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Four days before the primary election, Hillary Clinton threatening to sue over Texas Democrats' delegate selection process

3/2/2008

"The Texas Democratic Party is warning that its primary night caucuses could be delayed or disrupted after aides to White House hopeful Hillary Clinton raised the specter of an "imminent" lawsuit over its complicated delegate selection process," reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The paper managed to obtain a letter sent late Thursday to the Clinton and Obama campaigns by Chad Dunn, the Texas Democrat Party's attorney, which "warned that a lawsuit could ruin the Democrats' effort to re-energize voters just as they are turning out in record numbers."

Said the letter:
It has been brought to my attention that one or both of your campaigns may already be planning or intending to pursue litigation against the Texas Democratic Party. ...Such action could prove to be a tragedy for a reinvigorated Democratic process.
Democrat party officials confirmed -- on condition of anonymity -- that "the Clinton campaign in particular had warned of an impending lawsuit," and that "Clinton's political director, Guy Cecil, had pointedly raised the possibility of a courtroom battle."

According to the Star-Telegram:
The letter to the two campaigns did not specify what procedures or rules might trigger a lawsuit. But one party official said the campaigns were most concerned about the caucus process, or, as the party refers to it, the "precinct conventions." Texas has 228 delegates, the biggest single cache remaining.

But only 126 delegates are doled out based on the selection voters make at the ballot box. Sixty-seven delegates -- more than many states' entire share -- are to be apportioned based on the number of people who participate in the caucuses that begin in over 8,000 precincts once the polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
And, here's why this is a good thing for the Republican party:
The intense competition between Obama and Clinton has made every delegate a precious commodity. In past years, the caucuses generated little attention or interest. Now, questions are being raised about procedures, whether there's enough space to accommodate participants and how the results will be recorded and reported. Democrats have described the enthusiasm in Texas, as evidenced by the record turnout among early voters in the most populous counties, as a sign that the party is undergoing a revival after years of decline under virtually unchallenged Republican rule.

Dunn, the Democratic Party attorney, said it could all be for naught if the Texas nomination battle winds up in court.
Yes, folks, the longer -- and more bloody (figuratively speaking, of course -- wouldn't want all those little old ladies who live in fear of Obama being harmed because he's (shhhh) *black* to get all upset again) -- that this Democrat primary is, the more the Democrat base's enthusiasm will be dampened, and the more divided that party will be come general election time.

Hillary raised $35 million in February. If she can be competitive this Tuesday -- or can simply end up in a position from which she can unleash that money on Obama regardless of her standing in the race -- then it's just that much more of our work being done for us already.


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