Nothing's Afoot

No Deal.

I just got off the phone with the FL Dem Party. Mark Brubriski said the AP story that has been circulating today about a deal reached to settle Florida's delegate problem is inaccurate. He said there is no deal. No plan. Period. Like most everyone else, they are all hoping all the delegates will be seated and are waiting until the DNC meeting at the end of the month which promises to find a solution.

Something's Afoot

There is a buzz today about a deal in the works to settle the Florida delegate problem. I'm working the phones to Tallahassee and will let you know what I find out.

And this letter was just sent out:

Senator Barack Obama

Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680

Dear Senator Obama,

This has been an historic and exciting campaign. Millions of new voters have been brought into the process and their enthusiasm for the Democratic Party and the principles for which you and I have fought and continue to fight is unprecedented.

One of the foremost principles of our party is that citizens be allowed to vote and that those votes be counted. That principle is not currently being applied to the nearly 2.5 million people who voted in primaries in Florida and Michigan. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be hamstrung in the general election if a fair and quick resolution is not reached that ensures that the voices of these voters are heard. Our commitment now to this goal could be the difference between winning and losing in November.

I have consistently said that the votes cast in Florida and Michigan in January should be counted. We cannot ignore the fact that the people in those states took the time to be a part of this process and to make their preferences known. When efforts were untaken by leaders in those states to hold revotes to ensure that they had a voice in selecting our nominee, I supported those efforts. In Michigan, I supported a legislative effort to hold a revote that the Democratic National Committee said was in complete compliance with the party's rules. You did not support those efforts and your supporters in Michigan publically opposed them. In Florida a number of revote options were proposed. I am not aware of any that you supported. In 2000, the Republicans won an election by successfully opposing a fair counting of votes in Florida. As Democrats, we must reject any proposals that would do the same.

Your commitment to the voters of these states must be clearly stated and your support for a fair and quick resolution must be clearly demonstrated.

I am asking you to join me in working with representatives from Florida and Michigan and the Democratic National Committee to arrive at a solution that honors the votes of the millions of people who went to the polls in Florida and Michigan. It is not enough to simply seat their representatives at the convention in Denver. The people of these great states, like the people who have voted and are to vote in other states, must have a voice in selecting our party's nominee.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

###

NC 115, IN 72

Indiana and NC today. 187 total delegates up for grabs. This is the last of the big vote states. Starting May 13 we have West Virginia and then Oregon and Kentucky the week after that followed by Puerto Rico June 1 and Montana and South Dakota June 3. None of those states (territory) has more than 55 delegates.

Both Obama and Clinton have said they will still be campaigning into June regardless what happens today.

Can you imagine?

I am just getting back on my feet after an extended illness. One bout of high fever brought on hallucinations. I thought that we were already in May at didn't yet have a Democratic presidential nominee.

McCain-Pitt

Apparently the buzz grew loud enough that Sec State Rice felt she had to say something. So she did. And she said she has no plans to run as McCain's VP.

There of course is no indication the source of the McCain-Rice speculation came from anyone other than professional speculators. But this is the time in the race when such speculation is expected to be spectacular. The moment McCain announces his choice, the game is over. So get your guesses in quickly.

I speculate that McCain will look outside of politics for a running mate. Brad Pitt might be a strong choice. Of course he loses the vote of those still angry about Angelina over Jen.

Tim Tebow would secure him the North Florida vote, but I think he's already in pretty good shape there.

Drew Carey would've been an interesting choice had he not just gotten the Price if Right job.

Steve Carell can do no wrong right now. He actually might be a pretty good pick. And I have a great photo of him with my wife at a reunion. I could probably parlay that into a private tour of the White House.

Byron Leftwich seems to have some free time right now. Though, I have no idea if he's a Republican.

Alright, I have to get to work. Please feel free to post your own choices. Weirdest choice wins.

A Happy Accident

A pollster calling random voters on their positions on the presidential race, randomly called PA Gov. Ed Rendell. Rendell is PA's chief Clinton supporter.
Asked if Ed Rendell's endorsement had any impact, Rendell said, "Absolutely." The pollster obviously had no idea he was talking to Rendell.

The pollster then asked whether Sen. Casey's endorsement of Obama made him more or less likely to vote for him. Rendell said, "No difference." Rendell beat Casey for the gubernatorial nomination in 2002.

My wife calls such things Happy Accidents.

Clinton is Doing Worse But Doing Better

Hillary Clinton must be swirling. Most all polls are in step showing that her once large lead over Obama in PA has shrunk. But, and this is a big but, Quinnipiac today has Clinton doing better in key swing states than Obama against McCain and in fact has her beating McCain in these states.

Florida Clinton 44 McCain 42
Ohio Clinton 48 McCain 39
PA Clinton 48 McCain 40

Now, will this change the minds of Superdelegates when they see how Clinton is stacking up in the general election?