The Dems of Michigan have a bit of a quandry on their hands. Their delegates have been sent to the penalty box for moving up their primary (that's what ya get for trying to have your voices heard). Will they be released in time to be counted at the convention, and who will they vote for, if you're formerly not allowed to vote for Obama or Edwards since they're not on the ballot. If it really does come down to a tight delegate count this summer, the DNC may have an internal-Florida/Ohio situation on their hands.
WASHINGTON (CNN) Democratic leaders in Michigan are urging supporters of John Edwards and Barack Obama, who are not on the ballot in the state, to vote "uncommitted" in the January 15 primary a move that could create an unexpected headache for Hillary Clinton campaign.
Clinton is the only major presidential candidate who did not pull her name from the Michigan ballot after the national party penalized the state for scheduling the vote in mid-January, rather than later in the cycle.
The national party voted to strip Michigan of delegates as a penalty, but party leaders in the electoral-vote rich state have expressed confidence that they will be seated at the convention.
None of the candidates, including Clinton, will be campaigning here, and none have authorized write-in campaigns which means that, under state law, their supporters cannot cast write-in votes for any of them.
But if at least 15 percent of the voters in a congressional district opt for the "uncommitted" option rather than voting for Clinton, delegates not bound to any candidate could attend the national convention, a development that could allow Edwards or Obama supporters to play a role in candidate selection there.
A new group, Detroiters for Uncommitted Voters, is launching a grassroots campaign to promote the "uncommitted" option. The Detroit News reported Thursday that Democratic Rep. John Conyers and his wife, Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, said they will launch ads calling for "uncommitted" votes if there is no other way to register support for Barack Obama.
CNN Associate Political Editor Rebecca Sinderbrand
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Kos is trying to convince Michigan Democrats to get a Republican ballot and vote for Mitt Romney–the idea being that it will keep him in the race longer, drawing out the Republican nomination process, and the candidates will continue spending money fighting each other, leaving less for the general election...
He points out that apparently Michigan Republicans have a history of crossing party lines to mess with the Democratic primaries.
See here.
Not sure I buy it as a useful strategy, but it's interesting.
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