Monday, March 10, 2008

One Final Word on Michigan & Florida

If Harrogate cared more about Principle than Endgame, he would still be just as disgusted with both frontrunners and with the DNC for creating this fiasco. One interesting thing to be noted about those who support what the DNC and the Candidates did. On television and the primary Left Blogosphere, you never see anyone address, in a straightforward way, the following question:

Why, in the end, did the Democratic candidates for President sign the pledge?

In the absence of Answers from those quarters, Harrogate takes it upon himself to do the heavy lifting here. The only possible answers to the question Are:

1)Because it was what the Other candidates were doing. All our mothers' quandries, would you jump off a bridge if your friends were doing it, to the contrary.

2)Because (Heil!) the rules are the rules, and far be it from anyone running for the Presidency of the United States to substantively challenge a ridiculous Rule or Law. And, the rules say Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina must be privileged.

2.5)To pander to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina voters.

3)Out of a sense of inability to win the states being sanctioned, anyway. Therefore, it would be better if nobody else wins them either.

Notice, Harrogate takes as a given that believing in the Rules, and thus thinking that signing the Pledge was the Right thing to do, Is. not. an. option. Since ostensibly, none of the primary players involved are retarded.

But be all that as it may.

There are new rumblings that Charlie Crist can legally decertify the Democratic Party for the 2008General Election, based on the current scenario. It of course follows that Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm could also decertify the Democratic Party.

And so, for Harrogate, a conundrum. Endgame in politics means more to Harrogate than principle, because after all, McCain is a Republican, and therefore a McCain victory in November spells Killing a Lot More People (the Media's version of being strong on National Security) and continuing the downward economic and judicial spirals.

Yet despite the superior status of Endgame, there is something VERY appealing to Harrogate, about Michigan and Florida both pulling the Democratic nominee off of the November ballot entirely, regardless of who emerges the victor. Of course this would facilitate a McCain victory, not only through those states' electoral votes, but also as a result of the Taint (there you go Oxymoron) it would impose on the Dems overall.

But if you love principle, then the way to go is for those two states to strike back at the Democratic Party and all those many Chatterers who care only how all this affects their preferred candidate.

All those many who have gotten Rhetorically Naked and rolled around in ridiculous Rules that cannot be legitimately defended.

Such a brave and inspiring decertification probably will not happen. But as Hemingway might have said, isn't it pretty to think of?

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