Opinion: Democrats threaten an important state--and unity

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For hours today, the second-floor conference room in Washington’s Capitol Hilton could have been a meeting of lawyers for insurance companies with individuals reporting on their plans and activities state by state. But then at 11:20 came what everyone had been waiting for:

It was Florida’s turn to report to the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee. And as The Times’ Bob Drogin fully reports here on this website and in Sunday’s print editions, the committee lowered the boom on the defiant state party that violated rules by moving its primary election ahead of Feb. 5.

As Drogin reports, despite Florida’s plea for mercy and understanding, the committee voted unanimously to strip the state of all of its delegates to the national convention in Denver next August if it doesn’t change its primary election date from Jan. 29 within 30 days. This threatens all kinds of fractious future floor fights on television at a national convention designed to weld party unity behind its new Democratic nominee for the last two-month push to the Nov. 4 election date next year.

The traditional primary schedule led off by Iowa’s caucuses and then New Hampshire’s primary has been thrown into jeopardy as numerous states, including California, move their own primary election dates forward, trying to elbow their way in to boost their importance and the attention paid to them by candidates. We had this explanation of the confusing primary process earlier today.

Somewhat dispassionately and sniffling from a head cold, state party chair Karen Thurman made Florida’s case, arousing no sympathy whatsoever among committee members and finally shrugging and saying, ‘I don’t know where this is going, but whatever.’

Donna Brazile, a committee member and former national head of the 2000 Gore campaign, was particularly firm, saying the committee had been ‘very fair, very democratic’ and vowing, ‘We’re going to back these rules.’

At 12:45 the vote came, bam, it was unanimous, Florida loses, not having persuaded a single member except its own. Its representatives looked stunned. They huddled to adopt a common public response.

‘They’re going to disenfranchise the fourth largest state?’ Thurman asked incredulously. ‘I think that’s very dangerous for the party and the nation.’ Then she vowed, ‘It’s not going to be a beauty contest.’

Sounds like this fight is far from settled.

--Andrew Malcolm