Pressure Mounts On Earlier Primaries
Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu leaves the San Mateo County Jail in California after posting bail. Hsu turned himself in on a 15-year-old grand-theft warrant.
(By Justin Sullivan -- Getty Images)
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TO CAMPAIGN OR NOT . . .
Pressure Mounts On Earlier Primaries
It's getting ugly in the "who gets to vote first" battle. Last night, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), who wants to move up the date of her state's primary to Jan. 15 in violation of both national parties' rules, sent a letter to Democratic and Republican presidential candidates asking them to pledge to campaign in Michigan. In response, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, sent a letter this morning demanding that candidates "do your part and support the actions of the Rules and Bylaws Committee," of the DNC, which stipulates that only New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina may hold primaries before Feb. 5, 2008.
And now those states are getting involved. A letter released today and signed by the Democratic leaders in those four states, along with Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina -- all powerful state leaders whose endorsements are coveted by the candidates -- calls on the candidates to pledge not to campaign in any state that schedules its primary before Feb. 5.
The various letters already have the campaigns scrambling. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has already signed the pledge, saying in a statement that "this process is completely out of control and only an agreement by the candidates can restore sanity." Sens. Chris Dodd (Conn.) and Joe Biden (Del.) have also signed the pledge. Mo Elleithee, a spokesman from Sen. Hillary's Clinton's campaign, did not rule out participating in early primaries apart from those four states, saying, "We've received the letter, and we are certainly reviewing it." Clinton remains committed to competing in the first four early states, Elleithee said, but "other states are going through a process and as we've said, our position is we are going to allow that process to play out."
-- Perry Bacon Jr.
MCCAIN'S LOSS IS HIS GAIN
New 'Riders' On Romney's Team
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney continues to add to his media consulting team, recruiting two admen who were previously aligned with a rival for the GOP nomination, Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Stuart Stevens and Russ Schriefer, the principals in the Stevens and Schriefer Group, have signed on to the "Midnight Riders" -- the group of media consultants who have banded together behind Romney's presidential bid.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to join the team and eager to get to work," said Stevens this week.
Stevens and Schriefer were originally members of McCain's media team and political inner circle; Schriefer was in fact the head consultant for that effort. The duo left earlier this summer when the Arizonan's bid hit the skids. The firm was previously involved in President Bush's election in 2000 and reelection in 2004. Stevens and Schriefer join a sizable team overseen by Alex Gage, who said such a large number of media consultants is a necessity in the YouTube world.
