As everyone knows, the Republican dominated Florida legislature moved the state’s presidential primary to January 29, 2008. Both national parties said that Florida would lose delegates at the national conventions for this decision. Chairman Dean also made clear that any candidate who campaigned for the primary in Florida would not receive any delegates from it.
Gatordem has posted a dkos diary on this issue and I’ve been writing about it over at FLAPolitics. But now the Florida MSM is jumping in with both feet. More after the bump.
In a scathing column published in TBO.com titled Democracy is Hidden in Plain Sight, Daniel Ruth has this to say about the Florida Democratic Party’s response to Dean’s intransigence:
But the Democrats, who never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, are now flirting with turning their presidential primary into a banana republic debacle that makes Hugo Chavez look like a walking "Federalist Papers."
At the moment, state Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman is holding talks with national Chairman Howard Dean on how to resolve the ballot brouhaha. Party spokesman Mark Bubriski said an agreement is expected this summer.
However, one plan under active consideration would call for a meaningless nonbinding beauty queen vote Jan. 29 with the actual delegates determined at a later date by party caucus.
A simple question for Thurman and Dean - are you two chuckleheads certifiably insane?
Could any two politicians be any more politically tone deaf than Idi Amin by considering holding an election in Florida where the votes cast will be predetermined as completely meaningless?!?!?
I hope this will be the wake-up call needed for the FDP to get clear that the primary must count. The flirting with a non-binding primary and later caucuses needs to immediately stop.
Democrats in Florida have enough problems without trying to explain this mess to voters. If we want to have any hope of success in 2008 then the state party needs to ignore any possible sanctions by the national party and enjoy the fact that the state will be in the spotlight come the new year.
You can email the party communications director at mbubriski AT fladems DOT com to let him know how you feel about this issue.