone but her!" This is the biggest steaming pile of 400lb Gorilla crap I have ever seen. Obama has absolutely NO legitimacy at all.
I have tried to remain focused on the issues, but this campaign has been long and run aground along the way. Why is it important what church a candidate attends? Why have a public meeting, then let the audience cheer and jeer and disrupt the process? Why make rules that no one follows? I feel betrayed by the DNC and the rules comittee, in the end they act like the same wishy washy republicans. TOO much compromise, no and or incompetant leadership at positions at the top. America is suppose to be a Democracy, one citizen one vote. The democratic party has become non-existent. I feel cacusses do not represent the people of a state, and that only a true election of one vote is valid. And as for delegates and superdelegates are just a way for the people in power to remain in power. Let us return to a real democracy, and as for delegates and superdelegates, let us send them to the Army and Marines in Iraq to use for bait for the insurgents.
My Mama taught me the same thing. What did their mothers teach those Hillary supporters who don't think she's getting a fair shake when she got more than she deserved out of her conniving the votes in Michigan and Florida after agreeing to discount them?
This is worth watching if you haven't:
After 3 PM break, at 6:06 PM the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee is reconvening. The wait has been like waiting for a jury verdict. MSNBC covered the Space Shuttle launch, but now has returned to live coverage of the commentators and a camera on the committee room. Camera was on Jon Ausman and he appeared to be very happy. Jim Callahan Orlando, FL
I would appreciate anyone else's opinion, experiences in the delegate selection process. I am quite concerned about some of the actions, rules violations that occurred during our state convention. I have yet to receive ANY RESPONSE from the state or national party to my questions. I have e mailed, called, left messages, voice mail and not a single reply. Are we the party of inclusion or is this just a myth? I never received names, addresses or any info that was requested; I made several phone calls, left one message, at least one voice message and several emails. After about two weeks, I finally received the info. I still do not understand how some individuals had access to e-mail and others never were able to access this info. I would like to ask you to address a few points/questions/observations, if it is not too much trouble: A) Selection of PLEO’s- I understand the state committee decides these positions. Is a separate application ‘a statement of candidacy with the state chair’ required or is the application automatic because of a candidacy at the congressional & state level? It was my understanding that nothing needed to done, is this correct or is the statement required? B) Does the affirmative Action Committee have a financial assistance plan and what steps were taken to advise, encourage the representation & participation of low income persons? Where and to whom should requests for financial assistance have been sent. It was announced specifically that no financial assistance would be available for any delegate our county caucus. C) Who, how & why were some allowed in the expo hall to distribute, set out campaign materials and not others? D) How was the 3 minute rule for nominating speeches waived when the rules specifically state that it cannot/should not be done? E) How are low income potential delegates identified or considered for inclusion with the other “status†groups. If anyone would like to address the above comments, questions, I would be interested in your opinion.
Little Lord Fauntleroy is no longer a Lord. The division of Church and State reminds us why both Republicans and Democrats have a Chairman of their party that is NOT the President. The Clinton's are are acting like spoiled children who like the Bush dynasty changes rules, laws, and agreements at their convenience. What happened to a handshake and a man or woman's word is their bond? What does this lack of honoring an agreement say about credibility to the world? Doesn't it make our allies in other countries wonder if they made an agreement with a Clinton White House that chances are they might not honor it if it became inconvenient? Read More »
No organization in this land has the constitutional authority to dismiss the clearly cast ballots of voters in Florida and Michigan. Neither does any organization have the power to diminish the value of a voter's ballot giving it half value, nor does any organization have the constitutional authority in our democracy to redistribute the tallied votes or the delegate count in a 50/50 split in contrast to the voter's clearly cast ballots. Millions of voters in Florida and Michigan voted in their states' primaries. All of the democratic candidates were on the ballots in Florida. Only Obama broke the DNC rules when he campaigned in Florida by purchasing national television ads that aired in Florida when no candidates were permitted to campaign there. Edwards and Obama decided in their own best judgement to remove their names from the ballots in Michigan. That was their choice to do so. Voters still voted. Their votes must be counted. Their votes must be recognized as legitimate and fully weighted and all the delegates must be seated at the DNC from these crucial general election swing states. The DNC has made a grave error in judgement. The citizens of Florida and Michigan are full citizens of this country and have every right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. To do otherwise is unconstitutional, undemocratic, and unethical. Count the Votes!
Our Party has on far too many occassions, nominated a candidate for President that was not the strongest candidate for the Fall election. In instance after instance, we have seen our Party nominate candidates that simply are unable to draw in and relate to the average middle and low income hard working Americans, the very people that make our country great.
So much emphasis is always devoted to national polling by the media, yet the only polling that is really valid, is the state by state head to head match ups, since we do not elect a President in this country by popular vote. We elect a President based on Electoral Votes; you win the state, you get all of the Electoral Votes.
No Democratic candidate has ever won the White House without winning in Ohio and West Virginia. In order to win in November, a candidate must be able to win in these states as well as in Electoral Vote rich states such as Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania. So far, we have seen that only Hillary Clinton has been able to win in these states. Hillary Clinton won the biggest prize of them all, California, which is not a certaintity in November with Obama heading the ticket. Only Hillary Clinton has consistently been able to connect with and obtain the support of the low and middle class voters. Only Hillary Clinton has been able to gain the support of the Hispanic vote and the all important Catholic votes (which has chosen the President in 9 of the last 10 elections - only the contested 2000 vote were they wrong, yet were they really wrong?). Only Hillary Clinton has been able to obtain the support of women voters, which make up the majority of voters in most every state. Hillary Clinton has also won the support of the loyal Democratic voting block of the Gay and Lesbian Community.
The purpose of the addition of the Superdelegates was to assure that the Party nominates the candidate that has the best chance of putting together the coalition needed to win, especially in the states that are the traditional battleground states rich in Electoral Votes. Senator Obama has a real problem on his hands should he become the Party nominee. Nearly 50% of Democratic voters have stated in poll after poll that if Obama is the nominee, they will either defect and support McCain or will simply stay home on November 4, not voting for President. If he can not win the primaries in these all important Electoral Vote rich states, and can not garner the support of nealy half of our own Party to vote for him in November, how can we really expect him to win in the General Election.
