| Right now the Clinton campaign sounds like children who aren't getting their way and the Obama campaign sounds distant and unsympathetic when it comes to questions about Michigan and Florida. Their is no good position to take on the situation. Until now!
The Obama campaign can come out smelling like roses and possibly land a blow on Clinton's chin. Obama should tell both the Michigan and Florida legislatures that they want their citizens votes to count and to that end he is willing to donate $5 mill to each state to help pay for the caucuses (which most news sources are citing as costing $10 mill). He should then turn to Clinton and ask for her to pony up the other $5 mill per state. She has the option of saying "no" and looking like chump or dolling out the $5 mill per state from her campaign funds. It's a put up or shut up moment. Let Obama use his pocketbook power to hit Clinton where it hurts.
The caucuses would obviously favor Obama, but if it comes down to it then Obama can probably pony up half of the $20 mill price tag for a "re-primary" in Florida and still won more than a couple "good sport" votes. Obama still has the money and can ask Clinton to put up or shut up.
The real hang up in both states isn't the willingness to have "do-overs" but the availability of funds to run a caucus/primary. Before this turns into a very, very ugly fight at the convention credentials committee and the party loses entire populations of supporters in Michigan and Florida (which will hurt the party in November) this should be dealt with.
This is Obama's argument to win. He has to side with the voters, this is all about hope and change and protecting the rights of every person, this is Obama's campaign in a nutshell. Simply, Obama can tell Clinton to put up or shut up and can win this battle of the war. |
