Seven former Democratic National Committee chairmen have penned an open letter to DNC members urging

[Maribelle]

them to support Hillary Clinton.

In addition to the seven former chairmen, the Family of the late Ron Brown
Former DNC Chairman (1989-1993): Mrs. Alma Brown, Michael Arrington Brown & Tracey Brown James

1. Kenneth Curtis Former DNC Chairman (1977-1978)
2. Charles Manatt Former DNC Chairman (1981-1985)
3. Debra DeLee Former DNC Chair (1994-1995)
4. Don Fowler Former DNC National Chairman (1995-1997)
5. Steve Grossman Former DNC National Chairman (1997-1999)
6. Governor Edward Rendell Former DNC General Chairman (1999-2001)
7. Terence McAuliffe Former DNC Chairman (2001-2005)

May 2, 2008

Dear Fellow Democratic Party Member:

Democratic National Committee members work tirelessly to elect Democrats locally, and they serve as strong advocates for finding solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems. As former DNC Chairs, we are proud to be leaders in a Party that seeks to alleviate the burden of limited access to health care, fix broken systems of public education, improve working conditions for middle-class men and women, and ensure America’s safety and security, at home and abroad.

Those of us who support Hillary Clinton for president do so with the knowledge that she, just like us, has dedicated her life to improving the standard of living for others, and she has worked to make our Party the strong force that it is today. Her values are our Party’s values. Her record of fiscal prudence is matched by her commitment to social responsibility. Her accomplishments in the area of strengthening America’s security are a matter of public record.

Hillary has run one of the most formidable campaigns in the history of our Party. Her wins this primary season are significant –- Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas. Her base of support includes women, Hispanics, seniors, Catholics, middle and low income Americans, and rural, suburban and urban voters. That’s a formidable coalition tailor-made for victory in a November general election.

In fact, if the election were held today, Hillary would beat Senator McCain, but Senator Obama would lose to the presumptive GOP nominee. According to the most recent polls available, Hillary would beat McCain by a margin of 279 to 259 Electoral Votes. But McCain would beat Obama by a margin of 291 to 247 Electoral Votes.
In a hypothetical general election matchup with McCain, Clinton is winning handily (50%-41%) while Obama is statistically tied with McCain (46%-44%), according to the AP-Ipsos poll released Monday. In the days following the Pennsylvania primary, Gallup Poll Daily tracking showed Hillary pulling even with Senator Obama. As of Thursday, Hillary was ahead 49%-45%.
Hillary can win our Party’s nomination. She is neck and neck with her opponent in Indiana and North Carolina. Both states have sizeable voting blocs that resemble constituencies who supported Hillary by large margins in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other contests.

Years of job loss and the recent economic slowdown mean that most Indiana and North Carolina voters are more concerned about the economy than anything else. Hillary has consistently garnered the majority of support from voters who say the economy is the most important issue facing our country.

Hillary’s campaign is currently operating at full capacity in Guam, Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota.

As in states that have already voted, election official are expecting record turnouts. Pennsylvania registered more than 215,000 new voters ahead of its April 22 primary. More than 200,000 new voters have registered in Indiana since the start of the year. And in counties across North Carolina, registration numbers are double –- or triple –- what they were in 2004.
More than 30 million Americans have already cast a ballot in our Party’s nomination contest and millions more will go to the polls between now and June 3. The record numbers of Americans who are registering and coming out to vote reflect the excitement about our candidates and the strength that our nominee will have behind him or her in the fall. The primary process will make our nominee stronger and better prepared to take on John McCain. Our Party only gains from having more voters –- including more new voters -– all across our country.

We encourage you to continue to fully consider Hillary Clinton and the fact that she is qualified and accomplished. Too much is at stake for us not to consider deeply the choice we must make for our Party and our country.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/clinton-touts-support-from-former-dnc-chiefs/

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Cool! That makes Obama all that much more attractive a choice!

:woohoo:

[YDogg]

2. and yet she is behind.

[Lucky 13]

24. it is puzzling isn't it?

[LakeSamish706]

3. I would suggest that this is a pile of BS... Look at name #7...

7. Terence McAuliffe Former DNC Chairman (2001-2005)

Now who do we think might behind this and where does he stand with respect to the Clinton campaign....

Give em "A" for effort I guess.

[flor de jasmim]

4. It's disgraceful that they count MI, FL and TX as wins

etc. etc.

[RazBerryBeret]

8. they just KEEP counting MI & TX...

over and over and over and over...

isn't that someone's philosophy that if you repeat a lie enough times.......
hmmmmm

[Maribelle]

18. Why is it disgraceful - Hillary won the popular vote in all three states.

Perhaps the DNC can screw up seating the delegates, but Dean, Brazile, and the other Hillary haters cannot even touch the popular vote. Each of them know this.

