January 15, 2008
Team Obama: Michigan's Meaningless
Emailed a few minutes ago from Bill Burton to reporters with the subject line, "Something to think about as returns come in from Michigan" ...
TO: Interested Parties
FR: The Obama Campaign
RE: Michigan Democratic Presidential Primary
Because Michigan violated DNC rules by placing its Presidential Primary on January15th, the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee ruled that the Michigan Democratic Party could not use the results of the January 15 Presidential Primary to allocate delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. In other words, no delegates are at stake today in the Michigan Democratic Primary.
All of the Democratic presidential candidates publicly pledged not to campaign in Michigan, none have visited the state, opened offices, hired staff or communicated with voters through television, mail, phones or otherwise. In addition, four Democratic presidential candidates, Obama, Edwards, Richardson and Biden withdrew their names from the Primary ballot in order to avoid participating in the Michigan Primary. Clinton did not withdraw her name even though she publicly committed to not participate in the Primary. Clinton, Dodd, Gravel and Kucinich are the only candidates on the ballot today. The Obama Campaign is not participating in the Primary and has not instructed supporters in Michigan whether or how to vote.
Therefore the results of the primary tonight have no bearing on the Democratic nomination contest.
Florida, whose primary was scheduled for January 29th, is just like Michigan – the DNC applied full sanctions for setting an early primary date and there are no delegates are at stake. As with Michigan, all of the Democratic presidential candidates signed a pledge to not campaign in Florida. Although Senator Obama did not remove his name from the Florida Primary ballot because Florida law did not allow him to do so, Senator Obama is firm in his commitment to neither participate nor campaign in the Florida Primary and its outcome has no bearing on the nomination contest. We raise Florida today because Senator Clinton has scheduled a fundraiser in Florida on Jan. 27th, and there are signs – despite Senator Clinton’s public pledge to the contrary – that she may be planning to campaign in the state – inquiring about large venues and increased organizing activity – ahead of the Florida primary.
Our position and the position of the DNC is clear – neither the Florida nor Michigan primaries are playing any role in deciding the Democratic nominee and we are not campaigning in either state.
Posted at 05:03 PM
Comments
Isn't Michigan a swing state? Rather poor choice for the DNC to piss off Michigan voters.
And Obama's decision to blindly follow makes him look like a puppet.
Angry Voter | 01.15.08 05:25 PM
 |
Yes it is accurate that the OBAMA CAMPAIGN has not directed Obama supporters how to vote but very prominent Obama supporters in the state have been driving an effort for Democratic voters to vote uncommitted just to try to embarrass Hillary Clinton. In addition, Obama supporters in Florida have talked about engaging in political primary action there so this is just a case of the campaign speaking empty words.
Bob | 01.15.08 06:01 PM
|
Bill knows this is just wishful thinking: The Michigan and Florida delegates will very likely be seated at the Convention. I wonder if he'll feel as sanguine about that when it happens.
corinne | 01.15.08 06:32 PM
|
corinne - I'm sure Bill will be fine with the delegates seated at the convention. The whole point of the memo is to minimize the amount that the media reports the results out of Michigan since Hillary's the only one of the top three on the ballot.
If this race gets down to a delegate count, the fact that MI and FL are left out matters. If someone runs the table on 2/5 and forces the other two out, then it doesn't.
Jack K | 01.15.08 07:01 PM
|
Very dangerous position for the Obama campaign, somehow I feel that in the long run those delegates will be sited. But I am not surprise about his Florida spin. Another state in which the Latino vote is very important. If nothing else, I am curious how the Latino vote will go there. Whether the delegates are sited in the national convention or not, Florida will be a good barometer of how appealing Obama is in the south, away from South Carolina.
Robert_V | 01.15.08 07:03 PM
|
Robert, I don't think it's dangerous for the Obama campaign. Like Jack said, they're trying to minimize the impact of the MI & FL results on the media storyline. That's it.
If the delegates do wind up getting seated (pretty certain unless we get to a brokered convention), it will be because of the largess of the presumptive nominee. Presuming FL and MI are competitive, there will be a concerted effort by the nominee to heal whatever wounds the primaries caused.
Tim | 01.15.08 07:08 PM
|
The bottom line is that Clinton had agreed to avoid the states being punished, and broke her agreement not to campaign there and remove her name from the ballot. Maybe she is taking lessons from George W....do what you want to get what you want. Obama kept his word, along with the other candidates who agreed. OBAMA 08!!!
Kelly | 01.15.08 08:11 PM
|
wow. US electoral politics are so bizarre...
Canada | 01.16.08 12:56 AM
|
I don't think that Obama keeping his word about this issue is a feather in his cap. He is running for the POTUS, ALL the states, ALL the people. The fact that he and others campaigning, in essence, said that if there aren't any delegates and the big brother DNC doesn't want me to,I'll just ignore the fact that these two states have PEOPLE who want to gather information about my position on issues, so as to become informed voters. They don't count to me, their not worth my time. Well, these same nonentities are going to vote in the national election and they may stay a little bit ticked off!!!
Jeri | 01.16.08 01:25 PM
|
you guy s do not get it.a man should always keep his word.and respect the laws.hillary said that she will remove her name and she didnt .that is already a very bad sign for a woman who wants to be the president of this country.you have to keep your words if you are a loyal person.she did not.so she can not be the president of america.She is a republican hiding behind the democrate image.vote for the change vote for loyal people .
christel | 01.16.08 03:47 PM
|
Someone keeping their word when that word is destructive, or at least not constructive, isn't much of an accomplishment. I don't like that the national party can tell them to ignore citizens, citizens THEY say are their priority, yet they do. They are under no legal obligation, moral obligation, ethical obligation to the DNC, they are supposed to be offering themselves to the citizenry as someone each person should feel best represents their wants, needs, economic future and all those other things, so that the citizenery will elect them to the office which they seek. Isn't that the fairytale they want us to believe?
This memo's last sentence tells it all for me about who cares for what. No delegates, no need to bother............
Jeri | 01.16.08 08:18 PM
|
aewdsa saf wefrasf adsf sdaf
Jessica | 01.28.08 01:24 PM
|
Reading this blog and the comments now is a hoot! I can see that Hillary Clinton had her "polarity" working for her long before the controversy. Hillary Clinton really is one of the most polarizing person of this generation, and it is a shame. Her core cadre? Older white feminists and Dixicrats. That is a disgusting shame.
chris allen thomas | 05.07.08 09:23 AM
|
Just split the deligates 50/50 since they want to be seated and thought they were better than all the rest of the states who didn't move their primary election dates.
I think FL & MI are just pissed because who ever came up with their brillant idea of moving the primaries up, even after being told the would not count if the did, should be at fault.
Don't blame the rest of the US who followed the rules!
John | 05.21.08 05:32 PM
|
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
