Another Democrat flip flop?

In 2003 Howard Dean said:

"I'm absolutely committed to New Hampshire having the first primary... It's the only way that candidates with no money but with strong backing ... Have any chance at all."

However, in 2006 Dean had this to say:

“There will be earlier events, and there will be some events, or at least one event in between Iowa and New Hampshire.”

And today the DNC Rules Committee voted today to put Nevada ahead of New Hampshire's primary and after Iowa's caucus. Iowa would lead the presidential nominating process on Jan. 14, Nevada would have a "caucus" on Jan. 19, and New Hampshire would have the first "primary" on Jan. 22.

The move has been made because Democrats wanminoritieses, i.e. blacks anHispanicscs, to have more of a say in the nominating process. Instead, what will occur will be a loss of "retail politics." No longer will ordinary Americans who work in a paper mill get to host a presidential candidate in their living room for tea. Rather millions upon millions of dollars will be spent solely on advertising. Americans will not be able to tell what kind of a person they are electing.

"Eager to keep states from jumping in line, the DNC also passed enforcement rules that would punish candidates who campaign in states that ignore the party and set their own schedule. Some party members worry that would create an unseemly intraparty fight when Democrats can least afford it." Wrote Jim Kuhnhenn of the AP. The punishment is that candidates who campaign in these states would not have their delegates recognized at the 2008 DNC Convetion.

It will be very interesting to see what Sec. of State Bill Gardner does, will the NH primary be as early as December 2007 or the end of November 2007??