The Spectacle Blog
At the end of last month, I warned of the likely consequences if Florida followed through on its threat to hold its primary Jan. 31. Yesterday, it was reported that the Iowa GOP had tentatively picked a Jan. 3 date for their traditional first-in-the-nation caucuses — a big “bah, humbug!” to America, whose holiday season would be ruined by campaign news.
A Jan. 3 date for the Iowa caucuses would seem to dictate a Jan. 10 date for the New Hampshire primary — state law requiring them to hold the nation’s first primary — but that might not be soon enough for the Granite State:
New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner said today he may schedule the first-in-the nation primary as early as Dec. 6, marking the first time ever that New Hampshire voters would pick a presidential candidate in December.
“Any Tuesday in December would be a possibility, but that’s one of them,” Gardner said today, when asked about a Dec. 6 primary. “It’s not something I would do lightly. It would be done regrettably, but if it has to be done, we’re going to comply with our tradition and our state law.” …
A 2012 presidential primary held in December 2011? Do not blame Gardner and New Hampshire for this. They are upholding law and tradition. Blame Florida, where self-aggrandizing Republican Party leaders deliberately tipped the first domino that has set in motion this “front-loading” insanity. Perhaps few observers noticed (or understood the significance) when several prominent members of the Florida GOP Establishment endorsed Mitt Romney on Wednesday.
Florida Republican leaders wrecked the 2012 campaign schedule on purpose, and they apparently think the rest of us are too stupid to figure out what that purpose was.
Dixie Pixie| 10.8.11 @ 12:18PM
Is this the same bunch of political geniuses who thought Gov Charlie Crist would sweep the field because he had taken every political position under the sun and thus could appeal to both the Right and Left voters?
Crist and Romney both have such great tans, hairstyles and haberdashery too.
With such Super Geniuses working on his behalf it is Mittens Romney is the one who should be worried.
Casey Abell| 10.8.11 @ 2:19PM
NH will wind up going on the second Tuesday in January, just like in 2008. Stop getting your knickers in a twist, Robert. The schedule is shaping up as reasonable.
And, in fact, Iowa ran their caucuses on January 4 in 2008. The republic survived. I really don't know why Robert is going bananas on this.
Occam's Tool| 10.8.11 @ 3:03PM
CBS poll from 10/4/11: The CBS News poll shows Cain as the top choice among self-described conservatives, with 21 percent support. (Two weeks ago, he polled at just six percent with this group.) Romney polls in second among conservatives with 15 percent support, followed by Perry at 13 percent. Cain is also the top choice of Republican primary voters who support the Tea Party, polling at 24 percent to Romney's 17 percent, Gingrich's 13 percent and Perry's 12 percent.
What famous antisemitic MD is missing from this analysis?
C Bowen| 10.9.11 @ 7:26AM
Weren't you the guy who thought Saddam was a threat?
Clint| 10.8.11 @ 4:16PM
"Texas Gov. Rick Perry has plummeted among Republican voters, ex-Gov. Mitt Romney has held steady, and Herman Cain is climbing, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll.
In a month, which saw a famously subpar debate performance, Perry has lost his lead and gone from being the favorite of 29 percent of Republicans down to 16 percent in the poll.
The Perry plummet has been steepest among Tea Party voters. The Texas governor launched his campaign in August with strong support from the right-wing movement.
Romney has held steady at 25 percent, about where he has been for a year. Cain has emerged as the latest GOP “flavor of the month,” climbing from four percent into a second-place tie with Perry at 16 percent.
Cain is a former boss at the Godfather’s Pizza chain, and the lone candidate in the Republican field who is African-American. Only one other Republican hopeful, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, breaks into double figures at 11 percent."
What Slandering Liar Screwball Israel Firster Neo-Chickenhawk Fanatic Didn't Do His Homework ?
Aaaaand, Who's His Candidate Du Jour This Week ?
PattyMor| 10.8.11 @ 5:03PM
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Herman all the way. Oh what fun it is to nominate a conservative, hey!
Dan| 10.8.11 @ 6:10PM
Can anyone explain why Iowa and New Hampshire should be privileged in the fashion they are? Where is it set in granite that "the granite state" has a say prior to, and thus far more important than, their sister several states?
Why should Iowa be entrusted in this manner, when the primacy granted to both Iowa and New Hampshire have REPEATEDLY led to establishment Republicans gaining the nomination?
What I find amazing is RSM lamenting Florida moving forward because supposedly their doing so will result in an establishment nominee. Where's he been since Reagan's nomination in 1980?
When a system results in a party being saddled with GHWB, Bob Dole, GW and John McCain, nary a Conservative amongst them, then it is self evident that the existent system is tremendously FLAWED and needs rejiggering.
I applaud Florida jumping forward, and I'm all for Iowa and New Hampshire being relegated to the figurative back of the bus for the remainder of this century!
