Debunking Obama Florida Spin: "Hillary's co-chair stopped the revote"

[MethuenProgressive]

Complete nonsense, based on anti-Clinton website reports that Florida State Rep. Debbie Wasserman- Schultz had some secret power that allowed her to "stop the Florida re-vote" all by herself. She was quoted as saying "another election would be too expensive" and Obama shills have used that as "proof" she somehow "magically" stopped a re-vote in Florida. No links or proof she had/has this power have been offered by any Obama shills, of course.
It's amazing how low some Obama shills will go.
On second though, after the Obama Camp's Swiftboating of the Clintons on race in S.C., maybe it's not so amazing after all.
Here's a link to the Pro-bama site's story being cited as "proof," because a blogger says he saw a post saying so.
Confused About Florida Blame
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/confused-about-florida-blame.php
Some pro-bama blogger types that he saw a post saying so... and that's "proof"?

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Do You Have Any Proof That Wasserman-Schultz Did Not Block It?

Seems like there's a lot of stories pointing to her, and no denial.

[MethuenProgressive]

5. In whose hands was the decision, Manny? Who had the responsibility to decide yay or nay?

The Republican Governor? The Republican controlled state legislature? One Democratic State rep?
I bet you know.

[madfloridian]

21. I posted Wasserman Schultz's own words. Argue with them.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1958

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5341885&mesg_id=5342699

[EmilyAnne]

31. I know that Barack Obama and John Edwards didn't have such authority.

I would like to get to the bottom of this, however, so thank you for posting this. The votes should have counted, The rules should have been followed. This is ridiculous, no matter who is to blame. Voter disenfranchisement is nothing to mess around with, especially considering our experience these last two presidential elections. Enough is enough!!

[MethuenProgressive]

33. The entire fault lays at the feet of the Republican governor and GOP controlled legislature.

They're the one that moved the Primary ahead - and FL's Democratic Party voters are being punished -disenfranchised - by the DNC for what Republicans did. For Obama's surrogates to attempt to Swiftboat Debbie Wasserman-Schultz over is to deny common sense and all reason. The re-vote wasn't up to the decision of some opposition party state rep!!

[EmilyAnne]

35. I got it! If I hear anything about this at my Obama HQ, I'll be sure to let them know.

BTW, our HQ has a strict rule (we set this up) with NO negative claims about the Clintons. We don't make any negative claims when we canvass or phone bank. If volunteers start doing this, we remind them to please cut it out and if they don't stop, well, we don't ask them to come back. We really do try to focus on Obama...what we like about him, his policies, etc. Just so you know. I think the DU is distorting a lot of things from both sides.

[dionysus]

37. except all but one dem voted with the rethugs, try again...

[FlaGranny]

39. Because they decided that

it was more important to get verified voting, i.e., paper trail, than to have a say in the primary, all the while hoping it wasn't true that they'd lose delegates???? Now, at least, we will have verifiable voting results for the general election. It was a trade off. Even though the Republicans are laughing their asses off about it, it might come back in the end to bite them in their own asses, as elections from now on might not be so easily manipulated as they were in the past.

[dionysus]

42. your point is correct, but in taking that risk they knew what would happen.

if they hadn't voted for it and it passed anyways, they would have an actual case for having the primary count...

[MethuenProgressive]

45. They voted for the Paper Trail Bill - to which the GOP attached this 'move up the date' shit.

But, you knew that.

[dionysus]

46. then they were aware they'd lose their delegates....

but you knew that...

[Clintonista2]

59. Do you have any proof that Obama doesnt torture puppies?

[virtualobserver]

2. so why did Bill Clinton mention Jesse Jackson when asked about Obama's win?

since many people have won S.C. historically, why did only Jesse pop into his mind and out of his mouth?

Because he was trying to marginalize Obama as a "black" candidate. Period.

To compare it to "Swiftboating" is pathetic.

