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Your Votes Count, Clinton Tells S. Fla.

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2008

FORT LAUDERDALE - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York arrived in South Florida Wednesday behind in delegates, in money, and by most counts behind in number of votes cast in the monthslong slog to the Democratic presidential nomination.

None of that mattered to the throngs of Clinton loyalists, many of whom waited for hours to see the candidate they're still hoping can defy the odds and become the first female U.S. president.

"You know what they say, 'It's not over until the fat lady sings.' And I'm not singing," said Helen Bachman, 82.

Hundreds of voters like Bachman turned up at rallies in their communities - staged at venues guaranteed to produce supportive audiences.

Clinton's main pitch was a demand that the national party count the state's disputed primary results in full.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Clinton said she is willing to take her fight to seat Florida and Michigan delegates to the convention if the two states want to go that far.

Asked whether she would support the states if they appeal an unfavorable rules committee decision to the convention floor, the former first lady replied:

"Yes I will. I will, because I feel very strongly about this.

"I will consult with Floridians and the voters in Michigan because it's really their voices that are being ignored and their votes that are being discounted, and I'll support whatever the elected officials and the voters in those two states want to do."

Clinton spoke for about 25 minutes at Century Village, west of Boca Raton, and less than half that time at Sunrise Lakes Phase IV.

The area was key in 2000 election and recount.
Floridians "learned the hard way what happens when your votes aren't counted and the candidate with fewer votes is declared the winner," she told supporters. "The lesson of 2000 here in Florida is crystal clear: If any votes aren't counted, the will of the people isn't realized and our democracy is diminished."

Many of the South Florida voters who turned out for Clinton didn't even want to entertain the notion that she might not triumph.

Aaron Short, 21, said he considers Obama "a great candidate," but said Clinton should not drop out.

"It's just ridiculous to write off Hillary Clinton because she's not as trendy as Obama," he said. "Should she give it up? I don't think so. Will she win? Realistically, probably not."

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