I predict that if Obama is our Party's nominee, the results in Novemeber will closely resemble the one sided victories of Ronald Reagan, with Senator McCain on the winning side.
I have heard comments, even by news anchors, saying "how could the Democratic Party not give the nomination to Senator Obama, after all he is a black man and blacks have been on this continent for over 300 years and have been denied. How could the Party now deny him the nomination when a black man has struck gold?" Using this type of logic, then Hillary should receive the nod, after all, women have been denied and have been on this continent much longer than blacks. It is simply an absurb justification of giving a nomination to a candidate. I fear that many of the Superdelegates are swinging to Obama for fear of the impact by the black community towards the Party if he is not given the nomination, after all, Rev. Al Sharpton has already voiced intentions of creating havoc if Obama is denied. For some reason, many think that Obama is owed the nomination to make up for years of injustice in America towards blacks. It is almost like they feel he is entitled simply because he is black. The supers fear that they will be branded a racist by the likes of the Sharptons of the country, should they not pledge their support to the black candidate that has an opportunity for becoming the first black nominee for President.
I don't buy this way of thinking and I don't believe that voters in November will buy it either. This type of thinking in choosing our Party's nominee will only lead us to failure in November, as the Party will not have selected the candidate that has proven over and over the ability to win the core of our Party and the all important Electoral Vote rich states. Much of Obama's success has been in the caucus process states, which he will not have at his disposal in November. He has won in most of the predominately black Democratic vote Southern States, which will certainly go for John McCain in the General Election in November.
There have been so many calls, especially from the Party leadership, for Hillary to drop out and just hand over the nomination to Obama. There has been a bias towards Obama since the beginning of this campaign, not just by Democratic Party leadership, but also by the media. They wanted Hillary to drop out after the Iowa caucus. When Senator Edward Kennedy challenged President Jimmy Carter for the nomination in 1980, we did not hear calls for him to drop out. That campaign went all the way to the floor of the national convention where all the delegates were given the opportunity afforded by our Party's rules, to vote and decide the nominee. When Hart took on Mondale, there were no calls for him to drop out, it went to the convention floor. If the Party elite expect one candidate to drop out and simply hand over the nominaton to the other candidate, especially when the race has been so close, then why do the Party rules call for a roll call vote of the delgates?
Hillary Clinton has the best chance for our Party to win the states that must be won in November for a Democrat to retake the White House. She has the support of the type of voters that decide the general election every four years, the women, the Catholics, the low to middle income working class people. These groups were once called the "Reagan Democrats". They defected from our Party in the past, in support of Ronald Reagan because they did not like nor were they comfortable with the nominees of our Party. They have over and over expressed this same opinion in this campaign. They are the Democrats that make up the nearly 50% of Democratic voters that have been so clear that they will defect and vote for McCain or will simply not vote. Even in the Gay community, a group that has always been a very reliable Democratic block of voters, the same is true. More than 50% of GLBT voters will either stay home, support McCain, look to other parties outside of Democrats and Republicans or will write in the name of Hillary Clinton on their ballots in November. This group of loyal Democratic voters does not intend to be taken for granted as a "sure thing" in November and will defect if Senator Obama is the nominee. Statistics have shown that the GLBT vote gave Bill Clinton the margin of victory he needed to win his first campaign for the White House. There is deep seeded loyalty to the Clintons within the GLBT community, even with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the miliatary and the DOMA legistation. The loyalty stems from something much greater and more important to the GLBT community. Bill Clinton was the first President to ever say the word "AIDS", after having two Presidents that refused to say the word, refused to acknowledge that people were dying from this disease, refused to do anything to provide funding for care and research. Many GLBT people lost many friends, family members, loved ones and partners due to having Presidents that were willing to simply turn their heads and pretend the crisis did not exist, after all, it was only killing the "right people". The Clintons changed that and have continued to be leaders in the fight against AIDS. It was a Clinton that brought us the Ryan White Act, something that has been reauthorized every year under the Bush Administration but has not had the authorized funding fully released by the Treasury Department for any of the years of George W. Bush's terms.
Our Party can not expect the disapproval of George W. Bush's Administration to translate automatically to a win in November if our Party nominates the candiate that is not the one most likely to have the ability to win in the areas that must be won. We can not expect an automatic win in November with a candidate that has gone through the entire Primary season without being able to connect with the traditional core voters of our Party and the all important Independent voters. In Primaries that have been open primaries, where Republicans have been able to cross over and vote in the Democratic campaign, there is no secret why these cross over Republicans have been voting time and time again for Obama. It is not because they intend to support him in November. It is because they see him as the candiate that if nominated, will be the easiest to defeat in November. They have participated in the big scheme to manipulate the nomination of our Party in favor of Senator Obama. Party elite have engaged in this manipulation for their own reasons and Republicans have participated in this manipulation for their reason, to have a voice in who the Party nominates that will be the least likely to win in November. Unfortunatly, it appears that the Democratic Party leadership and elite can not see this fact. They belive, at least on the surface, that these Republican voters have crossed over in these open primary states because they now have had a change in heart and will support the Democratic Party in November. Living in a false reality will bring doom in November.
The superdelegates need to take the responsiblity placed on them, when their votes were created by the Party, seriously. The intent was to have the supers have an important say in making certain that our Party did not continue its long history of nominating candidates that simply can not win the states necessary to be elected in the Electoral College. Continued swings to Obama by the Supers tells me that they are not looking at the facts and the truths and are being blinded by the misleading Republican cross over votes, in adddition to their feeling some sort of duty to nominate Obama simply to be able to say, they supported and participated in giving the first black man in history the nomination of any party to have a chance at becoming President. They are courting future black voters in their own self interest. I think it is appropriate to point out that diversity is not limited to only blacks. In fact, the importance of the black vote in American elections, in diminishing, as Latinos have taken the lead in voting power in many of our states. In large states such as California, Latinos and Asians now surpass blacks in voting power and clout and in percentage of the State's population. The supers need to open their eyes and realize that nominating a candidate based on strong support of the black community is not as important as it was in the past. You can not win a national general election with only the loyal support of the black community, college aged voters (which are never a given for turning out and actually voting in the general election, as their turn out is historically lower on a general election day than in the Primary season), and the upper income voters. This is not and has never been, the coalition needed to win the General Election.
