Hillary Clinton is playing by the rules. She is losing by them.

[Tom Rinaldo]

The DNC meeting being held to review the disputed Michigan and Florida delegations is being convened in full compliance with DNC rules. It is neither an extralegal occurrence nor a kangaroo court. It's members were seated according to previously agreed upon criteria. Like any court of appeals, the DNC committee rules on matters within it's jurisdiction, when the appealing party has sufficient standing to press an appeal with it. That is presently the case.

"The law" on this matter remains unsettled pending prescribed review. The Clinton campaign may win all of what they seek on Saturday, most of what they seek, some of what they seek, or none of what they seek from that duly sanctioned Committee meeting. But even if they win this battle totally, Obama still is poised to win the backing of a majority of all certified delegates to the Democratic Convention within days of that meeting being held. He is winning the war.

It is entirely within Hillary Clinton's right as a candidate to appeal to Super Delegates for their support regardless of who is leading in pledged delegate support. That is consistent with the rules by which this contest is being conducted. Hillary Clinton has appealed to them for their support, but a majority of the Super Delegates who have declared have done so for her opponent instead, they are backing Barack Obama. The number of undeclared SD's is shrinking, and Obama's lead among the Super Delegates keeps growing. Clinton is losing by the rules.

Many of our States chose to select delegates using caucuses this year. It was no mystery to any candidate which States chose to do so or what the rules for those caucuses would be. No where did Hillary Clinton lose more decisively, by the rules, than in caucus States. Caucuses, like Super Delegates, were embedded in the overall rules for this nominating contest. If Hillary Clinton wins a favorable ruling from the DNC committee meeting this Saturday, Obama supporters may not like it, but that victory for her will be legitimate. If Barack Obama sails to victory in Denver on the strength of disproportionately strong showings in caucuses, Hillary Clinton supporters may not like it, but those victories were legitimate.

This nominating contest is being run in accordance with the rules, all of them, and Barack Obama is winning it.

[grantcart]

1. Exactly right

[VeraAgnes]

2. Saturday.......the DNC Committee will correct their errors

and ALL the VOTES will be COUNTED. To not count all the votes is an abomination to democracy.

[KittyWampus]

9. yes, only the votes won't yield delegates casting full votes. Half votes, yes. And those

who intended to vote for anyone but Clinton will be heard.

[VeraAgnes]

25. Andy Stephenson would want every vote counted.

He has set the example for all of us to follow; his legacy lives on. :loveya:

[LeftyMom]

29. Have you no shame?

Please fight your battles and leave the dead alone.

[Renew Deal]

32. His legacy lives on it

While you piss on his grave.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

33. Boo!

[KittyWampus]

36. I'm sure he'd want the rules to be followed. And for those who WOULD have voted Obama

or AGAINST Hillary to be heard.

[yodermon]

10. only votes in elections that were conducted in a fair manner will be counted.

MI and FL are inherently corrupted and cannot, cannot be interpreted to reflect the democratic will of the people.
To count those votes is an abomination to democracy.

[cliffordu]

11. And your knowledge of the process the OP illuminated is an abomination

to intellect.

[cali]

12. that's just ridiculous hillyworld distortion and wishful thinking.

get real. It's been made clear that all the delegates won't be seated in full, and they shouldn't be. Furthermore, the parties are free to choose how to run their primaries. That is NOT an abomination to democracy.

[ProSense]

3. Is it possible for her to appeal to the superdelegates without lying about the popular vote or

giving credibility to Rove?

Obama has clinched the nomination, but she is free to continue.

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. I have to assume that our Super Delegates are capable of weighing the relative merit...

...of political talking points. They have access to at least as much information as you or I do. I think the clinching argument for the Obama campaign regarding the entire question of "the popular vote" reflecting "the popular will" is a simple one. By any plausible legitimate standard the totals are close. But national opinion polls of Democrats have clearly swung toward Obama being favored over Clinton among Democrats nationally. It is hard for Hillary Clinton to argue that "buyer's remorse" may have settled in on Democratic voters who supported her opponent in early contests, when in fact he has gained and she has slipped in national opinion polls since then.

[The Magistrate]

4. Well Said, Mr. Rinaldo!

"More Wars! Less Jobs! McCain '08"

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Irony. One the Clintons' favorite slogans is about "working hard and playing by the rules".

Which, apparently, only apply to the chumps who support them.

