Clock Ticking on Primary Calendar Mess

canada goose clearance New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner and South Carolina GOP canada goose jacket uk Chairman Katon Dawson at an August press conference announcing primary calendar changes. (Reuters). canada goose clearance

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Political leaders continue their brinksmanship while campaigns complain about the uncertainty of trying to plan where and when to send their candidates or how to place television ads goose outlet canada without knowing the number of days they may need to be on the canada goose outlet air in canada goose outlet jackets any of the earliest states. Campaigns lobby behind the scenes for advantage.

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canada goose store There may be some relief from all this on the horizon. Campaign and party officials say that, based on their private canada goose jacket outlet store conversations and best intelligence, a consensus is building behind a calendar that would look like this: Iowa on Jan. 5, New Hampshire on Jan. 8, Nevada on Jan. 12 and South Carolina on Jan. 19. canada goose store

Canada Goose online It could take another month or so to settle what should have been resolved canada goose outlet orlando long ago. Whether that consensus calendar turns into reality depends to a great extent on the canada goose shop uk actions of two states who have canada goose outlet authentic become major antagonists canada goose outlet hong kong this cycle New Hampshire and canada goose victoria parka outlet Michigan as well as on parochial jockeying canada goose outlet nyc between the parties in some of the other states. Canada Goose online

canada goose The original calendar laid out by canada goose jacket outlet uk the Democratic National Committee preserved that tradition. It called for Iowa canada goose outlet mall to hold it’s caucuses on Jan. 14, followed by Nevada’s caucuses on Jan. 19. That plan envisioned New Hampshire’s first in the nation primary on Jan. 22, canada goose parka outlet uk followed a week later by South Carolina. canada goose

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Much has happened to blow up that plan. Florida moved its primary to Jan. 29, which prompted South Carolina Republicans to canada goose uk site move to Jan. 19. Michigan set its contests for Jan. 15,. South Carolina Democrats are likely to request a waiver to move their primary to Jan. 19 or before, depending on what else happens.

Canada Goose sale Florida’s move triggered sanctions by the DNC to deny the state seating at the national convention next year. That could be resolved in court. Other early states muscled the Democratic candidates into signing a pledge not to campaign in Florida or Michigan or any other state that breaks the DNC’s rules as a way to diminish those contests. Canada Goose sale

Whatever the outcome of all this means a far different calendar than envisioned by national party officials when they began their planning for 2008, and one far different from any in past years. Leaving aside the implications of what comes after those events namely the biggest single primary canada goose outlet in chicago day ever next Feb. 5 the sequence of events in January adds another element of unpredictability.

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cheap Canada Goose With potentially just three days between Iowa and New Hampshire, no one knows what kind of impact the Iowa results will have on New Hampshire voters. Can the candidate who stumbles in Iowa recover in New Hampshire with so little time between events? Can a surprise winner in Iowa take advantage in New Hampshire with such a quick turnaround? cheap Canada Goose

canada goose coats In the old calendar, newcomer Nevada was canada goose factory outlet toronto location awarded a prized slot as the second state to hold an event, but appeared canada goose coats uk likely not to play a significant role because it was canada goose outlet london uk squeezed between Iowa and New Hampshire. If it comes four days after New Hampshire and a week before South Carolina, its influence could be somewhat greater than expected. canada goose coats

Canada Goose Parka But nothing is settled and won’t be at least until New Hampshire secretary of state Bill Gardner announces the date of the New Hampshire primary. New Hampshire politicians worry that Gardner, in his determination to preserve the state’s first in the nation tradition, will go too far in moving up the primary date, which they believe could trigger a backlash against the state. Canada Goose Parka

canada goose clearance sale Iowans worry that that Gardner could set canada goose outlet in usa the date even earlier than Jan. 8, putting pressure on them to hold the caucuses in December although Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has said he will resist any effort to move the caucuses into 2007. He and others fear the consequences of a 2007 start date for the nominating contest would be disastrous for maintaining their special privilege in future campaigns. canada goose clearance sale

canada goose deals Here in Iowa, there is also a difference of opinion between the parties about whether to canada goose outlet kokemuksia schedule the caucuses on Saturday, Jan. 5, or Thursday, Jan. 3, and it’s possible Republicans will go on one day and Democrats on the other. canada goose deals

canada goose black friday sale Michigan’s disdain for New Hampshire drives leaders in both states. Michigan Democratic Sen. Carl Levin would like to end New Hampshire’s special role and is pressing for federal legislation canada goose outlet boston to change the entire nominating process. canada goose black friday sale

buy canada goose jacket Meanwhile, a number of Democratic candidates Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson among them are considering having their names removed from the Michigan ballot in January as a way to diminish a contest that, even if not sanctioned, could be a public relations victory for Hillary Clinton buy canada goose jacket.