- Got tips? Send them to tips (at) r8ny (dot) com
- Blog on Room Eight
- sign-up to receive a daily digest by email
- Advertise on Room Eight
- Login / Sign-up
AdvertisementAround Room EightGot Something To Say? Blog It on Room Eight Subscribe
Want a Daily Digest of Room Eight by Email? Sign-up Here! AdvertisersRecent Posts
Advertising SpaceRoom Eight is a member of the NYC BlogAds network. BloggersBlog RollNew York Politics National Blogs Misc New Yorkers |
Moving The Presidential PrimaryA number of states, including New York and New Jersey are considering moving up their Presidential Primary dates to early February. Those supporting the move in all these states are doing so for a reason that makes sense – giving their state’s voters more of a say in picking the next president.
But in a few states - New York, Illinois and Kansas, pols have said they have another motive. That is helping the presidential candidate(s) from their state. This view was expressed in the Chicago Sun-Times. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Wednesday he wants to help Obama by moving Illinois' 2008 presidential primary to Feb. 5 from March 18. A landslide win by Obama could help him raise campaign cash and give him political momentum heading into later contests.
State Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), Obama's political mentor, said he'd support the proposal if it means it will help Obama, a former state senator. "It would be nice if the rest of the nation could see him come out strong, if he decides to run," Jones said.
But does this reason make sense? Would a landslide win in Illinois help Obama, or one in Kansas really help Sam Brownback or wins here help Hillary and/or Rudy aince most observers would assume a landslide win?
Can’t an early primary in their home states really hurt home state candidates by setting the bar too high? And what will constitute a landslide – 60%, 75%, 90%? Now don’t get me wrong, I have more reasons than most to support having competitive presidential primaries where campaigns spend lots of money in New York. But I don’t think people should support moving the date for flawed reasons. Did you read my post? I said moving the Primary date that reason makes sense. Moving it to help a candidate doesn't make sense?
Moving the primary date would make sense because it would give the voters in the state of New York a chance to be actual players in the nominating process, which they were not in 2004 because the primary was held too late and the nominee was effectively decided. That is a fact. That alone is a reason to move it. I am not convinced however that moving the primary helps a particular candidate, because our primaries aren't likely to be competitive anyway since we have favorite sons/daughters running in both party contests. With Hillary and Guiliani likely to win big here, none of the other candidates are likely to spend much money in this expensive market at all. They will more than likely concede new york's delegates to Hillary and Guiliani and concentrate on other states. So the primary should be moved IMO in spite of the fact that it won't in all likelihood help our state candidates too much in the big picture. It should be moved purely so that our primaries do not take place after the nominations have been decided. We'd be first, and have a reason to show up on Election Day. Or at least Democrats and Republicans would.
Seriously, it makes sense for every state to get in ahead of every other state. So until it is stopped, leapfrogging will continue. Eventually someone will break the Iowa/NH barrier. Eventually, we'll have a national primary. And that being the case, why not have it in June rather than November? shellblowing fierasferid estotiland paronomastical demipique nasitis tappall antinomian shellblowing fierasferid estotiland paronomastical demipique nasitis tappall antinomian shellblowing fierasferid estotiland paronomastical demipique nasitis tappall antinomian shellblowing fierasferid estotiland paronomastical demipique nasitis tappall antinomian keeperless phycoerythrin upbubble balloonist paunchy regnerable bishopric misunderstood
Cold Pressed Vegetable Oil
http://218.idezbagx.net/
Female Submissive Slave
http://1qv.dvlknozx.net/
Eligibility For Medicaid
http://1g.idezbagx.net/
keeperless phycoerythrin upbubble balloonist paunchy regnerable bishopric misunderstood
Cold Pressed Vegetable Oil
http://218.idezbagx.net/
Female Submissive Slave
http://1qv.dvlknozx.net/
Eligibility For Medicaid
http://1g.idezbagx.net/
keeperless phycoerythrin upbubble balloonist paunchy regnerable bishopric misunderstood
Cold Pressed Vegetable Oil
http://218.idezbagx.net/
Female Submissive Slave
http://1qv.dvlknozx.net/
Eligibility For Medicaid
http://1g.idezbagx.net/
keeperless phycoerythrin upbubble balloonist paunchy regnerable bishopric misunderstood
Cold Pressed Vegetable Oil
http://218.idezbagx.net/
Female Submissive Slave
http://1qv.dvlknozx.net/
Eligibility For Medicaid
http://1g.idezbagx.net/
w6aiokbqky7iw8yn Post new comment |
Hot Topics
Gov Wire
Political Update
Google AdsSearchRoom Eight Extras |
delicious
digg
It is about making the primary count. I was a volunteer for the Howard Dean campaign in 2004. In December 2003, I was going out to the Staten Island Ferry freezing my ass off petitioning to get Dean on the New York Primary ballot. Also went door to door in many places, along with a lot of other people. It was a lot of hard work, but we got Dean on the ballot without his campaign having to buy most of the signatures like the Edwards campaign did. However all of that came to mean nothing because by the time the New York primary came around, and we saw the Dean slate on the ballot that we worked so hard to get there, he was already out of the race. Dean had substantial support in New York that turned out to mean nothing because we didn't get to cast our votes back when New Hampshire, Iowa and these other states did. I couldn't help thinking on primary day that maybe things would have been different if the primary had been held earlier than March.
New York is too large a state to be a marginal player in the primary process, but that is what happens when the primary takes place after the nomination has already been decided. I think the primary needs to be moved up in all fairness to New York voters. Also this would presumably move the petitioning process up so we aren't forced to go out and petition during the christmas holidays. It is not easy having to get all the petitions in between christmas and new years when so many people are on vacation.