Re-Doing Michigan & Florida May Decide Whether Clinton Or Obama?; Al Gore, The X-Factor?

Posted on March 6, 2008
Filed Under Journalism, commentary |

This has got to be Barack Obama’s worst nightmare: the very real prospect of do-over voting in both Michigan and Florida, two states Hillary Clinton has already won.

To recap here for those who have been in a coma or immersed in American Idol, Florida and Michigan decided to hold earlier primaries than approved by the Democratic National Committee and, in doing so, their delegates are being barred from the convention in Denver this summer.

By agreement, both Clinton and Obama did not campaign in either state; Obama’s name was not even on the ballot in Michigan (they both were on the ballot in Florida) though there was an organized campaign for his supporters to cast a protest vote as a way of showing their backing of Obama.

Hillary Clinton won the primaries in both states.

Although Clinton’s camp would like to have the Michigan and Florida delegations seated at the convention, that does not seem likely. The Obama camp will do all it can to block that.

Which bring us to Howard Dean, the Chairman of the Democratic Party.

He is now urging party officials in Florida and Michigan to come up with some plan that would repeat their nominating contests.

The Clinton side prefers another round of primaries, where she tends to do well; while the Obama side prefers caucuses where he tends to do well.

The Gore X-Factor

The fact is, there is no way the Democrats can hold a convention this summer and not have delegations from Michigan and Florida seated and fully participating. So, some solution will have to be found before then.

Should there be two new contests and Clinton wins both states again, she will have enough delegates–along with her superdelegates–to clinch the nomination.

But, if there are no new contests, or is Clinton wins Florida and Obama wins Michigan, we are pretty much right back where we started from.

Al Gore is the X-Factor here.  He could play a key role by trying to influence the non-pledged superdelgates to back either Clinton or Obama.

Or, and this is more controversial but possible, could end up being the man the party comes to this summer to save it from self-destruction. How? By making Gore the Democratic presidential candidate, something the Republicans are not prepared for.

Gore could probably beat John McCain hands-down. After all, he’d be the only candidate who, in reality, has already won a presidential election!

Would the Clinton camp be upset by this? Yes.  Would the Obama camp be upset by this?Yes.

But, sometimes drastic measures are needed and this may be one of those times.

If, by this June, neither Clinton nor Obama have enough delegates to get the nomination without a brutal, all out fight, then Al Gore should step in or be drafted to become the Democratic candidate for President of the United States.

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