Michigan and Florida, seeking to share in the influential advantages traditionally enjoyed by early primary States such as New Hampshire and Iowa, moved up the dates of their primaries to January 15 and 29 respectively. In response the Democratic National Committee stripped both States of their convention delegates.
What this meant was that no Candidates would campaign in those States, any delegates won there would not be counted, and some of them did not even have their names on the ballots. Well, that is except Hillary. Although she did not campaign in those two states, Hillary Clinton, perhaps intuitively coppering her primary bets, made damn sure that her name was on ballots in both Florida and Michigan. She ended up winning both, providing her, in retrospect, with a much needed ace up her sleeve so to speak.
Mrs. Clinton has already begun making noises about the disenfranchisement of the democratic electorate in Florida and Michigan. Michigan carries 156 delegates while Florida has about 210. That combined amount, if counted, would virtually guarantee that Hilary would become the Democratic Presidential Nominee. However many insiders speculate that even if the powers that be in the Democratic Party were to change their minds and reprieve the two states from the sanctions imposed upon them, the most Hillary could expect would be a do over of the electoral primaries in those states. And enthusiasm for this is dampened by thoughts of where the funding would come from for such a makeover.
If Hillary plays the card up her sleeve vis a vis a demand for the infusion of the delegates won in Florida and Michigan into the final count for each candidate, we are likely to witness a repeat of the turbulence that characterized Democratic National Conventions in the sixties. Democratic Floridians, still wincing from what many perceive to be dirty tricks in 2000 that resulted in their votes not being counted, will not respond quietly to a repeat, even if it is in house so to speak. They might decide to boycott the general election, and thus ensure a walk over for the Republican Candidate. On the other hand, Barack Obama’s supporters will regard any acceptance of Hillary’s primary victories in Michigan and Florida as discriminatory and cry foul. Refusing to vote come November is not too far fetched a reaction to expect to come from them.
If this competition comes down to the wire, sparks will fly and the ultimate victor will be the Republican Party. And if that happens, then the results of this cycle of the Democratic Presidential Primaries will be of academic interest and nothing more.
Yours faithfully,
Robin Williams