It is time for the Party to wake up and pay attention to the realities of who can actually win the states and groups of voters that time and time again, decide who is the occupant of the White House. That person is not Senator Obama, it is Senator Hillary Clinton.
So much emphasis is always devoted to national polling by the media, yet the only polling that is really valid, is the state by state head to head match ups, since we do not elect a President in this country by popular vote. We elect a President based on Electoral Votes; you win the state, you get all of the Electoral Votes.
No Democratic candidate has ever won the White House without winning in Ohio and West Virginia. In order to win in November, a candidate must be able to win in these states as well as in Electoral Vote rich states such as Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania. So far, we have seen that only Hillary Clinton has been able to win in these states. Hillary Clinton won the biggest prize of them all, California, which is not a certaintity in November with Obama heading the ticket. Only Hillary Clinton has consistently been able to connect with and obtain the support of the low and middle class voters. Only Hillary Clinton has been able to gain the support of the Hispanic vote and the all important Catholic votes (which has chosen the President in 9 of the last 10 elections - only the contested 2000 vote were they wrong, yet were they really wrong?). Only Hillary Clinton has been able to obtain the support of women voters, which make up the majority of voters in most every state. Hillary Clinton has also won the support of the loyal Democratic voting block of the Gay and Lesbian Community.
The purpose of the addition of the Superdelegates was to assure that the Party nominates the candidate that has the best chance of putting together the coalition needed to win, especially in the states that are the traditional battleground states rich in Electoral Votes. Senator Obama has a real problem on his hands should he become the Party nominee. Nearly 50% of Democratic voters have stated in poll after poll that if Obama is the nominee, they will either defect and support McCain or will simply stay home on November 4, not voting for President. If he can not win the primaries in these all important Electoral Vote rich states, and can not garner the support of nealy half of our own Party to vote for him in November, how can we really expect him to win in the General Election.
I predict that if Obama is our Party's nominee, the results in Novemeber will closely resemble the one sided victories of Ronald Reagan, with Senator McCain on the winning side.
I have heard comments, even by news anchors, saying "how could the Democratic Party not give the nomination to Senator Obama, after all he is a black man and blacks have been on this continent for over 300 years and have been denied. How could the Party now deny him the nomination when a black man has struck gold?" Using this type of logic, then Hillary should receive the nod, after all, women have been denied and have been on this continent much longer than blacks. It is simply an absurb justification of giving a nomination to a candidate. I fear that many of the Superdelegates are swinging to Obama for fear of the impact by the black community towards the Party if he is not given the nomination, after all, Rev. Al Sharpton has already voiced intentions of creating havoc if Obama is denied. For some reason, many think that Obama is owed the nomination to make up for years of injustice in America towards blacks. It is almost like they feel he is entitled simply because he is black. The supers fear that they will be branded a racist by the likes of the Sharptons of the country, should they not pledge their support to the black candidate that has an opportunity for becoming the first black nominee for President.
I don't buy this way of thinking and I don't believe that voters in November will buy it either. This type of thinking in choosing our Party's nominee will only lead us to failure in November, as the Party will not have selected the candidate that has proven over and over the ability to win the core of our Party and the all important Electoral Vote rich states. Much of Obama's success has been in the caucus process states, which he will not have at his disposal in November. He has won in most of the predominately black Democratic vote Southern States, which will certainly go for John McCain in the General Election in November.
There have been so many calls, especially from the Party leadership, for Hillary to drop out and just hand over the nomination to Obama. There has been a bias towards Obama since the beginning of this campaign, not just by Democratic Party leadership, but also by the media. They wanted Hillary to drop out after the Iowa caucus. When Senator Edward Kennedy challenged President Jimmy Carter for the nomination in 1980, we did not hear calls for him to drop out. That campaign went all the way to the floor of the national convention where all the delegates were given the opportunity afforded by our Party's rules, to vote and decide the nominee. When Hart took on Mondale, there were no calls for him to drop out, it went to the convention floor. If the Party elite expect one candidate to drop out and simply hand over the nominaton to the other candidate, especially when the race has been so close, then why do the Party rules call for a roll call vote of the delgates?
Hillary Clinton has the best chance for our Party to win the states that must be won in November for a Democrat to retake the White House. She has the support of the type of voters that decide the general election every four years, the women, the Catholics, the low to middle income working class people. These groups were once called the "Reagan Democrats". They defected from our Party in the past, in support of Ronald Reagan because they did not like nor were they comfortable with the nominees of our Party. They have over and over expressed this same opinion in this campaign. They are the Democrats that make up the nearly 50% of Democratic voters that have been so clear that they will defect and vote for McCain or will simply not vote. Even in the Gay community, a group that has always been a very reliable Democratic block of voters, the same is true. More than 50% of GLBT voters will either stay home, support McCain, look to other parties outside of Democrats and Republicans or will write in the name of Hillary Clinton on their ballots in November. This group of loyal Democratic voters does not intend to be taken for granted as a "sure thing" in November and will defect if Senator Obama is the nominee. Statistics have shown that the GLBT vote gave Bill Clinton the margin of victory he needed to win his first campaign for the White House. There is deep seeded loyalty to the Clintons within the GLBT community, even with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the miliatary and the DOMA legistation. The loyalty stems from something much greater and more important to the GLBT community. Bill Clinton was the first President to ever say the word "AIDS", after having two Presidents that refused to say the word, refused to acknowledge that people were dying from this disease, refused to do anything to provide funding for care and research. Many GLBT people lost many friends, family members, loved ones and partners due to having Presidents that were willing to simply turn their heads and pretend the crisis did not exist, after all, it was only killing the "right people". The Clintons changed that and have continued to be leaders in the fight against AIDS. It was a Clinton that brought us the Ryan White Act, something that has been reauthorized every year under the Bush Administration but has not had the authorized funding fully released by the Treasury Department for any of the years of George W. Bush's terms.
