MyDD :: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's delegates [UPDATED II]

Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's delegates [UPDATED II]

by andrewalker08, Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:23:06 PM EST

McEntee Calls on Democrats to Seat Florida Delegates

AFSCME president calls for delegates elected in today's Florida primary to be seated at the Democratic National Convention.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gerald W. McEntee, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, today called on the Democratic Party to seat delegates elected in today's Florida primary at the Democratic National Convention. McEntee said:

"The voice and votes of Democrats in Florida should be heard. While the candidates did not campaign in Florida, the voters have turned out and sent a clear message that they want a new direction for this country. When the Democrats gather in Denver this summer, the voters of Florida should not be left out. The delegates elected from Florida should be seated as full participants in the convention."

With 80% of precincts reporting, more than 1.5 million Florida Democrats have made their voices heard, now it is time for the Democratic National Committee to make their votes count.

Here's the link to the AFSCME press release: "McEntee Calls on Democrats to Seat Florida Delegates"

Update [2008-1-29 22:55:34 by andrewalker08]:: Let me just point out that it's not just Hillary's Florida votes that won't count; it's also Barack Obama's Florida votes that won't count either. Democrats allocate their delegates by proportional methods and tonight, Barack Obama received 33% of the vote. That means he's entitled to 33% of Florida's delegates. Now, who here wants to say that the 33% of Florida Democrats that voted for Barack Obama don't deserve to have their votes counted in Denver this August.

Tags: AFSCME, Florida, Democratic National Committee (all tags)

Permalink :: 34 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (2.00 / 2)

It's a done deal.

by Jerome Armstrong on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:26:46 PM EST

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Not unless a majority of the Credentials Committee -- made up of DNC selectees (who will vote no), Obama-appointed members (no), Clinton-appointed members (yes), Edwards (won't if it means brokered convention, which favors Edwards).

Then it gets to floor vote of non-MI, non-FL delegates.

So MI and FL don't count unless everyone outside of MI, FL decides so.

by ChrisR on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:36:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Let's face it though, the DNC cannot afford to ignore the voters of Michigan and Florida and ignore AFL-CIO. It just doesn't make much sense, particularly considering that McCain is increasingly looking like the Republican nominee and a serious contender.

by ejintx on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:45:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

The DNC isn't going to change the rules on everyone after all candidates agreed to the rules six months ago, either.

They might be seated. As long as its irrelevant.

by ChrisR on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:50:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

It's party politics; crazier things have happened.

by ejintx on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:55:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

That's the point that I have been trying to make. Regardless of who anybody supports, we can all agree that the conditions that the FL and MI votes were accrued - (All names not on the ballot and no campaigning) were atypical and at the very least disputed. Clearly, voters in these states need to be mad at the DNC and not the candidates.

Injecting politics here, there were some inherent advantages that a well-recognized name candidate would tend to inherit if they were in a primary that had no-campaigning, especially if the opponents haven't been in the media spotlight since 1992, like Hill. And let's be honest, Florida has a HUGE demographic that may not be tuned to the latest political swings as reported by the MSM. I would suggest that this demographic is more inclined to watch the 700 CLub and the golf channel. :-)

A PROUD Hopium user!

by xodus1914 on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 01:37:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

The good ol' boys club that has brought us the nearly bankrupt DNC and 40 years of losses for the Democratic Party will stop at nothing to prevent a woman from getting the party's nomination.

Look at the lineup: Dean, Daschle, Kennedy, Kerry, Leahey.

by hwc on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 02:03:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Great. The same union that sent out campaign mailers for Hillary in Florida in violation of her pledge. What a surprise.

I wish I could say that I was surprised by the shamelessness with which Hillary tosses aside her own word, that she campaigned on in Iowa and New Hampshire, about respecting the primary process and schedule. But, in truth, it doesn't surprise me at all.

by davey jones on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:27:13 PM EST

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (2.00 / 1)

He ran ads in the state. Yes or no. We're black radio hosts in the state touting for weeks. He sustained a serious loss tonight whichever way you cut it. His coalition turned out for him uncanny how he got 80% of black votes again but it didn't work as it isn't going to work in a more demographically balanced state. So stop whining and face reality.

by ottovbvs on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:32:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

"He ran ads in the state. Yes or no."

Yes and no. I think you know the details. He ran national ads. He didn't make Florida specific appeals like Hillary did in the last couple of days, which obviously won her the very late deciders. Those who decided in the last week went Obama.

"He sustained a serious loss tonight whichever way you cut it. His coalition turned out for him uncanny how he got 80% of black votes again but it didn't work as it isn't going to work in a more demographically balanced state."

