Mar. 7, Headlines - As the Democratic primary race continues, the controversy
over Florida and Michigan intensifies. They may be states that determine
the nominee. Florida and Michigan held primaries in January, 1.7 million
people voted in Florida and 600,000 in Michigan. Clinton won 50 percent
of the vote to Obama's 33 percent in Florida. In Michigan, Clinton won 55
percent of the vote. Obama's name was not on the ballot.
But the problem is
that the Democratic party stripped them of their convention delegates because
they moved their primary before February.
Hillary Clinton is in a situation
where it's unlikely she'll be able to surpass Barack
Obama in the delegate
race in the remaining states. According to Slate.com's
delegate calculator, she'll need to win all 12 remaining states and territories
with more than 60 percent of the vote. Clinton wants and needs a good chunk
of Florida and Michigan's 350 delegates.
The Governor's of the states want their
people's votes counted. Chair of the Democratic party Howard
Dean says the
states can submit a plan to have their delegates count. So, the two states
Congressional delegation had an initial meeting Wednesday to try to come up
with a plan, and many have aligned themselves with a candidate and any option
is likely to support one candidate over the other. Here are some voices from
the Florida delegation.
First term Congressman Tim Mahoney. He calls himself neutral, not having backed either candidate.
"Even though we had a record turn
out, as a member of Congress that has to run again in November, I can be
convinced to do anything that gets more democrats registered but having said
that, I don't think the cost of doing it justifies that outcome. I do believe
that what happened on that day was a valid vote and I think we have delegates
and I think they need to be seated."
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz backs
Clinton. She opposes one suggested, a do-over.
"That's too expensive, it's unworkable
and that wouldn't be fair. And you have 1.7 million reasons, in terms of
the voters, not to do that."
Representative Kathy Castor of Tampa, Obama supporter.
She wants the decision to remain, to not seat the delegates, which would benefit
Obama.
"If they want to change the rules in the 11th hour, that would be unfair."
And
here's Representative Alcee Hastings, who also supports Clinton.
"It boils down
to what is fundamentally fair. A resolution would be to let Florida, where
both candidate had the same opportunity, none, neither candidate campaigned
in Florida and the fact is that Senator Clinton carried the state. Break
it up proportionally and let Michigan which has a history of caucuses let
them have their caucus or break it up proportionally and seat the delegates
and move on. I suspect neither the Clinton or Obama camp are going to give
an inch."
Florida
Senator, Bill Nelson, who supports Clinton, called on the Democratic Party
to pay for a redo. The Democratic party opposes because that would cut into
Democratic campaign funds. Florida's Republican governor Charlie Crist supports
that idea.
A lot of different ideas, personal agendas and moving parts.
Same as in Michigan
where the story is a bit different because Obama's name was not on the ballot.
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