Primary madness

OK. So now the primaries are almost over. The Rules & Bylaws Committee has met. The have made decisions, impossible decisions to seat the delegates in Florida and Michigan. No way to have everyone happy.

In short, they are seating all the delegates but reducing their votes in 1/2. In addition, since Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan, they have redistributed the delegates giving Clinton 69, Obama 59. The Clinton campaign is upset as that represents a loss of 4 delegates that should be in her count, not Obama's. In addition, her camp is upset that Obama got any votes at all since he wasn't even on the ballot. Good points all. but...on the flip side, 40% of the votes were for "uncommitted", so some of those represented Obama votes, and, we can't even know how many voters didn't show up to vote as their candidate wasn't even on the ballot. And....Clinton is a household name and at that time, even now, Barack Obama, needs to build the relationships and get known...this was not allowed in Michigan and Florida. They were not allowed to campaign in those states. They both agreed last year to the ruling, they both agreed to the ruling against those states for breaking the rules.

This is complicated since all votes should count. The real crime is that the DNC didn't solve this before the primaries. Why not do it like the Republicans and just cut the delegate vote in half, but BEFORE the primaries. How crazy to say to two states that their votes won't count. Its an outrage.

Now, after the fact, voters, those who voted and those who didn't since they were told their vote was meaningless, get disenfranchised.

On the Hillary website, supporters are angry and calling for all to support McCain against Obama, they are chanting "No-bama" and referring to him as BHO (note the added Hussein). On the Obama camp side, they are screaming about Hillary being desperate, stopping at nothing, she is looked at like a madwoman. Racism, sexism, all bad.

This type of extremism doesn't reflect the country at large. Most of the country has probably turned it all off months ago. There are many zealots and true believers BUT at the end of the day, most Democrats will vote Democrat, and most Republicans will vote Republican, and the votes that change the game will depend on how well the campaign is run. How well Clinton and Obama can make nice in front of their supporters and the press by mid-summer.

So, back at the Obama camp, we aren't talking Hillary smack, we are being respectful (at least here in Oakland). We are focused on organizing Voter Registration Drives to get more voters (of all persuasions), Building a volunteer base for the Fall, and planning as many community service events(Be the change) throughout the summer as possible. Oh, and raise money. Of course.