Michigan Democrats for Mitt Romney!

[Xyun]

If you are a democrat in Michigan, please vote for Mitt Romney. Thx.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/10 ... /55/434206

In 1972, Republican voters in Michigan decided to make a little mischief, crossing over to vote in the open Democratic primary and voting for segregationist Democrat George Wallace, seriously embarrassing the state's Democrats. In fact, a third of the voters (PDF) in the Democratic primary were Republican crossover votes. In 1988, Republican voters again crossed over, helping Jesse Jackson win the Democratic primary, helping rack up big margins for Jackson in Republican precincts. (Michigan Republicans can clearly be counted on to practice the worst of racial politics.) In 1998, Republicans helped Jack Kevorkian's lawyer -- quack Geoffrey Feiger -- win his Democratic primary, thus guaranteeing their hold on the governor's mansion that year.

With a history of meddling in our primaries, why don't we try and return the favor. Next Tuesday, January 15th, Michigan will hold its primary. Michigan Democrats should vote for Mitt Romney, because if Mitt wins, Democrats win. How so?

For Michigan Democrats, the Democratic primary is meaningless since the DNC stripped the state of all its delegates (at least temporarily) for violating party rules. Hillary Clinton is alone on the ballot.

But on the GOP side, this primary will be fiercely contested. John McCain is currently enjoying the afterglow of media love since his New Hamsphire victory, while Iowa winner Mike Huckabee is poised to do well in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, poor Mitt Romney, who’s suffered back-to-back losses in the last week, desperately needs to win Michigan in order to keep his campaign afloat. Bottom line, if Romney loses Michigan, he's out. If he wins, he stays in.

And we want Romney in, because the more Republican candidates we have fighting it out, trashing each other with negative ads and spending tons of money, the better it is for us. We want Mitt to stay in the race, and to do that, we need him to win in Michigan.

Two polls the last couple of days show a tight race: Strategic Vision (R) shows Romney within striking distance with 20 percent to McCain's 29 (Huckabee is third with 18), while Rossman Group shows Huckabee with the lead -- 23 percent to Romney's 22 and McCain's 18.

Now here's the thing -- without a real Democratic contest on the ballot, and a lack of party registration in Michigan, this is an open primary. Anyone can pick up a Republican ballot. So Michigan Democrats and independents who want to see the Republican battle royale continue should just take a few minutes on Tuesday, January 15th to cast a ballot for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary.

If you know someone in Michigan, send them the email I've included below the fold. If you don't know someone in Michigan, send the email to your liberal friends and see if THEY have friends in Michigan. Get the word out, whether by blog, mailing list, MySpace or Facebook page, or whatever.

If we can help push Mitt over the line, not only do we help keep their field fragmented, but we also pollute Romney's victory. How "legitimate" will the Mittster's victory look if liberals provide the margin of victory? Think of the hilarity that will ensue. We'll simply be adding fuel to their civil war, never a bad thing from our vantage point.

Michigan Democrats helped deliver their state to McCain in 2000 to spite their hated governor, John Engler, who had "guaranteed" his state to Bush. To prevent such future mischief, Michigan Republicans helped push through a unified tax-payer funded primary date to supposedly keep Democrats focused on their own race (prior to this year, party contests were funded by the parties). Let's make sure their meddling with the Democratic primary and their misuse of taxpayer funds backfires on them.

Michigan is Romney’s last stand. He has pulled all advertising from other states for a last-ditch effort there. It’s sink or swim time for Romney, and we’re going to throw him a lifesaver.

So why are we doing this? Because we can. Because it'll be fun. And because we've suffered Republican meddling, stealing, and disenfranchisement in our elections for far too long.

So get the word out and get out the vote!. Email below the fold.

[Bagar-]

I like it.

