OK, help me out DUers! After which primary will it be "all over"? Iowa, New Hampshire? Other?

[CTyankee]

Or will it be a cumulative effect ending when???

After the debate today I thought, why don't we just declare John Edwards and all go home, but then I thought of all the good people here who are fighting so hard for their candidate and I gulped...

[geek tragedy]

1. February 5.

Can't knock Clinton out until then.

[goodgd_yall]

18. Agreed

That's when the states with the most sought after votes will be having their primaries.

[pinto]

2. I'll second that - Feb. 5th, "Super Tuesday".

[rinsd]

3. 3rd'ed. Its not over until after Feb 5th.

[CTyankee]

5. Wow! That's when I vote in tiny, inconsequential CT

I thought it would be much earlier...

[jgraz]

4. What's all this "primary" stuff you're talking about? Hasn't Hillary already won?

Hmm... I thought she'd already been sworn in as president.


Edit: Oops, I was wrong. It's still Bush. (kinda hard to tell sometimes)

[blondeatlast]

6. I'm hoping beyond hope that they all stay in until Super Duper Tuesday

(Feb 5) and have written the also-rans to plead with them to do so.

I'm undecided and not wildly happy with the top 3 so far (but will of course vote for whomever in the GE).

[HeraldSquare212]

7. It's going to be fast, isn't it?

It's just sinking in...only six or seven weeks left. Then what? Seven months of pre-convention campaigning?

[Renew Deal]

8. March 4th

Classic Super Tuesday. America likes tradition. :patriot:

[Poiuyt]

9. They might as well eliminate the primaries that come after Feb 5

Save time and money. My primary here in Wisconsin is Feb 19. Why waste time?

[CTyankee]

10. Hey, we have a summer home in Door County! I'm interested in

who you are thinking about voting for in your primary, if you have made up your mind and are willing to share?

I've been leaning Edwards for some time now, waiting to see if he could pull out of his slump. He seems to have done so with this debate and that is good.

Of course, I will happily support whoever the party deems our candidate...

[Poiuyt]

13. Why did you have to mention Door County?

I am so hungry for Swedish pancakes at Al Johnson's, I could die! We will drive 2 hours to get to Sister Bay, eat till we're stuffed, and then drive home.

I'm leaning towards Edwards too. He seems to exude optimism and "fresh start," which we'll need. I also like the way that Obama can inspire, and I think he could appeal to both sides. There really aren't any bad candidates, just ones that I prefer over some others.

But, like I said, the candidate will have been chosen by the time we get to vote.

[CTyankee]

16. Sorry! Oh, I love Sister Bay! And Ephraim and Fish Creek and of course where we live:

sort of halfway between Jacksonport and Egg Harbor, on Lost Lake.

Yes, I am thrilled with Edwards's performance today! He was very good, even tho I couldn't stand his blinking! But he was very strong, as was Hillary and Biden. My son in law is a big Biden supporter. Spouse is noncommital (wants to preserve calm, but I tell him it's okay to disagree (I think). 9 year old granddaughter is a brick wall: Hillary Clinton! Because we have never had a woman president! She is admonishing the entire family!

Big Democratic family and I love it. How about yours?

[cyclezealot]

11. The system is a farce

No one wins, its by default. The winner is , who can rasie enought cash from the special interests for California TV time. Being that the debate format is also a charade, how else is a nominee selected than by the lies sold as tv attack ads.

[pinto]

12. I don't like the national primary schedule, yet, people vote, TV's don't.

*We* all have a responsibility to look at the candidates and make a choice. There are other info sources than TV ads to garner candidate info.

I don't buy the complaint that TV ad time 'buys' a nomination.

I do think some voters look no further than a thirty second spot, but that's not the way to pick a candidate.

[cyclezealot]

17. lood at the responses to Swiftboat ads

And how quickly they influence voters opinions. Polls track this stuff and the response to the ad wars is overwhealming. Kerry lost all hope after he did not respond to the swiftboaters. the internet people seek out alternative answers, but polls show the biggest result is in the ad wars. Why else would candidates invest so much in them.

[sniffa]

14. i'm sick of it being sewn up early

i want every state to have a reasonable say.

i finally, have somewhat of a say, as my state moved up a month and a half to the super-duper Tuesday.

[bunnies]

15. Dont forget... theres a debate between IA and NH this time....

anything can happen.

[Perky]

19. Three Probaible Scenarios.

Scenario 1: Obama wins Iowa with over 40% takes that big mo' into NH and wins there but by a close amount. Hilary dinishes in second in both but everyone else hangs it up. They roll into SC as Hillary's last chance... but its too late and her African-American base deserts her and it is all over.


Scenario 2: Obama squeaks out a win in Iowa Hillary hangs on in NH Everybody else drops out. Setting up an epic battle in South Carolina. If Obama wins SC it is all over. If Hillary wins... they fight again on Super Tuesday. If the party is still undecided after that, it's a blood bath in Denver because there are not enough delegates left to win the nomination outright.


Scenario 3: Hillary comes back in Iowa and squeaks out a win. The Inevitability Train rumbles into NH and runs smack into New Hampshire's independent minded voters. Obama wins there. Setting up an epic battle in South Carolina. If Obama wins SC it is all over. If Hillary wins... they fight again on Super Tuesday. If the party is still undecided after that it's a blood bath in Denver because there are not enough delegates left to win the nomination outright.

[Yukari Yakumo]

20. My picks

It'll be a two way race after IA if Edwards doesn't win and win big. I don't see Edwards winning when his numbers remaining stagnant while Obama climbs.

My pick is SC if Hill wins it. Feb 5 if not.

[rucky]

21. This is going to the end.

Zoltar has spoken.

[WCGreen]

22. Remember, Absentee ballots go out for the early Feb primaries...

in early January...

And if trends hold, more people than ever will choose to vote Absentee...

I think this favors the well known candidates and bodes bad for Edwards Biden and Dodd since they all have focused on Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina...

Unless edwards pops well in Iowa, he will not be able to make up the ground he loses in California...