Harold Ickes' parting shot suggests more Democratic turmoil

Maybe it will prove an idle threat.

But as the Democratic rules committee ended its lengthy meeting today in Washington today with a decision on the Michigan primary that left Hillary Clinton's campaign irate, the words from one of her chief strategists have to haunt party leaders striving for elusive unity.

"Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the credentials committee," Harold Ickes said.

The rules panel, which Ickes serves on, achieved its goal of resolving one of the party's two disputed primaries -- the Florida contest -- in a way that Ickes and other Clinton loyalists indicated they could live with. And combined with the more contentious action on the Michigan vote, the result was to put Barack Obama on the cusp of securing the number of convention delegates needed to soon declare himself the presidential nominee-in-waiting.

But Ickes' admonition on Michigan means that the Clinton camp has not signed off on the new "magic" number: 2,118 delegates. And that means any claim by Obama to be the presumptive nominee will carry an asterisk -- perhaps all the way to the late-August convention in Denver.

Indeed, along with Ickes' words, the chants of "Denver, Denver" by disgruntled Clinton supporters as the rules committee gathering broke up must be uneasily echoing in the ears of other Democrats.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[JimBo]

Is Hillary Clinton really the one that women want to represent them as "The First Female President"?

[gaypastor]

Congratulations to the people of Florida and Michigan who also took time out of their busy lives to pull a level in our democracy. You are now second class citizens of the United States! May God help our party!

[BJ]

When the DNC halves Florida's votes, they exalt that it was made possible because of "Obama's concession". When they steal delegates from Hillary to award to Obama, they call it "fairness".

Hillary can't win! What's the point? Why didn't they just hand him the nomination right then and there? Their motivations were very transparent, the Democratic Party decided a long time ago that Obama was going to be the nominee. No wonder they stood by and allowed the media/press and Obama surrogates to "have their way" with Hillary.

What the Democratic Party did NOT count on is, the loyalty and rage that Hillary supporters have for having this nomination stolen from her.

Unfortunately, you may as well close the book on Obama's presidency. It is sealed... a done deal... they have just handed the presidency to John McCain!

This will actually be good for the country because there will be a "check and balance" between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches of the government.

[Burton Brashaw]

After listening to that foul mouthed Ickes, there is no way I could still be for Clinton.

[Bret C]

I thought the words, "We should get all the Delegates from Michigan" were the most outragious...

[Bob]

Hillary reserves the right to appeal and carry the drama all the way to Denver!

Part of me wants her to continue making a fool of herself; the other part wants her to just go away!

Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!

http://klintons.com

[roly luis]

The sorrow in my heart has never been this deep, I cried for the death of democracy. The committee choose to take the easy path on a trying journey, shirking the responsibility to do right. Half votes belong to second class citizens somewhere. I felt shred to smithereens because the diminished dignity of anyone is a subtraction from my own.
How can the soul be consoled, the gnawing anguish be extinguished?
A glimmer of an ember can grow to fire righteousness: such start crumbled walls in Jericho and in Berlin, toppled Marcos and Iraqi regimes, dismantled slavery and royal privileges. The DNC may yet to pronounce, this time in unanimous verdict, the full and inclusive decision.
This half-carrot half-stick approach has no name. "Fair Compromise" remains a menacing misnomer, and the goal to punish is a recoil, the boomerang of unforeseen destructive force.

[Chris]

I voted for Bill Clinton twice, and Hillary Clinton for Senate. Now it seems that the Clintons care about their own power more than the good of this country and the Democratic Party.

I have decided that I will actively campaign for a Democratic primary opponent against Hillary Clinton her next run for NY Senate (which unfortunately is not until something like 2013). I suggest that anyone else who is disgusted with her tactics in this Democratic primary, and who is a NY State resident, do the same. If you're not a resident of NY State, help raise money for her next Senate Democratic primary opponent.

[FC]

The Clinton camp won't be happy until the White House is lost to John McCain.

[Dan Sample]

O.K> Superdelegates...pile on with South Dakota and Montana....and show Ickes and his henchmates the democratic party is finished with their kind....

[Hero]

The Stupor Delegates have to wake up on June 3 and tell Hillary thanks, but no thanks.

A 'warmup fight' might be good for a boxer, but in Presidential politics, a 'warmup fight' burns $millions in donations, and Obama supporters are not happy about wasting their hard earned money swatting away an annoying Hillary campaign. She is wasting the Party's money and time.

