So seriously - why isn't Obama asking for the recount?

[LynneSin]

Personally I don't give a rats ass what Kucinich does - I see it as nothing more than a ploy to help stir up a few last minute votes for another campaign that is going no where.

Seriously - think about it. He was the one that was supposively 'robbed' in New Hampshire and yet I don't see him doing anything but moving on to the next primary/caucus.

I truly appreciate that there is a sense of distrust about the voting system is country and that something must be done. Kucinich is just tightening the bolts on a few tinfoilers who hats are already on way too tightly.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. So you think vote stealing doesn't exist?

That may be so. Would your policy be to do what the Democrats did in 2000 and 2004--let elections stand, even if there is a chance of chicanery? If so, prepared to never have an honest election in this country again.

Edited to add: If the recount goes through, Kucinch pays for it. So that means the top tier candidates don't have to spend a dime, and if nothing is found, well and good. If something is found, however, I would hope that more people would be watching the election returns from all states very closely.

[LynneSin]

10. Let's read the 3rd paragraph of my original post again please

"I truly appreciate that there is a sense of distrust about the voting system is country and that something must be done."

I never said it didn't exist - I simply question why Obama wasn't doing anything about it

[FSogol]

2. Because Delegates count, not votes. Obama and Clinton both got 9 Delegates. n/t

[xultar]

14. What would the spread be for Obama to get more delegates than Clinton?

[mikelgb]

3. media would spin the fuck out of it

[Tarc]

4. Obama is smarter than that tiny, vocal fringe

of his supporter base that is just plain batshit crazy, who cannot acknowledge simply fact and realities, i.e.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/02623/2264

[Kittycat]

5. I honestly don't think now is the time for him to start screaming fraud.

I do however appreciate DK & the republican asking for recounts. And for all we know, maybe DK spoke with Obama about it before making his decision?

[Little Star]

6. There you go with that reality stuff again. n/t

[Bonobo]

7. Political suicide.

So you "truly understand", huh. I doubt it.

Your brain needs more cowbells.

[stillcool]

8. Ban Accuracy in Vote Tabulation!!!

[rudy23]

9. Because Hillary would attack him with Rove's '00 talking points

Just like Hillary's supporters and staffers have attacked advocates of a recount with Rove talking points.

[NYCGirl]

11. Perhaps he doesn't think there was a problem. NT

[marmar]

12. Simple. He doesn't want to be portrayed as the whiny sore loserman....

.... The speech he gave after the results were in was exactly what he should have done. It's really not that complicated.

[ecstatic]

13. It would look hypocritical, for one thing

Any candidate who thinks the votes are susceptible to rigging should have been working on the issue every single day starting from the day they were elected. There IS a serious problem with our voting system but they seem to know something we don't. Maybe they vote privately amongst themselves on who will win ahead of time.

[stillcool]

19. something..

http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/OBAMA_DECEPTIVE_PRACTICES_PREVENTION11-29-05.PDF
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5132
http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20060208obama.pdf
http://federalelectionreform.com/news/

[qanda]

15. I have people who don't even like Obama wondering if the vote was stolen in NH

These are people who have called me crazy in the past for being a conspiracy theorist. I suspect Obama would be labeled crazy if he even breathed foul in NH. Not to worry, there are plenty of people breathing it for him.

[truckin]

16. Here's a few points on this. First, I have only seen a few people

actually claim there was definitely fraud. Obviously there is not enough evidence to make this claim. However, anytime a machine secretly counts the votes there is no way to tell if it counted accurately without sample handcounts to compare the results. This should be done in NH and on all scanners used anywhere. Also, the difference between the towns that hand counted the ballots and the towns that used scanners, while not conclusive, raises questions, if that data is accurate.

Second, I haven't seen anyone accuse the Clintons of rigging the vote. There are so many potential scenarios where the vote could be skewed that it is pointless to speculate. Again, the main point is that there should be audits of the Diebold machines to make sure they are accurate.

Third, many are accusing Obama's people of crying fraud because he lost. The people I see that are raising questions are the long time election reform crowd who are only saying that the machines should be audited. Maybe there are some Obama supporters who are playing the fraud card because they are sore losers but I haven't seen them in this community.

Finally, the point that everyone should agree on is that we can't trust Diebold voting machines. There should be mandatory audits of every scanner and all DREs should be banned. So the lesson to be learned is to AUDIT, AUDIT and AUDIT some more. Then if the hand counts agree with the machines, we can all congratulate Hillary and move on to the next primary with no doubts in our minds.

Please provide examples of Obama supporters screaming fraud or of posters accusing Clinton of rigging the vote.

[mikelgb]

17. Good Point

I think Fair election are vitally important
and there needs to be a really well media-coved audit of a major election in this country


...

ugh I got blocked from replying because the mods moved the thread

their stated reasons for moving these threads away from the eyes of john Q. Duer are moot, a candidate has come forward to contest the results

Skinner waited ONE DAY after the primary to declare that the alleged voting irregularities had gone on long enough and it was time to focus special attention on them and have mods actively looking to "move" (censor) thread content.

[Bonobo]

22. More like "Missing the point". nt

[MNDemNY]

18. All that fuss for a swing of 1, maybe two delegates, at best?

[stillcool]

20. yeah...all that fuss...

to insure an accurate vote count! That is so 2004.

[riqster]

21. Obama thinks he can win, so he is focusing on winning

Kooch knows he can't win, so he is free to act with integrity.

[Yael]

23. He's picking his battles?

[pauldp]

24. Jesus. So why didn't Kerry ask for a recount in Ohio in 04?

Do we have to go over this same reasoning again?

Was there something wrong with the election in Ohio in '04?

If not for the Green and Libertarian candidates - who had no chance of winning, those Ohio election officials
would never have been caught trying to rig it.

What Kucinich is doing is the right thing to do, and yes he is a politician. A politician who
believes doing the right thing will help him get support.