Should we ask Bill Clinton to arbitrate a compromise on Florida and Michigan?

[IndianaGreen]

You all know the issue. It has been raging on these pages for days. Unless there is a compromise, there is a good likelihood that seating of Florida, Michigan, and perhaps other delegates, will end up as a nasty floor fight at the Denver Convention. Think national TV and Wolf Blitzer and Candy Crawley salivating at Democrats bickering with one another.

Using the "rogue" slur on Democrats in Florida and Michigan is ugly and uncalled for. "Rogue states" is a term used by Bush to slam any country that refuses to submit to his will. We shouldn't be using RW lexicon in an intra-party squabble.

Since no one has stepped forward to resolve the issue, should we ask Bill Clinton to iron out a compromise between the DNC, Florida, Michigan, and any other interested party? Surely, the man that brought Israelis and Palestinians together can do at least as much with Democrats!

What say you?

[rosesaylavee]

1. I say Carter would be less divisive.

Esp as he doesn't have a 'horse' in this race.

[IndianaGreen]

2. Carter doesn't have the political skill that Bill Clinton has.

Even Bill's critics on the Left have to admire his people skills, and his tremendous ability to resolve complex issues.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. Let's See... Who Was It That Brokered A Lasting Peace In The Middle East?

Between Egypt and Israel.

That would be Carter.

[IndianaGreen]

8. As much as I respect him, Carter doesn't have the gravitas to pull this through

If you remember, Carter did not do very well dealing with Democrats. Remember when Ted Kennedy ran against him?

[jmp]

18. By "brokered" are you referring to the billion plus dollars ...

We have to pay Egypt annually to keep it from plotting against Israel?

I wouldn't call paying people off the height of diplomatic skill.

[rosesaylavee]

24. Bill has tremendous skills to resolve conflicts

but as he is married to one of the candidates, I think there are too many that would cry foul if he were the chief broker.

Carter is more widely respected now that he was during his presidency... he could successfully gentle all the conflicting parties to the table and work out a resolution. Just my opinion.

[ShortnFiery]

27. IMO it's Clinton's charm, not skill. I've had ENOUGH of all things Clinton. Just please

enjoy New York and fade into relative obscurity. :thumbsdown:

[SaveElmer]

3. No...because as soon as he brokered a solution...

He would be accused of favoritism by supporters of one or all of Hillary's rivals for the nomination...

[IndianaGreen]

5. I am not a Hillary supporter, and I would be relieved if Bill brokered a solution

as we all should.

We shouldn't keep our best player sitting on the bench!

[MannyGoldstein]

4. He's Not Exactly A Disinterested Party nt

[IndianaGreen]

7. A brokered deal will not help, or hurt, Hillary or anyone else

It will help all of us bring this spat to an early conclusion.

Peacemaking is better than war!

[saltpoint]

9. Bill Clinton wouldn't be my choice.

A comprehensive -- that is to say COMPREHENSIVE -- caucus/primary regimen should be determined for all election cycles following this already-tangled cycle in 07-08.

Generally it should be the work of a multi-region team. Arbitrarily, let's say former Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana sits as Chair. Say he selects Gov. Napolitano, former Senator Dale Bumpers, a handful of poli-sci folks from UCBerkeley, another handful from UK in Lexington, and so forth. All regions represented, men and women, lesbians and gays, as many ethnic identities as you can fit in a conference room, close the door, and get to work.

Money is a big factor. More money shouldn't buy more support; better ideas should. The Committee should insist that all candidates should have the maximum amount of time to raise cash and set the primary/caucus calendar to April and May of the year of the election.

In the first two weeks of April, 17 states/territories hold their primaries/caucuses. The states are randomly chosen, as out of a hat.

In the last two weeks of April, 17 more states/territories hold their primaries/caucuses. The states are randomly chosen, as out of a hat.

In the first two weeks of May, the remaining states/territories hold their primaries/caucuses.

The hope is to condense the election calendar so that more candidates are in contention up to the final hour of voting, so the intensity is sustained until that last day, so that the nominee is a truer consensus of available choices.

