Right now, they're livid about the fact that their votes (they registered to vote without knowing there was a kerfuffle going on in Fla--newish residents).

These Democratic voters, ones who cast their first votes for Kennedy, went to the booths in Jan...they voted.

I would suggest that a) you let them be angry and b) don't poke them with the "Ralph" stick, which will just anger them even more at this point.

I don't ask for perfection from my candidates. Obviously being a Floridian I have settled many times for very imperfect candidates.

Everyone draws their own line in the sand as to what they will put up with and what they won't. For me that line was my primary vote. Not that I'm used to having it as we normally are too late to matter, but rather the principle that votes are sacred. Maybe not legally, especially in a primary, but morally.

Votes are the one time where everyone is supposed to be equal. That no matter your wealth, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, position in society, etc. you have the same amount of power that everyone else has. And this is the time, the only time sadly, that politicians pay any attention to the people who aren't writing the big checks.

You want to sell me and other voters the ideal that Dems will stand up for values they espouse and Repubs won't. But right here, right now is an example of Dems not standing up for a value they espouse - voter rights. That is a position they talk about supporting every election - count every vote and every vote counts. And here and now they are showing that not only is it just talk, it's talk they'll sacrifice for no good purpose.

I mention Claire because many of us in this state will not support Obama because of McCaskill's support of Obama.  In my case this is just one reason.  I will vote for John McCain if Obama is the nominee.  It's just that simple. There is nothing that I have seen from Obama that leads me to believe he is capable of running this nation.  

Here is the rule in question...

A. No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in
the presidential nomination process (the date of the primary in primary states, and the date of the
first tier caucus in caucus states) may be held prior to the first Tuesday in February or after the
second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention. Provided, however, that
the Iowa precinct caucuses may be held no earlier than 22 days before the first Tuesday in
February; that the Nevada first-tier caucuses may be held no earlier than 17 days before the
first Tuesday in February; that the New Hampshire primary may be held no earlier than 14
days before the first Tuesday in February; and that the South Carolina primary may be held
no earlier than 7 days before the first Tuesday in February. In no instance may a state which
scheduled delegate selection procedures on or between the first Tuesday in February and the
second Tuesday in June 1984 move out of compliance with the provisions of this rule.

When Fl and MI moved their primaries up to 1/15, in direct violation of this rule, the other states moved their dates up to retain primacy.  Their move, however, was in accordance with the intentions of the rules in the first place.