[Bucky]

16. suggest a small edit

In your subject line, delete the word "by"

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. LOL. Right you are.

[Straight Shooter]

6. "sails to victory ... on the strength of disproportionately strong showings in caucuses ..."

All well and fine. I've always disliked the notion of caucuses, of Iowa and New Hampshire setting the trends.

Maybe, if Obama loses, the Democratic Party will finally get a clue and revamp the system and rotate 10 initial states that choose the beginning forefront candidates. Closed primaries only. Voters must be residents of the state for at least 3 months and be a registered Democrat at least 6 weeks in advance of the primary.

If there's anything this drawn-out campaign has proven, it's how totally FUBAR the process is. And, yes, I would be saying that if Hillary were the presumptive nominee. I have always been appalled at the process, but this year it really takes the cake.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. I too hope that the process by which our candidate gets chosen

undergoes a serious review after this election is behind us. Our system undoubtedly could be worse, but it sure as hell could be better.

[intaglio]

28. even in 1992?

When Bill was very happy with Caucuses?

[Straight Shooter]

31. I didn't vote for Bill Clinton.

I abstained both elections. Didn't like any of the candidates.

[AtomicKitten]

13. Her right to do what she is doing is costly and time-consuming for the party

As you say and I agree, regardless of the disposition of FL and MI, the end-result is the same: Obama's delegate lead is insurmountable. :shrug:

I suppose the real problem is that her surrogates are tearing Obama apart on the tee-vee 24/7 in the interim, doing their damnedest to hamstring the presumptive nominee.

That's where her right to press this runs smack into our right as a party to protect our presumptive nominee.

[Tom Rinaldo]

17. My own feelings about the course she has chosen will shift significantly

...in a negative direction, if she continues to press her nomination battle more than a week past the last primary if Obama reaches an overall majority of delegates committed to him for him to secure the nomination.

[AtomicKitten]

22. I hope for a peaceful solution to this for the sake of the party and the nation.

I think Hillary has insisted on holding up the process until all votes are cast. That's fine because then there is nowhere to move the goalposts.

I hope she can muster the grace to accept the results. I have not seen much evidence of grace from her in this race and in particular her blustery threats using words like 'nuclear option;' needless to say I'm anxious. We shall see next week.

I am humbled by your ability to read the tea leaves and move to endorse the results. You are of the very best the Democratic Party has to offer. Cheers.

[Tom Rinaldo]

26. Thanks AK. Cheers right back at ya! n/t

[sandnsea]

14. Bullshit

MI & FL voters were told their primary would not count. Changing the rules now would disenfranchise those who followed the rules and didn't vote. How in the world can that be considered legitimate.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. By the arbiter of the rules n/t

[sandnsea]

23. You mean the overthrower of the rules n/t

[Tom Rinaldo]

24. "Fair" and "Legitimate" have different definitions

No matter what the DNC ultimately determines, the result will be legitimate. No matter what the DNC ultimately determines, no doubt some will believe that result is not a fair one.

The same can be said about every aspect of the election process. When the Democratic Convention finally chooses a nominee by delegate roll call, no matter who it is, that person will be the legitimate Democratic candidate for President.

[sandnsea]

27. Sure, just like Bush is the President

But I sure as hell will never call it legitimate or fair, and I sure as hell will never vote for someone who gains power that way. Shame on anybody who does.

[Major Hogwash]

15. And when Obama gets the nomination, then she has to accept it!!!

Because dem are the rules.

[Bucky]

18. Question: is intelligence demostrated by the ability to predict approaching events?

Follow up: Is wisdom demonstrated by appropriate assessment of the social costs of one's behavior?







Answer key: Yes to both questions

[frickaline]

20. well said, nice post

[JerseygirlCT]

21. Yes, exactly. Including FL and MI - rules she championed

when she thought it would be all sewed up on Super Tuesday and she wouldn't need them. But the rules (whether smart ones or not is really beside the point) were made and the consequences were outlined, and when the rules were broken, the consequences were put in place.

It's disturbing to consider nominating someone who thinks the rules do not apply to her. Haven't we had enough of that mindset now?

[Spider Jerusalem]

34. No, the Clinton campaign will NOT win what they seek.

This has already been made abundantly clear by statements that indicate a minimum 50% delegate penalty for FL and MI is the most favourabloe outcome Clinton can hope for. Any statement to the contrary is uninformed.

[KSinTX]

35. A diary I will proudly rec nt