Legal Commentary

Yet Another FL/MI Plan

By Big Tent Democrat

By Big Tent Democrat

I think a lot of folks are getting the message on Florida and Michigan. While some vociferous Obama supporters are adamant against counting Florida and Michigan, others are realizing that Obama and, more importantly, the Democratic Party will suffer badly from this situation. As a result, Obama folks like Chris Bowers and Mark Schmitt are urging a different type of solution. Schmitt aims his advice directly at Barack Obama:

Here's the answer, and it's a little off the wall: He should offer a major concession. Agree to seat the Florida delegates from the January primary, along with a do-over caucus in Michigan. Don't concede the full legitimacy of the Florida primary, but just acknowledge that all the candidates were on the ballot and the expense and political cost of a do-over is too high. Seating the Florida delegation would be conditional on a do-over caucus in Michigan. . . . The advantages to Obama here are tremendous: it puts him firmly on the record in favor of enfranchising both states, it denies Clinton a second win in Florida, it shows a more magnanimous and graceful brand of politics than the win-at-all-costs mania we're witnessing from the Clinton camp, and it draws out the actual mathematical challenge she faces, without the fudge-factor of Michigan and Florida.

I think we have made some progress on this when the position being urged upon Obama by some folks who support him, very smart folks too, is that Obama should seat the Florida delegates based on the prior vote and re-do Michigan. BTW, we have to count the votes towards determining who is winning the popular vote too. Do not pretend those were not real people voting. Otherwise, we could redo by mail.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 06, 2008 (boomark / email).