Michigan in backseat at GOP convention

[cyclezealot]

Some delegates to the Democratic convention who were interviewed credited the primary process as a part of the Hillary/ Obama anger.. Michigan Democrats were taking at just as Michigan Republicans are taking it, until The Hillary / Obama pulled in a need for Michigan delegate votes to resolve the fact no one had a majority up and until really late in the season..
Please note how Michigan Republicans' still feel about their punishment.. If the Democratic process is not modified next time around , I predict the same rebellions will again surface.?
....

Delegation cheerfully pays for primary disobedience

As 117 of Michigan's most ardent Republican loyalists arrive in Minneapolis over the weekend to give some love to Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, they're not so sure about the love they're receiving from the national GOP.

The hotel assigned to the state delegation is in Brooklyn Park, one of the hotels farthest from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul where the action will take place. The delegates have been told to expect long shuttle rides to get to the city.

Of the 83 speakers on the schedule for the four-day convention, which runs through Thursday, none is from Michigan. The only one with Michigan ties is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney who grew up Bloomfield Hills, the son of former state Gov. George Romney.

When the delegates gather Monday for the first day of the convention at the Xcel Energy Center, only 30 will get to vote on the candidates, the platform and the rules.

While Democrats got most of the attention for the punishment meted out for holding a primary earlier than allowed under national party rules, the Republicans in Michigan and Florida also got whacked.

The delegations from both states lost voting rights for half their delegation. So while there normally would be 60 delegates and 60 alternates for Michigan, there are now 30 delegates, 30 alternates, 26 honorary delegates and 27 honorary alternate delegates. They'll get to sit with the rest of the GOP faithful on the floor, but only the 30 delegates will get to vote. Of the 225 delegates and alternates from Florida, only 57 get to vote.

And that's not expected to change, unlike the Democratic Party, which also stripped Michigan of half its votes, but relented on the first day of their convention last week to restore full voting rights to the delegation.

"We went into the primary process knowing full well what the penalty was of moving up the primary," Michigan GOP spokesman Bill Nowling said. "Those were the rules in place. We've haggled and finagled, but in the end this is what we worked out."

The risk was worth it, Nowling said, because the early primary for the Republicans at least saw the GOP candidates campaigning in the state in January. The Democratic candidates pledged not to campaign in the state for the primary because of the rules violation and most of the contenders, including Sen. Barack Obama, removed their names from the ballot.

"We thought that moving the Michigan primary up worked in terms of getting the candidates talking about issues affecting Michigan," Nowling said.

Andrew Richner, an honorary alternate delegate from Grosse Pointe Park, agreed the consequences were worth it.

"To say the Democrats have one-upped us on seating delegates is absurd," he said. "The Republican Party handled it like adults from the start. ... And it's not as if the nomination is at stake."

Michigan's delegation does have some clout. Two members -- Glenn Clark of Troy and Denise Graves of Linden -- are on the platform committee crafting the issues agenda the Republicans will vote on this week. The Michigan delegation will also have a prime spot in front of the podium.

And Republican National Committee member Chuck Yob of Hesperia has been named one of the convention's deputy cochairs, giving him power to get delegates and visitors coveted spots on the floor of the Xcel Energy Center and even backstage.

In a convention with few surprises, the atmosphere is more important than a vote, said Deloris Newell, an honorary alternate from Canton.

"I'm excited about just being among the people who have the same interests as I do," she said.

Michigan does have some clout at the convention, though. Two Michiganders — Glenn Clark of Troy and Denise Graves of Linden — are on platform committee, which crafts the policy agenda the Republicans will vote on this week. And Republican National committeeman Chuck Yob of Hesperia is a deputy co-chair of the convention, giving him the power to give out coveted seats on the convention floor.

And the delegation will get a prime spot on the convention floor, along with other battleground states, right in front of the podium.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080831/NEWS15/808310438/0/NEWS15

[grantcart]

1. still being over looked - there is no delegation from Nevada

[Demeter]

2. Why Not?

[grantcart]

4. McCain's people knew that they were going to lose big so they

cancelled the caucus and appointed 31 delegates.

ron Paul folks continued on and elected 31 delegates,


the move by the McCain people was so brazen that even the convention credentials committee had to throw it out but they refuse to sit the Paul delegation.

They urged a 50-50 sharing but so far no dice.

[Demeter]

6. Well, They Make Us Look Organized and Rule-Abiding!

[UrbScotty]

5. More here:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/19/195136/650

[psychmommy]

3. K & R thanks for going and taking one for the team.

this is getting better and better. i forgot about michigan. what about fl?