Jan 30, 2008 9:52 pm US/Eastern
Democrats See Florida's Vote As Worthy
WASHINGTON (CBS4) ―
It might have been a symbolic vote, but the votes that Hillary Clinton got in this year's Florida primary have sent a clear message to the party that Florida's vote cannot be ignored.
Despite Florida getting punished by getting its delegates taken away in the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton showed up in Davie for a celebration Tuesday night. Surely enough she won the state, and the momentum she has gained from this is putting Florida on the spot light again in elections' importance. Campaigns were not launched in Florida by neither her nor Barack Obama, and yet more than one million voters made up the support her and Obama got Tuesday night.
"When you take a state like Florida, which is as diverse and complex as the rest of the nation, our numbers are tremendously strong," said Democratic Chairman Joe Garcia. "Florida's delegate count is going to be counted; we're going to be seated."
Hillary promoted the same message in a speech Wednesday.
"I promise I will do everything I can to make sure not only are Florida's Democratic delegates seated," she said.
In contrast to the Republican race, which appeared to be steadily moving McCain's way, the Democratic contest was far from settled.
Former Sen. John Edwards dropped out, "so that history can blaze its path," he said.
That was a reference to the historic race unfolding between Clinton, the former first lady, and Obama, the strongest black candidate in history.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
