CNN

I believe considering all, that the DNC delt with this imperative matter in a diplomatic way. There is no reason whatsoever that the Clinton's should get all the delegates. They agreed that these votes would not count as well as agreed not to campaign in either state. You can not change the rules when you see that your not winning. Hillary did not do well in planning this campaign from the very beginning and neither did her campaign managers. Her mistake was not planning past super tuesday and it was down hill from there. This blaming Obama for every bad decision her and her campaign has made is pain crazy.
Did anyone in their right mind think that she would get all the delegates in fl or mi, when all people did not vote in either state because of what they were told. Most people do follow the rules and then there are those that follow as long as it is in their favor. Which bring to question her integrity, honoring her word. What we witnessed in this and many of her other flaws [lieing] is what has hurt Hillary. Her word is not at all solid. If you see this now, what will happen once she's in the white house. All the promises she has made during her compaign will be aborted once she's in. Then the people will get it. How you start out is how you must end. I don't believe we have heard the last of the Clinton's. Knowing them as I have come to learn, they never leave on a graceful or poistive exit. I was a supporter of Clinton at first but when I seen the constant lies and dirty politics , I could not support any longer. It's one thing to be strong when your right but you can't stand strong when you know your wrong. You will fall hard from grace at that point. There is a new movement we are seeing here and now. God is doing a new thing here and what we once new to be the norm is no longer normal. Although, I pray that the woman that say they won't support Barack will change their view, if they choose not to, it's ok because God has already selected those that he chose to elect Sen. Obama to be the next Commander-In-Chief. It may not be in the states that we normally expect it to happen. We become so complacent with the way things are alway's done, that when we see a change we see it as strange and begin to fight it only to find in the end, it was the best thing that could have happened. What we need so desperately now is to unite this party and continue to progress toward the white house. United we stand and devided we fall. the rep. are hoping that we will continue to fight against one another because that a almost sure win for them. Democrats we must stand
together , we are the only one's that can cause us to lose this election.

God Bless America

So many things are wrong with your commentary Josh.

Hillary ran Unopposed and still a significant percentage of the voters chose "Other" over her.

MI voters were informed that their primary did Not count. How many stayed home Josh? Nobody knows for certain. That's why the rules committee had to come up with a remedy.

That is why Hillary's "win" in Michigan is a farce. She like any tinpot dictator can claim a victory when running unopposed. But claiming all the votes and the delegates is utterly ludicrous.

Obama "conveniently" chose to remove his name from the ballot?! Hogwash. He followed the rules and did what the DNC had ordered.
There was no subterfuge on his part. Hillary on the other hand...

The DNC, if I'm correct, followed the remedy that the Michigan Democratic Party offered.

So hate away. Live in "Hillaryland" where excuse, complaint, and blaming everyone else for a poorly run (deeply in debt) campaign. Your carnival ride will be over by Tuesday.

The majority of independent voters prefer Obama, and can't wait for Hillary to go away. We have a criminal presidency, a tanking economy, a war to end and a Republican to defeat. Put the knives down and get started.

SHE SHOULD`NT EVEN GOTTEN WHAT THE RULES COMMITTEE AND THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN DECIDED TO GIVE HER IN THE END JUST TO SHUT HER UP,AND THE SAD TRUTH ABOUT THIS WHOLE EVENT IS THAT WE ALL ON THE OBAMA SIDE WILL JUST SIT BACK AND KEEP WATCHING THE CLINTON BACKERS B****H AND MOAN ALL THE WAY TO THE CONVENTION.( LOSERS )

Josh...it is a shame you feel that way. It is more than your state deserves. But hey...it was your state that decided to break the rules knowing full well the punishment and yet, now they cry foul. This compromise was reached in an attempt to pull the party together. Too bad it appears certain groups will never be happy. My suggestion...start blaming your state's democratic party for their choices, because it was their decision that put all of us in this situation. Frankly, it was their decision that in all likelihood will keep the Republican party in the white house this fall. Time to get over it and start working together.

Josh why would you consider penalizing Obama for following the rules in Michigan? Just curious because your comment seems immature... good to see a resolution and Clinton getting the edge. But time to move on and support Mr. Obama in his campaign against McCain. This is an important election and we can't afford a president that would continue the horrible policies of George Bush. Time to reach out to the older, white blue collar demographics such as myself to unite the Democratic party and help Barack Obama protect the American Dream.

It is very obvious that the party elders at the DNC is pushing and pressuring the still uncommitted superdelegates to vote and endorse Obama ASAP & they want Obama to be the nominee even though base on the Electoral College format on the General Election, Clinton clearly had the magic number of 270 pts. to seal the Presidency. The DNC just officially committed a political suicide and just handed what should be a cakewalk for them and handed the victory to McCain and the GOP's.

Rules were broken!!!!

FL and MI had to pay a price.

So goes Hillary's argument.

Let her fight on to the convention if she must.

All it will cost us Dems, ReganDems, and Independents is the White House.

Unless we can break some more rules to get her the nomination.

This is an end game and we should move on together as one!

Obama/? I'm for it!

You know, this just goes to show you how arrogant people can be. Florida and Michigan should have NONE of their votes counted, according to the rules ALL the Democratic candidates agreed to originally. Now some people are screaming, oh well, we're actually entitled to the votes, even though we couldn't get our act together and comply LIKE THE OTHER 48 STATES DID! But these are the values people want their children to learn I guess....do whatever and say whatever you think is fair to you, and cry if the rest of the world won't buy into it. And you wonder how we wound up with the mess we've had the past 8 years.

Florida got penalized by the Dems the very same as they got penalized from the Reps with this new ruling, so all seems fair there. Plus all parties (FL, Obama Campaign, and Clinton Campaign) agreed to it even though Clinton's campaign would LIKE for full votes, they were ok with this way
.
If that is fair for FL than it is fair for MI. For 45% of the people to vote "any body but Clinton" is VERY telling, whether or not both Obama and Edwards both took their name off the ballot (and by the way could not get write in votes, due to MI rules and laws, with by some counts Obama got some 30K of those).

So it seems very fair for Obama to get those uncommitted votes. Plus even if he didn't MI DNC recently voted for their "uncommitted" representatives. 90% of those have already declared that they would back Obama, so even if you gave those to "uncommitted" "uncommitted" IS Obama, it is the same outcome.

OBAMA PLAYED BY THE RULES. HILLARY AND HER PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS PRIMARY INTO A BANANA REPUBLIC ELECTION, WHERE ANYTHING GOES, AND RULES GET CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE FLOW OF THE GAME.
HAROLD ICKES SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE A CRYBABY, AND SORE LOOSER, BY ACCUSING THE PROCESS OF THIEVERY AND OF HIJACKING. MEANWHILE, WACKO PRUNE FACE, HARRIET CHRISTIAN, CREATED QUITE A SIDE SHOW IN HER QUEST FOR HER 15 SECONDS OF INFAMY.

Josh, 45% of Michiganders didn't vote for Hillary Clinton.

Why should she get all the votes?

I'm not a supporter of Clinton's or Obama's (and no, I'm not for McCain; I am a Democrat) and I thought the rules committee should not have reconsidered their original decision to strip both states of their delegates. I dread the next election cycle, now that states believe they can leap-frog to the front of the line with impunity – I understand that the Michigan Dem Party leader isn't done and will push the credentials committee to restore the votes fully.

As a voter in the biggest, most populous state, our primary was relatively early (March 5), but my two preferred candidates had dropped out by then, so, Josh, we've all gotten screwed.

But to put this to bed, I'll live with this decision. How about it? Are you willing to compromise?

The DNC did the right thing and stuck to the rules. The votes in FL and MI as cast were invalid as the presidential nominees were not allowed to campaign – you can not have a free and fair democratic election with the nominees not being able to campaign in person for the votes of the people. Obama, Edwards, Richardson and others showed good faith in abiding by the rules of the DNC and petitioned to have their names removed in both MI and FL – they were successful only in MI because FL maintained the names of the candidates on the ballot against their wishes. Hillary Clinton pledged that she would abide by the DNC ruling that the move-up primary votes of MI and FL would not count. She decided to go against that pledge when it proved politically advantageous. The half-delegate count and Michigan compromise was fair and a significant number of Hillary Clinton supporters who made up the MAJORITY on the Rules and Bylaws committee supported it. The playoffs are coming to an end and we need to focus on November.
On to the general election.

Unfortunately, I believe Hillary needs to contest Michigan as it does not seem like the DNC is abiding to Michigan state law. For Hillary to be "given" less delegates than she earned in the Primary is ridiculous! Senator Obama removed his name from the ballot and therefore the "uncommitted" delegates should not be given to him.

HILLARY, TAKE IT TO THE CONVENTION. BO will go down by his own past actions; otherwise, Senator McCain by default will be our next President!

Josh, I am one of those in Michigan who did not vote in the democratic primary because I was told it wouldn't count. I am also an Obama supporter. So what about my voice? To say that all the votes should count and they should all go to Clinton is not fair to me or any other Michigander who wanted our voices to go for those besides Clinton. Giving her all the delegates and Obama none would NOT be representative of the true desires of Michigan and is absurd. The allocation agreed upon is more fair than Clinton all, Obama none.

actually no. They are biased towards the rules. You obviously have no knowledge or regard or respect for the way this worked. Both of these states fought to have their elections early even after being warned of the consequences. Neither of them should have been allowed any leeway and the fact that they were and the fact that you are still not happy with that proves just what a closed minded, sad, win-at-all-cost Hillary supporter you are. The rules are the rules thankfully, so I either suggest you leave this country or wake up and smell the coffee. Curious what your take would be had Hillary been in Obama's position and Obama in her's? Anyway the way it all stands in this current reality is that FYI Hillary loses either way.

For those of you who didn't pay attention:
1. Clinton and Obama both signed off on the rules that didn't count those votes, because of the penalty ruling on the early primary.
2. Both candidates also signed pledges not to campaign there.
3. HILLARY BROKE THE RULES, then expected the votes to be treated normally. Then she manipulates the press and calls the voters "disenrfranchised".

Guess what, folks? This will be essentially over in 72 hours. Clinton voters who take this to Denver severely endanger our chances of taking the White House.

As L.A. sportscaster Chick Hearn used to say, the refrigerator door is closing, and the eggs are getting cold. Put on your big girl panties and DEAL WITH IT!

Of course you would not be happy. Its all or nothing for you Clinton supporters. I hope she does go to the credentials committee, just to hear no she cant have it her way.

Look on the positive side, she is in Puerto Rico drumming up support (popular vote) argument so she can make her case when she wins that STATE, with the endorsement of SUPER DELEGATE Ricky Martin, who will be preforming at the DNC in Denver. The popular vote argument is garbage in a primary.. Reason the votes in the Caucuses are not counted. FACT.

P.S when she looses Montana and South Dakota and the (Popular Vote) she will continue her destructive, broke self to the convention.

Hey Josh –

HRC was the only on the ballot because she did not remove her name as instructed! Typical Clinton supporter, only knowing half hte story because she doesn't want to educate the voters.

HRC is just as slick as her husband without only 3 more years experience than BO. As for me, I'd rather vote for the person that I can trust.

Obama O8

LOL, if you want to be like that Josh then go back to when Hillary and O'bama both agreed to not campaign in Both Florida and Michigan and noted that Michigan and Florida would not be counted because they broke the rules but now Hillary is being two-faced and changing her mind. Why would I want someone in office that does that. And anyway what do you say to the million voters in both Florida and Michigan that didn't vote because they knew that THERE OWN STATE BROKE THE RULES AND THERE DELEGATES WOULD NOT COUNT?

FAIR IS FAIR.

The way the DNC Rules Committee voted is just about the way I saw it coming though not what I would have liked. Even so, this gives Hillary some breathing room. After the landslide in Puerto Rico on Monday, there will not be enough delegates left for Obama to pick up what he needs to nail down the nomination. Too bad, Berry.

Now, on to the convention and, um... Barak, why don't you bring your friends Revs Wright and Phlugr along with you to Denver. They've done so much for your campaign.

it wouldn't matter if they hillary clinton got the 73-55 amount of delegates, she still is going to lose. Clinton supporters just have to deal with that

This is probably the most fair response by the DNC. I had the ability to watch mart of the RBC meeting today and it appeared that the delegate apportionment was submitted by the MICHIGAN Democratic party – not by Obama or by Clinton, or by the DNC. Does anyone really think that Obama would not have gotten any votes had his name not been removed from the ballot? This is the (new) definition of "is" by the Clinton campaign, and a "my way or the highway" attitude only highlights how the campaign has become focused on winning and not really caring about the votes being counted to enfranchise the voters.

As to the half votes, that is more than fair in my view. Both states were found to have changed their primaries' dates against the rules of the party, and the party can make its own rules. Nothing in the Constitution addresses political parties. This punishes the state partty folk. Whether they were justified or not is bside the point. The state folk knew the risks, and all the candidates, including Senator Clinton, signed off on the original punishment.

BTW, I am an Obama supporter, but I'm not so rabid that this will keep me from voting Clinton in November if by some chance she becomes the nominee. I don't intend to cut off my nose to spite my face. I know what four more years of Bush policies will mean – a weaker dollar, a continuation of no real strategy or definition of mission in Iraq, and the potential of aggression against Iran.

You realize Obama didn't put his name on the ballot in order to follow the rules set by the DNC, the same rules both he and Clinton were supporters of until Clinton started to lose? Can't really penalize someone for following the rules and reward someone else for breaking them.

Too bad Josh uses the words hate. The " Monstor" THAT HE SUPPORTS, Hillary ,causes people to behave the way that they do. Hillary is not a person I would even allow my children to follow not even my "Dogs-animals" if they were allowed to vote. She is evil and you see what she is doing to the Democratic party . Hillary Clinton, She will do anything in order to become the nominee. She is truly a "MONSTER" AND THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW HER ARE BLIND beyond recognition.

Josh,
You are a deluded. Hillary publically agreed to remove her name from the ballot- a lie!!!! She deserved to get no delegates from Michigan. the compromise was generous to her. Face it, the Clinton dynasty is over, and not a moment too soon

It's resolved. Lets move on and deal with John McCain. There is no way anyone could ever determine the will of the MI voters from what happened at the polls there. The people of Michigan never had a chance to express a preference between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama and the best outcome today would probably have been a 50/50 split. A few more delegates one way or the other won't affect anything. Let's put this behind us and focus on winning in Nov.

I just don't understand the logic of die hard Hillary supporters? What really makes these people think that the Michigan or Florida votes were fair? Everyone wants there candidate to win, but come on. Fair is fair! Trust me when 40% of a state votes uncommitted against a 55% vote for Hillary it doesn't indicate anything positive for Clinton to gain on. That means that 40% voted against her (any body but her). It's time that everyone start to wakeup to the facts and accept the results. You can't win them all, and you can't make up rules as you go!

Josh,

You obviously have not been keeping up with this. Floriada and Miichigan were being punished because they illegally moved up their primaries. Why are you blaming Barack?? Hillary did not give a darn about Florida and Michigan until she was losing.

I am an Obama supporter and not happy with this decision. Hillary should step down and get out of this race before the entire US votes for McCain.

She is tearing the D-party and the voters apart with this continuing fighting to be the Queen of America. She does not give a hoot about the American People, The D-party or anything except herself. She is not fighting for change in American and how Washington DC runs the country, and if she is elected it would not be long before the people and delegates who votes for her will be kicking them self for ever believing in the pack of lies that she keep spitting out.

I will vote for Obama, and if he is not on the ballet then I will vote for McCain.

I am so confused here. I am a white Female from Florida, and I too was raised by the quote "follow the rules". I'm not sure I understand why the DNC held a hearing today. Just last year everyone in that room today voted to penalize Florida and Michigan for breaking the rules. Hillary agreed upon these rules, an expressed no concern whatsoever, when she was ahead. Hell, she even stated on live Television that she didn't remove her name form the Michigan Ballots , beause, it didn't matter, the votes don't count! Did know one elsee see this, but me! Am I missing something here? This election has really helped me to open my eyes wide; there are a lot of ignorant people out there, and they don't even know it. You mean to tell me you can create a rule, agree on a rule, set a rule, and then change it to accomodate someone, some situation etc. This is absolutely ridiculous! You all need to truly open up your eyes and stop this nonsense. Hillary has no one to blame for this situation but herself! She ran a poor campaign from the start. I am not surprised by the fact that her campaign is 31 million dollars in debt. She has none of the qualities of a good Leader. She ran a negative campaign, and spent too much time trying to elaborate and research dirt on her opponent instead of showing America that she is trustworthy and capable of being the next President. She used poor judgement when selecting her campaign staff; therefore, she had to hire, fire, and rehire and she still doesn't have it right, and now to make matters worst, she is a sore loser. Hillary allowed America to see the true Hillary and I don't like it. Hillary and Bill Clinton have more tricks up there sleeves than any of her supporters care to see. They have received millions of dollars from questionable Countries, Bill has pardoned people who should still be behind bar, and they thought they had Washington DC wrapped around there fingers, but, I'm glad the Superdelegates have opened there eyes, and are also tired of the games played in DC. Enough is enough. a change is definitely needed!

democracy with half vote..? Is DNC "GOD" on earth..

Funny... what happenned to our found father ideology
WE THE PEOPLE,, one person one vote..

There are no penalties or rules in that.

It should have been all or none.. Either way the DNC lost FLorida in general election..They have alienated FLorida
Let the DNC stew in thei election of OBAMA..a losing candidate.

A SHAME to the proess

I am a demcrat..Now I will switch to Republican.. .unless Hillary runs independent

Since this was the Michigan Democratic party solution, Josh should attack the Michigan Democratic party...but of course not be angry at the Michigan governor (a Clinton supporter) who signed off on the move of the primary in violation of the National party rules, fully knowing that would mean disqualification.... and of course not be angry at Clinton who
agreed that the primary would not count....and then suddenly whipped up naieve supporters after realizing that she was way behind in delegates and popular vote and needed to resusicate the disqualified states to get bargaining chips for VP or to try yet another spinned rationale to get the superdelegates to overrule the choice of delegates awarded by primaries.

I am so sick of Hillary I can just scream. First she says that Mich. and Fl broke the rules, and the rules are the rules. Now she gets a compromise, and it's still not good enough. Do we really want a wishy-washy president like her. She's just another Bush, It's her way or the highway. Oh yea, I'm a white middle aged woman.

Josh – you are aware that Hilary personally signed a legally binding document last fall that stated she was totally cool with Florida AND Michigan not counting right? She only started making a stink over this whole mess when she realized she was losing.

looks pretty fair considering it could have been 100 % penalized.
the committee did the best with what the two states put them in.
so.

time to unite.

Democrats 08

She was robbed. Watch as a democrat changes into an independent. Bye Bye DNC

Although I want Hillary to win, I was appalled by what I witnessed at the DNC meeting today. Every participant in any competition understands that the rules agreed to at the beginning are the same rules that apply at the end.

All this double talk and shading of the facts doesn't change anything.

Josh people like you are exactly the reason Hillary is behind in every count that matters. It is sad that the only thing your candidate has taught her voters is to hate. Truth is nobody is going to feel sorry for this grown woman who decided before this primary begin that she will win... because she is a Clinton....and just as you hate the DNC. I am sure that they will NOT ,miss a blink tonight as they sleep

That primary was not legitimate and everyone knows it. I am glad that the Rules Committee were able to see through the nonsense and arrive at a fair decision. I have grown up believing that whats fair is fair and that everyone should play by the rules! I hope to raise my children to believe same and not to think that the end always justifies the means.

I believe it was the right thing to do. If the shoe was on the other foot, there is no way Hillary Clinton would have agreed to have all of the delegates seated. It's so obvious that Obama is a fair person and tries to do the right thing for his rival although she would have never done the same thing for him. Reverend Pfleger was right. She is a crying Clinton that thinks the world owes her and her husband something. I am a true democrat and I used to like them until she started whiningand lying about everything and he started bringing race into the picture. The meer fact that African Americans once said he was the first president is inconceivable to me. That's where ignorance comes into play. A white man could never know how it feels to be a black person because they are so used to having things go their way. I'm so sick and tired of women thinking that they have to vote for her because she will be the first woman as president. You should vote because of honesty and integrity. Obama has all of this and more. He's very intelligent and she can't stand the fact that a black man is beating a Clinton. Get over yourself Hillary and go crawl back into your hole with your red nose husband. Obama all the way.

Josh, why are you so mad at Obama for removing his name from the Michigan ballot? He was told that Michigan broke the DNC rules by moving up their primary date and as result their votes would not count. The majority of you Hillary supporters are upset that Obama followed the rules and the DNC decided to compromise, even though they should have stood by their rules. What's the point of having rules when no one takes them seriously?

I wonder what Hillary and her supporters would be saying if the roles were reversed!! I bet she'd be saying how important it is for the DNC to uphold their original ruling and how now would be a good time for her opponent to accept defeat.

I use to admire Hillary Clinton, but I have lost all respect for her during the course of this campaign (especially after Bosnia). Her supporters remind me of the arrogant republicans that defend the Bush administration with irrational talking points.

Rules are rules period, end of sentence.

It's a weightless solution. They were too careful not too alter the outcome.

Obviously Josh is not looking at ALL the facts and making extremely biased statements that will be ignored by everybody.
Rules my friend...rules..

Please can someone tell me whether T. J. Holmes is married. He is the man of my dreams.

Yeah, I know I will be moderated out. I can live with it and if you even got a chuckle out of it while deleting my post it was well worth it.

Hey Josh,

Obama, like every other candidate except Clinton, took his name off the ballot after everyone agreed that Michigan broke the rules and would not count. You said he (Obama) "did not put his name on the ballot".That, Josh, is simply not true.

This whole thing was nothing but a "dog and pony show" anyway. I'm going to relish in the concession speech from Clinton on Wednesday. Nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey, GOODBYE!

Ohh shut up and stop whinning,am for Hillary but this is bigger than Hillary,its the future of our great nation at stake.I never honestly expected a decision that will go against Obama and may be,just may be hand over the nomination to Hillary.That would turn the party upside down.In the interest of party unity,lets move forward.

Josh,

Obama just followed the decision put forward by the Rules Committee of the Democratic Party. Maybe Mrs. Clinton should get ALL those votes while at the same time being THROWN OUT of the Democratic Party for IGNORING the Rules Committee?

Jan

I knew the DNC had no balls to keep MI at zero delegates.

The bottom line is the only fair way to do this was to revote in MI and FL. Second aside from the delgate count Clinton will end this Primary fight with the Popular vote. According to every upstanding Democrat the Popular vote is the will of the people as in what happened between Bush and Gore in 2000. If Obama is Selected will he meet with the same criticism that Bush got? This speaks volumes to the hypocrisy of the Democratic party.

i believe this is more than fair. lets not forget that hilary agreed that both michigan and florida would not count and now she's acting like the dnc are not being democratic. she cant change the rules at the end of the game because she is losing. i actually like the decision because florida and michigan voters do recieve some recognition. The problem with seating every delegate at full strength is that in the future other states will be able to move their primaries up without penalty. why have rules.

my mama taught me to follow the rules and not cheat! lol

Living in Michigan I really think that the Michigan delegation should of been given full votes with the exception of the states leadership that caused this problem. We would not be in this position without the poor descisions made at the top. This was not caused by Obama or the national DNC.

For Clinton supporters to say in one breath we want ALL voices to count but then say count the results of the invalid election as it was cast is bizarre.
Do you REALLY think that those result reflected the will of the Democrats in MI? So 45% (uncommited) would not have voted for another candidate had it been valid? Also, would not the dynamic been different if all 8 candidates were allowed to introduce themselves to MI by campaigning? It's crazy for people to think that 55% of MI voters wanted Clinton and no other candidate would have won any delegates?

So, while I'm upset that it had to come down to this, I think that any consideration to these invalid results was very generous in making the decision the DNC rules team made today.

As usual the spin is in favor of Obama. What the reporters and leadership fail to mention is that Obama and Edwards removed their name from the Michigan ballot because they knew they would lose. This way it didn't count as a loss. Florida wouldn"t allow them to remove their name. There was no rule or suggestion that any candidate take their name off the ballot.

I am gravely disappointed. Watching the proceedings today was like looking behind the curtain in Oz. What a farce. What right do a hand full of people have to dictate who the candidates will be?

I am through with the party and will not vote for Obama.

Hey Josh, the deal was fair, who's to say all of the votes clinton got were hers, and not just votes because she happened to be the strongest democrat on the ballot...

The deal was fair, she will have to deal with it, and realize she has lost...

Congratulations Hillary supporters. Michigan and Florida cheated and was given a gift by the DNC in this vote. None should have been seated but Mrs. Clinton whined and moaned after agreeing at the beginning of the primary season that their votes would be stripped. Only when she realized she would lose did she flip flop and start complaining about how the voters were "disenfranchised". Don't you see Clinton supporters, Hillary is only concerned about herself and not your votes. She will stop at nothing to get into the White House, even if it means splitting up the Democratic Party. Oh, and by the way, Obama still only has 67 delegates to go to Clinton's 200 plus. This game was over and still is over. Unite under Obama or we'll have 4 more years of Iraq.

Josh you are an idiot. Hillary knew the rules and she had no problems with it until she realized that she was losing. You can't change the rules in the middle of the game. What does that say about her character and yours. I am sure you were raised better than that.

I have been a democrat since I can remember and I am so disgusted by what happened today.

The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws
Committee does not speak for a whole state.

It is our vote that counts not yours.

Shame on you!

Josh,

You, like the other Hillary supporters, are an idiot. Hillary agreed to the penalties and then wormed her way onto the ballot. The only thing the Michigan vote proves is her lack of integrity and that she can beat Kucinich. You are all living in a delusional world. You believe Hillary has "experience" despite a complete lack of it. The only experience she has is shared by Monica Lewinsky (hint: it has nothing to do with politics) and the presidential cat, "Socks". You believe her repeated lies despite repeated hard facts against them. You are blind to the fact that she is as poisonous and dirty a politician as Karl Rove and George Bush ever were. You refuse to accept the reality that the only thing that cost Hillary this election is Hillary, not the media, not Pelosi, not Dean. Be an adults and accept responsibility and stop looking for people to blame. Furthermore, Hillary couldn't beat Obama in a primary so stop talking as if she can beat McCain.

First Bill Clinton costs Gore the election with antics giving us 8 years of George Bush. Now Hillary can continue his legacy by costing the Dems and election once again. In the ultimate irony, many of these women who are voting for Hillary for the mere fact she is woman and profess that they will never vote for Obama will face a Supreme Court that will roll back Roe v. Wade, affirmative action and many other civil rights. That'll teach Obama!

