(CNN) – Hillary Clinton repeated Thursday that delegates from Florida and Michigan be seated at the Democratic Party’s national convention this summer, and appeared to suggest she is open to the possibility of holding do-over contests in both states.
"I'm going to let the leadership of both states see what they think is the best approach," Clinton told reporters in Washington. "I think that it would be a grave disservice to the voters of Florida and Michigan to adopt any process that would disenfranchise anyone and I'm still committed to seating their delegations and I know that they're working with the Democratic party to determine how best to proceed."
Clinton's latest calls for the delegations to be seated come amid an increasingly heated back-and-forth between officials from both states and the national parties. Both the Republicans and Democrats sanctioned both states earlier this year for holding their primaries ahead of February 5 - the Democrats said Michigan and Florida's entire delegations would not be seated at the convention while the Republicans said only half of each state's delegates could be seated.
The Democrats’ decision on how to proceed with both states' delegates could have critical impact on the presidential nominating race - both Barack Obama and Clinton are locked in close contest for pledged delegates, and neither will be able to attain the needed 2,024 to clinch the nomination.
Obama's campaign has criticized Clinton for seeking to "change the rules" after Florida and Michigan voted, and said it will follow the party's leadership on the issue. Clinton came out on top of both states' meaningless contests in January. Neither candidate campaigned in the states, and Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan.
Clinton's comments come the same day Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, a supporter of the New York senator, formally wrote a letter to Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, calling on him to pay for a re-vote in his state. (Read Nelson's Letter [PDF])
“With two outstanding candidates battling so closely for their party’s nomination, there’s no way you can tell nearly two million Florida voters they don’t count," he said.
Dean has said the party will not pay for do-over contests.
"[The DNC's] job now is to elect the President of the United States and we're not going to have the resources to run a primary in Michigan or Florida," Dean said on CNN's American Morning Thursday. "So we hope they can comply with the rules, but they're going to have to figure out how to pay for it."
Related: Florida Gov Charlie Crist discusses the potential of a second primary
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
From CNN Politics
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Go Hilldog!! You're allowed to change your mind on the issue of delegates, all women can change their mind!
Every American's vote should count. Seat the delegates!
as a republican i hope that the dems keep at each other. mccain is not going to drag all of the nasty stuff out against clinton and obama, but these two dems will do each other in without a doubt unless a major statesman in the party tells them to knock it off, if they can find a major statesman that does not have a dog in this fight.
Thats Hillary a Rule Breaker.. but if they do agree to this it would have to be a revote.. cant take it like it is. Too many didnt vote due to they knew their vote would not make a difference at the time. Cant take a win if its not a TRUE WIN!!!
BYE BYE HILLARY!!
Go Obama!!
Hillary beat the New York Yankees in the T-ball World Series – she did so by not telling them there was a contest. Now she thinks she a champion. Grow up.
Like the Iraq War, I bet you Hillary won't admit that she made a 'mistake' when she agreed to rules. Pointing the finger at someone else as usual.
Voters, You all need to hear that:
"Obama was a teenager, living in South Carolina.
One of the property owner hired Young Obama to do some garden work. The boy was lazy, needed to be remined that the job needs to be done (three or more times). Finaly the owner let him go with words.
Boy, you better stick with Politics, you are unable to keep any job, you are lazy" This wards come from doughter of the propery owner.
Her father wa stired of the teenager, reminding him, that the job has to be done !!!!!
I can't picture this with Obama going in to Presidency.!!!! Sorry !!!
Obama won 13 straight contests before the Clintons were able to hold off their large leads in Ohio and Texas. Now Obama will win the next two battles. I want to see democrats in Pennsylvania rise up and vote to end this election by voting for Obama. She should not try to "steal" this election like Bush did in 2000 by allowing Florida and Michigan count when they obviously did not count prior to starting this election because their leadership broke the rules.
Clinton is trying to "steal" this election like George Bush did in 2000. Democrats will not stand for this and there will be consequences if this happens again as voters will leave the party and not trust the DNC.
Oh Hillary you want to change the rules in the middle of the race! How pathetic !!!...
Hillary does not care about rules..America...all she wants is to "WIN" Hillary this is America, last I checked we dont have jungle rule over here!
