Democratic party officials cancel Michigan's convention rooms

Looks like the Democratic National Committee means business in its ongoing stalemated dispute with Florida and Michigan.

According to our colleague Christopher Reynolds over at The Times' travel blog, the committee has canceled the hotel accommodations for the 177-member Michigan delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in late August. Just try finding that many rooms at the last minute during a political convention.

And the DNC never even made any reservations for Florida's defiant delegation.

Both states have been outlawed because they naughtily scheduled their primaries before Feb. 5 in violation of party rules. Since Hillary Clinton has claimed victory in both places anyway, surprisingly, she'd like to count them in her total. Equally surprisingly, since Barack Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot, he'd rather not count the Clinton votes.

To be continued.

The travel folks have details here.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Randy]

Here is a message to the Democratic National Committee.

SHAME ON YOU! ... ELITIST JERK-OFFS!

[drfox]

This is silly. Seat the 2 delegations. Split the delegates down the middle, with half plus one in each state for Clinton, and the remaining delegates (half minus one) for Obama. This will give neither one a real advantage but will serve to give representation to these 2 important states.

[FJ Stratford]

Obama should start explaining his relationship witht the following people before its too late:

Nadhmi Auchi
Antonin "Tony" Rezko
William C. Ayers

http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=289698788263978

[virginia]

Were it anyone other than Clinton and her vast Clintonian machine, the Dem Party would play by the rules instigated, approved prior to both campaigns . A contract is a contract is a contract....old Hill and Bill know all about contracts. Only solution? Split evenly between the next President Barack Obama and the old "lady." Superdelegates better go to Obama...many Obamaians would rather vote McCain (as I would) than the unbalanced, many personalities that Clinton shows us.
jA Clinton vote is assurance that McCain will win.

[Liah]

We must do it n the Democratic way:

Florida and Michigan must vote again, with both candidate names on the ballots!

This way everybody will be pleased. Where ever the outcome, will be the people's choice!

Lets be fair to everyone! Not exception!

..." AN DEMOCRACY FOR ALL"

[M Collier]

Cheating may get you an immediate advancement, but in the end your good name will be forever a dirty word....

Betrayal is the hardest to forgive, even more so when there is no acknoledgement of the wrong done.
Sadly to say, that while Hillary has tried to win, she really has lost in many ways....

Hillary did show her disgusting hypocritical characteristics indistinguishable from the worst of the Republican smear machine. And siding with John Mccain over Barack Obama, We've seen this type of "I wanna challenge you to a duel" line that was snapped at Chris Matthews by a "Democrat".... Now that Hillary has been embraced by the far right, how can we expect her to fight for democrats when she is fighting against democrats along side the republicans.

Raise your hand if you want more of the same???

All Hillary supporters, I appreciate your attention to this matter... I ask you to join the Obama team to help take our country in an new direction, one of openness, honesty, integrity, hope, respect, wise judgment and prosperity... Together we can make the difference. We all have worked hard to get power back to the people. With Barack Obama, we have that opportunity...

Thanks All,

MC

[ShaShaMae]

Just kiss Michigan and Florida GOOD-BYE.

The arrogance of this move is unbelievable - the delegates have the right to be in Denver in August - seated or not. I would imagine this is going to make just a few people very angry.

Particularly the voters in Michigan and Florida.

[ohjeez]

I've voted Republican, but I voted Democratic for Obama this time, because I believe he's better for the job.

And if we are going to be asking Obama about Rezko, again, we should ask Clinton about Celibi.

There is no way, come hell or high water, that I will ever support Hillary Clinton as the nominee. She has made a mockery of the Democratic Party, and demeaned half it's base.

If the Michigan/Florida results were closer to Obama, you can be damn sure the Clintonistas would be fighting against including them.

[Jess S.]

RULES ARE RULES! Howard is right for stating that. Be mad at the state people in charge of such a defiant, stupid move. They voted on the rules and agreed. We have to follow the rules in something as simple as a sweepstakes but not in the democratic nominee?

