Dean Insults Florida Democrats And Hurts Party's Prospects

Published: Oct 11, 2007

Howard Dean came to Florida Tuesday to raise money for his party and to make peace with the state's Democrats. He tried to make light of his decision to disenfranchise Democratic voters, calling it a spat between politicians that will be quickly forgotten - an insulting position likely to alienate voters further.

The Democratic National Committee chairman says he won't seat Florida's delegates to the party's national convention next year because the state's presidential preference primary will be held earlier than party rules allow. Echoing comments made earlier in the day by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Dean told reporters that in the end it will be up to the presumptive nominee to decide whether the delegates are seated.

In other words, it's the general election that really counts.

The party's strategy, if one can call it that, seems to be that it doesn't matter whether the candidates give Florida Democrats the cold shoulder. It won't matter that issues important to Floridians will be ignored by the party's presidential aspirants because inevitably, Democratic voters embrace the eventual nominee.

Perhaps, but Democratic leaders in Florida are angry, and we've heard longtime Democrats say they will join the Republican Party, even if just for a day, so their votes will count for something (even to sabotage the GOP primary).

The party has left an opening for Republicans, who are running ads welcoming any and all Democrats into their tent. They're reaching out to blacks, Hispanics and other minorities not typically associated with the GOP in an energized effort to broaden the party's base.

The Democrats' stance is risky, especially for Sen. Hillary Clinton, who like the other top-tier candidates has promised to stay out of Florida until after the primary - except to raise money.

Clinton no doubt is counting on her name recognition to carry her to victory here even if the vote doesn't count. But she calculates at her peril. What happens if her supporters vote Republican on Jan. 29? Should she leave it to chance that she will win the Sunshine State?

Party leaders in the early primary states - Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina - may have wanted to handcuff the candidates, but if Clinton truly wants to represent all Americans, she should break her pledge to stay away and should return to Florida.

Democrats deserve a courageous nominee, and Clinton, far ahead here and surging in most national polls, could win the support of more undecided voters if she returned to Florida to raise excitement rather than just money. What she does in Florida is not going to affect her votes in the early states. She must do more than seek financial support here to earn her party's votes.

Moreover, if she's not campaigning here and Republicans are, she'll have a deficit to make up should she win the nomination.

The Democrats have hurt themselves in Florida. To be competitive, the party needs to get its act together. The courageous candidate who decides this voter-rich state is worth campaigning in will win. You want our votes, Hillary, so come convince us.