Will the decision of not appearing in Michigan's ballot affect Obama,

Edwards, Richardson and Biden negatively or positively?

The one I don't understand in all of this is Dodd!

Hillary can afford to do what she wants - but Dodd???

It will help them in the annointed four states in the primaries.

If one of them is the nominee, they can kiss Michigan good-bye in the general. How can they defend that decision to the voters of Michigan - Oh, your state legislature jumped the queue so we wrote you off?

I don't think it's worth it. The annointed four have a total of 24 electoral votes to Michigan's 17. However, the chances of South Carolina going blue are pretty slim, so that leaves 16 electoral votes up for grabs in the general with the three remaining states.

Michigan has gone blue in the last four Presidential elections. None of the chosen four can say that. South Carolina hasn't gone for the Democratic candidate since 1976. Nevada's about fifty/fifty, although the past two have been for Dubya - so maybe it's a new trend.

The candidates are shooting themselves in the foot come the general.

It seems to indicate desparation on the part of Obama to do well in the early states.

the primary votes you are going to HAVE THEM ON YOUR TOTAL COUNT. Thats the way I figure. But then some people must not be able to add.

compulsion to be first at our expense. Enough of this ethanol pandering!

It will hurt us in the general election!

My state party had ample opportunity to address this over the past four years. They chose to let ego's get in the way of the process. They could have easily left the primary in early Feb without trampling the rules and had more "say" in the nomination. There is much to be said for face to face politics in Iowa and NH. Michigan is much large and cost much more $$$ to advertise. So for those who rail against corporate money they should be thankful for the smaller states voting first.

Punish Democrats? For what, not abiding by the rules that they voted on and agreed to? I understand the frustrations that are out there concerning the process, but the system was set in place in 2004 for the 2008 election cycle. I see Florida and Michigan hurting the Dems by this "damn we will do it our way and the party that has supported us in the past can go to hell" - Do you disapprove of Howard Dean too? He is following the guidelines set by the Democratic party (if you really want to know - actually it was under Terry McAuliffe - this is a good read:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2001356&mesg_id=2001356) and now it's okay to break them...just don't get the attitude here. It's the MI and FL Dems leaders that are out of line.

Instead, the DNC decided to punish Democratic voters by telling them that they were disenfranchised, and their votes would be nullified by denying Convention credentials to the delegates they elected. Donna Brazile voted for that undemocratic travesty!

Pushing the primary ahead has now prevented the voters of Michigan from having candidates visit and here about our issues! My state party is full of idiots! IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

The greater risk is with Obama et al...

They have now just handed Hillary the Michigan primary, and alienated Michigan Democrats...

They figure I believe that this move will ingratiate them with Iowa Democrats giving them a boost up there...

The problem is, there is now no way to go back and smooth things over with Michigan Democrats, whereas Hillary has three months of campaigning in Iowa to explain her position...

My guess is that this is only a marginal issue with Iowans in any case, and so has the net effect of handing Hillary a victory going into Iowa...

I have seen alot of angry comments from Michiganders...alot not even Hillary supporters who are now going to vote for her in protest...

Unless there is a comparable backlash in Iowa then I don't see how Obama etc benefit...

It will be left to the convention delegates to decide what is more important, vote for Chairman Dean's authoritarian and undemocratic rules, or vote to seat delegates of two states that are crucial to us in November. I'll bet the convention will vote to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates, and that a few Deanbots' heads will explode.

I think in the end...one way or the other...they will be seated. There is no way the Democratic Party is going to risk losing either state in the General Election...which this action could risk...

It's going to be interesting to see how this play out.

Does not require they remove their names from the ballot...

Hillary has promised not to campaign in Michigan