Are The Dems Playing Games With The MI Republican Primary?
Kucinich, Obama, Edwards, Biden, and Richardson withdrew their names from the Michigan primary ballot Tuesday. “We’re very disappointed,” said Jason Moon, spokesman for Michigan’s Democratic Party. “Those two states [Iowa and New Hampshire] basically blackmailed the candidates. They forced them to sign the pledge, not to come.” Now Hillary signed the exact same pledge, she won’t campaign here prior to the primary(the promise), but won’t take her name off the ballot, therefore winning Michigan by default. In whatever limited mental capacity she is working with, Governor Granholm said, Obama and Edwards “bailed out” because they were “more loyal to Iowa and New Hampshire than they are to the other states.”
Thus the best-laid plans of Clinton and Gov. Jennifer Granholm have paid off. Thanks to an early primary pushed by Granholm, Clinton is in a position to win the first big industrial state to vote next year and her campaign doesn’t have to spend a dime in the process.
The MIGOP needs to react now to assure that the Republican primary is just that, a primary for Republican voters to cast their vote:
Under state law, voters need not verbally declare party affiliation when they go to the polls Jan. 15. Voters will have to request a ballot for either the Democratic or Republican field, most likely by checking a box on the ballot application. That’s as close to an open primary as you can get.
Of course, Saul Azunis hasn’t a clue. Thanks in spades to him, we are saddled with Granholm and Stabenow!:
GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis said “my preference is not to change and I don’t think there’s any reason to change.” He said “being early and being relevant is critical” to both parties.
It wouldn’t break my heart if this did come true:
And a semi-open primary could pose trouble if it allows independents and Democrats to show up and ask for a Republican ballot. It could, for example, benefit the most well-known candidate who arguably is former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
But the primary is about chosing who the individual wants to see in the general election. It isn’t right what has happened with the Democratic primary. The voters should be allowed to have a legitimate say during primary season, yet Michigan took that voice from them, and it appears that they are trying to take it from the Republicans as well.
Yes, I will stand up for the Democrats, even after reading that Michigan voters favor Gore!
October 11, 2007 - 01:35 PM on October 11th, 2007
I think this whole mess is awesome! Our primary system is so antiquated and badly in need of reform that all this state leap-frogging is going to force the issue.
Next spring, I don’t even know why I’ll bother voting in the Ohio Primary– the nominee will have already been decided by the time I get a change to weigh in.
October 11, 2007 - 01:56 PM on October 11th, 2007
That is the point I am making TT, and I don’t find it awesome. I read an article yesterday that made alot of sense. In a nutshell, you have 2 states, that aren’t exactly a diverse pair, deciding the general election. we have 300 million people and 2 states have that authority?
December 1, 2007 - 10:23 AM on December 1st, 2007
[...] and the Democrats of Michigan need to answer for this as well. Granholm knew what she was doing but allowed our state to waste money that it can not afford to, all in the name of [...]