The Last Campaign

It's all starting to happen so fast, it is hard to keep up!

The DNC has notified the Florida Democratic Party that its delegates are not welcome at the 2008 convention if the Florida primary takes place before February 5th. Leave it to the Democrats to act like their own mascot during the first campaign since 1976 when they are this heavily favored. Howard Dean, the Father of Internet Political Fundraising (and current head of the DNC) has to be blamed for allowing the argument to get this far. The Republican machine would never let things get this out of hand. The Dems need to learn some strong-arm tactics to control the state parties. This primary schedule business needs to be off the front pages, and the candidate messages back above the fold.

With every state looking to remain relevant in the primaries, I believe we are seeing the end of the New Hampshire/Iowa early race dominance in the presidential nominating process. And it will be a shame. The partisans in these early states raise the heat, and sometimes the cream comes to the top. Other times, the candidates are burned under the bright lights of voter inquisitions. One thing is for sure - whatever process replaces NH and IA in the front of the calendar someday had better accomplish the same result - battle test the character of the candidates, one voter at a time.

Perhaps Marra and I will be part of the Last Great Retail Campaign. The last campaign where candidates are actually forced to talk directly to voters on the streets and in the coffee shops. Perhaps the 2012 campaign will be known as the MySpace campaign, where voters need to interact virtually with declared candidates to learn about their platforms. Perhaps the domestic spying program will be so successful, that Americans will no longer need to organize and go to the polls for the person of their choice. The Justice Department will just announce the winners, based on our Internet activities and anticipated preferences. Market research results will drive elections, and will replace the traditional "pressing of the flesh" and the ceremonial kissing of the babies. And it will be done before we even realize it's an election year!

Wow. Good thing we're going to New Hampshire this year, huh?

JS