The 2008 campaign...

The Democratic National Committee has followed through with it's plans to alter the primary/caucus schedule for the 2008 presidential campaign by adding Nevada and South Carolina to the mix of early contests. And...to insure that it's will be done, has added a penalty clause to its new schedule.

According to the New York Times...Any candidate who campaigns in a state that does not abide by the new calendar will be stripped at the party convention of delegates won in that state.

It could very well cause a showdown as New Hampshire state officials continue to argue that their state constitution gives the right to set a primary date when "they" want to set it.

The reasoning behind the move makes some sense. Neither Iowa nor New Hampshire have large - or any for that matter - minority populations that better reflect the nation - and the party. Adding Nevada's caucus, with its heavy Hispanic population, and South Carolina's primary, with its heavy black population, to the front of the schedule certainly brings a more diverse population to the process. But it also short circuits the process, positioning the party to complete the selection process of a nominee well before many states even get a chance to vote. (But that's already happening anyway, so it's pretty much a moot point.)

The question then is, should candidates be penalized before the national party and individual states can't agree?

The 2008 new schedule is as follows: Iowa caucus on 1/14, Nevada caucus on 1/19, New Hampshire primary on 1/22 and South Carolina primary on 1/29.