Saturday, May 31, 2008

More Anger than Unity at DNC Meeting: Hillary May Take it to Denver


Harold Ickes was mad as hell. Ickes said that Hillary reserves her right to take it to the Credentials Committee -- which is as good as saying she may take it to Denver. If anything, the crowd of Hillary supporters were even angrier than Ickes. Some were crying. Throughout the tense DNC meeting, Hillary's supporters repeatedly chanted: Denver! Denver! Denver!

(AP) — Democratic Party officials agreed Saturday to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes. . . [Harold] Ickes angrily informed the party's Rules Committee that Clinton had instructed him to reserve her right to appeal the matter to the Democrats' credentials committee, which could potentially drag the matter to the party's convention in August.

"There's been a lot of talk about party unity — let's all come together, and put our arms around each other," said Ickes, who is also a member of the Rules Committee that approved the deal. "I submit to you ladies and gentlemen, hijacking four delegates ... is not a good way to start down the path of party unity."

"This motion will hijack, hijack, remove four delegates won by Hillary Clinton and most importantly reflect the preferences of 600,000 Michigan voters. This body of 30 individuals has decided that they are going to substitute their judgment for 600,000 voters."

He noted sarcastically, "Now that's what I call democracy."

"How can you call yourselves Democrats if you don't count the vote?" one man in the audience shouted before being escorted out by security. "This is not the Democratic Party!"

"We just blew the election!" a woman in the audience shouted. . "This isn't unity! Count all the votes!" another audience member yelled.