Clinton: "I have heard some say counting Florida and Michigan would be changing the rules"

[sabra]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/23/supporter-says-clinton-getting-desperate/

<snip>

Clinton won both states' primaries, though Barack Obama removed his name from the ballot in Michigan. Clinton uses popular vote totals from both Florida in Michigan in her claim that she is beating the Illinois senator in the overall popular vote.

“I have heard some say counting Florida and Michigan would be changing the rules,” she said at a rally in Boca Raton. “I say not that not counting Florida and Michigan is changing a central governing rule of this country, that whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their vote should be counted.”

Clinton supporter - super delegate Gov. Paterson sees desperation in Clinton's claim:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/05/paterson-sees-desperation-by-c.html

Paterson Sees 'Desperation' By Clinton, Disagrees On Florida And Michigan

Gov. David Paterson, who is right now being interviewed by WAMC's Alan Chartock and taking calls from listeners on "Vox Pop," just disagreed sharply with his presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, on her last-ditch efforts to seat the Florida and Michigan delegations.

While he stressed that he continues to support Clinton and will do so until "she makes a different determination," Paterson, a superdelegate, said he doesn't believe the DNC should change the rules after the fact on Florida and Michigan and added that he's not buying her claims about leading the popular vote if the ballots cast in those states were counted.

"I would say at this point we're starting to see a little desperation on the part of the woman who I support and I'll support until whatever time she makes a different determination," Paterson said, adding: "I thought she was the best candidate and I thought she had the best chance of winning."

Paterson, who is a DNC committee member and was present at the meeting when a vote was taken to penalize Florida and Michigan for moving their respective primaries ahead of the traditional starting contests in New Hampshire and Iowa, said he thought that decision was "a little unfair" and he "didn't agree with it at the time."

But he also noted "nobody was screaming" after that decision was made, although some people were unhappy with it, adding:

"There was a process. I thought at the time everybody agreed to it. I didn't hear any objections from the candidates...So I would think the Democratic National Committee would leave it where it is."

On Clinton's claims regarding the popular vote and likening the fight to set the Florida and Michigan delegates to the civil rights movement, Paterson said:

"You have to rule out the undecideds in Michigan. You have to assume she won 100 percent to nothing in Michigan. I don't think anybody in their right mind would do that, nor would they see it as a civil rights issue."

[slinkerwink]

1. uh, it's a PRIMARY, not the general election

[hughee99]

2. So apparently she does hear from people who understand what's going on...

She just chooses not to listen to them.

[jsmirman]

3. Honestly, law school hurt both Clintons

I say this as someone headed there. But learning that you can make an argument for *anything* was not a good thing for these two people.

If either of them had a moral center, I suspect it was destroyed during those three years.

To much "depends on what is is."

They no longer realize that sometimes you are just LYING.

[lisa58]

9. lol

[Occam Bandage]

4. "whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their vote should be counted.”

Ms. Clinton? The voters in WA, IA, NV, and ME would like to have a word with you.

[Nite Owl]

5. Florida and Michigan decided

to not have their votes counted when they broke the rules. They were aware of the consequences and did this anyway.
Where was Hillary and Bill's voice in '00 and '04?

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. What the hell are rules for?

No rules - mass confusion takes over.

Should've thought of this earlier, FL and MI.

[dchill]

7. Typical Clinton non sequitur...

“...some say counting Florida and Michigan would be changing the rules,” cannot logically be followed by an opinion about a different set of theoretical rules.

In interviews, and in debates, Hillary Clinton almost never answers the question that is asked - instead answering a question that she wants to have been asked. In this particular case, she is doing the same thing all by herself - pose a question, then answer a different one. She's a walking, talking logical paradox.

My question is, why does anybody buy it?

:shrug:

[hendo]

8. If you can figure out why people buy it

then write a book, you could be rich.

[FatDave]

20. They're invested.

They've been defending her for months now. It builds and builds to the point that their defense becomes ludicrous, but it's always easier to defend the next step in irrationality than to admit that you were wrong.

[jsmirman]

14. well-stated

nm

[dchill]

15. Thanks...

"It's hard work!" :)

[jsmirman]

18. Isn't it, though? I think Obama supporters local to where she is

need to go to each of her campaign events with signs just holding up her own words and the words of her campaign that show what an utter, inconsistent liar she is.

Just a silent protest, hold up nice, well made signs that feature her quotations, her pledge, her lies, etc- if you ask me, that's the best way to reveal her scumbaggery with optimal clarity.

[Spazito]

17. LOL, I remember someone else who used to ask the questions and

then answer them. His name started with R and ended with a D and he used "golly gee" a lot.

[dchill]

19. And the "press" didn't call him on it, either.

Those press folks are SO friendly.

[ColesCountyDem]

10. I'm not 'anti-Clinton', but I am 'anti- changing the rules'...

The DNC's rules were and are clear re: FL and MI, and it would be distinctly unfair to change them at this time.

[gort]

11. The Foxification of HRC is now complete

“I have heard some say...." -HRC

The old "some say" routine. A tried and true Fox move when spreading a lie or obfuscating, start with "some say" and repeat.

[wileedog]

12. A total Bush-ism. He's been doing that for 8 years.

[Triana]

13. "governing rules of the country" are not what she broke and what she advocates..

...breaking. The PARTY CALENDAR RULES are what she broke and what she advocates breaking - AFTER SHE INITIALLY AGREED TO THEM.


What a slimy little sidewinder she is - and yes, this is NOT THE GENERAL ELECTION, it's the primary so the "governing rules of the country" as she calls them are not in effect in this race.


Scumbag.

[unblock]

16. the "clear intent of the voters" cannot be readily discerned

when prior to the so-called election, people are told the "election" wasn't going to count for anything.

and CERTAINLY not when one candidate wasn't even on the ballot, again, because everyone was told it wasn't going to count for anything.

[AZBlue]

21. She's lost her mind.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

22. Yet when speaking in New Hampshire re: the MI primary she says:

"It's clear, this election they're having is not going to count for anything." Because then New Hampshire was the vote that mattered.

Is this not a classic example of a politician speaking out of both sides of their mouth?

[DemGa]

23. Hillary won 55% to nothing - Obama removed his name

That was his decision - HIS political calculation.