Pressure Mounts On Earlier Primaries

Saturday, September 1, 2007

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.

-- Chris Cillizza

AND THEY'RE OFF . . .

Candidates Working Hard on Labor Day

As America's working masses tuck into their potato salad this Labor Day weekend, they can try to seek some consolation in the passing of summer with this thought: At least they're not running for president.

Monday will mark the start of a presidential primary stretch run the likes of which we've never seen, with more debates, tougher fundraising competition and, most important, more states than ever before set to vote in January and early February, forcing candidates into a nonstop charge through late summer, fall and winter.

Looking down the barrel of this Labor Day starting gun, several candidates opted to recharge this week, even if it meant ceding the field to the competition for a few days. Passing up even a token Labor Day barbecue in Iowa or New Hampshire, Rudy Giuliani doesn't have any events until Tuesday. Barack Obama is resting with his family until Monday, when he'll attend a Labor Day rally in Manchester, N.H.

Obama will have company on the campaign trail on Monday. Also in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney will spend the day at a picnic, parade and other events. Hillary Clinton will be in Iowa with her husband, former president Bill Clinton. They're attending a picnic in Sioux City, Iowa, hosted by the Northwest Iowa Labor Council.

John McCain will also be in Iowa tomorrow and Monday. Spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan laughed aloud when asked if the 71-year-old candidate is dreading the rush that awaited. "Dread? This is when the senator's at his best, on the road, speaking to voters one on one. Once we start this weekend going, it's going to be nonstop," she said.

John Edwards has a busy Labor Day planned as well: The former senator from North Carolina starts Monday with a rally in Pittsburgh with union members, then travels to Iowa for a "Labor Day Fest" and several community meetings.

Of the highly scheduled holiday, Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz said: "The need for change in this country doesn't take time off, and neither do we."

-- Alec MacGillis

NEW TO THE SPOTLIGHT

Fundraiser Hsu Digs Deep to Make Bail

Just a week ago, businessman Norman Hsu was a free man, and little known by most Americans. Then came stories about his fundraising for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, which generated just enough national limelight to remind California authorities he skipped out on a criminal case 15 years ago. Now, Hsu is fresh out of jail on $2 million bail, and awaiting a hearing on the charge.

Hsu, who runs a New York apparel business, surrendered yesterday to California authorities to answer the early-1990s charge, and San Mateo County Superior Court Judge H. James Ellis ordered him held on $2 million bond. Hsu was briefly jailed but posted the bail and was released until a hearing next Wednesday.

Hsu had been a fugitive since a warrant was issued for his arrest after he skipped sentencing for a 1991 grand theft charge. He became a major fundraiser for Democrats including Clinton. When his fundraising work was highlighted by the Wall Street Journal earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times followed up with a story on the outstanding warrant.

"He had pleaded no contest to the theft charge and then ended up not showing up for the sentencing, and that will resolve itself however it resolves itself," Hsu's Washington lawyer Lawrence Barcella explained.

Numerous candidates who received donations from Hsu have since given the money back or donated it to charity. Clinton's campaign announced Wednesday it would donate to charity $23,000 in contributions that Hsu made to her presidential and senatorial campaigns and her political action committee. Sen. Barack Obama's campaign also announced it was giving back $7,000 Hsu had donated to Obama's causes over the years.

Barcella said he suspects all the publicity resulted in Hsu being held on a higher bail than normal. "The higher the visibility is, the lower chances of doing something like this normally," he said.

-- John Solomon