It looks like Kerry all the way. He may have won no matter what. But is sure seems odd that so many are shut out of the process.
I will gladly vote for Kerry, though I think he is not the best candidate overall. That said, to me, the most important reform after this year that we Democrats can make is to reform the nomination process and make it more open and fair to all.
Here is a link that addresses the issue:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/Politics/primaries_040207.html
What follows is some language from the article, entitled "Broken System?":
So far, voters in only nine states have weighed in on the Democratic presidential candidates, and already four candidates have dropped out of the race.
No wonder some voters feel by the time the primaries reach their state, they may not have much of a say in who the nominee will be.
"The primary system the way it is right now is broken," said Curtis Gans, of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate.
...
Some states also complain the intense focus on early primaries makes later contests less relevant.
"We just want to be a part of the process," said Mary Kiffmeyer, Minnesota's Republican secretary of state.
As president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, Kiffmeyer is campaigning for a rotating regional primary. Under that system, beginning in 2008, eastern states would vote on the same day in March, followed by the South in April, Midwest in May and West in June. In 2012, southern states would go first.
"We just want to make it more fair and equitable, distribute this around a little bit more," Kiffmeyer said.
I went to the WA caucuses today, but knew it made no difference. Kerry and momentum already won. The Democratic Party should be democratic, and we seem to be moving farther from this ideal.
If you agree that we need reform, what should be done? We have a strong group of committed people here. I'd love to see us organize and make this a real issue for the DNC to deal with in the future.
