Not unexpected and this move is obviously directed at the upcoming general election. The real implications, however, are for the next cycle in 2012. Have Michigan and Florida finally broken the stranglehold of Iowa and New Hampshire?:
Why would their voting strength matter when it is clear who the nominee will be?If the nomination process is ever going to change, it has to start changing at the convention in Denver.
Because, as Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, said at the time, party conventions do more than pick a nominee; they also begin to establish the framework for the primary calendar in the next presidential election. And Michigan, for one, has been trying for years to topple Iowa and New Hampshire from their first-in-the-nation voting perches. Having full votes at the convention will give Michigan more power to pursue that agenda.
At the same time, Mr. Obama’s “request” to restore full voting strength to Florida and Michigan is likely to cause heartburn for party officials, who have struggled to maintain some authority over the primary calendar.
By granting Mr. Obama’s request, the party will essentially be giving a green light to other states to ignore the calendar next time because there will be no consequences.
Main & gay blog