CNN

Here's the point that many of you seem to be missing. If you seat these delegates because it is a close race you've just given every state the green light to hold their primaries whenever they choose. If the people of Michigan and Florida want their voices heard, they need to seek out those that made the decission to monkey with the process and take it out on them. We have rules for a reason; if we didn't, we'd have chaos. I personally believe our election system is outdated and needs an overhaul but I'm not holding my breath.

Obama won in small states. Hillary gets big states. Small states small minded. Big states open minded. lol

Obama is just a wind bag full of hot air. He has no foreign policy experience and we are in 2 wars. He will not be able to attend a meeting with the leaders of nations like Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and such and be able to "mesmorize" them like he does the zombies at his rallies. These are learder that will be tough and he will not be able to hold his own. We need Hillary to take care of this. She, back in 1994 or 95, addressed the communist republic of China on human rights and gave them hell. She wasn't scared of their communist leaders. She has met on many occaions with all type of political leaders from all over the world and is the only one that can do it now. GO HLLARY!!!

I'm from former Soviet Union. Mr. Obama's "Hope, Change" speeches reminds me my former Soviet Union leader's speeches. I was grew up on this kind of "Hope" promises. Electing future President based on emotions will lead this country to a very dangerous consequences.

Sergey

There is always something fishy with voting in Florida. The politicians in Florida chose to disregard the decision of the party even with stern warnings. If FLoridians are upset, they should elect new state leadership and stop trying to taint this election

So elections were it was known for months that delegates were not going to be seated accurately reflect the will of the people of those states?

Who are you trying to kid?Yourselves obviously.

Michael white took the words out of my mouth. To all Americans, do not vote on race or gender. I do see a great candidate, a candidate that this country has not seen in a long time. Some one has to go back to the Kennedy era to see an individual with so much charisma, intelligence and inspiration. Voting for either McCain or Clinton would be to vote for a continuation of the Bush legacy. We need new blood in the White House, someone that can bring true chance. We need a Leader with a new Perspective. We already know what the Clintos’ or the McCain have in store for us.

I am from Michigan and I am very angered by the fact my voice has not been heard in the caucases/primaries. Neither has my husband's. I won't take it out on the DNC, I blame our state's legislation. I think we as Michigan voters should have a do-over and arrange some type of caucas(I read primaries would cost too much money) so EVERY voice is heard in this state.

My opinion is that all of us, Obama and Clinton's supporters, should contribute funds to cover a reapeat in Michigan, this time a Caucus so that Obama can claim those votes. They can hold it after Puerto Rico's 65-take-all delegates Caucus on June 1st. Meanwhile, as loyal Democrats, we should all unite behind Floridians who are desperately claiming representation at the Convention. They need us now, we will need them in November. And please, no need to insult the intelligence of Obama's supporters by insinuating that, because they did not see their candidate in person, they just stayed home. Clinton's supporters didn't either but they watched the debates, read news papers, and watched the news, just like all educated voters around the Nation are doing. November is just around the corner, the time to unite is NOW.

If all the candidates agreed to the DNC's rules before starting their run for president to not include Michigan and Flordia on their agendas neither one of the remaining two should be asking for the delegates. Now as if they should be seated in Denver at the convention the simple answer should be "no". Our party needs a little more backbone as to when we say something we mean it eventhough it may have a political downfall. Im pretty sure Democrats will carry those states in November because none of us will vote for a Republican and their continuation of the war. Oh and Wolf are you a Liberal or a Conservative?

Please let us be fair. All candidates were on the ballot in Florida. In Michigan, Clinton was the only person on the ballot; however, it was by choice that Edwards and Obama decided to bail. Obama can't say let the pledge delegates decide this race(which is true) and than turn around and say discount the millions of votes in Florida and Michigan just because they don't favor him. Obama just advocates hope when it favors him? Basically the DNC agreed to disenfranchise voters in MI and FL, as though it was their fault their primaries were held early. A re-contest would be unfair simply because it would once again go against the votes of the people who already voted. No matter what you say silencing votes is wrong.

Wolf, you stated the Democrats voted to move the primary up to Jan. 2008. It was the Replublican majority Florida legislature that appoved the move to Jan 29, knowing full well that the DNC would not accept the delegates accorded to the winner. Knowing also that the RNC would only take half of their delegates.

"Last year, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton took the unusual step of renting out some of her lists. The transaction once again highlights the Clintons' connections to a businessman who now faces questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Reports from Clinton's campaign show that on Dec. 3, it collected payment for renting out three mailing lists, the sale of which netted them $8,225. " National Public Radio. 2/13/2008.

Hmmm... no new scandals? Hillary just loaned a buddy of Bill's company your private mailing information. Hurray! I didn't want my privacy anyway! ?(Sarcasm) Oh yeah, she also failed to appear this week to vote against immunity for telecom companies that give your your phone records to the government without reason.

Now we have NAACP and ACLU involved in Super Delegates..Look out what you wish for yourself. Wolf...We.ve had Barack Obamas name inscribed on our heads listening to CNN and Fox News; and now you want to know what will happen at the Convention..Well; lets see' if Michigan and florida are counted for Hillary and if she has Super Delegate edge; what do youThink would happen if she was given the nod? We Senior Citizens know..Start ducking...Your life won't be woth a nickel..The Media has unleashed a Monster; and doesn't even realize it yet..

Let's get down to the real issue here... the primary system is clearly weighted against penninsulas. Down with the land-locked states!!

BRENDA

Those are easy questions that you can find the answers to if you RESEARCH. Voters who sit on their couch and wait for all of the complex plans to be spelled out for them by news pundits are LAZY. Go to Obama's website. He clearly spells out his history, his ideas, and how he plans to impliment them. To fear someone because you think he is Muslim is tragic (he is Christian by the way).

OBAMA 08!!!!

They should hold their primaries on the same day, a week or so after Pennsylvania.

Why don't they have caucuses... oh wait Hillary said they don't matter...

What about Michigan and Florida – Lost? no way? we have to fight for it

I still say we should have had a revote in Florida on the Gore and Bush election!

It seems like you are the only neutral reporter on TV. I have lost alot of confidence and respect with MSNBC. The Media is painting a bleak picture of Hillary.
All I see on TV is Obama , not too much about Hillary, only negative remarks about her.

The Media made Obama into some sort of a savior, which is disgusting. If he is elected he will be a failure along with our country.

Would Wal-mart, IBM, Ford, General Motors hire him as a COO or CEO, I don't think so.
Why would the voters with any intelligence vote for someone with a lack of expertise , knowledge, this is extremely dangerous time with the world in the shape it is in.

May God help us.

Hillary Clinton did not break the rules. She did NOT campaign in Florida. BOTH Clinton and Obama's names were on the ballot, NEITHER directly camapigned, Obama had national ads that ran in Florida, and there was an unprecedented voter turn out. All canidates were on an equal playing field. To say that Hillary Clinton had an advantage because of her name recognition is ridiculous. Florida voters read the newspaper, watch CNN, watch the debates, and are very politically aware. The primary was held on January 29, 2008 – not 6 months ago. We know about Obama and the issues he stands for.

Florida Democrats should not be punished because the Repulican run state legislature moved the primary date. For our party to do this to its members is unacceptable!

To suggest that we ignore the will of the thousands of voters that came out to vote on January 29th in favor of a new caucus is equally as absurd. A caucus is not truly representative of what the voters want. Only those that can get the day off and find a baby-sitter for 6-8 hours can actaully participate. Many of the individuals that already cast their votes will not be able to participate in such a process. They will be left out of the process.

The statement that the democrats in Florida wished to advance their primary is not entirely accurate. The republican controlled legislature and governor moved the primary and the dems had no control over the date of the election and are being denied representation because of these political games being played. Once again Florida is the Bermuda Triangle of Democracy.

In the case of Michigan, the only fair way to resolve this situation is to have a caucus or primary so that it is fair to both candidates because Obama was not on the ballots. As for Florida, I feel that they need to have primaries again because neither party was allowed to campaign here. Anything other than that would be highway robbery to any candidate.

What a disgrace and a slap in the face to the millions of voters who are being ignored. If their "votes" actually meant something, this ongoing coronation of Obama would be mote.

What a farce. I am so sorry to my fellow Americans that their time and efforts seem to stand for nothing.

Its so funny now how Hillary is not talking change anymore after she tried to steal it from Obama. Now she saying we don't need change we need progress. How can we trust a president who didnt know of her diminished campaign bankroll as it came as a "surprise to her."

I see bad new for the economy

well you have that choice now with McCain

So if we go Obama's route and hold the super delegates to vote for the winner in their state, will Ted Kennedy and John Kerry have to vote for Hillary? Is Oprah a super delegate?

How can you just ignore 1.7 million Democrats that voted in Florida. Everyone's name was on the ballot, the fact that the candidates chose not to cmapaign doesn't mean that my vote shouldn't count.

Why were only Kucinich and Clinton to appear on the Michigan ballot? If the DNC chooses to allow FL and MI to seat delegates and count them, this is certainly unfair to Obama in relation to MI. How can the DNC rectify this before the convention?

I find it funny a state that had less than 500-D votes can say that their votes should count and those in MI or Florida should not. No one wants to be left out when it is not the voters fault.
What if they had a rule that if you did not have 100,000 votes your state they did not count? Yep count the D and R look at the time and money that would be saved and all the ads on the TV would be less LOL

And this is the party that is going to "fix" this country?

Hillary's going to give us "universal health care" (the person with the "solutions") and she can't even manage her own campaign.

Howard Dean is a flop as DNC Chairman. If it had looked like Obama was going to carry MI or FL, they never would have done this. It's all to do with Dean's hatred of the Clintons. So now, the DNC has a choice, seat them or we can all say President McCain
BINGO

Hello Wolf. There have been many comments ( negative ) i must say, regarding superdelegates in making the final decision of picking a candedate in the democratic party in the event it should come down to that . On the other hand !!! if the reporters ,commentators and political analysts from CNN or any other media folks want to be fair. You should be pushing for either a real primary or caucus to be held in Florida and Ohio How do you expect Hillary to have a fair chance at winning out when all you people do is talk about The brilliant and charming manner Obama has with peole and how much most people dislike Hillary? You people have been one sided all through the primaries and it gets progressively worse. Come on . get on with honesty, and drop your push for Obama. Thanks for reading this note, and I hope to see this one posted . REMEMBER THE NEW ENGLAND PATS. AND NEW YORK GIANTS SUPER BOWL? everybody had written the giants off because new england had done so well throughout the season. What a pleasant surprise it was to see the Giants Win!!! well here I go. Hillary 2 , Obama zip . final score. Eddie from Rochester N.Y.

Hey Jessi – I'm really glad your vote didn't count. Chances are you don't have the intelligence to pick anyway.

interesting how barack's worshippers don't want FL and MI votes to count because those are the rules, but they want superdelegates not to have to follow the rules and vote who they pledged and instead vote the same as their respective state.

Kerry and Kennedy must then vote for Hillary!

Barack the false prophet, a hypocrite. Imagine that.

–philip

After the debacle in Florida in 2000, Florida should permanently lose the right to vote. Kathleen – what's her name – what an idiot. How's that little bit of payback taste, Florida?

A needed comment from Michigan......I have already commented on why Obama and Edwards names were not on the ballot, but I see many think Hillary was the only one, well that is not true. The only names missing from the multitude of democratic canditates was Edwands and Obama as THEY ASK TO HAVE IT REMOVED, I call that a bad choice on their part.
Next everyone thinks a caucus is the way to go.......forget it as we use a ballot type election process and many people would not go tn a caucus, as well many are like me and voted on the day I was scheduled. As far as the canditates coming to Michigan, our door was open for them all. I had no problem listening to the debates and finding information about them, in fact I am old enough to go back to JFK's days so I am quite aware of many things and how to find information on political canditates. Last of all, Michigan has a high number of "snowbirds" that cast absentee ballots and a caucus would not be fair for them either. So again I say we cast our ballot as the deligates decided on whether to leave their name on or take it off.
Now if we have to stretch the fairness rule to recognize Obama and Edwards then take the un-committed vote and divide it between the two and let the rest stand as taken. Besides a vote now would be greatly different as everything has change as to the runners left in both the republican and democratic parties so that is not the right choice.
The ballot was cast, there were multiple choices, I was not told that I could not vote for a democrat or that my vote would not count at the poll and I always have the right to write in a name or could have voted non-committed.LET THE VOTE STAND AS TAKEN AND. NO RE-VOTE as it was as fair for one as it was for all (except those that removed their name from it and for them I say YOU MADE THE CHOICE SO LIVE WITH IT.......................).
Denny the Mad Michigan Voter

The time to protest the DNC's decision was before the election, not after it.

But Obama did run political ads in Florida all kinds of people from Florida have stated that they were there. I understood he said he bought national ads that ran there as they ran in states he wanted to have them run in.
Punish the ones who did not follow the directions not the ones who honored their right to cast a vote.

As a long time democract it is disturbing to me that we, as a party, continue to "give away" election after election. I support Hillary Clinton, however, if she fails to win the nomination, I will stand by my party and vote for Obama. However, I am even more disturbed by the fact that many of Obama supporters, who support his campaign of "unity", would turn their backs on the party if he does not win. In addition, I am tired of hearing how Clinton should step aside, last I checked this race is currently a tie, give or take a few points, lets take it to the end. There should be no reason why we would lose this election to the Republicans. If we do, then all involved in the leadership of the Democratic Party should go!

Blitzer & Cafferty the Obama official news reporters on the Obama News Network!!

This entire situation is so sad. At a time when people across the nation are energized and excited like never before – especially our young people - the more I hear about the Florida and Michigan delegates, the more I realize how our dreams of a Dem. president will go out the window. This delegate situation is going to cause tremendous party disunity. Just take a look at the previous emails – pro and con. Add to that the fact that the superdelegates can literally undo whatever it is we have done as voters – and I foresee thousands, no make that millions who will walk away from the general election and stop caring. Millions -not just in FL and MI – who will feel that their vote didn't matter. And then who will win? - McCain. Let's not hand him the election and give him approval for 100 more years of war! For our sakes, for our children's and grandchildren's sakes, let's unite. The DNC was short-sighted when they made these rules to not foresee the complications they would cause. Please don't tell me that my choice for President is going to be decided by what goes on in Florida – again...Heaven help us all.

ahh if I remember correctly.......obama and edwards teamed up against hillary in Michigan............they asked their voters to vote uncommited, because they knew people would vote for Hillary, so thats was their.. just in case plan

well guess what....Hillary beat Obama and Edwards combined together in Michigan--WHY ISN'T CNN TELLING THAT PART OF THE STORY????

ohh...And I wonder, I really wonder what stance the media would take if it turns out to be Obama versus McCain........pay attention to the so called obama supporters in the media.........AND SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE NOTE, SO HISTORY DOESNT REPEAT IT SELF

my backup plan would be canada, I have a feeling the canadian dollar is going to be better than american dollar

If I want to invest , I will be looking for an experienced economist..

