U.S News & World Report asks Hillary Clinton a question about a potential caucus in Michigan and a revote in Florida:
“I would not accept a caucus. I think that would be a great disservice to the 2 million people who turned out and voted. I think that they want their votes counted. And you know a lot of people would be disenfranchised because of the timing and whatever the particular rules were. This is really going to be a serious challenge for the Democratic Party because the voters in Michigan and Florida are the ones being hurt, and certainly with respect to Florida the Democrats were dragged into doing what they did by a Republican governor and a Republican Legislature. They didn’t have any choice whatsoever. And I don’t think that there should be any do-over or any kind of a second run in Florida. I think Florida should be seated.”
Let’s forget about fairness and just talk about what benefits Hillary Clinton. Clinton received 55% of the vote in Michigan, ‘Uncommitted’ received 40%, and Dodd and Kucinich picked up an additional 5%. Obama was not on the ballot. It clearly benefits Clinton to seat the delegates as selected, especially because the latest poll out of Michigan shows them tied at 41%-41%.
Now, Michigan is proposing holding a caucus, which is easier to put together and less expensive than a second primary. Because Obama’s supporters are more committed and higher-information voters, caucuses benefit him. I can understand why Clinton doesn’t want a caucus. But it may be a caucus or nothing, because she will never win a credentials fight to get her Michigan delegates seated.
As for Florida, it isn’t obvious that a do-over would hurt her. She beat Obama 50%-33% in the Florida primary (which included Edwards) and she is currently polling at 55%-39%. It’s true that Obama generally improves his position if he has time to campaign in a state, so there is no guarantee that Clinton could repeat her strong performance in a second primary. The bottom line is that from Clinton’s point of view she’d like to get these delegates seated as is, but she’d probably be better off getting a second vote that has legitimacy.
As for fairness: the fairest thing would be new primaries in both states. If that isn’t possible, then new caucuses in both states would be preferable to nothing. It’s true that the caucus format seems to favor Obama, but caucuses would be fairer to the Michigan and Florida voters than no say at all.
I don’t really blame Clinton for fighting for her political life, but her position isn’t tenable.
