Blitzer: Hold new Florida, Michigan primaries in August?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/POLITICS/05/06/primaries.change/art.voting.flag.in.ap.jpg caption="Some have raised the possibility of adding the Clinton-Obama race to Florida and Michigan's local elections this August."](CNN) - If neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama emerges after the final June 3 primaries with the magic number of 2,025 delegates – a very real possibility if the remaining contests are close – then this presidential nominating battle could indeed continue until the party convention in Denver that begins on Monday, August 25 and continues until Thursday night, August 28.
That would mean potentially a huge credentials fight on the convention floor involving the seating of those disputed delegates from Michigan and Florida, the two states that moved up their primaries against Democratic National Committee rules and were stripped of those delegates as a result.
Party leaders are clearly very worried about alienating Michigan and Florida voters. Both of those states are critical in the November general election against John McCain.
So how do the Democrats a) avoid a convention floor fight, and b) make sure Florida and Michigan voters are not disenfranchised?
Earlier, there had been an effort to get the two states to hold a second round of primaries but that collapsed for a variety of reasons. As a result, the widely-held assumption has been in recent weeks that it is now too late for such a second round of primaries to take place. But is it?
Here's one idea that is now being floated and that potentially could gain some traction though it would require the DNC changing its current rules which state that the primaries and caucuses must be concluded by early June.
Michigan already has a state-wide primary scheduled for August 5 for local and state elections. Florida has a similar state-wide primary scheduled for August 26, the second day of the Democratic convention in Denver. Why not let the two states add a Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama election to the ballots for those two primaries?
Adding that election to the already scheduled primaries for those two dates wouldn't add any additional cost to the states.
They would simply have to print a new ballot.
Is this a good idea? Would it reassure voters in Michigan and Florida that they would have a say in determining the Democratic presidential nominee? Should the DNC allow this to occur? What do you think?
Here's one thing to ponder – think how exciting that Democratic convention in Denver would be if on the second day it all came down to the Florida primary.
From CNN Politics
- Untitled
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Supreme Court humors itself as it considers whether Jack Daniel's can stop a dog toy company from parodying its brand
- How Ginsburg's death and Kavanaugh's maneuvering shaped the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade and abortion rights
- Biden to highlight US-Canadian unity in first presidential trip to Ottawa
- House GOP faces long odds in effort to overturn Biden investment rule veto
Yes they broke the rules – so lets watch Democrats in Florida and Michigan vote Republican in the General because they are angry that their vote did not count in the Primary. Florida democrats did not have a choice – their Republican governor moved up the date.
They voted – let it count...Fine the respective state parties, but don't punish the voter.
Obama doesn't want the voters counted Wolf. And Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean do what Obama says. They want to lose in the fall again so they are making sure Obama gets in by cheating. Not counting votes , pushing for the superdelegates to take the vote away from the voters and solving the DNC complete stupidity of not counting Florida and Michigan by taking the election away from the voters and not going to the Denver Convention. Why are you guys still saying that you get the nomination if your "ahead". Since when was that a rule. If you don't get to 2208 you do not get the nominee not 2025. Then it goes to the convention. Howard Dean doesn't want the world to see what a mess he has created so he's trying to cheat and give it to Obama. I say stay out of it Super Delegates and if they don't. Don't vote them in their next election.
I hope you Obama supporters are happy on election night when Florida AND Michigan deliver their electoral votes for McCain.
We have 50 states in the U.S. and all 50 should be recognized..If they hold another primary in each state there should be nothing wrong with that..I'm sure some people have changed their minds one way or another and some people probably didn't vote at all and now would like to..Everyone's vote should be counted..They need to find a way.
stop to endorse ILL ARY
OBAMA 08
Blitzer, get a clue.
its a great idea wolf.....but if obamas camp killed the last revote idea becasue it dosnt help there side ....whats to stop them form doing it again...and according to them the the supperdeligates are just waiting patiently for him to score any type of victory so they can put this thing to bed....and hes stated that he can win without fla....or atleast he thinks he can....so....again i ask....why would they agree?......i think were all in for a rude awaking with obama.....
The state legislatures have tried to do this, but could not come to an agreement. In Michigan, they wanted to restrict some democrats from voting and the Obama Campaign was right to oppose that re-vote. In Florida, they simply refused! Let it be, and let's come up with a fair solution to seat them so we can move on to getting back in the WH in January!