[MethuenProgressive]

6. in response to a question from ABC News about it taking "two Clintons to beat" Obama

Said Bill Clinton today in Columbia, SC: "Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in '84 and '88. Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here."

This was in response to a question from ABC News' David Wright about it taking "two Clintons to beat" Obama.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/01/bubba-obama-is.html

Yeah. That's "racist"...

And Bill Clinton gave Jesse Jackson the Medal of Freedom... because Bill Clinton is a "racist"?

[virtualobserver]

12. he was trying to marginalize Obama as a "black" candidate

I didn't say that Bill was a racist. He was trying to diminish the importance of Obama's win by comparing it to previous wins by a black candidate who did not win the nomination. At least racists are ignorant.....Bill knew exactly what he was doing.

[MethuenProgressive]

13. Sounds like you're a victim of Obama's Swiftboat.

Never blame the victim, I always say.

[virtualobserver]

19. I have common sense......and I've smelled Bill's bullshit before.

you can always tell when a Hillary supporter can't defeat your argument logically.........they imply that you are deluded, even if the evidence clearly states otherwise.

[Ravy]

9. The swiftboating was done before that...

The Obama camp did it by saying that Clinton said it was a "fairy tale" that a black man could be elected to the presidency. To top it off, they said that Hillary's comment about LBJ signing the civil rights act was a slap in the face to MLK.

*That* was swiftboating at its finest. It knocked Obama from a close second to Edwards in my book to the bottom of the pack with Hillary.

[MethuenProgressive]

10. MediaMatters debunked the Obama Camps wild claims about the words "fairy tale"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200803040001

Matthews mischaracterized Bill Clinton "fairy tale" quote
Summary: Chris Matthews asserted that former President Bill Clinton "made a series of remarks about Barack Obama that turned off many Democrats and may have helped galvanize black voters for Obama." Matthews then aired an abbreviated clip of Clinton's January 7 comments, "This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen," leaving out his preceding comments in which Clinton made clear that he was talking about Obama's statements regarding the Iraq war and not Obama's campaign.

[MethuenProgressive]

49. But this meme is STILL being used - today!!

wow. I mean, DUbamas... wow.

[Texas Hill Country]

60. this is one of 10000 reasons i do not watch Matthews anymore... totally biased.

[Tyler Durden]

3. A certain poster uses her Journal and Repuke interviews as evidence.

Personally, I just IGNORED her because I don't accept Republican comment as evidence.



(The clock is ticking in Michigan, folks.)

[purji]

8. what clock are you talking about?

if you mean some kind of re-do primary,thats not going to happen,not enough time not enough money.
If they seat the delegates as is,I will be pissed off.

[Tyler Durden]

11. Then relax and enjoy McCain.

A very common attitude (not mine, but hey I'm just one guy) in Michigan these days is that the National Democratic Party could give two shits about the state.

Sort of "Count my votes, or count me out," thing. It doesn't help that Michigan has heard many times on News and Web that Obama doesn't need Michigan to win. That attitude breeds an "OH YEAH????" response.

Seriously, if I were Obama, I would be kissing some Michigan and Florida ASS, profusely and FAST.

[madfloridian]

18. So you will vote McCain instead of Obama? Cute cartoon.

[rodeodance]

27. ASSumptions make folk look foolish me thinks.

So you will vote McCain instead of Obama? Cute cartoon.
Posted by madfloridian

[purji]

24. not where I'm from in michigan.

you must live on the west side of the state.

[madfloridian]

14. The poster is referring to me. I posted this yesterday. Calling me out.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1958

[MethuenProgressive]

29. Is that cartoon from the blog you mention?

It fits the agenda of that blogger.

