One Utah

Not much.

The DNC rules committe did their best to correct a mess not of their making. They basically did what was floated yesterday which was to seat the Florida and Michigan delegations but give them a half vote. So, the goal went from 2026 delegates to 2118. Obama needed 41 delegates this morning, this evening he needs 64. This morning Clinton needed 244 delegates, this evening she needs 240. (Okay, 240.5!) IOW, the goal posts moved but the net change for Clinton was small.

The Chair reviewed how we got to where we are. Starting a few years ago, the DNC created a committee to figure out how to run the nomination with the goal of having a process that did not front load the campaign. The traditional places of Iowa and New Hampshire don’t make sense but those two states have a long tradition of ruthlessly defending their privileged places in the nominating process. However, the goal was to add early states that were more demographically and geographically representative of the party. 12 states petitioned to be part of the early process and the DNC ended up choosing Nevada as a caucus state and South Carolina as a primary state. Florida was apparently one of the states that wanted to be early; Michigan was not.

Florida’s government then voted to have an early primary. The DNC stripped them of representatioin. A week later, Michigan voted to have an early primary and was of course stripped of its representation. The Clinton campaign has done its best to upset Floridians including telling them that this is just like 2000.

Left with no clear and easy solution, the DNC followed the process as best as it could, talked to the state parties, heard the campaigns, and then had to figure out how to split the baby.

The meeting itself was a model of Robert’s Rules in actions. Obscure motions, counter motions, processes. All the jargon was in place and in fact the chairs did a good job. They kept the meeting running smoothly and kept the Robert’s process flowing which is no small task.

FWIW, I’m left with the impression that Harold Ickes is a totally despicable person.

This entry was posted Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 5:28 pm and is filed under 2008 Election. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.