Democrats threaten an important state--and unity

For hours today, the second-floor conference room in Washington's Capitol Hilton could have been a meeting of lawyers for insurance companies with individuals reporting on their plans and activities state by state. But then at 11:20 came what everyone had been waiting for:

It was Florida's turn to report to the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee. And as The Times' Bob Drogin fully reports here on this website and in Sunday's print editions, the committee lowered the boom on the defiant state party that violated rules by moving its primary election ahead of Feb. 5.

As Drogin reports, despite Florida's plea for mercy and understanding, the committee voted unanimously to strip the state of all of its delegates to the national convention in Denver next August if it doesn't change its primary election date from Jan. 29 within 30 days. This threatens all kinds of fractious future floor fights on television at a national convention designed to weld party unity behind its new Democratic nominee for the last two-month push to the Nov. 4 election date next year.

The traditional primary schedule led off by Iowa's caucuses and then New Hampshire's primary has been thrown into jeopardy as numerous states, including California, move their own primary election dates forward, trying to elbow their way in to boost their importance and the attention paid to them by candidates. We had this explanation of the confusing primary process earlier today.

Somewhat dispassionately and sniffling from a head cold, state party chair Karen Thurman made Florida's case, arousing no sympathy whatsoever among committee members and finally shrugging and saying, "I don't know where this is going, but whatever."

Donna Brazile, a committee member and former national head of the 2000 Gore campaign, was particularly firm, saying the committee had been "very fair, very democratic" and vowing, "We're going to back these rules."

At 12:45 the vote came, bam, it was unanimous, Florida loses, not having persuaded a single member except its own. Its representatives looked stunned. They huddled to adopt a common public response.

"They're going to disenfranchise the fourth largest state?" Thurman asked incredulously. "I think that's very dangerous for the party and the nation." Then she vowed, "It's not going to be a beauty contest."

Sounds like this fight is far from settled.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[socal]

The Democratic Party *should* easily win the 2008 presidential election, but it looks like the Democratic National Committee is doing its best to mess that up. If they keep going like this, they will choke away the election.

[Impartial Observer]

It was not a unanimous vote -- one DNC member (from Florida, I believe) said "Nay" during the voice vote.

Also - you didn't mention the role of the second speaker (Osmond?) who was MUCH more compelling than Thurman ... "Give us mercy ..."

[Charles]

"But whatever"

Those two words sum it up. The Fourth Largest state in the union has thrown the gauntlet at the national comitee of one of the two guardians of the Arbitrary rule of the Two parties.

Florida looks set to fight this battle. And it will sink the Democrats faster then they coud hope to realise. It also has the potential to sink the two party system. This will end up before the Supreme Court if florida Sues. And even if they don't, Hundreds of state delegates will stage a severe protest in Denver next year.

[Former Floridian]

Having lived 20+ years in Palm Beach County, I'm not surprised by this latest circus. 14 years in Vermont has not dulled my amazement at that state's inability to go through an election cycle without something imploding. California looks like a model of sanity in this process by comparison.

It's no wonder the GOP has a 2-1 advantage in the Florida Legislature. The state chair is a joke and Senator Nelson's threatend lawsuit will further alienate voters. All the bleats coming out of the Democrats in Florida to the contrary, the blame lies soley in an ineffective state organization that is out of touch with the local electorate.

The sad part is that the Democrats have the strongest field of Presidential candidates in my lifetime. The Democratic National Committee did the right thing and should reach the same conclusion if Michigan jumps the gun as well. The candidates will be able to expend effort and funds elsewhere and the American public is clearly the winner.

Bottom line is that our most populous and diverse state, California, is usually rendered almost meaningless in this process. No more and thank heavens.. Close the book on Florida and let's move on.

[Chuck]

Gee,

The Republicans and the Democrats are running the elections. So what is the difference between that and the Communist party? NONE.

Why should podunk states like Iowa and New Hampshire tell real America who to vote for?

It is time to take our country and our system back.

[rhbee]

I don't know about the rest of you but I don't trust Florida. However, this change of primary dates is happening across the country and if we are lucky it presages the possibilty that other elements of our electoral process will be changing too. I am ready for a change.

[Edna]

Some of the comments here are blaming Florida VOTERS for things that are totally out of our control. Ditto for blaming the Florida Democratic Party for something that the Republican-controlled legislature did. That's right, it was the Republican-controlled state legislature that voted to set the primary for 1/29/07, which is a violation of the rules of BOTH parties. The Democrats would have been outvoted anyway, so went along with it because there was other important legislation in that bill, including ironically that there should be a PAPER TRAIL for each ballot cast.

So now the DNC wants to displace the blame and punishment for what the Republican state legislature did onto each and every registered Democratic voter in the state of Florida? At a time when us loyal Democrats are particularly energized, passionate, psyched and unified to take back the White House and fight for the entire Democratic agenda in 2008, the DNC decides to kick us in our gut? To take away our votes counting at the convention? To DISENFRANCHISE us? It was bad enough when Katherine Harris et al. did it, but now our own party is doing it? Ridiculous and sooooooooo self-destructive!

Please do not blame the innocent and long-suffering voters of Florida for this mess. Blame the REPUBLICAN legislature, blame a primary system that needs some tweaking, but don't blame us. First our votes didn't count in 2000. Now our primary votes won't count in 2008. And for the final blow, we get to read comments on the internet to the tune of "Those darn Florida voters have caused this all." NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lastly, I hope every Florida Democrat will turn out on 1/29/07 to the polls to vote ANYWAY. We need to send a message that we won't be disuaded from voting by the DNC, but also we need to vote on important issues such as the horrible property tax amendment which MUST BE DEFEATED. Please go to the polls on the 29th of January, Democrats, no matter how much your own party in the form of the DNC is trying to shoot itself in the foot by making you feel disenfranchised. Even though the DNC is behaving in an asanine way, we still need to go vote as the good Democrats we are. Even if the DNC doesn't seem to care about forwarding the Democratic agenda, it is up to us registered voters to do it anyway!

[b]

This is a joke