PHOTOS: SENATOR OBAMA comes to Florida! PLUS discusses FL primary vote count with St. Pete Times.

[flpoljunkie]

US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) arrives at a rally in Tampa, Florida May 21, 2008. REUTERS/Scott Audette


Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama shakes hands with supporters after arriving at a rally in Tampa, Florida May 21, 2008.
(Scott Audette/Reuters)


U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., left, and Kathy Castor, D-Fla., right, introduce Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, D-Ill., during a campaign rally Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2008 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)


People show their support for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., lower right, as he campaigns Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2008, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)


Supporters react as Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., campaigns at a rally Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2008 in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)


Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., campaigns Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2008 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)


US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (L) works the crowd as one his supporters cries following a rally in Tampa, Florida May 21, 2008. REUTERS/Scott Audette


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands with supporters after campaigning at a rally in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)


Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, D-Ill., center, waves to supporters after a speech Wednesday afternoon May 21, 2008, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, speaks at a Town Hall meeting in Kissimmee, Fla., Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., arrives at a town hall meeting in Kissimmee, Fla., Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)


Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a town hall meeting in Kissimmee, Fla., Wednesday, May 21, 2008.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)


US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) smiles while being introduced during a town hall meeting in Kissimmee, Florida May 21, 2008. REUTERS/Scott Audette

Obama: Popular vote from FL meaningless

Does the popular vote in Florida count for anything, we asked Sen. Barack Obama on the ride from Tampa to Orlando: "Look, I think it's fair to say that in all these races if I didnt campaign at all and this had just been a referendum on name recognition, Sen. Clinton would be the nominee. That's true in Iowa, that's true in practically every state we've won. It's pretty hard to make an argument that somehow you winning what is essentially a name recognition contest in Florida was a good measure of electoral strength there. It"s even tougher to make that argument in Michigan where my name wasn't even on the ballot.

Obama also said splitting Florida's delegation in half based on the Jan. 29 result - which was the GOP penalty what many see as the most likely outcome of the DNC rules committee on 5/31 - would be "a very reasonable solution."

He made no apologies for signing a pledge to boycott Florida: "Everybody signed that. It was voluntary in name only. Had we not agreed to that we would be in a position where on the one hand the DNC was telling you this won't count, on the other hand you've gone out of your way to offend the first two states where you know that it will count. I would hardly call that voluntary."

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/05/obama-popular-v.html