[newmajority]

34. The popular vote is not counted, and there is NO popular vote in Michigan or Florida

There are no legitimate votes in an illegitimate election. The voters in those states KNEW their votes would not be counted. If they choose not to be informed and didn't know, it's their own damn fault. Being uninformed is how they ended up with DLC'ers running their state parties in the first place.

[Maribelle]

36. There is a popular vote in Florida and Michigan

The history books in Florida have Hillary's record shattering victory firmly encoded.

And this barometer will be used as a gauge by many Automatic Delegates.

[Exilednight]

47. Just like Barry Bonds home run record. Funny how that home run ball ended up in.......

the hall of fame with an * on it.

[Maribelle]

49. Wrong - Hillary's Florida record is without qualifications for all of history.

[Exilednight]

62. The homerun that doesn't count. Put an * next to FL for 2000 GE and 2008 Democratic Primary. n/t

[stillcool]

58. Then why the push for the "Re-Vote"?

Editorial: Follow DNC rules on seating delegates
February 25, 2008
By Editorial Board

On September 1, the campaigns of Clinton and Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) issued press releases stating that they had signed pledges affirming the DNC’s decision to approve certain representative states and sanction others for moving their nominating contests earlier. But now that the race is close, Clinton — whose top advisor Harold Ickes voted as a member of the DNC to strip Florida and Michigan of their delegates — is pushing for the delegates to be seated.
Her argument is that not doing so disenfranchises the 1.7 million Florida Democrats who voted and that her pledge promised only that she wouldn’t campaign in the states, not that she wouldn’t try to seat the delegates. However, the results of the contests in Florida and Michigan are not necessarily representative of the voters’ preferences in those states. Given that most of the candidates removed their names from the
Michigan ballot, and that many voters stayed home from the vote in Florida with the understanding that their contest would not affect the final delegate count, the delegate totals that the candidates accumulated in these states may not accurately reflect the will of the voters. Had there been no restrictions in Michigan and Florida, the turnout, and thus the results, may have been different.

The Four State Pledge all candidates signed on Aug. 28 stated, “Whereas, the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee will strip states of 100% of their delegates and super delegates to the DNC National Convention if they violate the nomination calendar...

Therefore, I ____________, Democratic Candidate for President, in honor and in accordance with DNC rules ...pledge I shall not campaign or participate in any election contest occurring in any state not already authorized by the DNC to take place in the DNC approved pre-window.” When the candidates pledged to campaign only in approved states, they were also agreeing to the terms listed above, which explicitly mentioned stripping noncompliant states of their entire delegation.


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) recently said that the Florida and Michigan delegates should not be seated if they would decide the nomination. Other compromise proposals include holding new nominating contests in these states, but such contests would be expensive and cumbersome. The irony is that had Florida and Michigan not moved up their primaries, they would have voted in February and March, when they would have been even more important than in earlier months in determining the Democratic nominee — and would not have created an enormous controversy that has the potential to divide the party.
http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2008/2/25/editorialFollowDncRulesOnSeatingDelegates

[Carolina]

59. winning by cheating,

by any means, smears, lies, distortions. This is no different from BushCo. FUCK HRC and the twisted logic of those who support her position on FL and MI.

[Maribelle]

64. Hillary has not cheated, she has not lied, and has distorted nothing.

And your republican rant against Hillary, merely shows off real twisted logic.

[Exilednight]

65. So I'm either with her or against her? Her words, not mine. n/t

[Botany]

5. Stop it you are killing me.

Hillary’s campaign is currently operating at full capacity in Guam .....

:rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

:rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

:rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

:rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

:rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

[Indenturedebtor]

37. BWAHAHAHAHA

Too funny. :rofl:

You saw it here first folks... I wonder how they'll get the goalposts to Guam? Boat? Or her new jet that comes with a bathroom so she can pee seperately from the folks who make less than 100 million a year? :shrug:

[PoliticalAmazon]

6. Are these guys SDs? Have they all endorsed Hillary? n/t

[Jim Lane]

66. Former DNC Chairs are superdelegates, but there's an asterisk

The Democratic Party's provide for "unpledged party leader and elected official delegates" in Rule 9.A. (The informal term "superdelegate" is never used in the rules. The media generally use the term to refer to the unpledge PLEO's under Rule 9.A plus the unpledged add-ons under Rule 9.B.) Under Rule 9.A.5, the delegates so certified include "all former Chairs of the Democratic National Committee".