HILLARY deserves a lot better, and everybody knows she is the best the Dems have. CLINTON for PREZ

Stop whining. YOU LOST! The Clinton name doesn't entitle anyone to benefit from breaking the rules. Sorry you don't like it but you might as well quit your bellyaching and get used to the fact that Barack Obama will be our next president:-).

Sharon Minnesota May 31st, 2008 8:37 pm ET
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Democracy at it's worst. Florida and Michigan can join the Republicans for sure now. They will be happy to count your votes come November.

I agree with the Democratic National Convention’s ruling on the votes in Florida, but find the ruling on Michigan’s votes disturbing. The DNC is talking out of the side of their heads on the Michigan decision. This is not an accurate reflection of the intention of the voters in Michigan.

Uncommitted votes should be accurately and fairly acknowledged as uncommitted. I support Senator Clinton’s desire to count Michigan’s votes as is. I sincerely hope the problem with Michigan is resolved before any more damage is done to the image and integrity of the Democratic Party.

The unresolved dispute and misrepresentation of inaccurate counting of votes would be a precedent we all would regret being set.

Timothy

Seems like alot of people just dont want a black man as president

Josh, although you disagree with the outcome don't you think its a little childish to say " we hate you"? In the end we all have the same agenda.

Everybody lets chill out here , it was a good decision to unite the party.
Remember everybody know what the rules were on Mich. and Fl. before the voting took place and everybody agree including Sen.Clinton.
Lets all now make sure that Sen.Mc Cain doesn't win the White House and carry out Pres.Bush's 3rd term . Can you just picture what the Supreme Court would look like if McCain becomes Pres. of the U.S.A.
DEMOCRATS UNITE

Josh – I've read many comments from people here on CNN and other sites stating they voted uncommitted to give their votes to either Obama or Edwards as it was the only way they could. Giving those votes/delegates to him was only fair. It's time to start looking at issues as this is now a closed chapter of this long primary season.

Why do you hate Pelosi and Dean for this? They didn't suggest the 69-59 split – the state of Michigan's Democratic committee did.

We need the strongest candidate to fight McCain in November and based on how she's run her campaign and the people she surrounds herself with, it is not Hillary. Obama has run a better campaign. It's as simple as that.

Dear Hillary Clinton,

It's over! OBAMA 08-12

You take it all the way to the convention Hillary! The Good Ole Boys are doing everything they can to knock you out! You are the only one that will get my vote in November!

Anyone could see how any other outcome would have been grossly inappropriate. The Clinton people are going down kicking and screaming for unfair things because it's their last chance. "give only Clinton delegates from Michigan, it's the only way to represent everyone." Yea, hypocrites fighting for representation, as if Michigan had no obama supporters.

Michigan of all places surely is the land of the greatest people
who come together in a time unique and a setting reflective of the current values of mainstream america today. And as Marvin Guberman so succinctly exclaimed to the throngs which were gathered recently at the park in Grand Rapids under the weeping willow tree where sat Olympia McDoodlehead sipping a mountain dew, and she said I believe HILLARY IS OUR CHOICE for the next deciderer to answer that 3:00am call which might be Bill needing a ride home from the bar.

Josh, you conveniently over look the fact that the DNC had already said that the Michigan primary was NOT going to count! Therefore noone's name should have been on the ballot. I'm from Florida and I agree that taking away 100% of the delegates was too harsh. I haven't missed voting in any election (national or state) for over 10 years but I didn't vote in the Florida primary because we were told over and over that it would not count! How many people in Florida and Michigan were like me and simply didn't vote because of this? That is the reason why simply giving all the delegates to Clinton would have been outrageous. No one can cry foul because the DNC is ran by the Clintons and has been since 1991. The underdog simply ran a better campaign.

How can you say Obama not having his name on the ballot is a convenience for him when at the time he wasn't the front runner, and the race still had three other contestants?... I hope this mess continues and the country sees first hand what to expect next year if a Dem takes the white house.

The Clintons are singlehandedly ruining the Democratic party. Why should she get all the votes. What entitles her to it! Tell me Please! And why is Obama always to blame for everthing that occurs in the universe. Say if you are not for the DNC then get the hell out.

Do you call this being bias? Josh, do you have any children or people who look up to you? What will you teach them? To change rules when they are loosing or behind? This was a flawed election and deep down your heart, you know it but fighting unjustly? Its a shame people cant deal with this with honesty knowing Hillary is wrong and should just accept her defeat.

Those that think Clinton should get all the delegates need to remember that she agreed the results in Michigan would not count. In fact it was Ickes who agreed to it. This was when they thought they were the presumptive nomination for the democratic party. Funny how they changed their minds when they began to lose. There is no way this woman should be President. She reminds me of Bush.

Truth be told Josh... Both primaries were at the time deemed invalid so it shouldn't have mattered who's names were on the ballot. The DNC had more Clinton supporters than Obama and with the exception of Ilkes or whatever his name is the RBC was interested in reaching some sort of compromise with both states in the interest of party unity

The RBC did the best it could today under difficult circumstances. Hillary supporters should not be upset over the 4 vote slippage in her total. It's alsohard to deny the Obama supporters any votes from Michigan.I think Hillary is a great candidate but will support the nominee which appears to be Obama. It is time for all the bickering to end and focus on fixing the economy and bringing our troops home.

I hope Hillary does not intend to take this matter to the convention. She will certainly lose and all she accomplishes is the potential defeat of her fellow democrat. If she does that she is politically dead. Congratulations to the Florida and Michigan voters. Your full votes will be restored at the convention but only after the nominee is apparent.

It's so very sad that the committee is so in favour of Obama that they would cheat Mrs Clinton is so blatantly without a second thought. It doesn't matter who you support it just reeks of garbage.

Did they not understand the rules when these "persons" voted???? Was this not stated before hand?????? FL especially are just making the rest of the nation(after chad gate) see how you play the game-

Boo Hoo. I loved seeing how the Clinton supporters acted today. It showed their true colors and education level.

Please, give it up Billary...you are on the way out.

Unbelievable how the DNC got bullied by the Clinton camp into even considering seating any of the Florida and Michigan delegates. This overture of goodwill will not be met with a response in kind. Clinton will continue to with her 'entitlement" mentality and insist on being the nominee against the clear will of the people. Never mind if this jeopardizes the party's unity, the general election and the good of the country. She puts personal ambition above all else.

Truly hope I'm wrong.

Josh...I agree. Obviously Obama, Richardson, Biden and Edwards were not interested in Michigan. They must have believed that rumor that was going around that Michigan had joined Canada because they liked the bacon.
How could the DNC be so blind as to not recognize the immense victory of Hillary against NOBODY!

I am not happy with the decission either. Votes were stolen from Hillary. She should take it all the way to the Denver.

The Clinton clan are just dispicable. Nothing more than a bunch of creeps, who will do anything ousrside of the rules to be nominated. They should just get lost and let the real campaign begin.

Should have known that the DNC would back Obama again. I will not vote for Obama and all the DNC did was to split the party with its unfair decisions. Obama was on the Florida ballot, and the people of Florida voted for Hillary, come on DNC, open you eyes. Its going to be just like it was in 2002, another cheating, lying and back stabbing election.

I will vote for Hillary, ONLY

Pelosi and Dean are double dealing cheaters. I thought Pelosi would be a good leader, NO, SHE IS JUST LIKE BUSH. LIAR.

Be thankful you Hillary supporters get anything at all, as Hillary's own advisers agreed to abide by the initial rules of both states losing all their delegates.

Where was she yelling about so-called disenfranchisement when she agreed that these states would not count? Oh yeah, she was still holding the belief that she would win the nomination by a handy margin.

Clinton's strategy in the last month has been an effort to exert what influence she has left in order to define the conversation with regard to how the public should view the seating of both the Florida and Michigan delegations. This is a transparent, yet effective, technique most often utilized by those who do not have objectively verifiable truth on their side. Can you say Bush administration?

I sincerely hope that everyone who intends to vote for a democratic candidate this fall can rally behind the presumptive nominee, Barack Obama.

Please, please, Josh. Control your emotions.

Kevin

On October 11, 2007, Hillary Clinton said the following on a New Hampshire public radio station:

"I personally did not think it made any difference whether or not my name was on the ballot...it's clear this election they're having is not going to count for anything."

**Have people simply forgotten her saying stuff similar to this prior to primary season?**

COME TUESDAY THIS CHARADE BY THE BILLARY TWINS WILL BE OVER-GOOD RIDDANCE.

OBAMA/BIDEN '08

To be legit they need to revote these States now after all the others are done. Whoever decided to hold the primaries ahead needs to pay for the new elections.

I am from Washington, our top two primary has been validated by the Supreme Court so we will be voting in August with only the top two vote getters making it to the General Election in November. The parties are not very happy about this because we Washingtonians want to vote for the person not the party, and the party candidate may not even be on our ballot in the General. The people of Washington are overwhelmingly happy to have a primary that looks so much like our "blanket primary" so we can vote the person regardless of party affiliation.

I am a young voter(28) in Ohio, I have never voted but have registered to vote this year. I didnt know who to vote for, before today. After the DCN changed their rules, I have decided to vote for McCain. This is non-sense, I wish many times in my life I could change the rules. I live a simple life and follow the rules (if I dont I get fired). Actually that is a good idea, the DCN should "fire" those people responsible for this (maybe then I would change my mind),

whats was done is fair. how can u even complain when the votes in these two states should have not counted for anything. the fact that there is even an argument when all candidates ageed in the beginning on the rules surprises me.

put an end to the say anything do anything to win politics

OBAMA 08

As a servicemember from michigan who never voted until after I left the military because of medical discharge. I lost my leg in iraq for what? So my vote wouldnt count? Im changing to republican!!! At least I know mcain knows the sacrifice I made for this country. I know my vote wil count for them. I always thought my vote would count! I never knew they decided when and how my vote would count!!!!

I don't understand the hoopla!!!!! The rules were broken and the candidates were asked not to campaign in these states. As far as I see it Obama followed the rules!!!!!! At least now, this is behind the democratic party and we can move on to the general election.

Obama '08!!!

I love that all of these Clinton supporters are saying that not fully seating the delegates from Michigan is undemocratic without realizing that having an election with only one candidate on the ballot and giving voters no other choice is exactly what dictators do to feign democracy.

It wasn't only Obama, it was Edwards as well that didn't put his name on the ballot, or campaigned in that state. Further, they were told the stipulations of what would occur since Michigan did push up the primary and go against the rules that had been agreed upon. Hillary was the only one that had her name on the ballot. Regardless, Florida and Michigan broke the rules, willingly, and they are very lucky that they are getting this compromise, as opposed to the alternative (not counting at all). It goes to show you that you can break the rules, and not suffer consequences if you stamp your feet and have a tantrum.

From Michigan here and she should have not gotten all of them, thats just insane to suggest. Stop being such a crybaby and get over it. Are you going to fight for my right of not being able to select my candidate? Or do you just fight if it benefits Hillary? Its over for her time to get on board with Obama or get run over by the straight talk express

oh yea 1 more thing GO WINGS!!

There is something fundamentally wrong with the DNC providing an educated resolution to proportionately seat delegates in Michigan and Florida. The best and accurate solution to seating delegates in Michigan and Florida was a revote in a second primary, provided that the DNC fund the voting process. I can arguably presume that the existing tally of votes does not represent the will of the people.

The DNC had a chance to fix this months ago, and consequently this became the best solution at such a late date. The DNC leadership was respectful to Sen. Clinton and the delegates in Michigan and Florida by seating them and providing a reasonable penalty for breaking the rules. Maybe next time Michigan and Florida will voice any difficulties keeping a schedule and ask for help before the republican party gets them in trouble again.

I hear a great deal of controversy and talk that it is unfair not to seat the delegates and votes in Florida and Michigan, and I understand it to a degree, my only argument is that why didn't anyone from the Clinton campaign contest before she was losing the democratic nomination? If it is unfair now, why wasn't it when they initially made the decision.

The sanctimonious DNC destroyed Democracy today as they rewarded a candidate that took his name off the ballot in Michigan. They ignored the will of the people and let the world know that American elections are corrupted and manipulated by a few. The few DNC members with the courage of their convictions, and armed with a sense of fairness and truth were quickly crushed by the tainted membership. Every voter quickly learned that the system is corrupt and a joke. Our basic freedom does not exist, it is only rehtoric..words that can be altered in the blink of an eye. I will never vote for Obama,,,he is vile and a racist, and I will campaign vigorously for Senator McCain. But I understand that the DNC could care less, they just crushed they will of over 600,000 voters, what's one more vote when you have dennegrated freedom and democracy!

Hillary supporters have now gone beyond bonkers.

The idea that this wasnt fair is beyond ridiculous.

The RULES were that no delegates would be seated and Hillary agreed to this and signed off on it. Does her word or her signature mean anything? Obviously not, and with each post the Hillary supporters' lies grow larger.

This is ridiculous, BY THE RULES HILLARY AGREED TO, THERE SHOULD BE NO DELEGATES SEATED IN FL AND MI. THIS WAS A COMPROMISE TO TRY AND SHUT THE SORE LOSERS UP.

What a bunch on whining brats............they aren't ready to run this country............hope they keep it up for all to see and spend their war chest in the process...........what a nasty crowd

I agree with Josh, Obama made a choice to take his name off. Kind of sounds like he did it just for this reason.

Now that Mi and Fl have been settled by the DNC, I strongly suggest that Harold Ickes and Hilary Clinton should form a panel with their supporters and vote for the general election during the Month of October 2008 and make the same hue and cry that all votes should be counted. That will be another wild circus to watch. With economygoing downhill, housing crisis and gas prices we need a lot of diversation. Hillary can give us those diversions.

Hey! Now all the Clinton supporters can shut up and start supporting Obama

In response to the ridiculous comment posted – Obama, and ALL the other nominees (Edwards, Biden, Richardson) AGREED WITH THE DNC to remove their names from the ballot because Michigan broke party rules. It would be completely inequitable to do this any other way. There's no way she can pull this off, with or without MI and FL, so let's move on. If you want to be hateful and rude because of a fair decision, that's your choice, but we have an election to win. Personally, I don't think it's fair to give her the lead in delegates. There is no way of knowing how the primary would've actually ended, but the decision was made and we must move forward.

Josh – that's entirely ridiculous. Obama "conveniently" did not put his name on the ballot? He didn't put his name on the ballot because BOTH he AND Hillary agreed to the rules put forward by the DNC. Hillary has only changed her tune as a last-ditch effort to salvage a losing campaign.

Ickes and Clinton are upset that, in addition to the votes apportioned for "Uncommitted", Obama was given FOUR more delegates that would otherwise have gone to Clinton, to reflect the fact that, had Obama been on the ballot, and had Michigan not broken the primary rules, more Obama supporters would likely have voted.

So explain to me - why would it make sense to appeal this decision to the full Credentials Committee, and hold this process over until the convention, over a measly FOUR delegates, when Clinton is over 200 delegates behind? Is it seriously worth it if it results in a President McCain?

I voted for Hillary when she ran for Senator in New York, but I have lost all respect for her. She has shown herself to be petty, power-hungry, and determined to knock down anyone who gets in her way through whatever means necessary and regardless of the consequences. Rather than accepting defeat gracefully and working to unite the party, she is destroying us from the inside out. If McCain wins in November, I place the blame squarely at Clinton's feet.

EVERYTIME THE cLinton camp wants to move the goal post why?

Who says cheaters never when. This is such a bad example to set for our children. How do you tell a child not to do something or they will be punished and then not punish them. You are teaching them your word does not mean anything. You cant play basketball because you are failing. Oh wait it is the championship and we need you so you can play half the game (to help us get ahead) but then you have to sit back on the bench( we might need to use you again). Shame on the party. We are starting to look like clowns...

let us show how democratic way work in august ..all pledge and supper delegates will have to vote for whoever best to elected in Nov.. and certainly Clinton is the one.. not that radical ill judgement obama.. for sure

Wow. I never thought I would vote independently, if Hillary runs that way, or for a republican. thanks DNC for giving the election back to the Republicans next year. Untried, untested, unknown, unamerican.....what did it take to convince anyone that Senator Obama can't win in the general election? Bias, sexist, CNN, you and MSNBC have disappointed me so much this year. Where is unbiased reporting? Gone by the way of fear. Fear NOT to elect a black man? Fear TO elect a woman? Which is it?

They ought to have held a revote and awarded the pledged delegates in full (or in half, either way..) while giving them no pledged delegates.

This decision is a very good one as of this point in time because no decision will make everyone happy anyway, but God, Michigan and Florida deserved zero. ZERO. At least now they'll technically have a say so they won't be whining in November and McCain stays out of office.

The DNC ought to schedule the primaries and caucuses for each state, with smaller states out front, 10 every tuesday for 5 weeks and that can be the end of it.

Isn't life easy if you do that?

Just saying.

At least it wasn’t left unresolved, and now there’s finality with Michigan and Florida. I was disappointed by the Clinton supporters at the meeting and how disrespectful they were to the Democratic National Committee members with all their interruptions. As a democrat, I’m saddened by the fact that if Clinton can’t win she’s willing to drag down the Democratic Party with her. A true democrat would put the party first.

To : supporters of Sen Clinton who disagree with the decision to grant Sen Obama some of the Michigan delegates.
As I understand it, you feel that his receiving any votes from that state is unfair because he removed his name from the ballot so no votes were (provably) cast for him. That is according to the rules of an election. However, if you take the position of "following rules" to its logical conclusion, it is unfair for ANYONE to receive votes from either FL or MI because they were stripped of their candidates. (Old news, by now.) The time to protest that decision to strip the states of their candidates was when the decision was made and before anyone signed the agreement to uphold that rule.
I still have not decided which candidate will earn my vote in November, but I am losing my admiration for Sen Clinton over her behavior on this issue.

hillary clinton is in this not for the people- but for herself...more clinton lies....otherwise the compromise reached today would be sufficient...more clinton deceit..

obama biden '08

We will never know the accurate reflections of the "judgement" of Michigan and Florida voters despite the moanings, whining, and protestations of Harold Ickes. Although I hate to see a vote "not counted", changing the rules after the fact does not, despite Clintons claims, accurately represent the will of the voter. Obama did not campaign there due to the rules and with his name not on the ballot did not have exert the influence on the contest he could have. We should not reward those states for breaking rules. The solution, while not ideal, was the most fair of those proposed.

At some point Hillary must set aside her self interests for the good of the party. She is starting to sound like Bush in 2000. She has lost. Move on.

Take it to the convention Hillary. We've got your back. You are our only hope for winning in November, too much is at stake. Sandra Day O'Conner is gone and John Paul Stevens is nearly 90 years old. Affirmative action and a woman's right to choose hangs in the balance when some are only interested in electing a black president who can't win.

Justice is finally served, lets move on and take the white house

Obama 2008

Obama removed his name from Michigan in deference to the DNC's decision that Michigan and Florida would not be counted due to THEIR rule breaking.

Why should he be punished because he followed the rules and respected his party's decision?

I think this decision MORE than fair to Mrs. Clinton. Considering she :
1. agreed that Michigan votes would not count. AT ALL.
2. has been quoted and is on record as stating that "everyone knows Michigan votes will not count." as reason for NOT removing her name from the ballot.

I am neither an Obama or a Clinton supporter. I find this entire situation untenable. Mrs. Clinton was for the war before she was against it, and was for the DNC rules stripping Michigan of it's delegates before she was against it.

As a Michigan voter, I must say that the primary Clinton supposedly one was not a fair election, and to claim so is disingenuous. This is a fair decision for the people of Michigan, including those who did not vote because they had no choice.

those who are the "deciders" are setting a dangerous precedent on this issue. the decision was made to penalize those states that held early primaries. therefore, that decision should be enforced. the danger is that other states, in the future, may decide to hold early primaries, knowing that their delegates would still get seated n some capacity. political leaders may feel that the risk in holding those primaries would be worth it, realizing that the "penalty' to be received would be whatever is metered to FL and Mi.

I agree with Josh. I too am Clinton supporter and fair is fair. The DNC is being biased in favor of Obama. Its time that Clinton gets what rightfully is hers. She has earned the Votes. How qiuckly people forget the last two elections and it was said ALL THE VOTES NEEDED TO BE COUNTED. Where is this any different.
Go Hillary !!!!!!

I think we need the UN to send election observers. The DNC is being run like a banana republic. I donated more $$ to Clinton so she can take it to the credentials committee. Donna Brazille should be fired from CNN because she supports a political candidate. she should resign from the DNC because she failed to do her job. Howard Dean should be sued for malpractice. Had they done their jobs, this should never have reached the crisis stage. In the real world they would both be fired. Hillary keep running. The DNC's annointed one is going to self-destruct.

We will never know the accurate reflections of the "judgement" of Michigan and Florida voters despite the moanings, whining, and protestations of Harold Ickes. Although I hate to see a vote "not counted", changing the rules after the fact does not, despite Clintons claims, accurately represent the will of the voter. Obama did not campaign there due to the rules and with his name not on the ballot did not have exert the influence on the contest he could have. We should not reward those states for breaking rules. The solution, while not ideal, was the most of those proposed.

At some point Hillary must set aside her self interests for the good of the party. She is starting to sound like Bush in 2000. She has lost. Move on.

Josh, give me a break. "Obama 'conveniently' did not put his name on the ballot"? Considering the fact that he would have *won* had Michigan played by the rules, I find it decidedly 'inconvenient' that Hillary broke the rules and left her name on the ballot, when EVERY OTHER CANDIDATE (Edwards, Biden, Dodd, Richardson) took theirs off in deference to the rules. Rules, by the way, that were written in large part by none other than Harold Ickes - Hillary's campaign manager - and agreed to LAST YEAR by all the candidates. Hillary herself had no problem with those rules until she was losing.

I'm tired of politicians who don't take responsibility for their own mistakes. Hillary simply did not run the best campaign. Period. And no amount of sink-throwing, whining, or trying to move the goalposts is going to change that.

Even though that I am an Obama supporter, I agree somewhat with Josh (see the first comment under this thread). This system of Delegates and Superdelagetes, as well as the electoral college undermines the ideals of the democratic process. There should only be the popular vote, and that's it. Every American deserves an equal and even voice on who leads their country.

Clinton knew that this would happen and she also knows that her supporters don't fully understand the rules, or even care. Knowing that, she deliberately stoked the flames of injustice and sexist resentment. Now she's splitting the party apart and causing a rift that will only lead to 4 more years of Bush policies.

Hillary supporters, wake up!! She wants you to be angry, she wants you to not support Obama so that the dems lose the race in November. She wants to be able to say "I told you so".

This is not about Hillary, or Obama. This is about our country!! Vote for Obama. Lets move past the self serving tactics and bloated egos. Lets move on and look toward November. Lets unite behind Obama!!

Obama '08!!!!

grow up and get over it.....The beginning of the end for Clinton

Get over it Josh hillary is done, and didnt she agree that Fla and Michigan should be penalized? Oh, that was before she realized that Obama was likely to win the nomination. Clinton supporters are as crazy as she is, lets move on and get the republicans out of the white house. I am sure you are tired of high gas, and food prices. Unless of curse you are one of her dumb supporters that said they would vote for mcain if she loses the nomination. Then all of you idiots will be crying if mcain gets in and messes up the economy even more. Hillary is a loser, get over it and support obama, or pay the price, literally.

Josh get over it

It's a sad world we live in when the idiots who whine the loudest get their way.

It is done, now can we come together as a party, rally behind the nominee and win the White House. I hope and pray Hillary Clinton will see that fighting this all the way to the convention will do nothing but further divide the party and hand John McCain the White House. We as Democrats must learn from this, try to make it better so we don't go thru this in four years, unite and put a democrat in the White House. Let us stop with the personal attacks on the candidates, focus on the issues between the Democrats and Republicans and put a Democrat in the White House.

I will agree this was not a perfect solution but we live in an imperfect world so it is unrealistic to expect a perfect solution. I am not for Clinton or Obama, I am for a Democrat, this is about us as a party not Clinton or Obama. Voting for McCain simply out of anger does not solve any problems, it only proves to the Republicans right in that we cannot come together for a common cause as a party. I ask all posters to this blog to stand with me when I say, let us now unite behind whoever the nominee will be and win the White House. Let us not descend into feelings of anger, division and retaliation, let us rise up, say with pride that we are Democrats and win the White House in November.

I pray for unity, I pray for cooler heads to prevail and I pray we can win the White House in November and put either Clinton or Obama in the White House. Anything less and we prove the Republicans right about our party and that is we are divisive and cannot rally behind a common cause. NOTE: I posted this once but CNN saw fit to take it off, if they take it off again I will know all they want is negative comments.

Its called a compromise josh...something you do in politics, considering that the states broke the rules and the Obama campaign who had the votes to inflict their will still conceded delegates in Hillary's favor, should tell you something about yourself. You don't like senator Obama and were not gonna vote for him anyway. Your outrage is targeted at the wrong person, considering HRC and most of her senior staff signed off on the agreement that they would get no votes. I think the DNC was more than fair.
A rational person would think so...but clearly you are not rational, you only care about your candidate, not your party.

The American People, This Country all want the same things. It is time to get over the silly bickering and get on with the Bigger Picture. It's time for the American People to unite and vote for a better tomorrow for us and all our grandchildren. This election is just too important to get stuck in the mud with people who keep wanting to look back and rehash everything. We have serious problems to solve. Let's ALL UNITE. . .onward to the General Election with Unity!

who cares, she has lost.

Don't blame Obama or the DNC for the actions of the Republican controlled state gov't of FL. They have a history of disenfranchising FL democrats and they succeeded again. In an effort to be fair to FL and MI voters the DNC had to make sure they didn't disenfranchise the other 48 states and territories that voted within the rules. To say that you will vote for a Republican, when it is Republicans that disenfranchised you in the first place is downright stupid. If you don't want to vote for Obama that is your right, but at least vote for an independant.

he didnt put his name on the ballot because he knew he was going to loose. he knew exactly what he was doing.

dnc this is a travesty. you better put HIllary on top of the ticket or im voting independent or republican!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i was sick in 2000 and 2004..................... here we go again in 2008.

And Josh.. exactly WHO do you think the 40% who voted "Undeclared" were voting for? 40% of Michigan came out and specifically voted AGAINST Hillary Clinton, yet she should be awarded all of the delegates for the state? The goal of this is to represent what Michigan voted, not to get your candidate extra votes that she didn't earn so she can steal this election. She knew when this primary happend that it wasn't going to count. She's lucky she got the 1/2 that she did get.

It is time to get together and make sure that the republicans don't continue to control our lives and the lives of our soliders fighting illegal wars that should never have started! Use our money for our schools, hospitals, and housing! PLEASE don't let the emotions of the primaries take us away from what really matters!

