Early returns: Obama is getting clobbered in Florida!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

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.....

I doubt it - I expect he will pick a strong social conservative as a running mate

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Rudy speaking of his campaign in past tense.

Rudy - the republican party is the party of lincoln, the party of reagan and the party of bush.

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

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.....

I doubt it - I expect he will pick a strong social conservative as a running mate

I don't know. McCain has been known to break from party ranks before. I don't think it'd be too far of a stretch for him to select Giuliani. He certainly wouldn't pick Romney or Huckabee.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I don't know. McCain has been known to break from party ranks before. I don't think it'd be too far of a stretch for him to select Giuliani. He certainly wouldn't pick Romney or Huckabee.

But that's why a large part of the base aren't enthusiastic about his candidacy, especially evangelicals and the like.

Of course, if he picks someone like Huckabee, he risks alienating independent voters who, you know, believe in evolution and are more interested in making money than bashing the bible

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

oh my gosh...this sounds good...I can't confirm it, but the super-delegates can change their vote during the Convention! There are about 400 who haven't endorsed a candidate but it is expected that many of them will begin to.

[chri'stina 190]

I don't know. McCain has been known to break from party ranks before. I don't think it'd be too far of a stretch for him to select Giuliani. He certainly wouldn't pick Romney or Huckabee.

But that's why a large part of the base aren't enthusiastic about his candidacy, especially evangelicals and the like.

Of course, if he picks someone like Huckabee, he risks alienating independent voters who, you know, believe in evolution and are more interested in making money than bashing the bible

I am an evangelical and I voted for McCain, so did a lot of people I know who are also evangelicals. So I think sometimes people stereotype too much about who people will pick. Of the evangelicals I know who would base things so much on that, I doubt they would vote for a Mormon and would favor Huckabee.

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

I don't know. McCain has been known to break from party ranks before. I don't think it'd be too far of a stretch for him to select Giuliani. He certainly wouldn't pick Romney or Huckabee.

But that's why a large part of the base aren't enthusiastic about his candidacy, especially evangelicals and the like.

Of course, if he picks someone like Huckabee, he risks alienating independent voters who, you know, believe in evolution and are more interested in making money than bashing the bible

I am an evangelical and I voted for McCain, so did a lot of people I know who are also evangelicals. So I think sometimes people stereotype too much about who people will pick. Of the evangelicals I know who would base things so much on that, I doubt they would vote for a Mormon and would favor Huckabee.

Interesting insight. Thanks for sharing, Stina. (wow....only days away from your due date! How are you doing? )

[GaryC 7]

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.

I have been thinking about what you said here. Your right when you say Florida is very important to win in Nov. Your also right that the dem voters will feel stepped on if their delegates are not seated. I think what Hillary is doing is classic Clinton. She is pandering. She is making a big stink about how their votes should be counted knowing that they cannot be counted. If they were then Edwards and Obama would rightly call foul. But the fact that she is saying they should be counted gives her the ability later to say "I fought for your right to choose your candidate. It was others that disenfranchised you" (and maybe find a way to blame it on the reps).

[no name 1]

Why Florida has become a sideshow for the Democrats

(CNN) -- Florida has often played an over-sized role in presidential politics -- for proof you need not look further than the 2000 presidential race.

Hillary Clinton says she wants the Florida delegates to participate in the Democratic national convention.

But the Florida Democratic primary has been relegated to a "beauty contest" because the Democratic party stripped the state of its delegates. Thus, Florida Democrats may have little impact on who eventually becomes the Democratic nominee.

CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider provides answers to questions about the Florida primaries.

Q: Why did the Democratic Party strip Florida of its delegates?

Schneider: Did you know that the primary season has not officially started yet? It doesn't actually start until February 5. Any primary held before that date is breaking party rules.

The Democrats have said that only four states can go ahead and break the rules -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. But nobody else!

What about Florida, which is holding its primary Tuesday? Off with their heads! Or more precisely, out with their delegates! The Democrats say the party will refuse to seat any Florida delegates at the convention in Denver in August. So there!