Kenneth Curtis, however, now lives in Florida. (He said he finally gave up on the winters in Maine, where he served as Governor.) Under the current interpretation of the Florida sanctions, he can't be seated as a superdelegate because he'd be seated as a member of the Florida delegation, and that delegation won't be seated. I say "the current interpretation" because I could see the Credentials Committee or the full Convention deciding not to apply the sanction to the unpledged PLEO's. Regardless of whether the voting conducted in Florida should be taken into account in seating any delegates, Curtis had his status before that vote was even held. It seems a little weird to say that he could vote as a superdelegate if he had retired to Arizona rather than Florida.

At any rate, leaving Curtis aside, the others on the list are currently entitled to be seated as superdelegates. All of them have endorsed Clinton, according to Wikipedia's .

[Triana]

7. "Hillary has run one of the most formidable campaigns in the history of our Party"

If that means that she has run one of the FILTHIEST, NASTIEST, DIRTIEST, most LOWDOWN, PRETENTIOUS, LYING, CHEATING, DISGUSTING, and most REPUBLICAN-LIKE campaign in our Party's history, well then she certainly HAS.

Pffft!

The woman is the utter antithesis of EVERYTHING the Democratic Party stands for. She ought to be ejected from the party for the way she's conducted her "campaign" - send LIEbermann with her.

[Window]

50. ...

:thumbsup:

[Alii]

55. How 'bout PANDERING -- i.e., Holiday Gas Tax...

Apparently playing to the intellectually deprived. Find one expert, just one expert, other than Hillary :sarcasm:, that sees this as economically sound.

[RainDog]

9. their letter contains at least one lie

and that is this: Obama defeats McCain in the latest (pre-shit) polls.

they fail to note that Hillary has 51% (!!!!) negatives among all voters. She is divisive and frankly, after this campaign, I detest her and would have to force myself to vote for her. However, if a third party ran, I would be tempted to go with them b/c I have had it with the DLC. I put up with the b.s. over Dean dropping out, getting the less than inspiring Kerry... and now they want to shove another candidate down our throats?

they can go to hell. I'm not saying this remark in anger. I'm saying it as I walk away.

[roseBudd]

23. Don't forget her 32% dishonesty rating!

[laugle]

26. I believe

Obama's negatives are now at 50%, and he's the new politician............

[RainDog]

41. have anything to back up that "belief?"

AP/Gallup is the source for the 51% negatives for Hillary.

[Bensthename]

10. Please ignore the voters and give it to Hillary... LMFAO how pathetic.

What a joke.

[Maribelle]

16. Obama cannot win the nomination without superdelgates.

The race is a veritable tie, and the superdelegates will be the tie-breakers.

[Bensthename]

21. And they are coming his way faster then to Hillary.

Look at any super delegate graph. He is gaining supers while she has an overall loss.. Let me find that graph for you.. You will enjoy it..
You are right in what you say. Let me show you the trend and the eventual winner.

[laugle]

27. Today's MSM report says they each gained 9 this week!

This election has more twists an turns than a CORKSCREW!!

[Maribelle]

42. Hillary has gained 11 and Obama 9

on edit: changed 10 to 11 for Hillary, for the one she received today.

Clinton
4-26-08 - Added Kathy Sullivan (NH)# new NH add-on, for Clinton
4-29-08 - Added Gov. Mike Easley (NC) for Clinton
- Added Rep. Ike Skelton (MO) for Clinton
4-30-08 - Added DNC William George (PA) for Clinton
- Added DNC Luisette Cabanas (PR) for Clinton
- Added NY add-ons Andrew Cuomo (NY)#, Tom DiNapoli (NY)#, Virginia Fields (NY)# and Carmen Arroyo (NY)# for Clinton
- Added DNC John Olsen (CT) for Clinton
5-2-08 - Added DNC Jaime Gonzalez Jr. (TX) for Clinton


Obama
4-26-08 - . Added DNC Charlene Fernandez (AZ) new AZ state vice-chair, for Obama.
4-28-08 - Added Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM) for Obama.
4-29-08 - - Added DNC Richard Machacek (IA) for Obama.
- Added Rep. Ben Chandler (KY) for Obama
4-30-08 - Added Rep. Bruce Braley (IA) for Obama
- Added Rep. Baron Hill (IN) for Obama
- Added Rep. Lois Capps (CA) for Obama
5-1-08 - Moved DNC Joe Andrew (IN) from Clinton to Obama.
- Added DNC John Patrick (TX) for Obama

[laugle]

53. Thanks for the update, it seems the

tide may be turning.......tuesday should be interesting.........

[Maribelle]

54. Welcome!

Here's to Hillary doing great in North Carolina and Indiana! :toast:

[laugle]

63. Yes, it's looking quite good. I'll wish them

both luck, and hope Hillary wins both!!

