The mess over the Democratic primary here in Florida is becoming disheartening. The headline in the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper Friday was Tampa Activist Sues DNC. Oh man, what else could go wrong?
Well, this weekend answered that question with more bad news for Florida. Since the Four State Pledge has now gotten the support of all the Democratic presidential candidates, the time has come for the Florida Democratic Party and its chair Karen Thurman to compromise on this divisive issue.
More over the hump.
The first thing we Floridians need to do is take a deep breath and relax like GatorDem suggested the other day.
Next, we have to understand that the January 29 primary vote is going to occur whether it is binding or not. That's been set by the state legislature, and there's no way they're going to change it.
But, with the Four State Pledge, it's clear no one on the Democratic side will campaign here unless it is made non-binding as required by the DNC. It's not clear if they can or will campaign if it is non-binding, but ultimately, that doesn't matter.
The most important thing is to get all this behind us as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the confusion and fallout from the inter-party battles will lead to a disgust with all things Democratic here in the Sunshine State.
Some might say the damage has already been done. I don't agree with that. By the time nominees are chosen and we get into the actual presidential contest, most people will have forgotten all this.
We all need to focus on what the real goal is here, electing Democrats in 2008, at all levels, not just president.
If the Florida Democratic Party agrees to make the primary non-binding and decides to choose its delegates through caucuses later in the cycle, then that will meet DNC requirements and we all can move on to more productive matters.
Certainly, even if it is "only a beauty contest", all of them are going to want the momentum going into the big February 5 mega primary. While polls indicate the winner is probably a foregone conclusion, both Obama and Edwards could use a strong second place showing to continue to rally support. That makes the primary important, even if candidates don't campaign.
As I have pointed out elsewhere, our votes in this year’s primary, even if no delegates are awarded, are more meaningful than our votes were in the Florida Democratic primary of 2004 when the nominee was no longer in doubt.
But, Sen. Nelson and everyone else needs to get over all this desire to sue the DNC. And FDP Chair Thurman needs to set an example by graciously agreeing to comply with DNC rules.
This is no time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
The subhead for the news article I mentioned in the lead-in was "Dean Trying to Find Amicable Solution." Here’s an excerpt quoting Jon Ausman and Alan Katz , Florida Democrats who are both DNC members:
Ausman and Katz said the state party should consider the primary ''non-binding'' and apportion delegates after Feb. 5, possibly at caucuses or with mailed ballots. That would be costly and would have a very small turnout, Ausman said, but it would comply with DNC rules.
Ausman said the DNC has offered the state $880,000 to help with the costs of caucuses, mailed ballots or other post-primary ways of dividing delegates among presidential contenders.
This scenario is actually pretty good. Those of us in Florida should be willing to live with it and quit trying to force the DNC to make the primary count.
Instead, we make the primary "non-binding" and we hold caucuses much later in the cycle, say May. If we wait that long, according to DNC rules, we would even be awarded additional delegates.
That way we will be able to give our favorite candidate a boost in January with the beauty contest and, in the unlikely, but possible, event of no one wrapping up the convention early, we will be the site of the most hotly contested state caucuses in the country come May.
If the nominee is already decided by May, then the FDP can use the DNC money to hold perfunctory meetings and not be out anything. If the race hasn’t been decided, then the campaigns will pour tons of funds into Florida and the FDP can end up making money on the event, like Iowa does.
Sounds good to me. We need to encourage Karen Thurman and the FDP in this compromise solution.