[EM] Democrats Reject Primary Challenge (FWD)

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

The leaderships of both the D's and R's continue their corruption and 
stupidity by not having a nonpartisan single winner method for electing the 
U.S. President/ Vice President (and other federal executive and judicial 
officers) (especially so that the campaigns for such officers do not have to 
go on for years before the election day).  Thus, the chaos mounts.
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Democrats Reject Primary Challenge

By DAVID AMMONS
.c The Associated Press
  
Associated Press Writerr 

SEATTLE (AP) - The Democratic Party on Friday rejected challenges to 
first-in-the-nation primary bragging rights for Iowa and New Hampshire but 
said big changes are inevitable in coming years. 

The rules committee of the Democratic National Committee turned aside 
spirited efforts by Michigan and Washington state to challenge the supremacy 
of the two make-or-break states. 

Party rules say no delegation selection can begin until March 7, with an 
exception carved out for Iowa, traditionally the first caucus state, and New 
Hampshire, the time-honored first primary state. 

Michigan wants to hold caucuses on Feb. 12 or the Saturday before New 
Hampshire's primary, whichever comes first. Washington state wants to take 
part in a presidential primary on Feb. 29, the tentative date for the New 
Hampshire primary. Iowa's caucus is tentatively set for Feb. 21. 

Arizona, South Carolina, Delaware and Oregon also have waiver requests 
pending to hold earlier primaries, but the rules panel took no action on 
those Friday. 

During lengthy debate, Iowa and New Hampshire officials conceded that the 
days of their special status may be numbered but the rules of the game should 
not be changed for the 2000 campaign for the White House nomination because 
it's in full swing in both states. 

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, the first Democratic governor in his state in 32 
years, said his defense of the special treatment is ``without reservation or 
apology.'' 

``It is not about privilege, but about permission the party has long given 
us,'' he said. 

Iowa and New Hampshire may not be microcosms of the nation, but they 
effectively air the important issues and give candidates an equal opportunity 
to strut their stuff, Vilsack and other officials from the two states said. 

But the challengers said many of the other states are weary of taking a 
backseat. 

``There is a deep resentment in our party and among many of the voters,'' 
said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. ``The two states think they have a God-given 
right to go first and they don't care.'' 

Michigan has 156 national delegates and Washington state 94, compared with 29 
for New Hampshire and 56 for Iowa. 

Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer said his party needs the early 
caucuses to compete with the attention homestate Republicans will get by 
moving the state primary up to Feb. 22 - an election he described as a 
calculated move to help Texas Gov. George W. Bush in his bid for the GOP 
nomination. 

Washington state Democrats said they have little choice but to seek the date 
change. A bipartisan commission created by the Legislature picked the Feb. 29 
date, state Chairman Paul Berendt said. 

Many of the committee members agreed that change seems inevitable. Several 
mentioned a system of regional primaries, with each region taking its turn as 
the first in the nation. 

``The system is broke and getting broker,'' said Alice Travis Germond of West 
Virginia. 

But the panel said it's too late to overhaul the system for the 2000 
campaign. 

Don Fowler of South Carolina, former Democratic national chairman, said he 
foresees ``nothing but mischief if we start granting waivers.'' States would 
play leapfrog and the whole nominating process would be over by this 
Christmas Eve, he said. 

AP-NY-06-25-99 1822EDT