...well, you get the idea. Example: Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, on why Michigan moved up the date of its Democratic presidential primary in the face of the party's directives not to do so: “January is important because if you have it later — our caucus was set for Feb 9 — this contest is going to be over by then,” Granholm explained. “What we want is these candidates to come here to hear our issues, to talk about our issues and to campaign on issues of fair trade, of universal health care, investing in the infrastructure for alternative fuels — the things that are going to help Michigan, including the Great Lakes. We aren't going to hear a candidate talking about that unless they come to Michigan."
Too bad pretty much every Democratic candidate is now pledging not to campaign in states that violate party directives in this way.
Fundamental: this race to become the first state to hold a presidential primary is absurd. It's creating a primary "system" where primaries and caucuses will be piled on top of each other early in 2008, and nominations will apparently be sewn up in a mad rush of campaigning. There will be precious little time for reflection, for seeing how candidates hold up over a long haul.
And it will create one of the longest GENERAL election campaigns in history. I doubt this is what anyone really wants. But it is what they will get.
