Michigan: Democratic Ballot Called Sham, Unfair

[Purveyor]

Former U.S. Sen. Don Riegle and former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, pals since both were in office in 1994, united Monday in Detroit to tell Democratic voters who support candidates not on the presidential primary ballot to vote uncommitted.

Riegle called the ballot a sham and said it was rigged.

Hillary and Bill Clinton "don't care how they win, only that they do," he said of the candidate and her husband. "It's not very different from what used to happen in the old Soviet Union."

After Michigan defied the party by scheduling an early primary, Riegle said the Democratic candidates had an understanding that none of them would compete in Michigan. Barack Obama and John Edwards honored the commitment, but Hillary Clinton did not and gained an unfair advantage, Riegle said.

Clinton has not campaigned in Michigan, but she did leave her name on the ballot.

---EOE---

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080115/NEWS15/801150338

[trotsky]

1. I thought the party stripped Michigan of its delegates anyway...

so it wouldn't even matter how the vote turned out?

[Red Zelda]

2. Good for them

Such a "ballot" truly brings forth how rediculous the system is here in dUmbfuckiStan.

[TwilightZone]

3. What about Kucinich? He's actually campaigning there.

I don't see them falling all over themselves to condemn that.

Instead, they repeat the silly argument that "not campaigning in Michigan" = "competing" there.

[winston61]

4. I think it's an open primary there,

so screw Billary, go vote in the repuke primary and vote for McCain or Romney.

[MethuenProgressive]

5. It's just Michigan. No one cares.

Nothing that happens today matters.

[grantcart]

6. Clinton has campaigned in Michigan

Simply leaving her name on the ballot when everyone else steps back is a form of campaigning. Her landslide victory there will provide headlines (albiet small) for the uninformed and Clinton will be able to 'take the high road' etc etc etc. Classic Clinton subterfuge.

The plain fact of the matter is if she didn't want to campaign in Michigan and join in solidarity to make sure the rules are fairly enforced then she would have removed her name. Now everyone can have a big argument about what her real intention is. Funny how we know exactly what Obama and Edwards intention is, they didn't want to campaign in Michigan, didn't campaign there, took their name off the ballot and will not receive any benefit from it. . . . except by the more knowledgeable observers who are getting tired of Clinton subterfuge and are begining to think we may have to join forces to stop Clinton.