What is it with Florida and screwing up elections?
Right now there’s a big debate over what to do with their election results, which officially don’t count, and in which no candidates were allowed to campaign. Hillary did anyway, and, unsurprisingly, won.
Of course, counting the votes is unfair–only one candidate campaigned, and she was breaking the rules in doing so. So obviously, it would favor her. But then again, not counting the votes would be equally unfair–you’re disenfranchising a whole state.
Right now, I suspect that, as with Florida and the 2004 general election, 2008’s Democratic primary is going to be very close. And we’re going to end up with a big fight over Florida, the outcome of which will swing the vote one way or the other.
Except I think we’re at a critical juncture. A united Democratic front can take back the White House in 2008. A bitterly-divided Democratic party, feuding over the nomination, is going to lose. And if we get into a “credentials fight” at the DNC, it’s going to be the latter.
So, from the 49 other states–actually, 48, as Florida isn’t the only one with problems: please, figure out how to hold an election!
The people in charge of the primary knew what the rules were (are) and decided to ignore them. I think the parties would be completely wrong not to hold these states to the punishment that the rules call for. Its no different from if the ballot called for filling in a circle and people said but I want to circle the name to vote and demanded they be counted.