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Democrats deserve a voice in the primary

By Kendall Coffey

Posted on Fri, Oct. 05, 2007 | Miami Herald

When it comes to assembling a circular firing squad, you've got to hand it to the Democratic Party. Nobody does it
better. The fiasco over the party's presidential primary has reached such farcical proportions that -- get this -- two of
the state's most prominent Democrats are suing the national party so that party members in Florida can have a say in choosing the party's next candidate for the White House.

This is Florida . . .

Think about that for a second. This is Florida, the most hotly contested battleground in national elections. Florida,
where Democrats still believe they were robbed in the 2000 election. Florida, where they're still wrangling over
18,000 ''undervotes'' in a Gulf Coast congressional race in 2006. Instead of wooing Florida's pivotal voters, the
Democratic National Committee decided to punish them by refusing to seat delegates selected in the Jan. 29
primary. Ever wonder why the party's symbol is a donkey?
Maybe the DNC has a right to be annoyed. The Jan. 29 date upsets the nationally ordained primary calendar (a
chronological relic of a bygone political era, by the way). Disenfranchising 4.25 million Florida voters, however, is
not the solution. This is an extreme example of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Florida Democrats, the
DNC and the party's ultimate standard-bearer will all pay for this blooper.

Federal courts are notoriously reluctant to leap into the political thicket, but this insult to Florida voters cries out for
judicial relief. As Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, two of the plaintiffs, said yesterday, this is not
just an internal party squabble. The primary is being held in conjunction with a state election held under state law,
and Democrats are being denied meaningful participation.
Nor is casting an effective ballot the only right that's denied. Obeying the DNC's wishes, candidates are not allowed
to campaign in Florida. They can't set up offices, hire campaign staff or run ads on the public airwaves. They can,
however, hold fundraisers.

GOP harmed as well

Think about that, too. It means that Florida Democrats who want to hear from a candidate in person, or ask
questions, must pay for the privilege. What was the DNC thinking? Republicans are sort of in the same boat insofar
as the primary date, but they've taken a softer approach.
Half of the Florida GOP delegation to the national convention will be allowed seats. There is no GOP restriction on campaigning. Sen. Nelson has invited Florida Republicans to join his lawsuit since they also are being harmed by party rules, although not as badly as the Democrats. We doubt they'll take him up on it. They're having too much fun watching the Democrats take aim at themselves.

Democrats deserve a voice in the primary - 10/05/2007 - MiamiHerald.com
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/v-print/story/261015.html 10/5/2007