Early returns: Obama is getting clobbered in Florida!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

Nobody becomes president w/o winning in FL in November. The Republican candidate will hammer the Democratic contender in the general election campaign if the Dems excluded Florida from their convention. They have to seat the FL delegates or they may as well cease campaigning for November. How are they going to spin and sell the exclusion of Florida in the primaries in the very state where they said 8 and 4 years ago that every vote must count and be counted? If they don't seat the delegates, they won't make it here in November and hence won't make it to the White House. It's just that simple.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

MSNBC reporting Rudy will drop out and endorse McCain

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

Nobody becomes president w/o winning in FL in November. The Republican candidate will hammer the Democratic contender in the general election campaign if the Dems excluded Florida from their convention. They have to seat the FL delegates or they may as well cease campaigning for November. How are they going to spin and sell the exclusion of Florida in the primaries in the very state where they said 8 and 4 years ago that every vote must count and be counted? If they don't seat the delegates, they won't make it here in November and hence won't make it to the White House. It's just that simple.

Absolutely. It's a strange strategy for the DNC - the same with excluding a swing state such as Michigan

[Dan J 277]

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

Nobody becomes president w/o winning in FL in November. The Republican candidate will hammer the Democratic contender in the general election campaign if the Dems excluded Florida from their convention. They have to seat the FL delegates or they may as well cease campaigning for November. How are they going to spin and sell the exclusion of Florida in the primaries in the very state where they said 8 and 4 years ago that every vote must count and be counted? If they don't seat the delegates, they won't make it here in November and hence won't make it to the White House. It's just that simple.

It did loose half of its Republican delegates too.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

MSNBC reporting Rudy will drop out and endorse McCain

Some good News at least. If Barack doesn't make it, at least I can feel good about giving my vote to McCain instead of the Clintons.

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

Nobody becomes president w/o winning in FL in November. The Republican candidate will hammer the Democratic contender in the general election campaign if the Dems excluded Florida from their convention. They have to seat the FL delegates or they may as well cease campaigning for November. How are they going to spin and sell the exclusion of Florida in the primaries in the very state where they said 8 and 4 years ago that every vote must count and be counted? If they don't seat the delegates, they won't make it here in November and hence won't make it to the White House. It's just that simple.

It did loose half of its Republican delegates too.

Which still leaves it the biggest prize thus far in the Republican primaries.

[kaydee457 13]

MSNBC reporting Rudy will drop out and endorse McCain

Some good News at least. If Barack doesn't make it, at least I can feel good about giving my vote to McCain instead of the Clintons.

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

Nobody becomes president w/o winning in FL in November. The Republican candidate will hammer the Democratic contender in the general election campaign if the Dems excluded Florida from their convention. They have to seat the FL delegates or they may as well cease campaigning for November. How are they going to spin and sell the exclusion of Florida in the primaries in the very state where they said 8 and 4 years ago that every vote must count and be counted? If they don't seat the delegates, they won't make it here in November and hence won't make it to the White House. It's just that simple.

It did loose half of its Republican delegates too.

Which still leaves it the biggest prize thus far in the Republican primaries.

The first sensible political comment I've ever heard you make....

Edited January 30, 2008 by kaydee457

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A question for those who know: What does HRC have to do to get the rules changed and get the FL DEM delegates seated?

I am assuming it can be done.

They'll be seated at the DNC, but after the nomination. The primary votes won't be relevant unless it could tip the scales the other way, in which case I'd guess that the super delegates would make a final decision. Remember that the candidate they choose is for the Party so the process is a bit different from the general election. I don't think the DNC will reverse their decision without opening a whole can of worms as it would be unfair to the candidates who agreed not to campaign there for the Primary.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

MSNBC projects McCain the winner

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

They're calling Florida for McCain.

Now it's essentially McCain vs. Romney on the 5th.

Romney shouldn't stand a chance.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ohhhh...I was in error on the super delegates...

The Tyranny of Super-Delegates

by Katrina vanden Heuvel

Barack Obama’s stirring victory in Iowa was also a good night for our democracy. The turnout broke records and young people - who were mobilized and organized - participated in unprecedented numbers. And now that Iowans have spoken - the first citizens in the nation to do so - here’s the Democratic delegate count for the top three candidates (2,025 delegates are needed to secure the nomination):

Clinton - 169

Obama - 66

Edwards - 47

“Huh?” you say. “vanden Heuvel, you made a MAJOR typo.”

In fact, those numbers are correct: the third-place finishing Sen. Hillary Clinton now has over twice as many delegates as Sen. Obama, and more than three times as many delegates as the second-place candidate, Sen. John Edwards. Why? Because the Democratic Party uses an antiquated and anti-democratic nominating system that includes 842 “super-delegates” - un-pledged party leaders not chosen by the voters, free to support the candidate of their choice, and who comprise more than forty percent of the delegates needed to win the nomination. Many have already announced the candidate they will support.

In a clear attempt to protect the party establishment, this undemocratic infrastructure was created following George McGovern’s landslide defeat in 1972. It was designed to prevent a nominee who was “out of sync with the rest of the party,” Northeastern University political scientist William Mayer told MSNBC. Democratic National Committee member Elaine Kamarck called it a “sort of safety valve.”

In 1988, Reverend Jesse Jackson challenged the notion that these appointed delegates be permitted to vote for the candidate of their choosing rather than the winner of the state’s caucus or primary. He was right to do so. Twenty years later, when the word “change” is being bandied about, isn’t it time for the Democratic Party to give real meaning to the word? Strengthen our democracy by reforming the super-delegate system so that the people, not the party establishment, choose their candidate.

Katrina vanden Heuvel is editor of The Nation.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Rudy speaking- Ron Paul won all the debates!

[kaydee457 13]

They're calling Florida for McCain.

Now it's essentially McCain vs. Romney on the 5th.

Romney shouldn't stand a chance.

Republican "dream ticket"....McCain- Guiliani.....

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Rudy still speaking- You don't always win.

Rudy - war on terrorism is not optional. best way to achieve peace is through overwhelming strength.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Here's a list of the super-delegates that have not endorsed a candidate...

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/su...t-endorsed.html

414 uncommitted

Of the committed:

Clinton: 187

Obama: 92

Edwards: 27

This is why I think it would be key for Edwards to bow out gracefully now and throw his support behind Obama.