Back to The Feingold

Oh here's something Russ Feingold goes for that I can't get behind:

Two Democrats who are thinking of running for president told New Hampshire party members they favor keeping the state's primary first.

Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner were the keynote speakers at the Democratic state convention Saturday.

Ap via NBC News

I mentioned before that I think it's odd New Hampshire be such a key state in presidential politics. As long as that's the case it seems candidates will spend a good deal of time and money to do well in their primary so that they can build momentum and funds. But because it is that way doesn't mean it has to be that way.

Russ says he likes it that way because the state's size allows a good deal of intimate contact between voters and candidates. In a larger state you would have the nonsense and ugliness of campaigning via soundbites and media attacks. That's a good point, but again, it doesn't have to be that way, and to a.) be so unimaginative that you could not see an alternative to an ugly big state media war and b.) to pander to the New Hampshire voters through something as silly as their first primary pride seems a bit short sighted and disingenuous.

We'll have to see where St. Russ the Dragonslayer goes from here. Not that this is a huge issue- the New Hampshire primary that is, but what this represents. We'll see if that goes anywhere.