Right. We'll see how your Geritol coalition holds up after you leave Florida.

by davey jones on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:42:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Yes he did, Heck his team sent out mailers asking Florida repugs to vote Dem for the day!

by WMCB on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:42:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Actually, he only got 70%. It would have been 80%, but he didn't get to campaign in person and incite the extra 10% with warmed over anti-white rant quotes from Malcolm X speeches.

by hwc on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 02:05:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Once again. Please, PLEASE tell me that you have more proof than him saying 'Bamboozled'?

A PROUD Hopium user!

by xodus1914 on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 01:50:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (2.00 / 1)

Are you saying there was some rule against unions sending out mailers?

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:36:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

"Are you saying there was some rule against unions sending out mailers?"

I'm saying -- and I think this is beyond serious dispute -- she was the only one to make a concerted effort to campaign in the state. That will be different next week.

by davey jones on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:44:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

She did nothing to campaign in the state, unless you're including the union mailers, which I don't think you should.

If you're trying to say she was campaigning by going on TV and saying nice things about Florida, anyone could have done that. No one signed a pledge that said you can't even say the word Florida.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:50:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

bullshit (none / 0)

Obama ran commercials there and all the unions were free to send out fliers and organize. "She" didn't do anything.
It's too bad Obama doesn't have any union support.

ABO... Anybody but Obama. I LIKE the democratic party.

by MollieBradford on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:51:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: bullshit (none / 0)

Funny, before Nevada all the Clinton folks on the site could say was that Obama was the tool of those nasty union bosses who were trying to fix the vote in his favor. WHich way is it?

Sorry, I'm part of UNITE HERE, and we have endorsed Obama. We decided to stay with the spirit of the DNC rules and stayed out of Florida.

by lifelongdem on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:04:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: bullshit (none / 0)

Is that your final answer?

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:17:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: bullshit (none / 0)

I wasn't aware of that -- obviously I was wrong. I had been part of a discussion where I understood that there would be no campaigning in Florida outside of our members. Sorry for that - I clearly was wrong.

by lifelongdem on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:21:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: bullshit (none / 0)

Busted.

by WMCB on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:43:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Wasn't there was a concerted effort against her in Michigan?

by Tove on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:52:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

your posts are becoming a joke (none / 0)

NONE of the unions were bound by that agreement. Only the candidates were bound to not campaign there. I guess that Obama should have been more worried about the democratic base and less worried about getting republican love.

ABO... Anybody but Obama. I LIKE the democratic party.

by MollieBradford on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:36:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

the only candidate who ran ads in florida (none / 0)

was Obama - whose many, many national ads on CNN were broadcast there. Imagine how sanctimonious the Obama supporters would be if Clinton circumvented the rules that way.

by steveinohio on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:40:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: the only candidate who ran ads in florida (none / 0)

"was Obama - whose many, many national ads on CNN were broadcast there. Imagine how sanctimonious the Obama supporters would be if Clinton circumvented the rules that way."

Which is why the New Hampshire Union-Leader ran an article today singling out Hillary as a liar. http://www.unionleader.com/pda-article.a spx?articleId=0853268a-d982-4190-81e8-74 0ae942f510

But, hey, far be it for me to be sanctimonious. Congrats on the huge victory.

by davey jones on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:53:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: the only candidate who ran ads in florida (none / 0)

Uh, that's an editorial in a Republican newspaper.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:54:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: the only candidate who ran ads in florida (none / 0)

"Uh, that's an editorial in a Republican newspaper."

Okay. So nobody (who matters) will draw from this that she's being the least bit dishonest. Fine. Much like when Obama ran national ads that happened to also show up in Florida, he appeared to be a bastion of integrity. Fair enough. Congrats.

by davey jones on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:04:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: the only candidate who ran ads in florida (none / 0)

Obama's ads were a technical violation (I actually had to look up the DNC's definition of campaigning to find out) but nobody actually made a big deal out of it.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:18:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Face the facts. If anybody broke the rules it was Obama by running ads. Clinton did not. She only went to Florida to THANK the voters after all the polls closed, to show them that at least one Democrat actually cares that their voices are heard. She understands that Florida will be an important state for the Dems to win in November unlike other Democrats who don't mind pissing off voters in Michigan and Florida. She did not campaign there, she did not advertise there.

by musicpvm on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:45:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

How can you possibly state with a straight face that she broke the rules and he didn't? Union flyer? National ad? Give us a break, already. The rules aren't going to be favoring Obama in the general election so it will do you no good in the primaries. If he wins, it will be on merit, same with her.

by manny on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:13:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

umm, link?

by Todd Beeton on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 10:39:05 PM EST

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

At least give the state half the delegates. How could we just say you don't matter? This is the Democratic Party for crying out loud!

Restore America's Strength.

by RJEvans on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:04:18 PM EST

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)

Didn't the RNC strip FLA of 50% of its delegates?

by CVDem on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 11:16:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Major Union calls on DNC to seat Florida's del (none / 0)