The DNC Should Stop Huffing Glue

The Democratic National Committee seems determined to make the 2008 Presidential election as close as possible. That is rather sporting of them and the Republican candidates must be pleased. US voters had already sent an amazingly clear message to Washington about their preferences in the 2006 mid-term elections. The Democratic Congressional leadership ignored that message, but despite that, a strong set of Democratic candidates seem well positioned to win the Presidency this fall. To do that — if the past few elections are any indication — two critical states will be Michigan and Florida. Two states where Democratic candidates will use the primaries to get their messages out to independent and moderate voters.

Wait a minute.

The DNC stripped both Florida and Michigan of their electoral delegates because they moved their primaries up. As a result, the Democratic candidates chose not to campaign in Michigan and Florida. For the last several months, independent and moderate Republican voters received a barrage of advertising from the Republican candidates without the normal simultaneous info spam from the Democrats. Staff on the ground will not have been actively running a campaign, building the expertise and toughness needed for the general election.

I wonder what impact on opinions that will have. Whether appeasing Iowa and New Hampshire will have been worth it.