If I want a teacher for my kids I will look for "experienced teacher."…

If I am very ill I will look for "experienced doctor..".

If I want a military commander I will prefer experienced COMMANDER …..

But If I want a commander- in -chief NO NEED OF EXPERIENCE,
good speeches are ENOUGH…

Why all the blather about disenfranchisement. This has nothing to do with Clinton or Obama. If you have a beef, blame it on your state democratic leadership. Either way shut up, who cares. It is a primary election of one of two privately funded extremist organizations. If you don't like it, quit, become an independent.

Jerry and others: what kind of message would it send if Democratic presidential candidates simply disobey the rules of their own party? Clinton disobeyed the rules, Obama did not. So, we reward Hillary? Does that make sense?

If Hillary had not already agreed to ignore the delegates, there would be no controversy, the DNC would have to seat them. But she did agree to ignore them, as did Obama. As a Floridian, I was infuriated to learn that my vote would be largely symbolic and none of the candidates seemed to mind the disenfranchisement of millions of voters. But blind loyalty to the party establishment appeared to be important to them. But the agreement was made and it is what it is and it should be honored.

Another note: Florida turnout was high for both Democrats and Republicans (we had an important property tax amendment so many groups were trying to get out the vote) but was one of the few states (if not the only state, I haven't checked) where turnout for Democrats was less than that of Republicans. So the lack of a campaign probably skewed the results and whatever delegates are awarded at this point would probably not reflect the actual views of the states.

My interpretation of this...

Democratic National Committe to average citizens in Florida and Michigan: "You do what WE say or your vote doesn't count."

And, after the Democrats raised such a fuss in 2000, saying, "Every vote must count."

What a bunch of hypocrites.

All votes should count, not to count them is a republican tatic.

You cannot and should not change the rules in the middle of the road. DNC put them out, they should stay out. Hillary is crazy. Who does she think she is? Above the law? We need a leader like that? I don't think so. I am a strong Democrat, all my life. But if it comes down to Willary Hillary, I will cast my vote for McCain. At least he shoots straight from the hip. I love Obama and all he stands for. GO Obama.

Hillary won because no one else campaigned there–Gee! What can't you people understand?

This would not be an issue if Obama or Edwards won.

Sandy, Obama didn't make the rules. It was the DNC, Duh!

KNOW YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OBAMA 08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Forget it CNN you have already removed two entries thus far. It's deliberate and I am upset. I will not have my rights trampled on because I may not share your views. Post and put back what I contributed. This is very serious.

I think many of the people here are missing the point. The Florida Demicrats were screaming that they should not be disinfranchised BEFORE the primary. The Florida Democrats begged the DNC not to penalize them for something that it could not control – the Republican State Legislature made the decision. For the DNC to do this to their own party members is unacceptable.

Also the fact that NO ONE COULD campaign is very important. NO ONE had an advantage. In Florida, we watch CNN, watched the debates, went to the canidates' websites, and read the newspapers. Name recognition was certainly NOT an issue. It was a fair election and it is ridiculous to ignore the will of the voters. This is what Obama continues to stated OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

I would also like to point out the BEFORE Obama LOST in MI & FL he stated that the voter's in both states should NOT be ignored and should be seated! I agree!

Hillary promised her Florida delegates they will be seated at the convention on the primary night in which she claimed victory.

How will she keep her promise to seat them if she is losing day by day? Perhaps that is not going to be an issue as delegates jump ship day by day. Why did she make a promise against the party rules to begin with?

YEA WOLF BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR see that smile on BUSH FACE as he signed the crooked stimulus bill. WHATS THE MATTER CNN talk about the tax break that the wealthy is going to get that was what the smile on his face was all about DISCUSS THE TRUTH ABUOT IT CNN. OH YEA REALITY NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THIS CROOKED NATION THATS ON ITS WAY INTO A TAILSPIN DOWNWARD . WATCH MY WORDS YOU GLUTTONOUS PAGANS YOU PEOPLE REMAIN ME OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE THEY FELL TO REMEMBER. LETS REPORT THE REAL TRUTH SOMETIME.

Hey Jack, why don't you come to work tomorrow in a t-shirt that says "I hate HIllary and I love Obama", I believe you are a biased jerk and so are most of your co-workers.

Wolf you are no better than FOX or MSNBC. All of you at CNN support Obama. You guys keep spinning and spinning for him. You want the republicans back in!

Is this the same democratic party that was crying about counting every vote in FL in 2000. My, my, my how things change when the shoe is on the other foot. What a bunch of hyprocrites...

STICK TO ALL RULES.... DON'T COUNT FLORIDA & USE SUPER D's!

OR CHANGE BOTH RULES... DON'T USE SUPER D'S AND COUNT FLORIDA....

YOU CANT CHOOSE WHICH RULES YOU WISH TO FOLLOW DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE FAVOURS YOUR CANDIDATE!

I am amazed at how much so called "expert" pundits are not plugged into the real world. Does anyone think over 1.7 million votes are not going to be counted in terms of delegates at the convention?
FL & MI are not marginalized, they just might be the breaker in all of this. The DNC has created this mess. Howard Dean is a flop as DNC Chairman. If it had looked like Obama was going to carry MI or FL, they never would have done this. It's all to do with Dean's hatred of the Clintons. So now, the DNC has a choice, seat them or we can all say President McCain

The entire Democratic Party is at fault and it is unfortunate for Florida and Michigan votes will not and should not be counted. Officials from these states made up their minds to move the primary up wanting to be "more important." The rules were set in place and Barack and Hillary agreed to them. Edwards and Barack at least stuck with the parties wishes by refraining from truly competing and campaigning in those states. Both sides have valid arguments for whether or not the votes should be counted but all candidates agreed. If an exception is made to allow these votes or give them a revote then our system has lost credibility. You can't just change the rules to benefit your candidate one way or the other. Also.... A year ago these people knew their votes wouldn't count so how credible can the vote really be?

Our right to vote, come on lawmakers, all those folks came out to vote anyway, and their votes don't count?

Wait one second there...........they pay taxes just like the next person. Who pays your salaries?

That is really inappropriate, unacceptable and should be brought to someone's attention that has the power to take action.

Why, may I ask, are the headlines now CLINTON TRAILING OBAMA when just last week by almost the same margin of delegates, give or take some, Hillary was ahead of Obama and NOT one headline made it seem she was ahead. CNN has turned into the political channel with no true news. Its as if NOTHING AT ALL is going on in the US or the world. That all the bad guys, good guys, accident victims and everyday people have decided that since there is an election coming up IN 9 MONTHS that they might as well not do anything newsworthy.

CNN... please get back to reporting the news. Get back to telling me what is happening in Iraq, Africa or europe as well as my home country. Get back to reporting true news and not conjuncture based on polls. Even after all the failures from the beginning of these campaigns with the polls CNN still insists on referencing the newest one but jokingly adding, "well, we all know how trustworthy they are". Why even bother reporting it?

CNN... be unbiased in your opinions and reports. Who report how well Obama does when he loses and then when Hillary loses you report what a bad job she is doing and that she might as well give up.

Give me a reason to watch you and not just watch another channel LIKE BBC WORLD NEWS when it comes on at 8pm and 10 in my area.

PLEASE!!!

The Fox with the Sour Grapes; Hilliary Clinton reminds me of that old fable. In that fable the hungry fox couldn't reach the grapes high on the vine, no matter how high he tried to jump he couldn't reach them and finally he walked away saying, "I didn't want them anyway." So is Hilliary Clinton with the states in February, she couldn't win them, but, so she says, they weren't worth the trouble anyway; too small, demographics weren't right, etc. etc. So it is with Florida and Michigan. At the beginning of this race she was the front runner, set to sweep across America, so she signed that agreement with one thought, "I won't need them anyway.". Now she finds she does need those delegates and she's starting to jump for them! Reaching out greedily for delegates she had signed away. She talks about Florida and Michigan needing a voice, where was her voice in that regard when she first put her signature to paper? Oh, that's right, she was way ahead in the polls and a front-runner. She talks the talk of being a voice for all the states but her actions regarding Florida, Michigan and the February states says something totally different. Her actions contradict her words. She is campaigning to be president, by now, this late into the campaign I would have expected her to start acting like one. It certainly would be great to have a female president, but certainly not this one, who disregards states when she doesn't need them or can't win them; "if you're going to disregard states while your running for president then wouldn't it be expected that you would disregard states if you become the president?" Her opponent, Obama, on the other hand, has shown by his actions and his words that all states are important, every state matters in his run for the presidency and therefore will matter when he is president. Sure, go ahead and vote for this female to be president, but if she is elected lets hope America doesn't end up like the grapes...rotting on the vine!

The answer is simple.

1. Schedule a caucus or new primary.
2. Allow enough time for the candidates to campaign and for the voters to be notified of the new election event.
3. Hold the event.
4. Count the delegates.

It will incur some expense, but the voters in these states need to be represented.

The Hillary fans are probably praying to the Bill Clinton gods that this works out in their favor. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

wolf

No one really even thought the race would be this close.But sence it is you have to count these votes. Democrats came out in record numbers,(two million).and casted there votes. They new who they wanted to vote for and clinton won huge it`s clinton country . There was only a five day difference,anyways what really could of changed in five day`s. Obama can`t cry about this ,he lost two more big states. he loses all the big states. and wins all the little ones .Once they award clinton these delegates she will be right back in the lead. If obama`s a true honest canidate he should deal wiyh it and move on. I am a true democrat and I`m having trouble even thinking about voting for the most lefty of all the senator anyway`s .I think by voting for him we are playing right into the republicans hands.

Vince
SoCal

Rules are rules, all the candidates agreed to them before the primaries.

Tough luck for the hill camp, if you really want Florida and Michigan in the race, a fair solution needs to be decided upon. Reschedule a new vote for both, maybe one where there is more than one name on the ballot, and both candidates have adequate time to campaign.

I am sick of Hillary claiming she won there. How do you win, when there was no actual competition? it is not a race when you are the only runner.

Sandy, I agree. Florida actually went to Hillary and beat McCain. Obama betterr be careful and Floridians have a long memory.

Exactly: "Be careful what you wish for"

Barack is a false prophet. He will lead this country off the cliff.
And his worshippers will drunkenly follow as they march over the edge with their false messiah.

After 8 years of Bush, USA gets what it deserves if it votes in THE beast.

Be careful what you wish for indeed!

Nothing will be perfect ,,,,but they have to be seated

Florida , because all names were on the ballot – should stand as is

Michigan should be a compromise – split them 50-50

I think it's a sad day when people have to resort to cheating. I think if Michigan and Florida votes are aloud there will be alot of people of different backgrounds and races that will not come out to vote in November, and I am one. There is no reason to vote if my vote doesn't count, or again If I'm dissatisfied with more of the same cheating and back-dealing that's how George Bush got in office. Hiliary needs to step aside and support Obama the next president of the United States.

I'm with Joyce – Cafferty and now even Wolf Blitzer have lost my respect with their daily Clinton-bashing and bowing down to Obama, Obama! same with the guys at MSNBC,,, I can't wait to see those guys eat crow when Hillary wins Texas & Ohio, gets the Michigan & Florida delegates validated, and then top it off with the Super Delegates! the news anchors might have apoplectic fits, serve 'em right

The fact that Florida and Michigan are not counted is not Hillary crying over the results...it's a matter of the right thing to do. Why should the people of Florida be penalized for a week? Come on let's get real...maybe Obama and all of his New Voters (where were they before now?) are scared of the results if the Florida and Michigan delegates were counted. I think that is sad that he would want to win when it's really skewed!

Have we forgotten voice of the people. In Michigan regardless of the vote results the option was there to vote for Hillary Clinton or vote uncommitted. The voice of the people was a plurality to Hillary. The people have spoken and should not be disenfranchised. The punishment should be on the party leaders of the state not the people. Likewise the blame in Florida should be on the state Democratic party leaders not the people. If we disenfranchise the votes in both of these states then we are no better than the Republicans. They stole the vote from Florida voters in 2000 and as a result we got George W Bush. Lets not go down that path. Grow up you guys! Voice of the people they have spoken. Remember Hillary Clinton is a Democrat too. To listen to your venomus remarks you would think she was a staunch Republican. I am ashamed of your devisive remarks you all make me sick. To have so much hatred for a candidate from your own party you should be ashamed.

Obama is just like Bush, he wants to cheat people out of their votes. He don't care about real working people.

I find it amazing, & hypocritical....

On one hand, people say Florida should not count, because they broke the "RULES"... (& by the way Clinton won yet Obama ran TV Ads...!)

& Yet the same people say lets not abide by the DNC "Rules" when it comes to Super Delegates, because those "Rules" favour Clinton.

Obama supporters cant have it both ways.

The Democratic Party has already offered a solution: Michigan and Florida can hold caucuses and the Democratic Party will respect the will of those caucuses. it is the Hillary Clinton camp that wants the delegates seated as is - because she knows she would lose a caucus.

To all you Clinton supporters who believe that she should get the delegates, are you kidding me? Michigan's ballot only had two names on there and neither of them were Obama's name. Secondly, how is it fair that they couldn't campaign in Florida and Clinton gets the delegates? They jumped on the Clinton band-wagon from name recognition only. Are you people saying that Obama shouldn't get a chance to get the delegates if the democratic commission agrees to seat their delegates? How is that democracy?

And to whoever said that Hillary is standing on her own two feet and Obama isn't. Come on. I think Chelsea, Bill, and all the officials that have endorsed her are evidence enough that she sure as heck isn't. there isn't a candidate that is. I forgot as well. Who's running for president. Billary?

All you Clinton supporters are threatened by the movement that Obama is bringing. If clinton is so interested in the future of this country, then let the future decide. The future is voting for Obama. Step aside Billary.

OMG!! Can I say thatIam truly afraid for the future of this great land? I fear the unknown, as I am sure most do, and Obama is unknown to me and the rest of the country. I do not know what his message really is or if he secretly holds on to his Islamic faith, or if he really knows what is best for 300+ million people or just for those that are black or poor. I do not know why he thinks he can change anything since congress is the body that allows for that to happen. I dont know if I want a Muslim being the leader of the free world. I do not even know where he is from! Some say Kenya, some say Kansas and some say Hawaii. What is his background and how did he learn so much about runn9ng a great country in the few years that he has been a Senator? Im scared, really scared.

