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A Simple Solution for Florida: Follow the Republicans
I know some of the more partisan here may have trouble acknowledging the Republicans making a good decision, but they did when they decided to punish Florida for moving its primary up by only counting 1/2 their delegates.
It was a reasonable decision, balancing punishment with democratic expression. And the Obama campaign would be smart to advocate it as a solution.
If the Florida results from January were allowed to stand as is, Clinton would gain 37 delegates. Half of that rounding up is 19 delegates, a resolution that benefits Obama in several ways.
1. Obama can handle losing 19 delegates. His pledged delegate lead is 140. It's not ideal, but the other benefits make it worth it.
2. This honors the wishes of Floridians, as they voted. It also still punishes the state Democrats for moving their primary date up, and doesn't waste millions of dollars. What else do you want?
3. Yes, his poll numbers will rise if he spends millions of dollars campaigning in Florida, and the state party spends millions of dollars holding a revote. He could cut Hillary's lead in 1/2, even more if he can get the local networks to hold a Matlock marathon during Hillary's next Hallmark special. Which means he'll only lose...19 or so delegates. And Hillary will legitimately win the state this time and be able to help her argument.
4. Offering this proposal would make Obama seem magnominous, someone willing to work with and compromise with his opopnents. It would be an example of leadership, someone who can rise above political squabbling. It's also a reasonable proposal, and if the Clinton campaign rejected it, their rejection would come of as petty and over-reaching to most people.
Look, this has to be settled somehow. Re-votes are stupid. What are they going to put on the ballot envelope: "Oopsie!" Splitting the delegates 50/50 is going to make Florida's vote meanignless and punish Floridians for the dumb choice of their state party leaders.
The Obama campaign has a chance to show some magnamity for the good of the party. That willingness to make a small sacrifice will probably be worth it in the number of undecided superdelegates he gains after showing them what a true leader looks like.
Good idea? Let me know.
Comments (5)
So the DNC should just let the GOP use their control of state run elections in Florida and other states to affect national election outcomes?
March 12, 2008 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Splitting the delegates 50/50 is going to make Florida's vote meanignless and punish Floridians for the dumb choice of their state party leaders."
Actually, I think splitting 50/50 is the right solution. The delegates get to be seated for the GE but the punishment of their state primary being meaningless still stands. As a Michigander, I think this is a great solution for Michigan as well. Think of it:
1. It's free-- Re-votes, caucuses, mail votes, all cost money and nobody wants to spend it. The DNC going on TV and saying "Florida and Michigan will be split 50/50 for the two candidates" costs nothing.
2. It's equal-- "Fair" is a subjective term in this race. Counting the delegates as they stand is unfair to supporters of both candidates who didn't turn out knowing the vote was meaningless, not to mention unfair to supporters of Edwards and others who had not yet dropped out of the race and might've been boosted by strong showings in those states. Since we don't know what precisely would've happened(polls being pretty unreliable this season), Edwards could've done well in those states. But splitting 50/50 is "equal" to both candidates.
3. It's punitive-- Florida and Michigan decided they were too important to mess with. There are appropriate ways to change the primary calendar and inappropriate ways. Michigan and Florida chose an inappropriate way, setting Democrats against Democrats for short-term gain(which completely backfired). By seating the delegates at a 50/50 split, the voters aren't disenfranchised from the GE, but the state Dem leadership gets the message loud and clear that arbitrarily breaking rules that you agree upon is not how the Democratic Party operates. Democrats believe in rules and laws and good behavior.
March 12, 2008 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. The DNC said they could move up to Feb. 5th, just not before. Some punitive measure is necessary or the DNC rules will be meaningless.
March 12, 2008 8:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
"The results of the Florida and Michigan primaries were fair and they should be counted." (hrc)
I'm afraid the Clintons have already deprived magnamity of any oxygen in this campaign.
March 12, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
No. Sorry, but Hillary Clinton will take any magnanimity and use it to shaft Barack Obama. The fact is that Florida knew ahead of time what was going to happen, and the Clinton campaign was just fine with it. But now that they're losing, they want to change the rules after-the-fact (not just in Florida, either, but Michigan, too, which really makes my blood boil). Clinton doesn't give a damn about either state, of course, and apparently even less about the Democratic Party.
If Michigan and Florida want to be seated, a 50-50 split would be fine. And that IS being magnanimous, since that will actually help Hillary narrow Barack Obama's lead. Magnanimity is one thing, but suicide is something else entirely.
March 12, 2008 9:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
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