Florida Senator Deutch to DNC Chair Howard Dean: ''You Risk a Political Tragedy''

[madfloridian]

Another threat from the state that can't shoot straight. One of many. Same theme, if you don't let us count our delegates like we want to count them...we will make the election a disaster.

Florida Senator Deutch to DNC Chair Howard Dean: ''You Risk a Political Tragedy''

Warning that ignoring the almost 2 million Democratic votes cast in the January presidential primary risks creating a "political tragedy," State Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) today called on Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean to exercise his authority, count Florida's ballots in the national vote total, and seat the Florida delegation.

"When dozens of union members picket the DNC Headquarters...to demand a voice for millions of Democrats...the surreal dispute between the DNC and Democrats in Florida...risks becoming a political tragedy," Deutch wrote in a letter to the controversial chairman.

(from me...don't you love the "controversial" comment in a news article from ABC?)

"For us to be successful in November, Florida Democrats must be convinced that our party and our nominee are committed to giving Florida Democrats a place in the process...to date DNC voices on this issue, including your own, have been too ambivalent about the importance of our vote."

The solution, wrote Deutch, is in plain sight.

"I urge you to pursue a solution to the Florida morass that is easy, completely consistent with DNC Rules, yet still gives our residents a voice: announce that our votes count, seat the entire Florida Delegation, but cut its weight by 50%. This is not a new proposal; it is an obvious resolution that has been overlooked or ignored."

Deutch does not understand that this will still give the same advantage to Hillary, that is what cutting their weight does. He apparently has not heard Dean say 1000 times that BOTH candidates must agree. Or wait for the credentials committee.

Hillary herself attacked the DNC in a recent St. Pete Times interview.



Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, shown in a congressional hearing last week, told the Times on Sunday, “It’s always been my hope and my expectation that we would be smart enough to figure out we don’t want to alienate 1.75-million voters in Florida.’’

She directly went against the DNC statements.

"I don't think it's up to Sen. (Barack) Obama or me to dictate any resolution. I think it's up to the DNC to decide how to proceed, and I would hope that it would do so recognizing what's at stake,'' Clinton said in the interview late Sunday. "It would be tragic if we came out of this process ignoring the will of 1.7-million Floridians, setting us up for a very unhappy electorate in the fall, giving Republicans this incredible argument they could make against us."

Not only that, Clinton's co-chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, is rounding up senior citizens in South Florida for a rally complete with signs.



And don't forget the new lawsuit filed last week by Victor DiMaio. He and his lawyer are accusing the DNC of being prejudiced against the white people of Florida.

Lawsuit to charge reverse racism


Picture of Victor Dimaio courtesy of ABC Actions

What an interesting turn of the worm. Sometime next week, we may have democrats suing democrats for carrying out a very democratic policy of advancing minorities. Steinberg and DiMaio acknowledge with a grin that their reverse racism accusation will ruffle feathers, but hope the conservative judiciary will be delighted to strike a blow against affirmative action and rule in their favor. Their only objective, they claim, is to see all of Florida's delegates seated based on the January 31st primary election.

A new day, a new threat from Florida in one form or the other. Classy and gracious.

[JVS]

1. fuck em

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JVS]

4. because Florida sucks, and the democratic party leadership of florida sucks, and who picked those...

shitheads? I repeat, fuck em.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

31. I've got Deutch's picture right here

He reminds me of some sort of South Park character.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

48. Ted Deutch is my state senator....

...and a good man. I somehow doubt you have met him personally, so I guess that gives you an excuse to make lame jokes about him.

The gall of him to actually want my vote to count for something! How horrible is that! I should bend over and get it for a squabble over some inane DNC rule, though.

BTW, South Park sucks. It hasn't been good in 8 years, ever since the movie came out.

[cultfree]

51. Democracy

This is not about politics or candidates; it is about the principles of democracy. For any Floridians who would like to take part in a grassroots effort over this injustice, on Apr. 26 Florida is holding multiple grassroots rallies and petition drives in Tallahassee, Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Palm Beach, all from 10am-2pm. This effort is not connected to any candidate, elected official, organization, or political party; it is by ordinary citizens for ordinary citizens. For anyone who doesn't live in FL or cannot make the rallies, you can still visit the website, print the petition, sign, and mail in. For more info, please see:

CONTACT

http://fldeservesrecognition.com/countvote.html

-or- CALL:

888-599-1586

[madfloridian]

66. I heard of that. Hillary is behind it...or her surrogates. Dividing Floridians

The state party leaders are cowards. They will not admit it was their fault.