The DNC had rules and they broke them. They were punished for it.
DNC told Obama & Hillary not to participate in Florida and Michigan. Hillary & Obama signed on to follow the DNC wishes.
Hillary broke the rules when she threw a party after the elections.
Right now if you were to seat both states, Obama still leads. Thats why you don't hear from Hillary right now. Before the 8 in the row primary wins for Obama, she was all over it. Now she's not saying anything, doing spin right now to save her campaign.

One thing I like to ask Wolf, is the Hillary '08 t-shirt you wear under you suit off? Normally your behind Hillary.

It is truly unfortunate to see the country not only divided by red and blue but, now subdivided at least on the democratic side in such an overwhelming way. Both candidates have very similar platforms and take similar positions on almost every issue. Furthermore the United States has not only politically but militarily spread democracy around the world using its own democracy as an example of an ideal democracy. If we elect another Clinton we will not only appear to the rest of the world as hypocrites for having the same two families as commander and chief for 26 years. Elected or not, having the same two families in office for 26 years is ridiculous. Hillary should not have even run in this election. There are plenty of well experienced female leaders in our country that can represent the Democratic Party in a successful way. So the only obvious choice for me is Obama who is very intelligent and will likely pick very competent running mate. Down with the royal families and up with Democracy!! What will be next? Could it be Jeb running on the republican side to succeed a Clinton? Oh the possibilities of our hypocrisy.

The Democratic Party needs to hold those primaries again, at least in Michigan since the public voted with an incomplete ballot.

Florida delegates should be seated since all candidates were placed on the ballot – give equal exposure and opportunity to voters.

As for those "non -democrats", thanks but no thanks for your feedback, this is a democratic primary.

Hillary had her chance to fix health care for eight years.
She does not deserve to be President, she thinks that we owe her that job. The Clinton campaign, which depends heavily on wealthy contributors who have already reached the $2,300 legal maximum they can give to a candidate. No more money for General Hillary.
Hillary will say or do anything to win.
Wake up America! Vote for Obama 08!

I find it personally offensive that Clinton only spoke up before the Florida primary and then had a victory rally there, and yet never set a foot in Michigan. If she was so concerned about every vote counting in the Democratic nomination, then she should have voiced that concern before hand and not after the fact.

Doesn't matter. Their party , their rules. MI and FL broke them purposely, now their paying the price. End of story.

Gee please vote for Hillary. If you want change, then you need someone with experience who can deliver that change. That's Hillary. Obama is empty rhetoric. He is like Bush, but African-American and on the extreme left. He has no experience, plans, policy and has no idea what he is talking about. The media gushes at him because they are sexist and have a difficult time seeing a female commander in chief. The media also gives him a free ride because he is black so they don't want to appear racist by criticizing him or questioning him. In the end the Republicans will eat him alive because they don't care to have an Affirmative Action President. I wanted a black presidnet more than anyone. But don't vote for somone because they are black or because a different name is gonna be on the presidential seal and they talk a good game. Vote for someone with experience that is necessary to deliver real changes to Washington and to combat the problems we have in America after the 8 years of the Bush nightmare. In these times, we need a president who can really lead on day one. Obama can't do that period. I don't care what big headed Ted Kennedy says. Kennedy is only using Obama to manipulate him and push his agenda. So don't believe any of this JFK hoopla.
Seriously, I wish Colin Powell was running because I would vote for him in a heart beat. The only decent candidates were Clinton, Edwards, Biden and McCain. And since Edwards and Biden are out. Clinton is the number 1 choice. McCain is next. Obama is dead last and slightly only better than Bush.

well, I am sad to see Obama to be the future candidate for democrats. I wonder what is happening to this country? First of all why do people hate Hillary so badly that many people vote for Obama just so Hillary doe snotw irn? I am telling you it is sad to acknowledge that yes we live in a country where men hate women and will do everything possible to not allow them to succeed. Even if we live in modern times, men still hate women, bash them in public, humiliate them in the media and treat them like crap. Believe it or not, this is the cruel reality. Us women, we might as well put a burka on because we are living here in US like in Afganistan, just that we are llowed to walk around in sexy outfits. But we are still hated badly, we are still being punished and treated like crap and we are still miserable and not given the chance to suceed. I wonder what happen to all these stupid black women who vote for Obama? Are they stupid or just follow their husbands words??? What is going on women out there?? Can't you see that men treat you like crap no matter what race you are? You rather listen to your men than stand up for yourselves? Please vote for Hillary, she is the best candidate out there, better than Obama, a lot better. I don't like him at all. He is sneaky and we are in big trouble if he wins, because in the end the white guy is going to win and we will have 100 years of war in Iraq and bad economy just for as many years. Are you stupid??? Wake up and vote for Hillary. what is going on with you stupid people???

If the DNC allows these two states to have their delegates seated, and they are allowed to vote – I feel they should NOT be held to what was a "sneaky" election tactic for Hillary – for someone who was not supposed to campaign, why would she set up a Victory Rally??? That to me smells like rotten eggs.........another Clinton move to manuipulate the election...that's Hillary and Bill – lie, steal, and bribe their way to victory....DON'T PUT UP WITH IT AMERICA!!!!!

United States talks about women rights and its lawmakers give lengthy lectures to other countries on gender equality. How hypocritical! Many countries in Asia, Europe and now in Latin America had a female as a head of the state. Forget about electing as a president, but in last 230+ years of history, US is yet to even nominate a female as a presidential candidate. Hillary Clinton is the first woman who has taken a giant step forward and she may not be the perfect, but she is good enough to be in the white house and certainly much better than few others who have been already in the white house. If in our daily lives we honor our mothers for bringing us up, we value our wives for supporting us and we encourage our daughters to become what they dream of becoming, then why Americans are so shy about selecting a female president. US is truly a third world nation when it comes to gender equality. More than 50% of US population is female and I think it is high time that US elect a female president.

WE HAVE ONE GREAT CANDIDATE AND ONE THAT WISHES HE WAS IN THE DEMOCRATIC RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. SEEMS TO ME WHEN EVER FLORIDA COMES INTO PLAY THEY ARE NOT COUNTED (SOUND FIMILAR? )ANYONE VOTING FOR A REPUBLICAN NEEDS MEDICAL CARE REAL FAST (MAYBE HILLARYS PLAN WILL HELP YOU PAY FOR IT) OBAMA SOUNDS LIKE A PREACHER NOT A PRESIDENT. HE NOW IS COMING UP WITH MEDICAL CARE, HOMELESS,ECONOMY,GLOBAL WARMING,NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND,WAGES,AND BRINING OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMAN HOME I'M GLAD TO SEE HE WAS LISTENING TO HILLARY AT THERE DEBATES BECAUSE BEFORE THEN HE HAD NOTHING TO SAY ON ANY TOPIC THAT MATTERED.I AM SICK OF THE CLINTON BASHING.BEFORE BILL CLINTON(8 YRS.OF REGAN AND 4 YRS. OF BUSH ONE) WHERE WAS THE ECONOMY THEN? YEP IN THE TIOLET.WHO TURNED IT AROUND??CLINTON.WHEN HE LEFT OFFICE THERE WAS A SURPLUS WHERE IS IT NOW? WE HAVE BEEN BOMBED LIED TO, NO MEDICAL CARE,PEOPLE LOSING THERE HOMES, OUR MILITARY WORN DOWN AND IN NEED OF CARE OUR CHILDREN WITH SCHOOLS RUN OR SHUT DOWN.YEP WHY WOULD ANYONE VOTE FOR HER??SHE WILL BRING OUR MILITARY HOME( YOU CAN NOT SET A DATE) TO MANY OTHER AMERICANS WOULD BE LEFT BEHIND) TO SAY YOU CAN DO IT IN 16 MTHS.IS A LIE THERE WOULD BE TO MUCH AT STEAK. OBAMA DOES NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BECOME PRESIDENT. WHAT WE NEED IS CHANGE FROM BUSH THEN HILLARY WILL TAKE THE ACTION NEEDED.

Excellent article Wolf. It is perplexing as to how these two states can reconcile. I think Howard Dean may have caused this mess in his own party. I hope in time the Democrats find they are not being represented well by the DNC under his leader ship or lack there of. Dean should work out a fair way to have these two states seated at the convention or they may pay in the general election.

John at 6:42: EXACTLY. Thank you, fellow Michigander.

In response to Dave above....

It is true that Obama's name was on the ballot in Florida. However, Obama did not campaign in Florida so he didn't get a fair shot at speaking to the voters of that state. Clinton received more votes based on her name recognition thanks to her husband...it is a household name that people are familiar with.

The situation is similar to Guiliani in Florida. Prior to the candidates entering the state, he was winning the polls by large margins. This was based on national name recognition. After the candidates entered Florida, then opinions of voters changed and well you saw the results. Obama did not get a chance to speak to the voters of Florida. He did not campaign there despite some people's strange opinion that he did b/c national TV spots ran in Florida.

What is the solution? Rules are rules. It was decided before this race started that the delegates would not count. You shouldn't change the rules in the middle of the game.

What is wrong with this country? People enter the country illegally and then they are not penalized though the rules are clear. Politicians trying to reverse decisions made prior the race starting when two states made poor decisions to have their primaries before Super Tuesday. There are rules for a reason and they should not be broken to help the Clintons.

I hope that Democratic Obama supporters who want a Democrat in the White House wake up in time to realize that he does not have a lock on winning against McCain in a general election.
I am a Clinton supporter who will not be supporting Obama if he should be the Democratic nominee.
I would vote for McCain in a general election, and I know many more voters who feel the same way I do.

What does big bafoon Bliter know. NOTHING!

Obama is the right person, MI and Fl made a mistake, learn from it and move on.

Hitlery went to those states to act like she had won the elections. Thses two states broke the rules, they knew that if they did what they did that they would pay for it...now the payoff.

They can act like they are "victims" they are not. If they feel they need to cahnge the rules, then change them.

If Obama campaigned in MI, then he shouldn't have. Hitlery went to those states as if she was the "winner" of those states also and fed them a load of crap that she would seat the delegates, she is doing what she claims Obama does, makes hollow promises. She can't keeo this one...surprise, surprise.

Obama!

This isn't much of a news story. Local politicians in Michigan and Florida made a choice.....a poor choice. The citizens in these states are penalized because of the leadership of their state's democratic party.

I don't think this will be an issue in the end if Obama's momentum continues in Wisconsin, Hawaii and into Texas and Ohio.

Clinton supporters should focus on the futre and not focus on the past. Funny how she doesn't acknowledge her defeats in the past few days but yet can recognize primaries that were not suppose to count way before this process started.

If Clinton really feels strongly that the votes in MI and FL should count, then she should support a re-do in which they can really compete for votes. Keep in mind many voters did not go to the polls because they knew at the time that their vote would not count towards the delegate count this year.

Obama thinks florida voters are nothing. Well If he wins that is what Florida will give him..NOTHING.

I am an Obama supporter. However, everyone involved should be smart and mature enough to be ready to compromise.

Since Florida had all the candidates on the ballot, the Dems should adopt the Rep solution there and seat half of the delegates. That way Florida is still penalized yet the voters get some representation at the convention.

Since Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan the party should schedule a caucus.

Man, am I ever going to be thankful when the clinton's finally pack their bags for irrelevancy town. The article I read states that the states of Ohio ect. have supported her in caucases and primaries in the past?!!? excuse me but exactly when did she ever run nationally to receive this support. From day ONE the nomination was handed to her with the backing of ALL the heirarchy and even the media that continues to add superdelegates to the count EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T AND DO NOT HAVE TO DECIDE until even subsequent votes,(if required), at the convention. From day ONE she has lost, lost, lost. She HAS NOT consolidated her 'gift' and she hasn't even won in campaign contributions despite the big red clinton machine and the dem heirarchy supporting her 'coronation'.

The continued presumption that she IS even a viable candidate at this point due to SOLE focus on delegates and AN EVER GREATER emphasis on the superdelegates IS obscene for a party that calls itself DEMOCRAT. The people have spoken...THOSE ARE REAL PEOPLE...they are NOT 'states'...they are NOT delegates or superdelegates...THEY ARE THE PEOPLE...and in LARGE margins they continue to reject clinton and support Obama.

This would simply be tired if it wasn't so troubling and dangerous. If the democrat party continues to disrespect THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE whose interests THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE in favour of superdelegates and party machinations THEN they can pack their bags in november NOT for the executive mansion...but for irrelevant town themselves.

I will pray at that point they stuff the clinton's in the luggage and force upon them what they clearly will never see: TOO MANY GOOD AND DECENT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BURNED FOR NO GOOD REASON EXCEPT THEIR VAINGLORIOUS PURSUIT OF 'A JOB' AND THAT HATE AIN'T GOING AWAY...IT IS GROWING INCANDECENT.

The democrat heirarchy had better see the writting on the wall...much more of this and they are going to start losing independants who are just as anxious to say good riddence to bush & co. as they are to more of the clinton's.

ALL OF YOU "TALKING POINT" HILLARY-ITES... OBAMA IS ON "RIGHT NOW" GIVING "DETAILS" AT A LIVE TOWN HALL!!!

LISTEN NOW, OR SHUT UP THAT PHONY, STRAW MAN REPUBLICAN ARGUMENT FOREVER..

PAGE ONE IN "POLITICS" HEADER ON CNN.

As one of the 600,000 democratic Floridians who voted for Hillary Clinton and a registered elector since 76– Yes, we should count !
its not like we're a territory awaiting statehood. Obama can campaign , or rather give his rah rah yes we can speeches until his tongue turns blue but he still would not win Florida.
And if by some quirk of fate he does win the democratic primary I know alot of democrats who are voting for John McCain. And I'll be one of them.

I noticed several times tonight Wolf and his hood kept repeating that Clinton was the only name on the Michigan ballot.Then someone said Kucinichs name was on the ballot..Wolf my biased Friend why haven't you explained to your viewers why Barack Hussien Obamah and John Edwards name was not on the Michigan Ballot..I'm Sure it won't take a rocket scientist to find out Both of them ASked to remove their name and for their supporters vote undecided..But this would sound a whole lot better if you said this insteed. that Hillarh Rodham Clinton had some kind of Mystical Vodoo to put her name on the ballot...CNN the most Biased name in the news and .......PS Barack Obamah run TV ads in Florida..please check your facts..Report the news and dont try to make news with your slanted views..

DEAR CHRIS FROM TEXAS: SORRY... IF YOU COUNTED THE VOTE FROM BOTH MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA, SENATOR CLINTON IS STILL BEHIND IN EARNED DELEGATES! YOU SHOULD DO THE MATH.