Our Party can not expect the disapproval of George W. Bush's Administration to translate automatically to a win in November if our Party nominates the candiate that is not the one most likely to have the ability to win in the areas that must be won. We can not expect an automatic win in November with a candidate that has gone through the entire Primary season without being able to connect with the traditional core voters of our Party and the all important Independent voters. In Primaries that have been open primaries, where Republicans have been able to cross over and vote in the Democratic campaign, there is no secret why these cross over Republicans have been voting time and time again for Obama. It is not because they intend to support him in November. It is because they see him as the candiate that if nominated, will be the easiest to defeat in November. They have participated in the big scheme to manipulate the nomination of our Party in favor of Senator Obama. Party elite have engaged in this manipulation for their own reasons and Republicans have participated in this manipulation for their reason, to have a voice in who the Party nominates that will be the least likely to win in November. Unfortunatly, it appears that the Democratic Party leadership and elite can not see this fact. They belive, at least on the surface, that these Republican voters have crossed over in these open primary states because they now have had a change in heart and will support the Democratic Party in November. Living in a false reality will bring doom in November.
The superdelegates need to take the responsiblity placed on them, when their votes were created by the Party, seriously. The intent was to have the supers have an important say in making certain that our Party did not continue its long history of nominating candidates that simply can not win the states necessary to be elected in the Electoral College. Continued swings to Obama by the Supers tells me that they are not looking at the facts and the truths and are being blinded by the misleading Republican cross over votes, in adddition to their feeling some sort of duty to nominate Obama simply to be able to say, they supported and participated in giving the first black man in history the nomination of any party to have a chance at becoming President. They are courting future black voters in their own self interest. I think it is appropriate to point out that diversity is not limited to only blacks. In fact, the importance of the black vote in American elections, in diminishing, as Latinos have taken the lead in voting power in many of our states. In large states such as California, Latinos and Asians now surpass blacks in voting power and clout and in percentage of the State's population. The supers need to open their eyes and realize that nominating a candidate based on strong support of the black community is not as important as it was in the past. You can not win a national general election with only the loyal support of the black community, college aged voters (which are never a given for turning out and actually voting in the general election, as their turn out is historically lower on a general election day than in the Primary season), and the upper income voters. This is not and has never been, the coalition needed to win the General Election.
It is time for the Party to wake up and pay attention to the realities of who can actually win the states and groups of voters that time and time again, decide who is the occupant of the White House. That person is not Senator Obama, it is Senator Hillary Clinton.
Goodbye Hillary Clinton its over.
Hillary said she would win big in Indiana and narrow the gap in North Carolina.
Well in the end of it all Indiana became 51% for Hillary and 49 % for Obama.
On the otherside of if Obama almost won Indiana and Hillary according to MsNbc gained only one addtionial delegate in her total win in Indiana.
In North Carolina Obama who the Clinton campaign had hopes of deflating won in high double digits and brought his popular vote back to where it was before the Pennsylvania Primary.
Hillary according to many of the front page newspapers and Tv News has lost the nomination and even some of her closest supporters like George McGovern who is not a SuperDelegate has called for Hillary to end her campaign.
Dianne Feinstein a strong supporter of Hillary is now wanting answers on where and what the next plan is to continue running this campaign till the end.
So far Hillary has not yet called her.
The campaign was a battle that Clinton gave all she had and the Kitchen Sink .
In the end her negative campaign against Senator Obama did not work .
One is the negatives in the polls for Hillary are high.
People fine her to have run an extremely well put together negative campaign .
Then she supported the Gasoline Tax Holiday and I believe that in the end people started to realize how much of a phony she was agreeing with Senator McCain who presented this failed idea in the first place.
That and I believe people finally have had enough of the type of campaigning that sounded more and more each day like a Republican running and not a Democrat.
Her remarks on Iran also did not help her in this past Tuesdays Primary.
People are tired of the War and the younger voters decided with more educated voted and educated working class people to vote for a change from the past to the future thats what this campaign is really all about.
So Hillary you fought the good fight used everything you could from the Kitchen and now its really the end even if you in your own mind cannot yet accept this its the end its over .
I would ask you Senator Clinton to do the Democratic base a favor now and for the unity of the Democratic Party drop out of the race for President save whatever redeeming qualities you have left before you dig yourself deeper in the Gutter .
I will not review all the final numbers of both States at this point no need to.
The writing is on the Poltical war for Hillary is over.
I ask all Democrats who supported Hillary to join the Obama supporters and vote to defeat John McCain lets end 8 years of Republican rule in November Yes We Can do this and Yes You can aswell.
Hillary said she would win big in Indiana and narrow the gap in North Carolina.
Well in the end of it all Indiana became 51% for Hillary and 49 % for Obama.
On the otherside of if Obama almost won Indiana and Hillary according to MsNbc gained only one addtionial delegate in her total win in Indiana.
In North Carolina Obama who the Clinton campaign had hopes of deflating won in high double digits and brought his popular vote back to where it was before the Pennsylvania Primary.
Hillary according to many of the front page newspapers and Tv News has lost the nomination and even some of her closest supporters like George McGovern who is not a SuperDelegate has called for Hillary to end her campaign.
Dianne Feinstein a strong supporter of Hillary is now wanting answers on where and what the next plan is to continue running this campaign till the end.
So far Hillary has not yet called her.
The campaign was a battle that Clinton gave all she had and the Kitchen Sink .
In the end her negative campaign against Senator Obama did not work .
One is the negatives in the polls for Hillary are high.
People fine her to have run an extremely well put together negative campaign .
Then she supported the Gasoline Tax Holiday and I believe that in the end people started to realize how much of a phony she was agreeing with Senator McCain who presented this failed idea in the first place.
That and I believe people finally have had enough of the type of campaigning that sounded more and more each day like a Republican running and not a Democrat.
Her remarks on Iran also did not help her in this past Tuesdays Primary.
People are tired of the War and the younger voters decided with more educated voted and educated working class people to vote for a change from the past to the future thats what this campaign is really all about.
