DNC miscalculated regarding Michigan

[book_worm]

Here we have a primary without everybody's name on the Democratic line so all the attention is on the GOP side. The benefit will to McCain. Why? most recent MI polls indicate that Romney is ahead among GOP voters while McCain is ahead with independents and even among Dems who will vote in the GOP race because they feel the Dem race offers no real contest (despite Daily Kos who has been encouraging dems to vote for Romney--most, in all probability, will vote for McCain). So we are likely to have McCain's momentum continue with a win in Michigan going into SC, where the latest Rasmussen poll now gives McCain a 7-point lead. Had the Dem had a competitive primary in MI we would have gotten a good share of independents and cross over dems may not have crossed over and Romney, undeniably one of the weakest of the GOP candidates, might have a better shot at winning.

So my point is by not giving Michigan a competitve dem primary we have 1) offended MI democratic voters 2) may allow the toughest of the GOP candidates in a general election (because of his independent appeal) win.

**From the responses many of you think this is meant to be anti-Dean, I suppoted Dean in '04 and think he has been a good Chairman, but I do think that Michigan can backfire on Dems in November.

[sunonmars]

1. You bet they did

Major fuck up.

Dean has made a bit of a hash on this one.

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Oh, you have GOT to be kidding!

This man is responsible for the 50-state strategy that got the Democrats back the Congress and the Senate. Maybe you'd rather have Rahm back. :eyes:

[book_worm]

5. this isn't an anti-Dean thread. Overall I think he's done a good job.

[KittyWampus]

18. Dean is going by the rules that were in place when he took office. You make an exception for 1 state

you then have made it clear you are willing to make an exception for EVERY state.

[Renew Deal]

20. It's not Dean's fault that Michigan broke the rules.

And the pukes punished Michigan too.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Yawn n/t

[book_worm]

6. could you expand why you think dems not competing in a MI primary is good?

[burythehatchet]

12. Stop this man!

[Me.]

4. Sorry But Have To Disagree

The miscalculation was on the part of those who started the ruckus in the first place. Trying to do an end run around the rules, as they were, and challenging Dean, did no one any good. The court ruling went against them for a reason. They may have a point about the same states always going first but the way the people in Michigan and Florida handles it created the disaster.

[Tarc]

7. Michigan cast itself into irrelevance

and if the voters feel pissed off or slighted, then they should turn then invective towards the people in their state who arbitrarily moved the elections up. Not on Dean.

[Buzz Clik]

8. Michigan is a layover on the road to Super Tuesday.

The attention the GOP gets for this will be minimal.

If this benefits McCain, so be it. Better him than Giuiliani, Romney, or Huckabee.

[bigtree]

9. I think the pols in Michigan have more to lose by the absence of a campaign in the state

I'd be looking for some heads to chop off if I lived there. This early primary wave sucks.

[Romulox]

10. Kerry was the only contender in the Mich 2004 primary. We haven't lost ANYTHING.

Being ignored early in the process or being ignored late in the process doesn't make much difference to us.

We have the worst economy in the country, and the nation's poorest big city, and the Democrats simply do not care about our issues. They didn't in 1996, they didn't in 2000, they didn't in 2004, and they don't now.

So basically, very little has changed.

[book_worm]

11. well my main point is that it will propell McCain towards the nomination

if he wins MI and then SC it's basically over. I honestly think he's the toughest of the GOP candidates to beat.

[burythehatchet]

13. and if he's the toughest to beat he should be ther nominee

if we deserve to win, and the election is not rigged, then we will.

[book_worm]

15. Here we argue about every vote counting and yet so many on this thread

don't seem to care that a major state with high unemployment and ethnically diverse will not have a say in our nominating contest and that we are making it easier for the candidate who is most likely to win on the GOP side to do so.

[Romulox]

16. It's the "50 state" scheme: throw away Michigan's 17 ec votes to win S. Dakota's 3!

Brilliant! :rofl:

[burythehatchet]

17. MIchigan changed the rules to benefit Hillary. Dean played by the rules.

Why is there a controversy?

[Romulox]

14. I don't care about John McCain; I care that Democrats don't support working people

Make no mistake. This is no "chicken and egg" situation.

The Democratic Party has thrown working people in Michigan overboard to capture more "independents" (read: voted for W. Bush.) This goes back to the Clinton admin, with NAFTA, "free trade" with China, etc.

None of the Democrats have the guts to come to Michigan to defend "free trade" with China, so they had no intention of setting foot in Michigan, entirely irrespective of our primary date.

[marmar]

19. Just a minor point of clarification: Cleveland is actually the nation's poorest big city.

Otherwise, right on point.

[Romulox]

21. My research suggests that they pass this grim "honor" back and forth amongst themselves.

But thanks for the correction and the support. :cheers:

[dkf]

22. I think Michigan in the early primaries would be bad

for any effort to solve our energy problems.