I voted in Michigan. It isn't my fault that the power to be decided to move up the date. I want my vote to count. Obama and Edwards made the choice no to have their names on the ballot, even after ask by the Michigan democratic party to leave their names on. You can split the uncommitted voted in half for Obama and Edwards. Florida all candidates were on the ballot so devide the delagates according to the election out come.
its funny if it was other way around you wouldn't be saying that mr Ryan along with all other Clinton supporters . We mideas well just change all the rules to fit who ever needs to win . Just like bush Did to win
You can't get what you want at the expense of other people. What about all the voters who stayed home and didn't vote because they thought their vote wouldn't count. Aren't their voices as valuable as the ones who voted in a non sanctioned election? Hold new primaries in both states and let everyone vote this time. It should be paid for by those who broke the rules including candidates who broke their promise.
Michele Valentino
Dallas, Texas
GO HILLARY GO!! KEEP FIGTHING FOR WHAT THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN!! WE CAN DO THIS!!
HILLARY 08
HIllary 08
Hillary 08
If they just want to seat the delegates . then 50-50 so it does not really influence the outcome.
Why weren't all the FLORIDA people OUTRAGED in 2000 ? Thanks for giving the rest of us President Bush for 8 years.
2 wars
3 trillion dollar debt from one of those wars
Has done not one positive thing for America
KATRINA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where was this kind of OUTRAGE in 2000 ? I just didn't see it .
Obviously the neophytes who think these states aren't important haven't paid attention to the electoral process in the last twenty years.
Michigan and Florida are crucial for the same reason most of the states Mrs. Clinton has won are, they are populous states with electoral clout which makes them pivotal to winning a national election ie. any candidate that can't win Ohio, Texas, Florida, Michigan, etc. cannot be president of this country.
Also, I find it ironic that Mr. Obama characterizes this as attempting to "change the rules" when he has over and over again pressured the superdelegates to follow the votes of their constituents when they were expressly created to decide using their own best judgement in order to negate any influence from Independents and Republicans who crossed the lines and voted in states where this is allowed.
i hope somebody tells those first time Obama voters that its not a good idea to disenfranchise Florida, just before a General Election.
Do the few hundred caucus goers in Alaska deserve more of a voice than the Millions in Florida and Michigan?
Hillary aside...I feel for the voters in those states. Sure, there states choose to buck the DNC but few if any of the voters understood that when they went and cast their ballot it counted for NOTHING! Their leadership in FLorida and Michigan are the ones to blame. Problem is..."How do you punish FLorida & Michigan without punishing the Democratic electorate in those States?" I guess I am in favor of cutting the amount of dlegates awarded in half? I don't know. No easy answer.
This is unfair to all the other states that played by the rules!!!!!!!!!!
George Bush stole the 2000 election, and the Clintons are TRYING to steal the 2008 election. If they STEAL this election, I will NEVER vote for another Democrat !!!!
Hillary is pathetic and she makes me sick !
Everyone knows the name "Clinton" means nothing but corruption and scandle.
Hillary, just go away !
Did Wolfe vote for Hillary? I heard this but can't confirm this.....his reporting has been so biased in the past few weeks when it appeared his candidate would lose out.
To the people of Florida and Michigan:The DNC refuses to let your votes count. Yet, come November they fully expect you to vote for the Democratic nominee? Well, in protest of the way the DNC are not being democratic to the citizens of Florida and Michigan, I for one, will not be voteing come November.
Barack should take Hillary's offer and agree to have an election do-over. We the way the math works even if he loses Both FL and MI by less than 20% She will still be toast way b4 Puerto Rico....trust me do tha math game....
Now we know why Hillary spent the time and effort she did on those states. She figured she could slither in and get the delegates to count in states where she basically ran uncontested.
Hillary's attitude on this issue has helped me to finally make up my mind on whether I would vote for her should she get the nomination, and the answer is clearly, no.
This is disgusting.
The rules were clearly set now Hillary is saying too bad let's ignore the rules and do what is good for me !!
What does this say for the type of leadership she represents?
Out with the old style politics full of deals and connections etc etc..
How unfair to those who did not show up to vote because they were following the rules!
It's clear the Clintons have no values and will let nothing get in the way of their personal gain.
What kind of country will we have is we start to ignore all rules??
Why is Hillary sending such a bad message, once again thank sto a Clinton parents will have to explain to their children that the Clintons live by their own rules and set of values and morals!
If Florida and Mich want to be seated just have a re-do
Hillary, this sound like fraud to me.