Meanwhile, James Carville, a Democratic operative and Clinton supporter, said on CNN that he had been calling deep-pocket Democrats and pledged to come up with $15 million to help pay for primaries in Michigan and Florida. He challenged Obama supporter David Wilhelm, a former DNC chairman, to match it.
"I'll guarantee $15 million and have the Obama people put up $15 million," Carville said. "And let's go to the polls come June 7. I've got fund-raisers that are lined up ready to go. I think the Democratic Party is going to look absolutely absurd if they don't have primaries and let these people in Florida and Michigan vote."
We passed the point of "absolutely absurd" long ago, but the Ragin' Cajun does make a good point about fundraisers - and this has been over-looked by all the people wringing their hands over the cost of this.
Stop and think about how much money this would bring in. To the party, to the candidates, to the states. Record amounts are being raised all over the country for this presidential election. Do these cheap-ass Democrats actually think this is a money-losing proposition?
Really wish you guys would do this in private. And lower your voices. The neighbors are about ready to call the cops.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean urged Florida and Michigan party officials to come up with plans to repeat their presidential nominating contests so that their delegates can be counted.
"All they have to do is come before us with rules that fit into what they agreed to a year and a half ago, and then they'll be seated," Dean said during a round of interviews Thursday on network and cable TV news programs.
The two state parties will have to find the funds to pay for new contests without help from the national party, Dean said.
"We can't afford to do that. That's not our problem. We need our money to win the presidential race," he said.
Um, Howard? Love ya and all, but this IS about winning the presidential race, and it is your problem. It's everyone's problem. And I'll bet if you'd just check your records, some of "our money" that you speak of probably came from people in Michigan and Florida.
If we are going to do this, we need you guys to stop fueling the fire of this little feud you got going on. Remember there are voters caught in the middle. Show us some respect.
OK, that's twice. Apparently the Guv has had a change of heart following the results from last night's primaries. It's a bit surprising because she had used some pretty strong language arguing against the idea - but maybe the looming possibility of a convention fight is starting to weigh on everyone's mind.
In an interview today with Traverse City Business News Publisher Luke Haase, Michigan Governor Granholm pointed to possible negotiations and an eventual caucus to resolve Michigan's Democratic presidential delegates.
Granholm said a second Michigan primary would cost $10 million, a burden Michigan taxpayers should not bear.
"How do you pay for it and how would you do it in a way that both parties - Obama and Clinton - would accept the outcome? It would have to be negotiated with Democratic National Committee, which they would have every incentive to do, because right now in this delegate count there are two big holes - Michigan and Florida.
Granholm made it clear her first choice would be to find a way to seat the delegates from the January 15 Michigan primary, but acknowledged the fact that Barack Obama was not on the ballot creates a fairness issue.
"It could not be a primary because a primary is publicly paid for, and the taxpayers would not spend any more tax dollars on a primary. So if there's anything it would have to be a caucus, but we'd have to have a way to pay for it without taxpayer dollars."
Will the circus come to Michigan? I was being a bit flip when I suggested it a while back, not thinking about all the ramifications, but I still maintain that it's a good idea. Publicity for us, money for us, candidates talking about our issues, momentum for down-ticket races, the works.
What the heck, let's do it. Make the DNC cough up some money to help.
UPDATE : The Detroit News has a big story on this today, including reactions from all your favorite (or not-so favorite) Michigan Dems.
I believe that Jack Lessenberry is closer to the truth than most Michigan Democrats would like to admit. Michigan's Democratic establishment is playing hardball and using brute force to prevent a fair fight in Michigan.
I don't think Senator Levin planned it that way at the outset, or that Levin, Granholm, Dingell, and Brewer had a "secret meeting" to decide their strategy.
These are all savvy politicians. They know what they want, and they know how to get it. They know that this is the most important election in decades. They know this is the biggest opportunity for Democrats in decades.
They know just as well as any of us does what the difference is between a caucus and no caucus in Michigan, and seating the delegates as they stand or not seating the delegates at all.
They know which candidate they support too. They have done the math and picked their pony. What they've ultimately chosen is good for them, but that's no good for Michigan or the Democratic Party.
You tell me which candidate you support, and I betcha I can tell you what you think about a caucus in Michigan. You tell me what you think about a caucus in Michigan, and I'll tell you which candidate you support.
This ain't rocketscience.
I promise, I will not be boycotting Clinton if she wins the election by the Michigan Margin. I'm a Democrat, and another Republican president could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
But you can bet the farm that other folks will boycott! This has the makings of a true disaster for the Democrats. If Florida 2000 haunts us to this day, how are we gonna feel if the Clinton operation pulls off this ham-fisted delegate rob in Michigan, and it makes the difference between President Democrat and President McCain? They always say, "Democrats always manage to rescue defeat from the jaws of victory" ...
The only near-fair solution is a showdown in Michigan and Florida. So long as the Democratic establishment in Michigan is not boxing with gloves on in this election, why should the voters, why should I?
We should be demanding a caucus, and we'll only be getting a caucus when Democratic activists say, "Either we caucus or heads are gonna roll!"
The following are key arguments that I believe support a Michigan Presidential Caucus.
ARGUMENTS:
(1) Michigan deserves to have clout in this election. So long as our delegates do not count, Michiganders do not have clout.
(2) Our 128 delegates could be decisive. The race for delegates is expected to be very close at the time of the convention, with both candidates near, but not at, a majority. Michigan could tip the balance.
(3) Michiganders deserve to see the primary candidates up close and hear the candidates debate the issues that matter in Michigan, like the health of the Great Lakes and the loss of manufacturing jobs. Michiganders will not have this opportunity if January's results stand.
(4) Michigan voters deserve to be able to choose between all of the candidates. Most of the candidates names were removed from Michigan's ballot, and "Uncommitted" won the "youth vote," the "black vote," and over 40% (200,000) of the overall votes.
(5) Michigan deserves to have our delegates seated at the Democratic National Convention. As it stands, the DNC will reject the delegates distributed at Michigan's January 15 Primary because Michigan advanced the date of our Primary in defiance of DNC rules. They will restore our delegation's voting credentials if and only if we hold a caucus.
(6) Whichever candidate wins the nomination, they must win Michigan to win the presidency. The opportunity to campaign in Michigan prior to the nominating convention would strengthen the nominee with Michigan voters.