[seriousstan]

10. Because Michigan lost to Appl ST.? That's a little over the top, don't you think?

[AtomicKitten]

11. I think it would be inappropriate --

because he is the spouse of a current presidential candidate.

[IndianaGreen]

15. Are we going to say the same thing if Hillary becomes President?

that she can't use Bill...

Consider the alternative: letting this issue to fester while Dean is doing his Bush imitation of never speaking to "rogue states."

[AtomicKitten]

32. In this particular endeavor, it may be construed as a conflict of interest.

That's all I'm saying.

[IndianaGreen]

34. I see your point.

Oh well! Michigan just changed their primary date today.

[Telly Savalas]

12. Get Howard Dean and some guy from the Fla. Dem Party to go toe-to-toe

on American Gladiators.

Charge a $100 a head for seats in Gladiator Arena, and put it on pay-per-view. It would settle the dispute once and for all, and it would be a great fundraiser.

[tritsofme]

13. No matter what happens there won't be any floor fight at the Convention.

After the eventual nominee wraps up the nomination sometime next spring he will welcome any delegates excluded by Dean back to the Convention.

[karynnj]

14. It should be done quietly by a far less high profile Democrat

prefeably someone form the DNC. One problem is the primaries were fixed by legislatures. No matter how they got to this point - there is a dilemma.
1) They can say the primary is binding - and the DNC will not seat them and the candidates will not come.

2) They can say they are not binding. This will lead to 2 problems:
- It could distort the results as fewer people will bother to vote
- It will look very non democratic if the winner of the later alternative caucus (?) awards deligates in proportions far from the vote.

3) The DNC is following the rules set up earlier - that other states obeyed.

[Colobo]

16. Let Al Gore do it.

[jmp]

17. Great ... maybe we'll get bargained down to 3/5 status

no thanks

[IndianaGreen]

19. There is something about "3/5" that has a familiar ring to it.

How does it feel to have the DNC do to Florida what Katherine Harris did in 2000?

Some democracy! :-(

[jmp]

20. It sucks.

But I'll be even more pissed if the state party caves.

[sandnsea]

21. Carter, Gore, Kerry

anybody but the Clintons or anybody from their era. I don't know that they aren't the ones stirring the pot.

[avrdream]

22. I love Bill and Hill but this is not really any of their business!

JMHO

[Totally Committed]

23. Why?... Like he's a disinterested third party (no pun intended)

Find someone who hasn't already got a horse in this race, please.

TC

[Forkboy]

25. It wouldn't bother me,but I doubt it would fly too well in this climate.

He'd also be pulled off Hillary's campaign a lot,which I bet neither of them want.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

26. George Mitchell n/m

[tammywammy]

28. No, I don't think so

There are other democrats that could put a compromise together, and it wouldn't be considered divisive. If Bill Clinton went in there, there would be too much slamming that it was all done to benefit Hillary. While Hillary's not my top candidate, I wouldn't want her to be slammed unnecessarily for something like this.

[wndycty]

29. I think the Deanbots are not looking at this objectively. . .

I'm not sure what they right thing to do in FL and MI is, however I believe that many DUers who support this action would be opposed to this action if Dean was not involved or if he was on the side of the states.

[robcon]

30. There needs to be a compromise.

Whether Clinton (because his wife is running) should be the one to arbitrate is very questionable.

Other than a self interested party like Bill, it doesn't matter who arbitrates - the issue should be resolved. I think it will be.

[Crunchy Frog]

31. Jimmy Carter, not Bill Clinton.

Clinton can't be impartial with regard to the primaries, since his wife is running.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

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[ieoeja]

35. How does the Green primary work?

Given that you, a self professed Green, have been one of the leading denouncers of the Democratic Party's rules disenfranchising Florida Democrats in the presidential nomination process this year, I would be curious to know how the Green Party goes about selecting their delegates. I know the Reform Party did not have elected delegates from the states, but rather it was a bit of a free-for-all at their convention (leading to the Buchanan fiasco). But I assume the Green Party must select their state delegates via election, or you wouldn't be throwing rocks.

[IndianaGreen]

36. I don't know, why don't you ask a member of the Green Party?

In the same vein as your idiotic post, how is the Deanbot Purge of Florida and Michigan Democrats coming along?