going to have to actually promote your candidate instead of attacking his opponent.

Have the chickens come home to roost. I am shocked that you now see the folly of attacking opponents in your own party. Where were you when Clinton elevated McCain over Obama and then threw the kitchen sink at him? Where were you when Clinton deceitfully embroiled Obama in the NAFTA lie? Are you now rolling over and trying to play the saint?

What about Wright? If you had any ability to really digest Obama's speech, you would have understood contradictions within you as well. I am tired of thin skinned people. If you had taken the time to read the text you would have found that Bill Clinton had confessed his "sins" over Lewinsky to none other than Wright. Imagine.

There was nothing in the rules that said that Michigan or Florida could not hold re-votes later in the year. The DNC, who make the rules, said that this election was within the rules. The only "rule" that this election violated was the one that the Obama campain wrote that says that anything the diminishes his chances of winning the primary in any way must be stopped.

On the contrary, MI and FL waited too long to reschedule a vote. The state dems refused to yield in the pissing contest with the DNC. It takes a lot of effort to revote in larger states like FL and MI, including complying with lots of state and federal laws. Check out what people on the ground, who actually have to run the vote have to say:

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-28/1205851812198890.xml&coll=7

As far as the Obama campaign's position, it might be instructive to read the actual memo they sent out. You can find it here:

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/03/in_new_memo_obama_camp_effecti.php#more

I don't think a fair and open mind can easily dismiss all the concerns raised in that memo.

In the abstract, I agree that nothing would be better than to hold free and fair primaries in MI and FL. But the govt isn't known for getting anything done fast or in an ad-hoc manner. Govt isn't exactly known for innovation and thinking out of the box.

I don't understand the point of showing a photo of Bill Clinton with Wright. Is this supposed to tarnish Clinton? I don't think he is likely to be dimninished by photos of him shaking the hand of a man of the cloth. Is it supposed to show that Obama showed good judgement when he chose to not speak out when his minister said hateful things? The only thing that Obamatons are capable of when their candidate is in trouble is attacking the Clintons. I suggest that you shift your mode of thinking. Attacking McCain in the general isn't going to work. He is very popular and there will be no right wing media helping you spread the lies. You are going to have to actually promote your candidate instead of attacking his opponent. Good luck.

i think the DEMS would have really benefited from a primary here. I think Obama would have (as he has consistently done) signed up hundred of thousands of new democrats and gotten previous apolitcial folks to get involved.

This would have been a help to EITHER democratic candidate in November.

Hillary's strong preference was to count the votes already cast rather than support a do-over after an actual campaign by both candidates.

The state couldn't afford it but I'll tell you what: all those new voters registered would have given FL or the dems over the repubs in November easily. Now, I'm affraid, it will be more of a fight.

BUT REST ASSURED i think most fl dems are not going to be 'into' withholding the vote because we're pissed at the DNC or Charlie Crist. We all realize what's on the line in November.

There was nothing in the rules that said that Michigan or Florida could not hold re-votes later in the year. The DNC, who make the rules, said that this election was within the rules. The only "rule" that this election violated was the one that the Obama campain wrote that says that anything the diminishes his chances of winning the primary in any way must be stopped.

As for disenfranchisement - the fact that some people are disenfranchised does not justify doing it more often. The extent to which Obama supporter's and his campaign will twist reality to win is truly a shame on the Demcratic Party. I never thought I would hear progressives arguing ardently for not counting votes. Obama fans have turned our party into a sad charicature of the right wing.

Our wonderful republican governor and legislature decided last summer to move up the primary. There was quite a pissing match here over it. Threats were made by DNC. Crist and Co. called their bluff and alas there would be no seating of delegates for florida.

At the time, (last summer) no one expected the race to be close whatsoever. I think that probably why the DNC didnt take it so seriously. And why none of the soon-to-be-candidates made an issue of it.

Well...surprise surprise.

i live here. I can tell you I will still vote DEM in Nov. Many will. We may be upset but hey, at least on my part the anger is directed appropriately. At Crist and Co.

So, let's see if I have this right:

Michigan and Florida say we want to do this this way.

DNC says you can't do it this way.

Michigan and Florida say Fuck you, we're going to do it how we want.

So, now the DNC should just go along with it because Michigan and Florida -- not the DNC -- disenfranchised their voters by doing it their way?

Oh, you mean like Congress goes along with Bush/Cheney whenever they say the same thing? OK, I see the logic now. We're so used to the Dems caving that we figure why not cave on one more thing?