[MethuenProgressive]

53. If so, I wouldn't be surprised.

:shrug:

[beachmom]

4. There was a split in Clinton supporters in Florida with Bill Nelson

on one side, and everyone else on the other. That post you link to gives links to the AP and CNN. Are they lying, too? I have no idea who "represented" Clinton among those divided superdelegates or if none of them did. But it is clear that most Florida Democrats weren't thrilled with the prospect of a re-vote. The mail in was too easily vulnerable to fraud (ahem, Florida is not Oregon), and doing over an entire primary in such a big state would be obscenely expensive, with no one, save Clinton donor fat cats, willing to fork the bill.

As an Obama supporter, I was and am all for re-voting the states. I think it will not change the result, and will add even more legitimacy to his eventually being our nominee. However, I think Clintonistas in the DNC, Florida, and Michigan shot themselves in the foot with setting it all up. Dean merely followed Terry McAuliffe's lead from '04, when he admonished Washington D.C. for trying to hold their primary too early.

[MethuenProgressive]

7. beachmom, do you have a link to AP and CNN where they say Debbie "stopped the Florida re-vote"?

That post you link to gives links to the AP and CNN. Are they lying, too?

Beachmom, where on AP, CNN, or any other news outlet is the report that "Debbie Wasserman-Schultz stopped the Florida re-vote"? The spin from the Obama shills that "Hillary's co-chair stopped the revote" isn't based on the truth.

[madfloridian]

15. You are calling me out for this post where I quoted Debbie's own words

6 times. Three in the OP and 3 in the comments.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1958

[MethuenProgressive]

20. Please stop stalking me. The only one mentioning you in this thread is you.

Stalking is a violation of DU rules.

[madfloridian]

25. Done cleverly. You started a post to call me out about mine...

which is on the top of the greatest page right now.

I am calling attention to it. Yesterday I said if you were accusing me of lying to alert on me.

Please do.

IN FACT this post will probably stand while I will be deleted. That is about how things go here now.

[MethuenProgressive]

26. Thanks for all the Kicks! Really appreciate it!

:yourock:

edit: typo

[beachmom]

34. Here are the quotes from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/17/florida.primary.decision/

Florida's Democrats had been weighing several options for a re-vote, including a possible mail-in primary to be held before the DNC's June 10 deadline.

"I'm glad that the party has reached the same conclusion that was reached by the congressional delegation a week ago," said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida.

A supporter of Clinton, Wasserman Schultz had staunchly opposed a re-vote.

She said she would consider a proposal that would allow the full delegation to weigh in at the convention, but she wants each delegate to have only half a vote.

I think you are getting stuck in technicalities of "stopped" vs. "opposed". I mean, these Clinton supporters from the House delegation in Florida did not want a re-vote. Their opinion affected the process. I think it fair to say that their lack of enthusiasm for a re-vote was a significant reason why the process stopped.

If you are stuck on who "stopped" it officially, that would be the Florida State Democratic Party:

After weeks of negotiations, the Florida Democratic Party said Monday it will not hold a second primary in the state.

The state party's leaders have been seeking a way to have Florida's delegation seated at the Democratic National Convention.

"We researched every potential alternative process -- from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections -- but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida," said state party chairwoman Karen Thurman in an e-mail sent to Florida Democrats late Monday afternoon.

I don't think I am being particularly presumptuous that when the entire Florida Democratic U.S. House delegation is opposed to a re-vote that that does not affect what the state party does. And, you can't tell me Obama has any kind of influence on a state party in a Clinton machine state. And he would have backed a caucus in a second. :)

[MethuenProgressive]

38. Thanks for confirming the Obama camp's spin: "Hillary's co-chair stopped the revote" isn't true!

After weeks of negotiations, the Florida Democratic Party said Monday it will not hold a second primary in the state.

The state party's leaders have been seeking a way to have Florida's delegation seated at the Democratic National Convention.

"We researched every potential alternative process -- from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections -- but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida," said state party chairwoman Karen Thurman in an e-mail sent to Florida Democrats late Monday afternoon.