DEAR AND HILLARY'S OPPONET IS: YOU ARE KIDDING AREN'T YOU. LET' HOPE WE DON'T GET THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT BY HIDING BEHIND HER HUSBAND'S SKIRTS.

I just read a leaked paper from the RNC. The have been promoting Obama to make sure Hillary didn't have a cake walk nomination! They have been organizing and registering Republicans as independents to help Obama. This fight between the two is taking its toll on Dem. unity and the winners are the Reps!
I am an Obama supporter but I now know how he suddenly gained so much ground on Hillary and why there are so many more people voting in the Dem. primaries than the Rep. primaries but now it makes perfect sense; the Reps are setting us up!
Watch, Hillary will suddenly catch Obama in the next several states contrary to what all the pundits will expect. Why? Because there will suddenly be an influx of Hillary supporters from no where! The Reps. Couldn’t win this one fair and square so they found a way to win it otherwise!

I say just split the MI and FLA delegates 50/50 and move on. Counting the delegates in those states as they are right now wouldn't be fair to, and doing re-votes in those states would be ridiculous. Both those states broke the rules, I feel bad for the voters but you know, it's the people they elected that chose to move their elections.

As for the Obama not being on the MI ballot, neither was Edwards. The two respected the DNC's decision. Hillary left her name on the ballot so that she could claim victory. Come Florida, it only made sense for Obama and Edwards to leave their names on the ballots, otherwise Hillary would just have her name on there again (alone) and claim victory for nothing. Obama and Edwards clearly didn't want to just give Florida to Clinton like they did Michigan.

Either way, they should just split the delegates 50/50 in those states and leave it at that. Doesn't change anything in the standings besides raising the current delegate count of each candidate.

As a Florida registered democrat, I am furious with the Democratic Party about disenfranchising their Florida Democratic Party members from the election process. As a result of party leadership and the reckless strategy to omit Florida from the nomination process, the legitimacy of the final nomination will be in doubt in one of our party's most contested swing states: Florida. The republican controlled Florida legislature made the final decision regarding our primary date, not ordinary voters like myself. I have to wonder if they planned for the current situation as a strategy to suppress and demotivate the Democratic vote in Florida in the general election. Well, I think it could work...I know that I am not alone in considering to not vote at all in the November election unless my voice is heard in the nomination process.

The parties in Michigan and Florida knew they were violating the party rules, and they were penalized accordingly. There is no do-over. The made their choice and they live with the consequences. The party nominee will be chosen without their votes. Their votes will count in the general in Nov. If residents of these states feel disenfranchised, they should take it out on their state party leaders.

You know, you say that Obama's name just didn't show up on the Michigan ballot, what you neglected to say was that he chose to take his own name off the ballot. That was his choice and I think he needs to suffer the consequences for the choice he made. I am a Michigan democrat and I have felt through this whole process that my vote is not being counted. I feel that we deserve the right to be heard and that the results should stand as the are, Clinton won Michigan and Florida. By the way, stop the bias reporting. It is perfectly clear that CNN is supporting Obama. CNN and other networks are doing whatever they can to bash Clinton. Shame on you!!

This is pretty simple!! They knew the rules from the start!! Florida and Michigan do not count by their own fault!! They were warned of what would happen an they did it anyway. Case closed!!

It is funny to see how the political game works. All the candidates understood the rules and abide by them. The Clinton campaign only started to question the rules midway through the South Carolina primary after the BILL EFFECT. I would be outraged and never vote again even if my vote is for Clinton. I have become ashamed of their campaign. They attempted to aid in blocking from having polling site inside Casinos on the Vegas strip that would've prevented the right of many to vote due to the constraints of work. They lost that battle but won the state. Now they want Florida and Michigan where they knew the rules even though they didn't campaign but she mentioned the states names numerous times leading up to their primary. I also dont agree with OBAMA saying super delegates should side with their states. All of this should have been disputed before. To redo an election in those to states knowing the status of the election right now and the Clinton's having the bigger name brand would take away from the democratic process. Sorry Florida & Michigan if you want to complain, complain to your state party its their fault. But they got what they wished for they wanted to alter the race and they did EXACTLY THAT!! Let it be decided by the voters they way it is now. If they want to be the nominee, its right there for the taking. Win in Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania by a considerable margin and the job is yours!! Anything else would be uncivilized.!! Please let me know if you agree!

If Obama doesn't allow the Florida and Michigan delegates to be seated in Denver he wouldn't look like the UNIFIER he claims to be.

If Florida and Michigan become disenfranchised I will be voting for Sen McCain.

Whats there to fix–Just count them! It is too bad Barack Obama did not get his name on ballot..that is his problem..Everybody followed the rules and did not campaign. Count the Votes!

Obama should have demand his name be put on the ballot for Michigan. Does he believe all votes should count? It is the American way. If he could not get the forms timely, how can he run as President, he will be behind once the Republican start putting the pressure. It that the kind of President we want to lead this country. Obama beer heads.

Outsiders view-

Im an Australian dont really care either way:

The rules are the rules and Hillary cant will an election against the republicains if she wins the nomination by fraud or stealing votes !

The Two states Fl and Mich should be seated and they should split the votes 50/50

Everyone wiins that way!

Don't you think ?

Okay here we go again with the Bush tricks in Florida. If they want the delegates to be seat, rerun the election and let them campaign there. If not then let them set out. Hillary needs to stop showing how to destroy a process that is down. She will continue to let the war go on and on until everyone there is dead and there is no way, we should spend more money on that war. Hillary let by gones be by gones. You can't have everything your way.

If the delegates from MI and FL are to be seated, they must have another caucus or primary because many of the voters did not vote since the they were told that their votes would not be counted anyway. They should not go back on their words and dishonor all those voters who were just following the advice of the party. To seat any of those delegates would be a sham and a shame. The state officials knew what the consequences would be, and yet went ahead with breaking the rules. They had better come up with something real soon so that it can be resolved and we voters want to make sure that we have a say in the elections.

The candidates were not suppose to campaign in those states, but clearly Obama did. He ran ads even on CNN which covered those states. So, Obama broke the rule. Also, he and all the other candidates could have had their names on the ballots. That was not against the rule. It was up to their campaign to get their names on the ballot as they did in Florida. So, whose whining now? Obama broke the rules by advertising. The votes should count.

All names were on the ballot in Florida. Since none of the candidates
campaigned there then Hillary won Florida. However, Michigan is a different situation. They need to hold another primary including both candidates. Everyone in all states should have the right to vote and have it count.

Republican seem to have figured out how to win elections in Florida.

Fact is that the DNC punished Michigan and Florida because of violation of the rules, period. So now Hillary is behind and all her supporters screaming the delegates of these states have to be seated. It's absurd. But we all know what happened in 2000, it would be another big scandal with Florida involved.

I'm sick of Hillary, sick of these games she is playing. Anybody has to stop her!

After this is all over, why can't we just have "one" primary for all states and then forget about super delegates. It would save money and everyone would have the same opportunity of voting. It would stop this so-called momentum of one or the other and would give us a chance to vote on all candidates, not just a couple that we may or may not want.
My vote on Super Tuesday turned out to be nothing but a protest vote. I wanted John Edwards. After seeing the number of other voters that did the same thing, maybe Mr. Edwards should have stayed in the race.

All we want is for our representatives,is to represent our
interests,not theirs.

We pay the bills,your salaries and expenses.We will live with
whoever we elect.We do the electing.

A lot of us will try to stick you(Democratic Party) with McCain
if,we don't elect OUR nominee.Then you can enjoy.

Not too many superdelegates will be reelected.

A lot of good thoughts in this Blog, and here we are still waiting for the results from Washington State. They said that the results would be in on Monday and here it is Wednesday night and still no results Whats Up???

Florida will be remembered as the state whose officials, together with some in DC, enabled the second Bush in the Oval Office, contrary to the rules, fairness and decency. It would be an irony of the sort if Florida plays the same role to push the second Clinton in the Oval Office, again contrary to the rules, fairness and decency. Hope we had enough of such games, beneficial neither for folks in Florida nor in Michigan or elsewhere.

If they could exclude states, they would have excluded FL in 2000. Get over it Obama babies.

Florida & Michigan voters should have screamed disenfranchisement BEFORE their respective primaries – way back when the DNC told the states their delegates would not be seated if they moved their primary dates. And before the states accepted those consequences & moved their primaries despite the DNC decision. Now, it's a done deal and it's called – CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS Florida & Michigan. EVERY ACTION HAS AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION. In your case, Florida & Michigan, the reaction of your action was the opposite of your intent – Deal with it.

The sad reality is that this type of behaviour really seems to be the norm these days. Make a decision on something, don't like the consequences of your actions and cry victim. I really, really, really hope the DNC sticks to their original decision and keeps these two states' delegates from being seated. I believe I shall write a letter to Mr. Howard Dean. Doubt it'll mean anything, but if enough people write to them, perhaps they'll understand the will of the people they're supposed to represent.

If the DNC changes their decision, and allows these delegates to be seated, they to will have to deal with the future consequences of that decision. Let's say in 4 years some other state does the same thing – decides to move their primary, the DNC threatens their delegates will not be seated. What's to prevent them from going ahead & moving their primary? They'll look to Florida & Michigan as examples of rogue states that can walk all over the DNC & not be punished. Next thing you know, several years later, more & more states will do the same, then it'll be the demise of the DNC and what will be left? Please, please, please, DNC stick to your original decision, if nothing else for the principle behind it and your future integrity.

What am I saying, most politicians know nothing about principle & integrity...sheesh, we are headed in the wrong direction, aren't we?

Democrats better watch out in Florida for election spoofs.

"As a true and fair democratic person I want them to count because the voters are entitled to it..."
-----
The Democratic National Party, Hilary Clinton included, signed off on not seating the Florida and Michigan delegates. So, I guess what those who claim to be "fair democratic" folks believe is that the rules exist only as long as they serve everyone or hurt no one. In this case, the rules everyone agreed upon hurt Clinton ... so, the rules should be changed?

No one seemed too concerned about the Michigan & Florida situations when it appeared that Clinton was holding on to frontrunner status and had returned to a safe perch as the almost certain nominee. Now, though, Clinton supporters are acting as though they just now heard or read that those state's delegates were being denied the chance to support their candidate.

Actually, I'm not proposing that Florida and Michigan voters not have their voices heard. I voted for Obama in California, but I think it would be fair for the states to hold some sort of vote to officially designate their delegates for the convention.

There's just no way any state could plan and fund an emergency election, especially Florida given its history of botching long-planned elections.

It would seem feasible to hold state caucuses, right?

As an Obama supporter, I've got no opposition to scheduling caucuses in Michigan and Florida...to be held two weeks after the final currently scheduled primary.

And, no, it wouldn't be anyone's fault if scheduling caucuses far enough in the future to make planning them even possible would favor the candidate with the most money who has, coincidentally, enjoyed success in caucus states.

Whining won't help.

Elections won't happen.

Caucuses won't make anyone happy because Obama would have a bit of an advantage that would make it difficult for Clinton to sweep them as she did bogus primary elections.

The early primaries, media influence, and the Democrats "special interests" have allowed the only Democrat candidate that could have won the Presidential election to drop out-–John Edwards could have easily beaten any Republican candidate. This election is right out of 1972.

There is no way that you can seat the delegates from Michigan or Florida. This is a Democratic party election, that they are allowed to set the rules for. They had decided, before the election that the delegates from Florida and Michigan would not be seated at the convention, end of story. For Hillary to suggest otherwise shows me that she has little intention of being any different in office than the current administration when it comes to breaking the rules because the odds 'need' to be tipped in her favor.

I live in Michigan, and the media was not shy about letting us know our delegates would not be seated. I still voted, but many of my peers chose to vote in the republican primary, which sort of counted, or didn't vote at all. I'm sure the voters were similaraly disenfranchised in Florida, and neither vote was a true representation of the people's voice.

If Hillary were really advocating voters rights, she would be calling for a revote in Michigan with all the candidates on the ballot, and a revote in Florida where the voters know exactly what is at stake.

Of course we can't just pretend this didn't happen. Whether or not those states should have had a say is moot; the DNC's action against them, right or wrong, made the contests effectively meaningless and radically removed them from fair competition. The proposed plan to seat their delegates 50/50 between Clinton and Obama is a nice gesture, but equally ludicrous. The vote didn't go that way, there's no guarantee it would have, Edwards was still in the race at the time, and it sets a poor precedent that is actually less democratic than the DNC's decision to exclude them.

The candidates knew the MI and FL primaries were breaking the rules and would not count. They knew it, we knew it, period. Momentum changes throughout a campaign and a re-do wouldn't be fair to Clinton at this point in time. Be advised, I am a strong Obama supporter, but the way races go, and public opinion changes through a race, a re-do would not produce the same results months later, that's just the way it is.

The rules were clearly spelled out that FL and MI were to be stripped of delegates, and those rules must be followed now. In Michigan, the thousands of people that voted on the GOP ticket instead of the Democrat ticket because they knew that the Democrat ticket was virtually meaningless should be able to vote for who they really want to win, right? Face it, it's a big f'n cluster right now and to be fair, we have to stick to the rules that the DNC themselves imposed BEFORE the primaries took place.

The rules were known, and they have to stand at this point.

CNN likes to stir the pot and create discussion, it's what gets ratings. The DNC just can't reinstate delegates now though.

And to those people that say they are scared of a guy like Obama running the country with such little experience... Do we not remember the last 7 years? That guy could have the experience of 100 years or 2 minutes... he's a moron. It's about your policies and what you'd like to do to implement them. Also, the divide needs to be bridged in this country, and like it or not, Barack has a better chance of doing that than Hillary.

Obama may not be able to reach across the aisle at all, but at least we can vote him in and see what happens. We know in advance that Hillary will polarize this country as much as Bush, as is already evident. Bush is a moron, causing polarity, and Hillary is just Hillary... but is a polarizing figure.

We need a more unknown leader right now like Barack to at least ATTEMPT to unite some of the country again. We're in desperate need of it.

Al Gore said they would make certain that all votes count. In great state of Florida all parties were represented on the ballots. Hillary won the state of Florida. It is only fair that those votes count. American see the news, the internet and everyone knows about the candidates. CNN has leaned toward Obama in this whole media display. Ask Al Gore what has happened to making the votes count. Florida should Count.

The votes should be counted no matter when the were cast.

Wolf Blitzer say's "let's see if the problem can get fixed". WHY??? The democratic party got exactly what they wanted. So Wolf, like Gore is trying to say "all we want to do is count every vote for Hillary". Do you have a "lock box" Wolf?? Get real.

People seem to forget where George Bush is from. Then throw Rick Perry into the mix. Texans have had enough of the Republican Party.
The hispanics in this state have been a sleeping brown giant. Don't under estimate their strengh and struggle. Hillary will do just fine!

