“"You cannot change the rules at the end of the game and change the outcome.”"

That's exactly right.

So that being said, what's the point?

Other than changing the outcome, which is unacceptable on its face (and Howard Dean just said as much), what is to be gained?

The compromise should not be in Hillary's favor since she cheated. What about the voters who came out to vote for Barack, but couldn't since his name was not on the ballet in Michigan?

What about the voters who wanted to vote for Barack but didn’t' know anything about him, since he couldn't campaign in Florida? I understand they both had ads, but that was it.

Dr. Dean is so full of nonsense at this point. Follow the rules?? Like running ads in Florida? Like other states moving the dates (NH, Nevada)?

The DNC is now nothing more than an extension of the Supreme Court in 2000. Shame on them.

What about respecting the voters that didn't go to the polls? What about the people who didn't think their votes would count? What about the people in Michigan who couldn't vote for candidates because they actually keep their words?

It boggles the mind that the media, the pundits, and yes, the DNC, even gives Hillary a platform to constantly change the rules. You cannot be a player and the referee at the same time.

I live in Michigan and I believe that THE RULES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED…. I have to follow rules, my teens have to follow rules… why make the rule if it's going to be over-turned to satisfy political advantages. FOLLOW THE RULES OR QUIT MAKING THEM. I want a few rules bent for me at work, too…..

If Obama is the Democratic Party candidate, I will be voting for McCain.I simply will not vote for a Marxist who does not have the needs of the average American family at heart. I do know that both Cinton and McCain love this country but the terrorist love Obama.

“Secondly, you have got to respect these two candidates,” Dean said of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. “You cannot change the rules at the end of the game and change the outcome.”

Howard Dean, you are WRONG, WRONG and still WRONG!

The votes from MI & FL BELONG to Hillary (PERIOD)! Anything that takes them away from her is STEALING! (PERIOD)

MI & FL ARE OUTCOME CHANGERS!

You, Pelosi, Reid, OBAMA and the other party ELITES should just go somewhere, and it is NOT heaven!

It's irrelevant now….exit polls show Obama taking both Primaries today!!

“He’s wrong on the courts. He’s wrong on Iraq. He’s wrong on the economy. He’s wrong on healthcare,” said Dean.

No U! what a moron…

Let's hope the fishy smell is just my imaginations. Democrats of all ages, genders, and ethnithicies are going to be permanently upset if the DNC is complicit in allowing the Clintons to game the system and steal the nomination. You can repeat "respect" forty-two times, but you had better mean it.

We can't decide because we love them both.

Just put Hillary as Pres/Obama as VP for 2009 and 2010. Then have them switch and put Obama in as Pres/Hilalry in as VP for 2011 and 2012.

Then we can figure out who will do what in 2012.

Don't you get it? WE CAN'T DECIDE and the other 50% will be PO'd if their candidate doesn't win.

Howard Dean needs to broker this and make this happen!!!

YES!

Way to go Howard Dean!

Now - I HOPE Hillary and her thugs get this freaking picture!

And,to FL and MI - do like the rest of us and follow the rules and laws and stop trying to change the game in the middle of the game!

Go Obama!

John W, you are clearly unhinged.

Let's find a fair solution to MI and FL.

Although, even with the MI and FL votes, Hillary will still be behind.

DEAN FOR PRESIDENT!

The true leader of the Democratic Pary!

Dean better find a way to have actual revotes in Florida and Michigan like CNN is saying in August as these to states have votes and all it would cost is the price of re-printing the ballets and adding Obama and Hillary
Have this approved and do not allow any of the candidates to advertise or campaign in those states
Just have the voters choose between the 2 of them.
Make it a winner takes all in deligates

She didn't cheat. Get your facts straight. She did not go to FL until the voting was over. The media have led us to believe she cheated.

Clinton supporters are not very good at math…. she's done people, it's over, stick a fork in her and let's be done with this debacle.

Irish, that is a ridiculous comment. I hate Hillary, but as much as I hate her, I still have the common sense to pick her over McCain if she buys her way into the nomination. No matter if you back Hillary or Obama, you must realize that McCain would be far worse than whichever one you're against currently.

NAH NAH NAH NAH! NAH NAH NAH NAH! HEY HEY HEY! GOODBYE HILLARY CLINTON!

OBAMA 08!

You can't give them another election, or set it up so Florida decides the contest in the middle of the convention (as Wolf suggested). That rewards Michigan and Florida for breaking the rules. They broke the rules so they would be more important to the results. Now you want to give them 1,000,000% of what they wanted ??

You can't seat the delegates as is because that rewards Hillary and punishes Obama. This would be seen as the party stealing the nomination form Obama.

The only option is to seat them in some way that discounts the value of their vote and/or awards the delegates according to the delegate count once all of the other primaries are finished. This doesn't change the outcome, allows them to participate and doesn't reward them for breaking the rules.

You see the sign that says speed limit 65 MPH. You decide that doesn’t apply to you and you want to get home earlier, so you drive 80 MPH. You get pulled over for speeding. You tell the State Trooper that you knew that the speed limit was 65, but you decided that those rules don't apply to you. You are now appalled that the State Trooper now has the gall to give you a ticket just because everyone else obeyed the rules. You go on to say that the State officials were wrong in the first place to dictate how fast you can drive. And finally you question the State Trooper’s ability to enforce such an unfair law and demand that he tear up the ticket and apologize for hindering your driving right. Sounds silly? So does allowing FL and MI to do a revote.
Yes to seating the delegates, but no revote!!!