Now a county chair I know is begging for volunteers, but she angered too many attacking Dean.

This is a tragedy, what she is doing.

[riskpeace]

34. Classy and gracious

There will be an effect from not counting the votes of 1.75 million Democratic voters in this swing state.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

42. In Florida and Michigan, more Republicans voted than Democrats -- unlike in just about all the other

http://www.obamaiswinning.com/

[riskpeace]

57. Thanks for your reply.

I'm not sure I understand your point or how it relates to my frustration at being disenfranchised.

[CTLawGuy]

59. blame the people in the state party and state government

who broke the rules, NOT the DNC.

[JVS]

49. You want their vote to count next time? Tell them to play by the rules. Until then, fuck em.

[riskpeace]

58. I want my vote to count. Where's my purple finger?

Who should I tell? My Republican state Representative and Senator.

I would point out that the RNC took half of Florida's delegates, while the DNC over-reacted and took all of them.

[JVS]

61. You want a purple finger? Go to Iraq.

The DNC let them know what the consequences would be way back when they could have listened. They chose not to. Fuck em.

[book_worm]

2. the only political tragedy would be if Hillary is nominated which would allow McCain to win.

[4themind]

5. Do these people ever mention that the RNC

thpunished FL also? While the democrats punishment was more severe, IMO, it seems less than ingenuous to just cede this issue to the republicans,to the degree that I'm seeing if they don' get their way

[4themind]

6. Oh and 400 posts woot!-nt

[madfloridian]

8. They are pouting and stamping their feet.

:hi:

[suston96]

7. Seat them all! Count them all! Same with Michigan. Otherwise? There will be blood......nt

[Gore1FL]

12. Write a letter to the Clinton campaign care of Harold Ickes

As he voted to strip MI and FL of their delegates.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[madfloridian]

18. Oh, gee, I guess I should be very glad that...

I can not see that response. ;)

[SoCalDem]

20. Hahahaha.. that one's not on my list..but is on yours, I see

What it said :)

Seat them all! Count them all! Same with Michigan. Otherwise? There will be blood......nt

[madfloridian]

22. Blood?? Did you say blood? On the floor, everywhere.

:rofl:

[suston96]

17. Beware the women scorned.......Revolutions begin in Massachusetts.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5551047

[Leopolds Ghost]

65. If you have a candidate... and I have a candidate... my candidate reaches ACROSS the DNC

and starts to eat your delegates. I EAT YOUR DELEGATES! I EAT THEM UP!

[TheWraith]

9. My ass.

Anybody who thinks that those two million people aren't going to vote in November is deluding themselves. These are Democratic primary voters who showed up to cast their ballots in an election that EVERYBODY KNEW was NOT going to count! These are the hardest of the hardcore Dems. To keep them from voting in the general election, you'd need to hit them with horse tranquilizers.

[riskpeace]

37. I disagree with you.

There are not 1.75 million people in Florida who fit the description "hardest of the hardcore Dems." There are 1.75 million Floridians that are registered as Democratic voters and who came out to vote on a property tax amendment and in the primary.

Since there's another property tax amendment on the ballot in November, many of these same folks may vote again. But I certainly do not assume they will stick with the Democratic nominee after their votes have been ignored.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

10. Hillary should have run in the Republican Primary instead

since she likes their rules better.

She knew the rules, she agreed to the rules, her advisor approved and voted for the
rules and the penalties.

SHe also knew how primaries are done, her "husband" went through them.

[madfloridian]

11. I am getting beyond disgusted. This was a year for Dems to win.

It is real anger and really intense dislike now.

The world is not about the Clintons.

[riskpeace]

36. I too am frustrated.

To me, this issue has nothing to do with the Clintons, with Senator Obama, or with the political choices or future of Howard Dean.

It has to do with having my vote count along with 1.75 million other Florida Democratic voters in this historic primary. That's the issue. I believe there will be consequences from ignoring these voters come November in this crucial swing state.

The point remains that taking half the delegates is what the RNC did, is what the DNC should have done, and is what should be done now.

[olkaz]

19. This is so obvious, it blows my mind.

This is all a blatant last minute desparate grab by Hillary. Floridians for the most part don't care.

Just from what I've heard. There are just X amount of really pissed off Hillary supporters who have very large mouths.

[NorthCarolina]

30. Can someone remind me, why did Hillary originally say

"Michigan and Florida won't count?"

[madfloridian]

13. Only 22 superdelegates separating them now.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

Down from 100 or more.

[SoCalDem]

14. Howard Dean to Deutsch:

yawn !

