Legal Commentary

Sunday Open Thread - Michigan And Florida Still Front And Center

By Big Tent Democrat

By Big Tent Democrat

Watching ABC This Week, George Stepanopoulos's show, George and his panel fully understand and explain two things: one, that Hillary Clinton is ready and eager to do revotes in Florida and Michigan and Barack Obama will try and squirm his way out of them and; two, that there has to be a unity ticket, Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton. They also properly said that not only will there be pressure on the nominee to pick the other as the VP candidate, there will be pressure on the "not nominee" to accept the VP slot. Exactly right imo.

Face The Nation discusses Michigan and Florida at the top of its broadcast. Howard Dean on to discuss it. Dean says the "rules will be followed" but speaks encouragingly about a revote. Particularly about a mail in primary. Even says it is a "great party building exercise." Discusses raising money for funding it. Bill Nelson coming up. I'll update on the flip.

This is an Open Thread.

Bill Nelson and John Kerry on to discuss what to do about Michigan and Florida. Nelson says he has worked hard to avoid the train wreck and got no help at all from the DNC. Nelson points out that the date change was forced upon the Democrats in Florida. Nelson says the only thing to do is to do a do over. Nelson is pitching the mail in option. Just Democrats. Who will pay? Nelson says Florida Democratic Party will raise the money about 6 million dollars.

Kerry says "rules need to be followed." Blah blah blah. Strange pitch by Kerry. But he does say Obama will "play by the rules." Accuses Clinton of not playing by the rules in Michigan by not accepting caucus. Of course Obama is the one who rejected the Michigan proposal. Kerry wants to change the subject.

Nelson has a great response. This is not about Clinton vs. Obama. This is about counting the votes of the people. Kerry looks foolish imo.

Nelson makes the obvious point that if we do not fix this we will lose Florida and Michigan.

Kerry tries to change the tack but goes back to the same blah blah blah. He is really blowing it imo. Kerry lies and says "Obama will accept whatever the states decide." But we know Obama rejected what Michigan decided.

Nelson wants the mail in primary. Kerry says no, even though he says in the same breath "Obama will do whatever is decided."

So Dean and Nelson are for mail in primaries and Kerry, speaking for Obama, seems to be against it. Even though he says Obama will accept "anything the states decide." I guess Obama will be for it before he is against it.

On Fox, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was adamantly opposed to a revote. I do not know what she is going to do when Nelson already has the mail in primary basically ready to go. Regarding Michigan, Debbie Dingell said something will be done, basically implying a revote will happen.

Update (TL): Comments at 200, this thread is closing, but a new one on the topic is here.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 09, 2008 (boomark / email).