Donna Brazile: ‘Clinton Gets Bragging Rights’
29 January 2008 8:03 pm by Taylor Marsh
Donna Brazile: ‘Clinton Gets Bragging Rights’ updated
“Clinton gets bragging rights,” Donna Brazile said to Wolf tonight. She also went on to say, and I’m paraphrasing loosely here, that Democrats in Florida and Michigan should each move forward, vote on a plan, then make sure their voters are counted and delegates seated at the convention.
Someone tell Barack Obama. He’s
in complete denial.
“Obama and Clinton tie for delegates in Florida,” read the missive.
“0 for Obama, 0 for Clinton.”
Ah yes, Mr. Hope’s flip side: Mr. Class. If Mr. Obama believes the Democratic party will end up ignoring Florida voters and delegates,
maybe everyone supporting him should reconsider. Two words: election 2000.
As for me, I only hope the Iowa – New Hampshire “duopoly,” as Kilgore calls it, is at an end.
But it was clear tonight that Hillary Clinton, after getting close to 800,000
votes in her column (so far), has sent a message to everyone. After her win
in Florida, Clinton took the stage with elected Florida Democratic colleagues.
Bill was nowhere in sight. He’s a terrific surrogate, but Hillary Clinton can
do this on her own. She’s done it in debate after debate and she did it tonight
after her win.
Watch the video. Classy. Focused. On message.
Anyone who thinks she’s not the one in charge is not paying attention, or refuses
to weigh the evidence. From the Clinton campaign:
Hillary will end up with more votes than John McCain.
She won women, men, and just about every age category.
She won the youth vote.
She won 6 in 10 Latinos and nearly 3 in 10 African American voters.
Well over 1.5 million Democrats cast their ballots, more than twice the number of voters who came out to vote in the 2004 primary.
Among those who decided on Election Day, a plurality of those chose Hillary.
As per Barack Obama’s usual tactics, his campaign put out a statement slamming
Clinton and her big Florida win. Like my big brother says, you learn more about
a candidate when he loses. Obama refuses to acknowledge his main rival’s win,
whether it is in Nevada or Florida. Someone around him should remind Obama that he hasn’t won the nomination, and continually reminding people of how small and petty he is isn’t a winning strategy for Super Tuesday and beyond. Consider it free advice. Evidently, he could use it.
To add… Craig Crawford just mentioned something, which is at the heart of my dissent on ignoring Michigan and especially Florida in order to prop up Iowa and New Hampshire. That Gov. Crist has become so strong, proving tonight he can deliver for Republicans, that Florida could move away from Democrats in November. Frankly, I think this has been handled poorly and putting Florida on the block over this could be a huge mistake.
UPDATE (1.30.08): Barack Obama in a Sunday interview, reported today (h/t reader FNelson):
Barack Obama hinted during a Tampa fundraiser Sunday that if he’s the presumptive
Democratic presidential nominee, he’ll seat a Florida delegation at the party’s
national convention, despite national party sanctions prohibiting it.Obama also appeared to violate a pledge he and the other leading
candidates took by holding a brief news conference outside the fundraiser.
That was less than a day after the pledge took effect Saturday, and Obama
is the first Democratic presidential candidate to visit Florida since then.Obama and others have pledged not to campaign in Florida until the Jan. 29
primary except for fundraising, which is what he was doing in Tampa.But after the fundraiser at the Hyde Park home of Tom and Linda Scarritt,
Obama crossed the street to take half a dozen questions from reporters waiting
there.The pledge covers anything referred to in Democratic National Committee
rules as “campaigning,” and those include “holding news conferences.”Obama seemed unaware the pledge he signed prohibits news conferences.
Asked whether he was violating it, he said, “I was just doing you guys
a favor. … If that’s the case, then we won’t do it again.” …
..
