Superville Review

Julian Bond, current NAACP Chairman and veteran Civil Rights activist and politician, is a man certainly worthy of honor and respect. But his stance on the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan in the Democratic convention is puzzling to say the least. The fact that each state was warned in advance of their decision to go forward with moving up their primaries that the penalty would be harsh does not seem to play a part in Mr. Bond's request. The fact that no candidate in the Democratic race campaigned in either state nor that Mrs. Clinton was the only serious Democratic candidate on the ballot in Michigan.

Mr. Bond rightly says that the citizens of Michigan and Florida, including their populations of color, would be disenfranchised if their voters wishes were not counted and delegates not seated. That begs this question: did Mr. Bond not send a letter detailing these concerns to DNC Chairman Howard Dean at the time he made his decision to penalize Michigan and Florida? It appears late in the day to take up for the populations of Michigan and Florida after the fact. In fairness, how can Mr. Dean seat delegates from Michigan and Florida based upon votes made under the circumstances in which they were cast. One would expect Hillary Clinton to call for those delegates to be seated as she sees her delegate lead wiped out after tonight's Potomac Primary sweep for Barack Obama. But Julian Bond? A man who has fought for justice for over forty years? Where would the justice be for Mr. Obama in this instance?

Chairman Bond's letter correctly spoke of disenfranchised voters. However, what he should have requested,as opposed to delegates being seated from Michigan and Florida based on their January primary votes, is for the DNC to pay for caucuses in Michigan and Florida if not primaries. This way each candidate will have a fair opportunity to compete for Michigan and Florida voters and those states will have delegates seated at the Democratic convention based upon a fairly drawn election.

Labels: Barack Obama, Caucuses, Delegates, Democratic Converntion, DNC, Florida, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, Julian Bond, Michigan, NAACP, Primaries