God bliss you all!

I'm very happy with the very "fair" decision that the DNC rules and bylaws committee came up with today. I felt especially positive that this committee did not "change" the rules that they invoked months ago for the purpose of satisfying Clinton and her campaign. If she didn't believe in the committee rules, she shouldn't have signed a document a agreeing with the committee's rules to not recognize Florida and Michigan after they defiantly broke committee rules. I have a real problem with Clinton "agreeing" with the committee rules and then going on TV saying "we don't need Florida and Michigan" when she was winning early in the primary season and then recanting her position and wanting to move the goal post late in the primary season as she is losing. I agree with the committee's ruling to allow both states to be seated at 1/2 vote each. That's fair. Perhaps next time (if there is a next time) Ms. Clinton will rethink her position when millions of votes are in question.

Um...Josh....have you followed this at all? Obama's name was not on the ballot because he and all the other major Dem candidates were honoring the wishes of the DNC for Michigan breaking the rules when setting their primary date. How is it convenient for him to not be on the ballot? If anything, it was quite convenient for Clinton to leave her name on the ballot thereby getting all the votes. Heck, Clinton didn't give a poop about Michigan when she expected to win the nomination in a landslide. Then when she falls behind and needs those vote, all of a sudden "voters are getting disenfranchised". I'd say that's pretty convenient.

I'm an Obama supporter, and I'm of the opinion that FL and MI should receive NO votes at the convention, since that was the understanding of the voters and the candidates at the time of those primaries. However, I understand what the RBC is trying to do, and I will respect their decision. Let's hope that Hillary's supporters can do the same in the name of party unity.

wake up Josh

Per the rules, neither candidate should have gotten any delegates. This "compromise" actually benefited Clinton.

When will this ever end???!!!??? I am totally disgusted with the antics of the Clintons. Rules are rules, and the Clintons should be thanking their lucky stars that they got what they got today. I just hope and pray that the voters in the upcoming primaries really take note!!! This is ridiculous, and the Clintons are both harming Obama, the Democratic party, and more importantly, their own legacy. And this e-mail is coming from a retired, white, unaffiliated Roman Catholic female who tended to vote Republican in the past until I studied Obama and now see him as what the country really needs at this time in its history.

Something's not right! I pray the twisted Obama spell is broken and the delegates see she is the better choice! This is wrong!

Why do ppl have such short term memories???? Clinton and all her high profile backers where in favour of the penalty on Florida and Michigan, Obama obeyed Primary rules, when the rules did not in favour the Clintons they decided to chart a different course.......acting like they all care about the voters in Florida and Michigan.

why would anyone want to seat delegates in an election that was flawed like the Michigan democratic leader said???

is it really possible that no one else sees this truth or is everyone blinded by the clintonmania.......what makes ppl even think another Clinton in the house will mean a better economy......they're just trying to redeem themselves and save themselves from all the lawsuits against them and use the highest position in the world as a tool to stop all their enemies like they did in the 90's.

It's a fair decision. Get over it Josh!

Would you like a little cheese with your whine..?

It's easy to say Hillary should get all of the votes when she was the one who broke the rules and the SIGNED AGREEMENT to remove her name from the ballot. Is that the kind of person you really want in office? Somebody who breaks the rules and changes the rules of their political party in the middle of the game? How lame is that?

Obama did have his name on the Michigan ballot, but he took it off after Michigan moved their primary up "illegally." In any case, I think that the RBC committee did the best job they could with a tough issue to tackle. If 44% of Michigan voters vote uncommitted, then they feel strongly enough to vote against Hillary, and at the moment a vote against Hillary is a vote for Obama.

Yeah Josh... that was the will of the voters. Give Hillary all the delegates. Are you really that dense?

Josh, you're confused. You must be one of Hillary's loyal, uneducated voters Hillary boasts about! Obama wasn't on the ballot because Michigan broke the rules and there was no point. Your candidate has moved the goal post. Months ago, she agreed the delegates wouldn't count. Now that she thinks it'll help her cause, she wants them counted. Typical Clinton maneuver.

Please. At least 22 of the delegates who fall under "uncommitted" have already said they are planning for voting for Obama. And no, she was not the only one with her name on the ballot. Yes, she was the only major candidate with her name on the ballot, but Dennis Kucinich was unable to remove his name from the ballot, and Christopher Dodd and Mike Gravel's names were on the ballot as well.

It wouldn't kill you to get your facts straight.

I am an Obama supporter. This was the only fair thing to do, and I applaud the DNC for this difficult task that they were forced to do. If the Clinton supporters aren't happy with the results, it could have been a whole lot worse!!.....the committe could have stuck to their original sanction of not allowing ANY votes to count, because Fl and MI BROKE the rules. The DNC should have stuck with their original decision, after hearing the rude Clinton supporters during the hearing. The Ickles guy???Talk about sore loser....he insulted the committe with his FOWL language!!! He doesn't deserve to be on anybody board or committe.

Harold Ickes and Hillary Clinton scare the bee-jjebies out of me. They are not democrats and they are not people with the American citizens interests at heart. They are friggin meglomaniacs and all they can focus on is winning. Not what is in the best interests of the American people.

Josh, kindly acquire either a knowledge of the history of this development (e.g., Clinton agreeing that the MI delegation wouldn't be seated, Clinton claiming it didn't matter if her name wasn't on the ballot "because those votes won't count anyway) or, should you be aware of this history, a shred of integrity.

How exactly would it be "convenient" for Obama to not put his name on the ballot, Josh? And how can you seriously suggest that Clinton should be considered the take-all winner of a "contest" without contestants? I think the DNC struck a fair compromise in order to include voters who had been ill-served by their state officials.

Josh,

I hope your happiness in life is not based on this election. Hatred for others destroy you as a person. Choose to be happy with who you are regardless of the outcome.

If Hillary didn't like it she should not have agreed to penalize MI and FL, and not have former DNC chairman who voted for it in her campaign.

Even she get as she wishes she is still behind.

Stop taking down OUR PARTY, it is not CLINTON's property.

The suggestion that the DNC is biased in favor of Senator Obama because they gave him delegates is absurd. If they had given Senator Clinton all of the delegates, that would have been bias. This is a compromise. Senator Clinton had been championing a compromise or a solution to seating Michigan's delegates, and yet, when one is finally presented, and by Michigan's Democratic party no less, her campaign says they will never agree to Senator Obama getting any delegates from the state. Where is the compromise in that?

Michigan broke the rules. Clinton agreed to the sanctions against Michigan. Your point is moot.

let me tell you josh if you watched the whole thing you would have heard all the canidates were instructed to take their names off the ballot but hillary wanted to leave her name because she likes to play dirty politics dont you know the CLINTON NAME IS WELL KNOWN and she knows that and thats why she lost because she was cocky about this from the beginning she said to herself there is no way obama can beat me im a CLINTON and everybody will vote for me thats why she did not care about fl and mi in the begining let me tell you when this started out i was proud of her me being a woman but hillary has shown some true colors throughout this process and i have to say i dont like the colors i have seen but if she ends winning i will vote for her im not gonna be happy about it but there is no way im voting for mccain had enough of the 7 republican years

There has to be some penalty for FL and MI otherwise what is the point of having rules? So HRC, AKA the champion of justice, does not want 40% of the uncommitted votes and 30,000 write-in votes to count in MI? She knows the majority of those voters wanted to vote for Obama but this is not about anybody's right to vote it is about Clinton's hunger for power. And don't give me that he took his name off the ballot crab. He took it off because he was told it would not count. You can not punish him for playing by the rules. HRC knows she can't win. She is a Yale graduate people. I think she can add.

HRC with her talk of sexism and cover-ups is deliberately polarizing the party so she can force herself on the VP spot. She is sending Obama a message that he can not win without her. She has the right to continue on in the race but Obama does not have the right to choose his own VP. For God's sake how can people be so blind?

How can someone honestly think that this was not fair. I think that if Michigan did what they were suppose to do then Obama would have carried this state in the election and Clinton would not have a leg to stand on. Funny how it was only when she was losing she was concern about MI and Fl.

Josh, you obviously have Problems
Thats the problem with hillary's people, We Want All and none for the opponent.
So because he followed the rules and pulled his name of the ballot like other candidates did, he should be penalized by not being awarded any delegates? including any of the uncommited who someone hillary people were arguing should be Split. I mean for goodness sakes, The Uncommited are those who voted AGAINST hillary, how can hillary people argue that they should split the uncommited?

Josh, You sound ridiculous!!

Looking from outside your great country I'm puzzled by comments like those made by Josh. Hillary Clinton got 55% of the vote and her name was the only one one the ballot. How can you suggest that she should get 100% of the delegates with 55% of the vote?

The people chanting "Denver! Denver!" should have been more truthful and changed "McCain! McCain!"

It is the last nail in DNC coffin. I am moving to John McCain now.

Clinton had more supporters on the panel. Why should Obama get penalized for following the rules?

Josh

If there is only one horse in a race, it is a race?, In Michigan there was only one horse in the race, and Obama did not put his name on the ballot because the DNC had stated that the votes would not count.
This was a fair way to get the votes to count Michigan. The word hate is a strong word that should never be used. I am sorry that you are not happy, if you are Michigan you need to be unhappy with your state party officers, not the DNC, The DNC made the rules and Michigan and Florida did not follow the rules.

Obama wasn't even on the ballot. Those delegates should NOT have been seated! Hillary ... shame on you! You can't even "steal" the election, sweetie. The lady in the pantsuit needs to sing!

Naaaah naaaah ... naah naah naaaah naaa ... hey hey hey ... goooood byeeeee.

So because Obama took his name off the ballot IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES BOTH HE AND HILLARY AGREED UPON, he should get ZERO delegates? Are you implying that had he kept his name on the ballot, he would have received 0% of the vote? This logic is totally delusional. In fact, the fact that Obama's name was not on the ballot HURT HIS DELEGATE TOTAL. He would have finished much closer to Hillary. If Hillary and her supporters care so much about the will of the electorate, where is their concern for the Michigan Obama supporter?

Say goodnight Gracie. Obama will not win the general election and he has caused this party to split in a way that will take years to repair. To all those obama folks who just wanted Hillary and all of us who support her to just shut up...fine. We will. We will shut up and vote for the rest of the Democratic line up but forget about getting our votes for your "Annointed one" go ahead and let this New Age huckster lead you to defeat. This party has just told the people of Fl. and Mich. that they are only half a person...sound familiar? Next they can promise them 40 acreas and a mule. Anyone remember that New Hamp. got a special treatment so they could break the rules too? Course not. To hell with party loyalty. We will show the party the same loyalty all of those two faced switching delegates showed Hillary. Either write in Hillary, vote for Nadar , the Greens...anybody but Obama and his unpatriotic wife. Little late to be resignning from the church goofball. Actually, had he stayed he might have at least showed a little integrity now he just looks like every other politician...oh yeah that's right . He is.

Wow josh, your ignorance is amazing.
You do know HillRod agreed that that state be stripped of its delegates before it voted right? Its funny how her position shifts when she needs the delegates.
How about the fact that a significant portion of michigan went out and voted agains hillary even though she was the ionly one on the ballot?

You probably want to throe out all the votes that werent for Hillary in michigan right?

so much for the champion of the voters, this is just greed

It doesn't matter whose names were on the ballot ,because Michigan broke the rules, the candidates knew they broke the rules, and Hillary Clinton should get down on her knees and thank God that she got what she got. She didn't deserve anything out of Michigan and Florida, and Obama shouldn't have either. See, Mi. and Fla. broke the rules, and the penalty was that those states lost their right to have any delegates at all. So, today was a present to both Hillary and Obama. Take it and go away quietly. Today was an unnecessary waste of time and resources. The rules were broken and these states are still saying they were not wrong in what they did.

Please ask Hillary to stop, because she is just giving McCain things to use against the Democratic Party. Hillary should accept her defeat like a woman with some self-respect. She is just making people hate her and our party.

to josh in comment #1:

are you serious? obama conveniently took his name off of the ballot?

no sir, i'm sorry, you've got your facts wrong. he was following the policies of his party as set forth by the DNC in a measure signed by BOTH clinton and obama. it was only after she secured more votes in both michigan and florida than obama that she started to fight for both of those state's rights to have their delegates seated. you didn't see her fighting for them when the measure was signed, did you? on top of that, the only reason she secured more votes than obama is simply because he followed the party mandate and she didn't. seems rather convenient for her rather than him, don't you think?

Josh, you forget that it was the Michigan State Democratic Committee that suggested the compromise that the DNC adopted. Pelosi, in particular, had nothing to do with it.

I ask the Clinton leadership to focus on the comments of Josh as expressing the terrible negative effect of the kind of animosity that is being generated. It is Obama's obligation to stop the destructive hostility and negative comments by his supporters. You must do the same.

This is a test of the core of each candidate and their real goal. Is it simply for personal glory or is it for the good of the country? Someone has to lose but that does not mean that another important job is not waiting either of you. What you really are will show on how you act in the next few days.

Josh – Since Hillary was the only one with her name on the ballot it was NOT a fair election. Therefore she should NOT have gotten all of the delegates. Hillary said before the election in Michigan that she KNEW THE VOTES WOULD NOT COUNT. Come on now and play fair.

The result was backed by the Michigan Democratic party. Chances are that Obama would have won Michigan. Clinton is in this solely for self interest, and wants to give herself a shake, before her legacy is remembered for nasty politics and Monica only.

Given that Hillary said she wouldn't participate, I don't think it'd be right to reward her for breaking her pledge and participating anyways... That said, the question boils down to whether or not you think you can ascertain the will of the people from a one-name ballot. I know many people support the same kind of :"democracy" you see in tin-pot dictatorships where this kind of thing flies... but we really should have a better way of allocating delegates here in the states.

The Democratic party OBVIOUSLY is full of a bunch of HYPOCRITES. How do you say one thing and then change your mind later? Not too mention, Hillary agreed to not count these votes and then RENEGS later when she is losing? I highly doubt she would even care about Michigan or Florida if she was winning. If the voters of those states are angry, they need to be angry with their state committees. DUMB DUMB DUMB. If the Democratic Party cannot even figure out their internal issues, how can I expect them to run our government? No thank you.

I can't believe how Harold Ickes acted at that meeting!! He showed his trueself, How can the HIlliary Campaingn expect to seat all delegates with her? I wish they would have given her full delegation just to prove she still can't win!! That still would have been a 10 delegate split they basically did the same thing by giving half votes If math serves me correct 69\2 is 34.5 and 59\2 is 29.5 delegates and if you just add the 59 to 69 difference it's only a 5 delgate difference the woman should be happy

A Proud Democrats who supports President

I am so happy with the decision. And truth be told, Hillary was the only one that conveniently left her name on the ballot in Michigan. Why didn't she, like the other candidates, take her name off?? Because she is sneaky like that! Obama wasn't the only other candidate at that time that took his name off the ballot. She will find a way to turn things around to her advantage. If the tables were turned, she would be saying that Michigan and FL broke the rules and that their votes should not count. I DO NOT TRUST HER.

Go Obama!!!!

I am a former Edwards supporter turned to Obama. I am also from Michigan. I remember walking into my polling site with the full intention of voting for Edwards (being unaware of what had happened) and to my dismay I found that the only democrat on the ballot was Hillary Clinton. In an effort to support my party I reluctantly voted for her only because I had no other choice, and didnt want to vote republican.
I find it upsetting that now this late in the game Senator Clinton is making a last attempt at getting nominated by dividing our party when she made it clear that our race didnt matter (except when she needs us). Senator Obama and others pulled their names off of the ballot in MI to show their support for the DNC and the and the rules committee. I feel that if it wasnt against the law in Florida they would have pulled their names there as well.
Senator Clinton has run an amazing race and she should be commended but she has to face the music and help us elect a democrat to the white house instead of making a "I win or no one does" race.

Josh 11;29: Love that Democratic unity thing we were all going to have after the meeting today!!

I commend the committee for a rational, reasonable proceeding, which yielded an acceptable if not optimal result for all concerned.

I am glad this is close to being resolved. It is completely unfair of Hillary to receive all the delegates, when she had agreed not to campaign in that state. How conveinent now that she is losing that all of us sudden she cares about MI and Fl, she didn't seem to care before she was losing.

It's SO convenient that Clinton agreed to the rules when she thought she was ahead, but now that she's a loser, she wants to change the rules.

I felt sorry for Florida – they had their troubles laid on them by a Republican legislature and Republican governor who quite deliberately put the Democrats in a tough spot. BUT – to have the Democratic governor of MI whining about how his state was treated unfairly was just repulsive.

Mrs. Clinton could take 100% of both delegations, and she'd still be a loser. What she's shown this week is that she'll happily take the country with her.

Everyone knows that Hillary Clinton should be very grateful for the results. Barack Obama's name was not even on the ballot in Michigan because he played by the rules. But in Pennsylvania there were reports that certain ballots only had her name also. Only the Clintons would pull a trick like that. They accuse the opposition of cheating when it is they who cheat and lie. No one wants a liar and a cheat for president. She cannot claim herself queen or empress of the USA. She only wants to be elected president so she can invoke executive privilege since a court case against her is coming up soon. That is why she is so desperate to claim the presidency. Her husband is also being investigated. The taxpayers foolishly will pay for their mistakes and prosecutions as they bask in their wealth.

First of all CNN, why is it taking so long for you to post my first comment but you would post crazy racist comments by people like JOSH. I noticed that you always post his nasty racist comments all of the time. This is why Obama will be the nominee in spite of Hillary's divisive supporters.

Josh, using the vote totals she should have gotten ONLY the 69 delegates, because she only won 55% of the vote, which frankly is pitiful considering she was the only one on the ballot. Face it, its over. Unless Hillary is intent on destroying the Democratic party by taking it to the convention.

It is incredible that ANYONE could claim that Hillary won Michigan 328,309 to ZERO! It is beyond comprehension that anyone could claim any amount of fairness when Hillary agreed that Michigan would not count it and then claims that she won. It shows a complete lack of honesty and apparently how little her word is worth.

Consciences prevent Hillary supporters from claiming that she won the greatest election landslide in the history of the free world.

I am an Obama supporter and I am very happy that the DNC stood up for what was right. The rules are the rules and Hill and Bill can't expect to cheat in order to get their way. Mrs. Clinton was only in favor of counting the votes in MI and FL after she realized she needed them. It is time to move on from this and unite for the fall. For a long time now, presidential nominations have been based on the delegate count and this year is no different. Obama won fair and square and no one should take that away from him. Mrs. Clinton, as one of your former supporters, I hope that you cease and desist and do what is right for our great country.

I think today's decision was about as fair as it could be, seeing as how only 600,000 of the some 7 million registered voters actually voted in the first place in this state. I can bet anything I own that if there had been a re-vote that Obama would have carried this state by a margin of at least 10-15 points. But truth be told, Hillary got what she wanted in the end and the votes of those who voted were counted, without those of whom wrote in Obama, including myself. Am I happy that my vote didn't count in the end? No. But am I happy that Hillary got a slap in the face after all her badgering of her own party even though she had fun jumping on the bandwagon back when the DNC decided not to count those votes before hand; yes! Congratulations Hillary, you got your way, and still you trail.

It really is amazing at what Hillary says – she voted IN FAVOR of stripping Michigan and Florida of their delegates, then as soon as she wins there, "oh boohoo – let's seat em all". Her stance here reflects her campaign completely – she never tells the truth and goes back and forth. Obama did not put his name on the ballot in ACCORDANCE with the DNC. You might hate Pelosi and Dean, but in truth, Florida and Michigan broke the rules, and Hillary voted to strip them. The fact that they even get a vote is amazing. Hillary supporters should not get greedy and accept this decision as a victory.

The decision was fair. Clinton supporters like to talk about having all votes be counted. By ignoring those who chose not to vote for Clinton in Michigan, and by ignoring caucus states when it comes to popular vote totals, arent they doing the exact same thing that they are complaining about?

i thought it was a fair compromise.condiering these two states broke the rules which was finew with Hillary till she started losing and then wanted the rules changed in the middle of the game!!Hillary clinton got more delegates in both states than Obama did ..the reality is.. he is far ahead of her in delegates
Lets hope she is mature enough to help unite her party!
I thought her supporters acted like a bunch of ticked off kindergarten kids. How immature to cause such a ruckus at the meeting!!!

I think the decision was a good one. Hillary should not have been on
the ballot. So i think it was a fair decision. As for Harold Ickes and most Hillary supporters you are starting to beg for the nod,and it
is becoming very sad.

Josh, are you from Michigan? I am and can say that the dialoge is different here. Many of us did not vote since we knew it did not count. Forty percent voted non-committed, as Obama asked those who support him to do. Who else would vote that way? If his name were on that ballot and the votes actually counted the vote percentage for Obama would have been much higher. Clinton is lucky to get the number of delegates she got today. Either way she is done. Move on man!

Hoo-Rah! Obama!

Don't hate no one my friend. Society is governed by rules and today Americans showed that they are not robots and willing to compromise. Your canidate ran a poor campaign for the start and then moved the goal post along the way. This is a accomodative decision in the best interest of everyone. Now the clintons and obama can make their case for the nomination while RNC gets stronger.

So because Obama followed the rules, which at the time Hillary had no objection to, he should be penalized? She wouldn't have cared if the tables were turned. Otherwise why didn't she speak up the first time? And given that it was Michigan and Florida's ELECTED officials who proceeded knowing full well the consequences I find it remarkably blind not to lay the blame for all this mess squarely at their feet by voting them out at the earlies chance. I find it mind boggling that everyone has convieniently forgotten that's the whole reason you vote; to hold your representatives accountable. Now let's move on and keep the Bush to just two terms!!

The delusionary conduct of Mrs. Clinton and her posse is really disturbing, because it could lead to a third term of George Bush, and, if that were to happen, we would not have a country to which we could be patriotic. This Chinese already say they could destroy our power grid, and I really believe the excessive globalization the Clinton want to be a means to them becoming billionaires would make us subservient to the Chinese, the Saudis, and the Japanese. (and it would be their repayment for us killing hundreds of thousands ofthem. – perhaps we can understand that enormity when we consider how we reacted to 3000 deaths on September 11th. ) We need to put ourselves in the place of others before people like the Clintons, the Bushes and the McCains destroy us all.

Josh ,,,i disagree with you...as Donna Brasile said..rules are rules and you do not change the rules at the end of a game because you cannot win. stuff that our parents taughts us...

The decision is overly fair to the Clintons family

The democrats have lost the White House-AGAIN. This has become the party of losers-period.
The DNC party chairs are shameful-yeah right count every vote-every vote should count-that was their slogan in 2000 when they spend millions of party money to count votes. It was OK to do so then-but today is different-O yeah, I forgot-they think Obama is qualified.
Well-DNC, Clinton supporters will write the last chapter on this drama--an exercise in politics---no need to count our votes in Nov, we won't be voting-You idiots have NO SHAME !!!!

Josh at 11:29 PM is the embodiment of a Hillary supporter.

OK, so since the rules apparently don't mean anything, is the first primary for the next presidential election going to be January 27, 2009?

How can you say that Hillary should get all the delegates when the choices were her and no one. Especially since no one got around 30-40% of the votes

Harold Ickes is the fall guy for the clinetons...Guess Hillary will now be forced to throw him under the bus in the next few days even though Billaries probably incited Ickes to make these foolish comments...

Has anybody considered for a second that perhaps the people of Florida and Michigan should be angry with their state governments for allowing the primaries to be moved instead of the DNC for enforcing the rules that, *gasp*, they said they would enforce?

Yep the Undemocratic Party was at it again today. Tell Obama to stay home. Florida isn't interested in meeting a phony who preaches unity but practices divisiveness, silences and squelches all dissent and disagreement, and changes things by throwing the old Democratic coalition on the trash heap. "A different kind of politics?" Donna Brazile is Kathryn Harrison, Barack Obama is Dubya, Howard Dean is Jeb Bush, and the DNC just became the 2000 Republican Party. I was here in 2000 and watched the Republicans steal the presidential election. Today, I watched the DNC leadership and the Obama Campaign steal the 2008 Democratic nomination. IIt feels a lot worse when it is your own party. I am disgusted.

Remember these states broke the rules and i think everyone came out as a winner. Let's move on for a victory in November.

Of course you're not happy. That's because you're applying the selective ethics that Clinton has been all to happy to embrace during her campaign. See...it doesn't matter to you that both states broke the rules. It doesn't matter to you that Clinton broke the rules by campaigning in Florida and leaving her name on the ballot in Michigan. It doesn't matter that all candidates agreed and signed that the delegates from those states would not be seated. It really and truly doesn't matter that all of the people in both Michigan and Florida who DIDN'T vote because they knew their votes wouldn't count are now disenfranchised because now the votes do count, at Hillary's insistence. See, the answer to breaking the rules in Hillary's world is to break them even further and then insist that everyone else follow suit. After all that...of course you're still not happy, because, after all the effort spent on being unethical...things still did not fall in Hillary's favor. Stop screeching and get behind your democratic nominee. Obama '08.

Hillary got what she got and she's lucky she got that. She shouldn't have gotten anything because the rules were the rules. I hope she doesn't try to appeal this in August. We have had ENOUGH!
OBAMA '08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josh-Obama didn't have his name on the Michigan ballot because all the candidates agreed before hand not to campaign in Michigan and Florida. Hilary is the only one that reneged on the agreement.

Well, Dean and Pelosi hate you back so nana nana boo boo. Grow up. Clinton went against the rules and had her name on the ballot because she thought she could sneak a slick one in. Obama played by the rules and like all the others had his name taken off. He is a rule keeper. She's not and that shows you how she would run our country. Not for you and me but only for her. The only other fair thing to do would be a re-vote, but then since Barack has shown his leadership and electability over adversity he would probably have gotten more votes now than what they gave him. So she should thank the DNC for being so generous when she doesn't play nice in the sand box.

Josh, I need to comment on your statement that Obama "conveniently did not put his name on the ballot.." Are you kidding??? Clinton was the only major candidate on the ballot, all the others took their names off our of respect of the rules of the DNC. If anything she is the one that was wrong. Many voters that supported Obama didn't vote or voted uncommited. How fair would it have been to give all the delegates to Clinon and ignore all the people of Michigan that supported Obama but couldn't vote for him. The Dems running our state made this mess...I think they should all be ashamed of themselves! Hopefully people will remember this and vote them all out.

Josh,

Keep in mind that HRC only wanted your votes/delegates after she and her campaign realized that MI and FL would be needed in her attempt to overtake Obama and she had said on several documented occasions that both states should be penalized for moving up their respective primaries.

