A New Wave

New Items & Lobby SDs

Clinton Accepts Puerto Rico Win; Speaks To Superdelegates:

[snip]

...“So, when the voting concludes on Tuesday, neither Sen. Obama nor I will have the number of delegates to be the nominee. I will lead the popular vote, he will maintain a slight lead in the delegate count. The decision will fall on the shoulders of those leaders in our party, empowered by the rules, to vote at the Democratic convention."

Fallout From RBC Ruling

And so it begins...

The RBC decision wasn't an hour old before some very angry Democrats proved that "unity" requires a whole lot more than noble speeches and lofty rhetoric:

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar (FL) - who is a respected congressman - will not attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver, as a "matter of protest":

"Now, on May 31, 2008, a group of elitist insiders of the DNC have effectively said that some of my ancestors’ progeny equal only 1/2 and that men and women in Florida who voted on January 29th are 1/2 also.  For a Party which will crown its historic nominee on the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, the DNC’s decision today is tragically ironic."

FINAL UPDATE: RBC Decision On Florida & Michigan

"This body of 30 individuals has decided they're going to substitute their judgment for 600,000 voters. Now that's what I call democracy...There's been a lot of rhetoric about democracy and on and on and on; I am stunned that we have the gall and chutzpah to substitute our judgment for 600,000 voters."  (Harold Ickes, 5/31/2008: RBC Meeting)

After a tense and sometimes raucus morning session of the DNC's Rules & Bylaws Committee, at which state Democratic Party leaders and officials from both the Clinton and Obama campaigns gave logical, legal and impassioned oral arguments to seat Florida and Michigan delegates, committee members broke for a long lunch and returned at approximately 3:15 p.m. (PDT) to vote on motions.

UPDATE: DNC RBC Committee Meeting

UPDATE I:

Hillary Clinton's campaign issued a written letter to RBC Chairs, Alexis Herman and James Roosevelt, outlining its position on seating delegates from Florida and Michigan - FULL SEATING OF DELEGATATIONS:

Harold Ickes is hoping for 15 votes in favor of full seating, but the most likely (though by no means the only) compromise consists of this:

"The major dispute over the Florida and Michigan delegations to the Democratic convention in Denver has now boiled down to Hillary Clinton's demand for full seating with no sanctions, and an alternative proposal ... to seat the delega-tions with either half a vote granted to each delegate, or to cut each delegation in half."

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UPDATE II:

The meeting will be televised by the major cable news networks (CNN, MSNBC). As well and much more incisive, C-SPAN will carry the proceedings and will interview several principles involved in the dispute and resolution:

09:30 AM - 3:00 PM ET, LIVE — On C-Span (1) — Watch on TV or online:

Democratic Rules & Bylaws Committee Meeting || Democratic National Committee, Rules and Bylaws Committee - James Roosevelt Jr., Democratic National Committee || Howard Dean, Democratic National Committee

There will also be viewer call-ins to Washington Journal prior to coverage:

07:00-09:30 AM ET:

Washington Journal: Support Democrats (202) 737-0002
Washington Journal: Support Pres. Bush (202) 737-0001
Washington Journal: Support Others (202) 628-0205

Washington Journal Summary Saturday, May 31, 2008

7:00-7:15: Question/Newspaper Articles/Phones

7:15-8:30: 

Topic: An update on the Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting that is being held in Washington this weekend. The committee is working on a plan to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida to the Democratic National convention this August. Both states were penalized earlier this year for holding their primaries before DNC rules allowed. Michigan has 157 delegates to the convention, including 128 pledged delegates and 29 superdelegates. Florida has 211 delegates, 185 pledged and 26 superdelegates.

7:15-7:30: On the Phone (photo ID avail) Phoner REP. ROBERT WEXLER w/calls D-Florida, 19th District Obama for President Florida Co-Chair

7:30-8:00: GORDON TROWBRIDGE (TROH-bridge) Detroit News Washington Reporter www.detnews.com

8:00-8:30: REP. CORRINE BROWN D-Florida, 3rd District - Clinton for President Supporter

Resolving Florida and Michigan

This Saturday is DNC-Day.

Members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet in Washington to hear oral arguments from representatives of the two states over how to resolve seating delegates in Denver and popular vote count totals. After the oral argument phase, members will vote on the proposals.

Clinton's "New" Rules? Hogwash!

The liberal blogs have spent the last three months crucifying Hillary Clinton for making up "new rules" regarding the Florida and Michigan primary votes and delegates, citing incomplete and inaccurate viral "facts" as proof that she is moving the goal post...again.