Clinton to decide delegate challenge after last primaries

[BeatleBoot]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080601/POLITICS/806010317

Clinton to decide delegate challenge after last primaries

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Clinton will decide sometime after Tuesday's final primaries whether to challenge a controversial decision to seat Michigan's Democratic convention delegate, her top aides said Sunday.

"Clearly we're going to keep our options open," Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's campaign chairman, said Sunday. "When we finish up Tuesdaynight and everybody has voted, then I think we will look at the options going forward."

"Obviously this will be a big decision," another aide, Harold Ickes, said on NBC's "Meet the Press." It was Ickes, a member of the rules panel that seated Michigan on Saturday, who in a tart and occasionally profane statement just before the vote raised the threat of a credentials fight.

Their comments and those of other Clinton aides raise the possibility that Michigan, which won restoration of half its voting strength Saturday in what party leaders described as a significant victory for the state, could now become the subject of a divisive fight before the convention's credentials committee, or at the convention itself.

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[slinkerwink]

1. they can't do the delegate challenge because the agreement was agreed to

by the Michigan State Democratic Party delegation. They have to have a Michigan delegate to challenge that---and that would be very hard, and not possible. This is just bluster from the Clinton camp.

[rodeodance]

7. the purpose of this date is the opportunity for all sides to callenge. so yes Clinton CAN

[rodeodance]

8. You need to educate yourself as to the Purpose of the Credentials committee

[TahitiNut]

10. The chutzpah of your ignorance is apparently boundless

6) Credentials Committee Challenge

According to Ickes, the Clinton camp reserves the right to take their grievance to the Credentials Committee.

Since Ickes’ argues that the DNC does not have the power to determine the delegate allocations, then neither the RBC, nor the Credentials Committee would have the power to rule in his favor. Hence his case is moot.

Were Ickes/Clinton able to successfully argue the case with the Credentials Committee, the ONLY conceivable outcome that would satisfy his argument would be that 100% of MI & FL delegates be disqualified.

Since the RBC (including Ickes) voted to sanction MI & FL, they invalidated any subsequent election (whether sanctioned or not) by virtue of influencing some voters not to vote as "the election would not count".

Ickes’ and Clinton’s arguments rely on asserting the principles enshrined in the constitution. However, scholars of the constitution will be aware that there is no explicit "right to vote". The constitution does however explicitly assert that no-one should be prevented or influenced not to vote.

Hence, if the argument is that the validity of the MI & FL elections are determined by constitutional principles, the MI & FL elections must be invalid in their entirety. The only constitutionally valid alternative would be to hold a full revote.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/1/72643/08080/210/526590

[Diane R]

2. How can it be a 'big decision'? They've lost. It's over. Their decisions now have no meaning.

[Patsy Stone]

6. That came from Ickes

After getting his ass chewed out three times yesterday, I think he was all pouty and feeling threatened, so he pulled that card out of his pocket to pretend to be a big, bad man. Now he's got to play like it's actually an option to save that icky face of his.

My gut feeling is no one told him to say that to the RBC, it just came out in anger because no one was taking his stupid, illogical assertions seriously.

[anonymous171]

3. Reminds me of Nixon's "Madman" strategy.

[kwenu]

4. The credentials committee will have a majority of Obama members. Such an appeal will be difficult.

If not fruitless.

[OzarkDem]

5. Letting everyone have a vote

I'm so glad she's standing up for the rights for Dem voters and protecting the Dem Party's reputation on voters rights and election integrity. Walking away from that now would be a colossal mistake for the party and for the democratic process.

[WA98070]

9. Obama will have enough delegates to "seat" Fl and Mi 100% before Denver. Therefore, no challenge...

unless she'll challenge that.