Dems may punish candidates campaigning in states that violate new schedule

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Democrats May Punish Candidates
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 18, 2006

CHICAGO (AP) -- 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, rules committee members moved to discipline candidates who dare to campaign in states that jump ahead of the line....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Primary-Scramble.html?ex=1156564800&en=e49055a8bfe52a6a&ei=5070&emc=eta1

[Greeby]

1. Oh for Jeebus sake

Argue over that next year, we've got midterms to win

[zreosumgame]

2. seriously

fuck the DNC for trying to become even more rethuglican.

[The Sushi Bandit]

3. I guess they wont be coming to Hawai'i anytime soon!

[w4rma]

4. Has to be done to keep this schedule.

As to the schedule, it makes no difference to me whether the schedule is the old one or this one.

[sidpleasant]

5. First, I want the DNC to punish primary losers who go independent

If the DNC is going to talk tough about punishing presidential candidates perhaps they could take their new spine for a road test by punishing a Senate candidate who lost a primary and then created his own vanity political party to run in the general election against the winning Democrat.

[Demit]

6. Yup. Punish the guy who thumbs his nose at his party. He's no Dem now.