John W of Milwaukee….What's wrong with following the rules?

Eletist????? McCain and Clinton are the multi gazzilionaires. Hillary hasn't pumped her own gas in 18 years. She's had secret service protection since 1992.

While Obama JUST paid off his student loans

So the politicians decided there would be no voice for FL and MI because of a stupid date requirement. Why aren't more Floridians and Michigan voters screaming about this since THEY obviously didn't get a vote in the "punishment" decision. Sounds like the voters need to be figuring out a way to overturn the powers that be.

Howard Dean is the biggest egomaniac of the Democratic party with Nancy no backbone Pelosi kneeling next to him. All I know is if I took the time to go to the polls, stood in line to cast my vote only having it NOT count, I'd be pissed!!!!! Why vote??? Both Dem candidates were on the ballot. I'm still confused.!! Let Barack take the nomination but let him do with dignity and without fear that Hillary is going to take it from him. You do him no service by treating him with kid gloves. He's going to have go up against someone on the other side of the floor. Give him something to fight for not treat him like a mama's boy who can't go up against the Clinton machine!!!!

So even though Clinton agreed to these rules before she needed FL and MI that shouldn't matter ? Also even though you voters were told that your votes wouldn't count if they changed the dates and instead of having an uprising against your local leaders you just let it happen we should just throw out those rules too?

I don't know about the rest of the parents in this country I teach my children to respect the rules and live with the consequences if you break them. This lack of integrity worries me more than the possibility that FL and MI will revolt in the general. I would rather the party stick to their word and lose voters that can't take responsibility for their actions than cave in to the demands of them.

The Clintons will cheat there way back into the whitehouse!

The results in Michigan and Florida are as invalid as the context in which they came about - people knew up front that the votes would not count and acted accordingly - not voting, voting for a 3rd party or less popular candidate not in the running, not bothering to switch parties for the vote, etc. In what kind of crazy Dr. Suess world can someone argue that we should now take the results from that and treat it as if people knew they woud count? Is that really fair?

dean the screaming leader what a great party this is.

Howard Dean is wrong on and for America!

I think that his explanation is very reasonable.

While they can't give Florida and Michigan the same say they would have had had those states followed the rules, they can seat the delegates as a face-saving maneuver once the nominee has already been decided by the other primaries.

I have no problem with that, and I'm a Floridian so it actually impacts me and my state. The democrats need time to come together, and crying over spilt milk (i.e., Michigan and Florida) isn't going to help us.

You can NOT change the rules at the end of the game to try to help Clinton win……….. SHE AGREED WITH THE RULES, BEFORE THE VOTING STARTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

don't change the rules at the end of the game,to determine the winner.

Michigan can't be considered since Sen, Obama was not on the ballot. Please don't tell me that this could wind up being decided in the Florida courts. I don't think this country to stand that again.

I live in Florida. I voted knowing the rules. For heavens sake follow the rules YOU made. I do not feel bad. I do not feel left out. We all have rules we are to follow, that's life. You cannot change them now!!!

Ha,ha,ha Hillary supporters! You do know what this means???

You are the man Howard Dean!!! I have been waiting for this!

This should put this issue to bed and send a strong message to the queen - she can let go and stop clinging to the throne! I know she will be BITTER!

And, as some of the good people from MI and FL - YES! What about the voters who did NOT vote because they understood the rules and didn't vote?

Go Obama!

Now - next step! Penn-Ave - Obama for President 2009!

And, for some of those Hillary supporters who say they will vote for Mc Cain - go ahead - Obama has attacted so MANY new voters that it won't matter because Obama will still be your president!

You can't do all three. You can't let the votes stand as is…respecting the voters who did vote…because Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan…which would make being fair to both candidates impossible. Clinton has something up her sleeve, and Dean is behind it. Why else would she stay in a race that the math shows she can't win.

Florida is a needed state to win the presidency (remember the big picture) it's not very smart to ignore them during the primary, it was a level playing field and Obama lost, get over it. If you want the next president to be a Democrat you need to pick the person who can win the states we need not the one who wins the states that we all know are going to go Republican during the election. Wake up Democrats Obama doesn't have a prayer against the Republican machine, they got Bush elected twice for Gods sake.

McCain and the republicans might be wrong on some issues but they didn't disenfranchise millions of voters. Party rules are not constitutional laws, It's not like the whole of the party had a referendum on the rules. It was intentionally done or its plain incompetance. Like taking your name off the ballot in case you need to make that argument later and it doesn't make you look as bad when you loose like Obama did in Michigan, this is just plain dirty politics. You don't hear Flroidians and Michiganians yelling mad at the republicans.Thats why if those two states are not counted dems. are sure loosers in November.

I live in Florida where we voters (must Hillary supporters then and now) did not have our votes counted due to our Republican state legislature. The DNC failed us by counting us out in the first place and they will fail the American people by having a candidate who was not supported in our critical state!

Don't let Obama suppress voters he doesn't like! Does his arrogance and elite attitude have no limits? Do not bow to his pressure and thugs. Include everyone.

The only thing Obama has to fear is the will of the people - remember the people? If you let him marginalize entire states, the DNC will never be the same. He is destroying the DNC.

"Secondly, you have got to respect these two candidates,” Dean said of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. “You cannot change the rules at the end of the game and change the outcome.”

This goes for everyone, including Obama supporters as well. If we seat any delegates it will be changing the rules. If it's a 50/50 split, it will be unfair to Clinton and the voters, if we go by the actual results it's unfair to Obama and the people who didn't vote in those states because they thought it wouldn't count. If we go by a percentage of the popular vote in all states excluding MI and FL, that is unfair to all the voters in those states.

The DNC fouled up something big time here. They should have followed the RNC's lead on this, but they didn't.

The only fair thing to do is to hold new primaries. The only people against that are Obama supporters. They seem to only be happy if MI and FL delegates get split in some way that favors Barack. That doesn't seem "inspiring" to me. Let the people speak. Why be afraid?? The rules will have to change if any delegates are to be seated, so please stop spouting the "Rules are Rules" line.

Clinto did cheat in florida she held several fund raisers campaigfning by any other name is still campaigning.

I am so fed up of the worst political team on TV the clinton News network the results of the Laryy King Live Poll to the question "who do you want to win North Carolina and Indiana Primaries" was not published.
So here goes Obama 71% Clinton 29%
Let the so called best political team on TV stuff that in their mouths and choke on it, you bunch of Clintonite dummies.

Hey Michigan,
Just curious….why would you NOT fight about the rules to count your vote being changed when you didn't have a say in it? I'm voting for Obama but I think it makes him look like a wuss in Florida. Neither of them campaigned there. I don't get you people. I'm all for rules but I'm not sure I'd want the state Dems to make a decision to eliminate my vote unless I had a say in it. Primaries are important. Either He'll stand up and win with votes from ALL Americans or he looks like he's afraid. If you can't be objective about your candidate, you don't really believe him as much as you say you do!!!

For my previous comment: For the record I KNOW OBAMA WAS NOT ON the Michigan ballot. It's Florida I'm talking about above.

Paul Krugman now says that Obama misrepresented his comments about Mccain's gas tax proposal in an add which falsely claims those comments were made about Sen. Clinton's plan, which Krugman says they were not. Obama running a false add! No, not Saint Barack. Even worse, turns out Obama voted for a state gas tax holiday while a state senator in Illinois. And although Obama now says he learned from that mistake that the gas tax holiday didn't work, it turns out that the only empiracle study done on the Illinois gas tax holiday shows it did work. New politics of hope indeed!

We have three parties.

DNC…RNC…Clintons.

The DNC and RNC have their rules, the Clintons have a different one.

Dean needs to step down!! He is not able to resolve the MI and FL. If democrats want to win in Nov then the votes of FL and MI should be counted or else there should be a re-vote. Is Dean a knuckle head? Why is he taking so much time to decide FL and MI?. Why he is listening to Obama?? If Obama doesn't want a re-vote let him drop out of the race.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE REPUBLICANS & ILLI'S

BACKERS ARE ONE & THE SAME. WE APPRECIATE THE

THE DIFFICULT POSITION THE DNC IS IN. HAVING

SAID THAT WE NEED FOR DNC TO NOT OVERTURN

OUR DECISION. WE GOT THROWN UNDER THE BUS

IN FLORIDA & YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT

HAPPEN AGAIN.

Thank you Michigan for speaking out, Rules are rules, they all agreed and knew what they were getting into.

Dean's credibility is at stake.
It looks like every state should move up their primary date in 2012 so they can all be punished by becoming the pivotal states for Dem primaries at the end.
Who actually gets paid for such a dumb idea?

if ten dollars a month will make a huge differnce in your life IRISH GRANNY…..I am sorry to belitle that ….but for those of us that haven't reached retirement it does very little……considering that we will be paying more after the holiday …..thirty bucks can't buy my vote …….go dems and Obama of course
O8ama

Irish Gram, a vote for McCain is a vote for Imperialism and national bankruptcy.

Let's end this and send Cinton ou to pasture. OBAMA 08′

I never knew there was a rule that voters votes would not count. All fifty states have to have their say. Have a re-vote - then Mr. Obama's name can be on both of the states and both candidates can campaign. You Obama supporters do not care that these peoples votes will not count. Obama is the one that will do anything to win.

If Florida and Michigan's votes are taken away, then I think they should go to the Supreme Court. You people have NO RIGHT to take anyones vote away. I do not care what the DNC thinks they had the right to do, the fact remains that it is the right of every American to be able to vote and have their vote count - PERIOD.

Hillary just might not win with Florida and Michigan, but at least the game would have been played fairly.

If Michigan and Florida are not inluded -then Obama is a cheater and should not win for sure.

Obama is the nominee, I lone your insite!

Hillary Clinton won Florida without campaigning.

Barack Obama lost Michigan after HE pulled his name off the ballot.

If the DNC alienates MI and FL, the Dems lose in November, no matter who the nom is.

You look at this guy and it is painfully obvious why Kerry was nominated in 04.