Go away.

[Derek]

Both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama agreed to the party’s decision to penalize Florida and Michigan by disallowing their delegates, but because she now needs the votes, the situation is deemed unfair byher suppoters. Clinton is a political predator that does not play fair when the rules do not favor her. Now she wants to sabotage the campaign of Obama because she cannot manipulate the party to screw over Obama. What a class act -- NOT!!

[TomasW]

I believe Senator Clinton will concede the nomination by the end of this week and will join Senator Obama in defeating John McCain in November. Of course, her concession will be helped along by a migration of super delegates to Obama as well as the promise of a major role in health care reform in the new administration. Mr. Ickes, I would want you on my team---only guy to tell it like it is even if he is wrong. No bs from Harold!

[wanda]

`whine and cry, stomp your feet maybe the whole country will just fall in line

[willie in Kansas]

I'm surprised by the generosity of the DNC. It is the GOP in Florida with their antics again. They seem to set up every trap and obstacle to mantain their de facto dictatorship on Florida. Why should the rest of the Nation be held hostage to Florida? Other 55 constest were conducted by rules established by the DNC. The fact the GOP in Florida decided that the interest of their party should trump the health of the best interest of the nation should be an outrage. It makes you so mad, you just want to rant. Florida and Michigan knowingly decided the rest of the country is not as important as they are. This is reminicent of the Confederacy. How much more hurt can the GOP inflict on the people of this nation. Kansas, IOWA, and NH shouldn't have to bow to the narcissistic and selfishness of these two states, nor their toddler like self proclaimed entitlement rights. The DNC should have just let the issue die off. The states new the rules: they made their bed and they should sleep on them. Their local legislatures are responsible for the situation they find themselves in. Florida hasn't learned anything. They did it in 2000, GW is President. It serves them right to have the mortgage crisis, the war, and the high gas prices. Why should we care about people who don't care about the rest of us? They should have never been seated and their votes shouldn't count. No matter what Hillary says.

[Eugene]

It's over when your own people excepting one abstention vote to approve the Florida compromise, and the Michigan settlement generously gives Clinton delegates she wouldn't get out of that state now if the the vote were held again. Politics in democracies pracitces the art of compromise. If you don't get that, take up dictatorship.

[Reschev]

The greedy Hillary Clinton and her democrat supporters are handing the presidency to McCain on a silver platter. Like the drunken and self centered captain of the Titanic, she would prefer no survivors and taking the Democrat party to the bottom with her, than to permit Obama to win the presidency. That's the true evilness and greed of the Clintons, and its far past time for the Hispanic and Negro people to learn that the Clinton don't actually give a damn about them. They have played the race card constantly.

[Renatta McPhee]

I was a former Clintonista, but am now urging her to cede and unify the party--this election is too important for games!

[Tom]

This is horrible. We as Democrats are divided. President John McCain. No matter who gets the nod, elements of one side are going to be very angry.

[Richard P. McDonough]

Ickes is doing the good soldier's job for a lousy commander. "What rules," she said.

On the other hand, he thought he might be able to run things the old way, by bulldozing and herding the frightened sheep into Hillary's camp.

Time has come for that old Tammany power mentality to go away and remake the party as one that not only registers the young, but keeps them engaged and active for a democratic victory in November.

[vote4thebest]

I just made a big contribution to Clinton's campaign because this is an outrage. The very same party who decried the supreme court for stealing the people's vote now is doing the same thing to Clinton and Florida and Michigan voters.

Why on earth does Obama earn the uncommitted votes? is his name 'uncommitted"?

It is time to either take this to the convention or Hillary should run as an independent. This party is no longer the true democratic party; it is a party of 48 states running by oppressors of people's voice.

A whilte house with McCain is definitely a safer choice than with the anti-white and unethical Obama.

[politicsisdirty]

Why not just hand the nomination to Sen Obama. That is what the DNC leadership want all along.

Then let us see what happens next...........

[Jason]

Aren't the Democrats doing exactly what the Republicans did? Michigan and Florida get half representation at their convention as well.
What's the big deal. The state broke the rules.

[Peter Zaduk]

50%? 5/8 ths somehow seems more appropriate.

[dem in chicago]

Oh please. 1. Clinton lost the nomination fair and square. 2. Clinton voters will vote for Obama in the end. 3. Obama will be president.