[Debi]

16. Howard is too strong for this crap.

:cry:

[Alexander]

21. Actually it's quickly becoming irrelevant. Obama now has a 140 delegate lead...

Current total:

Obama 1,643.5
Clinton 1,503.5

And Florida and Michigan won't make up the difference.

Florida:

Clinton 105
Obama 67
Edwards 13

Michigan:

Clinton 73
Uncommitted 55

Including Florida and Michigan:

Obama 1,710.5
Clinton 1,681.5
Uncommitted 55

And those "Uncommitted" delegates are probably all going to go to Obama.

[paulk]

23. I wouldn't call that a threat

it's more of an obvious consequence...

[McCamy Taylor]

24. If this Freeperville? Does no one here want the Dems to win the general election?

[madfloridian]

28. Not this way. Hillary is manipulating FL and MI, using them as tools.

I would not think you would think that is ok.

She agreed to the rules, now she wants to break them.

[rodeodance]

33. Its Howard Dean and Donna who are using the voters in FL and MI as tools.

[Dr.Phool]

25. You are confused.

"Deutch does not understand that this will still give the same advantage to Hillary".

It's pretty obvious, Deutch understands perfectly well what's going on. That's what they want. These are the same clowns who were pushing Hillary behind the scenes from day 1. Even though every other campaign honored their commitment not to campaign in Florida. You couldn't even buy a John Edwards sign in Florida. The campaign refused to sell them because it would violate the agreement.

I find this highly ironic.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/article458509.ece

TATA pays Bill Clinton big consultant and speaking fees. And donates to Hillary. A certain Democratic State Committee person, who was behind the big Hillary push, lost their job in this mess. I guess outsourcing is a fact of life, until it effects you.

[madfloridian]

27. I meant the same advantage she has now. Cutting the votes in half...

gives her what she has now in FL, a lead...so called.

[madfloridian]

43. Is Ted related to Peter Deutch?

And you are right....the behind the scenes folks for Hillary here haven't been noticed as much but are wreaking havoc.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

47. No he is not.

He's my state senator. And a pretty good man.

And he wants his consitutent's votes to count for something.

The nerve of him!

[madfloridian]

50. Who? Peter or Ted?

And if the Florida house and senate had not voted yes to move up the primary....then it would have been fair to say they wanted the votes to count.

Let's not go down that simplistic "count my vote" road. Been there done that....it is SO not working.

[The Wizard]

26. Easy solution

Return Florida ti its rightful owners, the Seminoles.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

29. Deutch reminds me of a South Park character

some sort of cartoon character.

[rodeodance]

32. He is right. Dean is not a leader.

[Romulox]

41. Any elementary negotiation class will teach you that the nuclear option can't be your first response

It leaves absolutely no room for further negotiation. This has been more like a tantrum and a counter-tantrum than a reasoned process carried out by adults.

And hell yes, Howard Dean, as the leader of the Party, is responsible for his amateurish handling of the situation. Donna Brazille, the Obama partisan who was somehow put in charge of setting the punishment of Michigan and Florida (two states that went for Hillary, but mere coincidence, I'm sure!), is also highly culpable.

[smiley_glad_hands]

35. You've got a bunch of repugs masquerading as dems in FL. eom

[Speciesamused]

56. Yes, the Dems just go along with the repugs as they

fear what happened to Siegelman. Fear is their tool.
They do not evolve here they regress on a daily basis.

[Speciesamused]

38. 'Welcome to Florida, home of sun,

sand, a delusional governor and a heartless Legislature.
Florida has literally been sold out to corporations and the religious right. Bottom line.
As a Fl Democrat who did not bother to vote because we where told it would not count. The
numbers would not be right. All Floridians should be use to the Florida debauchery of this
country's voting system. I say forget Fl. Period. They made the choice now they have to live
with it. We have more important issues at hand. Like people with no food or shelter.
Peace and Prosperity. B-)

[cultfree]

52. Then I have some beachfront property in IA to sell you.

If you thought your vote wouldn't count, it was NOT because you were told that by the Governor, the State Legislature, or the Florida Democratic Party, all of whom have maintained from the beginning that the delegates would eventually be sat (and they will be). If you actually make your decisions, especially one as important as voting, based on the fodder of MSM and/ or the DNC, then I've got some beachfront property in Iowa to sell you, complete with a sub-prime mortgage to seal the deal.