O8ama
So disenfranshise millions of voters because of party rules that were made without consent of those they disenfranchise. I'm African American who lives in Florida, but I want to see all the votes count, and don't treat me like I'm a child by saying the delegates will be seated when we know that we will not have much say on who will be the democratic nominee or who just might be the next president; just like 2000 and 2004.
Let's get it right this time or we might wake up in 2012 with the same problem.
People keep forgetting about the seating of the delegates from Florida and Michigan. It is worth bringing up again. Howard Dean stated on the Daily Show that they will make a way to seat the delegates from those two states.
Wolf, you want to marry me. You just don't know it yet. 🙂 hee hee hee
Karey
I'm slightly perplexed by the other posts. Wolf was just putting a scenario out there to think about. I've never heard that he was a Hillary supporter, in fact, the network seems to slant towards Obama. In any case, I agree that FL and MI broke the rules, but the constituents didn't and that is where it is not fair. My opinion is to split the delegates evenly between the states and call it a day. Whoever has the most will win.
BTW, I'm a Lou Dobbs independent.
Enough of this discussion! What don't you all understand about this?? Michigan and Florida broke the party rules. They don't get a say in the primaries. Too bad! They should simply follow the rules next time! If the DNC allows the rules now to be compromised, then they may as well remove the rule entirely, because it doesn't mean anything. Question: If this were a small state with less delegates, like Vermont or Rhode Island, would the DNC still consider compromising it's rule? Just because Michigan and Florida are bigger with more delegates should not give them any clout. If anything, the DNC needs to make an example out of both of them to keep other states from moving up their primaries in the future!
Wolf the notion that you and others would want for MI and FL, who violated the established rules, to decide the nomination is nothing short of being unconsciounable.
These states should NOT be given the chance to determnine who the nominee if.
RULES ARE JUST THAT – RULES
Florida and Michigan must have their input into the party nomination. It is unthinkable that two of our states, with so many of their citizens having already voted, will be excluded. I know that after all these years of a Bush administration, we don't look much like America any more, but we still are!!
Don't giver her any more ideas!
Boring...
I used to chuckle at my right wing buddies who called CNN the Clinton News Network in the 90's, but now the laugh is on me. They were right all this time.
Obama knows he won't win Florida and doesn't want a revote but he has a shot in Michigan. But LOL look at all the Obama fans claiming they don't want a revote. We want to win right! How can you disenfranchise 2.3 million people. Obama shounld NOT be the nominee on disenfranchised delegates. If they don't do something, I will go McCain if I can't have Hillary.
I'm still entitled to vote in November, when my vote really counts. I didn't vote in the primary because the candidate I support wasn't on the ballot...Shame on you Hillary for breaking the rules!
I can wait until November to cast my ballot, although I feel a bit "disenfranchised", it's not the end of the world. I'm sure a lot of Michigan voters feel the same way.
Our Michigan "leaders" broke the rules, we have to live by them.
Let the primaries continue as they are.
I say if they dont hold new elections they are going to lose the general election anyway. You can not screw millions of voters because a few moronic leaders screwed up and expect them to support you come November.
I'm sick and tired of the Billary supporters blaming OBAMA for FL and MI problem.
If it was the other way around, the Billary people would not want a re-vote given the way they have been trying to steal this election like Dubya did in 2000!
Hillary grew up as a Republican and she is still one!
How many of you idiots have told your children to follow the rules like OBAMA did?
If Hillary is not the Democratic nominee, I will vote for McCain in November, and NOTHING will change my mind – not 100 years in Iraq, not the overthrow of Roe vs. Wade – NOTHING. The most important issue for me personally is that Barack Obama stole my vote. If that's "Change," I want no part of it. Maybe Barack stole my Florida vote for Hillary, but he will not steal my November vote for McCain.
This won't fly with the Obama camp. They have refused to agree to any re-votes in FL and MI for months. Obama will certainly not change his mind now that the race is very close.
However, the DNC must give FL & MI seats at the convention or the democratic nominee will surely loose without those electoral votes in the general election.
No democrat wants a bookered convention, and republican opinions are irrelevant in our choice of the nomination. I know you want the ratings but it's not going to happen.
Why is everyone so afraid of allowing Florida and Michigan to vote? If they hold their primaries now, wouldn't they comply with party rules?