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Edited on Sat May-31-08 10:45 AM by Yotun
Given that all candidates removed their names and pledged to neither campaign nor PARTICIPATE in the contests, its obvious that the result is not representative of anything, since only supporters of one candidate had any reason to go and vote. Whereas ALL candidates removed their names, knowing full well that would mean they would automatically lose the state and any possibility of ever gaining any delegates from there (remember the election are proportional, so leaving their bames on would still give them something even if they lost, if for some reason the decision regarding Michigan was honored), Hillary left hers there as a political and tactical move, knowing she'd win by default, and be able to add Michigan to her list of 'states I won' and thus empowering her, at the time, inevitability argument. All the other candidates did the right thing and went according to the rules. Some state that its a political move since the polls were against them. How is it a political move to make SURE they lose, and get 0% in case the rules change- there is no sense for all the other candidates to completely remove themselves from the race, especially since the Democratic primaries give proportional representation.
Now Hillary supporters are nitpicking and using political and rhetorical technicalities, saying that the pledge never specified that their names did not have to be on the ballot. It seems pretty obvious to anybody that is what is meant when pledging to not 'participate' in the election.
Had Florida rules not stated that a candidate not on the primary ballot cannot be on the November election as well, I'm sure all the other Democrats would have removed their names from there as well- apart from Hillary.
Remember for all those stating this was not a strategic move by Hillary, she was braging and celebrating her 'victory' at the time as well, after the primaries, even though she knew the elections would mean nothing. Her 'actions' show this to be a strategic, political move by her.
So why should Hillary get ANYTHING out of Michigan? I say a 50-50 split is the only compromise that should be acceptable.
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