Can you imagine this fool as President? Almost as bad as Bush…but not quite.

you'd better believe Democrat politicians made a mess of this; I can't believe the voters in the Democratic party didn't notice (or care) when their leaders set up an elitist system where one small group can override the votes of many people to chose whomever they want as the nominee.

why do all the ladies have so much to say for Hillary like she hasn't said enough……….Obama supporters are taking up the slack …..Hillary has an ex-president campaigning for her….he should have been an ex-husband……after monica relations in the house while Hillary was home……….but Rev Wright is not on the campaign trail for Obama to all you Hillary supporters that think Wright is such a big issue……….it was Hillary and the right wing that pulled him from the archives…….Obama has denounced Wright so is Hillary going to denounce Bubba

“It was politicians that made a mess of this — not the voters,”
Let's see…. It was the Democratic Politicians that made a mess of this.

But now those same Democratic Politicians are Flip Flopping on their own Rules and Governances.
The Cut and Run Party. The No-Backbone Party. The Democratic Party. Wooohooooo!!!!

Well Mr. Dean I am certainly glad to hear you say, but most importanly I want ot know and believe is that you REALLY mean this!! The fact that you have allowed this whole process to continue on and on long after it has been known that there is no possible way for Clinton to win without the SD giving it to her after she has discredited Obama and Party, allowing the nominee Obama to be scared and bruised to the point that it will take much todo to rally his own party behind him now that party has been unnecessarily torn apart by Cinton, who by the way has proven time and time again why she should not even be still in this race. Why you are allowing ALLOWING THIS MAKES ME WONDER WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT PARTY'S NOMINEE, EVEN FROM THOSE WITHIN THAT THREATEN TO MAKE HIM UNELECTABLE!! OF ALL THINGS UNELECTALE, HOW ON EARTH DO YOU REASON SOMEONE IN YOUR OWN PARTY BEING ALLOWED TO PUSH THAT THE LIKEY CANDIDATE IS UNELECTABLE. AFTER SAYING THIS HOW WILL SHE BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HIM? HOW WILL SHE BE ABLE TO CONVINCE OTHERS TO SUPPORT HIM? IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE THAT SHE IS ACTING AS A DESTROYER FOR THIS PARTY THEN YOU ARE BLIND, IF YOU ARE AWARE OF IT AND DOES NOTHING THE ONLY REASONABLE QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE WHY?? WHY?? WHY??

MAN UP!!

Dean is wrong on everything. Mich and Fla will not re-vote. If they do all the other states that voted before, Obama was exposed, should re-vote too.

Go Hillary

Thank you again Howard Dean!

Shame on Hillary and some of her cheating supporters! I bet if this was the other way around and Obama and his supporters would want to change the game - you people would be up in arms!

Go Obama!

Yeah Dean, let's change the rules so Hillary can be the nominee. you know that Obama is damaged goods. He will not win against
McCain. Where were you two months ago, when Obama stopped the Michigan Legislature from voting on a re-vote in Michigan.

>>> While Obama JUST paid off his student loans

With the $4 million he made from his books last year or the $20 million he might make from them this year?

Exit polls from IN and NC:

If Clinton doesn't get nominated, only 48% of Indiana Democrats and 45% of North Carolina Democrats would vote for Obama.

If Obama doesn't get nominated, fully 59% of Indiana Democrats and 70% of North Carolina Democrats would vote for Clinton.

What that proves is that Obama supporters are much more loyal Democrats than Clinton supporters are.

Folks,

Watch out for these results. There was a huge controversy in Guam. (Ballot Tampering). I won't put anything past the Clinton Camp, so watch the polls as they come in and see if you agree with the final count.

How can people situp and listen to Hillary's lies…Everytime she talks it is a strategic lie. First she agreed to no vote in Florida and now she is for it. Don't stop the people from FLA from voting, what a witch! Obama is worth 2 million dollars, and Hillary is worth 100 million, but yet the average red-neck will vote for her. White people wake up! VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE FOR OBAMA, NOT CRIMINALS…..

Mr. Dean,

Don't forget the 4th principle: respect those voters who thought their vote wouldn't count, so they didn't go to the polls.

I wonder if Wolf Blitzer's ears are on fire. The Obama camp is going nuts with the suggestion of a re-vote in Florida and Michigan in the blogs. I just have one more thing to say: DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER. I for one, think it's a great idea.

Clinton will be our next president.

See Tim's Post - - -Split the delegates 50-50 and seat them!

See how easy that is?

Howard Dean,

He is sooo snake bit, and its pitifull that he would allow the Republican led Florida legislature to determine a democratic outcome. Of course, as with his own run for office, he is simply
doing to the Democratic Party the same thing he did to himself,
that is, Political Suicide…

-Donovan

""If the DNC alienates MI and FL, the Dems lose in November, no matter who the nom is.""

So be it…at least it will have been legitimate.

Just as Obama has that habit of tilting his head back, seeming to be looking down his nose at everyone, here he goes again, looking down his nose at Florida and Michigan voters. The "rules" were laid by a small group of politicians and businessmen looking for some of the income that accrues to NH and Iowa due to their early primary/caucas roles. They were not vote upon or otherwise "accepted" by the voters.

Do we really want an administration that is so fickle as to block the input of 15 million citizens?? Nice start, Barack. Go back and get some more experience; don't rely on your staff/handlers so much—they are not always right, are they.

For all you Obama supporters that are trying to rig up the election so that Obama can win, it's not going to happen without Florida and Michigan votes. We are already starting off on a bad note with Obama. He's refusing to allow a revote in Florida and Michigan so he can steal the election just like George W Bush in 2000. Poor Florida they just can't seems to get a break.

