Ten presidential hopefuls, proving again that personal ambition trumps party unity, have signed a letter pledging to campaign in the New Hampshire primary even if it is held at a time not approved by the Democratic National Committee.
The DNC this past weekend set up a revised primary schedule, keeping the Iowa caucuses first, followed a week later with caucuses in Nevada and then the NH primary with the South Carolina primary a week later. The plan rightfully tries to give minorities — Hispanics in Nevada’s case and blacks in SC’s case — a greater voice in selecting the party’s candidates. Now, if one candidate wins the lily white Iowa and NH races, s/he becomes much harder to beat.
But NH has been whining about this for months and have threatened to reschedule its primary, maybe as early as late-2007.
Among the 10 signers is Virginia’s own Mark Warner, who, being a good Democrat, decided to form a circle with the other candidates, raise his rifle and aim. If the party is stymied by its loyalty to a collection of interests instead of a governing philosophy, it is no less held captive to personal ambition. No surprise here. Just Dems being Dems.