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.

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

Go Obama!

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!!"

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...

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?????????

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.

Obama 08

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

Clinton 08!

OH: Obama 87% Clinton 13%

PA: Obama 89% Clinton 11%

IN: Obama 92% Clinton 8%

NC: Obama 94% Clinton 6%

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Go Obama!

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.

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.
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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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

See how easy that is?

Clinton will be our next president.

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