WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- 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.
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) Photo
Gallery>>>
"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.
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.
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) Photo Gallery>>>
"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.
"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.
WASHINGTON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic
presidential hopeful Barack Obama's overseas trip last week didn't boost his
standing in presidential race, a new CNN poll has found.
Survey results, released Wednesday, show the race has
remained virtually unchanged since late June, with Obama holding a 51-44 percent
edge over his Republican rival John McCain. Full story
WASHINGTON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Americans are seeing more
TV campaign ads in this presidential election, because presidential hopefuls
Barack Obama and John McCain have intensified reach to voters, the USA Today
reported Wednesday.
Democrat Obama has spent 27 million U.S. dollars on
general-election ads while his Republican rival John McCain has spent 25 million
dollars. Full story
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic
presidential contender Barack Obama said he has a good chance to win the
presidential election, CNN reported Tuesday.
Speaking to donors at a Monday night fundraiser near
Washington, the senator from Illinois said that "the odds of us winning are very
good." Full story