Self-disclosure: I'm a conservative Republican, and I voted for Romney in my state's primary. I would never vote for Huckabee or Clinton in a general election. Currently, I'm not sure whether I'd prefer McCain or Obama–there are big downsides to both, I think.

If the Democrats want to seat delegates from those states, it should be done after a re-vote. Knowing one's vote won't count had an impact on who voted, so it is folly to believe that the results that were recorded were representative of the will of the voters in those two states. This would be the best alternative.

It would be acceptable, but far short of ideal, to not seat delegates at all. The worst alternative would be to pretend that those primaries were accurate gauges of the wishes of residents in those states.

The decision will not be determined by the courts for sure. The courts have always upheld that the political parties have the right to set their own rules. Hillary would be fighting just as hard to keep the delegates from being seated, if she had lost the Florida and Michigan primaries, so for someone to think that she is the only person that cares about their vote is wrong. The only thing she cares about is winning.

Florida and Michigan have no right to blame the DNC. The DNC set the rules before the primary dates were selected. The Florida and Michigan state Democrat party officials broke the rules. The Florida party had the option to hold its own primary but refused to due to the cost. So saying that the Republicans set the date is not true. If they are now allowed to seat their delegates it will be pure war within the party.

The Super Delegates will not allow that to happen. The states will either have to have new elections or caucuses within those states, or the Super Delegates will swing the delegate count to the one that has the most pledged delegates to end the debate.

I am betting that at the end of the Texas and Ohio primary, that the one with the least delegates will concede the race. Neither one will want the other options availabe to occur. That is why the Clinton camp is sending out messages that it is do or die in those states.

A contest is NOT a contest if only your name is on the ballot. I am a disenfranchised Michigander because the state decided to move the date up in the hope of showing support to Hillary in the early days. Now, the national party SHOULD NOT SEAT any delegate because we were told by them that our votes would not count. How fair is it is you just took the result of a one-person contest?? Many of us will try to ensure MI goes republican in November if the national party does not honor us and our votes. We will remain loyal as long as the other side play by the same rules.

Get this wrong1 ASnd you become the: "Super Puffin" ot the World.

Ceditability!!! For your Kids. For your Toto's. Or along comes another. Dictator, to my # 1/ democracy, And you let them do it. Infront of all these Kid's you programed; before 2001.... For! Nope, not another GOD! KIds. Toto's, even in Kenya. Where your Super Idiot, say's is this a part of , another Legacy...

Wake up America. Remember 1944,. Wake Up Germany! Or just another, Wake for your Kids... Get it Right!!! Close Encounters of a Third Kind...

And your Plane's get buzzed, by Russia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Airwave's? I had enough in the 60's, of the past Century.

Alison said:
"The point needs to be made that the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature made the decision for all of Florida to move up the primary date..."

Get your facts straight. Check the vote records. This was, by no means, a Republican forced event – the Democrats voted for this as well!

I am following the results closely, but do not see CNN tracking the actual votes as opposed to delegates. Just a few short years ago, all the talk was about popular vote versus delegates. What is the actual popular vote in the Dem race so far?

Sure, include Florida and Michigan – they do vote in November as I recall.

Florida and Michigan should be counted. The citizens are entitled to it.

This just shows how dumb Democrats and Republicans are. Let's see, you have a country based on free and fair elections, so you hold an election called a primary. The idea is to gather delegates to your party's convention so you can elect your nominee. THEN your dumb party bosses, in a fit of pique, decide to strip your American rights from you. Your delegates no longer count, so you have no representation in the most important election in this century. THAT's AMERICAN???????? At least Putin's guy was elected.

Oh, yeah, this just proves the DEMOCRATS are TWICE as stupid as the REPUBLICANS who only deducted half the delegates from their states. HOW STUPID. And we have no choice but to sit under their control. As Yakov would say.... "what a country".

I voted in Michigan and feel that my vote should count. If Obama chose to take his name off, so be it. He made his choice. Also, people in Michigan were told to vote "Uncommited" if they supported Obama or Edwards. Hillary won. She should get both Michigan's and Florida's delegates.

The rules were made, and the time to change horses was BEFORE the votes were cast, not after the fact. Of COURSE Hillary wants to change horses.
Has anyone thought of allowing the Florida and Michigan delegates to be seated after the first ballot, when neither they nor anyone else would be bound by primary results? That seems as fair as holding another primary, and a lot less expensive. Since state officials insisted on trying to bend the rules, the disenfranchised voters should blame them rather than point fingers elsewhere.

Man doesn't anyone get this?

It's not that hard. I live in Michigan.

Our state parties are idiots and because of them we were deprived of a vote that counted. Don't blame the DNC-the rules have always been there and no one has had a problem before. It is our state parties that are to blame for disenfranchising us.

However, simply letting our delegates count will NOT re-enfranchise us!!!!! Being enfranchised means having the right to a fair and proper vote. The vote in Michigan is neither. Hillary Clinton's was the only name in the ballot, and yet only beat a vague "uncommitted" candidate by a small margin. With many friends here who would have voted for Obama I can tell you – most of his supporters didn't show up since he wasn't on the ballot and no delegates were to be awarded. He would have won in a landslide in a real election.

As far as Florida, how can anyone argue that in a race with a well-known candidate vs. a candidate who has proven he has to campaign rigorously to introduce himself to the people, that neither campaigning is fair? Of course it's not!!!

If our votes do not count at the convention, don't be surprised if Michigan and Florida both go Republican in the general. However, if our votes are counted without a revote, expect a split in the Democratic party that will never be repaired.

WE NEED TO HAVE NEW ELECTIONS. OBVIOUSLY. DOESN'T ANYONE GET IT?

Let us not forget there is always the exception to the rules, and besides there not really rules, sort of guidelines, as it were,

Florida needs to stop messing up elections.

Every time there is an election people choose to vote or not. The reasons they choose to vote or not to vote are ultimately irrelevent. Just because some Florida voters decided not to vote because they figured their vote didnt count (which is often a justification used by people in general elections as well) does not negate the ultimate outcome.

The people in Florida voted and that vote should stand. If you dont vote you cant be part of the process, no matter what election it is.

I agree that the people of Florida should not be punished because the legislature made a decision about when they made their choice.

Is CNN part of Obama’s campaign???? ..............'Be careful what you wish for'

It is astounding that the party of "inclusion:, the Democrats would penalize Florida and Michigan voters for a dispute with the State organizations. Voters lose!

It is equally appalling, but not surprising, that the Republic State Chair in Washington decided to stop counting votes prematurely. Republicans have learned imperialism well from King Gworge!!!!!
Again, voters lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No body cared about MI or FL until Hillary was losing. It's been almost a month and half since those primaries. Noooowwww all of the sudden people are concerned about the voters. This is the most obsurd thing I have ever seen! GO OBAMA!!!

Obama, who played by the rules, and now they are trying to cheat him... Typical of Hillary...

Here is the simple truth.

florida and michigan created their own destiny in the primaries.
their party state leadership made these decisions. if florida and michigan voters want to focus frustration somewhere it should be directed at their own state leadership.

rules are rules. these voters will still maintain their right to vote in the genral election. nothing unconstitutional is taking place here.

if they care about the nation they'll stop whinning and get out and support the candidate of their choice now in their communities and focus on the bigger picture of healing our nation. hurricane season is coming and the winters are getting colder... embrace your communities.

the primaries of florida and michigan simply don't factor in to the nomination process. get over it!

no 'second chances' or 'do-overs' that's for children...

Hillary supporters keep saying that because nobody campaigned in Florida that that makes it fair. That's the biggest farce out there. The point of campaigning is so that voters can get to know the candidates and what they stand for. This did not happen, and as a result, voters chose a known quantity in Hillary. How could anyone fault them for it? That being said, it was not an equal playing field, and it's highly dishonest to suggest it was.

Hillary really should do what Romney did for his party.For the good of the party she should drop out .

Hillary and Bill need to go back to her double wide in Arkansa.

If Obama gets more delegates and either the rules for FLA & MI are changed or the "superdelegates" override to install Senator Clinton, it will no longer be just a perception, but indeed a fact, that Americans no longer elect their own leaders and that only the Bushs and the Clintons can run America. If this happens, Obama supporters will work tirelessly to support McCain. If Obama gets more delegates, Senator Clinton must pledge to do everything she can with all her "experience" to help President Obama on "Day One". The 9/11 attacks were planned during the Clinton Admin and exectued during the Bush Admin, so it is negligent to believe that both families haven't made deals with each other to cover up each others' mistakes. If America wants to prove to itself and the world that it understands and can handle the threats against it, it can only elect Obama or McCain. And Obama has the hearts and minds of more Americans, especially the next generation who must feel that heir voice matters or they won't be inspired to pull up their own socks.

There should be a redo whether it's a caucus or primary this way it is fair and no one is disenfranchised.

There were thousands of us in Florida who voted in the primary in good faith whose voices will not be heard. While the Republican candidates all waltzed through Florida, we did not get the opportunity to see the Democrats up close in any real sense. Still, we went out in great numbers and voted based on the information we had at that point, including media reports, national advertising and debate appearances. No one was posted at the Florida polling locations to tell Democrats they shouldn't vote, since our votes would essentially be worthless. No one told us to stay home. No one gave us a ballot missing the names of Democratic candidates. Those of us who were registered as Democrats were given Democratic ballots. Many of us now wish we'd re-registered as Republicans for the Florida primary, simply so we could have affected some input. Clinton supporters voted for Clinton. Obama supporters voted for Obama. Edwards supporters voted for Edwards. It wasn't a joke to us, and we went on record. That should not be ignored. Florida voters have been marginalized before; it seems beyond imagining that this could be happening to us again.

Hillary's claim that as she won Florida and Michigan she should get their delegates and that they should be seated sounds to me like she is a spoiled child that is not used to loosing, that thinks the rules don't apply to her. She seems to think that she makes all the rules as they suit her. She is a poor sport and looser. She is also very, very desperate. Perhaps is she hadn't told voters for and against her, activists and states that they didn't count, that they weren't important enough for her, then maybe she wouldn't be in the spot that she is in now. The people and states that she represents is starting to narrow down. She can no longer claim that she represents all segments of the population. She is becoming a representative of only 3 sectors, older women, latino's and the very poor.

A Republican Govenor change the date, image that...HUMM.
DNC should allow all votes and delegates to be ceded.
This should be announce way in advance of the convention, otherwise the process is perminately damage. Sad for America.

To all those people saying Clinton had an unfair advantage in Florida, I say two things:

1. Do you think Floridians are stupid? Do you think they don't have TVs and can't watch rallies and debates? Do you think they don't have newpapers and can't read about where the candidates stand on the issues? Do you think they don't have internet access and can't get analysis from any number of blogs? Do you really think they're too stupid to decide the better candidate without a face to face?

2. Obama is the one who broke the rules by running ads on CNN in Florida, through his national ad buy. Hillary played fair and square (holding private fundraisers which were allowed and not holding public rallies in the state until after polls closed).

As for Michigan, I may be cynical but my guess is both Obama and Edwards took their names off the ballot because they saw the polls at the time showing Hillary crushing them and didn't want a "psychological" loss. Plus, there surrogates mounted a campaign of sorts against Hillary pushing the "uncommitted" option. Obama, and Edwards, did not HAVE to take their name of the ballot. They made a flawed strategical decision to do so and the voters should not be disenfranchised as a result.

Personal appearances alone do not constitute campaigning. Certainly, the prople of Florida and Michigan read newspapers, watch television (CNN?), enter the blogosphere and listen to talk radio. Therefore, they were well informed and opinionated. Moreover, they voted in droves. The results of their voting efforts should not be disregarded. What? Have we all of a sudden become only 48 states? Also, the Superdelegates should vote as they please. Those are the established rules. Why is everyone trying to tell everyone else how or for whom to vote? We should all mind our own business. Perhaps that is why, since the days of the Founding Fathers, voting is done in PRIVATE, albeit caucaus is PUBLIC. Good luck to Hillary and Barack. Let them fight to the end; and mat the best man or woman win!

Shawn Smith, Kansas City, MO – I see NO point in your argument that HRC will have the lead if FL delegates are counted. It is SO illogical and corrupt.
Oh wait, Now I am talking about Hillary herself. Thats right. I get your point now.

She was okay with the rules before. What changed? Oh yeah, all her followers defected to Obama.

Out of curiousity I checked Politco.com and noted Ben Smith's 09Oct2007 blog on Michigan. Evidently, Obama and a few other candidates voluntarily removed themselves from the Michigan Ballot. Those candidates played the risk of recusing themselves from the official voting options, even though the possibility that an eventual tally would occur. Oddly, this was just be Iowa, but the same choice wasn't volunteered in Florida.

As a Floridian, I am very disappointed in the Democratic National Committee for taking punitive action against Florida and Michigan for refusing to play New Hampshire and Iowa's reindeer games.

How is it that two tiny states that are about as diverse as Sweden get to pick and choose the candidate for president? It is an insult to the rest of the nation that two mostly rural states have such disproportionate influence. If another country chose their leaders this way, we would be sending Jimmy Carter over there to monitor them.

Yes, Florida and Michigan 'broke the rules' but these rules were deliberately rigged to benefit less than 10% of the nation's population. And, yes, it nauseates me to see presidential contenders have to curry favor, beg and scrape for votes. I will puke the next time I see a lonely spinster in New Hampshire gush about how she plans to vote for someone merely based on the fact that he sat in her living room for an hour. What a tool!

Every time I see Donna Brazile, I turn the channel because it is very obvious that she has nothing but irrational hatred for Florida and Michigan. She is carrying water for two tiny states because she is tone deaf with regard to national politics. She and Howard Dean should be ashamed of themselves for allowing our nomination process to be so beholden to states that do not reflect the rest of the nation.

DEAR MR. BLITZER

TODAY IS ANOTHER DAY WE CANNOT WATCH THE SITUATION ROOM ON CNN INTERNATIONAL HERE IN SOUTH AMERICA. INSTEAD, WE ARE FORCED TO WATCH THE BORING AND ANNOYING WORLD NEWS. I ASK WHY CNN INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES YOUR SHOW ON COMMERCIAL BREAKS IF WE ARE UNABLE TO WATCH IT.

THE CNN USA SHOWS ARE MUCH MORE ATRACTIVE THAN THE ONES THAT RUN ON THE INTERNATIONAL CHANNEL OF CNN. CNN INTERNATIONAL GRAPHICS ARE POOR, SETS ARE HORRIBLE AND SOME ANCHORS EVEN HAVE PROBLEM TO SPEAK ENGLISH.

