Cross posted from Demconwatch 12/31/07
Michigan delegate update
As we've noted, Florida has been stripped of its delegates due its early primary. Michigan's situation, however, is a little more complicated:
As Iowa voters gear up for Thursday’s caucuses, Michigan Democrats have just a few days to change their scheduled Jan. 15 presidential primary or lose all their delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August. The conflict began when Michigan’s legislature set the Jan. 15 primary so voters could exercise greater influence over the selection of the party nominees for the 2008 presidential race, but Michigan Democrats appear likely to end up with no delegates at all and thus little clout at the national party convention in Denver.
The rule-making division of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) recommended on Dec. 1 that the party strip the Michigan Democratic Party of its 156 delegates because of the state’s non-compliance with national party rules. The DNC set Feb. 5 as the earliest date states can schedule their nominating contests
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At the Dec. 1 meeting, the Rules and Bylaws Committee gave the state party 30 days to get into compliance with national regulations before the committee’s recommendation became final and Michigan lost its delegates. The clock started ticking Dec. 5, when the Michigan Democratic Party received the DNC’s official notice. So unless the state party takes action by Saturday to return to its DNC-approved plan to hold a Feb. 9 state party-run caucus, it will lose its delegates. The Michigan Democratic Party has done nothing to indicate it intends to change from the Jan. 15 primary and party Chairman Mark Brewer has said there are no plans to do so.
Assuming Michigan does not change its date, given that Edwards and Obama are not on the Michigan ballot, if the media uses Michigan's delegates in their summaries, that will be a big psychologist boost for Clinton.
more:
http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2007/12/michigan-delegate-update.htmlIt's damn frustrating Obama and Edwards are not on the MI ballot. If it does happen that MI does send delegates; they will not be representative of the people's choice from a rather populous state.
The entire process seems patently unfair - albeit complicated.
Can anybody update this scenario?
Thanks :hi: