Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Michigan, Florida "Do-Over" Jeopardizes Democratic White House Hopes

Naturally, the Clintons are clamoring to have the Michigan and Florida delegates seated at the convention. The latest discussion surrounding the issue includes the potential for the state parties to hold "re-votes."

"Let's let all of the voters go again if they are willing to do it," Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday night on MSNBC. "Whatever we have to do to get people in the system, let's do it."

For the love of God, how has our Democracy become so warped that talk of "do-overs" enters the discourse? Is this a kindergarten tetherball game, or a presidential primary?

But wait, we're dealing with the Clintons, who are accustomed to having things their way. As Democratic party overlords, they expect the rules to be re-written for them. Without those delegates, Clinton's only chance of winning the election is to recapture hundreds of superdelegates who have turned their backs on her, pledging their support to Barack Obama.

While Obama certainly has the momentum and financial resources to wage successful campaigns in both states, at this juncture, any further delays in choosing a nominee only emboldens the opposition. For the sake of unity, and consistency, let's not waste time with "do-overs." New contests in Michigan and Florida likely wouldn't take place until June, giving the Republicans nearly two more months to prey on the indecisiveness of the Democratic party.

If the Clintons were winning, would we be hearing about "do-overs?"