PLEASE MR. BLITZER, DO INTERVENE IN THIS CASE AND TALK TO THE DIRECTORS OF CNN TO TURN THE SITUATION ROOM A REGULAR SHOW OF CNN INTERNATIONAL NOT ONLY IN ELECTION TIME. DO NOT FORCE US TO WATCH FOX NEWS.

DENISE

All you OPhamanics, Michelle said in her interview she would not vote for Hillary in the general election. Now your guy is suppose to be a democrat, right? What kind of democrat would say that? I guess I will follow her lead and vote for McCain at least he is the best qualified between the two. McCain has crossed the aisle many times in the past and I'm sure he would be willing to work with both sides. McCain is right, we have had troops in other countries forever

OBAMA'S NAME WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT IN MICHIGAN...it's undemocratic to claim a win when you had no competition!!

What was it Mark Halperin called Obama? Halperin was repeating Edwards words.

Come on CNN. You can pick at every comment insulting a Clinton. Cough up the one on Obama. Halperin called Obama a ?????

Hey I live in Florida and voted. Our republican governor and legislature moved up the primary. The democrats in this state got screwed by our own party. No one campaigned here except for some Obama national ads. We voted and they should be counted.

How come that the rules can not be changed to allow Florida and Michigan votes to be counted and everytbody is lobbying for the rule of independency for the Superdelegates to be be changed....look's like a conspiracy to me as a florida voter ,i rather follow my governor vote than vote democrat if my vote don not count.

Once again, FL will decide the winner. I see no reason to ignore their votes. Or they would be voting for John McCain in November.

By the way, it does not matter about seating the delagates in Florida, Obama going to win anyways and come General Election Time All of the Floridians, including myself, a White man is and my wife and whole family, including women and some Latiino in the family will Vote for Obama and pick the President in November.

We are Americans, Floridians, Obamacrats and Obamacans We will pick the Prez in November.

By the way Wolf, do you history, the first President of the U.S. was John Hanson. He was also a Black man. There was six presidents prior to George Washington, and the First President was a black man because of his moorish back ground. I bet you didn't know that. Obama would actullay be the second balck man as president, but the first under the new constitution. Do you history, learn more.

How would the story read if Obama would have won these two states?? The cult followers would be in an uproar demanded these delegates be counted.

MICHIGAN and FLORIDA voted for whom their candidate. By the way Obama DID RUN AN AD DURING SUPERBOWL. Which just happend to have one the highest ratings! That plus the free media press he gets is more than enough I would say!

Never underestimate an INTELLIGENT Woman!!

Behind Hillary all the way!!!!

Florida should count!

Hillary won fairly in Fl.

But not Michigan since Obama was not on the ballot.

From Pensacola, Florida,

I am a Floridian and I saw Congresswoman Hilda Solis on Wolfs show. Hilda spoke about the huge turnout in Florida, but doesn' understand Why?. On Jan. 29th, 2008 The Floridians, both democrat and republicans turnout out in Large Numers FOR a Simple Constitutional Amendment for a Homestead Tax Braeak to save money on our Property Taxes.

Solias needs to get a grip. Obama would win here hands down if the People of Florida had a chance to know him. And to also think that everyone in Florida was watching CNN or other news to be a political junky following the election is simple not true. In south Florida, they are sunning and playing cards as well as dominos and working as well as the rest of the state.

The fact also remains that the average persons may talk about the candidates through word of mouth, Its when they get to know the candidate the most, just before the election do they make up their mind. Alot of the Clinton vote was because they simply know the name and when they get to know Obama, Obama Wins hands down. Whenever someone goes to the poles to vote for an admendment only usually the rare citizen who does not vote will pick the name they most know and that was the case in Florida.

It was the Admendment Wolf, not the Candidate in florida Turnout. Think about it, We just received a $25,000.oo property taxe exemption.Wouldn't you go and vote too?

AJ

You can't say votes don't count and then after the fact suddenly decide it counts. the DNC was clear beforehand what the rules were. They were clear what would happen if the rules were broken. They stuck to there word. If they didn't than you would have a whole bunch of other states moving their Primaries up as well. We would have set the stage for Primaries before Christmas and perhaps before Thanksgiving. Not to mention all of the candidates Hillary included agreed with the DNC's decision at the time. It was only after the fact she started complaining about it.

I think the delegates should be seated in both Michigan and Florida. When it comes to the Michigan delegates Hillary should get what she deserves. It is not Hillary's fault that Obama and Edwards pulled their names from the ballot. No one was suppose to campaign in either state, yet ads by Obama and Edwards ran to tell the American public to vote uncommited. Now I would call that a campaign ad wouldn't you?

The DNC made a terrible error by stripping these two states of their delegates. The solution is simple. The DNC and Howard Deqn need to eat their words and seat the Florida delegates since all three candidates were on the ballot. They then need to cough up big bucks and hold the Michigan primary over. No one can complain and everybody moves on. End of story.

The Democrats cannot afford for the voters of Florida and Michigan to stay home in November and let John McCain win. If the votes are not counted, the Republicans will win.

Jack, you have been one of the top newsmen in my opinion until now. You have become unbalanced in your reporting on Hillary Clinton. I am an independent and don't usually listen to a lot of this, but everywhere there is news it seems there are at least some who cannot keep their selves out of their reporting. MSNB and now CNN. I have always thought FOX was the biased one. I think each candidate deserves respect, after all look where they are, looking to be President of the United States. What have we, including you, done to be thinking we have the right to be biased in this important event? I have always believed the news business is the salvation of this country. It is sad to see and hear this.

Why didn't Hillary Clinton bring up the issue of using Flordia and Michigan while she was leading in the race???

Obama's name was on the Florida ballot.

The Florida delegates should be seated; the votes should count!

In Both Michigan and Florida, Senator Clinton and Senator Obama signed off on the DNC's decision to penalize them for voting early. That wasn't Senator Clinton OR Senator Obama's decision. It is not their place to say the delegates should be counted. It is NOT right for the DNC to change the rules after the fact.

NOW, here is my opinion on the issue. Do NOT seat the delegates from either state as pledged to one candidate or the other. IF they must be seated, seat them as undecided in Denver. Allow both campaigns equal time to speak with the delegates and before Denver to meet in town halls with constituents. That is how Super Delegates are courted. True it creates 366 more SuperDelegates, but it is the most democratic way to handle this situation we find ourselves in.

Team Hillary has run a bad campaign. Just look at last night. Her intro song was from U2???? Aren't they Irish? I'm no political strategist but I would go with something American deep in the Heart of Texas. I think they were playing, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for". Can somebody confirm that. After her speech they probably still haven't found it.

I think there was always the possibility that the votes would eventually be counted. Every democrat had the chance to vote. All candidates were on the Florida ballot, so suggesting a 'do-over' is irrelevant. Those votes should be counted.

MIchigan democrats had a choice. Clinton or Uncommitted.
If that's not clear, than by all means, have a 'do-over' in Michigan...

But the Florida result was clear...She won that state fair and square.
If Obama had won the state he would be doing the same as Hillary.

The fact of the matter is that we have two great candidates and all democrats' should have a say in who becomes the next President.

We all know America is better off headed by a democrat,
and we should be ready to rally behind the winner whoever he or she is.

What's done is done. The rules shouldn't be changed after the fact. It would be grossly unfair to those candidates that were not on Michigan's ballot. Chalk it up to a lesson learned by these two states, and a warning to future states to follow the rules of the game. The voters of Michigan and Florida should rethink who they have spearheading their parties at the state level, because those people really screwed up.

For goodness sake please stop the tears. The Fla. and Mich. people made a choice and now must live with the consequences. Understand that what is at stake here is not a general election but rather a party election. The party has the power to set the rules and the state parties have the right to follow the rules or pay the price. The parties from these two states should not be allowed to have their delegates counted. They made a choice, and frankly I am tired of all the problems created by Fla. elections. Of course Hillary wants to count those delegates but she didn't want that when the rules were put into place and when she and the other candidates agreed to go along with the national party.

This sounds like the Clintons saying play by my game or not at all. This issue should hold no merit but to disinfranchise Obama as the front runner.

What about all the Michigan / Florida would-be voters who didn't bother going in the booth because they were told it would not count? Mrs. Clinton does not care about these people because she already got what she wanted from the ones who showed up. If the shoe was on the other foot, you bet she would care! And cry alittle, too.

It is our constitutional right to vote.
vote is a privledge given to each american citizen.
Apparently the DNC doesn't believe this fact. I am a loyal Democrat who supporters Hillary, but would vote for Obama in a GE.
I think the DNC is basically saying (O, well, we don't mind if you put a check in the box, but your voting privledges don't really count this time around). That is ridiculous. Everyone in Florida and Michigan that voted should be counted.
Only the ignorant Obama supporters will say a negative thing about this because it would put Hillary back in the lead. Educated? I think Obama gets the majority of the (I lied about my college education) vote.

I keep getting confused as to who Hillary is running against –
Is it te media
is it Ted or Caroline Kennedy
Is iit Oprah

Hillary stands on her own two feet – no one is confused as who she is!

HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT

Does she think for herself on our behalf

YES SHE DOES!!

Hillary won those delegates fair and square, without campaigning. They should count!! Michigan and Florida are too important to be left out!

As a former lifelong Michigan Democrat, I can say this whole process has only furthered my belief that the Democratic Party has lost its way. I chose not to vote in our primary because I had no real choice on the ballot ("uncommitted" is not a choice in a democracy). I agree that Florida's delegates should be seated and counted with some kind of penalty similar to what the Republicans did (as at least everyone was on the ballot), but Michigan was a mess from beginning to end and that sham of a vote should not be counted as it stands.

Michael White...........just one question: what is the 'change' between the current millions uninsured people in the US and the proposed millions of uninsured by Senator Obama?

He touts his 'change' message.........I can only really see a true Washington insider with candy covered words.

What's done is done. The rules shouldn't be changed after the fact. It would be grossly unfair to those candidates that were not on Michigan's ballot. Chalk it up to a lesson learned by these two states, and a warning to future states to follow the rules of the game. The voters of Michigan and Florida should rethink who they have in spearheading their parties at the state level, because those people really screwed up.

Loved the 'pile on' letter from Al Sharpton to John Dean today – asking that Florida and Michigan delgates not be seated. If we Democrats are listening to Al Sharpton for moral and ethical guidance, then we're in deep stuff.

If push becomes shove ,then there would be no other alternative than for the calling of a repeat of the primaries in Michigan and Florida.It is obvious who has the momentum.Democrats better get thier acts together,use of super-delegates to decide the winner is synonymous with selection not election.

Hillary signed the agreement to have the Florida and Michigan votes not count. Sound like a contract if you ask me. Now she wants out of her contract. This is particularly sleazy and utterly reprehensible. She's a lawyer. She knows about contracts. This just makes me wonder how many times she'd go back on her word in the Oval Office, if it advances her self-serving agenda. Also, the Floridians and Michiganers, in their zest for an early primary, should have contacted those responsible for setting the primary dates, so that their participation counted.

Sherry,

tell me why Obama left his name on the FL ballot but not the MI ballot. Tell me how that's fair to all of MI. tell me that doesn't smell.

Florida is to blame for that whole 2000 election fiasco. Hanging chands, butterfly ballots, broken machine. Forget these guys. Michigan and Florida broke the rules, so they should pay the price. Otherwise, what's to stop a dozen other states from trying the same thing in 4 years?

Hope this problem can be fixed, all votes count!

I hate media just attacking her- either they complain for being tough or some other things with Bill- practically she can not defend or be aggressive. Obama gets free ride and enjoying something he don’t reserve. Hell with the media and take swing they are not helping anyway and nothing more to damage

He david,

you go for a re-vote in Florida and it would be 65-35 allright! In OBAMA's favor!!

All the candidates agreed beforehand that the races in FL and MI would not count. In the interest of preserving honesty and trust in government, the delegates must NOT be reinstated. I think after Hillary loses in Ohio and Texas, she will realize that she will lose if elections are reheld in MI and FL. Then she will slink back into the shadows with her antiquated style.

Obama would have won in Michigan anyways. Most of us Dems here voted on the republican side in an effort to stave of the biggest evil in favor of a lesser evil. If our votes would have counted, we would have cast them on the Dem side. If not a win outright for Obama, Clinton only makes out with a couple delegates. (Obama would win in Michigan anyways, so Clinton should just give it up)

Sorry I mis spelled in my last post. I meant too say Obama should get the 40% of the voters in Michigan who voted uncommitted.

It is ridiculous to discuss whether these or those votes should be counted. All the voters must be counted. The voters in Michigan and Florida must have their voices once they casted their ballots.

Obama supporters are just crying now because their candidate made a perhaps crucial error by removing his name from the Michigan ballot..........poor judgement! Then to scamper and call for a non-committed???? Bad decision.....Clinton is the only one who left her name there...............good decision............good judgement! Now that is past experience talking!

Who would think that the DNC would throw out two states? I guess the Obama camp in those days! I feel bad for those voters and their votes should count as they stand!

Sorry Obama supporters but to not allow the votes of Michigan and Florida to count for your candidates own personal gain is terrible! And that is all it amounts to. If Senator Obama had won those states I suggest that you would all want them to count.

As a true and fair democratic person I want them to count because the voters are entitled to it.

Michigan and Florida disenfranchised themselves. It is truly ironic, and would be completely backwards to turn around and give them their vote back. They made the decision to move up, they should have to deal with the consequences, or else you can expect more idiocy next election. It's like promising your kid a punishment and never following through.

So, must I still pay taxes if my vote doesn't count?

This is total nonsense. The DNC doesn't seem to grasp the concept that it was NOT the citizens of Florida who elected to move their primary forward. The issue was never put to a vote. They have no right to remove our representation at the convention.

The right to representation is absolute. The DNC can take up the issue with Florida's governor if they don't like it.

The citizens of Florida need the ACLU to speak for us here.

Hillary won the vote in Florida – it is that simple – and it was a level playing field. Michigan may be different because both names were not on the ballot. Hillary had name recognition alone? Obama certainly used that by taking Oprah out onto the stage. I'm so tired of all this media hands off babying of Mr. Obama. going to spoil him. He's going to make a great President when he grows up real fast to find out the media and the world aren't as kind and gentle as he's being led to believe. It will be all very different if he gets where he wants to go here. He is a first term junior senator with little or no no experience with the real, mean world. This is such a dangerous candidate. Mr. Careful. So careful we don't have any idea who he really is. Well – he flatters us real nice from his "float" as he goes by. I think he's an excellent preacher – but we need a President. Hillary is over qualified. We're lucky she wants anything to do with this – we're the ones who need HER.

