U.S. presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called on Sunday for full voting rights for delegates from Florida and Michigan states at the party's national convention.
"I believe party unity calls for the delegates from Florida and Michigan to be able to participate fully alongside the delegates from the other states and territories," said the Illinois Senator in a letter to the Democratic credentials committee.
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U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) delivers a speech during the 2008 National Urban League annual conference in Orlando, Florida Aug. 2, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
The two states were stripped of all delegates to the Democratic national convention from Aug. 25 to 28, where the presidential candidate will be officially elected and announced, because the state parties violated the rules by moving forward with their primary dates ahead the Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.
After a long-term negotiations, the Democratic National Committee (DNC)'s rules and bylaws committee decided on May 31 to reinstate all of Florida and Michigan's delegates to its party's presidential nomination convention in August.
However, each delegate from the two states will only have half a vote at the convention.
Based on the results of primaries in the two states where New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton prevailed, the committee gave her 105 pledged delegates from Florida and 69 from Michigan, with a total of 87 votes.
Obama, whose name was only not on the Michigan ballot at all, received 67 pledged delegates from Florida and 59 from Michigan, casting a total of 63 votes.
Neither of the two candidates has campaigned in Florida.
"As we prepare to come together in Denver, however, we must be -and will be - united in our determination to change the course of our nation," Obama said.
Clinton, who has been lobbying for Florida and Michigan delegates' full voting rights, also welcomed Obama's intervention with the credentials committee.
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U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (R) embraces Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League after delivering a speech at the 2008 National Urban League annual conference in Orlando, Florida Aug. 2, 2008.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
"The Democratic Party has always stood up for the principle of counting every person's vote," she said.
In response, the three-member credentials committee said in a Sunday statement that the issue to reinstate full voting rights for Florida and Michigan delegates would be a "top priority" at their meeting.
"As always our goal is to ensure a fair process and a unified Democratic Party so that we can win in November," said the statement.
Florida and Michigan are among swing states that are considered to play an important role in the November elections.
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)