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

[Auntie Bush]

61. Funny how according to DU, KO,Tweety and the rest of the MSM

Obama is the only one picking up Delegates.
Thanks for your post...That was really informative. :)

[roseBudd]

25. Actually a tie is a tie and no they are not tied

[Maribelle]

39. The problem with Obama's 'pledged delegates' in the caucus states

In states such as Texas and Iowa and others, the delegates will not be pledged until the State Conventions. Obama lost 1 delegate in Iowa in the Iowa County Conventions already. Yet MSM reports the delegates from the caucus states as if they were pledged already, and this is false.


on edit:
Thursday 12 June - Saturday 14 June 2008: The Texas Republican State Convention convenes in Houston where the individual delegates are elected. This is when the delegates from the Texas Caucus will be pledged.

[stratomagi]

29. Its more like Deuce: Advantage Obama

Obama needs around 30 more SD's to make 2024 if all the remaining contests are 50/50. Clinton would need that plus the margin she's behind in elected delegates, so if you take into account the rate at which he attains SD's compared to her then...no no...I won't spoil it for you.

[Lucky 13]

33. Veritable?

I do not think that means what you think it means.

Superdels are about to LEAP SHIP to Obama. Send your begging letters out to the world. People see her for what she is now. Their eyes are wide open.

[truedelphi]

19. But not a funny joke. ANd now, with the new rules, we will just keep counting

Florida and Michigan until Hillary wins.

[kwenu]

11. She's goin down for sure!

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

12. With the exception of Rendell . . . Who????

Terry McAuliffe . . . god help us all. What a shitbag. He's a wuss. I mean, really, does it get much worse than McAuliffe?

[speedoo]

13. Lies and propoganda, probably written by McAuliffe.

What horseshit.

They claim Florida, Michigan and Texas as wins. That's all one needs to hear from this group.

[cali]

14. lol. Hilly's response to Joe Andrew Freaked out Hill.

Pathetic.

[iamthebandfanman]

15. dont know if id be proud of the last 2 or 3 ;) n/t

[William769]

17. K & the 5th R!

[Maribelle]

20. Thanks!

'Tis William :hi:

[William769]

22. Anytime sweetie.

[laugle]

30. What does

K & R mean, I keep seeing it?

[William769]

31. Kick & recommended.

[laugle]

38. Thanks.........

[Lucky 13]

28. Hillary’s campaign is currently operating at full capacity in Guam...

Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota.

What evidence does this offer? Isn't everyone's campaign operating at full capacity at this point? And isn't her "capacity" dangerously close to being in the can financially?

Get bent.

[Maribelle]

32. backatcha

[Alii]

60. Fishing Trip...

Hillary and Barack just returned from separate ocean fishing trips. Both caught a twelve-inch salmon.

Barack: “Yeah, it was a great fishing trip. Caught a good-sized one...eleven inches.”

Hillary: “You’ll never believe this. Jeez I was sure that it was a great white, and by the size of it you’d think so too. I even did this in spite of sniper fire coming from every direction.”

One misspoke. The other? Well, Hillary was just being Hillary.

[William769]

35. " isn't her "capacity" dangerously close to being in the can financially?"

And people have been saying this since Super Tuesday, and she's still here. Go figure!

[Maribelle]

40. Hillary picked up another super-delegate today: DNC Jaime Gonzalez Jr. of Texas.

It seems this got lost in the mad shuffle today.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

43. pathetic

[rodeodance]

45. The PATHETIC --is the DNC actively promoting Obama!!

[rodeodance]

44. GREAT TO SEE*****DNC--got the clue NOW!!

[rodeodance]

46. REC

[Danger Mouse]

48. Ah yes, such impartial folk as Rendell and McAuliffe.

[Maribelle]

51. Rendell and McAuliffe are not tyring to hide the fact they support Hillary

like Brazile and others are trying to hide the fact they support Obama.

[Danger Mouse]

57. I don't care about anything McAuliffe has to say.

He was a shitty DNC Chairman.

[GetTheRightVote]

52. It is harder to cross the stream like Andrew did then to keep going in the same direction, these

members are old school with the old ways in their pockets, like Andrew stated they must be left behind and the new be brought into the lime light for Obama is rebuilding the Democratic Party in a way that HRC could not have dreamed of doing no matter how long she may live. Obama is the new face of the Democratic party with its ever increasing numbers built on newly register voters and he is now the best fund raiser without corporations funds in all of our history. This is why he must be the Nominee for the Democratic party othewise they will only be shooting themselves in the foot.

[susankh4]

56. It's about time! (Thank you!!)

And... for whoever it was that just told me that Hillary never worked for the DNC, only the DLC.... well, all I can say is...

NOT!

Hillary has worked tirelessly for the DNC. And for downticket candidates.

[Mezzo]

67. That is very cool indeed.