He knows well that both clintons face a trial in november 08…

I love how if Republicans and Independents are voting for Obama, he attracts all kinds of new people to the party.

If Hillary has Republicans and Independents vote for her, its just the Rush Limbaugh influence.

I can tell you right now where I sit that I have heard several Republicans rooting for Hillary today. The Republicans have been watching FOX for the last two weeks and what they have seen is scaring the crap out of them. If Obama thinks he will get one Republican vote now that Ayers, Wright, Farrakan, etc keep popping up, trust me, Republicans are now paying attention and don't think there is a snowballs chance they will vote for him in the general.

Good Luck Hillary.

Hillary 08

What about the voters who did NOT go to the polls as the rules said the vote didn't count?

What about the fact that only one candidate was on the ballot in Michigan? Isn't that what they do in a communist country??

Cl;inton agreed to the rules> How can someone support or believe a person who bends, changes the rules constsntly to her benefit.

The DNC and RNC have their rules, the Clintons have a different one.
_________________________________

So does Obama!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently, he feels he can campaign and run television ads and urge Michigan voters to vote "uncommitted" without being held accoutable for any of these CLEAR RULES VIOLATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dean should be fired for not even investigating these two states.
________________________________________

The DNC is charged, under its rules, to determine whether Democrats in a noncompliant state made a "good faith" effort to abide by the party's electoral calendar. The rules also demand that the DNC's 30-member Rules and Bylaws Committee conduct "an investigation, including hearings if necessary," into these matters. A DNC spokesman could not point to any real "investigation" the party conducted. All that happened, with Florida for example, was two representatives of the states party made a pitch for leniency immediately before the Rules Committee voted for sanctions.

Funny how Florida and Michigan rule changes are more important than New Hampshire and Puerto Rico changes. NH moved their primary up after the race started and Puerto Rico moved thiers up to June 1 and changed from a caucus to a primary in March of 2008!
So explain to me again why Florida and Michigan are being held out as examples of "rules cannot be changed in the middle of the game" when other states can do so.
Thank God Howard Dean never became president. He is useless and very indecisive.
If my vote in January does not count at the convention, do not expect me to support the democratic nominee. That will be 2 or the last 3 presidential elections where my vote did not count. The difference though this time is that it is the democrats who do not want my vote to count.
If it is not good enough in the spring, do not expect it in November 08.

There must be something to the Paul vs Clinton fraud lawsuit.

The Justice Department is calling on dishwashers, cashiers, clerks, waiters, etc. who supposedly donated $1000 to Clinton in a fundraiser. They are asking if there was any coercion and questions are coming up regarding how they could actually afford to donate those amounts. It does seem odd.

Maybe someone in our government is doing their job.

And no——————–!!!

Hillary will not be on our Obama's ticket! She was too nasty to him!

Go Obama!

Can all of you Billary supporters ticked off about Michigan & Florida not do math? If they are let back in and she wins 60-40 she only nets 75 delegates! Not nearly enough as he is already ahead by 143. The Superdelegates would still have to come in and save her and that would disenfranchise a nation, not just two states…

reply to Lonnie: wouldn't you say it's an "Imperialist" who tells me to drive a certain car, to go the doctor when THEY say, not when I feel like it; to eliminate trans fats not because I want to but because THEY say; to put only government-sanctioned light bulbs in ; to stop smoking not because I want to but because THEY say; to give them 40 per cent of my income so they can regulate every part of my life? That's what the Democratic candidates want and that's pretty "Imperialistic".

The exit polls in Indiana and North Carolina are showing that Clinton supporters in large numbers will defect to John McCain if Obama is nominated. Here's why:

1.
For the last 8 years we have had an administration with a president that represented the far right evangelical wing of Christianity. I happen to believe that they hijacked the Christian faith for their own political purposes coupled with a lust for money. In this primary election of 2008, we have seen the issue of religion show up again in the Jeremiah Wright spectacle. I for one do not want to trade one disaster for another with a radical left wing of Christianity and see our government hijacked one more time. Sen. Obama has not convinced me that his religion is not a primary influence in his political life. Jeremiah Wright is only a symptom of the church he belongs to. The doctrine of Black Liberation Theology is Marxist in nature and an aberration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please do not equate this opinion with racism as most blacks I have known all my life have rejected this doctrine at hand.

2
As a general rule, I do not trust the judgment of the media with my political choices. From the very beginning of this race, Sen. Obama has been a favorite of the most liberal media people in the country. Spinning the truth is a profession in modern journalism and an everyday occurrence when it comes to politics. However, there have been a few paltry exceptions in this democratic primary race that I will not mention here.

3
Sen. Obama has not proven himself politically in the short period of time he has served in our government. Being president of the United States of America is the top job in the country and everyone knows you don't go into a company and get the top job. You are required to work your way up unless of course you buy the company. Then you can be the top boss. It doesn't or shouldn't work that way in a democracy.

4
The combatative spirit of the supporters of Barack Obama is a symptom of a sick society of people who are willing to say or do anything to destroy their opponent. This is not a good thing to deliver to the White House and I believe that we will see many of these people looking to get their reward from Sen. Obama if he is elected.

