Detours: a country in search of direction
On the eve of the election, a reporter and photographer set out for Washington, via America. We tell stories from seven towns, touching on seven issues from politics and real life.
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
Game show themes
These themes are probably going to make some of you have flashbacks to wasted mornings or afternoons spent sprawled in front of the TV.
A Florida Democratic National Committee member trying to give Florida a voice in the Democratic presidential nomination is fed up with the brushoff he says he's getting from the party.
"There's obviously a stall going on. … They're treating Florida worse than their own dog,'' said Jon Ausman of Tallahassee, who five weeks ago filed two appeals with the DNC's rules and bylaws committee, arguing that the committee overstepped its authority in stripping away Florida's delegates to the national convention.
For weeks, Ausman said he has been unable to get calls returned by the prominent co-chairs of that committee, Alexis Herman and Jim Roosevelt, or any word on how the committee will proceed. Either they want to wait until a candidate drops out of the race or don't want to admit they made a mistake in punishing Florida so severely for setting a primary earlier than DNC rules allowed, Ausman said.
"They need to step up to the plate or they just need to admit what they're going to do, which is nothing. Obviously the process and the rules don't count,'' said Ausman, a party rules maven, whose appeals were seen as the fastest vehicle for getting Florida's delegate controversy resolved.
Neither Roosevelt nor Herman could be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, on Monday called on DNC chairman Howard Dean to release the confidential staff recommendations on Ausman's appeal.
"Under the process, staff had two weeks to make their recommendation to the co-chairs, which they have done. The co-chairs are now reviewing the recommendation. When they decide how to proceed, it will be made public,'' said DNC spokesman Luis Miranda.
Nelson and Hastings had previously unsuccessfully sued to force the DNC to recognize Florida's Jan. 29 primary, and in Dade City on Monday, Nelson said he feared Democrats could lose the White House if they leave the delegate problems with Florida and Michigan unresolved.
"Eventually this whole thing will blow up in the Democratic Party's face," Nelson said, predicting "blood on the floor" if no solution is found. "The chairman ought to be cracking the whip, saying we ought to solve this thing. It should have been solved 10 months ago."
If the rules and bylaws committee doesn't take action, it will be left to another DNC committee to act on Florida and Michigan in July or August.
Times staff writer Chuin-Wei Yap contributed to this report. Adam C. Smith can be reached at asmith@sptimes.com or (727)893-8241.
[Last modified: Apr 28, 2008 05:35 PM]
Comments on this article
by alusru
Apr 28, 2008 5:35 PM
Other states moved up their dates too and the DNC did NOT take away their citizen's votes. Florida and MI have been selectively targeted. Any candidate who doesn't want our votes to count doesn't deserve to be President! Put the PEOPLE
by Aaron
Apr 24, 2008 6:18 PM
The Dems are not innocent victims here, they unanimously supported moving up the primary date, so they deserve no sympathy. You could have held a caucus if you want. Florida's vote wont count, and they only have themselves to blame.
by Jean
Apr 24, 2008 1:18 PM
If the Democratic party doesn't want my vote now, they are not going to get it in November.I have supported many Democratic candidates for the last thirty years both financially and at the voting booth, but will vote for McCain if they don'
by George
Apr 24, 2008 12:15 PM
How can you count a vote when one of the candidates was not even on the ballot?
by Nancy
Apr 24, 2008 12:02 PM
The Republicans are the ones that set the date of the Primary. I cannot understand why everyone is blaming the Democratics. I am appauled that my vote didn't count. This is not the America I remember. I demand our votes be counted!!!
by Mary
Apr 22, 2008 2:14 PM
The votes cast in the Florida primary should be counted! Their explanation shown on C-Span seemed honest to me and should be honored by our party!
by Helen
Apr 22, 2008 12:57 PM
The Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention are clear: The DNC is in violation of rule 20, part C, paragraph 1-a: the punishment for changing dates is seating 50% of delegates, not zero! Five states broke 11�
by Hank
Apr 22, 2008 12:52 PM
This is great...The Reps are responsible for "disenfranchising" voters in 2000 but the Party is responsible now. As the last living conservative Democrat I demand that my vote count.
by geezer
Apr 22, 2008 9:57 AM
Mr. Ausman, why didn't you appeal the ruling when it was made? I saw the tape of Fl Dem legislators when they laughed and with a wink objected to the date set. Don't cry foul now. It's disengenuous.
by Reggie
Apr 22, 2008 8:43 AM
We want our votes counted. Nothing is more American than every vote being counted, period.
by Harold
Apr 22, 2008 8:43 AM
This was a GOP trick to start with. The Democrats did not set the date of the primary, the Republicans did. The DNC has played right into their hands. Stupid is as stupid does. Florida votes STILL do not count.
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery
of the St. Petersburg Times.
News