Enough of the cranks in New Hampshire and the agricultural subsidy obsessed Iowans.
Pelligrino| 10.8.11 @ 7:40PM
Dan, thank you. I ask this question repeatedly now -- over the past several years. I ask it in places where I am told I am in the presence of true patriots who care deeply for this country.
Yet everyone shrugs their shoulders as if to say, "So what are we gonna do? It's the tradition." Or some other nonsense reply.
If you live in a state that falls into the #30 - #50 slot in the late March to early May primaries sequence, well, your concern for who should be the next US president is of lesser value (much lesser value).
By the time we get to state #12 or 14 in the primaries sequence all but 2 (maybe 3) candidates have dropped out.
Why?
It also leads to what I believe the liberals have done: The have literally cajoled, encouraged, financed "plants" to reside, live, work, and vote in places throughout Iowa and NH to "shape" the discussions, debate, newspaper articles, media slants, campus discussions, etc. prior to caucus and primary dates in IA and NH.
This is too easy to do.
Aren't there "plants" on the Iowa State U. and U. of Iowa staffs and faculties. You bettcha. Also in all the major media in those two little states? Yes.
All of us know about Iowa, NH, South Carolina, and Florida. Who can name states #20 - 30 in the primaries sequence? No one. Don't need to know. The presidential challenger to face off against President Obama will already have been selected.
We have a brain-dead stupid system for selecting the most important office.
RND| 10.8.11 @ 7:27PM
What is painfully obvious is two things:
States want to be "first" or darn near first because
1. M-O-N-E-Y ! More revenues. Hotels booked. Diners filled. Media everywhere. Every campaign still on board with full staffs at full tilt. Lots of hoopla = cold cash for the state coffers.
2. Sway. Florida wants to show its muscle this time out. Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina all punch way above their weight by being first.
Somehow it certainly is not a schedule with the right focus: Selecting the right leader for our nation and the free world.
Our primary system would be better designed by zoo chimps.
john| 10.8.11 @ 7:51PM
Wow - this author is crazy. Things change over years and the 4 states have no constitutional rights to be first. Iowa has only followed this "tradition" since 1972. This country is about free choice - if Florida wants to try to go first fine. We are not the USSR where people tell us what to do.
john dubose| 10.8.11 @ 10:12PM
This has gotten out of hand. We need to nationalize the primary process by setting several dates in which states can have their primaries or caucusses. Which states get each one needs to be random and switched with each new election cysle.
Casey Abell| 10.9.11 @ 1:25AM
People will complain about any schedule. No matter which states go first, no matter what dates are chosen, no matter who makes the decisions. I think it's a law in New Hampshire: political junkies are never allowed to be happy with the primary schedule.
Terry Cool | 10.9.11 @ 4:27AM
I don't know why Robert is going bananas on this.
CalMark| 10.9.11 @ 4:42AM
This is absurd, people. No, it is insane and immoral.
Regardless of tradition or anything else, these corrupt political bosses are cheating us out of a half-year of primary season--when candidates can really show their true colors--during this, the most crucial of election cycles.
The RINOs are trying to rig the game for Romney--can't have some nasty ol' Reagan conservative emerge, gain momentum, and ride to the nomination. Best to put the fix in and end things early, while RINO Romney still has the lead. After all, like Bob Dole and John McCain--two other shining RINO candidates--"It's Mitt's turn."
Hey, RINOs: since you seem so determined to lose the 2012 election through your corrupt backroom chicanery, let's just have each state hold its GOP primary on Wednesday, November 7, 2012--the day after the RINO loses to Obama. That'll give the "next in line" RINO FOUR WHOLE YEARS to campaign!!! And it'll stop any potential conservative threat dead in its tracks before it can even begin.
And we'll keep losing, and the GOP will kill stone-dead the conservative threat.
Mimi| 10.9.11 @ 7:43AM
By having this thing settled in late January 2012....Th news and media attention can start focusing on the Democrats....in 2008 this same attention all but guaranteed their ELECTION !
Someone clearly should have a nice talk with those in Florida....And ask whose side are they on?
The NH primary is important because, The candidates must deal directly and face to face with the people...This gives them a good looksee!I hope this doesn't get decided until late-mid 2012 and all that time we GET some well deserved good media to take it to the DEM'S....on their nickel ! Everyone knows Romney will win New Hampshire its 2, 3, and 4 we want to hear from!!
Clint| 10.9.11 @ 9:39AM
Wall Street & The Ruling Elite are setting us up for Their Frontman, Mittens Romney.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
burt| 10.9.11 @ 11:00AM
NH OPEN primary has runied the GOP primary system. The radical left in NH are registering as independents and screwing with our options by voting for the weakest options like McCain in 2008 and now Romney or Huntsman ( Obama Trojan Horse).
NH needs to CLOSE its primary of get moved to the back.
The left are choosing our candidate thank to fools in NH !
ys| 10.25.11 @ 1:50AM
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