Clinton's open letter to Obama
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- keeshii768
- added this
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Dear Senator Obama,
This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.
One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.
I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. When efforts were untaken [sic] by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party's rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically [sic] opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.
Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.
I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party's nominee.
Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.
One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.
I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. When efforts were untaken [sic] by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party's rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically [sic] opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.
Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.
I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party's nominee.
Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
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- keeshii768
- 8 days ago
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Didn't she say Michigan wouldn't count, after agreeing to the DNC calendar last year?
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wasn't obama's name not on the ballot? that makes it hard to count these votes. if there was a fair vote maybe.... but it is just too convenient to win with no opponent.
this "open letter" reeks of disingenuous rhetoric to me
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- phillyphil
- 8 days ago
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First of all, if I'm running for president and I'm "publicly" sending out an open letter I'm at least checking it for typos. Oh my.
Personally, if I were a Michigander or a Floridian voter I'd be a little upset if the DNC just tossed my vote aside. However, if both candidates agreed not to campaign in either state and if Obama's name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan it would seem unfair to let the votes count the way they now stand.
Any of you disenfranchised Michiganders or Floridians are free to join the r3volution! ;-D
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OK..I call a 'Do-Over'...get Sen. Obamas name on the ballot along with Sen. Clintons and lets...Do It Over!!!
peace
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- WorldPeaceTV
- 8 days ago
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well i mean, i'm a floridian and vote absentee. rules are rules. it's like when you're playing nintendo and you're little brother pauses the video game and yells do over like a maniac because you're whoopin ass. it doesn't work that way.
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- keeshii768
- 8 days ago
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This lady is the biggest sore loser in the history of American politics. End of story.
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- keithponder
- 8 days ago
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At this point, the woman is strictly out for blood. Obama is the apparent winner and I truly believe a major fear factor for the Clintons is that if Obama becomes president, she may not be able to run in 2012, because Obama may very much get a second term. Run him over the coals now, divide the party, have him lose in November so she can say I told you so, and have a clear chance to run in 2012. That is the only fathomable explanation to her actions to date.
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Speaking of open letters, when I put "open letter to Hillary Clinton" in my browser, I find a lot of interesting perspectives.
I am from Florida, and have no qualms about not being in the primary. If we didn't follow the rules (and I have yet to figure out why they pulled that one) then that is how it goes.
Actually, since we have no paper trail to verify our votes, I really have no evidence my vote was counted accurately anyway. -
Here Here PhillyPhil! Also this is just proposterous she is running out of strategies, money, and support. This is poor-sportmanship at it's best!
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"I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted."
She has only said that since it was clear she was going to lose the nomination. She agreed to the rules (see the attached file from her own website). End of story.
But beyond the obvious lie, the shoddy writing of the letter itself is telling. Someone mentioned the spelling mistake, but there's also "untaken". I guess she meant "undertaken". The sentence doesn't make sense otherwise. I'm not one to throw stones about typing and grammar on these boards, I'm terrible and I know it. But If I were running for president and was sending an open letter, I'd have it proofread.
Seems like she's coming off the rails.
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Hillary will stay in the race long enough to raise enough money to cover her loan. I feel for her supporters who are now paying her
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Let's compare two recent news stories:
1. Banks making mortgage loans to consumers took risks and made plenty of money initially. If the risks paid off would the bankers have returned some of the money? Hardly. But when the risks turned sour they wanted a bailout. Should the responsible mortgage payers subsidize the risk-taking banks and the irresponsible borrowers? Most people say no.
2. Democratic officials in two states took risks to try to get more influence over the primary process than they normally would have. If the risk paid off would they have conceded this advantage? Hardly. But when the risks backfired and they ended up with no influence, now they want a bailout. Should the responsible state Democratic committees bail out the irresponsible states' committees? I say no.
These two issues have very strong parallels. Integrity and personal responsibility are the cornerstone of Obama's positions. We need to restore integrity at the highest levels of the land, and also on down to every one of us.
That's why I oppose using the January primaries from Florida and Michigan. If those people want to be represented in Denver they need to have do-over primaries, and not on the taxpayers' dime. Any beef the Florida and Michigan voters have should be with their state Democratic committees and not with either of the candidates. But neither candidate wants to say this because it would alienate powerful friends in those states. So it goes on and on.
But for Clinton to say that Obama wants to disenfranchise those people is just wrong. She disgusts me more and more every day.
Peace,
BentFranklin-
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- BentFranklin
- 7 days ago
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Please don't make it sound as though these two states are being unfairly disqualified. These states made decisions to move their primaries up, and now there are consequences. We can see by allot of todays youth what not having consequences does.
I agree with Ben Franklin, Clinton disgusts me more and more every day. -
It's funny, she is saying every vote should count, and in the same breath saying an election in which votes for her two main competitors were thrown away should be valid... Is that irony or what?
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- anonymouse
- 7 days ago
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She divides the democratic party more and more with these meager attempts. Take a hint Hillary, you lost!
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- camp_ernest
- 7 days ago
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The whole point of getting rid of Bush is to get away from all the half-truths, inverted logic, and plain old lies. If Clinton is just going to perpetuate that (even if it's for "our side"), then no thanks. I disagree with McCain on many points, but at least he's honest.
Peace,
BentFranklin-
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- BentFranklin
- 7 days ago
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She is psychotic.
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- goolkasian
- 7 days ago
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Krag’s point is the main point!
She signed the document the DNC gave her, so let the Rules Committee at the DNC decide this. Obama had NOTHING to do with these states votes not counting, leave him out of it.
Hillary is really starting to piss me off…
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