So Hillary you fought the good fight used everything you could from the Kitchen and now its really the end even if you in your own mind cannot yet accept this its the end its over .
I would ask you Senator Clinton to do the Democratic base a favor now and for the unity of the Democratic Party drop out of the race for President save whatever redeeming qualities you have left before you dig yourself deeper in the Gutter .
I will not review all the final numbers of both States at this point no need to.
The writing is on the Poltical war for Hillary is over.
I ask all Democrats who supported Hillary to join the Obama supporters and vote to defeat John McCain lets end 8 years of Republican rule in November Yes We Can do this and Yes You can aswell.
Today it was reported on CNN and MSNBC that the newest Gallop Tracking Poll of Democrats nationwide now gives Hillary Clinton a 4% lead over Senator Obama in the choice for who Democrats want to see as the Party's Nominee for President.
This is a huge turn around from what it was just a few short weeks ago.
Delegates and Superdelegates need to be looking at this trend very carefully when making up their minds about who to support.
From this information, it is obvious that many Democrats that have already gone to the polls in past months and supported Obama, no longer view him as their choice for the Nomination.
The poll also shows Senator Clinton leading John McCain in head to head match ups in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, while Obama trails McCain in these important Electoral Vote rich states.
This is a huge turn around from what it was just a few short weeks ago.
Delegates and Superdelegates need to be looking at this trend very carefully when making up their minds about who to support.
From this information, it is obvious that many Democrats that have already gone to the polls in past months and supported Obama, no longer view him as their choice for the Nomination.
The poll also shows Senator Clinton leading John McCain in head to head match ups in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, while Obama trails McCain in these important Electoral Vote rich states.
As a Floridian I can tell you without a doubt that our delegates should NOT be seated at the convention. The Florida administration knew about the DNC rules when they moved up the primary; our democratic representatives in Tallahassee voted along with the republicans for the change and we the voters knew that our vote would not count when the primary was held as a result of their action. I know many people that did not "bother" to go vote because it was worthless in their eyes to do so. We cannot accept the results of the primary as legitimate now, after the fact. It is wrong, unfair, and unethical to change the rules at this point, they should either have been changed before the voting took place or they need to remain as they were on the primary date.
While I can understand the desire and need to unify the Party, I am offended by the direction that our Party's leaders are taking this nominating process. They say that we must have a nominee by June; that either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama must drop out of the race after the last State or territory holds their election.
For the first time in many years, decades in fact, we have a close race going on for the Democratic Nomination for President. It is wrong to ask or expect any viable candidate to drop out before the roll call of delegates is held at the National Convention. For too long, both Parties have held coronations of their nominee, long before they ever arrive at the Convention. If that is what is expected, then what is the need to have the Convention at all? If the Party leadership wants a coronation of a nominee without a single vote of delegates, then save the money that the Party will spend on the National Convention and use it more effectively in the General Election campaign against the Republicans. If the purpose of the National Convention is not to actually elect the nominee, then I can only assume that it is nothing more than a scripted photo op and podium for a select few to advance their future political aspirations by making speeches from the podium before a national television audience. An aspect that becomes less and less important over the years as fewer and fewer Americans actually watch the coverage of the National Conventions of either Party.
Over the course of this long and heated Primary Campaign, many things have changed since the first votes were cast in Iowa and New Hampshire. Issues have changed, candidates have stumbled and public opinions have changed. We owe it to our form of democracy to allow the process to proceed all the way until the end, permitting all delegates to have their say, as some pledged delegates may have shifted their allegiance and there are still many uncommitted and superdelegates that have yet to express their choice for the Party's Nominee. These uncommitted and Superdelegates must not be forced by any Party leadership to cast their vote unofficially prior to the Denver Convention and roll call of delegates. The reality of today is that the only time that the average America actually watches the political conventions is when the roll call of delegates is being held.
Taking this process all the way to the National Convention in Denver can only strengthen our Party, especially with the average American voter that is not a political activist for either Party. They will see it as the Democratic Party giving the process the opportunity to play out without manipulation and interference from Party leadership. It sends the message that our Party values the voices of all Americans and is willing to let there be a real, unplanned vote for our Party standard bearer.
Perhaps in future Presidential Elections, our Party should make some major revisions to the process. I always understood that the Rules Committee permitted Iowa and New Hampshire to have their respective forms of elections in order to preserve their "First in Nation Status". I do not understand why the Rules Committee saw it to be appropriate to give favored status to Nevada and South Carolina, by exempting them from the restrictions of no State having their primary elections prior to this year's Super Tuesday. Our current system allows for the injection of momentum for one candidate over another based on who won the last State holding their election. The current system permits voters to cast their votes based on emotions and not solely on the candidates' positions of the many critical issues that face the nation. The Rules Committee should mandate, for future Presidential Primary seasons, a National Primary Day, where all States and Territories hold their elections on the same day. No State should be given preference in the primary election process. We should also abandon the Caucus system used by some States. This process does not rise to the charge of our Party, to enlist the highest amount of voter participation in the process by making the process easier and more accessible for all registered voters. We see over and over that the Caucus system does not have anywhere near the percentage of voter participation as does the Primary election system. It is essentially a system that is designed only for those voters that are the real dedicated activist that have the time to spend in a caucus hall for hours upon hours, engaged in a battle of words to sway attendees to support one candidate over another. This is a luxury of time that most voters today do not have. It is difficult enough to get people to participate in a regular form of elections, we do not need to make it even more difficult and restrictive. Our Party Chairman once said that the caucus system is only meant to be a "Party Building Tool", to identify those voters that are willing to go the extra step to participate in the system. This is not what elections are supposed to be about. Elections are supposed to be held to enable as many registered voters as possible, to express themselves by casting a ballot in private without any attempts to influence them or intimidate them to support one candidate over another. This is far from what we see in the Caucus system.
It is time for us to let our Party leadership hear our voices telling them to stay out of the established process and discontinue efforts to end the process before any delegates are permitted to carry out their duties at the National Convention. We need to let our Party's leadership know that it is unacceptable and against every principle that the Democratic Party has always represented, to attempt to force any candidate to withdraw from the process before the final votes are counted at the National Convention. This nomination is not the property of the Party leaders or Party elders. This nomination belongs to the People of the United States and the voices of millions of Americans must be heard in Denver openly for all to witness.
