Democrats launch investigation of voting problems in Ohio

[bufffbison]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2004-12-06-dems-ohio_x.htm?csp=34

Democrats launch investigation of voting problems in Ohio
The Associated Press
The Democratic Party said Monday it will examine reports of voting problems in Ohio, where President Bush's victory clinched his re-election.
Outgoing Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said the party will spend "whatever it takes" to study complaints from Ohio voters that included uncounted votes, long lines, shortages of ballots, understaffed polling stations and voting machine errors.

McAuliffe said the party is not seeking to overturn the result but to ensure that every vote is counted. He said the study will be conducted by nonpartisan experts to be announced later, with a report issued in the spring that recommends reforms to prevent such problems in the future.

[Maiden England]

1. latecomers....everyone stare at them real hard

and give them a 'tut tut'

:eyes:

[Born Free]

16. windbags

these windbags are worthless, it's time to clean house and get democrats that are willing to standup for America

[bemildred]

18. No, no, they need to be "firewalled from intense criticism".

We can't have these fragile flowers subjected to abuse now, can we?
Especially if it's only for some trivial reason like the integrity of
the American Presidential elections?

[BattyDem]

2. Hey guys, so nice of you to show up!

Better late than never, huh? :eyes:

[bemildred]

3. Democrats to attempt to cover their ass in Ohio. nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. Alternative version:

Dems play it smart. Allow a database of reasonable doubts and suspicious events to be compiled by the activist wing of the party, thus firewalling themselves from intense criticism and derision by the usual critics and deriders, thus short-circuiting them and creating credibility.

Activist wing gains enormous credibility.

Offered in the interest of possible accuracy. Now, go read some Sun Tzu. ;-)

[Kolesar]

7. Avoid being labeled "sore loserman" like the gop/media did in 2000

Is there a Cliff Notes version of it?

[msgadget]

10. I'd like to think that's what's going on

but have no proof yet that they care as much about the voters as the voters do care about them.

(Edit: what the hell did I just say??)

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. If Kerry had made this about himself

then the election would have been shut down and it would have gone to the courts. That's what Team Bush was counting on. Kerry must have blown their minds when he conceded and disappeared. In the meantime, the election process continued and the votes were counted. Only once the votes were counted, could we begin to prove the criminal misconduct of the Bush misadministration.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

15. bingo...

... I have seen through this from day one. Step by step, using all the best tools available, with a dose of tact.

[4democracy]

5. A report in the SPRING??!!!, There is already been plenty of info

gathered, the DNC needs to be taking action not doing more studies and reports. too little,too late

[Cheswick2.0]

6. are they going to come up with another lame piece of legislation

like the "Voters Rights Act"? Already every state is gearing up to buy electronic voting machines for 2006.
What the heck good is another set of recommendations going to do? They won't be implimented by a republican congress. Can't Terry and friends get a grip and realize we are not fighting with ethical people?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. You sillies

Don't you realize that no election can be contested or litigated until it's been certified?

Now that the Ohio election has been certified, the doors are open to all sorts of possibilities. You should read up on how elections work in our country - particularly Presidential elections - and maybe you'll feel better.

For instance, do you realize that we do not yet have a President-elect?

[piece sine]

11. duh....

that's because the person holding the office of the President is going into a second term. According to law, the person elected to be sworn-in as President in 2005 is already president. The term "President-Elect" doesn't apply unless a newly-elected person is awaiting his or her swearing-in date. Please don't bait people at DU.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

12. Where on earth did you get this idea?

The term "President-elect" is applicable to the person who is certified the winner, regardless of what office he does or doesn't hold at the time.

Please don't regard your misconception of the facts as "baiting." It's simply information-sharing, and, as I was saying, there is no "President-elect" at the present time.

What "law" are you quoting? I'd love to read that one.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. Thank you

Most people don't realize that Bush hasn't been elected anything yet.

[msgadget]

9. Uh..

like, they just discovered there was a problem?

Looks like they're setting up for the 2006, mustn't let the Blacks feel disenfranchised. And, I thought Kerry's 17,000 lawyers were already on the case:

>McAuliffe said he briefed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry about the study Sunday night and Kerry will be monitoring the results carefully. Kerry often promised voters, particularly black voters, that his campaign would examine any allegations of voter fraud.

Many blacks said irregularities in Florida in 2000 kept their votes from being counted. Democrats want to ensure that blacks do not give up on the voting process because they are such overwhelming supporters of Democratic candidates. <


Hey, I need a big YAWNIN' smiley for this one! :boring:

[Lizzie Borden]

17. KICK

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[fshrink]

19. Typical

One big swing to port: "Whatever it takes". One big swing to starboard: "report issued in the spring". Perfect re-framing. Everybody should be happy. Or nobody. Right in the middle.