Q: What are Hillary Clinton and the other candidates doing about it?

Schneider: Clinton has already told Florida Democrats not to worry. If she is the Democratic nominee, she will make sure Florida delegates are not left out on the street. And you can expect any other Democratic nominee to do exactly the same thing. Really, can you imagine the Democratic Party going out of its way to insult Florida voters by telling them their votes don't count -- after what happened in Florida in 2000?

Q: Who benefits from the situation?

Schneider: One punishment has held. The Democratic candidates have all refused to campaign in Florida. Without a campaign, who wins? Probably Hillary Clinton, the best-known contender. She will be in Florida Tuesday night to collect her "prize." Which is what? Momentum, she hopes, heading into Super Tuesday on February 5.

Otherwise, Barack Obama can claim the "Big Mo" coming out of his impressive victory in South Carolina on Saturday -- the last officially sanctioned primary before Super Tuesday.

Q: So, if Clinton wins Tuesday it will mostly be symbolic, right?

Schneider: Not necessarily. If the Democratic race remains close and no one has a majority going into the convention in August, we could see a showdown over seating the Florida delegates -- and the Michigan delegates, too. Michigan also held an unofficial primary that Hillary Clinton won without a campaign on January 15.

Suppose Clinton needs the Florida and Michigan delegates seated to put her over the top. The Obama delegates will insist that the party enforce its rules and exclude them. Until Obama gets the nomination. Then all Democrats will be welcome to join in the celebration.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/28/flo...ates/index.html

Edited January 30, 2008 by devilette

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

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.

I have been thinking about what you said here. Your right when you say Florida is very important to win in Nov. Your also right that the dem voters will feel stepped on if their delegates are not seated. I think what Hillary is doing is classic Clinton. She is pandering. She is making a big stink about how their votes should be counted knowing that they cannot be counted. If they were then Edwards and Obama would rightly call foul. But the fact that she is saying they should be counted gives her the ability later to say "I fought for your right to choose your candidate. It was others that disenfranchised you" (and maybe find a way to blame it on the reps).

Gary,their only gonna do the dianfranchised thing against the repubs. Clinton was the first black pres. right? The Black vote is gone. The brown vote is where Hillary is goin now. The multi cultural racial rift in the dem. party is becoming sooo soooo obvious.

[chri'stina 190]

......

(wow....only days away from your due date! How are you doing? )

I am feeling pretty good physically considering my due date is so close, but I am ready to see the baby! How is Jinky doing? Not too much longer for you all either!!!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

......

(wow....only days away from your due date! How are you doing? )

I am feeling pretty good physically considering my due date is so close, but I am ready to see the baby! How is Jinky doing? Not too much longer for you all either!!!

Good luck, Christina!!!

[chri'stina 190]

......

(wow....only days away from your due date! How are you doing? )

I am feeling pretty good physically considering my due date is so close, but I am ready to see the baby! How is Jinky doing? Not too much longer for you all either!!!

Good luck, Christina!!!

Thanks!

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

......

(wow....only days away from your due date! How are you doing? )

I am feeling pretty good physically considering my due date is so close, but I am ready to see the baby! How is Jinky doing? Not too much longer for you all either!!!

She's doing fine....her belly looks like one of those pythons that have swallowed a pig...mother nature is amazing....LOL!

Best Wishes! Can't wait to see pics of your baby!

[garya505 2]

My crystal ball says:

1. Obama will do pretty good for a while, but Hillary will get the Dem nomination because the Dems will realize that Obama can't beat McCain or Romney.

2. Romney will spend huge sums of money on the campaign, but McCain will get the Rep nomination anyway, because he can get the vote of the moderates and the Reps need someone who can beat Hillary.

3. McCain will win the election. Even the hardcore conservative Reps who b!tch about McCain will vote for him to keep Hillary out. Most moderate Reps and a lot of independents will vote for him too. A considerable number of moderate Dems will defect and vote for McCain because they don't like Hillary and they'll see McCain as a moderate and a safe choice.

We'll see how close I am ...