Also, if anyone should be mad ir should be the democrat toward Hilary. She planned and minipulated us well in advance. She showed up to numerous FUNDRAISERS in Florida the week before the vote. And left her name as the only one in Michigan, even though everyone agreed with the democratic party. SHE KNEW that once she got the vote, this time would come to now claim she won. It's an insult, and considering we're just ending the Bush run, do we want another person who MANIPULATES us to get their way? I don't! They agreed to it and they were supposed to have backbone and not carry on with it. There's thousands of people complaining that they didn't vote in because they knew in advance their vote wouldn't count. That's why more Republicans showed up to vote then Democrats, one of the only times that has happened during this campaign.

We shouldn't take it so lightly that she knew what she was doing, plotted her way in and is now manipulating everyone. I for one want rea change from these games.

Also, her EXPERIENCE doesn't mean much. She was his wife, NOT the president. My wife hears about my business al the time but that doesn't qualify her to take it over. Her one mission, Health Care FAILED. Oh yeah, and she voted on Iraq!

And to top it off she hasn't shown her tax returns yet and is buying time saying she is a little busy to do them. Like she personally does them? Maybe it's the OUTRAGEOUS spending she's done with OUR money.

That's a lot going against her and she's not even in office. If she does make it, it should be VP, nothing more. TIME FOR CHANGE.

[Robert Valiquet]

Trusting Howard Dean to run their national comitee has
put in a cluster the party of the naive and credulous.
My guess is the dems will be adequately punished by
the Florida and michigan electorate,regardless of the
nomination beeing won by the monster or by Ken Star.

[cn]

Florida and Michigan are arguably the two states most adversely affected by the mortgage crisis. Most of these soon-to-be-foreclosed people have always been told they were irresponsible because they knew what they were signing themselves into. Why should we hold their Governors to a different standard? They too should be held accountable.

[Peter]

Obama will exceed 1626 projected pledged delegates on May 20 in Oregon and will be able to claim the nomination. (Math: 4048-796=3252:2=1626 plus more then 50% of the "super delegates" as a direct ratio)
This could be before Michigan or Florida get their ducks in order and once that milestone is reached it would be very difficult to change the rules and overturn the outcome.

[Kathy]

Bravo DNC! About freaking time the Dems show some grapes! The most honest thing they've done as a party since I can remember.

Any voter in the "union hall meeting" known as the primaries need to remember some key points:

-the rules were clear to all states and candidates. The states broke the rules. The constituencies of those states should be holding a witch hunt within their own states--it's their fault this all went down the way it did. You cannot change the rules in the middle of the game.

-this is a primary election, not the general election. There is nothing in the constitution guaranteeing the right to vote in the primary. It is left to the individual parties to decide--They each have their own rules, and each state has their own rules, thus the primaries and caucuses.

I'm POSITIVE she'll take it to court, but to no avail.

And finally--NOBODY SAID "BOO" WHEN THIS HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE YEAR. Why the fuss now?

I would've liked to have seen a split of the delegates, but so it goes. Rules are rules. You don't like 'em, don't start the game. Would you argue to change an "offsides" rule that's been on the books for ages--in the fourth quarter?

[lkj]

Rules are the rules. If you break them once, you'll break them again.

What's the point of having rules in the first.

[caligirl]

we all know that this "dilemma" wouldn't even be presenting itself if clinton had the delegate lead right now. this is ridiculous. adhere to the RULES which were known from the beginning and forget this whole matter. those voters will get their chance in november. it is unfair to either seat, split or re-do at this late date. MOVE ON!

[middlepath]

Both Michigan and Florida broke the rules knowing the consequences. Legally, no delegates should be seated from either state.

Either way, if Hillary is the Democratic nominee, I refuse to vote for her. This will be the first time in twenty-five years that I won't vote Democrat.

[Tom G]

I have a question. I'm a registered Republican and having second thoughts about my party. If i choose to vote for Senator Obama, will my Vote Count??? I've heard it wont in the primary but it would in the general election. Please i need Accurate Info??????