I am supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton for president. I believe that she is a moderate in most of her political stances and this is where I place my confidence. I have one vote and it's for her.

Yes, DNC officials in FL & MI broke the rules; the voters had nothing to do with it. If those states' voters feel like they got stiffed by the DNC (whether they're right or wrong), they might not vote for the democratic candidate.

We can pound our fists and demand justice, or we can think about the future of our country. It is in our best interest to come up with a solution.

I never knew the decision to vote with up to the Polictians, What happend to Democracy? Obama is going to steal this election just like George W.

They should seat the Florida delegates because both candidates names were on the ballot even though neither campaigned there so it's even in that respect. The other issue with Florida is that it was out of the control of the Democrats in that state. The Republicans control the legislator there and they forced the issue of moving the primaries forward. The Dems had their hands tide. Michigan is a different story. Maybe they can do an absentee type ballot.

But they need to have the votes counted in both these states or else the Dems are going to lost both in the general election. It's not about Hillary or Obama at this point, it's about having every vote count and giving people their voice now or else we'll hear their angry voices come November and both these states will go for McCain.

THEY. BROKE. THE. RULES.

If voters wanted to be counted, they should have made their voices heard when it mattered - when their legislators were planning to move the primary dates.

Too little, too late… too bad.

Black vote in IN and NC by exit polls, comapred to OH and PA:

OH: Obama 87% Clinton 13%

PA: Obama 89% Clinton 11%

IN: Obama 92% Clinton 8%

NC: Obama 94% Clinton 6%

What the hell happened to all my comment's today? I make one comment, about abama, and the Teamster's link. Farmer's Union??
I lose my internet connection, and my comment's are all gone.
Is obama in too deap with the Teamster's, and the Farmer's Union..
There's a Cover Up????

no matter how many shots you take at McCain it will not change the outcome of him becoming the Next President

count Michigan and Florida–they are every bit as important as Guam and the rest of the states..I guess Obama supporters think there are too many "old" and "blue collar" people and that they should have no say in anything!

All States count. All votes count. How can you exclude two of the most important states? Wait, you can't!

Clinton 08!

Gov. Howard Dean, DNC rules are rules. Hillary violated the rules and she must be punished. Divide the delegates 60/50 for Obama/Clinton
and seat Florida and Michigan. This is common sense.

Irish Gram….you Clinton hos wonder why Obamas supporters are so arrogant….well it is partly due to the stupidity in the posts that you write on here….."the terrorist love Obama…..but Clinton and Mc Cain love the US……….I think you should put your dentures in Granny before you think ….it will help with the blood flow………and if Mc Cain the American lover wins ….go ahead and enlist your grandson to fight in the McAmerican Armed services……

Let's caliculate.
First, seat Michigan based on January primary.

Clinton won with 55 percent of the vote over 40 percent for "uncommitted".
The number of pledged delegates of MI was 128, so Clinton would get 70 delegates.
If the two to third of "uncommited" votes were counted into Obama, he would get 34 delegates.

Second, seat Florida based on January primary.

Clinton won with 50 percent in FL, followed by Obama at 33 percent.
The number of pledged delegates of FL was 185, so Clinton would get 92 delegates, while Obama would get 61.

Then, Clinton would get 162 pledged delegates from FL and MI,while Obama would get 95, resulting to narrow the gap by 67. (Now Obama up at least 150 pedged delegates)

Remember.
In Michigan, Obama removed his names from the ballot.
In Florida, Obama did no campaigning.

So if the primary will hold in both states on August, Clinton could not narrow the gap by no more than 67.

HNSP; and the rest of the bunch;;;;;;;

DO YOU IGNORANT PEOPLE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT "BRAND RECOGNITION".

THE CLINTONS HAVE BEEN RUNNING THEIR SLEAZY GAMES FOR DECADES, LYING, STEALING, RAPING AND ADULTEREOUS WAY!

HAS ANYONE HEARD ABOUT THE CLINTON PASTOR SCANDAL??????

Read people read!

There is a lot of blame to go around. First, the Florida and Michigan legislature and state parties should have heeded the warnings from both parties. If they hadn't changed the date, this wouldn't be a problem. Second, the DNC shouldn't have made the penalty so severe. They should have cut the delegate allocation in half like the RNC did, and then threatened to strip the state of all delegates in a following election if the situation wasn't fixed. Or, they should have had the foresight to set up a rotating primary system so that the same states weren't always deciding the candidates. Third, the system should have been enforced by the party and the candidates. The party requested the candidates take their names of the ballot in Michigan. They all should have done so. At the same time, the party should have placed a penalty on candidates for failing to do so.

There is no easy fix. Any method of counting the delegates in Michigan and Florida will be tainted and create problems for future elections.

""What that proves is that Obama supporters are much more loyal Democrats than Clinton supporters are.""

Sounds like Clinton supporters put Hillary's interests above those of the party, just like the candidate herself does.

Fortunately, I'm not a Democrat, and this Independent voter will vote for McCain if Obama is cheated of the nomination, and he'll enjoy doing it.

YOU HAVE TO SEAT MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA. I DON'T CARE HOW IT'S DONE BUT IT HAS TO HAPPEN. THERE WILL BE SO MUCH CONTROVERSY THAT OBAMA STOLE THE ELECTION BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO SEAT FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN. YOU HAVE TO COUNT FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. HAVE ANOTHER PRIMARY. YOU CAN'T LEAVE FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN OUT. IT WASN'T THE PEOPLE'S FAULT. THEIR VOICES HAVE TO BE HEARD TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. OTHERWISE YOUR CHEATING.