I didn't vote in the Florida democratic primary because I knew it wouldn't count (thanks to our bone-headed state party officials). Many of my friends also didn't vote for the same reason. We were warned by the Democratic party not to break the rules or our delegates would not count, but we did anyway.

Florida and Michigan should not be counted....and we should not re-elect our state party officials who were responsible for this.

Good article. Let it be known that this Ridiculous idea was pushed through by the Republican State legislature in Florida. Now the Democarts are suffering due to another stupid Republican move !!!
Write the Democratic party like I did and voice your anger. This should not be happening and those delegates should be welcomed at the Convention. !!!

"OBAMA BEER" is this how we deal with foreign policy, get everyone drunk and forget the real issues....................This is hope?

The DNC did a disservice to both Michigan and Florida by making their primaries pointless. However, all candidates knew the rules even if the citizens of the states didn't. These rules were accepted by all candidates. Changing the rules mid-stream just because it would benefit you directly makes me even less likely to vote for you, HRC. However, if she'd like to continue to complain about it, I'm sure she'll see that, just like Bill's negative verbal attacks against Obama in South Carolina, her words will have the opposite effect of what she wants.

A do-over at this time would be difficult to negotiate and costly. Maybe they could give the states caucuses...but wait..Obama does better with caucuses than Hill does...so I'm sure that won't make her happy either.

And winning Michigan or Florida is not something to be proud of considering the DNC stripped people of their rights. The results are probably NOT typical of what would have happened had FULL campaigning been allowed and FULL fundraising efforts by all candidates. Hillary can not claim victory when others didn't have the opportunity to express their clear opinions. Perhaps, Edwards would still be in the campaign had Michigan or Florida been fair. Who knows?

We should definitely consider changing these rules going forward in the party. However, I don't know that we have the time or the opportunity to do it now ... and we shouldn't consider it just because Mrs. Clinton wishes it.

She is not concerned with having the voters' will heard because she pooh-poohes all over caucuses and the meaning of the Potomac Primary and any state she doesn't win. How come freedom is only an issue to her if she benefits from it?

Both Florida and Michigan were well aware of the national party rules, which were written four years ago, stripping them of delegates if they violated the party's timetable. The legislatures and state parties in those states thumbed their noses at those rules. If the voters in those states feel disenfranchized, as they should, their ire ought to be pointed where it is deserved - and not at the national party. I have no pity for someone who knowingly breaks the rules, knowing the consequences, and then complains when those consequences are applied as written.

A delegate is a delegate is a delegate. How do the powers that be in these states think that their delegates would somehow be less important because of the date they were awarded?

Wolf – just a note, why are you allowing your show to be unbalanced? I'm really upset and I have been an incredibly loyal viewer of yours. You remain one of the most unbiased journalists out there but Jack Cafferty's daily negative reports on Senator Clinton packaged with his daily endorsements and praise of Senator Obama is just so undeniably wrong – he even found a way to campaign for Obama in his baseball hearings report. This is something I would expect on Fox – not on your show. I really am going to have o stop watching you if this is allowed to continue. I will still watch you on Sunday's since you don't allow this campaigning by CNN employees on that show.

The democrats are a joke if they don't seat the FL and MI's delegates. 48 united states of America for Democrats?

Nobody campaigned in FL. FL delegates should count.

Obama and Edwards have run ads urging the voters to vote uncommitted. They got 40% combined. Either the DNC paid for another primary for Michigan or comes up with some compromise to allocate the uncommitted to Obama.

America: 'Be careful what you wish for' with Obama......good luck america

As a Florida Democrat, I demand that my vote count, this time. In 2000, in my county, Duval (Jacksonville), 25,000 ballots from predominantly Democratic precincts were rejected and went uncounted. This cannot be happening, again! The point needs to be made that the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature made the decision for all of Florida to move up the primary date—they knew what they were doing and hoped that Democrats wouldn’t show up to vote against a controversial amendment on the same ballot. Well, 1.7 MILLION Florida Democrats did turn out to vote. Just because the candidates didn’t campaign here is not a good reason to ignore us. There were ads on CNN for Obama the week before the primary and Hillary did show up after the polls closed, but BOTH were on the ballot. 1,700,000 voters should NOT be ignored!!

MI and FL got stupid.

They should have obeyed the rules, and they did not. The only possible compromise is a caucus, possibly in April (since there is only one contest then). But since Hillary broke all the rules before, I am sure she will find more to break then.

Billary will never quit. It's not in her/his nature and they will beleive that many of the super delegates "owe" them.

The Dems are in trouble.

What you mean fixed? Fixed at Hillary’s favor. Both states are out of the game because rules should be obeyed.

Both states were warned to go by the rules. They chose not to.
The candidates were told to go by the rules. Most of them did.
Something we teach our Elementary school children to do. Follow the rules or suffer the consiquences!! It's relly simple people!!
The "people" that made all those CHOICES to not followthe rules....were ADULTS....game over...take your ball and go home!

What part of inexperience does Obama not understand? The DNC said the candidates couldn't campain in Michigan and Florida, it never said their names couldn't be on the ballot. I see the Obama campain seemed to get it in Florida! Lets see Clinton got 55% of the vote in Michigan and she should get 55% of the delegates and 40% of the voters voted " Uncommitted ", thats what we call Obama in Michigan UNCOMMITTED, and she should get that 40% of the delegates and the same in Florida. I hear all this talk of a new caucus in Michigan,,,,, whoa wait a minute, there are no " DO OVERS "

Not only all votes but every election should count!
By telling MI & FL that their votes would not count, why would the residents even bother to go to the polls?
In addition the people never got an opportunity to meet the candidates on their stumps. The results of those elections are dubious and highly questionable. In addition, they may have affected the result of the Republican primary in that Independents who could not vote for a desired democrat may had cast a ballot in the republican primary just to have their vote counted AT THAT TIME.

Move the states to the back of the line and RE-DO their primaries.
Give them their rightful chance to be meaningful and counted.

Wolf,

You continue to perpetuate the LIE that Obama didn't run ads in Florida.

Your network aired ads.

Shameful, once again. CNN=Obama News Network, 2nd to MSNBC

Yeah, disenfranchise the voters of Florida again.

When are you going to stop the madness and report on Obama's record?

Ophama supporters worried? They are afraid Florida will count and he will lose. His name was on the ballot and he was the only candidate to run ads.

Nobody's "rights" to vote were taken away in the primaries. Primaries are PRIVATE enterprises, run by private organizations (DNC & RNC) utilizing funds both private and public (depending on just who currently holds power in state legislatures). No one was "disinfranchised" in Florida or Michigan because their primary delagates were stripped–this is not about voting rights in public election, but about the rules that a private organization has set up to govern its internal affairs. The fact that it all happens in the very public arena of politics is great entertainment fodder, but in the end is not about VOTER'S rights, but about MEMBERSHIP RULES in the respective parties.

The only fair solution is to hold elections again. Setting aside the fact that the DNC (the organization who Democratic presidential candidate will ultimately represent) ruled that Michigan and Florida would not be able to sit delegates before the elections occurred, it is clearly not fair to seat the Michigan delegates under any condition. Senator Obama was not on the ballot and it's as simple as that. How can one claim that the voters are being disenfranchised by not having their votes count when one proposes that those who voted for "none of the above" or did not vote at all did not get the chance to vote for their favored candidate.

In regards to Florida, I still believe that elections must be held again or the delegates should not be seated. However, I understand why one would make the argument that no one campaigned in Florida and thus it was a level playing field. However, I must disagree. Senator Clinton's name recognition was astronomically higher in Florida than Senator Obama on January 29th. It is not fair to a lesser known candidate if he or she is not given the opportunity to introduce his or herself to the voters.

Regardless, as a previous poster said, the rules are the rules. It is ludicrous and undemocratic that the DNC made this decision in the first place, but really the blame falls equally with the states in question and the DNC. The DNC should mandate that elections be held again. That is the only way it would be fair to both Senators Clinton and Obama and the people of Florida and Michigan.

Florida and Michigan were fully aware that they’d be penalized to some degree by the DNC for moving their contests ahead of January 5th and yet chose to go ahead and do so anyway. They are responsible for squandering their role in this election and shame on them for crying “disenfranchisement” to the rest of the country. I have no sympathy for either state. Their state legislatures voted for an earlier primary without any respect or patience towards our country’s election process.

Wolf is almost right. No one campaigned in Florida except Obama, who ran national ads there. He, of course, is above criticism in most media outlets but let's be fair. Clinton got a HUGE number of voters supporting her in FL – she had to go and thank that group. She did NOT campaign or run ads there.

The DMC in Florida and Michigan did this onto the own voters. Somebody's got to pay the price, not the rest of the USA.

To everyone concerned about experience: according to the Constitution to be president you have to be: 35 years of age or older a Natural-born citizen, and have 14 years of residency. Funny none of that says anything about having to have "experience" and i don't think the founding fathers where dumb enough to leave that out if they thought it was crucial for a president to have.

Wolf, You are the only balanced person on CNN. Eventually the votes in Florida and Michigan are going to have to be counted since they are both states that could serve to swing the election, that is of course unless Obama is so selfish enough to want to disenfranchise the voters there to win the primaries and lose to John McCain in the Fall. I love how the Obama supporters just go with whatever way the wind blows anyways, they just spew whatever one liners the Obama campaign throws to them. . .yes they can!

I am amazed by how much a person's bias toward one candidate or another can have such an influence on how they believe this situation should be handled. Even though I am a Clinton supporter and I know that she would benefit in having the FL and MI primaries count, I can't, with a clear conscience, hope to have the original decision reversed. These primaries were not fair to any of the candidates in that their supporters made a decision of whether or not to vote while under the impression that their vote would not count. To give these states back their delegates without redoing the vote just wouldn't give an accurate picture of the desires of the populations in those states.

No matter which candidate will benefit, I hope the final decision will lead to a course of action that ultimately will best represent what the votes of the people in FL and MI would have been, had there been a fair primary in the first place. I agree with Mark, new elections seem like the ideal answer even though they are feasibly difficult.

How could the playing field be fair in Florida, people? Really? Hillary had all the name recognition. She had the fond memories of her husband in office in the 90's. . . . the Clinton name is a household name. Obama never had a chance in Florida because he was not able to truly introduce himself to the voters in Florida. That is why the Florida primary delegates should not be seated as is. If they want to count Florida, they should start all over with equal campaign time for each candidate.

I was for Hillary Clinton at the beginning of this elections and even gave her my vote in Missouri. After following the ellections closely and listening to her and Obama's speeches and as an educated farm boy, I agree that Obama would do the country much good. I see honest promises and plans set forth to improve American's economy, Education System, Taxing Policies, Global Affairs and Health Care system. Hillary Clinton's speeches and online blog did not mention alot on how to execute her plans and promises but only attacks Obama's plans. It is unfortunate that my parents and grandparents think that because Obama is black they rwould rather vote for Hillary. I have tried to convince them otherwise but have not been able to succeed. My reccommendation to my fellow Americans is to do your homework and research before voting. Don't Just vote based on race because it may come back and bite us. If Hillary is the nominee against McCain I would suggest not to vote because either candidates would only bring disaster to the nation. The rich would not be affected but the poor would be poorer. Mccain is planning on fighting a war for a hundred years which would cost money and creates international hatred on Americans.

Thanks Gary..that's true...when Edwards endorses Obama that prettty much makes Obama and Clinton even in Fl.
If I was Clinton I'd go for a re-vote to get a 65-35 split.

Ask yourself this: If Obama had won those states, would Hillary be fighting this hard for the rights of "the voters?"

I disagree that Clinton did not campaign in Florida. She made a big deal about how she felt the Florida vote/delegates should count immediately before the vote and announced she would hold a rally on the evening after the voting took place.

She purposefully took up their cause even though she had agreed to the rules when she thought she was inevitable and the late voters split in her favour.

Pandering, slimey........

The world could truly be coming to an end. I find myself actually agreeing with Al Sharpton. Never would I have expected this! Sharpton is calling for the Michigan and Florida democratic delegates to not be seated (counted). On this point, the man is absolutely correct. If the DNC allows Michigan and Florida to count, the Democratic Party will be split apart at the seams. The only reason these two states would be seated is to hand the nomination to the shewitch. I am an independent Ohio voter who will declare dem on primary Tuesday in order to vote for Obama. He has my vote, but McCain does if Hillary is the dem nominee. Many of us feel this way.

I am from Michigan and I did not get the chance to vote for Obama, as he was not on the ballot. How was my voice heard? How is that fair? I have since just donated to his campaign in hopes that would have an affect elsewhere.

The Michigan and Florida delegates should be seated at the Democratic National Convention . Sen. Obama who preaches Uniting this country should show good faith , not to disinfranchise the 2 million democratic voters that voted in those primaries . Obama can not alienate those 2 millions voters , because no party can afford to lose both Michigan and Folrida in the General Election . In 2000 and 2004 , the Democrats lost Florida and in both elections the Democrats lost . Wake Up Democrats !

You're right Wolf, Michigan and Florida squandered their power for an attempt at short-term political gain. No wonder they voted for Hillary.

Jack how can you call Hillary's win legit? Only her name was on the ballot. You must realize that most people are not political junkies like we who are on this board. There are studies that demonstrate that candidates whose name are higher on the ballot get more votes...so I can only imagine what impact not even having your name on the ballot would have. The FACT remains that both Michigan and Florida were not EQUAL elections, held openly and fairly as the other votes have been. The reason no one campaigned or had their name on the ballot(in some cases) was because they were told that they would not count...and many voters probably stayed home based on that representation. Only a hardened partisan would view those results as fair, complete or accurate.

This is a joke. Clinton is getting very desperate.

Cafferty should not be the third wheel when CNN wants to consult the punditry. He's more like an Andy Rooney type of character and should not be consulted on serious matters. His opinions seemed to be based on his personal biases, not on facts. Dump him before it's too late.

Rules are rules and cannot be changed after the fact. If this is all about making sure everyone is represented, then why not go back and claim that the results of caucus states should be thrown out because only 'activists' attended, or that the results in states that had snowstorms should be thrown out because only those who could get to the polls voted. Ya makes the rules, ya plays the game, ya lives with the results – like them or not.

Jeff Sorenson, South Dakota – one of EIGHT states which votes AFTER PENNSYLVANIA, but is never mentioned in these conversations

Florida, Michigan, Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina all violated the same rule. The proposed penalty is to strip half the delegates.

Florida and Michigan loose all delegates. Iowa, New Hamphire and South Carolina moved their primaries after the decision on Florida and Michigan and a decision regarding the 3 states is still pending.

Way to go DNC.

The DNC should not have to pay. The states broke the rules, if they want to be heard, let their local party foot the cost of a re-vote. The ballots should match the candidates who would have been on the ticket on the day of their originally scheduled vote.

