By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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TAMPA – Sen. Hillary Clinton is planning to travel to Florida on Tuesday night after voting in the state’s Democratic primary has ended, her campaign says.
Clinton’s campaign insisted today that the appearance would not be a violation of her pledge taken along with other Democratic candidates to not campaign in the state before its primary.
“Sen. Hillary Clinton will visit Florida to thank her supporters Tuesday night,” her campaign said in a short statement Sunday.
“She will visit the state after all polls are closed in the Florida primary, in accordance with her pledge not to campaign in the state before it’s primary,” the statement went on.
Where in Florida, exactly, she will appear has not yet been announced.
But he planned appearance in the state indicates that the New York senator is intending to play up an expected win in Florida.
But Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's campaign on Sunday ridiculed the notion that Clinton may be planning to celebrate her success in a primary where no delegates are at stake, and in which the candidates did not actively campaign
Rather than Florida, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said “the next step in this nominating process is Feb. 5th.”
That’s the day when more than 20 states will hold their Democratic primaries or caucuses, and more than 2,075 delegates will be at stake. Only 2,025 delegates are needed for the party's presidential nomination.
“If the Clinton campaign's Southern strength rests on the outcome in a state where they're the only ones competing, that should give Democrats deep pause,” Burton said.
“Again, no one is more disappointed that Florida and Michigan Democrats will have no role in selecting delegates for the nomination of the party’s standard bearer than Sen. Obama,” added Burton. “But he looks forward to vigorously competing for their votes in the general election.”
Burton was referring to the internal party squabble that led the Democratic National Committee’s decision to not seat either Florida or Michigan’s state’s delegates at the party’s national convention.
The DNC’s rules committee took that action because both states disregarded party rules in scheduling their primaries before Feb. 5.
In addition, Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards each signed a pledge not to campaign in Florida until after the primary.
But polls have shown Clinton has a significant lead in the state.
And after Obama’s huge win in South Carolina on Saturday, Florida’s primary represents the only contest in which Clinton could re-establish some momentum prior to the critically important slate of Feb, 5 contests.
As a result, she is expected to play up the importance if a victory in Florida’s delegate-less primary -- or at least promote the perception that the primary mattered.
In the last week, Clinton also has been talking about seating Florida’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
But the Obama campaign argues that Clinton’s action is a case of wanting to change the rules after the fact.
South Carolina was one of the early primary states that sought the pledge from the candidates not to campaign in Florida because it breached party calendar rules. That state’s Democratic chairwoman, Carol Fowler, refused Sunday to either support or criticize the New York senator's primary-night plans.
”I’m not the policeman of the pledge. It’s up to the candidates to decide," said Fowler.
Here husband, Don Fowler, the former DNC national chairman, is also a member of the party's rules committee that stripped Florida of its delegates. He is a Clinton backer.
In an interview today, Don Fowler conceded that: "Just the mere announcement that you're coming there (prior to the Florida primary is actually held) could be interpreted as a breach of the (no-campaigning) rules.”
But Fowler also said he considered "violating the (no campaigning) rule as the much bigger problem, in my mind."
Fowler said he was referring to Obama's launching of a national cable-TV ads on CNN and other networks last week that were seen in some Florida markets – and which prompted Clinton's campaign to cry foul.
"Obama bought paid advertising. I don't think you mention one (Clinton's primary night plans) without mentioning the other," he said.
But Don Fowler said "it is inevitable" that the winner of the Florida primary will play up its importance.
"If you win something you brag about it. If you don’t, or don’t do as well as you should, you don’t brag about it," said Don Fowler.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 641-5080.
Clinton’s campaign insisted today that the appearance would not be a violation of her pledge taken along with other Democratic candidates to not campaign in the state before its primary.
“Sen. Hillary Clinton will visit Florida to thank her supporters Tuesday night,” her campaign said in a short statement Sunday.
“She will visit the state after all polls are closed in the Florida primary, in accordance with her pledge not to campaign in the state before it’s primary,” the statement went on.
Where in Florida, exactly, she will appear has not yet been announced.
But he planned appearance in the state indicates that the New York senator is intending to play up an expected win in Florida.
But Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's campaign on Sunday ridiculed the notion that Clinton may be planning to celebrate her success in a primary where no delegates are at stake, and in which the candidates did not actively campaign
Rather than Florida, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said “the next step in this nominating process is Feb. 5th.”
That’s the day when more than 20 states will hold their Democratic primaries or caucuses, and more than 2,075 delegates will be at stake. Only 2,025 delegates are needed for the party's presidential nomination.
“If the Clinton campaign's Southern strength rests on the outcome in a state where they're the only ones competing, that should give Democrats deep pause,” Burton said.
“Again, no one is more disappointed that Florida and Michigan Democrats will have no role in selecting delegates for the nomination of the party’s standard bearer than Sen. Obama,” added Burton. “But he looks forward to vigorously competing for their votes in the general election.”
Burton was referring to the internal party squabble that led the Democratic National Committee’s decision to not seat either Florida or Michigan’s state’s delegates at the party’s national convention.
The DNC’s rules committee took that action because both states disregarded party rules in scheduling their primaries before Feb. 5.
In addition, Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards each signed a pledge not to campaign in Florida until after the primary.
But polls have shown Clinton has a significant lead in the state.
And after Obama’s huge win in South Carolina on Saturday, Florida’s primary represents the only contest in which Clinton could re-establish some momentum prior to the critically important slate of Feb, 5 contests.
As a result, she is expected to play up the importance if a victory in Florida’s delegate-less primary -- or at least promote the perception that the primary mattered.
In the last week, Clinton also has been talking about seating Florida’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
But the Obama campaign argues that Clinton’s action is a case of wanting to change the rules after the fact.
South Carolina was one of the early primary states that sought the pledge from the candidates not to campaign in Florida because it breached party calendar rules. That state’s Democratic chairwoman, Carol Fowler, refused Sunday to either support or criticize the New York senator's primary-night plans.
”I’m not the policeman of the pledge. It’s up to the candidates to decide," said Fowler.
Here husband, Don Fowler, the former DNC national chairman, is also a member of the party's rules committee that stripped Florida of its delegates. He is a Clinton backer.
In an interview today, Don Fowler conceded that: "Just the mere announcement that you're coming there (prior to the Florida primary is actually held) could be interpreted as a breach of the (no-campaigning) rules.”
But Fowler also said he considered "violating the (no campaigning) rule as the much bigger problem, in my mind."
Fowler said he was referring to Obama's launching of a national cable-TV ads on CNN and other networks last week that were seen in some Florida markets – and which prompted Clinton's campaign to cry foul.
"Obama bought paid advertising. I don't think you mention one (Clinton's primary night plans) without mentioning the other," he said.
But Don Fowler said "it is inevitable" that the winner of the Florida primary will play up its importance.
"If you win something you brag about it. If you don’t, or don’t do as well as you should, you don’t brag about it," said Don Fowler.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 641-5080.