Obama requested his named be removed from the Michigan ballot.
It was Obama's choice to remove his name. Obama did not have his name removed from the Florida Ballot because to do so he would have had to drop out of the race. Obama believed that Michagan and Florida were states he wouldnt do well in so when MI and FL otherwise known as the rule breakers, were stripped of their delegates by the DNC, all candidates agreed not to campaign there.
Obama initiated the political power play to have the candidates agree to remove their names from the Michigan ballot in order to remove focus from those elections. Obama essentially catered to traditional early voting states like Iowa, N.H in deference to their historical role in the primaries and at the same time ensured that no attention would be paid to those Primaries where Clinton was favored. Why not make that power move? Obama loses nothing but has everything to gain at the time. The DNC already stripped the delegates. Obama also would enable himself to cry foul or unfairness in the event of a close race by claiming that he wasnt even on the ballot. But why wasnt he? He wasnt on the ballot because he chose not to be on the ballot. See the Story from the Associated Press below.
Florida rules made it impossible for candidates to remove their names from the Florida ballot without withdrawing from the entire race, but Edwards and Richardson followed suit behind Obama in Michigan. It means little to those two now, but with just a few hundred pledged delegates separating the two remaining candidates Clinton and Obama, the MI and FL votes mean a great deal now.
Again, Obama chose not to be on the ballot when the good people of Michigan voted.
Whether Obama considered it a "beauty contest" or not (by the way that is the most offensive characterization of my vote imaginable by Obama) he should have just left his name on the ballot.
The DNC should seat the Michigan and Florida delegates with the Primary Votes As Stands.
The DNC should seat the delegates and move on. No more discussion of millions of dollars and who pays or changing primary parameters. The DNC has already sanctioned and effectively punished the two states...neither had benefit of the candidates campaigning so that they could put their state issues front and center on the nominee's mind. The voters did not request to move up the primaries, therefore the voters should not be disenfranchised. Lastly, if we did not have a DO OVER when Katharine Harris certified an illegal election in Florida, when hanging chads practically destroyed voter confidence in the American Electoral system, then a Do Over certainly is not in order because Obama took himself out.
The Democratic National Party needs election reform because our process is killing us.
Top Democrats withdraw from Michigan primary
By: The Associated Press
Oct 9, 2007 01:37 PM EST
The decision by Obama, Richardson, and Edwards undercuts the validity of the contest.
Photo: Composite image by Politico.com
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson have withdrawn from Michigan's Jan. 15 Democratic presidential primary.
The three filed paperwork Tuesday, the deadline to withdraw from the ballot, said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State's office.
All of the Democratic candidates already have agreed not to campaign in Michigan because it broke Democratic National Committee rules when it moved its primary ahead of Feb. 5. The decision by Obama, Edwards and Richardson undercuts the validity of the contest.
Other Democratic candidates had until the end of the day to decide if they'll stay on the ballot.
Party rules say states cannot hold their 2008 primary contests before Feb. 5, except for Iowa on Jan. 14, Nevada on Jan. 19, New Hampshire on Jan. 22 and South Carolina on Jan. 29.
The calendar was designed to preserve the traditional role that Iowa and New Hampshire have played in selecting the nominee, while adding two states with more racial and geographic diversity to influential early slots.
As punishment, the DNC has vowed to strip Michigan and Florida, which scheduled its contest on Jan. 29, of their delegates.
Top Democrats withdraw from Michigan primary - The Associated Press - Politico.com
It was Obama's choice to remove his name. Obama did not have his name removed from the Florida Ballot because to do so he would have had to drop out of the race. Obama believed that Michagan and Florida were states he wouldnt do well in so when MI and FL otherwise known as the rule breakers, were stripped of their delegates by the DNC, all candidates agreed not to campaign there.
Obama initiated the political power play to have the candidates agree to remove their names from the Michigan ballot in order to remove focus from those elections. Obama essentially catered to traditional early voting states like Iowa, N.H in deference to their historical role in the primaries and at the same time ensured that no attention would be paid to those Primaries where Clinton was favored. Why not make that power move? Obama loses nothing but has everything to gain at the time. The DNC already stripped the delegates. Obama also would enable himself to cry foul or unfairness in the event of a close race by claiming that he wasnt even on the ballot. But why wasnt he? He wasnt on the ballot because he chose not to be on the ballot. See the Story from the Associated Press below.
Florida rules made it impossible for candidates to remove their names from the Florida ballot without withdrawing from the entire race, but Edwards and Richardson followed suit behind Obama in Michigan. It means little to those two now, but with just a few hundred pledged delegates separating the two remaining candidates Clinton and Obama, the MI and FL votes mean a great deal now.
Again, Obama chose not to be on the ballot when the good people of Michigan voted.
Whether Obama considered it a "beauty contest" or not (by the way that is the most offensive characterization of my vote imaginable by Obama) he should have just left his name on the ballot.
The DNC should seat the Michigan and Florida delegates with the Primary Votes As Stands.
No Do Overs, No Revote, No Repeat Primaries.
Both Contests were FAIR. No candidate campaigned in Florida so the vote was fair. All candidates were on the ballot to begin with and Obama requested to be removed. His choice, but fair. The DNC should seat the delegates and move on. No more discussion of millions of dollars and who pays or changing primary parameters. The DNC has already sanctioned and effectively punished the two states...neither had benefit of the candidates campaigning so that they could put their state issues front and center on the nominee's mind. The voters did not request to move up the primaries, therefore the voters should not be disenfranchised. Lastly, if we did not have a DO OVER when Katharine Harris certified an illegal election in Florida, when hanging chads practically destroyed voter confidence in the American Electoral system, then a Do Over certainly is not in order because Obama took himself out.
The Democratic National Party needs election reform because our process is killing us.
Top Democrats withdraw from Michigan primary
By: The Associated Press
Oct 9, 2007 01:37 PM EST
The decision by Obama, Richardson, and Edwards undercuts the validity of the contest.
Photo: Composite image by Politico.com
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson have withdrawn from Michigan's Jan. 15 Democratic presidential primary.
The three filed paperwork Tuesday, the deadline to withdraw from the ballot, said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State's office.
All of the Democratic candidates already have agreed not to campaign in Michigan because it broke Democratic National Committee rules when it moved its primary ahead of Feb. 5. The decision by Obama, Edwards and Richardson undercuts the validity of the contest.
Other Democratic candidates had until the end of the day to decide if they'll stay on the ballot.
Party rules say states cannot hold their 2008 primary contests before Feb. 5, except for Iowa on Jan. 14, Nevada on Jan. 19, New Hampshire on Jan. 22 and South Carolina on Jan. 29.
The calendar was designed to preserve the traditional role that Iowa and New Hampshire have played in selecting the nominee, while adding two states with more racial and geographic diversity to influential early slots.
As punishment, the DNC has vowed to strip Michigan and Florida, which scheduled its contest on Jan. 29, of their delegates.
Top Democrats withdraw from Michigan primary - The Associated Press - Politico.com