DNC Smackdown

if you guys aren't watching the meeting of the DNC rules and bylaws committee... you're missing the shit!

clearly...my political nerdome still runs deep, despite my recent feelings of despair and burnout. but this is some good television.

they're currently listening to the proposal to seat the michigan delegates. this is a tough decision. unlike florida, not all the candidates were on the ballot in michigan. of course, harold ickes (who sits on the committee and is a senior advisor to the clinton campaign) just pointed out that the DNC never required candidates to take their names off the ballot and that they were probably just currying favor with voters in iowa.

the gentleman from michigan points out that he is not there to represent any one candidate but to fight for the will of the michigan voters. of course, they're basing this partly on cast ballots, party on exit polls and partly on write in votes that were never counted.

sounds fishy.... but they're suggesting a 69-59 delegate breakdown favoring clinton. but i agree with the big concern that we can't start putting too much stock in exit polls.

in all honesty, and realizing this does not help my girl hillary, they should simply split the delegates 50/50. but...if (for some reason) they do take this compromise... at least hillary comes out with net 10 pledged delegates.

now...the florida shit was fun. there was a beautifully heated exchange between congressman robert wexler of florida with several members of the committee... most notably harold ickes and tina flournoy (both of the clinton camp). keep in mind, wexler was representing the obama camp.

there's a lot of talk about unity and reconciliation of the democratic party... and so the obama camp has made the "concession" to seat the entire delegation with only 50% of their original power.

but when pressed on why seating delegates with 100% of their strength would not be a unifying factor to the party... why would obama not support that?

wexler refused to answer....

both sides seem to agree with the "ausman proposal" which would honor the popular vote and allocate delegates at 50% penalty. that means hillary would come out with a net gain of 19 delegates.

both sides agree to this plan... although the clinton camp would like all original delegates seated. that would cut much more into obama's delegate lead... but having the popular vote (in general) helps her "popular vote" argument. of course... delegates nominate - not the popular vote.

and either way... i still don't think hillary can pull ahead of obama.

but if you've been looking at the polls... obama is currently falling behind mccain in the polls. he is often tied with mccain or losing to him. he's behind 4 points in michigan. he's losing to mccain in pennsylvania and florida. FLORIDA!

hillary is leading mccain in national polls and in all of these states.

and i mention this not to say the superdelegates can overturn the will of the people...(which is still split basically 50/50) but that a lot of voters and pledged superdelegates may start feeling some buyer's remorse come the fall.

anyway. i'm telling you... turn the boobtube on to cnn or msbnc. donna brazile even got all preacher on our asses earlier....

if you're a political junkie, it's not to be missed. of course, we'll report on more later...

e.