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Clinton camp ramps up pressure on Michigan re-vote |
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By Andy Barr
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Posted: 03/18/08 04:09 PM [ET] |
Top aides for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) are pressuring Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to push for a re-vote in Michigan after Florida Democrats announced Monday they would not re-do their primary.
During a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Clinton campaign strategist Harold Ickes accused the Obama campaign of “dragging their feet” in Michigan.
Democratic lawmakers in the state have prepared legislation granting the use of private funds to finance a re-vote, but have yet to move on the legislation. Ickes said the holdup stems from legislators not wanting to vote on the bill until both campaigns sign off on the measure.
Clinton has repeatedly called for a re-vote, but the Obama campaign has been cool to the proposal.
Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor called the Michigan legislation “very complex” and said the campaign is “reviewing it to make sure that any solution for Michigan is fair and practical.”
Clinton deputy communications director Phil Singer told reporters on a conference call that for a re-vote in Michigan to happen, all Obama needs to do is “get in front of a microphone” and say there needs to be such a vote.
Both Ickes and Singer chided the Obama campaign for not playing a more active role and getting a re-vote in Florida and Michigan.
“It is a politically stupid thing to do,” Ickes said, accusing the Obama camp of creating “an opening” for Republicans in both states in November.
“It’s hard to put together 270 electoral votes without Michigan,” Ickes said. “We don’t understand why the Obama campaign won’t come out and say, ‘Let us have re-runs.’ ” |
