In the fall of 2002, Robert Torricelli was the Democratic candidate for US Senator from New Jersey, and didn't have a prayer of winning. So the party decided to replace him with the veteran Frank Lautenberg. The problem was that under state election law, they had missed the deadline for such a switch by 16 days.
The New Jersey state Supreme Court sided with the Democrats, ruling, essentially, that the right of the two major parties to field a candidate in every election trumps all election law. Where in the state Constitution the court found such a right, or any special privileges for the two major parties, remained a mystery.
This month, the same thing happened in Florida. Bush's campaign missed the filing deadline, and they got to file the next day. As Running Scared writes, it's good to be the king. The difference between Florida 2004 and New Jersey 2002 is that in Jersey, the Republicans had the cojones to protest. The Florida Democrats are looking the other way.
I look forward to seeing the Democrats apply the same flexibility when Ralph Nader's campaign makes a mistake getting on the ballot.
Posted by digamma at September 12, 2004 10:56 AM | TrackBackili tute ne komprenas la sarkasmon. Neniam dum mia vivo mi estis tiel kontenta, tiel trankvila, tiel plena de bena paco, kiel hierau, kiam mi eksciis, ke Mikel-Angelo ne vivas plu. Ni eltiris ci tiun sciigon el nia gvidisto. Li kondukis nin tra mejloj da pentrajoj kaj skulptajoj en la vastaj koridoroj de Vatikano, tra mejloj da pentrajoj kaj skulptajoj en dudek aliaj palacoj; li montris al ni la grandan pentrajon de la Siksta Kapelo kaj freskojn, kiuj suficus por freskigi la tutan cielon, -- preskau cio estis farita de Mikel-Angelo. Ni decidis uzi kontrau li rimedon, per kiu ni venkis jam multajn gvidistojn -- malsago kaj idiotaj demandoj. Ci tiuj kreitajoj nenion suspektas -- ili tute ne komprenas la sarkasmon.
Posted by: elephant at January 10, 2005 06:32 AM