Donnie Fowler on Early Primaries

In his reply to me on his diary enrtry to me on MyDD.com, Donnie Fowler answers my questions about Southern states going early:

Well, thanks for chiming in here. Here are my views on the nominating calendar which answer "yes" to your question about including more places early on, including my native South ...
The most important qualifications for determining when a state casts its presidential nominating votes should be ...

(a) Small to medium size states should go first so that our presidential candidates personally face the hundreds of conversations and questions from committed voters. We need to avoid the impersonal television and rally elections that inevitably occur in bigger states and those that vote later in the season. Our eventual nominee will be better because of these retail political exercises.

(b) When combined, the first half-dozen states should represent the diversity of our Party and our country (geographic and demographic). Iowa and New Hampshire (both of which have elected and re-elected Democratic governors in recent years) should be part of this process because they represent two different regions of our country and many parts of a winning coalition. The DNC needs to carefully manage other states that also go early -- including states like South Carolina and Arizona that have recently cast early ballots -- so that more geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity is assured.

Please check out my "Plan for the New DNC" on my wesbite (www.ChangeTheParty.com) for more recommendations on moving the DNC forward.

Do not go gently into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Poet Dylan Thomas
by donnie on Wed Jan 5th, 2005 at 03:41:48 AM EST

Thanks, Donnie, that helps a lot. I'm split between him and Simon Rosenberg now that half the field has pulled out.

WHAS reported on Britney this morning.