So in all fairness, your anger should be directed at HRC and the mismanagement of her campaign and not at OB and his staff.

It rarely pays to change the rules of the game when you do not like the outcome.

Josh-

You are wrong. Both Clinton and Obama (like other candidates) agreed to the rule that Michigan votes will not count and agreed to pull their names off of the ballot. Obama did as he promised. Clinton changed her mind and left her name on the ballot. Michigan people had only two choices (other than Chris Dodd). Clinton or uncommitted. Surprisingly, many people voted for uncommitted. And now she is saying that all votes casted for her should count and none of the uncommitted votes should be counted for Obama. Do you get it? Clinton is a liar and hypocrite.

WE LOVE YOU OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!

EX-HILLARY SUPPORTERS NOW REALIZE THAT SHE IS A LYING MANIPULATOR WHO MUST BE STOPPED!!

OBAMA '08 & '12

Si Se PuEdE jEs We CaN sI sE pUeDe JeS wE cAN!!!!!!!!!!

Josh, that doesnt make any sense, how would it be FAIR to have all of Michigans delegates be in Clintons favor. 40-45% of the voters casted a vote of "Undecided" instead of voting for her. Even if they did count each as a full vote – she could have picked up 20 delegates. If you dont like the split they gave her – fine – give her 30. Whatever.

Same deal in Florida. IF you go by the vote count there – she would pick up about 35-40 delegates (my rough estimate based on percentages only)

Obama has a 200 delegate lead. The voters have spoken. They want Obama.

josh you're an idiot. Hillary agreed that these delegates would not be seated. i am sure you didnt give them much thought either until Hillary started to get her butt kicked. Now she and her followers are desperate for anything option that could possibly lead to her victory as the democratic candidate. she is doing anything to win and could care less about the will of the people. what person of any intelligence would consider giving her all of the delegates in a state that only one candidates name appeared on the ballot. Barracks name was not "conveniently" absent from the ballot you idiot... he followed the rules, did not campaign nor register his name... just as edwards and all other democratic candidates at the time. Only Swillary had her name on the ballot, probably as a fail safe should the unthinkable happen. In the event you dont know what the unthinkable is.... it is her getting her butt kicked as is happening now. pretty soon this BS will be over and the country can get on with electing our next president. I hate to break the news to you...... It wont be Swillary........

Last point before I go to bed there is no way to argue that she is entitled to all the votes in Michigan. Her name was the only one on the ballot and little over 1/2 the voters that turned out chose her.

Josh

U can't sit all the delegates from Michigan while Baracks name was not in the ballot. Yes he did pull his name but that was a respect to the bylaws committee.

So I hope with this decision all of us democrats got to come together unified as 1 democratical party.

Pls Clinton supporters is time for us to come together guys please

What she does now, will be re-run over and over for the next 4 years and beyond in her life. She could win most in the long run by losing graciously.

Obama should not receive any Michigan delegates. This is ridiculous, and very undemocratic.

Obama did not have to remove his name from the ballots, however he did and therefore Clinton should receive full delegates. Obama in accordance to democracy and the vote of people should receive nothing.

Josh, May 31st, 2008 11:29 pm ET

Uhmm no Obama, Edwards, Biden, Richardson and Kucinich took their names off the Ballot. Hillary and Gravel left there names on the ballot and still over 33 % ofthe voters said they were uncommitted to vote for them. So, get the facts correct before you give your vote to the Republican party and the Iraq war and the reversal of the Roe vs Wade.!!!!!!!!.

She should also get the votes from the moon too.
She needs to drop out and save the party .
With her scorched earth policy the only way she will quit is when her hands are pried off of the white house door as Barack closes it.

it wontr be overlooked come november.... thanks obama for giving us 4 more years of bush

FINALLY! Can we give it a rest? Really now......it's over......Clinton, you put up a good fight......but it's over.

It is now time to unite and fight the real evil........McCain and the Republicans.

Don't be bitter, don't cling to your guns and religion........be an intelligent human being and realize the choices that are left.

It is about time that politicians actually followed the rules........partially.

Aww go suck some more lemons! And you probably drinking that Harold Ickes kool-aid! Sore LOSERS!

OBAMA '08

How convenient that obama resigns from his church hoping to have it overlooked by the DNC unfair ruling....

Josh, your comment is completely idiotic. How can you claim that Obama should be penalized by receiving no votes from Michigan for trying to abide by the DNC's rules? Any normal, decent human being would understand that your judgment makes no sense here.

Josh

We hate you? That's a really adult comment.

You kids have got to understand that they broke the rules. The only reason Clinton wants this is because she's behind. If she were ahead then she wouldn't care at all.

Please stop and wake up and see this. She is only dividing the party. That is all she's doing. She thinks she deserves this but she doesn't.

She is nothing but a crook.

Look how she acts in those pictures from Puerto Rico. She thinks its all about her.

If she gets it, it will all be about her. She won't care for the rest of us.

Get a Clue!!!

Obama 08 and 12

It is time for the democratic party to realize that Clinton will never be satisfied with anything unless she wins the nomination. That irrational thinking by her and her supporters has no place in our party. The initial rule was that FL and MI would not count and she was not happy. Now these states count giving her an edge over Obama and she is still not satisfied. Superdelegates should back Obama and end her selfish quest for destruction of the party. If she wants to run as independent, so be it. If her suporters want to vote for McCain, so be it. All I know is that if Obama loses in November because of her I and many other democrats will do as much as we can to stop her from being the nominee in 2012 or senator in her next election.

He didn't put his name on that ballot because they broke the rules, without these rules states will joggle for position each year and even more chaos will ensue. As a Canadian enthralled with politics and the opportunity of change in the form of a Democrat in office, the DNC made the right decision to extinguish the Hilary campaign flame. The world needs the Dems to become focused on unity, regardless the outcome they still share a common goal of purging the nation of Republican corruption and greed. I urge all Clinton supporters to accept the fact and rally around your parties values and goals and allow the primary process to declare Obama the official nominee. The world needs it.

Little-by-little, our society is breaking apart, by awarding cheating. In athletics, jumping the gun is traditionally taken as cheating, a reason for disqualification. By breaking party rules decided in 2007, Michigan "jumped the gun" on January 15, 2008; cheating! The decision today, to overlook cheating, and seat Clinton's ill-begotten delegates from Michigan is like the OIC decision in 1994 NOT to punish Tonya Harding for hiring a thug to smash her Olympic opponent's knees at a practice session. Harding cheated, yet the Olympic committee only slapped her wrist. Michigan CHEATED DNC rules on January 15, 2008, and all of the major candidates removed their names in honesty from the competition, except Tonya Harding, I mean Hillary Clinton. This is pathetic, simply pathetic.

This is not fair to the people of the United States, Hillary deserves to be the candidate of the democratic party. Obama will lose to McCain, like Kerry did.

eb

Mr. Hater, Why shoul Hillary get all the votes and delegates because her name was the only one on the ballot. Obama and other Presidential candidates removed their names from the ballot in Michigan because they were told that the votes would not count. Many voters did not vote because they were told that the votes would not count. Others votes were write-in votes or non commtted because the particular candidate they supported was not on the ballot. Voting in America is about everybody not just Hillary Clinton. It is a very narrow way of thinking that just because her name was the only one on the ballot she should get everything. That kind of thinking is unethical. There's been some good compromises, so that everybody has been considered; those that voted, those that were misled and did not vote, and the candidates who were also misled and removed their names from the ballot. The decision has been fair and considerate of all involved.

Josh – you cannot POSSIBLY believe that such a solution in Michigan is "fair." "Conveniently" did not put his name on the ballot? No, EVERYONE removed their names, except Hillary, who :"conveniently" left hers on, perhaps seeing this day coming.

This is one reason she lost. People are really tired of the whining, cheating and self-centered crap every day.

"biased on favor of Obama...." He is ahead by 200 delegates AND the popular vote, no matter how you stepford supporters want to count it.

Clinton knew she wasn't going to get away with trying the rule changing stunt.The meeting was about seating delegates.Be glad that was done.

The DNC is a joke! One word to summarize the whole process: stealing!

wow, I guess I officially change my status from democrate to republican today. my views apparently are more in line with the republicans now that the democrates only count me as a half a vote. wow, I still cannot believe that they have totally abandoned all of us voters in michigan. used to be the democrates were about the people, now I guess they are about the rules committee and no one else. wow I guess I never really figured they would do it. I guess it really shows that they are really out of touch with what we really want.
This november when I vote I will make sure that I vote against every single democrate that I can. They really are obviously more about politics than people.

They all knew the rules to begin with and no one whined then..why the whining now? Because they are "losing". This is so obvious and typical of the Billary Team. If teh GOP'ers did this the Hillary supporters would be all over them. Shame...

Dear Josh,
Obama did not conveniently leave his name of the ballot. Every democratic candidate in the race at the time took their name off, because Michigans vote was not going to count. Even Clinton's total vote is questionable: 1st of all is someone wanted to vote for a democrat they had no other choice, 2nd she had name recognition on her side and was the candidate presumed to win.
Regardless they still gave her more delgates and even if she had gotten all of them seated as she would like she still wouldn't be able to overtake Obama's 200+ delegate lead (which most Clinton supporters seam to forget).
You people need to pay more attention to the news reports and not just hear what you want to hear from Hillary's twisted math.

There are other lessons ahead, very near, and Clinton needs to be very careful to put the Democratic Party's needs, and therefore America's needs, above her own.

Josh, there is no room for hate, my friend, you only hurt yourself when you hate. I am just glad that the Rules Committee followed the rules that they made. The committee keeps its integrity. I enjoyed listening to the wisdom of the members and wish that Ickes had more respect for himself and wish he had not exhibited the anger and profaneness that he did.
God's will be done on earth.

Obama to the White House

Josh,

Obama didn't conveniently not put his name on the ballot - he very intently took it off to honor the decision previously set by the rules committee, which was agreed to by ALL candidates, including Clinton.

Several of my friends did not vote in Michigan because they were told it would not count because they expected the candidates to abide by the rules they agreed to.

Exit polls and other data also show that those who voted uncommitted in Michigan were largely for Obama and Edwards.

If even her supporters on the committee (five of her publicly declared supporters voted for this decision) can get behind it for the sake of unity why can't you?

Don't be a hipocrite Hillary supporters. You want to give Hillary all the votes in Michigan and are pissed at the decision which was FAIR. If you got all the votes and Obama got non, wouldn't that be disenfranchising voters?

Hipocrisy is alive and lives within the rude ppl crying and yelling in the audience and on the committee (MR Ickles)

Grow up ppl.

The bias against Hillary Clinton during this entire campaign season has been a travesty of extreme proportions- The Dems will lose in November. Hands down lose. Thank you DNC.

Clinton supporters will be crying about this forever. Get over it. You're way too biased and selfish to realize this is the right decision for the Democratic Party.

uhm, josh, obama pulled his name from the ballot as did all the other democratic nominees, save 1, who now thinks it shouldn't matter. less blinders, more thought, the democratic way.

I live in Florida and I didn't vote in the primary because it didn't count. My Vote would have been for Obama and I think many more thinking voters who skipped the polls that day would have voted for Obama as well. Clinton is grasping at straws and needs to stop the nonsense, try again in 2016 maybe then we'll be ready for more Billary.

The rules that apply are clear. She should get zero votes, none. Michigan and Florida get nothing. Is that what Obama agrees to? No. He's willing to go along with her to break the DNC's own rules, and seat the states. Now how you do that is extrajudicial, it's a negotiation. That's what you get for allowing Hillary and her followers to whine loud enough to get the DNC to change the rules in the 11th hour to suit herself. But it's all moot. He's the nominee. Will Florida and Michigan again insist on breaking the rules and still being heard? Now that there's a precedent already set-today.

Is it me or is what everyone is saying being ignored. Clinton agreed to the rules, now she sways a group of voters (older white women, which i'm one of) who don't necessarily live in either MI or Fl to fight for every vote and if she doesn't get all her votes, she's taking her toys and going to convention, why? Because she should be the winner. Who is she to decide. The rest of the country has voted and has followed the rules. This whole process is making Liberals look like fools. Stop whining and start winning!

Unity '08

The person above my comment contradicts himself. It's like drawing a winning ticket while you are the only one with a ticket. Don't forget, John Edwards was also in the race at the time and his name wasn't on the ballot either. All running candidates were advised not to put their name on the ballot since it won't be counted, everyone did, with the exception of Clinton, because she thought, she is above the law and everything as usual.

Josh – you are a moron....you want to tout count every vote...yes im sure that Michigan would have not voted for Obama...that the election was completely legitimate...well both aren't true...compromise...Obama wanted it 50/50 he conceded to this compromise while hillary supporters in the audience hissed and Ickes tried to pull this "hijacked" garbage....good job with the unity and being for a democratic president...Hillary supporters, some of them not all, are starting to put their candidate above the party...its recklessly dangerous...mccain has the opposite views of these two candidates while the dems have the same views...stop cutting off your nose to spite your face.

So I guess if every state wants to move their primaries to, hmmm?, December in the future, the DNC rules should not apply to them either?

I find it so strange that so many people are into breaking the rules without any punishment.

The people of Michigan & Florida need to get up in arms and take issue with the way the delegates were divided. Everyone needs a chance to vote and the DNC, Pelosi, & Reid are trying to give the nomination to Obama as quick as possible. This has been a very sad and biased primary season. Its just like 2000 only this time we have the crooked, racist Obama doing the dirty work along with Florida screwing it up again.

I find it funny that the DNC and the Obama campaign had to meet behind closed doors, and then to come out and have a pre determined verdict is obsurd! What happened in this back door meeting? I also think that UNITY was mentioned numerous times thru out this process, However; I as a Hillary supporter feel so disenfranchised and belittled I will not vote dem this time around! Are you kidding me. Barack supporters have your candidate, you will LOSE!

shut up all hilary loosers. you all have been brainwashed by hillary. hillary is a flip flopper. she voted for not campaign in florida and michigan. that is the reason i will not vote for if she gets the nomination.

Imagine what people would saying it the party insiders would have stripped Obama of four elected delegates and the awarded half the delegates in a state Clinton decided to remove her name from the ballot? So what do you think? Would they be screaming about how corrupt the Clintons are?

This ruling shows how sliming the Obama campaign is.

They have stolen an entire election. The people in Michigan voted Obama didn't run and his people just gave him half of their delegates.

South side Chicago pollitics big time!

Josh,

Quit whining and grow up. Michigan and Flordia agreed up front not to have their delagates seated. Just be thankful that they bent the rules to seat have of the votes.

If anything, this decision was favored more towards Hillary, not Obama.

Oh by the way, I'm a Hillary supporter too.

This decision gives too many delegates to the states (esp. Michigan) that knowingly violated the rules. However, compromise is necessary for the sake of unity sometimes.

BTW, last year Harold Ickes voted to strip the states of ALL their delegates. He now, as a Clinton supporter, wants the opposite. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

.. I supported it Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws
before i voted against .....................Hillary Clinton..

Typical of Hillbots. Agree to the rules and then go back on your word when it doesn't suit you.

You can't declare a winner when nobody campaigned.

The DNC did exactly what it said it would do. All the candidates agreed with it. It was the only fair thing to do. Stop acting like petulant children.

Josh you are lucky it wasn't 50\50, Obama had the votes for it. The Michigan primary was illegitimate in every sense.

What about the popular vote?
Will all votes of the people be counted?
Hillary should have the popular vote.
She is the winner in my book.

Josh, time for you to shut up and go home!

Hey Josh- Obama didn't conveniently leave his name off the ballot, that was the rule. No campaigning in MI or Fl. And candidates were asked to take their names off the ballot. Clinton's campaign manager helped make the rules, that he now conveniently wants to break. So don't go crying that rules aren't being followed, Clinton keeps changing the rules til they suit her, not the party. The best thing for MI and Fl voters is for some of their delegates to be seated, they weren't going to be seated at all when they moved their election up against the rules of the DNC, not against the rules made by Obama. Get your facts straight!

Josh, you're living in a dream world if you think Obama should be penalized for not having his name on ballet and that Hillary got screwed. They are doing this so when Obama is the nominee, Michigan will have nothing to complain about.

It was the only fair option. Obama showed both skill to control a crazed situation and also respect by volunteering the fair amount of deligates to Hillary.

Josh,
It is not fair when your candidate agreed that it is not valid but let her name stay. Your argument is not far from 3rd world countries we frequently put down on democracy. We ask sunnis to be fair to shiates and Kurds, but in our country we try to penalize the person who went according to the law.

How outrageous!! Not only did Michigan not follow the rules, but Obama was true to the Dems agreement and did not even have his name on the ballot. Obviously, the rules committee must be beholden to someone, because their decision lacks ethical and moral centering, and it takes a lot of nerve to have ruled that ANY of the Michigan delegates should get ANY vote at all. It's back to "it's not fair and the bully wins". This makes me sick, because, theoretically, these people are grown-ups and leaders, and they're not ruling like leaders at all....just scared puppies.

If I were the DNC, I would not award any delegates to either candidate. How can the Clinton campaign not want to award any delegates to Obama????? His name was not on the ballot because he followed party rules which stated that candidate names should be removed from the ballot. Why did Clinton keeps hers on?????

She's going to take it to the convention and still lose. She needs to give it up. She states she's the stronger candidate – yet she behind in every marker ... doesn't sound like she's the stronger candidate. She ran a disorganized campaign, which wrote off states and caucus'. The rules were laid out to both candodates before they started. This included Florida and Michigan not counting. She lost.

Bye bye Clinton – finally. I have come to the point where I can no longer stand the sight of you. You are destroyinging your husband's legacy. You agreed to the punishment to Florida and Michogan until you discovered you behind. Why is the DNC scared for her? And why did they move the goalposts? The message they have no sent is, "Its okay to break the rules, because we'll bend them for you anyways later on."

Do not vote for Obama this fall.

clinton supporters, stay home in november. or vote for nader.

Josh, while I agree with you about Clinton and the votes, I believe that Obama did have his name on the Michigan ballot and withdrew it after the DNC's penalty ruling regarding the state's primary being held early.

Josh,

I am no one's supporter and ther fact is even if she got all it would still be mathematically against her.

you know this hatelirious woman will never be pleased because what she wants is not democracy but dynasty, power, personal power,

she like the rules will never be pleased unless "it is my way or no way.."

I can not stand this woman, she is racist, divisive, uses the gender card, the jewish card, the bosnia card, the white blue hard working card, woman card, latino card, ....gee she has even said her husband was the first blakc president.." and she has of all people given the republicans a ticket like none not even limbaugh has done such good for the republicans as hateliraus has..........

she of all opeople has acted more republican than mcbush,

may the universe give her what she deserves........... only she herself has planted what she will get.........this woman has no soul..

As a Michigander, or wolverine, at heart (go blue!), I'm pretty interested in this decision by the DNC. First they stripped the Great Lake State of all its delegates in a hard-nosed disciplinary movement against the rebellious (and rightly so!) Michigan Democrats, which totally changed the ballot when Many candidates withdrew their names.

Then, today, the DNC backpedals and totally invalidates themselves (or maybe that happened way back in winter, right?) by settling for the compromise that we've just seen.

We all know politics are no longer black and white; there is plenty of grey in the middle these days... But how can the DNC reckon with the wishy-washy nature with which it went about its business involving Michigan and Florida? My parents still went out and voted according to what they felt, but I was so disgruntled with the whole scene that I am pretty sure I wouldn't have participated had I been a MI resident at the time. How many countless others like me are there all around Michigan, and how does this year's primary outcome accurately measure the true wishes of the people??

I think the DNC needs to be a much more solid organization that has clear visions (that can change, there's nothing wrong with that!) and makes well thought out decisions. They look like a first year teacher who is continually making rash decisions and later making up for them due to guilt or simply due to the realization that they are part of a confusing system known as "the man" by many people, which is flawed in many ways but is just simply how things are done 'round these parts. I know how this goes, because I am one of those teachers this year....

But shouldn't a national political party have all of this out of its system?

Shame on DNC's Meeting today. The DNC doesn't care Americans future. The DNC even didn't want to count their voter's voter.just because they voted a little bit early. What's that stupid rules about? If the baby comes out early from the mother's belly, then the mother just say: "Oh! You are not my baby!" The vote is a vote, doesn’t matter is early or late. You didn’t count our vote, we won’t vote for you in November. Let’s see who will pay the prize in November. The DNC will pay the prize. I will quite to be a DNC, Hillary should too, a lot of people will do the same thing. Who give the DNC's right cut the voter's vote in half? It's not fair for Hillary Cliton at all. Look the meeting today, like a flea market.

Have you heard of hedging your bet? This is just what Hillary did. The plan was if she was losing then she would file a protest....looks like that is just what she did.

If it hurts Clinton I'm happy.

This kind of descision was done to unite the party? I'm not happy at all!!! All Obama supporters should be worried about all the anger, shouting, injustice that there is. We will not be united with decisions like this. GO HILLARY!!!! WE ARE WITH YOU AAAAAALLL THE WAAAAAY!

How could you say that Hillary deserves ALL of the Michigan delegates when she didn't win 100% of the vote? They did what the fairest thing to do was, and to be quite honest they shouldn't have even counted MI at all since Hillary was the only candidate on the ballot. It was an unfair primary.

Please Josh can you just reason alittle bit! Obama was not on the ballot because he adhered to the rules set by DNC in michigan!. Remeber even the votes from the caucases were not counted!!

What will we do when Hiliary stops whining? Her defeat is everyone elses fault. Why would anyone elect a President who raised nearly 200,000,000$ in contributions and yet finds her campaign 20,000,000 $ in debt. Yes, I am sure she can correct the mortgage crisis. She obviously is an expert with numbers. Move on, Hiliary, you have caused enough damage.

I am totally disgusted by the DNC and Hillary at this point. The DNC should have stuck to their own set rules by not seating ANY of the delegates. And for Hillary to inisist on a 100% seating of the delegates "as is" is precisely why she isnt fit to lead a country let alone a campaign, she is dishonest, disingenuous and will lead the country in the same manner. Todays actions send an incredibly sad message to upcoming generations...DONT'T ABIDE BY THE RULES, JUST DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THEM CHANGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS NECESSARY TO WIN AND YOUR DEMANDS WILL BE MET AT LEAST HALF WAY. ABIDE BY THE RULES AND YOU GET SCREWED. Hillary and her supporters KNOW that if the game wasnt CHANGED today, Obama would have this wrapped up this coming tuesday. The Democratic party is a mess!

What a shock the Hillary supporter's comment is posted right away and mine is still awaiting moderation. Way to go clinton news network.

Josh, you obviously never looked up the rules. The reason Obama removed his name is because thats what ALL the Democratic candidates agreed to. Notice that NONE of them were on the ballot OTHER than Clinton. So again, SHE made the foul move. So we should reward her for that? I think not......

It's time to move past this and unite the party.

What will we do when Hiliary stops whining? Her defeat is everyone elses fault. Why would anyone elect a President who raised nearly 200,000$ in contributions and yet finds her campaign 20 million $ in debt. Yes, I am sure she can correct the mortgage crisis. She obviously is an expert with numbers. Move on, Hiliary, you have caused enough damage.

Any supporter of Senator Clinton who is complaining about Senator Obama getting any Michigan delegates, does not truly believe in counting every vote. Senator Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan. Most if not all of those uncommitted votes were likely votes for Obama.

The compromise worked out for both states was fair and just. We Democrats need to move on and focus on beating Senator McCain.

This is a real transvesti of justice. Hillary dont accept this joke.
They take the votes out of Michigan voters and give the delegates to Barack who did not desewrve them. What crooks!
This democratic party is becoming more and more crooked.
Hillary take your case to the democratic convention!! We will support you. Dont give up!!

Not bad for breaking the rules..... Forward march to General election.

Lady, please stop fighting a loosing battle.

What's wrong with Hillary's people? they shift the goal posts Obama agrees with them. DNC made decision yet they are not satisfied! who will stop this lunacy???

Today's RBC meeting was merely a glimpse of how great the Democratic Party can be once again when they sit down at the table like adults and work out their differences for the GOOD OF THE PARTY/COUNTRY not the individual candidates.

While I am proud to throw my support behind Sen. Obama, I was equally proud today of the very difficult task faced by the members of the RBC who were clearly Sen. Clinton supporters but had to show their loyalty to the party over her greatest desires/ambitions simply because she is their preferred candidated. This is what being about the WE vs the I is all about.

Harold Ickes' behavior was the height of immaturity and while I empathize with the Clinton supporters in attendance at the meeting and their disappointment in the outcome, they definitely did not honor themselves or their candidate with some of the behavior exhibited and courageously called out by RBC member and Clinton supporter Alice Huffman.

The world is watching. If the US want to resume their role as leaders they ought to lead with equity, fairness and respect. I thin the committee did the best it could.

Since I'm from Michigan, I have a personal stake in this mess. First of all I don't agree that our delegates are being seated. The DNC made rules that are to be followed by all states, and we ignored those and did want we wanted. Our Governor (a Dem) as well as our Dem. Senators stood up and said we were more important and nothing would happen to us if we went ahead and moved up the primary. We were then penalized..as we should have been. Both Clinton and Obama agreed with this and acknowledged that our votes wouldn't be counted. Clinton agreed with all of this until she realized that she was going to lose, then all of a sudden we were important. What a phony. Any way we teach our children to follow the rules and they get in trouble when they don't. How do we explain this to them???

This makes sense! Get the states seated and to reconcile the party...Then the resolution is not agreeable to fatal attraction and what let's reserve the right and maybe onto the denver convention? Whatever!

Ickes was only fighting for Clinton , he was not fair or willing to meet half way and if he and Sen. Clinton don't stop this nonsense they are going to ensure McCcain is the President. I am sick and tired of this give me a Democratic candidate to vote for so we can move on.
I have lost respect for Clinton and her team for not willing to meet in the middle and she needs to conceed so we don't lose the election in November. I will vote for the DEMOCRATE ,JUST PICK ONE FOR GOD SAKES!

Guess what? The Democrats are going to lose in '08 because they can't get their acts together. Thanks for giving it away yet again guys – you're the best of the worst – or is it the worst of the best?

As a Canadian watching this entire election process and reading as much as possible about both candidates, I have come to the conclusion that HILLARY is the best choice for you country. She has what it is going to take to turn your economy around and in doing so save many other countries that rely so heavily on the US economy from the same recession worries. Obama is a very intelligent man but I feel he is too inexperienced to become President at this point with all the trouble your country is in. Obama I see at this point would make a great Vice President and in 4 or 8 years with some experience will make a Great President and make a great legacy for himself. Finally, all you undecided superdelegates don't go by just what you feel you should do but choose the best to turn your country back to a thriving economy, support HILLARY.

