There is discussion of the Democratic field of candidates mostly in the beginning pages of this thread. I think it has developed into a conversation mainly on the GOP because the Republican field is far more interesting. Theirs is a primary, at this point, entirely up for grabs, (at least between four of them.)

For the Democrats, its just Hillary all alone, trying not to slip up, with a distant dreamer, Obama, in the background. Yawn.

JDanger wrote:There is discussion of the Democratic field of candidates mostly in the beginning pages of this thread. I think it has developed into a conversation mainly on the GOP because the Republican field is far more interesting. Theirs is a primary, at this point, entirely up for grabs, (at least between four of them.)

For the Democrats, its just Hillary all alone, trying not to slip up, with a distant dreamer, Obama, in the background. Yawn.

\

Sad but true i fear.

The Florida primaries just officially moved up to January 29, 2008, the same day as the South Carolina primaries. Edwards leads in Iowa and Nevada, so the Florida move-up is good for Clinton (and Richardson, who formally announced today after he already jackassed his way through that first debate).

Romney is running away from the field in Iowa, according to the latest Des Moines Register poll.

The Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries are going to end up being held in November 2007.

drew patrick wrote:The Florida primaries just officially moved up to January 29, 2008, the same day as the South Carolina primaries. Edwards leads in Iowa and Nevada, so the Florida move-up is good for Clinton (and Richardson, who formally announced today after he already jackassed his way through that first debate).

Holy balls you are right! Was this just announced?

This changes everything.

Here's some recent polling from FL:

Strategic Vision Poll from May 11-13:
12. Who is your first choice for the Republican nomination in 2008? (Republicans only)
Rudy Giuliani 32%
John McCain 20%
Fred Thompson 10%
Newt Gingrich 7%
Mitt Romney 5%
Sam Brownback 3%
Tom Tancredo 2%
Mike Huckabee 2%
Ron Paul 2%
Tommy Thompson 1%
Jim Gilmore 1%
Chuck Hagel 1%
Duncan Hunter 1%
Undecided 13%

15. Who is your first choice for the Democratic nomination in 2008? (Democrats only)
Hillary Clinton 37%
Barack Obama 20%
John Edwards 19%
Joseph Biden 5%
Bill Richardson 4%
Christopher Dodd 2%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
Undecided 12%

I think you are right on, this helps the front runners. And I saw that Des Moines Register poll, too. Romney's staff is probably is on cloud nine celebrating this and the Mccain camp is clearly plotting to carpet bomb the Romney campaign this week. But it would appear Mitt has some work to do in FL. 5%?

JDanger wrote:And I saw that Des Moines Register poll, too. Romney's staff is probably is on cloud nine celebrating this and the Mccain camp is clearly plotting to carpet bomb the Romney campaign this week. But it would appear Mitt has some work to do in FL. 5%?

I suspect that Mitt will end up doing just fine in Florida when it's all said and done. McCain's jab was pretty entertaining, I thought.

I cannot and will not vote for Hillary Clinton. Fuck an oligarchy.

Germ War wrote:I cannot and will not vote for Hillary Clinton. Fuck an oligarchy.

But think of the good Bill Clinton could do as an ambassador to the world, mending some of the fences that have been the opposite of mended for 6 years and counting. I'm not a fan of Hillary, but Bubba's credibility with the world could be a silver lining in an outrageously dark cloud . . .

I found this at Congressional Quarterly:

Florida has done so [bumped it's primary] in the face of penalties threatened by the RNC and the DNC, which include confiscating some of the state’s delegates to the parties’ national conventions in late summer 2008. In addition, Democratic Party rules stipulate that any candidate who campaigns in a state that has violated Democratic scheduling rules will forfeit delegates the state retains — in effect, shutting out the state altogether

I don't buy that for a second. Bill Clinton does not have to be First Gentleman to be an ambassador to the world. And it's hardly like his track record w/r/t foreign policy was all that incredible.

Who's to say a newcomer wouldn't have the ability to mend? I expect more from the Democratic Party, but really, that's probably a mistake.

And once again, fuck Florida.

I'm still stuck on FL. There is no way this Jan 29th primary stands.

If FL blatantly disregards the rules then every state will feel compelled to disregard the rules and there will be complete DNC/RNC lawlessness, and collapse of authority. But even if the committees budge and compromise, then that still invites other states to attempt to play chicken with the committees. Or NH and IA move their primarie to Nov. '07.

Also the RNC is in a better position having Mel Martinez as co chair.