2008 Woodie Awards
Packing the Polls
Mount Pleasant gears up for '08 election
By: Maria Spicketts
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: News
Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton both could have a lot to lose as a result of Tuesday's Michigan primary, political experts at CMU say.
Gary Peters, CMU's Griffin Endowed Chair of American Government, said Michigan is a critical state in the presidential election, and candidates' performance here will dictate their performance in other primaries.
"Michigan will have some impact, especially on the Republican side," he said. "Mitt Romney really needs to win Michigan. A lot of media and pundits are looking for Romney to win here because of his strong Michigan roots."
The biggest obstacle for Romney's Michigan victory is John McCain, who won the primary against then-Texas governor and current President George W. Bush in 2000.
For the Democrats, Peters said Clinton is the only major name on the ballot, and people may still vote uncommitted, which will send delegates unattached to a particular candidate to the Democratic Convention in August.
"If you're an (John) Edwards supporter or an (Barack) Obama supporter, you can vote uncommitted," Peters said. "Certainly the last thing Hillary wants to see is the uncommitteds beating her. It would be a major embarrassment for Sen. Clinton - she has everything to lose, nothing to gain in this primary."
Michigan broke party rules when moving its primary up to Jan. 15, and hence has been stripped of all its Democratic delegates and half of the Republican delegates at the respective conventions.
According to Jason Moon, spokesman for the Michigan Democratic Party, "it remains to be seen" if the Michigan Democrats will get delegates at the summer convention.
Peters said even without delegates, it's about momentum for the candidates, because voters in later primaries like to see candidates who are winning.
"It sends a message to the rest of the country as to how people are perceiving candidates and how they are voting," he said. "In presidential politics at this stage, it's all about perception and momentum and how candidates do in Michigan are important in those respects; perspective and momentum."
Bill Nowling, spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, said the primary was moved to make Michigan more influential on the national scene.
"States like Iowa and New Hampshire have had a chokehold on the nominating process as two of the least representative states in the nation," he said. "We don't think the sanction is warranted, and to make Michigan matter is better for Republicans in Michigan."
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
news@cm-life.com
Gary Peters, CMU's Griffin Endowed Chair of American Government, said Michigan is a critical state in the presidential election, and candidates' performance here will dictate their performance in other primaries.
"Michigan will have some impact, especially on the Republican side," he said. "Mitt Romney really needs to win Michigan. A lot of media and pundits are looking for Romney to win here because of his strong Michigan roots."
The biggest obstacle for Romney's Michigan victory is John McCain, who won the primary against then-Texas governor and current President George W. Bush in 2000.
For the Democrats, Peters said Clinton is the only major name on the ballot, and people may still vote uncommitted, which will send delegates unattached to a particular candidate to the Democratic Convention in August.
"If you're an (John) Edwards supporter or an (Barack) Obama supporter, you can vote uncommitted," Peters said. "Certainly the last thing Hillary wants to see is the uncommitteds beating her. It would be a major embarrassment for Sen. Clinton - she has everything to lose, nothing to gain in this primary."
Michigan broke party rules when moving its primary up to Jan. 15, and hence has been stripped of all its Democratic delegates and half of the Republican delegates at the respective conventions.
According to Jason Moon, spokesman for the Michigan Democratic Party, "it remains to be seen" if the Michigan Democrats will get delegates at the summer convention.
Peters said even without delegates, it's about momentum for the candidates, because voters in later primaries like to see candidates who are winning.
"It sends a message to the rest of the country as to how people are perceiving candidates and how they are voting," he said. "In presidential politics at this stage, it's all about perception and momentum and how candidates do in Michigan are important in those respects; perspective and momentum."
Bill Nowling, spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party, said the primary was moved to make Michigan more influential on the national scene.
"States like Iowa and New Hampshire have had a chokehold on the nominating process as two of the least representative states in the nation," he said. "We don't think the sanction is warranted, and to make Michigan matter is better for Republicans in Michigan."
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
news@cm-life.com
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Eric McDonald
posted 1/14/08 @ 6:30 PM EST
This morning I found a print copy of CM Life laying on my desk. Although I usually try to avoid reading this rag because of its grossly inaccurate reporting, I was drawn to an incomplete list of presidential candidates that appeared in bold on the front page, and felt the need to provide a more complete picture. (Continued…)
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