Posted on 09/01/2007 6:53:30 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Obama,Clinton, Edwards Skip Rogue Primary States
WASHINGTON (AP) — Front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton could find herself alone among Democratic presidential candidates campaigning in Florida and Michigan.
Barack Obama and John Edwards on Saturday joined three other Democrats who say they will skip states that break party rules by holding early primaries.
Their decision is a major boost to the primacy of four early voting states — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — and a welcome development to the Democratic National Committee.
Clinton aides said Friday they were reviewing the pledge. Spokesman Mo Elleithee said the New York senator is committed to the "special role" that the four states play and that she will campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire no matter the dates of their contests.
"A number of other states are undergoing a process," Elleithee said. "And we have repeatedly said we are going to let that process play out."
The DNC has tried to impose discipline on a handful of unruly states determined to vote before Feb. 5 and gain influence in the election cycle.
"Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina need to be first because in these states ideas count, not just money," Edwards said. "This tried-and-true nominating system is the only way for voters to judge the field based on the quality of the candidate, not the depth of their war chest."
Obama said the DNC's nominating process is "in the best interests of our party and our nation."
Their pledges came a day after rivals Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden endorsed the plan, which was promoted by Democratic leaders of the four early voting states that have party approval to hold early contests.
They have now agreed that they won't compete in any other states that vote before Feb. 5, as Florida plans to do and Michigan is poised to do.
Their decision is a blow to Florida, which had moved its primary to Jan. 29, and Michigan, where the legislature this week voted to push its primary to Jan. 15. Michigan acted despite the DNC's threat to punish Florida by stripping it of its 210 delegates unless it comes up with another plan in the next four weeks.
The prospect of five candidates bypassing Florida and Michigan would essentially turn those contests into non-binding beauty contests, with no delegates at stake if the DNC imposed its punishment.
The chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, Karen Thurman, has criticized the pledge, calling it "a pact to ignore tens of millions of diverse Americans by a selfish, four-state alliance of party insiders."
Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has encouraged candidates to ignore the pact, saying unfair trade policies and her state's manufacturing crisis were more important than the politics behind which states get to vote early. Granholm has been preparing to sign legislation that would move Michigan's contest to Jan. 15, despite the threat of DNC sanctions.
"We expect that all of the Democratic candidates for president will be on the ballot in Michigan on January 15th. We hope that every candidate will campaign here," Granholm said Saturday.
Among Republican presidential contenders, Michigan's decision to jump to Jan. 15 has been popular, said Saul Anuzis, the state's Republican Party chairman. Most of them plan to attend a GOP leadership conference there in September, he said.
Party rules for this cycle had Iowa's caucuses on Jan. 14, with tests in Nevada Jan. 19, New Hampshire Jan. 22 and South Carolina Jan. 29.
New Hampshire and Iowa are considering earlier contests to maintain their influence, but the pledge does not prohibit candidates from campaigning in those states even if they go earlier than the national party allows.
DNC rules committee member Martha Fuller Clark, co-chairwoman of Obama's New Hampshire campaign, applauded Obama's decision.
"The rules adopted by the DNC ensure that we recognize American diversity and, at the same time, the tremendous value of retail politics in selecting our next president," she said Saturday.
Dodd, Richardson and Biden have the most incentive to keep the contest focused on the states approved by the DNC. They have raised less money and can't afford to organize in multiple states at the same times, especially those with expensive media markets such as Florida and Michigan where Clinton is a substantial favorite in the polls.
Financial concerns also were a factor for Edwards, who has lagged behind Clinton and Obama in fundraising. Edwards also favored caucuses in Michigan, hoping a strong labor turnout would improve his chances, but the state had been moving toward a primary.
UPDATE ADDED:
Hours later, after Obama took the pledge, Clinton’s campaign chief issued a statement citing the four states’ “unique and special role in the nominating process” and said the senator, too, would “adhere to the DNC approved calendar.”
Source:
““adhere to the DNC approved calendar.””
Wonder if this is connected to the DNC’s decision to leave Florida out of the Dem primary.
Everybody just assumes that Michigan will be Democratic, because of the southeast side of the state. Oh, and all the dead democrats in Wayne County who vote. Years after they’ve died.
Local FOX just had on the head of the GOP in Orlando (Orange County)...he said the DNC just took a loaded gun and shot themselves in the head with this decision.
Local bloggers on the FOX site are all saying if they don’t want their vote in Jan then they aren’t getting it in Nov.
This has the potential to make a lively convention. If Clinton takes FL she will find a way to make those votes count, and that would mean a lot of resentful delegates watching their candidate’s victory getting snatched away.
Such shenanigans would make it interesting, but she’d be sorry in the long run. Hijacking the nomination would not enhance her popularity.
Florida RATs are too stupid to notice. Believe me....I’ve lived among them for more than 50 years.
Well, Hillary will be the nominee, this is all academic. Machine politics.
Wow, if January 15 keeps 75% of the Democrats out of Florida, what calendar date would keep 100% of the Defeatocrats out of the Sunshine State? May be worth looking into!
Everybody just assumes that Michigan will be Democratic, because of the southeast side of the state. Oh, and all the dead democrats in Wayne County who vote. Years after they’ve died.
“Yes Alex, that’s ‘One reason I will never return to Michigan.’”
Just more hysterics from the scum that gave us Howard Dean, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and the one who started every election nightmare since 2000...Albert Gore.
FL native here...and couldn’t agree with you more.
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