As a Canadian, I sat and watched the DNC rules committee in its entirety on CNN and laughed at the spectacle of Hillary Supporters, I visited HillaryClinton.com and visited their press release about the DNC decision, that was following ALL by PRO-Clinton messages. What propaganda.

I've lost respect for the Clintons for starting this uncalled for war against her own party, she's so desperate to win that she's willing to sabatoge her own party.

I not only have lost respect for the Clintons, but for Americans, who can't see that rules were established, all parties agreed to the rules, but when one person is losing they want the rules changed.

So long democrats I will now become an independent that was such a joke today . Some day maybe some one will write abook about this election. And maybe the truth wil come out.

If my guess is right, going into the general election Obama does not need African American vote. He gambled all the way and he will gamble again. This is politics.

Luckily it was the 69-59 system, though. Fairest way.

I'm tired of this motion to give extra, unfair delegates to Clinton based on a flawed primary. You all know how Clinton supporters are acting now that they think their candidate has lost; how will we Obama supporters react when the nomination is snatched from under us by thirty opinionated people?

Electability? Far from it; Clinton is going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

My name is Kyle from Michigan. I have just watched the DNC rules committee disproportionally allocate delegates. I don't believe that I am half a person so why should only have of my vote count. Now I would accept being half a vote or half of a person if the delegate were separated according to the actual vote held here in Michigan. I fully support you taking this all the way to Denver and I hope you get further in the process because I WILL NOT vote for Mr. Obama in the name of party unity. I will most likely vote for some independent candidate or write in Hillary. Thank you for your support of the people of Michigan who were not represented by by the ruling or no longer adequately represented by the Democratic Party. I am now reevaluating whether or not I can continue to be a democrat as this blows me away.

Good Luck,

Kyle

Ickes can do whatever he wants he won't go anywhere obama is the nominee and he as been since NC.
hillary get over it get out please we want to unite and beat john mccain

I understand that we live in a democracy where everyone's vote should count. But why is it that at the beginning of the race no one cared that Michigan and Florida's votes wouldn't count? Only now that Clinton needs a miracle to win the nomination are the Clinton supporters crying foul. Maybe those Clinton supporters should stop to think that instead of blaming the Democratic Party not allocating the votes the way they would like, they should blame the states who knowingly broke party rules 4 months ago. Don't break a rule and then when things don't work out for you going crying that people aren't being represented fairly.

Hmmmm, so Obama withdraws from the primary because he knew he'd lose, then is awarded delegates – at 1/2 votes so that her advantage is cut in half. Give him credit, Obama played it so he could claim she broke the rules while grabbing delegates though he received no votes. If he was on the other end of this garbage, there would be loud cries of racism. This is his new politics. Looks like the old boss to me. I hope Clinton takes it to the convention. Awarding delegates with no basis in votes, or the Texas situation where she won the votes then he grabbed more delegates may be clever, but it's lousy democracy. Being mixed race doesn't cameoflage maneuvers worthy of Nixon. And I will vote for him if I have to, but it doesn't bode well for his presidency, should he get one.

The Committee isn't punishing Michigan and Florida, it's punishing the Clinton campaign and the voters. You want to punish the politicians who moved the date up? Ban any Democratic pol who directly supported it from being a superdelegate. This is vote suppression, period. If McCain carries these states the Committee will have themselves to blame.

I'm a Clinton supporter and NOT happy with this decision. Hillary should have gotten ALL of Michigan's delegates with ALL the votes! Truth be told, she was the only one that had her name on the ballot in that state! Obama conveniently did not put his name on the ballot, therefore he should get NO DELEGATES from that state! Looks like the DNC is obviously biased in favour of Obama. Pelosi and Dean...we hate you!

seat all the delegates in both states and let them vote. What is this half vote crap. I am sick of it. Yes i am a woman and wont Hillary.
But seat all delegates in Florida and Michigan and let them vote.
Why the heck should 30 people decide. why cant you do that?
you still are not giving them a voice if you give them a half vote!

I think it was the best they could do. I hope both parties are satisfied and hopefully in the future Dems won't make up rules then decide mid-game they don't like them especially because the losing team threatens to take their ball and go home.

You can;t penalize the Florida and Michigan voters for the actions of their officials, and you can't penalize Obama for following the rules in Michigan by taking his name off the ballot.

The Democratic Party should have resolved this long ago, but this compromise seems like the best that can be made of a bad situation. Please let this be the end of the issue. We need a Democrat in the White House, first and foremost. Time to rally around Obama, the nominee chosen by the people.

Is Clinton SERIOUS??? I mean, she got more delegates than Obama and STILL wants to contest?? CRAZINESS I tell you! MADNESS!!!

Ickes was completely rude. He represented Clinton?? That is really scary!

I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA HE IS NOT OUR STRONGEST CANIDATE. I WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING THIS YEAR. HE DOES NOT REPRESENT MY VALUES

If not Hillary, then McCain, no Obama!!!!

harold ickes and clinton supporters displayed incredibly bad behavior and demeanor during the hearing. for anyone that doesn't recognize this, the campaign and some supporters have crossed the line from being strong competitors to sore losers. please people recognize that is not a strong leader. the candidate sets the example and quite frankly it's not a favorable one. i have lost much respect for senator clinton and as a former new yorker would definitely not choose her to be a senator from the great state of new york nor the country.

Power hungry Clinton is still not satisfied. I do not understand who is mor eharmful to the nation McCain or Clinton.

Only half representation? am I only half a person? I am an AMERICAN, I deserve FULL representation. I'm not subject to "rules". I want it. NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!!!!!!!111

You have to ask yourself, why would the DNC want S.C and Navada voting ahead of FLA.
Simple. They wanted Obama to have some early wins, to take the wind out of Sen. Clinton's sails.

In other words this whole thing got started because the DNC was trying to fix the primary schedule for Obama.

This is what they get , I hope Hillary takes it all the way to the
convention.

Why does he get 59? How did they dwcide on that spli? He wasn't on the ballot

"Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee."

YES!!!!

Please take this to Denver for the second round vote. You promised to never give up. We believe you!

I think it is a fair solution. I think seating 100% as an illegal vote would be just unfair to the policies and to the other states which abided by the rules.

I hope HRC does not drag this out even further...she is showing her true side now, a side which does not reflect that of becoming a president of the United States.

She needs 4 years to rethink and find out what America is REALLY about...then we'll see.

It's finally over....I hope!!! I just hope kids don't ask why did they break the rules? Does that mean I can???

Well...a half-vote is better than no-vote. Hillary should be very happy by now, but I don't think she would be happy even if they gave her all delegates from MI & FL. Even though all votes from both MI & FL are counted as they voted on their primary, She still will be short in number of delegates. So then she may (probably she would if we predict the way she has been act lately...) say the whole primary was flawed so that we need to cancel all election results and just do the floor nomination at the convention. She will never quit until she is the one who gets DEMS nomination. What a desperation! I admire her desperation. Will you marry me Hillary? I don't mind to take Bill too as long as he keep bring money in and cheating on you Hillary. Ha Ha Ha...

Clinton previously stated her reason for remaining in the race was to ensure everyone had a chance to vote. Now everyone's vote has been counted and on Tuesday the last of the primaries will be done . Let's put this thing to bed! I will be very disappointed if she really proceeds to the Credentials Committee on this one. I personally don't think she should complain. She was given a higher portion of votes she didn't necessarily earn, especially in Michigan. Do you really win an election with no opponent?

Why giving 59 delegates to a candidate who did not get a single vote in the state?
This is as arbitrary as saying that Obama must be the candidate in November whatever it happens

This is nonsense, rules were broken and a proper punishment was reduced to a slap on the wrist. This is not a fair day for Democracy, this only shows that lawyers and stubborn stances can turn about a 'fair' ruling. If this was a true democracy we would have national voting days that would be treated like any other national holiday to help foster and bring more voters into the polls.

I applaud the DNC for coming to a resolution. I was a Clinton supporter, but I now have decided that I do not want to support someone who brings such division within a commune of organized people. The disruptions at the DNC meeting, the disrespectful language of Mr. Ickes, and the accusations by Mr. Ickes that delegates for Mrs. Clinton were being hijacked could all have been avoided if Mrs. Clinton would admit to the inevitable: she will not be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States of America. She has opened a wound and must find a way to apply an antibiotic to prevent further infection. I applaud her strength and her efforts, and I am elated that she supports that every voice should be heard; but she wants those voices to be heard to her benefit. If Florida and Michigan were granted full representation at the Convention, it would have been open season on the DNC that any state could break rules with no repercussions. To ignore the compliance of 48 states in doing the right thing was Mrs. Clinton's plea. Let's put this behind us, pray for peace and whip the socks off of John McCain in November. May GOD continue to bless America in a unified manner!

She will take it to the credentials committee but by that time most of the superdelegates will have made their choice. Unfortunately she will succeed in fragmenting the party. Obama will still win the general election and the Democratic Party will eventually split with Bill and Hillary starting a new party so she can run in 2012.

Harold Ickes, Clintons, et al, are only out for their own power base and not what is really good for the country and democratic party. Today democracy was shown in it's purest form....the people spoke. Now lets get on with fighting the republicans and not each other!

Clinton's campaign are sore losers.

There! Settled!
Obama will still have the nom after the 3rd. Let's move on and win in November Dems! Dems couldn't get it together the last two times because they cannot unite!

WAY TO GO DEMS!! WOOOT for disenfranchising voters!! I used to call myself a Democrat, but now with this theft of votes and an election, to hades with the party! I am for my nation and every vote SHOULD be counted!!! I TRULY hope the brat does well in November!! while he LOSES Florida and Michigan because his party screwed themselves. Write in vote for Hillary incoming from me OR I might vote FOR McCain instead of the wonderful Obratma!! /rude gesture to Democrat Party for becoming their party's mascot!

Democrate made a wise decision today, am proud. Anyone that chose to disagree with that , do not want the unity of the party and is playing in the republican note book. That was there intention, to disorganise the DNC.

This is total nonsense. Why make so much noise and then back down? Is this the way the Democrats want to run the country? Breaking any rule they don't like. This entire debate was unnecessary and the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee should be punished for backpedaling.

I hope this puts an end to all the divisive bickering. It is time to unite and prevent the Republicans from continuing to mess with the country.

I must say i am surprize at the out come and this should be the end. If Hillary and her supporters try to override this decision get ready for another eight years of high gas prices, a unendable war that might lead to a draft, and more big buisness dominating the country as we know it. Its time to put an end to all this. Hillary you loss plain and simple, Your underhanded dealings backfired, accept it and move on.

I think it is funny with all the chaos surrounding the Dem's.

McCain is going to win regardless of their bickering.

McCain 2008!

OK, Now its the super deligates turn to end this by Tuesday !!

if Hillory wants to change the rules inning by innings,and be a poor loser,then what would she be like as a President,other countries would not be able to trust her.

Thank goodness the delegates will be able to join the party in Denver.

Hooray!!!!

Voters, eh, who needs 'em.

I watched most of the days proceedings and the democratic leadership must be really ashamed of this circus. There was no order and all of the folks in the peanut gallery made it very difficult to comprehend what was going on most of the time.

This chaos seems to have become the hallmark of the democrats this year and most of it seems to me to be directly attributable to Hillary and her supporters who know that they only way she is going to have a ghost of a chance to win is through intimidation.

Do you want to vote for a candidate who represents a party that is totally out of control? I certainly do not. Attention Dumbacrats – U blew it! Big Mac – ya got my vote.

Thank God it's over...now let's (Democrats) move on toward beating McCain in the fall!!

I think today was a fair way of seating what happened in those 2 states. The fact that it took so long didnt seat well with me, however I feel like the meeting did what it needed to do. And i bet that the next time Flordia, and Mich. Will not vote until LAST!!!!

Sure Harold..let her take it to the Credentials Committee....She will be commiting Political suicide...Her career right now is over for all this BS she pulled...At least if she goes to the Convention, that will be a guarantee she will be gone from politics for the rest of her life..NO ONE would forgive her for that unless it was her uneducated, WHITE supporters!

I am very happy with the outcome....And to think she seriously thought she was going to get these delegates seated in full..Like Donna Brazille said..When you start changing the game plan in the middle of the game, that is called CHEATING..it's about time someone called Billary out on this one!!!!! Bye Bye Billary...BYE BYE!!!!

I supported senator Clinton before the Ohio primary. I admire her tenacity and political skills. However, it appears that she is now doing this for her personal gain. I truely would like this country to move forward and stay away from another Bush's term. If McCain were elected, maybe we ought to consider moving to Canada?

One Word: CROOKED

Harold:

Get over it. Michigan brought their proposal to the committee. The committee ratiffied the Michigan proposal. If you and your boss wish to destroy the party over four delegates more or less then it maybe time for you both to find another party.

I am just so glad this will finally end next week. We need to rally behind our nominee and look ahead to the general election.

NOW HRC CAN GO AWAY FOR GOOD. SHE DOESN'T HAVE NO EXCUSE FROM NOW ON. THANKYOU DNC FOR REACHING THE FINAL .

Thank God " The Clintons " are in the U S of A and not here in
Canada..

Clinton adviser and RBC member Harold Ickes said, "Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee.

There is no doubt in my mind that she is trying to torpedo Obama's chances of getting into the whitehouse.

Harold Ickes is a political moron. He can't understand the simple fact that rules cannot be changed half way through a process. But only after the process in order to improve on its efficiency the next time there is a repeat of the process. His comments about the decision made by the RBC is appauling and I think he needs to appologize to every member of the Democratic party.

Half a vote beats no vote.....DEMOCRATS UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Cannot blame Hellory for trying to grab the FL and MI delegates. It is her hypocrisy, that she claims to be fighting for truth and justice, I find so sickening. And Obama is no better. Quitting Trinity Church counts as an an abject piece of political pandering. And McCain believes that the wrong side won the Vietnam war. What is voter to do, except go fishing Nov. 8.

Hillary Clinton is a liar and a cheater...This is a clear embarrasment to the rest of the world...Do she realize that the entire country is looking at her cheat...She agreed to the penalty and once she found out she wouldn't have enough votes she tried to change the rules...How dirty is that...How can we say to rest of the world "be fair" when our own politicians are crooked...The rules are the rules and that's the only way the state of Florida and Michigan will get their act together...How can she say she won those states when his name wasn't even on the ballot for the people to vote in the first place.....She's dirty and I don't want a liar and cheat to run this country...I no longer support or trust her anymore...If she can do this just imagine what she'll do in the white house...This is dirty...If that's the case then let the people of florida & michigan vote again...I bet she won't win...O'Bama will still have more delegate and super delegates she can cry wolve all she wants but the rules are the rules and O'bama is the only candidate I'll ever trust...Hillary your a dirty B****! & do is your campaign...Your behind this church controversy too!...

Harold Icke and HRC, I really feel bad for you. This sense of entitlement is scary. You are together destroying the democratice party.

I was told my vote would not count. My neighbors were told their vote would note count. On election day, I went to the polls, and voted uncommitted because my candidate of choice, Obama, was not on the ticket. Some of my Democratic neighbors voted in the Republican primary, knowing their vote in the Democratic primary would not count. Most of my neighbors stayed home, knowing that their vote would not count. And now the party tells us our votes do count. It's just wrong.

I watched this on CNN. I've never seen anything like it. It almost seemed like we were back in high school watching kids bickering about a missed call at a football game. And the crowd ... rude doesn't begin to describe that bunch.

After watching the DNC Committee work together to come up with a compromise, true colors came out of Harold Ickes as being the twin brother of Hillary Clinton. Both "pea" brains came from the same pod.

I watched in amazement and agreement the Catholic priest that mocked Clinton almost perfectly. I actually laughed and applauded him for being so accurate in portraying Clinton's "attitude" and actions throughout this campaign.

Now, Clinton is hinting to bring this to the convention? I thought she said she would support Sen. Obama and unite the party? Instead, she's the selfish crybaby only thinking of herself and truly doesn't care if she hurts Sen. Obama's chances of becoming the president and not to mention, bring the whole Democratic down with her. Hillarious and her supporters are a bunch of losers. They will do anything to win. What pathetic losers!!!!!!!!

Now can we move on?

Gives some idea of why this state is no longer #1 in auto production in this country. When you compromise on all the really important stuff, the only thing left to distinguish their work from someone else's is the number and location of cup holders.

59 delegates goes to a candidate who wasn't even on the ballot. The decision was based on votes for "uncommitted" and exit polls.
A committee of 30 people, with 27 who can vote, makes the decision.
They did it on national TV. It's a dark day for our democracy.

The DNC has done nothing to unite the party. Their vote today was a slap in the face. Of course CNN will spins this party division on Clinton with their laughable "unbias" reporting.

I am ashamed of the DNC and CNN.

I personally, will NOT vote for Obama. I'll vote for Clinton whether or not she is on the ballot.

Angry in Illinois!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad it is over and I think everything was fair

Now that the main issue has been decided, and Clinton has absolutely no hope of getting the nomination (that writing has been on the wall for a month now), she needs to get the heck out of the race. She's doing more damage than any Republican could ever do. Ickes' attitude today didn't do her any favors as regards to public opinion.

GET OUT HILARY! Your 10.000 minutes (most normal, rational people take 15 but Hilary just doesn't know when to quit) of fame are well and truly up. Not only are you hurting the party, you're very seriously damaging your own reputation and future political career with this nonsense.

BOOO, thats not right! OBAMA SHOULD GET NONE, HES BREAKING THE RULES AND THE DEMOCRATS LET HIM!! THE RULES STATE NO CANDIDATE SHALL RECIEVE ANY UNCOMMITED VOTES, OR VOTES FORM ANOTHER CANDIDATE -like john edwards' votes- IT IS VERY EASY TO SEE HOW BIAS OBAMA'S PARTY WAS, IT WAS OBAMA'S WAY OR NO WAY, AND THEY MADE IT CLEAR, WHAT OBAMA DID WAS WRONG! BOTH PARTIES HAD TO AGREE ON IT TO SEAT THE DELEGATES AND HE WOULD OBLY AGREE TO IT, IF HE GOT MICHIGANS VOTES, WHICH WERE NOT HIS IN THE FIRST PLACE,OTHER PEOPLE VOTED UNCOMMITED FOR OTHER CANDIDATES, BOO BARACK, AND BOO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!

ALL I CAN SAY IS IN SOME MORE MONTHS WE WILL BE HEARING FROM PRES. McCAIN!

YES WE WILL...

TAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE CONVENTION!!!

OR LET'S GO INDEPENDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-WOMEN WILL NOT BE IGNORED-

I have waited for a woman to have this opportunity my entire life. I have given thousands of dollars to the democratic party, time, and my vote (in EVERY election) for the past 17 years. I have supported the democratic party thinking one day they will show their appreciation and allow one woman to get through. I have always loved Hillary and denying her is like spitting in my face. This Nov. I will be voting republican (unless Hillary runs as independent) for the first time and I will never return. I am ashamed of my party for how you have treated this great woman. The party deserves what it gets in Nov.

CNN, being a news channel should only reflect what is going on in the race, rather than being a supporter for a specific candidate (Obama).

By the way, the vote counts should be up-to-date, dont you think?

So can we now move on! Obama will still be the nominee with all of the "states" counted.

Overall it is a bad situation. I wish that Florida and Michigan simply followed the rules in the first place instead of being defiant. I think The Committee did the best that they could considering the situation. If the DNC stuck to the original rule....0 delegates would have been awarded do I think it is cool that a compromise has been reached.

Although a lifelong democrat, I cannot wait to vote for John McCain in November.

It's all nonsense!

First, the DNC made a rule which even they don't respect.

Second, they awarded a woman who not only broke the rule but also determined to destroy the party unless nominated .

Third, they penalized Obama and supporters for striclty observing the rule.

Oh, my GOD.

IF CLINTONS REALLY THINKS THAT THEY LOVE AMERICA THE WAY THEY TALK ,THEY SHOULD QUIT AND SUPPORT OBAMA.

It is written in the democrat constitution that you cannot give delegates to a candidate (Obama) that is not on the ballot. And you cannot give the undecided votes to a candidate(Obama). The democrate party broke every rule by doing this..

It is also unexplained why Rhode Island voted out of turn and wasn't penalized. But Michigan and Flordia was. The whole process was a joke.

As for the old argument that Obama followed the rules. Bull!!!! In the first place no one told Obama to take his name off the ballot. And no one campagined in Michigan ,but Obama did run commericals on t.v. in Flordia. No one else did. He is just sneakier than anyone else. And a lot better at lieing. I am through with the democrate party.

GO MCCAIN!! MICHIGAN IS WAITING FOR YOU.

It would have been the greatest injustices ever imaginable not to award Obama any delegates from Michigan with an excuse he chose not have his name on the ballot. After all all he did was follow the party rules and I don't believe HRC and co should insist on getting all those delegates coz she had agreed to have them disqualified for a reason she well knows and believes right though its now apparent she has the remotest of chances to win without them, indeed all of them from both Mi and Fl.
Stop moving the goal posts every time you miss the penalty Hillary! It makes look and sound more pathetic if you don't already do!

Lucas
Adelaide, Australia

I am 52 and independent, voting democrat most of my life. I am so ashamed of the democrats right now, selling out Clinton. I am sick of how this campaign has gone from the beginning with the media kissing Obama's you know what and not being fair. I am sick of media period and for a long time. Our media has become only propaganda and America has lost our rights of the people due to this. It feels like Russia the way we only hear on news what they want us to hear. This decision today also showed me certain democrats have their own agenda and that's Obama. They will be sorry in general election because Obama will be torn to shreds and he is wishy washy in his decisions. I almost would have respected him better to stand up for his church and minister than to sell him down the river for politics. It was so obvious that he doesn't have convictions and that proved it. I will not support him and I'm not sorry to say this. I am a 52 year old woman who went through the last election with republicans using their clout with courts to win that election, but I never, NEVER thought I'd see the day the democrats would shoot themselves in the foot like they have today and last couple months. I am done!

Excellent job by the Michigan Democratic Party, Obama and the Rules Committee!
Now I wait for the other shoe...and there will be one...guaranteed. I suspect it will be on the issue of penalties for "campaigning".
I just hope that the vocal 10% of Democratic women who want HIllary decide to either think about their country or get to heck out of the Democratic Party and join the Hillary Clinton Party! Just remember gals, the Republican men loathe your heroine and the women despise her just as much!

CNN,

Who says there is nothing to watch on tv these days! Thank you for airing all the proceedings and all your great work! Please interview Donna Brazille tomorrow on Late Edition! I'm dying to know what happened at lunch!

There! Hopefully HRC will shut up now..but of course we all know that's not going to happen. Don't be suprised if she takes this thing to the convention..It makes me so angry that they gave into her. THE WOMAN SAID IT HER SELF "THE VOTES WON'T COUNT" IF SHE WERE AHEAD NONE OF THIS WOULD BE GOING ON..

The DNC rules committee and the Obama supporters have decided they do not want my whole vote. Therefore in November since I can not give tem half a vote, I will give them no vote. My wife and I have agreed to give our two votes to McCain. The DNC rules commitee and Chairman Dean have decided to punish us for the actions of a Republican controlled legislature. I know ther are alot of Democrats here in Florda who feel disenfrancised by Obama, Dean and the DNC.

take it to the convention hillary. the dnc has bent over backwards for obama, and despite him outspending you 5-1, he still can't beat you. the exodus of disgruntled democrats to register independent, and republican will happen. run as an independent candidate, hillary. hillary owes the democrats nada, for the way she was treated by them.

Clinton, is suffering from a bad case of GLUTTONY
She should be ASHAMED of herself!!!

Harold Ickes is "icky".
United we stand. Onward Obama, let's get rid of Bush and make this country the greatest democracy in the world again!

Oh well it figures...the rats are out

I 100% agree with how they did this, she gets the win (even though he could have curshed her had the state been done properly and he had time to campaign their and was on the ticket) but anyway... 44% didnt vote for her they voted uncommitted the obama supporters in the state had previously told their people to vote uncommitted if they wanted to vote for obama.

whats irony is shes getting fumed right now over it because even after they seated all of these delegates and their half votes... ... SHES STILL LOOSING BY OVER 170 DELEGATES!

And that's with tuesday almost surely bringing 2 strong obama wins with only PR going to hilary, which cant even vote in the general election

I wonder how the Democratic party is going to fare running the country when they can't even run their own party.

TO: Clinton Supporters who are ANGRY with todays Results.....

WHY? why are you angry.........First off, Clinton nor Obama had control over what happened today or when MI and FL violated the party rules and moved up their primaries.......

MI.....they were stripped of their delegates so Obama and Others like John Edwards, removed their names from the Ballot to honor PARTY RULES.....Clinton left her name on, for one reason or another.....so to count any number without giving any to Obama is WRONG by any stretch fo the imagination......

Even the Clinton Supporters at the event voted that Obama deserves some delegates, and its fair.......a contest doesnt have only one contestant.....so ya, its fair

FL.....they seated ALL of the delegates without any funny splits, they just counted the delegates at half-value.......Hillary still won, in both states

A thought......Hillary wanted ALL delegates to be seated at FULL value.....well a compromise......ALL delegates were seated at HALF value......

Still Upset???? The delegates are being seated in FULL as not to "disenfrachise" the voters of both states, plus if the race were not as close as it is, none of this would be happening now OK....

The voters ARE being justified by having their votes count......Hillary is not because she wanted those BIG numbers to eat away at Obama's lead......meaning, she is only concerned with herself....selfish

This whole situation with Florida and Michigan upsets me to no end..I am changing to be an independent and may even vote for McCain...I know I won't vote for Obama.

Well, not quite the mulligan she was looking for.
Hillary will have to find another way to steal the nomination she could NOT win outright. It wasn't a perfect solution but it is one both side can live with.

There! Is she satisfied now????!!! Obama is still ahead anyway. If she continues this fight to the convention, she will certainly destroy her party's chances for sure!

I voted in Florida before I moved to Tennessee. Now that the DNC decided that my full vote did not count and did not mean anything, I have decided that if Hillary does not become the Democratic nominee then I will vote for McCain! These 30 people should not have the right to decide if my vote counts or not. This is supposed to be the United States of America! I am so disappointed in my country right now!

Thats funny...someone whose name even does not appear on the ballot gets 'delegates' ... that;s a joke..

Thank you Rules and Bylaws committee, you did the right thing. Thanks for not succombing to the pressure and honoring integrity and respect for both candidates. i know it couldn't have been easy, but it was right. I hope that we can heal as a party now and get this all behind us. Thank you once again.

