The Rules and Bylaws: coming to consensus
Of course, among millions of supporters, a small percentage will go to extremes. But the candidates and their official representatives are working things out.
My sources and others tell me Florida’s been settled. All delegates, pledged and super, get a half vote, so Clinton nets 19 more than Obama. And the nominee can override this at the convention to restore full votes to each.
Sounds perfectly pragmatic to me, which I fully expected from the two Dems.
Michigan’s harder to sort out, for obvious reasons. But tonight or tomorrow morning, I trust they’ll reach an agreement, with Obama collecting 35% to 40% of the delegates there. Despite some of the paranoia that’s been emanating about a fight into August, I retain faith in these Senators to work towards party unity, to overcome the frustrations of those who felt disenfranchised and to defeat John McCain in the fall.
Too much time and energy’s been given to wild speculation and unfair attacks about Hilary and Barack. I can handle a freewheeling blogosphere, but when it reaches the low level of the National Enquirer or a middle school food fight, it’s time for folks to take a deep breath, put away the silly sauce and get on to the serious business of restoring the best that this country can be. Then make it even better.
Clinton and Obama will each do a share of that. Let us each resolve to do the same, in spite of any naysayers, impediments or people willing to settle for less.
And to any who still may feel disenfranchised, please consider how DC residents have gone all these years without a voting Congressional representative or folks in Puerto Rico and other US territories have put up with even less representation. Or even late primary voters like us Oregonians: we only get a say in the outcome of presidential nominations once every 40 years.
It’s an imperfect system, designed by imperfect people in an imperfect world. But since I perfected myself, I trust all of the rest of you can improve things too. Otherwise, you’ll have to return your Democratic badges and secret decoder rings and hang out with Republicans who do boring stuff like polo and sucking wind up their sphincters while humming the greatest hits of Robert Goulet offkey.
May 31st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
It is always a little disconcerting to see adults acting like children.