Personally, I would like to have a Florida caucus. There have been no large campaign rallies by the candidates, and we deserve to see and hear from them first hand here. It has been so unfortunate how this early primary flap unfolded, and it is not the voters' fault.
Another possibility for what to do with the delegates in purgatory right now, if a caucus is not held, might be to strip the superdelegates. By removing them, there is less of a risk of back room deals outside the the public's view. (We've already had a 5-4 partisan Supreme Court decide an election, and we know firsthand how THAT turned out.)
We must LET THE PEOPLE decide!
This will be VERY interesting to see what unfolds here in Florida.
DNC suggests caucuses in Michigan, FloridaBy KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN
Associated Press Writer
February 6, 2008
LANSING, Mich. --
The Democratic National Committee is pressuring Michigan and Florida to hold presidential caucuses so the delegates they lost for holding January primaries could be seated at the national convention, a top Michigan Democrat said Wednesday.
DNC member Debbie Dingell of Michigan said it's unclear whether either state would hold caucuses since they've already held primaries, Michigan on Jan. 15 and Florida on Jan. 29. She said the DNC is asking the states to consider such a plan.
Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said the party has no intention of holding another election.
"We've said all along that we're going forward with our delegate selection program using the vote on January 29," he said. "We've got more delegate applications than ever."
.....
Clinton won both states' primaries. Obama was on Florida's ballot but had pulled his name from Michigan's ballot because the state broke DNC rules by moving its primary to Jan. 15. That forced his Michigan supporters to vote for "uncommitted" and hope for a share of the uncommitted delegates.
It's unlikely that Clinton would favor holding caucuses, which could open the door to Obama victories in two states she has won. But there also is pressure to hold some kind of alternative election that meets DNC rules so the states don't have to wait to find out if the delegates will be seated.
Both states were stripped of their delegates for violating DNC rules by holding early primaries. Democratic leaders in both states expect the delegates will be seated at the convention, and Clinton recently said she would ask her delegates to support seating the Michigan and Florida delegations.
So far Obama has not heeded her call to do the same, and it's unlikely he would if it means Clinton would get the larger share of delegates from both states.
Florida has 185 pledged delegates and 25 superdelegates who face not being seated at the convention; Michigan has 128 pledged delegates and 28 superdelegates.
.....
Florida's SuperdelegatesFeb. 07, 2008
Most of the state's 22 Democratic superdelegates -- members of Congress or members of the Democratic National Committee -- have not committed to a presidential candidate. Superdelegates can support whomever they like, regardless of how their state voted. The Florida Democratic Party can be reached at 850-222-3411 or email@fladems.com
Uncommitted:
U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, Boca Raton
U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, Palm Beach Gardens
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Tampa
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, Monticello
Mitch Ceasar, Plantation
Diane Glasser, Tamarac
Karen Thurman, Tallahassee
Jon Ausman, Tallahassee
Andy Tobias, Tallahassee
Janee Murphy Tampa
Rudy Parker, Perry
Terrie Brady, Jacksonville
Hillary Clinton supporters:
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, Miami
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, Miramar
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Weston
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, Jacksonville
Raul Martinez, Hialeah
Chuck Mohlke, Naples
Barack Obama supporters:
U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler
State Rep. Joyce Cusack, DeLand
Allan Katz, Tallahassee
We shall see.