:hi:

[beachmom]

40. Funny, I come to the opposite conclusion, but everyone can interpret it as they please. nt

[MethuenProgressive]

41. I'm sorry, where does it say ""Hillary's co-chair stopped the revote" in your post?

I apologize if I missed it.

[MethuenProgressive]

47. I apologize if I missed it, really, I do.

:yourock:

[madfloridian]

16. Words out of Debbie's mouth. She is Hillary's co-chair.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5341885&mesg_id=5342699

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1958

[MethuenProgressive]

22. I never click on links from someone I don't know.

[madfloridian]

17. I posted Debbie's own words. Argue with them.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1958

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5341885&mesg_id=5342699

[MethuenProgressive]

23. You have a quote? "I, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, have stopped the FL re-vote!"?

Please post it with citations, and no hyperlinks.

[MethuenProgressive]

48. Please post it with citations, and no hyperlinks.

We'll wait!

[MethuenProgressive]

51. Still waitinng for that promised quote from Florida!

Hope! Change! Hope Obama will Change! :rofl:

[MethuenProgressive]

52. Still waiting for proof from Florida!

:kick:

[madfloridian]

28. This is taking the blame off Hillary's campaign. It blamed Obama for no FL revote.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/01/clinton.obama/

"On one conference call with reporters, Clinton spokesman Phil Singer accused the Obama campaign of a "passive aggressive effort" to "disenfranchise" the Floridians who voted in the state's primary on January 29.

Clinton scheduled a last minute trip to Michigan on March 19 to press for a revote and challenge Obama's commitment to American voters. In Detroit, Michigan, Clinton argued that seating the Michigan and Florida delegations was a simple matter of civil rights, and that not counting the votes of people in Michigan would be "un-American.

Hey, Debbie was saying no revote.

MORE

"As Pennsylvania's primary nears, Clinton's staffers have increasingly accused Barack Obama's campaign of trying to disenfranchise Democrats. On Monday, in a satellite interview with a television station in Montana, Clinton herself made the charge.

"My take on it is a lot of Sen. Obama's supporters want to end this race because they don't want people to keep voting," she told KTVQ in Billings, Montana. "That's just the opposite of what I believe. We want people to vote. I want the people of Montana to vote, don't you?"

[MethuenProgressive]

50. It's disgusting the way the Obama Camp has kept Florida from having a re-vote!

Thanks for the link!
:yourock:

[rodeodance]

30. K and REC

[MethuenProgressive]

32. "Obama raised questions about the legality of the mail in re-vote."

Can you imagine? A man claiming he was conceived during a Civil Rights March in Selma Alabama, denying so many people of color the right to vote! Either he has no sense of history, or just has no sense at all.

[beachmom]

36. Actually, not just Obama. I read several reports that Florida state

law prohibited a mail in vote. There was talk that there was a way to get around it, but I honestly do not trust Florida, the way I do Oregon. Read "Steal this Vote" -- a British author said Florida is dirty. Not all states are the same.

[madrchsod]

43. well this is fascinating......

and really pointless

:crazy:

[MethuenProgressive]

44. Thanks for the kick!

:yourock:

[crankychatter]

54. kicking yourself and talking to yourself-MadFloridian keeps us ACCURATELY INFORMED

get some rest

you'll need it to campaign for McCain

[MethuenProgressive]

57. Who?

Have a link to this accurate information? I like accurate information but am unaware of this source you mention.

[rateyes]

55. Are you enjoying the NCAA Basketball Tournament?

[MethuenProgressive]

56. I was rooting for Davidson, the corporate college teams are boring.

UMass in the NIT and UConn in the ladies tourney are providing some entertainment, though.

[rateyes]

58. You're much more interesting when not talking trash.

[MethuenProgressive]

61. Isn't everyone?

Have a peaceful day!

[rateyes]

62. Most people don't talk trash all day long.

[MethuenProgressive]

63. Have a peaceful day, rateyes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5379514

[rateyes]

64. I always do. Same to you.