Democrats may punish candidates

Yahoo ^

[Sub-Driver]

Democrats may punish candidates

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer 15 minutes ago

Key Democrats on Friday agreed to punish Democratic presidential candidates who campaign in states that violate the party's 2008 primary-caucus schedule.

The move by the national party's rules and bylaws committee seeks to deter candidates from campaigning in renegade states by denying them delegates they may win in that state's nominating contest.

The tough stance is part of a proposed overhaul of party rules to change the decades-long tradition of keeping Iowa and New Hampshire at the starting gate of presidential nomination voting. The plan would insert Nevada between Iowa and New Hampshire and give South Carolina greater influence by scheduling its primary a week after New Hampshire's.

On Saturday, the full Democratic National Committee will vote on the rules changes. The new schedule is designed to bring more Hispanic and African-American voters into the early stages of the nominating process.

Top Democrats, however, fear that a number of states, particularly New Hampshire, will ignore the new voting lineup and choose to hold their nominating contests even earlier. Hoping to put teeth into the new schedule,

[bwteim]

Punitive behavior=party line

[Still Thinking]

Democrats may punish candidates

That will be a welcome chamge from punishing the voters, like they normally do. ;-)

[L98Fiero]

Wow. Party above all else. Sounds familiar.

[GOPJ]

On Saturday, the full Democratic National Committee will vote on the rules changes. The new schedule is designed to bring more Hispanic and African-American voters into the early stages of the nominating process

Nah, it's designed to give more power to extreme leftist running for office.

[webboy45]

The party of disenfranchisement.

[edzo4]

the party of diversity,

AS LONG AS YOU AGREE WITH EVEYTHING WE SAY!!!

[Still Thinking]

That's good, they'll never win another general election.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

NH will never let another primary come before it.

[LIConFem]

Stalin would have been proud.

[DuxFan4ever]

Denying a candidate the nominating delegates from a place as small as New Hampshire is nothing. The momentum and front runner perception gained from winning the NH primary is worth much more than the delegates. As long as cameras and 24/7 cable are covering, the candidates will be there.

[EQAndyBuzz]

They are trying to front load Hillary so that as the primaries go on, she will move further to the right, being a moderate for the general.

Who doesn't see this one coming?

Prediction - the day after the 2006 election, Hillary will apologize for her bad judgement in voting for the war.

The day after the liberal primaries are out of the way, she will start moving right again.

[DuxFan4ever]

And Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas will say absolutely nothing. They know the Clintons run as centrists and govern as liberals.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Democrats may punish candidates

May? There is some doubt?

[Tamar1973]

The tough stance is part of a proposed overhaul of party rules to change the decades-long tradition of keeping Iowa and New Hampshire at the starting gate of presidential nomination voting. The plan would insert Nevada between Iowa and New Hampshire and give South Carolina greater influence by scheduling its primary a week after New Hampshire's.

Am I missing something here?! Don't the state legislatures pick the dates of the primaries?

[NormsRevenge]

Democratic National Committee member Donna Brazile addresses members of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee during the summer meeting of the DNC in Chicago, Friday, Aug. 18, 2006. The committee voted to alter rules that aim to expand the presence of minorities, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people and people with disabilities in the party. Looking to broaden primary voting participation, the committee also voted to encourage state parties to provide for Internet voting. Some questioned whether such a step could further disenfranchise the poor and minorities, who have more limited access to computers. 'Because of the ongoing digital divide, we're going to continue to monitor how that's implemented,' said Brazile, a committee member who has been active in DNC efforts to reach out to minorities (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

[engrpat]

Wow and here I thought that just being a democrat was punishment. What more could they do to these poor people?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

But...but...Dims are inclusive and tolerant where everyone smokes a joint and hold hands. It's those evil Republicans that are behind this.

[SauronOfMordor]

The new schedule is designed to bring more Hispanic and African-American voters into the early stages of the nominating process.

Translation: they want to give an early advantage to their most Leftist candidates

[Alex1977]