[Winnow]

Some quotes from that site:

I place a high value on democracy, and I don't think that interfering with the other party's primary shows democracy respect. Sure the rules allow for this happen, but that certainly does not make it right. Others might argue that the other side has does it in the past and actively works for voter-suppression even in general elections. But I tend to be from the an-eye-for-an-eye-leads-to-more-blindness camp. I don't know. There just seems something sacred to me about voting.

I'm not a particularly emotional person, but sometimes, my eyes well up with tears when I vote--when I think about how privileged I am do be in a time and place where democracy exists--when I think about all of the ingenuity of the people who established it and when I think of all of the people who fought and died for its preservation. I just don't think it is right to defile something so special.

Isn't the "we have to stoop to their level to beat them", exactly the line of reasoning that led to guantanamo, the patriot act and water boarding?

Shame on you Xyun!

[Leonaerd]

I'm in.

[Winnow]

McCain leads Romney in Michigan

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent Mon Jan 14, 1:05 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican John McCain holds a slim lead on rival Mitt Romney in Michigan one day before the state's hotly contested presidential nominating contest, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Monday.

McCain, an Arizona senator who won the New Hampshire primary last week, narrowly leads Romney 27 percent to 24 percent among likely Republican voters in Michigan, within the poll's margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who was raised in Michigan, is hunting for a breakthrough win in the state on Tuesday to keep his White House hopes alive after second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

"It's very close, and it has been close every day that we have polled," said pollster John Zogby. The rolling survey of 915 likely Republican primary voters was taken Friday through Sunday.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won Iowa's kick-off contest, was third at 15 percent in Michigan. He was followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul at 8 percent, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at 6 percent and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson at 5 percent.

The Republican primary in Michigan is the latest battleground in the state-by-state fight to choose candidates for November's election to succeed President George W. Bush.

Democrats also will hold a primary in Michigan, but a dispute between the state and national party led top Democratic candidates Barack Obama and John Edwards to keep their names off the ballot. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York is the only top contender listed.

MCCAIN LEADS AMONG DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS

The poll found McCain, who won Michigan during his failed presidential bid in 2000, benefits in the state from support by Democrats and independents, who can vote in the Republican primary.

McCain leads Romney among Democrats 35 percent to 17 percent and among independents 33 percent to 18 percent. Romney, whose father was a former Michigan governor and auto executive, leads among Republicans 30 percent to 21 percent.

"Democrats and independents are giving McCain whatever edge he has," Zogby said.

Looks like this movement isn't working too well yet although it cracks me up that they'd even try.

Voting "uncommitted" would be more helpful if you're looking for a decent democrat nominee as Hillary will have eg on her face for losing to "uncommitted" with no Obama even on the ballet.

Also, grats on getting yourself in the republican voter database as whichever way you vote will be recorded and future calls, mailings, etc will go out based on this database, giving the republicans even more chance to sway voters...maybe not you, but it could change a few votes

Although there is no partisan registration in Michigan and it is possible to crossover it's really a bad idea.

Here's Why:

As always the devil's in the details.

The voters choice of ballot will be recorded. This, to my recollection, is a first.

The information goes to each party to update their voter database. That database will be used heavily in 2008 for GOTV (Get Out The Vote) activity.

We want to be able to identify our people and this vehicle will be very helpful.

Currently party identification on the database is thin. Very,very thin.

Old GOTV lists based on identifying supporters via phone bank calls in prior elections is the most voluminous identifier currently on the database. Other identity methods are from lists of contributors and believe it or not, letters to the editor. Letters to the editor in Michigan newspapers are checked for people who write letters favorable to Democrats or general Democratic party issues.

The election will likely be low turnout for Democrats as it is given that convention delegates won't get a first round vote and may not be seated at all.

Picking a Democratic ballot will help GOTV efforts and I have a feeling that strong GOTV may be our only hope for carrying the state.

[Dregor Thule]

Romney wins Michigan

People need to stop looking at polls. A recent Zogby poll showed that 63% of Americans agree.

[Canelek]

Polls are fine if there are nekkid wimmins using them for their dance routines.





Mmmm, sweet, sweet homonyms.