Michigan and Florida Governors' Tag-Team: Seat Us
Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 02:34:35 PM PDT
The timing of this could not be more perfect. On the day after the night before, when John McCain sewed up the Republican nomination, and afer allowing sufficent time for him to collect the official kiss on the cheek from his new benefactor--and former adversary--George Bush, another unlikely tag-team act has formed to promote the candidacy of the one candidate that truly unites half the Democratic Party with that portion of the GOP that voted Hillary Clinton "Most Likely to Lose to John McCain."
In a joint statement signed by Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm, and Florida governor, Charlie Crist, the two parties have been petitioned to seat their respective states' delegations to the national conventions.
In full, the governors have written:
Joint Statement from Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
"The right to vote is at the very foundation of our democracy. This primary season, voters have turned out in record numbers to exercise that right, and it is reprehensible that anyone would seek to silence the voices of 5,163,271 Americans. It is intolerable that the national political parties have denied the citizens of Michigan and Florida their votes and voices at their respective national conventions.
According to the DNC and RNC, Florida and Michigan have violated party rules by moving up their primaries. Today, we each will call upon our respective state and national party chairs to resolve this matter and to ensure that the voters of Michigan and Florida are full participants in the formal selection of their parties’ nominees. We must restore the rights of the more than 5 million voters whose voices have been silenced."
Clearly, the intenet here is for the DNC to seat the Michigan and Florida delegation in order to benefit Hillary Clinton's candidacy. Granholm's motivation is clear; she was an early endorser of Clinton's. For Crist, though, the motivation has to be something more than that he wants to be seen by Democrats as some knight in shining armor, championing their cause to the king makers at the DNC or that John McCain needs the other half of the Florida's delegation for any purpose whatsoever.
Only the Democratic race can be effected by this move, and it's more than realistic to believe that Crist is doing what he can to promote the Clinton's bid because he believes that she is an easier mark for McCain, for whom Crist perfectly timed his personal endorsement.
This joint statement comes on the day that it will be seen in the most favorable light: the day Clinton can argue most credibly that she is back in the race--in spite of the fact that most savvy watchers of this race know that her gains in actual delegates was less than impressive.
So comes Phase III. After the split of the battlefield as of Super Tuesday, and the post-Februay 5 11-state streak, now begins Clinton's March to Pennsylvania. During this phase, Clinton will tear up the rail tracks in an effort to change the only thing that matters: the delegate math. Just as she will turn up the heat on Obama by going negative and attempt to stop his momentum even further by a full-frontal assault on unpledged delegates (now a "primary" in its own right), the jewels in the crown will be the attempted seating of these two delegations, even if by a re-vote, that given the results from Ohio, she has to believe she can now win outright.
So now it's going to get ugly--about 7 weeks worth of ugly--just in time for Pennsylvania to fall.
Update [2008-3-5 19:13:50 by GOTV]: The AP is reporting that there may be a deal to re-vote in Michigan and possibly Florida.
Update [2008-3-5 22:53:9 by GOTV]: Howard Dean weighs in:
"We're glad to hear that the Governors of Michigan and Florida are willing to lend their weight to help resolve this issue. As we've said all along, we strongly encourage the Michigan and Florida state parties to follow the rules, so today's public overtures are good news. The rules, which were agreed to by the full DNC including representatives from Florida and Michigan over 18 months ago, allow for two options. First, either state can choose to resubmit a plan and run a party process to select delegates to the convention; second, they can wait until this summer and appeal to the Convention Credentials Committee, which determines and resolves any outstanding questions about the seating of delegates. We look forward to receiving their proposals should they decide to submit new delegate selection plans and will review those plans at that time. The Democratic Nominee will be determined in accordance with party rules, and out of respect for the presidential campaigns and the states that did not violate party rules, we are not going to change the rules in the middle of the game.
"Through all the speculation, we should also remember the overwhelming enthusiasm and turnout that we have already seen, and respect the voters of the ten states who have yet to have their say.
"As we head towards November, our nominee must have the united support of a strong Democratic Party that's ready to fight and ready to beat John McCain. After seven years of Republican rule, I am confident that we will elect a Democratic president who will fight for America's families in the White House. Now we must hear from the voters in twelve states and territories who have yet to make their voices heard."
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