Mr. Ickes, take it any where you want to. Its OVER. You'll find a new job tho, just keep saying,"do you want fries with that?"

outstanding!! I think the right thing was done because, the only other alternative was to stick with the rules and don't seat any delegates. Just think, people knew who hillary was so they voted for her. No one knew Obama, so he never really got a chance to let people know his agenda before the Florida or Michigan Primaries. So what happened today was good for the Party and the People who did not vote because they thought there vote would not count also for those who did vote. Democrats will win the General Election because the hundreds of thousands who did not vote during the primaries will vote in the General.

Perhaps instead of blaming the DNC and anyone else within shooting range, Hillary Clinton, should blame not Obama, but husband, Bill Clinton, and his former cohorts, Carville, Ickhes, MacAukff, Begala, Penn, and God knows how many others. Instead of standing up for herself, she let them stand up for her.

Dean, Kennedy, Kerry and Pelosi are so corrupt, I will never vote for Democrats again.

Clinton adviser and RBC member Harold Ickes said, "Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee."

Not after Tuesday night. It will all over by then. Ask Nancy Pelosi.

What does it mean to "fully seat delegates" when you are giving them "half a vote". What a bunch of crap. Just say that "hey ...things happen...and this is how we are solving it". Please don't insult people like that.

I like both Hillary or Obama. And I hope the run together, but the only way to make this right was to have a revote in both states. We talk about disenfranchising voters. Remember Florida in 2000? Even some of us think 2004 ws stolen because of voter disenfranchisement.

Hillary has no chance to win under any scenario, and I hope she realizes that soon and gets on board to beat McCain. But that does not change the fact that what happened today was voter disenfranchisement.

Obama gets closer to his righful nomination, I hope Hilary bows out and helps beat McCain....

The loser today was the democratic party and the winner is John McCain

This may or may not be posted, but as an American I feel compelled to partake in this "sham of an election". I have been a Democrat since I can remember and I have been a Bill Clinton supporter for both terms of his presidency. I even voted for Mrs. Clinton during her New York Senatorial bid. Today I am a very sad American and Democrat.

This "Compromise" is the biggest shame since the Bush election in 2000. The votes should not count for Fla. and Mich, due to one simple fact those states broke the rules that were set. Now those rules are being ignored as though they did not exist in order to appease Mrs. Clinton's desparate attempts to become President.

This has shown future generations that when entering a game or following established rules they may be changed to appease those that are losing when the loser is a powerful individual, corporation or group. This is a sad day and the future shall judge our actions within the Democratic party as hypocrital, inconsistant with Democratic beliefs and un-American. Rules should not be changed in the middle of the game when the rules were clear to all sides, ignored by some and now rewrote because Mrs. Clinton is a selfish individual who puts her self interest before that of the People...The majority has spoken and in a Demeocracy this puts Sen Obama as the Democratic Nominee for President.

Why??? Didn't Ickes agree to and vote for the initial sanctions? It is obvious now that this is not about the party, this is not about the people, this is about Hillary Clinton and her legacy.

What a joke it's 2000 all over again. Why vote? I guess the dems want McCain to be president. I will not vote for a crook like Obama.

The whole definition of a settlement is no one goes home happy. I am relieved, now Obama can concentrate on the single issue of defeating John McCain.

Is this really a surprise? Now, can we move on to McCain and Obama?

Obama 08'

Who is being treated unfairly now? Who followed the rules and is now being punished for it? I'm so sick of hearing the Clintons and their surrogates belly aching about being treated unfairly. Can you imagine if the situation were reversed what they'd be saying about Obama? Gimme a break.

Florida and Michigan should be happy that the DNC were so generous
even consider granting any of the delegates. Let this be a lesson to
both states that they should educate themselves on the electorial
process so that they won't be taken advantage of by their OWN state
legistalors. If some of the behavior of "protesters after the meeting was any indication and representation of the voters of Michigan, it is now
clear how they found themselves in their predicament in the first place.
Now that this nonsense is over, lets get on with the business of
beating the Republicans in November.

I thought Hillary was for MI and FL voters but it now appears that it was all abou ther once again and her numbers, not the voters.

Was it not enough for her to try and disinfranchise the caucus states?

Obama chose to follow the wishes of of both states and I commend him for it. He shall have my vote.

Furthermore, the foul and cursing language used by Harold Ickes is appalling!

That makes absoulutely no since. All the votes are counted for who Hilary and the candidate named uncommitted. I am just glad this mess is finally over and now it is time to move on to the general. Get em OBAMA.

this committee was made up of mostly former President Clinton staffers who support her and then other uncommitteds. Is Hillary going to call them sexist and file a complaint against their decision?

Why dont you put up the up to date numbers
Not everyone watches 24 hrs of TV
Get with it CNN

Hillary is going to bite off more than she can chew with this one.

On top of virtually destroying not only the Democratic Party itself, but also any chances of a Democratic president before 2012, this will not help her.

She wants to maximize delegates even though her chances are virtually zero. But if she decides to contest the MI decision, the DNC and everyone will be reminded that she was the only candidate who didn't pull his/her name off the ballot in that state. Most of the "uncommited" votes (based on exit polls) were for Obama (so somewhere near 40%); a 10-delegate lead is a huge concession considering the fact that they are seating delegates from an election where only one candidate's name was on the ballot. If Hillary decides to contest this, what will her argument be? "Yeah, I know Obama wasn't even on the ballot in this state, and you already gave me a 10 delegate lead despite this, but I feel I'm entitled to more!"

I can't believe that the so called "democrates " thought that today was democratic!!!. Not only did the democrates loose most of the cross over republic votes but also some long time Democrate voters. Thank God that Howard Dean never did become President if this is any indication of how he would run the country. Now we will be stuck with 4 years of McCaine. Thanks!

The DNC has just proved to the whole world while the democratic party is democratic. Am so proud of the DNC members and its about time the Clinton and Obama campaigns start the process of uniting the party. Its about time Hillary endorses Obama and goes for the VP. This is the only way out for her to lose with some credibility.

Keep fighting Hillary! All the way to the floor and beyond!

Florida should have full vote and so should Michigan. Obama got the uncommitted so i dont know why they would give Us half a vote. I'm not Half A Vote. I'm going independent. Goodbye DNC

It was a difficult decision, and I'm in full support of the decision. The committee basically met both candidates half way. It was the most "fair to all concerned" decision they could have made in a seriously flawed primary contest in which Obama and other candidates names weren't on the ballot; one in which Hillary said "wouldn't count" toward anything before she was no longer the front runner.

Obama '08/12

Harold Ickes exemplified the nastiness of the Clinton campaign as well as the Clinton supporters in the crowd that did not give the dew respect to the committee members

The Democratic Party has no one to blame for all we have been subjected to as voting citizens but leadership of the party. The leadership of this party has all but decided who will be the next candidate to represent this party. In the end, I feel the party will have a very rude awakening in November. If it doesn't decide that this election belongs to the people of this country instead of a group of super delegates who love having the power to make or break a candidate.

I had decided to vote Democratic this time instead of Republican. However, if this heavy handed bias continues I will vote as a Republican, or better yet as an Independent. Bob Barr is looking better all the time. This has nothing to do with 'race' or 'gender', but everything to do with democracy.

There were only two logical solutions to the Florida/Michigan problem: 1) Abide by the rules and not seat the delegates or 2) Pay for a revote. Changing the rules in the middle of the race is not an option. Can you imagine a pro football team petitioning to have the pre-season games counted because they didn't make the playoffs? How many people didn't vote because they were told their vote didn't count? The DNC should have thought about this before they made the rules, not after. They pride themselves on being the "party of change" but this sounds like the same ol' Democrat party to me.

How can they give Obama delegates he didn 't even earn and then take 4 more from Clinton which makes a loss of 8. If the "uncommitted" column is suppose to be respected. How can the DNC suddenly change the rules when it benefits their candidate of choice. They should of let Hillary's delegates be seated as they stand, then if she should lose the nomination, no one would cry foul. Now that they blantantly fixed an election in front of our eyes, this will never feel fair! Outrages and shameful!

This decision makes NO SENSE!

How can they give Obama more than 40% of the delegates when the uncommitted vote was 40% AND included Edwards and other supporters.

This is not a democracy when the DNC justs starts giving votes to whoever they want to.

SHAME ON THE DNC!

The DNC Rules Committee committed a travesty of justice today. Imagine they have decided to "award" votes to Obama, who received exactly NONE in Michigan? I don't believe this is legal. Awarding half-votes? Is a voter half a person? It reminds me of the ugly past of blacks in this country being declared 3/4 of a person! It was immoral then and it's immoral now. COUNT ALL THE VOTES! Anything less than counting all the votes is disenfranchising voters and that is unacceptable.

Michigan should have a revote on August 4 when they are already holding a statewide election. It's the perfect solution. Florida votes should stand as is with a penalty to Obama (according to the DNC's own rules, Obama broke the rules when he ran ads throughout Florida) and Hillary broke no rules in Florida.

Take it to the floor of the DNC convention in August, Hillary where you can and must prevail. The delegates are not "pledged" to anyone, they can vote however they wish. The job of the delegates is to nominate the most electable candidate for the general election, that candidate is and shall remain Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama is unqualified and unelectable. His latest "pastor" scandal reiterates the point that he has not been fully vetted and is too risky for the Dems to gamble with.

Go Hillary! This race will NOT be decided until late August in Denver!

I know it is a compromise not everyone will like but hope it is a compromise that most everyone can accept. I know I would have preferred to see the delegations from Michigan and Florida cast totally out of the Democratic convention, but I can live with the punishment meted out to them instead. I will be voting Democratic in November.

Great! The Republicans are splitting into bible-thumping authoritarians versus the sensible people and the Democrats are splitting whites vs. blacks (or men vs. women, or Obama-ites vs. Clintonites, or whatever).

With any luck at all, the whole strait-jacket two-party system will collapse and give real people real choices for the first time in decades.

tuesday is the end of the road...it should not be drawn out any more than it already has been. i admire hillary's tenaciuos spirit. now that same spirit must go forth to support barack obama as our candidate. when one door closes, another will open. she is deserving of something great where she can continue to contribute to our country in a meaningful way for all of us and for herself.

"Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee."

That's going to be a hard case to sell without the support of the Michigan Democratic Party (which voted unanimously for Sen. Levin's compromise).

i know she ( h r c )was all about her self oh this will not go convention,yah right.

i think its a fair situation. Lets get started before the convention.
Go OBAMA.

I agree with the decision, though I worry it will only make Hillary supporters angry and will give her motivation to drag this out longer. Perhaps the committee should have imposed the 50% penalty, but only seated Hillary's Michigan votes. Obama would still be ahead and would still likely win the race, but Hillary's supporters wouldn't have as much to complain about.

Although I'm a Republican, I am soooo sorry for the Michigan and Florida voters. Whoever were the TWITS that changed their states' voting schedules should be, "run out of town on a rail!!!"
The voters turned out, in some cases, in record numbers, in this most important race, and now--mess!!!!

Thanks for resolution!!! I hope Hillary will now drop all of the pretense and contentious and become a team player

The foolish Dems have anointed the fatally flawed far left fringe candidate. They had the opportunity to choose the best and fell in love with the worst!

No unity for the Dems – on to Denver!

Ickes had a legit point, Obama should have recieved zero in Michigan
Hillary's should have been halved as was, But Hillary can't win and should step aside for unity

I am glad that a decision was made , now let us move on to beating McCain in the election.

Lanny Davis, Mark Penn, Paul Begala,Dick Morris, Harold Ickes, What do all these political operatives have in common. They worked in the Bill Clinton campaigns for President , and with the exception of Morris they all have worked in the Hillary campaign (though Carville and Begala aren't paid they are certainly surrogates for Hillary). It is a different environment. The sleaze of the Clinton campaign has surfaced it's ugly head again today under the name of Harold Ickes.
Even that arrogant SOB has lost some of his ability to intimidate.
Today it became apparent the Clintons no longer run the Democratic party. They can either get on board or get out of the way. Their character will be revealed by how they handle these setbacks.

Please give it up.He was so disrepectfully when things don't go your way that's the way too handle it,Hillary Clinton thats who who sent to represent you.That's say's alot about you..................

Sen. Clinton said that she wanted the votes to count in Michigan and Florida in order to not disenfranchise the voters. Now each state has been given half their votes. Unfortunately, that is not good enough for Sen. Clinton. She wants all the Michigan votes to go to her.

Well, I guess the Michigan and Florida voters see that Sen. Clinton only wanted the votes to further her campaign. Disenfranchising the voters of Michigan and Florida are not her concern anymore.

The women supporters who are upset by the Michigan ruling and saying that the DRC only made the decision against Sen. Clinton because she is a woman. I am a woman and you do not speak for me. You are disgracing all women by that argument. True we work hard and want our Fair Share. Notice I said Fair Share. You women makes it seems that all women advocate breaking the rules in order to get what we want. Well, we honest, proud women believes in abiding by the established rules.

Michigan and Florida broke the ru

The end of HC era.

I am glad to see that the Rules and Bylaws Committee resolved this issue. It is unfortunate that there are folks out there that will be upset with the DNC. The fact is that rules are in place for a reason, if one doesn't follow the rules, then there should be a price to pay. This is the lesson that we need to teach our kids and I'm happy that the DNC recognized this important point.
I hope that we Democrats can put this ordeal behind us and turn our focus towards winning the Presidency in the fall.

sore loser.
Clinton is the enemy # 1 of the Democratic Party.

I can't understand how Clinton and her supporters thought that even after breaking the rules of the Democratic National Committee they entitled to full delegation from Michigan and Florida like if they did nothing wrong. That is completely absurd. Clinton herself said of the primaries in Michigan and Florida that they wouldn't count; but that was before when she was the inevitable candidate. Now, when she finds herself on the looser row, she starts advocating for the delegates in both states. That is complete lack of honesty and it says a lot about her integrity.

Now she wants to be handed the nomination even after she fails to win either the popular vote and majority of delegates.

Clinton will do or say ANYTHING. Do we really want someone in the White House who will change the rules just to suit her needs? Haven't we just had 8 years of just that with Bush? If her actions damage the party's chances for a November victory, I hope her behavior, her negativity, her attempts to change the rules, will all be remembered. With any luck her career will be over.

Just a reminder for you and all the readers!!!

At last year's DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting, Ickes was one of several Clinton supporters to vote to not recognize any delegates from either Florida or Michigan because the two states were about to violate party rules and hold their contests early. He has since changed his position on the matter.

It is good there is an agreement at last.
Harold Ickes don't like it and react as a spoiled child.
If he speaks for Sen Clinton she can better stay at Puerto Rico.
VP is no option anymore for her.
She harms the party too much with her egocentric behaviour.

Oh for crying out loud

i'm glad to see the dnc was fair.

It is ridiculous to hear Ickes talk about 'uniting the party' when less than 20 seconds later he states that Clinton reserves the right to appeal this vote. Do the Clinton supporters really expect the party would unite behind her after all of the crap she has done to be so divisive. Because of rain, I would have preferred to be outside, I watched most of the hearing and Clinton's representatives were the most divisive of the bunch.

Let us forget about this ugly part of the process and move on to unite the party for November. I just hope everyone has learned their lessons and this will not happen again.

Happy to have this resolved. Neither side was going to get everything that they wanted, but a compromise was reached, and it is time to move on.

Unbelieveable. What about the voters that didn't come out and vote because they didn't think their votes would count. Personally, I don't think any of the delegates should have been seated. They are lucky and should be happy they are getting anything after breaking the rules. forty-eight states abided by the rules and michigan and florida didn't!!

This, today, was a farce! The people in Florida and Michigan are really no better off today than yesterday. This so called Unity they speak of is not going to happen...How is it fair to give Obama ANY votes in Michigan when he voluntarily took his name off the ballot! They went along with Obama's supposed plan for Florida when Hillary had a very decisive win. They gave him everything that he wanted. What would Obama have to fear to allow all the voters to be heard and all the delegates to be seated 100%???? Well, instead of doing the RIGHT thing, the DNC made the WRONG choice and if they think that there will be unity they are sadly mistaken! Myself, and my whole family will cross the party lines and vote for McCain in the fall. I do not want to be affiliated with any party that will disenfranchise voters the way the DNC did today!

I find it interesting that in the 2 hours since this decision was made, CNN hasn't posted a single comment readers have submitted regarding this decision. I suppose when they do post comments, they'll also close the article for comments.

Sounds and looks fair to me. Clinton voters, you got more than your fair share so be happy and close your mouths.
Obama '08

Michiganders should purge their current democrat representatives. Granholm has failed repeatedly. Mark Brewer and his idiotic following cost us a chance to a real nomination. I can't believe in this party any more.

Well this was really fair way to seat Flordia and Michigan. I hope the fighting will stop and everyone can come together in November abd defeat McCain (McSame).

Hillary Clinton signed an agreement at the beginning of the campaign that the delegates from Florida and Michigan would not be counted. When she found this agreement inconvenient, she began to campaign vigorously to overturn the the agreement. This is not a question of bareknucke politics. Even pride fighting has agreed rules.
The conclusion I draw from today's events at the Democratic Rules Committee meeting is that an agreement with Hillary, even if put in writing, is worthless.
Do not think this lesson will be missed by foreign politicians and leaders.

For his own protection I hope Obama has learned this lesson.

So, let me get this straight. Before the Michigan primary, Hillary says the vote there doesn't count and so the fact she left her name on the ballot is no big deal. When it looks as though – horrors! – she isn't going to WIN the nomination, it somehow becomes "un-American" to abide with the original rules and "all the delegates ["elected" in a process which she recognized at the time as invalid] must be counted." Through intimidation and hyperbole, she succeeds in moving the goalposts and picking up additional delegates. And yet she's STILL not satisfied!

I went into this process as an Edwards supporter, and could have lived with either Obama or Clinton. After Hillary's appalling behavior over the last few months, I have to say I could never see myself voting for a Clinton – any Clinton – again. It's all about their personal power – if they have to jettison ethics, fairness, principle to get there, so be it.

Even Hillary supporters think they are supposed to have it all!

Good job to the DNC

Obama........08.........very, very, soon!

*GROAN*

ANOTHER committee? Zombie Hillary really needs to stop, enough already!

UNCLE! UNCLE!

I am happy this is over. I do believe it was handled fairly. However, I know that Hillary is going to take this to the Credentials Committee. Hillary does not understand, "It is over". She is truly draining the American people. I know that she is a fighter. However, she is only fighting so hard for "HERSELF", not the American people.

Marilyn
La.

Now, time for super delegates to decide, pick one of them, being undecided is lack of responsiblity especially in this situation.

AngiomyolipomaBarrack Obama will score a huge victory over mcCain on 4/11/08. He will be a great American President non as been since JFK.
Will Americans be crasy enough to choose Hilary as their democratic Nominee after what she has demonstrated over the past 6 months, viz the following to name a few:
1. Florida & Michigan: She signed up to penalize states for breaking Rules and repeated it after winning New Hampshire primary, i.e. when she was leading the delegate count. Didn't she know then about what she is now saying? Doesn't that worry Americans what type of President she will turn out to be? Think hard, think again, you voters in Puerto Rico, S Dakota & Montana. Send her a message what you think of her.
2. Hilary lied , for a fact, that she faced a hail of cross fire on her peace mission to Bosnia. Can Americans accept Liar to be their President? If you do, then you shouldn't complain ever if she turns out to be a Bill Clinton Plus, worse than George Bush. Then even God cannot help America. By the way, if we are to believe Bill Clinton that Hilary misspoke due to tiredness after a late night, how in the world would Americans expect her to answer that 3am call? Bill Clinton to the rescue? Didn't you get lies, lies and lies from this guy ? remember?
3. Hilary repeated the reminders on RFK , not once but said it 4 times. This is no slip but intended to convince suspected 'Fence sitters amongst the Uncommited Super-Delegates'. Imagine the idea she is throwing out to all those 'crazy guys' of the likes of Sirhan Sirhan, and there are plenty of them in the USA. Just recollect the numeruous shootings oevr the past 3 years. This act alone is unforgivable and all demos participating in the next 3 primaries should vote their displeasure of her act, and remind all future candidates that this type of dirty politics must face the wreath of the people.
4. Hilary has said that Obama can win the GE'08 at one of the last Clinton/Obama debate. She now says not likely. Do Americans still believe her? My gosh, is anyone uncertain about how big a victory the Demo Party will win come 4/11/08, no matter who the candidate is.?
Come on Democrats, surely Hilary's often repeated claim that hard working white Americans will not vote for Obama is tantamount/ attempt at making it a reality in the event she loses, and/or blackmail the Super-Delegates to choose her. Playing a Racist card is putting the race relations decades back and no politician should be allowed to use it to succeed in their political ambitions.

God Bless America,

Leo Antony

This is a great outcome. But regardless the outcome, I think most of us are just happy that this is over– that finally we can say this is settled. Now what will Hillary complain about?

Congrats Obama supporters. Chanting against DNC didn't work.

Iam a independent voter. I could never vote for Clinton. She tells to many lies, and has to much baggage. She does not believe in rules unless they are her rules. There are several women that would make a great President or vice-president,but not Hillary. I will vote for Obama,and I feel alot of Independent voters share my view. Good luck Obama

Wow did you see the reaction of those Clinton people? As an Obama supporter I am very disturbed and upset at not only the Clinton Campaign, but many of their supporters. All I hear is sexism, unfair, and cheated, as reasons Clinton is losing this thing, when in actuality Obama has beaten her fair and square and she and her supporters are in so much shock they have to blame it on everything else. This primary has lost Clinton much respect in the Democratic Party, and if anyone is being treated unfairly its Obama since even if he wins (which he basically has) he loses since Hillary has undermined him as a candidate since the beginning. Clinton, not Obama has divided the party, and it is sad to see her people and herself complaining about something that is her fault. Maybe if she had cared a bit more about ALL the states In January the way she does in June she wouldn't be getting her butt handed to her in a race she and many though she would win...If they take this thing to Denver the Democrats will lose, and with the way they have conducted themselves this entire primary season I don't think the Clinton Campaign will care at all....This is not about Democrats or the people this has always been about Clinton...Wake up Super delegates and give it to Obama,...He deserves it not Hillary....The only thing she deserves is a swift kick in the you – know – what to get her out of this thing...And no I am not pushing her out...she has pushed herself out and lost because her campaign was ran badly....Obama is the nominee...Stop undermining him for your own selfish political gain....

There she goes... got what she wanted... or at least most of what she wanted. Next up? The USA shall be hers . How can you vote for the same old politics?

I notice Ickes doesn't mention that he and the other Clinto supporters were instrumental in making the rule stripping the delegates in the first place! Isn't it unfair to make a rule and then be the ones who complain that it is unfair?

MI & FL broke the rules and should be penalized. But thanks to Hillary they will be seated. Obviously she was hoping they would have given her all of MI. 2026 or 2118 – Hillary is not going to beat him Obama. She should take her victory today as a conciliatory pat on the head and focus on unifying the party she is destroying for her personal pursuit

although i dont exactly agree i find this ruling to be fair enough for both parties i hope that supporters of mrs. clinton will realize that even with fully seated delegates mrs. clinton would not have caught up to obama. I think its time we end this.

As a Canadian I really think both Florida and Michigan are lucky to have any delegates seated. They broke the rules by going early for the primary votes. So know they think they should be able to break the rules? Count the votes? Count the legal ones from the states that followed the rules. C'mon turn down the heat. Senator Clinton needs to follow the rules. Maybe Senator Obama can bring a fresh breath to politics.

we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. HRC, her supportors, and some in the media that did all they could to deny Obama his genuine, hard earned victories are still in denial, I suppose they are going through the grief process of DENIAL, ANGER, DEPRSSION and finally ACCEPTANCE. Once the grief is over, we can all unite as democrats to defeat the republicans in November. Go Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do the Clintons think America is? Burger King - where they can just have it their way?!

Out out Clinton machine
Your supposed entitlement to the White House was a walking shadow.
A poorly managed campaign full of sound and fury
signifying NOTHING.

I am clad that a cat, a dog, a rat has life,
but your campaign no life at all.
You shall return no more.
Never, never, never, never, never.

If Obama wins the nomination, I sure hope all the newly registered and very young voters, who put him over the top, show up to vote in the fall. Many of them will need to vote by absentee ballot, and many might be wrapped up in studies and campus life and skip going to the poles. Without their commitment, I fear McCain has a scarily good chance of winning the general election. Many of these young voters voted for their candidate based on their effort to support a candidate who would demonstrate, their personal, and our country's, distancing from a racist history. These young, new voters will need to stay focused on their responsibility to vote if they hope for Democrats to win the general election. Personally, I believe Clinton is the best candidate to be president, but I understand many young voters' enthusiasm to demonstrate a break from racism.

If not Clinton, then Obama, because more than one or the other, we need Democrats over Republicans with more of the same sad direction we have gone for almost eight years now.

sorry but hillary clintomaniac, she dosen't care about the party she care about her power to have clinton party in the white house again , were ever happened today it was right for al democrat party Obama GO GO GO

si se puede obama latinos queremos que nos representes en el mundo entero

Sorry Hillary. If this was Zimbabwe you might have pulled it off.

This is yet another joke. I'm sure the voters think their vote should be worth half. It also didn't really matter who they voted for because it was just about split evenly. I hate the Rules Committee, especially Donna obviously biased Brazille. That's it-a lifelong Democrat no more. This new member of the Independent party is going to enjoy watching the Dems go down in flames in November with Obama. I am going to do my part by voting for McCain.

Good.

What a shame,what a mess,I will change my party .No more dnc for me..Hillary go all the way,don,t give up..There no way i will;; ever vote for Obama..take it all the way to Denver..I just pray that all the people that voted for you will vote MCcane in Nov....

Congratulations to the voters who will at least have half their say but the apportionment in Michigan is grossly unfair.

It is about time that we should settle all hot temper attitude on a side; and let's join our hands together to work together to win the election in November.

Obama will be the greatest president and history will see that happen. Hillary Clinton has been a remarkable candidate, and we should and we do admire her tenacity during the compaign; with salute to her for her dedication, we extend our hand of cooperation and will to work together with Clinton supporters to make sure that we make sure that in November 'Obama' becomes the president of United States.

A.M. Saqib
Houston, Texas

Today I watched the meeting and was satisfied everyone had an opportunity to express their point of view. The final decision in my opinion was fair and hope democrats can move forward. I know some will have a different view but it would be unrealistic to think the delegates would be seated without penalties.

I hope Clinton supporters can be fair minded and not try to create chaos at a time when the party need to be united. I'm looking forward to Obama vs Mccain debates in the fall. GO OBAMA..........

