by Frank James
Florida Democrats have given up on the idea of redoing their primary in order to determine how to allocate the state's delegation to the Democratic National Convention in August.
That means the decision as to what to do with the delegates is now fully back in the court of Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and other national party officials. Florida Democrats are appealing the exclusion of the state's delegates to the party's Rules Committee and will carry that appeal to the convention's credentialling committee.
It also does nothing to derail the hopes of many political reporters, that there will be a credentials fight or even a brokered convention.
Now that just leaves Michigan Democrats to try and figure out how, if at all, they can pull off a redo. As in Florida, the odds are against them because of the unwillingness of the DNC and state officials to pay for a make-up election.
Here's the top of the Associated Press story:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Facing strong opposition, Florida Democrats on Monday abandoned plans to hold a do-over presidential primary with a mail-in vote and threw the delegate dispute into the lap of the national party.
While the decision by Florida Democrats left the state's 210 delegates in limbo, Democrats in Michigan moved closer to holding another contest on June 3. Legislative leaders reviewed a measure Monday that would set up a privately funded, state-administered do-over primary, The Associated Press learned.
Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen L. Thurman sent a letter announcing the decision.
"A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the party were to pay for it," Thurman said. "... This doesn't mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April."
Members of Florida's congressional delegation unanimously opposed the plan, and Barack Obama expressed concern about the security of a mail-in vote organized so quickly.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
So long Hillary!!!
-it's never a good idea to try to break the rules that you (Hillary) agreed to in the first place-.
Hillary can't be trusted and she's currently losing so bad to Obama that if her last name wasn't "Clinton" she would already have been forced to drop out of this race.
It won't matter if Hillary's racism wins her PA now, she's finished, put a fork in her.
Posted by: Pittsburgh, PA voter | March 17, 2008 7:27 PM
How can these people run the country?
THEY CAN"T EVEN RUN THEIR OWN PRIMARY.
And then there are the Super People, what a disgusting lye of a party- the party of the people- what a crock- I got a bridge to sell you.
Posted by: you Can't Fix Stupid | March 17, 2008 7:57 PM
The Florida Democrats have it right. An election was held. You don't hold do-overs because the party wants to change the rules. The solution would be for the Democratic party to seat those delegates and count those votes. I mean hasn't the Democratic party been telling us for seven years now that the votes, and all votes no matter how corrupted, should be counted, hasn't it?
Posted by: John D | March 17, 2008 8:08 PM
I hope all you little rule-followers then ALSO agree that, under the rules, superdelegates are free to support whomever they wish. That's right -- the rules permit the supers to back a candidate other than the one with the most delegates, assuming said candidate doesn't have enough delegates to secure the nomination on his/her own.
So if any superdelegates back Clinton, instead of Obama, that will be OK, right? The supers will be following the rules, so that's perfect acceptable.
Posted by: Julie Westmont | March 17, 2008 9:03 PM
If Florida and Michigan are not represented in the primary results you might as well just leave it to the super-delegates to decide because the "United States" is 50 states, not 48 as far as I know.
Posted by: Gord H | March 17, 2008 9:04 PM
And then there are the Super People, what a disgusting lye of a party- the party of the people- what a crock- I got a bridge to sell you.
Posted by: you Can't Fix Stupid | March 17, 2008 7:57 PM
Yeah, we should just do like the Republic Party did in 2000, rig the voting machines and then let the GOP leaning Supreme Court fix things for us (Bush/Cheny).
You're right c j, you can't fix stupid, which is why no one on here takes any of your insane rantings seriously.
Posted by: John Hussein E | March 17, 2008 9:08 PM
JohnD,
What part of "The rules, and consequences of breaking said rules, were laid out and agreed upon before these two lovely states, (in a feverish scramble with other states to be 'earliest' (i.e. important) moved their primary dates in defiance." don't you understand?
Sure they held an election. Was a real cliffhanger with only Hillary on board!
If you and your wife leave town for a weekend and you instruct the kids, in plain English, that there shall be no parties while you're gone, and then they throw a party anwyays..what would you do? Give 'em a do-over?
Sorry Mich. n' Fla., you knew the rules, you ignored them in a rush to be first, you had no candidate campaigns, and only Hillery on one of the ballots.
Yet YOU cry foul?
Revel in it Paulo, JohnD, for I am embarrassed by this, not too classy nor intelligent for the Dem party.
You broke the rules. You knew the punishment. Now go to your room. For all citizens of these two states who feel "disenfranchised", see also: your state elected officials who made these date decisions.
There there America, that wasnt so tricky was it?
Only in America, I'm surprised someone from the "Loony Left" of said states havent called John Edwards for legal advice, hes one of them durn lawsuit lovin lawyers!
Posted by: erick | March 17, 2008 9:10 PM
Don't you love it when a bunch of Republics are trying to give advice?
You can't fix stupid indeed. But you can fix stupid policy. Vote Democratic.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | March 17, 2008 10:17 PM
How can these people run the country?
THEY CAN"T EVEN RUN THEIR OWN PRIMARY.
And then there are the Super People, what a disgusting lye of a party- the party of the people- what a crock- I got a bridge to sell you.
Posted by: you Can't Fix Stupid | March 17, 2008 7:57 PM
you Can't Fix Stupid but your comment proves you can post it. Loser.
Posted by: Anton Chigurh | March 17, 2008 10:32 PM
Lye-sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
Lie-deliberate falsehood.
I agree with your premise that the Democratic Primary is a joke and an insult to Democracy. Please get off my side or learn to spell.
Posted by: Andy Sheepleton | March 17, 2008 10:54 PM
If Florida and Michigan are not represented in the primary results you might as well just leave it to the super-delegates to decide because the "United States" is 50 states, not 48 as far as I know.
Posted by: Gord H | March 17, 2008 9:04 PM
yes...and the other 48 played by the rules. Because 2 states got penalized by trying to make themselves more important than the other 48 states, I'ld like to know What were they thinking?
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | March 17, 2008 11:14 PM
Re: Michigan Revote
From "Head of State"
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/03/internet-voting-in-mi-and-fl.html
Monday, March 17, 2008
Internet Voting In Michigan
A truly terrible idea.
Given that this will be a first-time endeavor, and given the complexities of votes jumping as packets, however securely protected, from server to server, the likelihood that someone, somewhere will be able to raise at least a plausible basis for tampering is great. The result will thus no doubt be contested by one side or other, or at least viewed with skepticism by a part of public. This will further divide the Party, providing a feast for the Republicans.
Don't do it."
Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/03/internet-voting-in-mi-and-fl.html
Posted by: Robert Hewson | March 18, 2008 5:46 AM
Howard will not risk disenfranchising millions of voters in Florida and making it a red state for the next four election cycles. Florida democrats have called his bluff and now he'll have to capitulate.
Howard has little recourse but to seat at least a portion of the delegates since the Republicans wisely only punished their rogue state party by taking half of its delegates. Howard Dean made this mess himself so it's appropriate that he'll have to clean it up.
Posted by: Jeff | March 18, 2008 2:07 PM