Clinton Campaign Holds Out Against Negotiation Over Florida, Michigan

Posted Mar 25, 2008 by William March

Updated Mar 25, 2008 at 01:12 PM

Hillary Clinton campaign spokesmen today accused Barack Obama of endangering the Democratic presidential nominee’s chances of winning in November by opposing seating Florida and Michigan convention delegations based on the two states’ primaries.

But the Clinton strategists also held out against negotiations to reach a compromise agreement with Obama over the issue.

“Senator Obama is now putting the Democratic Party at risk, and the future of this country” by alientaing the voters in those two states, said Clinton spokesman Phil Singer. “He’s endangering and jeopardizing Democratic prospects in two states that are going to be vital.”

If Clinton is the nominee, “I think we have a real shot at winning [Florida] this year,” added strategist Harold Ickes. But “slapping these people in the face” could prevent that. “Florida in particular is very, very sensitive about disenfranchisement.”

Clinton, who won both primaries, contends the delegations chosen under the primaries should be seated, or there should be new votes. But both primaries are considered meaningless under Democratic Party rules because they were held too early.

Ickes said there is “plenty of time” for new votes in both states—despite the apparent impossibility of holding a new election in Florida while many counties are changing over to new voting systems.

Obama contends that by urging the delegations be seated, Clinton is merely trying to change the rules for political advantage.

Ickes and Singer appeared to say no to what some see as a solution—negotiations between the two campaigns to reach a compromise.

Obama has hinted he’d be willing to negotiate.

“We don’t seen any need for that,” Ickes said, saying the votes already cast should be counted or new votes should be held.