I cannot believe Clinton is reserving her right to take it to the committee. The outcome today was actually in her favor. The only fairer thing would be to conduct a primary now in those states. It's seeming pathological at this point her need to win at any cost to country. She is not putting the country or the party ahread of her own personal sick ambition. We don't want someone like that leading the country. You cannot get punished for playing by the rules just because the outcome is different than what you want.

If Hillary had won, she would be fine with the Florida and Michigan not being seating - hence her agreement.

I was talking with someone who said their entire family did not vote in Florida - although they would have voted for Obama - because they were told it was just a beauty contest, and they figured why stand in line for that?

Why isn't Hillary concerned about the people who were disenfranchised because they believed the DNC's word? Because they played by the rules like Obama? She doesn't care about these people.

And I am highly insulted by her comparing this to the civil rights movement. Anybody with an ounce of intelligence can see this makes absolutely no sense - there is no comparsion. I feel really sad that Clinton is getting her supporters all worked up about imagined unfairness. Reminds me of Al Sharpton. Really sick, divisive and untrue.

The Clintons are like Fidel Castro. " We have free and fair elections with only my name on the ballot."

The HillBillies cannot be allowed to use their new newer newest math to STEAL an election.

To All you whiners on the LOSING side. "Michigan will not count" -Hillary Clinton.

If you back a candidate that is so self serving that she will sell you out when it serves her and then act like it is an outrage when she realizes she is losing; THEN YOU ARE FAR TOO IGNORANT!!

it's all about the will of the voters, says Hill & co, so we should get all the votes cast for us. but the voters who wanted to vote for Obama and could not do so, well, they don't actually count and since their "will" was different than we wanted, we either should not count them or we should actually get those votes too. What a load of %^%$#@ . this compromise gets her more delegates than she would have gotten if his name was on the ballot, but since it is not enough, she will destroy the party. Hillary is every bit as divisive as the republicans predicted she would be, years ago. she is also a hypcrite, a liar, and an egomaniac.

This is the time for Hillary step down support her party and to get
her voter to support Obama in the General election. I think should
and to be on the surpreme court justices. Let's stop this fighting
among the party because this what the republican want and we
will be playing in their hands. Do not divide the party Hillary,let us
unite now so that we can concentrate on defeating Mccain in
november. It's time to heal and move forward in this process to
take back the white house.

This is good move by the DNC.It also proves that Senator Obama is doing everything for the interest of the party and the democrats in general, and most importantly for the American people at large. This is a leader, sacrficing personal and spiritual gains, all in one day for the nation he loves and willing to do everything for.

Superdelegates, its time for you guys to get your acts together and and end the divisivness of the party caused by selfish intentions of some pastors and priests and politicians.

One can only hope that Democrats around the country will realize the need to eliminate the entire superdelegate system and adopt a "winner take all" approach to pledged delegates.

Ironic that in the "Democratic" party, the nominee this election will be chosen by party "elites" that don't have to answer to anybody.

"Count every vote" slogan rings very hollow when superdelegate will ultimately make the decision.

The party has already broken rules in the way benefiting Hillairy. She is still not happy. This shows what kind of person she is. So bad. Can you imagine put her in the White House?

Obama is a decent man. He is good for the country.

I am glad this process is over so we can get on with the election and no VP spot for Hillary Clinton!! Repeat no VP spot for Hillary Clinton!!

i will be a registered independent next week and planning on voting for senator mccain. who wants to belong to a party that does not count the votes of its people.....dean, pelosi, and reid should all start sending out resumes....hillary as a write in candidate for 2008 and the nominee come 2012

that is not right for them to steal votes from Hillary and give them to obama if they feel they have to take them from her why give them to him that's not fair at all his name wasn't even on the ballot he took it off that was his choice no one made him i agree with Mr Ickes it needs to go to Denver to the Credentials Committee and let them decide on this the party could not get anymore divided then it is now by them doing this unfair act

Obama is still ahead. & Clinton will not be able to over take his lead. Clinton's supporters left the meeting ANGRY yelling "Denver.Denver" I guess Hillary is not happy & Ickes was definately NOT HAPPY. Go Obama 08.

I pray that Sen. Clinton will take her fight to the Credentials Committee. The RBC just gave her the shaft, then they have the nerve to call for party unity... Not a chance. Did you not see how angry Hillary voters were?
If Hillary does not become the Democratic nominee, thousands, if not millions of her supporters will be voting for John McCain and leave the Democratic party for years. All of the news media and Obama's talk will not sway white women to vote for Obama. He has dis-respected us once too many.

Harold is thin skinned and looked disleveled. After a prolonged break was he drinking something other then the truth?
I watched much of meeting and to say that Clinton supporters were rude to the point of being boring is an under statement.
The committee did a wonderful job, I didn't feel that Michigan and Florida needed to be seated through out much of these past few months, rightfully changing my mind that we all need to come together and support the winner so we can defeat McCain and the republicans this fall. Good Job!
Steve Barstow Ca

Clinton group is in a spot where she can't get free from. She was not such a knot head she would bow out with charm. But however we see that just is not her style. She has to accept defeat some time so why not now?

HRC supporters, you now see how deluded you've been... Not anyones fault but yours because you bought a LIE

Wow, what a racket. Seems like they are trying to give the nomination to Hillary Clinton. I know the Clintons have political clout but this is getting ridiculous. Hillary needs to quit this desperation fight. Senator Obama has had the lead the whole time but Hillary just won't quit. Does the DNC want to just give the nomination to Hillary Clinton. These sanctions were imposes for a reason which Hillary supported but now she wants to change the rules to suit her. And her friends in high places are helping her. This is just the thing the American people want to get away from. Getting where you want to be by the people you know. It makes me and many sick.

I think the democratic party will suffer from "changing" the rules after the game has started. I feel for the people of Fl and MI and that their vote should count but they BROKE the rules!

We all feel betrayed and will not vote for Obama! We had the chance to do a revote and Obama made it impossible. He saw an opportunity to take away Hillary's chance to get the votes and delagates that she deserved to get. We will never vote for a cheater and manipulator like Obama. He has divided the party not united it and it will stay that way. So don't fool yourselves by thinking all of the devoted voters of Hillary are going to unite and vote for Obama if he is the nominee. Unless Hillary is the V.P. I couldn't do it with a clear conscience. Our votes are with mcCain!

Keep the Hillary supporters who have no respect for the process or party unity at bay, someone, anyone.

The nerve of Harold Ickes is just quite frankly counter productive and frankly devisive.

Out of the 13 Clinton supporters on the RBC at least 5 came to their senses and voted to at least seat a delegtion in MI. The other 8 including Mr. Ickes chose to not give them anything if they didn't get their way. That my friends is not the democratic way of handling things.

Ironically Mr. Ickes help write the democratic rules which includes the RBC and Credentials committe that he and his colleagues disagree with. So if anyone is to blame it is himself.

OBAMA/HAGEL 08'

The Committee awarded to Senator Obama not only the delegates won by Uncommitted, but four of the delegates won by Senator Clinton. How is this fair? It was just an abritrary decision that was made during a "LUNCH? breaK". They went into a backroom and came out with a deal which awarded 4 fewer delgates to the woman who has won more votes than any other person running for president of the United States and she's headed for another big win in Puerto Rico tommorow. I know it's not the voters that count just the DNC committee!

THOSE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE THERE IF IT WERE NOT FOR HILLARY, STIRRING UP A MESS...WHEN RULES IMPLEMENTED FROM THE START......HILLARY IS TRYING TO USE EVERY DIRTY ANGLE SHE CAN THINK OF.. SHE HAS NO CHARACTER, NONE AT ALL..

mccain is reflection of another bush administration..he talks of self-proclaimed differences between bush and himself but his action is the opposite..if you want more of bush like president vote mccain..he wish to stick with the old ways and is not of change...the old politiicans cannot accept change because its too inconvenient for them..they have the notion that sitting down with hostile leaders is crazy and its beacuse of this old weak leadership the world is where it is today..go barack 08

FL and MI are lucky the committee is counting ANY votes...after all they broke the rules...but as usual..Rules are meant to be broekn IF you are a clinton!

its time to admit defeat something the clinton are not used to..yet its not defeat for the clintons but a victory for clinton and obama and their party so now they can unite and get ready to demolish mccain in the soon election...o

Hillary Clinton is a cheater. She cries that voters are being disenfranchised all the time making cases that only the "swing" states really matter for the Democrats. She is delusional – and will stop at nothing to pull off a win in this election. She will continue this fight all the way to August and take the Democrats hope for beating the GOP in November down with her. Shame on you Senator Clinton. You are a fake and a phoney. You will NEVER have my vote. Not now and not ever.

Dear Democrats,
Thank you for affirming the disenfranchisent of your voters. This Republican is unbelievably grateful. Seems "every vote counts" only when it counts for YOU. Jefferson and Madison (and others) are rollling over in their graves.

If Hillary' was in Obama's position would she handle this situation the same way? I think not! Hillary should accept defeat and work with her party's team to defeat McSame.

Yeah! All of that hoopla and it's just the way it should have been in the first place. What a waste of tax payers money.

I think they did a great job and handled the situation fairly.
My mother lives in Michigan and wasnt able to vote for her candidate as he wasnt on the ballot and was told her vote wouldnt count anyway if she did vote.
I cannot believe the gall of Mr. Ickes and the Clinton campaign to suggest Barack shouldnt get any delegates from Michigan.

Hillary didnt give a crap about Michigan until she was losing the race.... and neither did Ickes who voted for the states to be stripped of their votes when they violated DNC rules and held their primaries early. It only shows desparation and selfishness on the part of Ms. Clinton's campaign. I was initially a Hillary supporter but as I've seen this race play out I cannot support someone who runs their campaign the way she has. I have lost all respect for her.
I am a 34 year old white female who lives in Georgia and I am a proud supporter of Barack Obama.

If Hilary takes this to the convention her political career will be over.
Also, both Florida and Michigan should feel grateful and be gracious of the rulings today – otherwise they would be out in the cold.

Well there you have it

Obama 08

Thank You to the DNC for providing me the oppurtunity to see unity in what I would consider to be the most compelling and hard fought campaign I believe I will ever witness during my lifetime. I have been a proud republican since becoming of an age I could vote. Because of the difficult circumstances that the DNC found themselves contending with, and the manner in which opposing campaigns were able to come to an conclusion in such a united manner, I am proud today to say, I will proudly be casting my vote in November for BARACK OBAMA. Thank You again.

I am turned off by what Harold Ickes said in the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Are all Clintons people just like that?

It seems people have completely missed the point. These two states violated the rules, people voted anyway, and now want to change the rules because they voted, something they shouldn't have even done! The most correct thing to do, would have been to not seat them at all, second choice to seat 50/50. The choice was better than that for Clinton. Clinton got more delegates than Obama out of this, and she and her supporters are upset? She should have gotten none! The remaining states should have their primaries, and then the remaining super delegates should make a decision and end this. People need to focus on ensuring another four years of "Bushicans" be prevented, rather than scream at each other over a few delegates that doubtful will make a difference in the end anyway. Move on.

does Hillary wants the nomination to be given to her because its her right to be the nominee?
i dont get it,and she wants to be the vice president,i dont think by arm twisting barack obama to put her on the ticket will help the democrats because she will be a pain in the a...s for obama in running the country because she will be planning for 2012 to take over.

I am so angry that the DNC has chosen to disregard the will of the Michigan and Florida voters.I thought that we went by every vote counts!!!!!This IS NOT the Democratic way!!!! Im beginning to think that there is some kind of conspiracy going on in the DNC.I am so disheartened that I MAY NOT VOTE!! I say listen to the MAJORITY of the voters in FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN.Take it ALL THE WAY to the Convention floor!!!!!

Fair enough. Time to move on.
Vote Democrat 08

She is not going to quit. Time for party to step in and stop this charade. We got an election to look forward to, not Clintons wishes.

As it should be. Let us get on with it.

Go Obama

Getting sickes of all the Clinton tactics, their lying, whining and inability to face up to what is happening, so many photographs of her drinking alcohol as if it is a necessity to do so to become a President, my vote will not be going to her at any time.

The state of Michigan and Florida should be happy they have any delegates. The other possibility should have been that superdelegates don't have a vote because the leaders of their state governments caused this problem not either candidate or the DNC.

I guess Hillary is showing us just how she would act as President....business as usual, "Do it my way or take a hike!". Haven't we had enough of this? A bunch of disgruntled feminists whining about not being given their "entitlement" is doing the country little good.

How does Ickes think that his view as to how to count the delegates is even fair. In the first place, neither state was to have it's votes or delegates counted. The fact that Barrack took his name off the ballot is a moot point, since the DNC had ruled the primary WOULD NOT COUNT. But, Clinton had the goal posts moved once again, and now the DNC has reversed itself, changed the rules on Obama, and at least was trying to be fair to Obama's campaign. Since the Clinton name is well recognized around America the lack of campaigning in Florida and Michigan did not hurt her as much as it did a relatively unknown as Obama. Every state that Obama campaigned in, where Clinton had a tremendous lead, was able to deflate Clintons numbers in a major way. This would have been true in Florida and Michigan. Barrak Obama played by the rules and actually believed the DNC when he and Clinton signed off on NOT COUNTING the votes or delegates in those states. So why is it fair Mr. Ickes for Obama to lose out because he played by the rules. Hillary as we know changed her mind only when she realized that she would need those votes to have a chance. Now she says she has the most popular votes, disenfranchising those states that had cacuses. Where is her concern for these voters? It's a fine example of a double standard and speaks volumes about her immorality.

Clinton has seriously compromised herself as a politician.
She was pretty clear that something would happen so she can put aside Obama. I think her supporters are going to be disappointed and disillusioned with this race. It will depend alot on what Senator Clinton does. Her supporters struck me as angry people.
I hope she retires now at the age of 65.

Now the fun begins.

Justice was served Mrs. Clinton. For the good of the The Democratic Party you should respect the decision not trying to destroy the Party.

I was very sadden by the way grown ups were acting. Also Mr.Ickes having to swear was very uncalled for, I am sure Mrs.Clinton did not tell him to do that.I believe as her campaign is always asking Senator Obama to denounce behavior she does not approve of she should denounce Mr.Ikes. There was no place for that on national television.

Connie from Indiana

wait until november and see who gets the last laugh.i hope the democratic party and the press takes the responsibilty for MCcain victory in the fall.obama will find out what it is really like to go negative.why did it take twenty yeary to leave that racist church?he thinks people will forget obout his beliefs.i have been a democrat all my life but not this time.i care about my country more then just putting somebody in office i don't know anything about.i hope all hillary people stick together this fall and show the dnc who runs the show.

This decision is extremely disappointing. I am very unhappy with the DNC Rules committee, and their obvious bias twords Obama. It is completely outragous that a republican govonor was allowed to make a decision that resulted in penalties for the deomcratic canditates. I hope that the voters in Michigan and Florida speak very loudly in November and vote republican, if we don't I fear the democrats in power will never hear the people of the party when they vote. I will not vote for Obama even if it means electing John McCain.

What a dump job the DNC did on the people of Florida and Michigan! It stinks to high heaven! Good grief! It's enough to make me become a Republican!

Mostly, I see it as Soros, Dean, Pelosi, Kennedy and the other Far Left loonies still trying to hustle Obama into the candidacy without (hopefully) offending Democratic voters toooo much....even if they know Obama can't possibly win in November.

Well, if Obama is the nominee, then my Democratic vote will definitely go to McCain in the general election.....and I'll be sure to have both Hillary and McCain bumper stickers on the back of my car.

Well, I kiss and say good by to the democratic party. This is all but not
democracy. Shame to this party and to the American Constitution who lets bureaucracy to take away the peoples' rights. Why would a party need delegates and superdelegates? This is worse than Communism.

WOW...HILLARY CLINTON IS DELUSIONAL...SHE STILL IS NOWHERE IN REACH OF THE NUMBER NEEDED TO BE THE NOMINEE...
ITS OVER HILLARY
GET A CLUE
OBAMA '08

As a onceClinton supporter, I would advise her to pull as graciously as possible and fully endorse Obama. If not, a loss to McCain would be faulted her way and end her political career.

This decision is fair to any open minded person. Clinton supporters are so sentimental about this issue that they 've lost any sense of fairness.

How could anybody in their right mind ask the committee to reinstate the entire delegates and pretend as if no rules were broken?

If they care so much about disenfranchisement of voters now, it 's fair to ask why the states didn't care about the same disenfranchisement when they decided to break the rules, knowing very well the price they had to pay.

I think the decision was fair. Well done DNC

completly wrong!!!!!!!!!!!! the democrats are going to lose both michigan and florida because of the stupidity of this panel....
welcomeback to the white house republicans.......

So much for integrity with the democrats. They said they will not be seated and once again they lied through their teeth. It is obvious that the democratic party is the party of lies and deceit.

Hillary got what she wanted; they seated both delegations. So she should not have any complaints. You cannot always have everything your way.

This is outrageous! What kind of Democracy is this party selling it's members? I firmly agree with Harold Ickes in that the party has “hijacked” the will of voters and strongly believe Hillary Clinton should appeal this decision.
The Democratic Party and the media, have been blinded by the rhetorics of a contender who lacks the experience to run the US at a time of such crisis! Obama will not win the elections this november because the Republicans, who have done their job, have been guarding their precious investigations regarding who the real Obama is and will expose them all in November if he is the chosen candidate. The Republicans are celebrating tonite, they won again! I am ashamed of my Democratic Party!
Mecca, Puerto Rico

FINALLY. We can begin the general election campaign.
Let's unify the party and move on. Think about it, Hillary supporters, you would not be voting for the good of this country if you give your vote to McBush or stay at home. Look what the last 7 years has brought us. We can't stand 4 more years with the Repugnants!!

What a surprise Clinton doesn't get what she wants so forget the party it all about Clinton

With the delegations from MI and FL now decided to the satisfaction of those states parties, it is now "the responsibility" of Hillary Clinton, her campaign,and her supporters who threaten the DNC with "voter hostage" to bring party unity for a White house run.

I'll say this again. The "burden of responsibility" resides with Hillary, her campaign, and her supporters to now coalesce around the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee.

good decesion i guess, i live in Mi. the primary wasn't close to fair at all. nice job from the DNC

The Constitution considered slaves 3/5 of a person, but the Democrat party considers the people of Florida and Michigan only 1/2 of a person.

Clinton's supporters still feel that all of the delgates should be awarded, despite the fact that they agreed before the primary that both states should be sanctioned. They say one thing, then act towards another when it serves them politically. That is NOT what we need as a President of the United States.

Obama 08

IT'S OVER HILL,.....GO HOME AND TAKE BILL AND CHELL WITH YOU.!

This seems like a fair outcome, looking from the outside. Of course there had to be a penalty, or every state would move their primaries as they wished. I know if I was a voter in those states I would take my anger up with the people that made the decision to ignore the rules. Clinton supported this initial decision until it turned out that she needed those states. That is disingenuous.

This ruliing by the DNC violates the constitutional rights of 1/2 the voters in Michigan and Florida!!!!

I refuse to remain a part of a party that does not recognize the votes of 1/2 their people in two different states!

Senator Obama should not receive any votes in Michigan because he chose not to place his name on the ballots! In Florida, Hillary Clinton was the clear winner and Senator Obama is not entitled to 1/2 the votes!!!!

This is a travesty to the constitution and rights of American citizens in a Presidential election!

I will no longer vote wholly as a Dem – I will vote as an Indep – and choose my candidates very carefully – I will also be sure to campaign for only those in the DNC who supported the rights of all voters in Michigan and Florida!!!!

This is a sad day for our country – the voters let their voices be heard in January – and we will again let our voices be heard in Senate races and local elections around the country. Those who have supported this DNC control of states voter rights will no longer have a sure foot just because they are Dems!!!! It is time to clean the DNC house!!!

I am out of here and so are lot of my friends!

IF CLINTON GEGTS THE NOMINATION AFTER VIOLATING THE DNC DECISION THEN I WILL VOTE FOR MCCAIN, NOT HER.

I forgot to state Miss Donna Brazile's wisdom about Michigan was very commendable. It was my laugh-today moment. You don't need my respect but I want you to know you have it. You're a source of democracy and equality to be reckoned with. Absolutely breath-taking!!! I am relieved DNC has you.

Mr. Ickes and his patron, Sen. Clinton, are sore losers from any measurable standpoint, and his and her behaviors subsequent to the hearing committee's decision is shameful. Mr. Ickes and Sen. Clinton agreed and signed off on the agreement to discipline Michigan and Florida, for violating the rules. Only when Sen. Clinton fell behind in popular vote and delegate count, did they demand to change the decision. Again, Sen. Clinton claims she won the popular vote because all 50 states MUST be recognized and counted. I ask her and Mr. Ickes, "then how can you disenfranchise the caucus states: Alaska, American Samoa, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Washington, Hawaii and Wyoming who did not cast ballots because they were playing by the pledged delegates playbook and voted by caucus." Are they not part of the Union? Mr. Ickes has proved himself to be a nasty, angry little man, who himself should be disciplined.

Now that this issued is solved in a democratic way let's move to better things ahead. That's always the results of a compromising situation, you win some you lose some. So people dust each other off and come together now .

WOW! How generous of them seeing as the election was null and void due to the breaking of the rules. Obama wasn't even on the ticket.. shame on the DNC they have just opened a big fat can of worms!! They should now scrap the rules and the rules committee as they are obviously impotent.

I thought the DNC did the best they could given the fact that Michigan and Florida broke the rules and should NEVER have had ANY delegates seated. The fact that the Clinton campaign is upset and threatening to take this dispute to Denver is the call for the Superdelegates to put an end to this nonsense and give their votes to Obama. After tuesday, all he will need are about 10% of the remaining superdelegates to cross the finish line. To think that Hillary will continue to protest is disgusting and shows she truly does not care about what is best for the USA, but only cares about serving her self-interests. Had she not had the majority of the votes cast in either Michigan or Florida, she would NOT have cared if the voters had their voices heard and the delegates seated. Her false caring is exactly what we DON'T want in our next president. We need someone who follows the rules and understands consequences. Any Hillary supporters out there who are upset about the outcome of today's DNC decision should ask themselves "isn't this a lot better than having NO delegates from Michigan or Florida seated" which is what SHOULD have happened. Be happy with what you've got, it could always be a lot worse.

OBAMA 2008, 2012

Mr. Ickes and his patron, Sen. Clinton, are sore losers from any measurable standpoint, and his and her behaviors subsequently to the hearing committee's decision. Mr. Ickes and Sen. Clinton agreed and signed off on the agreement to discipline Michigan and Florida, for violating the rules. Only when Sen. Clinton fell behind in popular vote and delegate count, did they demand to change the decision. Again, Sen. Clinton claims she won the popular vote because all 50 states MUST be recognized and counted. I ask her and Mr. Ickes, "then how can you disenfranchise the caucus states: Alaska, American Samoa, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Washington, Hawaii and Wyoming who did not cast ballots because they were playing by the pledged delegates playbook and voted by caucus." Are they not part of the Union? Mr. Ickes has proved himself to be a nasty, angry little man, who himself should be disciplined.

I think Hillary was lucky to get what she got. A revote today would definitely leave her with less delegates than she got. She should be satisfied with it and just let it go.

OK, we done yet? For all the B.S. on making every vote count in the Democratic party, it seems ridiculous since the party has elite superdelegates who are bound by no one and can choose any nominee they desire (no questions asked). Doesn't sound very "democratic" to me. MI & FL voters are merely pawns in the big chess game of presidential politics.

I wonder whether the 1/2 vote punishment will be severe enough and serve as a warning to other states in the 2012 primary. It'll wreck the party if we have to go through this with more than 2 states in 2012 due to arrogance or "I don't have to follow party rules – I'll just appeal at the end."

I hope superdelegates will support Obama in sufficent numbers to make MI and FL delegate decision moot. We can only hope so!

It seems like a fair conclusion to a mess created by republicans. However I think from the signals coming from Camp Clinton, that Denver will be divisive due to appeals. Hopefully the Catholic Priest was not being prophetic in his comments. Democrats need to remember who the enemy is. The enemy is not fellow Democrats. It is the Republicans. That is how you win a Presidential race as distinct from the Nomination race.

the democratic party were the ones who messed up not the people of florida and its a shame that the votes of the people of florida were thrown away like tissue paper. the 30 people on the committee should be ashame of themselves, how would they like it if someone took their voice away.

Harold Ickes came across like a sore loser. He certainly is not the person the democratic party should want as their flag bearer in light of the declaration that everyone on the committee was only concerned with the good of the democratic party. There is no way on God's green earth that he cared about anything other than Mrs. Clinton. Frankly I wonder if when he looks back he will be ashamed with the way he acted.

I hope we can now unite the party. I'm concern about the anger from the Clinton supporters.

I just hope that the Clinton supporters who are angry, understand that Obama had a very clean campain, elevating it's level. He was vigorously attacked by the Clinton machine, and he maintained his calm. I was originally for Clinton, but what really made me think about Obama's carachter was when on the April debate he was given the oportunity to attack Clinton on the BOSNIA STORY. Do you remember what he said? That everyone make mistakes. The way Clinton used all the opportunity she had to attack him, tells volumes of their differences.

Also I believe that if Clinton was in Obama's position today, she would simply say, Even Sen Obama said in NH that MI and FL wouldn't count, and it shouldn't. Therefore we should not count the votes and follow the rules. If Sen Clinton had Obama's numbers she would already have been the nominee.

Please everyone, lets be fair and balance. DOn't let your frustations and emotions blind you from seeing what a wonderful candidate Obama is. Don't let the emotions make the wrong choice for november. McCain would be a disaster.

I applaud the proceedings today, and the people who helped it run smoothly and with dignity. I'd have thrown out the hecklers long before they were told they'd be cleared out, but again, the decorum shown by the co-chairs is exemplary.

As for Harold Ickes – this is sour grapes. His candidate lost, and he just can't accept it (nor can his candidate). If this is taken all the way to the convention, it would be political suicide for Hillary and the Clinton brand would fade from view forever. She should concede to the nominee who shows promise and promises change, the one who will deliver on his promises and the one who has what it takes to win the White House and the future.

Well done, all – Mr. Ickes, my suggestion is – as it should be to Mrs. Clinton as well: party above person.

Ickes disgusts me. The Democratic party would be much better off without hacks like him.

Praise needs to be given to Everett Ward who had the courage to call out Harold Ickes posturing for what it was, blatant disrespect for the Democratic Party and grandstanding for a political candidate.
The DNC is supposed to work in the best interest of the Democrat Party and the Democratic voters.
For Harold Ickes to call his fellow RBC members AND the Michigan Committee "hijackers" is utterly repulsive!

