[Follow up to this Daily Kos diary on Hillary Clinton’s pledge]
Since Hillary Clinton now is trying desperately to change the rules so she can get Michigan and Florida beauty pageant primaries to count in her favor, it is worth remembering the pledge that she made.
On September 1, 2007 the Hillary Clinton campaign put out the following press release (available on her campaign website) agreeing to DNC rules for Florida and Michigan:
Clinton Campaign Statement on the Four State Pledge
The following is a statement by Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle.
"We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process.
And we believe the DNC’s rules and its calendar provide the necessary structure to respect and honor that role.
Thus, we will be signing the pledge to adhere to the DNC approved nominating calendar."
On September 2, 2007 the New York Times reported:
Three of the major Democratic presidential candidates on Saturday pledged not to campaign in Florida, Michigan and other states trying to leapfrog the 2008 primary calendar, a move that solidified the importance of the opening contests of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Hours after Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina agreed to sign a loyalty pledge put forward by party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York followed suit. The decision seemed to dash any hopes of Mrs. Clinton relying on a strong showing in Florida as a springboard to the nomination.
“We believe Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina play a unique and special role in the nominating process,” Patti Solis Doyle, the Clinton campaign manager, said in a statement.
The pledge sought to preserve the status of traditional early-voting states and bring order to an unwieldy series of primaries that threatened to accelerate the selection process. It was devised to keep candidates from campaigning in Florida, where the primary is set for Jan. 29, and Michigan, which is trying to move its contest to Jan. 15.
The Democratic National Committee has vowed to take away Florida’s 210 delegates — and those of any other state that moved its nominating contest before Feb. 5 — if it does not come up with an alternative plan.
Now that she is behind in pledged delegates, is behind in states won, is behind in the popular vote with no hope of catching up to Barack Obama will she be able to keep the pledge that she made? Is Hillary Clinton’s word any good?
In one word, no.
Mash, thanks for taking the high road. I didn’t do that when I made my last blog post. In case you didn’t know, I started blogging again about six weeks ago. Click on my name and you’ll see what I wrote.
I hope I wasn’t too harsh in my analysis but some questions needed to be asked.
Robbie
Robbie, just read your blog. I am glad my old haunts are coming back to life again. It was getting lonely out here 🙂
I am having trouble taking the high road since this campaign is already in the gutter. I left a response on your post. I too am surprised that people like Pat Buchanan are being cited to bolster Hillary’s arguments. I am truly sadded.
darlings, are ‘we’ lonely out there? Yes, I need to ‘come back’ and I’ll try my best. Mash, you need to write for Obama, seriously. Is it only me who sees this and thinks, people, isn’t it clear that Hillary is really not that much of a Democrat? A moderate Republican sure. She’s also very power hungry and even though not every person who’s Republican can be dismissed as such, the Rep party is so known for the dirty tricks (in the last however many years, it apparently wasn’t always so) that Hillary would find herself in great company there. She’s crossed the line not a wee bit, she’s just clear across on the other side. And people try to make it out to be an anti-woman thing.. don’t make me laugh!
Robster, if Obama gets pushed out of the process due to all the corrupt and dirty politickin’ by the Clintons and the ignorant people who’ve supported them.. I’d say it’s high time for a Third Party so step up and Obama should/could lead it. He ought to have NO party loyalty after this whole shenanigans and there would be millions of voters glad of the chance to finally be able to stand behind a party with principals!!
Ingrid
It’s a good idea. However, I think he will win. Good always defeats evil. (laughs)
Hillary was a Republican as a youngster. She only converted after marrying Bill.