The DNC rule is candidates should not campaign. If a candidate gets more votes without his / her personal appeal then it up to the people of states.
By the way, this is real problem with phony people ( height of spinning and clearly lack of telling the truth) how people are fooled.

I think the Democratic Pary should change its name to the Orwellian Democratic Party.

And the Republican party should just go ahead and change its name to Big Brother.

But, of course, no Orwellian entity would ever admit to being Orwellian. The proles might start getting ideas.

Michigan and Florida cannot be seated. I hate to write this, as I live in Michigan, but if the candidates were not allowed to campaign or even have their names on the ballot (in Michigan's case) it is not a fair process. Have any anger directed to Michigan's Democratic party or the Republican State Houses in Florida.

Hillary Clinton did not break the rules. She did NOT campaign in Florida. BOTH Clinton and Obama's names were on the ballot, NEITHER directly camapigned, Obama had national ads that ran in Florida, and there was an unprecedented voter turn out. All canidates were on an equal playing field. To say that Hillary Clinton had an advantage because of her name recognition is ridiculous. Florida voters read the newspaper, watch CNN, watch the debates, and are very politically aware. The primary was held on January 29, 2008 – not 6 months ago. We know about Obama and the issues he stands for.

Florida Democrats should not be punished because the Repulican run state legislature moved the primary date. For our party to do this to its members is unacceptable!

To suggest that we ignore the will of the thousands of voters that came out to vote on January 29th in favor of a new caucus is equally as absurd. A caucus is not truly representative of what the voters want. Only those that can get the day off and find a baby-sitter for 6-8 hours can actaully participate. Many of the individuals that already cast their votes will not be able to participate in such a process. They will be left out of the process.

FLA and Mich should blame their state officials for this mess. Rules are rules. Sorry–make it up in Nov

If Hillary had lost those states would she really want them counted? Really, come on Hillary. Fair is Fair.

There is no way for Clinton to win the general election at this point unless she somehow steals the nomination and then McCain keels over.

She should wait for another few states and then concede gracefully.

Unfortunately, this debate resembles a neighborhood football game, where each teams sees the "rules" through the visage of how they can win. Its like letting the teams be the referees. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in Hillary putting up a negative ad in WI about Obama denying the voters there a chance to see them debate and the fact that she's more than willing to take the votes of MI and FL where the voters were denied any campaign? It just looks like she's breaking the rules and changing them as she goes along whenever it benefits her.

I LIVE IN FLORIDA...

IF OUR VOTES IN JANUARY ARE NOT COUNTED...

MANY OF US HERE WILL EITHER NOT VOTE IN THE GENERAL

ELECTION OR VOTE FOR MCCAIN...I FOR ONE WILL VOTE FOR

MCCAIN IF OUR VOTES ARE NOT COUNTED FROM JANUARY

Since CNN has more or less decided the outcome of all political events before it took place, my friends and relatives have decided voting is a waste of good time.
We will let you pick the winner this time.
Thanks

Hillary Clinton's "win" in MIchigan is not legit! She kept her name on the ballot to do exactly this... win when many Obama supporters didn't bother to vote (or voted republican) because he wasn't on the ballot, and then get those delegates counted. She would NOT have won Michigan otherwise! Her underhanded tactics just display for all to see that a vote for Hillary is a vote for things to stay as they are... partisan and stagnant!

I find it interesting that Barack Obama is raising alot of hub-bub over superdelegates and is trying to say they should have to vote along the lines of the way the state went they represent. He also says FL & MI should not count they broke the rules. So on one hand he wants to change the super delegate rules to benefit him but hold true to the rules of FL & MI because they would benefit Hillary Clinton. You can't have it both ways. FL & MI must be seated for the party's sake. There is no way Democrats can win in November with out them. From what I have read the state and local supporters of the candidates campagined plenty for their candidate. Also theres the Internet and cable so don't tell me they did not get to know the candidates. Seat the delegates.

Murry posted: "Hillary's attempt to change the rules after the fact is deplorable"

Whats deplorable is that people like you cant see what a disservice this action by the DNC has done to the voters of Michigan and Florida. The voters of those two states have nothing to do with setting the primary calander, yet it is the voters who are being punished. And stop trying to make Obama out to be something he isnt. If the shoe were on the other foot he'd be screaming louder than Hillary. Probably throwing in the race card too.

You Obamazombies are so awstruck by this con man it's pitiful.

Florida and Michigan gave their verdict..people did not vote out of fun or that they did not have anything else to do. It was real voting by real people..No one campaigned, no ads except Obama, ...It's very pity that candidates like Obama, Edwards wants to raise money from those 2 states and do not want to upheld their clear verdict. The delegates should be seated without any re-primaries or caucuses..Because no single candidate has campaigned there and broke the rule..It's a rear verdict by real people.

The country has to count these votes. Period.

Now tha Obama is in the "lead", I hope you give him the same scrutiny and critism that you have been giving Hillary since this whole process began. When are you going to start looking into his record and lack of experience? He's not running for PTA President–this is the future of our country! It scares me to death that he may be the next President of the United States!!

If the candidates go into the convention essentially tied and the DNC gives in to the Clinton demands to seat "Hillary's delegates" from Michigan and Florida, McCain can start ordering a new carpet for the Oval Office.

The Democratic Party, of which I've been a member since 1959, will be shredded. The McGovern defeat will look like a victory by comparison.

FLA – FlA delgates should NOT be seated unless there is a fresh primary/caucus.

Clinton was a much better known candidate. Who know what the result would have been had Obama campaigned there? We know that he does better when he spends time with the electorate.

Its become obvious that the voters in these states were not aware of the rule change. Regardless, there votes should count as they stand. The playing field was fair. In MI, Obama supporters did campaign and urge its supporters to vote non-committed.

If Florida and Michigan votes are not allowed to stand, and the delgates seated, the dems will lose those states in November. And no, this is not Hillary Clinton's fault. She followed all the rules and her win in those states is legit.

It is unfortunate that Florida and Michigan are in this situation. It would be best if all States had representation in Denver. That being said everyone understands the rules of the process. There are 2 very different scenarios here, however. In Florida all the candidates names were on the ballot and though the candidates agreed not to campaign in the state, the voters had the opportunity to vote. Thus the process was fair to each candidate, not withstanding the equal opportunity to campaign. The key to Florida is John Edwards. If Edwards supports/endorses Obama then the delegate count for Florida would be almost dead even with Clinton and is neutralized. However the situation in Michigan is much more complicated. Why did Clinton allow her name to remain on the ballot when the other candidates chose not to ? The only way to rectify Michigan is to have a re-do caucus format. Given the recent surge by Obama, this may benefit him from the original January vote. That being said if Michigan would have conducted their primary has the DNC wished perhaps it would have had the same effect. So, allow Florida to be seated, as is and re-do Michigan.

This race will be determined by super delegates. The Obama supporters will not except the super delegates votes as legitimate, unless they are cast for Obama. We are in a real mess. I'd prefer to give them to him and let McCain be the next President, rather than have riots in the streets.

To allow the Michigan and Florida delegates to be seated as matters stand would be corrupt and immoral; the only answer, in a true and democratic process (which all parties should uphold) is to hold new elections (it is what the US would ask of another country under the circumstances): April 8 or 15 would surely suit Michigan; and May 27 is free for Florida to give it the final decisive voice if matters last that long. That seems eminently reasonable.

Theres no fixing this....they were stripped...thats the rules....and they broke them...and they are being punished...I'm happy to see that the majority of the Democrats are now seeing Hillary for what she is....and will never vote for her (along with the rest of the country)

In michigan dnc can argue Obama name not is in the ballot.But florida is both name on ballot ,therefore it should count.CNN is suppporting Obama and try to campagin on his behalf not to count the delegate from florida and michigan, but if dnc donot accomadate those delegate when in the general election democarat may loose florida and michigan.

Maybe I should Add. I worked in Telecommunication. For another Country.... !959 1963.... in the Armed Forces..
Kenya has'nt changed.....

Another Dictator , here in North Amarica!!!

Bring the Middle East right on your doostep...Why?????

I really don't think there's all that much of an argument on Hillary's side here. She said herself at several points before Florida and Michigan came around, that Florida and Michigan no longer mattered, and that no one should worry about how she left her name on the Michigan ballot because it doesn't count anyway.

Those contests lost their purpose MANY months before their wasted primaries, and Hillary didn't seem to mind until a few weeks before, when all of a sudden, it was apparent that her trip to the White House wasn't going to be easy.

A friend of mine is depressing in another country. Perhaps I should send Obama to cheer him up. America is selecting a cheer leader to be the new president

I AM A MICHIGANDER. This was a hoax.The votes should not count. I will tell you that I personally know 100's of 1000's of people who voted in the republican side or didn't vote at all because their VOTE wasn't going to count. Every Poll in MICHIGAN thru newspapers has Obama winning against all candidates How un fair of Hillary with the Help of Our Governor and Senators to try and change the rules AGAIN. For the STATUS QUO. Governor cannot run again but SENATORS beware this will not be forgotten and could be protested LOUDLY.

Rules are rules. Either chuck it out or have a do over with equal time for both canidates. Or if Sen. Barak wins at least Texas or Ohio then give them to Sen. Clinton because after that it won't matter. Nuff said!!

The votes aren't valid. Especially Michigan, with Hillary's name on the ballot and Obama's not. So you can't send pledged delegates from these states and call it fair.

But, wow, this is a harsh penalty to the voters in these states. You can't ignore two states this large and call that fair, either! It's certainly not the voters' fault that the primary dates were moved.

Unless there could be a "do-over" (who can even THINK of what this would mean?) I don't see any way out of this. The party should really have worked harder to prevent this in the beginning.

HOPEFULLY Hillary can see how this divisiveness is hurting her party and let Obama carry the day. The longer she draws this out, the more damage this, and the superdelegate issue, will cause to the D's, and the more time the R's have to unite behind McCain. But I find this exceedingly unlikely given her personality and track record.

Your program needs an equal balance for Cafferty's daily Clinton bashing.
Does Cafferty get paid b y the Obama Camp?

Don't even try it. What's done is done. No more trickery from Florida. The whole election process will go out the window have no credibility whatsover. This must be Hillary's idea? LOL.

After Hillary wins Texas, Ohio and Pennyslvania, will it matter?

Cafferty has lost his credibility with his constant negativity against the Clintons. We turn him off.

You forgot to mention Vermont for March 4th, thank you very much.
Oh, Bush forgot to visit us for the past eight years too, but that's okay.

Hillary's crying over Fl and MI shows she's desperate. It has become clear to her she's losing fast and hard and she will lie, cheat and steal to win this nomination. I'm surprised she hasn't tried shimmying down a 'Mission Impossible' hoister over Obama during one of his rallies trying to grab the mic from him. That's the only thing that's missing here folks, she's desperate.

Hillary deserves those delegates. I love how now that Barack Obama and his disturbed wife(who dropped Stevie Wonder on stage and left him there lol) is up in Pledged delegates he is saying it should be up to the pledged delegates not the super delegates to decide the nomination. Well to be fair Barack, should'nt FL count, which will put her over the top? =D

Wolff,

Correction, Obama's name was on the ballot, but he was the one to remove his own name. No one forced him too. And regarding the campaign in FL. He ran adds there so technically he did campaign there. So be fair and don't just point the finger on her.

Go Willy Brown. He is an authoritative member of the Democratic Party and his ability to understand the rules of the party should be the standard for newsmen, not paid political pundits that are not party members and yet given so much air time by CNN. Willy has not endorsed a candidate as Wolf and his CNN coworkers so clearly have in this election. Why should independents get to control the democratic party? Willy explains that the role of super delegates is to keep the election as demonstrating the view of democrats, not independents. This is the first time CNN has interviewed someone who has explained the super delegates. Most of he pundits used by CNN insinuate that the super delegates are a Clinton plot to deny Obama election.

The Democrats agreed not to seat them. End of story.

Florida and Michigan are still states of the United States of America. How can 14 million peoples voice not be heard? If Obama believes the words he delivers at EVERY speech, "We are one people, the people of the USA" then he needs to practice what all that preaching is about, NO ONE AMERICAN SHOULD GO UNCOUNTED. Give those people their voice back, its every Americans right. Their delegates should be reinstated, the people have spoke.

Wolf, you're absolutly right on. I think Michigan and Florida are important, however the delegates didn't follow the rule. I don't think it's right that Barack Obama's name wasn't on the ballott in Michigan. I think it would be a good idea to have another election in Florida and Michigan so that the voters aren't disenfranchised, and so we don't use those superdelegates. These 2 states might very well determine who the Democratic nominee should be.

I hope this problem can be fixed, all votes count!

To William D the timing is irrelevant so there's two candidates instead of three so what? Give people a voice and don't disfranchize them. Hillary would win anyways

Regarding Florida, let's be very clear, no candidates campaigned in FLA – not Clinton, not Obama and not Edwards. All candidates raised funds here – Clinton, Obama and Edwards were all here fundraising. Only Obama has television ads here – they were part of a national ad package he purchased. All candidates names were on the FLA ballot. The voter turnout in FLA was high because we had a constitutional ammendment regarding taxes on the ballot.

Also, the Republican dominated legsilature would not agree to change back to the original primary date.

While I believe the primary in Michigan was very different and can understand the controversy regarding seating those delegates, the FLA primary had a high turnout and had all candidates on the ballot. Everyone was here fundraising and only Obama had an ad on TV. The FLA delegates should be seated if we go to the convention and neither candidate has enough delegates. If one candidate already has enough delegates, then the argument is moot.

Hillary's attempt to change the rules after the fact is deplorable.

Hillary talks about voters rights yet she really covets those superdelegates. So which is it? Pick a side. Obama is on the side of the voters.

Given Obama's in roads in attracting women, poor, and whites, I wouldn't be suprised if Michigan came out in his favor if the ballots were recast next month.

You lack a sense of history. The credentials fight related to McGovern was the threat to steal his winner take all primary win in California. It was a fight in which Willie Brown electrified the convention crowd with an appeal to play by the rules. No one should compare the effort to stave off someone stealing delegates in 1972 with the false claim that Hillary has to delegates in primaries that were not sanctioned. You as a member of the press have a duty to do more than give pop history and adding to conflict. You ought to be giving some perspective that there won't be a conflict here in the end, because Hillary doesn't have any legitimate claim.

Ridiculous. The problem can't be fixed. The races were held at a different point in the campaign, when Edwards was still in the race. What will they do, ask him to come back?

Is there anyway these two states can reschedule? I feel it was too great a punishment to deprive these people of a voice in selecting their president.

why can't the DNC help with the costs.