I wish the media wouldn't glamorize his disgusting ramblings, but talk more about the Committee members who spoke of the best interests for the Democrat Party and unity.

the true question mr. ickes is are you doing this to better the parties chances to win in november? I feel this will seperate clinton supporters from obama supporters and not let us unit under the democratic party umbrella.

Sen. Clinton and Harold Ickes should be happy to get what they did from this committee. I for one do not believe that either state should have gotten anything. They broke the rules and both candidates knew it. Sen. Clinton wants this to be all about her sorry its not about her she knew the rules and for her to continue this endless road is a sham. She does not care about the American People or the Democratic Party. All she wants to do is tear down Sen. Obama so the he loses the election in November. Hillary this is not your time you lost and need to be a bigger person and unite this party. If you do not you run the risk of costing the party the election in November and let me tell you many of us will not support you should that happen and you end up running in 2012. It is not about you Hillary Clinton its about the People of the United States.

Hi,

We are having some arguements over the Michigan Seating of delegates. Your article did not mention the Leader of the Michigan Democrats as the person who gave the 59/69 delegate solution. Can you varify this person and what they said as a challenge at the DNC meeting on Saturday or where I can find on the web?

Jim Medard, CA

That was the only way to do both campaigns justice because changing rules after starting a race is not fair. Some people claiming not to vote for Obama is like cutting your nose off spiking your face. That hurts do you think when you wake up with a big hole in your face.

HAROLD ICKLES JUST SHOWED THE WHOLE WORLD HOW BITTER HE AND THE CLINTONS ARE. USING DESPICABLE LANGUAGE ON NATIONAL T.V WAS A SIGN OF DESPERATION. THE CLINTONS NEED TO GO AWAY. THEY ARE CORRUPT

Either she bows out after Tuesday or she proceeds to depths some of us have been loath to believe possible. Sen. Clinton's threat deliverd via Mr. Ickes speaks for itself.

It is time to move on without her.

Despite what Clinton might say, without Obama on the ballot in Michigan, this is probably about the best that could be done. The DNC had to enforce a penalty, and 1/2 a vote per delegate is fair. If Clinton is serious about not wanting to destroy the Democratic party, then she should accept this and let it go. I hope she chooses this sensible path.

FIRST STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION

"There's been a lot of talk about party unity _ let's all come together, and put our arms around each other," said [Clinton Rep. Harold] Ickes, who is also a member of the Rules Committee that approved the deal. "I submit to you ladies and gentlemen, hijacking four delegates ... is not a good way to start down the path of party unity."

Am I the only one that thinks Clinton taking this to the convention over 4 delegates is INSANE!!!???

why should the lying woman get more?
rules are meant to be broken,huh?
so why do we have people in jail?they only broke rules,they shldnt be punished.
anyways,i hope this wraps up the race

Let's all just stop this nonsense. Hillary will still be yelling about the popular vote and trying to change the rules of the game 15 mins after Obama is sworn is a president. It's time for the Supers to shut her up once and for all. It's just disgusting.
Little Rock

Ickes, you are despicable. please go away. Your time, influence and and voice in politics is over. Please crawl back to where you came from..

I have different vision of American Democratic Party, by watching events today I was shocked that 30 individuals make such undemocratic move what may cost you at the end .
What is wrong by going all the way to Convention????
would be more democratic way than this stupidity " 1 / 2 VOTE ".
This will not unity the party but unfortunately divide it.
Now I understand why there is so many people switching to INDEPENDENTS.

It was funny watching ICKES implode.... he knows Hillary's last gasp has past .... obama will be the nominee in about 4 or 5 days.... Now onward to November!!!

Obama 08, 12 18,24

Then why have bill & hill continue to make statements that they would abide by “agreement made today by the DNC.”

Justice at last. I guess if you were going to count them, this was the best way. Great job DNC. Go Michigan! Go Obama!

Hillary's advisors said they'd respect whatever way the vote went. I guess this is another case of her flip-flopping. She is so disgusting.

While this seems like an equitable compromise I don't believe the committee has the authority the change the delegate allocation rules in the DNC charter, and it is against the basic principle of democracy by ignoring those voters who clearly chose Sen. Clinton.

In spite of all that, I hope this fight doesn't go all the way to the convention, and that the super-delegates will choose a nominee that can actually defeat Sen. McCain in November.

Hilary's reservation of her right to take the DNC's decision to Denver is a clear manifestation of DESPERATION! This shows her real motive for asking that Michigan and Florida's delegates be seated in the first place. It was never about the need for representation of votes, instead it was always about the need to have more delegates and increase her chances of catching up with Barack. Now that she has realized that seating Florida and Michigan's delegates cannot avail her, she is determined to destroy the party, after all she is a FIGHTER!

Bill needs to advise Hilary that it really is OVER! But I guess that he cant do that; after all we all know that his infidelity created a doorway for Hilary's political ambitions and his guilt only makes him her ardent supporter.

Ha ha ha ha!! So Clinton wins Florida and Michigan, as Clinton supporters wanted, but still complains about 4 delegates..Even if Obama was given 55 delegates, instead of 59 from Michigan, would that have made a big difference? And, Tubbs Jones, you did get the 19 delegates extra in Florida. Contrary to what you thought...I recall you saying Obama is not generous enough to give you that.
Now lets see if Clinton will come out and support Obama after Tuesday.
And need I remind you all; Obama was not part of the rules committee. He is just going to be the next Presidential Nominee for the Democratic Party.
And, the majority of Michigan Democrats are happy with the decision. So lets move on.
Greedy Hillary and Ickes can form their own party if they are not happy.
Obama for President! 08.

Meck, Vanc

If we don't unite, we will end up with the failed policies of the republican party, I am tired of $4.00 gas, tired of the increase in the cost of living, don't do anything stupid and vote against Obama to proof a point, Hillary and Obama have the same (well very similar) stance on a lot of the issues, McCain doesn't, he has even admitted he knows nothing, NOTHING about the economy, if that who you really want for the presidency in this time of recession?

She should take it to the Credential Committee although I have lost faith in any of those people by now. I am one disgusted ex democrat. When I think of all the money I sent those fools over the years it makes me nauseous. Never again will they see a penny from me or a vote (which is worth less then a penny to them).

Hillary won't be satisfied with anything but an evisceration of Barack Obama and the whole of the Democratic party kissing her feet.

She agreed early on that Michigan and Florida would not be seated – because she was anticipating winning the primary. Now that she isn't, she resorts to manipulating the vote.

The RBC should not have re-examined the issue. It was done and settled and Hillary had agreed to how it was settled. This is just totally disgusting. If the democratic party isn't interested in playing by the rules and fair and square, and if Hillary manages to steal this nomination, I will either not vote or I will vote for John McCain.

Blind ambition is not pretty, Hillary.

Sounds like a reasonale comprimise. Are Clintons not used to comprimising?

Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan! How is this fair?

Giving that lunatic Clinton even the slightest bit of encouragement is going to make this thing last until the convention, creating harsher division in the party. Is this what the DNC wants?

Nancy,Harry and Howard are you dialing yet?June 4th every superdelgate needs to be on record for who they vote for !!!!!!!!

I feel so sorry for you people who have been jerked around like puppets by Hillary & Bill’s paid spinners. Harold Ickes, conscientious?, truthful?, dedicated to democracy? Look at Hillary’s campaign spending. Harold Ickes will support Hillary to the death… as long as he receives his high six figure paycheck… (and, news flash – he’s being paid by your donations… along with those of Hillary’s wonderful big money supporters).

Hillary doesn’t care one whit about women’s issues…. she doesn’t care about any issues… unless they offer an opportunity to get her votes. Wake up people.

Here’s a little exercise to bring you out of this sustained delusional fantasy you’ve been wallowing in for waaaaay to long:

What do you think Hillary is going to do… for women… if… and when she doesn’t get the nomination.

Do you think she’s going to get out and lead some type of women’s movement here in the states?

Or, more pertinently, do you think she’s going to go to Africa, Asia and/or the middle east, and campaign for equal rights for Muslim women?… Hmmm… think about it… has she even talked very much in this campaign about that issue?

If you feel that the Rules Committee’s decision was both cynical and politically expedient… do you somehow think that Hillary and the men who are her brain trust… (yes, they are almost entirely male… maybe they cross dress… do ya think? including her husband… are somehow immune to that very cynicism and proclivity for political expedience?

If you really care about this country…about the future of this country… instead of just about this cooked up fantasy of a “women’s campaign”… run by men… you’ll get off your crying towels and get with the program… so we can win in November

so... how do they know who voted for Obama?

In november, I'd rather my vote didn't count, rather than hear that my vote went to McCain – or someone else I didn't vote for.

shady...

I think this is wrong they should not have even met and discussed. Michigan and Florida CHEATED and therefore should not be seated at all and no votes should have counted. I blame Hillary Clinton for this mess!!! Hillary Clinton is like a litle High School Girl when they don't get there way they throw these temper tantrums and blame everyone else but themselves!!! Hillary knows she cannot WIN AT ALL and NEEDS TO DROP OUT NOW!!! Hillary needs to concede tonight or at the latest THIS WEEK!!!! GET OVER IT HILLARY YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T WIN!!! HILLARY IS ONLY HEARTING HERSELF BY STAYING IN!!! It's a fact women will not be president for the next 30 years they can fight all they want but simply there will not be a WOMEN president for at least 30 years!!!!! OBAMA IS THE ONLY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This will unfortunately get Hitlery more ammo to make her entitlement case that she should be the nominee instead of Obama. The inevitable is still going to happen and Hitlery will beat both Obama and then McCain. Obama and McCain are both doomed and ill-fated to lose.

Unity

Hillary, many of us who originally supported you and switched, realize you made valid points throughout the election process that should be addressed.

I feel for Hillary, her 'campaign staff' has done more to hurt the democratic party than help her or the country.
It is those campaign leaders that should be taken to task for their strategy and divisive comments throughout the nomination process.

I for one am confident that whatever government position, administration you run or are part of, I'm sure will do a wonderful job.

I couldn't continue my support for you knowing that many of those leaders in your campaign would be seated in your administration. They did more to switch my vote from you than anything else.

Good luck on your future ambitions, but leave those folks behind and let's start fresh with new strategies and new outlooks for how we campaign in America.

To all concerned Democrats-

A call to healing needs to be made after June 3rd. This resolution today only brings us ever closer to a selection of a nominee. The tough decisions that were both balanced and fair (Though Michigan pledged delegates should be allocated one-half of 73-55 to more appropriately reflect the actual vote on Jan. 15th) were a clear resolution to the problems. The reactions from many observers I saw while watching online at CNN scared me, and made me think how the future of this country is too important for us to go to some floor fight in Denver.

I found out recently my wife (a Senator Hillary Clinton supporter) is pregnant and I am hoping to raise our first child in a post-Bush world with more hope and a greater sense of unity across this country. Either canidate could do this healing although the race being what it is, all true Democrats need to get behind Senator Barrack Obama.

I hope supporters of each candidate will come together to retake the White House. I also hope Senator Obama picks Senator Clinton as his running mate.

I am deeply disturbed by a Clinton supporter Harold Ickes's comments as he indicate to bringing to the Credentials Committee. I do not trust these kind of people. He would not represents us at all. He is for sake of Clinton and nothing else. Certainly he would not working for us, but for his own gain, just like Clinton.
The DNC party should ignore his remarks.

No matter what the true fact is that Clinton did nothing for our New York States. She and her husband conveniently decided to move to our states and acting (pretending) to represents our people. No killing! She and Bill did nothing!
They just made millions and millions from special interest group, just like a Republican, but no thing for us.

SHAME ON YOU CLINTON!

They should have seated all the Florida and Michigan delegates, but with no votes.

They broke the rules – they should be able to participate, but the elections were invalid. This penalizes the people who decided not to vote in the knowingly invalid elections.

Clinton is a sore loser and doesn't care about the party. She was for the decision to penalize the states when she was ahead and now she wants hold the party hostage if she doesn't get her way by sowing discord and division.

Let's face it people, Clinton lost and she wants injustice to be done against Obama so she can have her way. What kind or type of lessons is Clinton team showing and teaching kids and people about rules and regulation. I guess if the rules fits at first and later doesn't fit, we must appeal. The only camp angry and will split the democrats are the Clinton camp because they are angry and bitter sore losers...

SEE ! The only thing that would have satisfied hillary clinton was giving her everything and Obama NOTHING ! Now she is ready to scorch the earth. We all seen this coming, and what is really bad for her is that members on the committee who supported her voted against her, so there is no bias here the decision was fair. So if she complains at the convention which i hope this never gets to there is no argument for her seeing that Obama and clinton supporters on the committee decided on this issue. From here on end it's Scorched Earth territory.

From 1787 until 1865 certain americans were only deemed worth counting as 3/5 of a person. I want every resident of Florida and MIchigan to remember that the Barack Obama led rules committee has deemed that every democratic voter in that primary is only worth being counted as 1/2 of a person. Hilary Clinton stuck up from you and wanted you to be just a complete an American as every other citizen in this country but Barack Obama does not think that highly of you.

this was wrong to do the dedegates should not have been seated

We're getting closer!
But let's remember this is the United States of America, not the Divided.

ALL STATES should be HEARD.
Not just an amount that will benefit Barack Obama.

More people have voted for Hillary Clinton in this election than ANY OTHER election. EVER.

Be Fair.
Obama DID campaign in Florida. Ran national ads.
Other states pushed up their primaries. What were their penalties?

Its OVER hillary pack it up and go home

DNC's ruling for both Michigan and Florida exemplifies fairness and equality among all voters. I was initially against seating the delegates for not following the rules. However, since they already have a pre-existing rule of 50% delegate seating for those who didn't follow the rules, then I am all for that. Very well done, DNC!

**To be honest though, I would say I had a funny feeling on my stomach when I saw the list of the DNC committee. It had 13 people supporting Clinton, 8 for Obama and 9 uncommited. It seems to prove that Florida and Michigan was reserved indeed for the "just in case" purposes if the Clintons are actually behind in delegates. Nearly half of the committee supports the Clintons (43%). Thank goodness for the wisdom of the uncommitted delegates. It gives me a flicker of hope for American Democracy.

P.S. Conducting the heated debate closed doors was initially annoying but was done in good taste. I bet the Republicans were at the corner ready to pounce on the Democratic party's credibility to hold things together specially if a heated debate ensues. What disappoints me though is the final push by the Clinton's representatives by threatening to contest or take it to Denver. It was an evil but effective move for what it's worth specially when they know that most people would just like the process to end so they can concentrate for the general election against McCain. Good try, I suppose!

Patently unfair to Obama but it won't matter and it's time to move on and win in November.

I want to firstly commend the DNC for their hard work in today's deliberation in trying to bring the party together. I believe this is a fair decision however i want people to believe that clinton want to take this to the convention only to allow McCain to win so she can have the chance in 2012. This we must stop as a united party. The belief of the Clinton's is that they have big control over the DNC, well they are wrong , there come a time when people has to do the right thing and the right thing they have done. God bless you all.

No one can claim this is a perfect solution. The fact is there cannot be one, instead we're looking for a resolution that meets different interests. Everyone have to come to the middle and accept a compromise.

There can be a lot of rhetorical speeches about reflecting the votes. I really wish to hear any of those who rejected this decision to tell us how they can come up with another decision that reflects the votes; those who voted uncommitted but wanted to vote Obama, or those who chose to respect the previous decision and decided not to vote, even those who voted Hillary simply because the alternative was to be uncommitted.

The point is there can never be a true reflection of the votes in this case with such circumstances. And it is at these times that true colours unvailed; those who cannot see beyond their own interests have made their voice clear. It is now up for superdelegates to put an end for this.

Which half of the voters will be disenfranchized in Florida and Michigan?

Will they name names?

Should the people who are disenfranchized be allowed to know it?

Such an insult to our Constitution.

That's about as fair as it is going to get. The superdelegates need to end this after the SD and MT polls are in.

Obama!

Are the Clinton people playing some kind of practical joke? Do they really think it would MORE fair to give Hillary Clinton a whole bunch of delegates from Michigan and give Barack Obama zero delegates because his name wasn't on the ballot in an unsanctioned (essentially illegal) primary?

I just don't understand the logic or the argument. How does giving Barack Obama zero vote in Michigan reflect the will of the voters?

I know the DNC had to do something to move on, It's a compromise alright, but I guess we are missing the real impact on kids and honest people, it's ok to cheat and change the rules if you are behind . Hillary clinton is not only untrustworthy but she has lost all credibility in my mind....totally dishonest and zero integrity. Obama will still win fair and square. Superdelegates stand up Now!!

Obama 08 and 12

With all things being equal, the decision to seat the delegates so that the voices of people in the two states could be heard was fair. Some like Harold Ickes will never be satisfied unless Clinton wins the nomination. I am sure he will not support Obama after all is said and done...oh well.

I appreciate the RBC's courage today in the face of so much opposition from a particular candidate's supporters.

hahahahahahahahaha!
Obaminator 08 & 12...hahahahahahahahahahahahha!

um, didn't clinton agree to not have these states' votes counted way back when? how short is the memory of the average american? two weeks?

this is all a game and we're all getting played

Finally, we can move on. Michigan did not really have a leg to stand on.
Florida had a better case than Michigan. I actually thought that Florida might get 100% with Michigan getting 50%. Bottom line though, rules are rules. I am sure that there are many who will still complain. Well, half is better than none.

Obama -8/12!!!

That's O.K.. it will onle make us Hillary supporters more determined to finance her all the way to the convention. Maybe even try to help her run on a third party ticket. Now!!! i wonder what kind of effect this would have on the general election.

As an Obama supporter I think that under the circumstances this is a very fair solution. Hillary gets more delegates than Obama, which I have no problem with. How can she possibly complain about getting exactly what she had asked for, which is a majority of the delegates?

Harold Ickes certainly showed the world what he is all about today!! How dispicable, how disrespectful, how ugly his comments were!! I cannot even repeat them here!!! He can take this all the way to the Credentials Committee and on to Denver for that matter!! The reality is: TODAY, MAY 31, 2008 WAS A HISTORY-MAKING DAY FOR AMERICA!! BARACK OBAMA NOW RULES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!

This is getting bizarre- the Clintons and their supporters are beginning to sound outright delusional.
This country (minus the racist, uneducated, hillbilly democrats) doesn't want Hillary not because of some conspiracy, but instead because we've had enough of these self-serving, immoral, dishonest Clintons.
Isn't eight years of doing nothing except pandering to big business and poll numbers enough?
And do they really need more time in the White House to enrich themselves? Haven't they already pillaged enough?
The democratic party will last long enough to regret this: that the big wigs in the party stood silently while these Clintons disgraced the primary process; instead of coalescing around a unique leader with seldom-seen potential to unite the country around a relatively progressive, liberal agenda.
I can't wait to vote against Hillary in her next Senate run-> that's my only consolation.
And I can't wait until the "Clinton Legacy" is a forgotten stain on fabric of this great country.

I guess the philandering Kilpatrick isn't the only irrational politician in Michigan. How dare those committe people and clinton supporters clown the way they did. Michigan's officials blatantly disregarded the rules, and somehow Clinton should get delegates and Obama get none? You mean to tell me they sat there and argued that it's not their faults the other candidates removed their names, so they should suffer the consequence? Get out of here! They removed their names because it was understood the votes wouldn't count. Michigan denied 30,000 write-ins! They moved their primary because they were jealous New Hampshire and Iowa got to hold theirs first? Are these people intelligent adults or just arrogant idiots? They screwed thier own voters, but want to uphold the rights of only those who voted for Hillary Clinton. Sounds like some cheating Florida Republican logic to me. Disgraceful is what it is, and Harold Ickes needs Prozac.

Finally a decision that is fair for all. IF Senator CLinton purpose is to seat the delegates of these states, reguardless of the effect they have on her as a nominee, then this is a fair compromise. But it is my guess that she doesnt care about the votes truthfully, only if they give her a significant edge to steal the nomination.

beet McSame, excuse me

Finally! But will Hillary work to destroy the parties chances by taking this to the convention? It is obvious this is all about her and nothing else but her. Lets have the superdelegates do their job and finally put an end to the end.

This was a GREATEST CIRCUS of the year.
Is this American style of "DEMOCRACY"??????
Wonderfull lecture to all given today by Mr. Harold Ickes about demokracy and party unity I am glad sombody had a guts to tell these morons what they deserve- SHAME ON ALL 30 OF YOU.
See you in November – decision will be made by AMERICAN VOTERS
not by group of hatefull morons.

It needed to be this way, no matter what. We can't lose these states, especially Florida, we cant sacrafice such a swing state in the General election. We need every state to be McSame. No matter who is the nominee.

The Obama team demonstrated an incredible willingness to reach out and work with others. That showed strength. He will be a great president!

I now see VOTING and the CONSTITUTION have NO importance in the democratic party! I hope the Republican party has room for me! Mr. McCain, you have MY vote and a lot more 'former' democrats & independents!!!

i watched the whole thing..and my opinion is simply that Florida and Michigan should be happy that they are seated...with the statement Mr. Icky(pun intended) made, he just reminded me that it was never about the people, but about her and what she could get. To express any outrage about Obama getting anything from Michigan just proves that selfish, greedy motivations never get anywhere.. also that people are not AFRAID of the power-hungry Clintons anymore! YES! Finally! she is not owed anything by anyone and certainly not ENTITLED!

This was the most fair way of resolving this issue. Hillary needs to bring this party together. Hillary the primary show is over. Let's go and beat McCain.

I hope not...it's time to unite. "It is what it is."

What did Hillary expect? Give that little spoiled child everything so its stops crying?

Obama was geneous like a president should be.

But, as we all know you keep shouting , it won't get you anywhere.

Unity! Unity! Unity!

thank god this thing is over,now we can move on.hope the clitons can now see the light.......bye hillary

The DNC has spoken. If she takes this any further she can kiss her career good-buy. She has done enough damage to our prospects in the General alreay. Have some grace, Hillary.

If rule matter, then:

1. Democratic Party sets the rule. This is not an election but selection of a candidate. If there were no free and fair elections, then the Democratic Party has the final word.

2. In a technically flawed election, "my vote counts" argument is phony.

3. When the candidates agree, then they should be held to the agreement.

4. In every state Obama's share of votes increased after campaigning. Not campaigning in the early stages of these contests adversely affected Obama. Obama’s name was not even on the ballot for Mi. The argument that popular votes should count in these states as cast is therefore dishonest.

Therefore, the right solution, seat half the pledge delegates from the two states and then divide them equally!

Mrs. Clinton, do not play dirty, stop this non-sense! The elections in Fl and Mi were a sham, at best. Don't learn from Mugabe how to cheat after losing.

I'd like someone....ANYONE, to explain to me how Senator Clinton's backers mean to justify her attempt to receive ALL the Michigan delegates? She was the ONLY major candidate on the ballot. How could she lose?

It's just a shame that these two states broke the rules that the other 48 states abided by, and yet with enough whining, it gets excused somewhat.

Great example for our young people.

go clinton, you just had to do this, even if the math doesn't add up in your favor. in the end obama will come out ahead,

obama 08

The side effect for DNC indecisive on issue of Michigan and Florida delegates hurt Mrs. Clinton very much in the 2008 presidential election. It is reasonable for her to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee.

The DNC is highly praised for their honesty, fairness, justice and patrotism. People like Harold should be ashamed of themselves for sowing the seed of discord. Hillary could even take the fight to Resuming Committee talkless of Credentials. If anybody will come out to say that the people of Michigan are foolish to arrive in the formular presented by their Chairman (69-59); such a person is actually the father of foolishness, not the responsible people of Michigan.

Femi- Happy with the decision.

I am really pleased with the DNC decision. It is fair. I know at the end Hillary Clinton will make the right decision not to drag this all the way to the convention. I am not the biggest fan of Mrs Clinton but I will gadly support her if she is on the ticket. We need to be united in order to beat the republican in November.

It's all about Hillary and her EGO and hunger for POWER. Please don't let her destroy the Democratic Party. She will if she can.

Please SuperDelegates cast your vote and finish this. Barack Obama has Hillary and McCain coming at him.

YES WE CAN

They shoudnt have counted any. It isnt a democracy when both candidates AGREE to punish MI anf FL in the beginning and then one bitter candidate begs and whines like a 5 year old to change the rules. You cant change the rules as you go. If anything that is what is UNDEMOCRATIC Billary.

I have to tell you my husband and I just watched the rules committee meeting. I am disgusted at the partisanship on the Clinton side......Especially Mr. Ikes!!!! He calls himself a democrat????? He isnt interested in unification of the party he is interested in his and his candidate's interests!!! If he truely wanted all the votes counted he would want all the michigan voters write in votes to count as well. He doesnt care about party unity he cares about advancing himself and his candidate. ANY fare minded person looking at this imperfect process would see that this was a good middle ground. I am soooooo disappointed in senator Clinton and the Dirty campain she has run. She has learned a lot of the drity politicing from her Republican rivals. This is not a football game where you blindly support your team we are fighting for the integrety of this country and that of this party. If Obama looses I will in part blame her for all the amumition they have given the Republicans!! Changing rules, suspending reality and re-inventing the truth....That is what the clintons seem to be about. She has no scrupules or dignity she will drag everyone through the mud with her.

Disgusting!!!!!

HillaryGive it up, stop causeing all this conflict ,we have spoken we do not want the clintons back in the White House. You and your husband are making yourselves look crazy, stop changing your mind, stop lying and go home.

This is a mess, especially Michigan. It sends a terrible message that breaking the rules only punishes you by half, it makes those who weren't on a ballot (because that was the rule at the time) look like suckers who should've known that delegates would've been reinstated at some future point. I thought the best solution would've been redo primaries in MI and FL, after June 3rd. It's a shame that option was unavailable.

The argument that the Republicans pushed the primary forward in Michigan is weak. Several states have separate primaries.

Dems... fix this before 2012.

She is bitter and she is making me sick she got a boost and is still unhappy. I HATE HRC AND THE WHOLE CREW...SHE SHOULD FIND MONICA AND TAKE IT OUT ON HER SHE IS THE ONE WHO MADE HER LIKE THIS ANYWAY

OBAMA LOVERS PIZZA...COLUMBUS OHIO

Thanks for handing the fl. vote to John Mcbush. As a life time Democrat and never missed voting for the Democratic nominee, I will note vote for Barach Obomba. He will not be elected president so we will have four more years of the worse adminstration this country has had in the past 60 years. Now Mrs Clinton can truefully say we gave this election away by nominating someone who is not qualified to be president.

Enough is enough! Hillary For Dem Pres.or Independent Third Party.