Howard Dean is a total tool. Show some backbone, would you? I want the politicians who BROKE THE RULES AND STAGED THEIR PRIMARIES EARLY in Fla and Mich to step forward and explain to the American people why it is we are in this absolute turd of a debacle right now. Someone needs to be accountable, and it shouldn't be Obama or Clinton. These two states' legislators are to blame. The election results should be null and void. Clinton is a complete and utter cheat if she takes these votes. She was the only one on the ticket in Michigan. WHAT A JOKE. Hillary Castro. Say No To Pink Pant Suits.

Why do you keep my posts in a state of awaiting moderation?

Howard Dean is a joke but at least he got it right when he said, " It was politicians that made a mess of this — not the voters." But he forgets that he is the leader of those politicians and should have never allowed this to have happened.

It's funny how he is pushing the Supers to come out before it is their time and place to come out, just so that he can save face. Michigan and Florida were not the only states to come forward and move their dates, yet some of them were given additional Supers instead of being disenfranchised like Michigan and Florida.

This entire process is flawed with people voting in Congressional Districts that they don't permantly reside in (college students) and of which delegates are awarded based on size as determined by the 2000 census, allowing Republicans and Independants to vote (does the Teamsters Union or any other Union for that matter allow just anyone to vote in their elections?), allowing votes from people who cannot legally vote in the General Election, and on and on.

The fact is Dean and the Supers who have voted out-of-turn, without knowing all the facts, have let the party be hijacked by the Green Party of which I myself supported until I learned that REAL CHANGE is not going to come by getting someone seated as President, but can only come from starting at the bottom and moving up.

I know that when I vote, I'm no longer voting for a dream, I'm voting for what is best for my party. Obama is not what is best for the party nor the United States and if he is on the top of the ballot in November, I'm voting "PRESENT."

And further for all of you who think the Rev Wright issue isn't, ponder this;

While Obama and his supporters want to sweep Rev Wright under the carpet the fact is that he is a hot-button issue and should be. Let's face it, love him or hate him, Rev Wright knows Senator Obama better than any of us. Obama and his family went to this mans church for over 20 years and Obama himself stated the man was like family. In fact he wrote about him in his book.

Now that Rev Wrights hate and racism issues have come to light, we are supposed to dismiss this and continue supporting Obama. And futher Obama tried to throw him under the bus. Now comes Rev Wright speaking in public what he has preached for years and tells what he knows of Senator Obama, that he a politician and says what a politician says to get elected. Obama then jumps in the drivers seat of the bus that he threw Rev Wright under and runs him over.

People it isn't Rev Wright who changed or is crazy like Obama and his supporters want us to think, it is Obama who has done the about face… It's called pandering.

Our votes should be counted from our primary of January 29th. The will of the voters spoke. Hillary Clinton won fair and square. Senator Obama is the ONLY one disenfranchising Florida and Michigan because he didn't like the results. Also, he flip-flopped on Michigan. And you Obama supporters want him to run our country? THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE.!!! He will not win. If Senator Clinton is not the nominee, I will write-in her name on my ballot. I will NEVER vote for John McCain!!! HILLARY CLINTON FOR OUR PRESIDENT. GO HILLARY 08!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I see why America is so polarized and why others are told they fit the group that votes for someone because they either have no common sense or racial and media agrees and plays it again and again and again.

Rules are rules - You cannot bend the rules in the middle of the game to benefit anyone. Yes you can bend them in this case not to disenfranchise voters but it should not change the outcome and more importantly

1) The 48 states that played by the rules
2) The folks in those states that knew their votes wouldn't count and either did nothing or voted for someone else

The news media is crying for more ratings and they are feeding our insasious appettite for drama. This is not a reality show it is chosing the next president of the US and more importantly who will lead us and the world. Period!!!

If you do not already know….The whole world is watching and even though it is not perfect it is still the best democratic process in the world and I think we need to demonstrate a higher standard from the press mainly.

Bill Clinton cheated on his wife.
If Hillary steals these null/void election results, she will have cheated on all of us.

This is the maddness.

WHY WHY WHY would you set and agree to rules back in February or whenever and then say Hey HEY HEY I DON"T LIKE THE RULES SO I WANT THEM CHANGED.

THIS IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT. With all the new voters and first time voters what kind of a message will this send to them. We have had this year along in number record the most new and first time voters that has come out and placed their vote and now you are trying to get them to understand and accept that this is how the practice of voting works That the voting laws can change after an election has started.

WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL OF HOW THIS MESSAGE WILL RESONATE WITH NEW VOTERS

So you say what about the first time voters in MI and FL.

The rules that were in place at the begiing of the primaries have to be enforced, how will this look from a worlds point of view that the AMERICANS can change the rules when ever they feel like it during and election process.

If we do this at this point trust me rules and regulations will hold no merit becuse in this case something that is as important as the presidential campaign for the UNITED STATES of AMERICA has reniged on the rules set the pace for all rules to be changed according to whom ever decides to change their mind and say I don't like the rules anymore.