For the first time in many years, decades in fact, we have a close race going on for the Democratic Nomination for President. It is wrong to ask or expect any viable candidate to drop out before the roll call of delegates is held at the National Convention. For too long, both Parties have held coronations of their nominee, long before they ever arrive at the Convention. If that is what is expected, then what is the need to have the Convention at all? If the Party leadership wants a coronation of a nominee without a single vote of delegates, then save the money that the Party will spend on the National Convention and use it more effectively in the General Election campaign against the Republicans. If the purpose of the National Convention is not to actually elect the nominee, then I can only assume that it is nothing more than a scripted photo op and podium for a select few to advance their future political aspirations by making speeches from the podium before a national television audience. An aspect that becomes less and less important over the years as fewer and fewer Americans actually watch the coverage of the National Conventions of either Party.
Over the course of this long and heated Primary Campaign, many things have changed since the first votes were cast in Iowa and New Hampshire. Issues have changed, candidates have stumbled and public opinions have changed. We owe it to our form of democracy to allow the process to proceed all the way until the end, permitting all delegates to have their say, as some pledged delegates may have shifted their allegiance and there are still many uncommitted and superdelegates that have yet to express their choice for the Party's Nominee. These uncommitted and Superdelegates must not be forced by any Party leadership to cast their vote unofficially prior to the Denver Convention and roll call of delegates. The reality of today is that the only time that the average America actually watches the political conventions is when the roll call of delegates is being held.
Taking this process all the way to the National Convention in Denver can only strengthen our Party, especially with the average American voter that is not a political activist for either Party. They will see it as the Democratic Party giving the process the opportunity to play out without manipulation and interference from Party leadership. It sends the message that our Party values the voices of all Americans and is willing to let there be a real, unplanned vote for our Party standard bearer.
Perhaps in future Presidential Elections, our Party should make some major revisions to the process. I always understood that the Rules Committee permitted Iowa and New Hampshire to have their respective forms of elections in order to preserve their "First in Nation Status". I do not understand why the Rules Committee saw it to be appropriate to give favored status to Nevada and South Carolina, by exempting them from the restrictions of no State having their primary elections prior to this year's Super Tuesday. Our current system allows for the injection of momentum for one candidate over another based on who won the last State holding their election. The current system permits voters to cast their votes based on emotions and not solely on the candidates' positions of the many critical issues that face the nation. The Rules Committee should mandate, for future Presidential Primary seasons, a National Primary Day, where all States and Territories hold their elections on the same day. No State should be given preference in the primary election process. We should also abandon the Caucus system used by some States. This process does not rise to the charge of our Party, to enlist the highest amount of voter participation in the process by making the process easier and more accessible for all registered voters. We see over and over that the Caucus system does not have anywhere near the percentage of voter participation as does the Primary election system. It is essentially a system that is designed only for those voters that are the real dedicated activist that have the time to spend in a caucus hall for hours upon hours, engaged in a battle of words to sway attendees to support one candidate over another. This is a luxury of time that most voters today do not have. It is difficult enough to get people to participate in a regular form of elections, we do not need to make it even more difficult and restrictive. Our Party Chairman once said that the caucus system is only meant to be a "Party Building Tool", to identify those voters that are willing to go the extra step to participate in the system. This is not what elections are supposed to be about. Elections are supposed to be held to enable as many registered voters as possible, to express themselves by casting a ballot in private without any attempts to influence them or intimidate them to support one candidate over another. This is far from what we see in the Caucus system.
It is time for us to let our Party leadership hear our voices telling them to stay out of the established process and discontinue efforts to end the process before any delegates are permitted to carry out their duties at the National Convention. We need to let our Party's leadership know that it is unacceptable and against every principle that the Democratic Party has always represented, to attempt to force any candidate to withdraw from the process before the final votes are counted at the National Convention. This nomination is not the property of the Party leaders or Party elders. This nomination belongs to the People of the United States and the voices of millions of Americans must be heard in Denver openly for all to witness.
It is time for our Party to get serious about selecting a Nominee that can actually win in November. After the loss by Senator Obama in Pennsylvania, he has consistently shown that he is unable to win in any of the key "battle ground" States. He has consistently been unable to connect and obtain the support of key Democratic Base support groups, such as working class blue collar voters, Catholic voters, Jewish voters and the GLBT community voters.
I have seen head to head polling data for key States that Democrats must win in November in order to win the all important electoral vote to regain the White House. In head to head matchups, Obama is either tied or trailing in these State polls for key States such as Ohio and Florida, while Senator Clinton leads Senator McCain in these States. The November General Election will not have any Caucus systems, which have favored Senator Obama, as they are not set up to engage the maximum number of voters as does a Primary election.
It should be noted that the Catholic Vote has picked the next President correctly in 9 of the last 110 Presidential Elections, the only exception being the 2000 Gore vs Bush campaign, where Gore actually won the popular vote but lost the all important Electoral Vote. Senator Clinton is receiving upwards of 70% of the important Catholic Vote.
Senator Obama has also lost his hold on the white male vote, with that vote going to Senator Clinton in Pennsylvania.
Senator Clinton continues to dominate with the senior votes as well, a group that is the most consistent voting group in every election, always reliable to turn out and actually vote.
I posted polls on a GLBT Social Website Blog to measure the views of the GLBT community towards this election. The GLBT vote makes up roughly 10% of voters in this country. The polling found an overwhelming support for Senator Clinton over Senator Obama. This voting group can not be taken for granted to go Democrat in November is Senator Clinton is not the Party Nominee. In another poll I took related to what GLBT votes will do in November if Senator Clinton is not the nominee, I found the following results:
I will support the Dem. Nominee regardless of who it is: 18.5%
I will switch and support Senator McCain: 29.6%
I will stay at home and not vote on election day: 11.1%
I will look to candidates from Parties other than the Democrats and Republicans in November: 14.8%
I will vote Democrat by writing in the name of Senator Hillary Clinton on my November ballot: 11.1%
I will support Democratic Congressional candidates but not vote for President: 14.9%
To summarize this polling, 26% stated they would not vote for President if Senator Clinton is not the nominee. 44.9% said they would support a candidate from another Party. 18.5% said they will support the Democratic Nominee regardless of who it is. 11.1% said they will do a write in vote for Senator Clinton.
