“Will the GOP Election Theft Machine Do It Again in 2008?”
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5185#more-5185

peanutbutter @ 72

Susan in Iowa @ 65
You’re too nice :-) I was indirectly expressing my extreme annoyance with the primary process which shuts out most of the other states in the process of candidate selection… Barring radical change in how the primaries are done (I’d favor random assignment of primary dates across the states for each presidential election but that will never happen), California will *never* be a real participant in the primaries, as won’t most other states.

I am ancient enough to remember the 1976 campaign, when the primaries stretched all the way to June 9th and were contested everywhere. I was working for Mo Udall, who came in second in a bunch of them. I believe that was the last time we had a stretched-out process. I am less concerned about the Iowa/New Hampshire lock on first than about the effective national primary that follows. It only helps candidates like Clinton, who can raise obscene amounts of money well in advance.

I have commented before that I am not a true believer in Iowa because I live here. Any small state that could force the retail campaigning that happens here would do. Until the primaries are separated by weeks, not days, it is the only chance we have to get something other than media appearances out of the candidates. There are no killer media markets here, as in California, and there is a strong tradition of holding their feet to the fire, as that guy in New Hampton demonstrated for all to see, which makes for cheaper and more entertaining campaigns.

Iowans take a backseat to no one in demanding that candidates fess up to where they stand. It may be one reason that the Clinton margin is smaller here.

Sen. Clinton, can you promise to have every soldier out of Iraq, except those required to defend the embassy, by the end of your first term?

Clinton: (garbled response lasting 15 minutes)

Sen. Clinton, can you promise to submit legislation during your first term to achieve the health care reform you’ve advocated during this campaign?

Clinton: (garbled response lasting 15 minutes, ending in cackling laughter)

ad infinitum

Want to guess whether there would be massive buyer’s remorse within the first year if she’s elected?

The Orange Bowl is being played on the 3rd. Like it or not, this will skew attendance in favor of women. Like it or not, women on average are trending for Hillary.

The 3rd being so close to the holidays [12-21 or so thru 01-02] will freeze the race at the surface level. But, at the organizational level, where Hillary’s money, connections with the Vilsack machine and experience are significant advantages over the rest of the field, the work will go on at a feverish rate.

I am not writing this as a Hillary supporter or detractor.

Would bad weather deter Hillary’s female supporters in particular or are there enough fanatical supporters for every candidate that weather is more likely a non-issue?

Steve-AR @ 80

I may not be using it correctly, the earliest date that I can access is Feb ‘07..I will try the “Google”. I just want to read through some treads from ~’05-’06 when 50 comments were a lot.

sorry! I didn’t realize the limitations of it.

Wow, that’s something that we weren’t aware of and will see if we can find out what’s happening there.

In the mean time, if you are looking to just see some random front pages and comment history, you can type the url for a specific date and see the threads for that day.

For example:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/09/05

http://www.firedoglake.com/2005/09/05

Remember to type the date format as above, with the zeros in for the appropriate month and days.

Happy surfing.

I still love this site, but rarely comment anymore. Since all of the publicity during the Libby trial, it just isn’t the same

nothing is, Wil. Mais, plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose (just imagine the appropriate accents, pls.)

Waccamaw — They weren’t publishing names or other information beyond “married, one child” presumably to give some context to the loss of that soldier. I don’t know how I feel, actually — the loss is bad enough, but knowing there were two children left behind makes it more personal even though you don’t know that person, somehow.

But I’m not sure how I feel about that, frankly. Just wondered if they’d always been doing it and I just hadn’t seen it or if this was new. And why they started doing it.

FWIW, Christy, I’m thinking it may be a very good thing to be showing that information. It may help to bring home to some of the kool-aid drinkers just exactly what the sacrifice is they are asking of the troops. Letting them know that there’s more to it than just “well, they did volunteer to serve after all” and that there are innocent victims of the games playing.

The prognosticators are predicting Va.Tech will play W.Va. inthe Orange Bowl on Jan 3rd.

Well, at least it’s not an Iowa team. I would ask the football fan in the household about it, but he’s watching sports on TV…