Hillary: FL, MI broke the rules, forgive them, and no delegates to Obama

[ProSense]

In today's conference call, the Clinton campaign conceded any rules-based or fairness-based argument for the full seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations. The Clinton campaign declared that, unlike Iowa, NH and South Carolina, Florida and Michigan did indeed break the DNC rules and without justification. The Clinton campaign expressly disagreed with the Michigan Democratic Party's contention that the DNC had selectively enforced its rules by allowing New Hampshire and South Carolina to break the sanctioned primary schedule, that Florida was not entitled to a safe harbor or waiver, and that the DNC had acted properly and within the rules when it stripped Florida and Michigan of its delegates.

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*** UPDATE *** Also on the conference call, the campaign repeated what it said it earlier in the week: that it wants the full Florida and Michigan delegations to be seated; that it wants them seated according to the January primary votes in each state; and that the "uncommitted" votes in Michigan can't be given to Obama -- they must remain uncommitted.

"We are hopeful and confident that after hearing all the arguments and hearing all the facts ... that all the delegates will be seated and all of them will have a full vote," Ickes said.

Moreover, the Clinton's campaign general counsel issued a letter to members of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws committee, which takes issue with the DNC analysis suggesting that Florida and Michigan must be penalized by at least 50%. "The RBC," the letter says, "has broad powers to fully reinstate the Florida and Michigan delegations. Rule 20(C)(7) allows the RBC to forgive violations when a state party and other relevant Democratic party leaders and elected officials have taken provable, positive steps and acted in good faith to bring the state into compliance with the DNC’s Delegate Selection Rules."

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May 30, 2008, 1:28 pm

Clinton Camp’s Argument: No Michigan Delegates for You

By Katharine Q. Seelye

Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign says that the Democratic party cannot award any of the “uncommitted” delegates from Michigan to any specific candidate, setting up a potentially major battle with the campaign of Senator Barack Obama.

At issue are the results of the Michigan primary, in which 55 percent of voters voted for Mrs. Clinton while about 40 percent of voters cast their ballots for “uncommitted.” Mr. Obama and most other Democrats had taken themselves off the ballot.

A proposal has been floating in advance of a party rules committee meeting tomorrow that would award all or a portion of those “uncommitted” Michigan delegates to Mr. Obama.

But the Clinton campaign intends to argue that Mr. Obama should receive zero delegates from Michigan because those delegates awarded to “uncommitted” have to go to the convention uncommitted.

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Maybe the RBC will decide that FL, MI broke the rules, and rules are rules.

Then Hillary can decide how to come to grips with her arrogance and delusion.


Edited to fix link.