For a candidate that has billed himself as being different, not the typical politician and free from the Washington insider influence, he certainly has a lot of baggage surfacing in his campaign. There are many issues that have arisen that have been viewed by middle class voters as concerning and divisive. He has continually offered up policies and programs for domestic spending that relies on continued deficit spending and borrowing from China to pay for his programs, by saying he would re-appropriate funding for the Iraq War to his domestic agenda. This is irresponsible, as our nation can not continue on this path of deficit spending and borrowing from China if we are to get our economy back on track.
As a retired healthcare administrator, I have closely examined the plans for healthcare reform by all three candidates in this campaign. With my inside knowledge of how our system works and where there is room for great improvement, I can tell you that the only candidate that fully understands how our healthcare system works and what is broken about it, is Senator Clinton. She says things in her proposals that could only be stated by someone that is fully connected and understanding of how our current system actually works.
Pledged delegates elected, are not bound by any Party rules or law, to vote at the Convention in Denver, on the first of subsequent balloting, for the candidate they were pledged to support. Uncommitted delegates and Superdelegates are allowed to vote for whomever they want. All delegates must now look at the reality of what is facing our Party and its ability to win this election in November. We must vote to nominate the candidate that can win in the important "battle ground" States that are rich with Electoral Votes. Our Party must win either Ohio or Florida or both, to retake the White House from Republicans, something that State by State head to head match up polling shows Senator Obama unable to do.
We must keep in mind, as we go to Denver to nominate our Party's candidate for President, the most important aspect of a Presidential race, the ability to win the Electoral Votes.
At the end of May, Party officials will meet to decide what to do about the delegates from Florida and Michigan. It should be noted that in Florida, all Democratic Candidates names were on the ballot and in fact, according to people I speak with from that State, Senator Obama was the only Democratic Candidate that actually ran TV ads in the State prior to that Primary vote. The vote of the people of Florida must stand as it was decided and the delegates seated in accordance with the voice of the people of that State. In Michigan, no Democratic candidate campaigned there and it was a decision of each candidate as to whether they removed their name from the ballot or not, something that some did and some did not. It was their choice to decide. Michigan must also be seated with delegates assigned in accordance with the vote of the people of that State.
Democrats have for years lodged allegations of voter disenfranchisement by Republicans in specific precincts in key States. If our Party does not seat the delegates of Florida and Michigan in accordance with the votes of the people there, then our Party's disenfranchisement of voters will be far worse than anything ever done by the Republicans. This will certainly come back to haunt our Party in November, as the people of those two States will receive a message from our Party that we do not feel their voices matter or are important. They will certainly take pause before supporting our Party's Nominee if they feel that their voices were not heard and were cast aside as if they did not count.
I strongly encourage all delegates to now search their souls and look at which of our two remaining candidates can actually win the all important Electoral Votes, especially in the large States that have so many Electoral Votes, such as California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, etc., all States that were won by Senator Clinton. All delegates must keep in mind that many of the States that Senator Obama has won has been in States that have had caucus voting and not Primary voting. This is important to look at, as the General Election will not have this form of voting that has worked so well for Senator Obama. Our Party can also not win in November only on the strength of the vote from the black community for Senator Obama, the only traditional block of the Democratic base that has consistently and strongly supported him in every contest.
Senator Obama has already complained about campaign attacks and tactics in the Primary season, saying that tough questions from the media directed at him are unfair, yet every word Senator Clinton has spoken has been subjected to much closer scrutiny than anything Senator Obama has said. If he and his campaign think that what they have recently been subjected to is tough to deal with, causing him to go on the defensive as he has done, he has seen nothing in comparison to what he would be subjected to in a General Election campaign when the Republican Attack machine will be in full gear going after him. If he can't take the heat now, how will he deal with the extreme pressures of a General Election Campaign? Senator Clinton is seasoned at dealing with Republicans attacking her, as she has been the target of their vicious attacks since her husband's first campaign for the Presidency and it has never let up. She has always been able to withstand and fight back successfully against Republican tactics and will continue to do so.
I strongly encourage all delegates to vote for the candidate that will actually be able to win the Electoral Vote in November and support Senator Clinton. As a life long Democratic activist that has been involved in many Presidential campaigns in my life, I do not want our Party to make the mistakes of the past by nominating someone that we all know in our hearts, can not actually win the Electoral Votes in the key "battle ground" States. We have in the past, made this mistake over and over in past decades and it is now time for our Party and the delegates; pledged, uncommitted and Superdelgates, to learn from the past mistakes of our Party and nominate the candidate that can actually win in November.
I have seen head to head polling data for key States that Democrats must win in November in order to win the all important electoral vote to regain the White House. In head to head matchups, Obama is either tied or trailing in these State polls for key States such as Ohio and Florida, while Senator Clinton leads Senator McCain in these States. The November General Election will not have any Caucus systems, which have favored Senator Obama, as they are not set up to engage the maximum number of voters as does a Primary election.
It should be noted that the Catholic Vote has picked the next President correctly in 9 of the last 110 Presidential Elections, the only exception being the 2000 Gore vs Bush campaign, where Gore actually won the popular vote but lost the all important Electoral Vote. Senator Clinton is receiving upwards of 70% of the important Catholic Vote.
Senator Obama has also lost his hold on the white male vote, with that vote going to Senator Clinton in Pennsylvania.
Senator Clinton continues to dominate with the senior votes as well, a group that is the most consistent voting group in every election, always reliable to turn out and actually vote.