[Speciesamused]

53. I am now one of the millions of unemployed in this country.

Laid off after 10 years. I stopped watching any news on the Boob Tube.
I would not listen to Gov.Crist he is Delusional and Red like this state.
My info came from the D.N.C.. Clinton and Obama did not bother to come here because they did
not think so either. You gonna sell them some Beach front too?
The democrats voted to move the elections up even though they knew the consequences.
Not much cohesion for a party. The whole voting system in this country is so screwed you don't know!
So if you thought, you would not be so rude. :smoke:

[billyoc]

39. "Dozens"

of fingers and toes. :eyes:

[GoldieAZ49]

40. This primary has been a primer on Political Tragedy

It will certainly be one for the history books for so many reasons

[hayu_lol]

45. Awful lot of Obama supporters really want to blame Florida on Hillary...

that won't wash however. The people in the Dem and Repug parties in the state knew what they were doing to the voters of the state. They knew that in advance of their primary but went ahead anyway.

The blame for the mess is not Obama's or Hillary's. Look someplace else for a scapegoat.

Perhaps this is a time when we should consider selling Florida to Cuba. Think of all the Cubans who would be repatriated that way.

Oh yeah, lest we all forget, Texas is still in play since they don't complete their primary process until June 7th. Gasp! What if there is an upset?

[madfloridian]

46. Hillary is using FL as a tool. She is guilty of that.

Many suspect that FL and MI worked together to get the primary stuff going...many of those involved were her surrogates.

But few say it since there is no proof. However...Hillary is shamelessly using those states and manipulating them to bring anger.

[grantcart]

44. Because of the quality of what you do and it having sources not generally available

I would have to say that you are clearly the most valuable poster at DU. Without your clear presentaion of the real facts of the case this would be a contentious issue at DU and your work puts it to rest with the exception of the usual suspects who have jumped into this thread as per their usual routine.

Question:

What kind of local reaction are these clowns getting in Florida?

[madfloridian]

63. Most people are simply not aware at all.

They usually take the media's word. :shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

54. Don't talk to Dean. Talk to the state party who broke the rules.

[workinclasszero]

55. Another Clinton "democrat" helping McCain

FU Senator Deutch!

[lastliberalintexas]

60. While I am not a Clinton supporter, I find the change in this site

since 2004 to be remarkable. I remember quite well how the Iowa/New Hampshire stranglehold on the primary was once decried on this site, but I guess that the wind changes depending on whom one supports.


I don't really know what should be done about Florida or Michigan this year, but I am surprised that so many people are supporting this DNC tyranny. I was a Dean supporter in 2004 and would vote for the man in a heartbeat if given the chance. It doesn't change the fact that on this issue, he was wrong to try to protect the vested interests of 2 small states to have inordinate influence over the election.

[madfloridian]

62. A "DNC tyranny".....tragic statement.

That is just so sad.

Our party is not going to recover because so many lies are being spread.

I think I will just say good by to you. Life is too short to listen to crap like this.

[SanchoPanza]

68. Non-Sequiter

One can be for a process that doesn't give priority to Iowa or New Hampshire and still maintain that rules be followed.

[RiverStone]

64. Lets break the rules and throw a tantrum till we get our way!!!

What a bunch of BS!

They voted to break the rules with the pukes.

Too bad the voters are getting screwed - a redo makes sense, but letting a few arrogant FLA party leader brats (that helped to create this mess) get their way would be crazy.

[Zhade]

67. kick against cheating

Thanks for all you do, mad!

[madfloridian]

69. Wow! MA women for Hillary are organized for FL and MI...I effing told you so.

I said she was going to milk this topic for all it is worth.

She accepted the rules at the start.

But now her campaign is organizing women and supporters in other states to milk this issue.

Clinton's sisterhood wants satisfaction

Governor Patrick and Senators Kerry and Kennedy met separately over the past week with Massachusetts women who support Hillary Clinton and want the state's superdelegates to find a way to count all the primary votes in Florida and Michigan.

But, the aftermath of these sitdowns with the Bay State's top Democrats brings to mind that Rolling Stones classic, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

The men - all Barack Obama supporters in a state that went for Clinton on primary day - said they believe in fairness, but not, necessarily, in counting votes in other states where Clinton claims victory.

Kennedy, accompanied by his wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, promised to speak to the Obama campaign; to Howard Dean, head of the Democratic National Committee; and to Michigan Democrats. But, according to women at the meeting, when asked to take their cause public, the senator expressed a higher priority: "I'm trying to get us out of Iraq," he said.

Shame on her. She accepted the rules, then she didn't.

Hillary accepted & signed the DNC rules barring MI & FL. From a MTP interview

She disgusts me.