NO RE-VOTE!! FL & MI governors knew the rules and consequences of moving up their primaries and they choose to do it anyway. The people of Florida and Michigan need to hold their leaders accountable. IBoth candidates also know the rules and acceptedir until she started losing and realized it was not smooth sailing to the 2025 delegates needed now she cares, SPARE ME. I would not trust FL on a re-vote, If they voted on wether the sky was blue I would check for myself.

It is going to be TOO funny when all of the Rush Limbaugh republicans have to bow to Hillary Clinton if she gets the nomination because of their
"Operation Chaos" joke.

I am a Florida and Clinton-supporting voter and I do consider either not voting at all or voting for S. McCain if Florida is not counted! The DNC should accept the results of the Florida primary or holding a re-vote! Considering the two democratic candidates, at least the Clintons have done a lot more good for the country than the Obamas! S. Clinton has a lot more experience than S. Obama and she has gone through a lot more problems than he did! With so many problems today we are not in the position to take risk with S. Obama's talk of change!!! I trust

This wont be necessary after today's Obama win.
Hillary clearly CANNOT catch up. If she had played fair and said the truth, maybe she would have been the nominee. She had my support in the very beginning, but her lies crossed her out of my Presidential list. Obama would have won Ohio and TX had it not been for Operation Chaos; I hate listening to Rush on the radio on my way to work, he's mad I tell you… he's out to destroy the Dem party.

Obama 08

If Obama does not win he will call in Sharpton and his buddies to start a riot/civil war. So we better not include Michigan and Florida you guys or Obama and his thugs will run us out of town.

Disenfranchise a nation if Florida and Michigan are let in - are you people nuts. This is a free and open election for people to vote any which way they want. Since when are you people telling people that they should not be allowed to vote.

Funny how Florida and Michigan rule changes are more important than New Hampshire and Puerto Rico changes. NH moved their primary up after the race started and Puerto Rico moved thiers up to June 1 and changed from a caucus to a primary in March of 2008!
So explain to me again why Florida and Michigan are being held out as examples of "rules cannot be changed in the middle of the game" when other states can do so.
Thank God Howard Dean never became president. He is useless and very indecisive.
If my vote in January does not count at the convention, do not expect me to support the democratic nominee. That will be 2 or the last 3 presidential elections where my vote did not count. The difference though this time is that it is the democrats who do not want my vote to count.
If it is not good enough in the spring, do not expect it in November 08.
_____________________________

Don't you know? Dean let the other states move up to encourage different ethnic and minority groups to vote. That's ok i guess? But we are going to make an example out of two of the biggest Democratic states?????????

Dean is right. They broke the rules… What if everybody did? They broke the rules and the only thing I see is that they have to sit back, let our nominee be elected, fairly, and support whomever that nominee is. Their votes will count come election day.

Keep in mind that all the candidates agreed and signed on to those rules. Typical of the Clintons to try to steal the election by riling-up peoples emotions. Florida and Michagan, your vote will count in November. Use it wisley…

Wake up and pay attention people.

The Supreme Court has established already that the political parties are private organizations and can choose their nominees in any fashion they choose. With that in mind, there is absolutely no 'right to vote' involved in the selection of a party nominee. The 'right to vote' applies to the general election where you choose the actual office holder - it has nothing to do with selecting party nominees.

The DNC established the rules for the selection of the nominee. The states broke the rules. There was a stated punishment for breaking the rules - no delegates at the convention. Any other outcome is changing the rules. Changing the rules in a way that rewards those who break them is setting up the wrong incentives for expected behavior in the future.

Thank you Mr. Dean for pointing out so prominently that the party needs to respect those 48 states that did follow the rules. I would add to that that you also need to respect those voters in Florida and Michigan who didn't vote in the bogus primaries because they knew the rules against the primaries being held at that time and expected that the results of the primaries would not count.

From a practical standpoint, anyone who thinks that the results of those primaries as they stand is an accurate reflection of what the voters in those states really want is just out to lunch. There are many factors feeding into the numbers as they stand being flat out wrong - but most importantly:

1. Not all candidates were on the ballot. This resulted i some who did vote voting for someone whom they would not choose because their first choice candidate was not present. It also resulted in some voters choosing to vote instead in the Republican primary because there was no real race on the Democratic side with all but one of the major contenders being absent from the ballot.

2. Not all voters went to the polls because the results were not going to count. "Don't bother voting, we're not going to pay attention to the results anyway… Surprise! We are going to count them after all! Gotcha!!"

Sharon Minnesota —– why don't you shove your long-book about what you believe is wrong with Obama as opposed what is wrong with Hillary and why you want her to win!

Go vote for Mc Cain and take the other republicans with ya!

Go Obama!

Michigan May 6th, 2008 5:09 pm ET

I live in Michigan and I believe that THE RULES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED…. I have to follow rules, my teens have to follow rules… why make the rule if it's going to be over-turned to satisfy political advantages. FOLLOW THE RULES OR QUIT MAKING THEM. I want a few rules bent for me at work, too…..
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Michigan, you are right, you wise state you. I completely agree with you.

THE CLINTONS HAVE "BRAND RECOGNITION" WHICH MEANS, NO THEIR NAMES AND IDEAS WERE ALREADY THERE. TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU REDNECKS, IT KEEPS YOU BUYING INFERIOR PRODUCTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OBSOLTETE.