I posted polls on a GLBT Social Website Blog to measure the views of the GLBT community towards this election. The GLBT vote makes up roughly 10% of voters in this country. The polling found an overwhelming support for Senator Clinton over Senator Obama. This voting group can not be taken for granted to go Democrat in November is Senator Clinton is not the Party Nominee. In another poll I took related to what GLBT votes will do in November if Senator Clinton is not the nominee, I found the following results:
I will support the Dem. Nominee regardless of who it is: 18.5%
I will switch and support Senator McCain: 29.6%
I will stay at home and not vote on election day: 11.1%
I will look to candidates from Parties other than the Democrats and Republicans in November: 14.8%
I will vote Democrat by writing in the name of Senator Hillary Clinton on my November ballot: 11.1%
I will support Democratic Congressional candidates but not vote for President: 14.9%
To summarize this polling, 26% stated they would not vote for President if Senator Clinton is not the nominee. 44.9% said they would support a candidate from another Party. 18.5% said they will support the Democratic Nominee regardless of who it is. 11.1% said they will do a write in vote for Senator Clinton.
For a candidate that has billed himself as being different, not the typical politician and free from the Washington insider influence, he certainly has a lot of baggage surfacing in his campaign. There are many issues that have arisen that have been viewed by middle class voters as concerning and divisive. He has continually offered up policies and programs for domestic spending that relies on continued deficit spending and borrowing from China to pay for his programs, by saying he would re-appropriate funding for the Iraq War to his domestic agenda. This is irresponsible, as our nation can not continue on this path of deficit spending and borrowing from China if we are to get our economy back on track.
As a retired healthcare administrator, I have closely examined the plans for healthcare reform by all three candidates in this campaign. With my inside knowledge of how our system works and where there is room for great improvement, I can tell you that the only candidate that fully understands how our healthcare system works and what is broken about it, is Senator Clinton. She says things in her proposals that could only be stated by someone that is fully connected and understanding of how our current system actually works.
Pledged delegates elected, are not bound by any Party rules or law, to vote at the Convention in Denver, on the first of subsequent balloting, for the candidate they were pledged to support. Uncommitted delegates and Superdelegates are allowed to vote for whomever they want. All delegates must now look at the reality of what is facing our Party and its ability to win this election in November. We must vote to nominate the candidate that can win in the important "battle ground" States that are rich with Electoral Votes. Our Party must win either Ohio or Florida or both, to retake the White House from Republicans, something that State by State head to head match up polling shows Senator Obama unable to do.
We must keep in mind, as we go to Denver to nominate our Party's candidate for President, the most important aspect of a Presidential race, the ability to win the Electoral Votes.
At the end of May, Party officials will meet to decide what to do about the delegates from Florida and Michigan. It should be noted that in Florida, all Democratic Candidates names were on the ballot and in fact, according to people I speak with from that State, Senator Obama was the only Democratic Candidate that actually ran TV ads in the State prior to that Primary vote. The vote of the people of Florida must stand as it was decided and the delegates seated in accordance with the voice of the people of that State. In Michigan, no Democratic candidate campaigned there and it was a decision of each candidate as to whether they removed their name from the ballot or not, something that some did and some did not. It was their choice to decide. Michigan must also be seated with delegates assigned in accordance with the vote of the people of that State.
Democrats have for years lodged allegations of voter disenfranchisement by Republicans in specific precincts in key States. If our Party does not seat the delegates of Florida and Michigan in accordance with the votes of the people there, then our Party's disenfranchisement of voters will be far worse than anything ever done by the Republicans. This will certainly come back to haunt our Party in November, as the people of those two States will receive a message from our Party that we do not feel their voices matter or are important. They will certainly take pause before supporting our Party's Nominee if they feel that their voices were not heard and were cast aside as if they did not count.
I strongly encourage all delegates to now search their souls and look at which of our two remaining candidates can actually win the all important Electoral Votes, especially in the large States that have so many Electoral Votes, such as California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, etc., all States that were won by Senator Clinton. All delegates must keep in mind that many of the States that Senator Obama has won has been in States that have had caucus voting and not Primary voting. This is important to look at, as the General Election will not have this form of voting that has worked so well for Senator Obama. Our Party can also not win in November only on the strength of the vote from the black community for Senator Obama, the only traditional block of the Democratic base that has consistently and strongly supported him in every contest.
Senator Obama has already complained about campaign attacks and tactics in the Primary season, saying that tough questions from the media directed at him are unfair, yet every word Senator Clinton has spoken has been subjected to much closer scrutiny than anything Senator Obama has said. If he and his campaign think that what they have recently been subjected to is tough to deal with, causing him to go on the defensive as he has done, he has seen nothing in comparison to what he would be subjected to in a General Election campaign when the Republican Attack machine will be in full gear going after him. If he can't take the heat now, how will he deal with the extreme pressures of a General Election Campaign? Senator Clinton is seasoned at dealing with Republicans attacking her, as she has been the target of their vicious attacks since her husband's first campaign for the Presidency and it has never let up. She has always been able to withstand and fight back successfully against Republican tactics and will continue to do so.
I strongly encourage all delegates to vote for the candidate that will actually be able to win the Electoral Vote in November and support Senator Clinton. As a life long Democratic activist that has been involved in many Presidential campaigns in my life, I do not want our Party to make the mistakes of the past by nominating someone that we all know in our hearts, can not actually win the Electoral Votes in the key "battle ground" States. We have in the past, made this mistake over and over in past decades and it is now time for our Party and the delegates; pledged, uncommitted and Superdelgates, to learn from the past mistakes of our Party and nominate the candidate that can actually win in November.
Talking Points Memo has something interesting that again shows the two-faced attitudes of the Clinton camp as a whole.
You'll find it here:
Of 7.1 million registered voters in Michigan, only 350 thousand voted in the primary that all parties agreed wouldn't count. Other states with similar numbers of registered voters got in the neighborhood of 2 million voters in their Democratic primaries.
I always vote but I (or any of my friends or family) didn't vote in this primary that didn't count.
I guess, to be fair, if we are going to count the "vote" we have to count the 1.7 million Michigan Dems that didn't vote as "none of the above".
I always vote but I (or any of my friends or family) didn't vote in this primary that didn't count.
I guess, to be fair, if we are going to count the "vote" we have to count the 1.7 million Michigan Dems that didn't vote as "none of the above".
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