Dean in South Carolina today.."You’ve got to do this piece by piece"

[madfloridian]

He was at fundraisers in Columbia and Charleston.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/16576533.htm

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and states as deep red as South Carolina won’t turn blue in one election cycle, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said Monday.

Dean, former Vermont governor and 2004 presidential candidate, said in an interview with The State that Palmetto State Democrats can grow the party and make gains with better tactics.

“There’s hard work to do,” said Dean, who visited Columbia and Charleston for a pair of party fundraisers.

The state party’s voter file — a list of all voters that shows which party primaries they participate in — “has to be brought up to a high level of sophistication,” Dean said, adding the national party would help pay for its upgrade.

The state party also must develop and implement a much stronger get-out-the-vote operation, he said.

I see Florida is trying to move up to January 29, and I don't think that is right. Last year we were in March, but suddenly this year they are doing this. I think it will be unpleasant if they do.

The Democratic National Committee, the party’s governing body, created the 2008 primary calendar and said no state other than South Carolina could hold its primary or caucus Jan. 29. In fact, its edict says no other state can go before the “window opens” Feb. 5.

Dean said Monday he expects states to honor that edict. If a state defies it, candidates will suffer.

For example, if Florida insists on holding its primary Jan. 29, any candidate who campaigns in the Sunshine State would be penalized in Democratic delegates. Florida’s delegates would be rationed out to all candidates who did not campaign there.

“It’s a pretty tough rule,” Dean said.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/16576584.htm?source=rss&channel=thestate_nation

[napi21]

1. Please explain this to me. I don't understand???

"For example, if Florida insists on holding its primary Jan. 29, any candidate who campaigns in the Sunshine State would be penalized in Democratic delegates. Florida’s delegates would be rationed out to all candidates who did not campaign there."

What does Dean mean by that?

[madfloridian]

2. Those are the party rules...

Not made by him. Maybe someone else can explain it better, but I think it means a candidate loses delegates if they campaign here if the primary is before Feb. 5. I think the GOP has even stricter rules.

There was a committee set up by Terry McAuliffe in 04 to set up the primary rules. Dean did ok them, but they were set up by committee.