Is the Biden NH controversy the perfect example of kneejerk anti-Bidenism?

[VBM]

For those unaware, there was a controversy over Biden proposing that South Carolina goes before New Hampshire in the primaries. New Hampshire has a law which says that their primary must be first. This is obviously a ridiculous law since one state can’t just declare that everyone else must go after them. If Congress passed the law, sure, but this was just a state law passed by the NH state government. However, many progressives and conservatives (the vast majority of which obviously don’t even live in NH) were admonishing Biden for this action. Does anyone believe that any of these people actually cared about preserving NH’s “right” to go first? It’s such an obvious case of these people just looking for any excuse they can get to sh**t on Biden. We all know that if Bernie or Trump suggested that some other state go before NH, these people wouldn’t care at all.

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

Pretty much yeah.

The New Hampshire law is probably unconstitutional anyway. New Hampshire doesn't get to dictate how other states handle their election process.

[VBM]

Pretty much yeah.

The New Hampshire law is probably unconstitutional anyway. New Hampshire doesn't get to dictate how other states handle their election process.

Surprised it hasn’t been struck down yet

[falling apart like the ashes of American flags]

Pretty much yeah.

The New Hampshire law is probably unconstitutional anyway. New Hampshire doesn't get to dictate how other states handle their election process.

Surprised it hasn’t been struck down yet

No one's sued because for whatever reason until now everyone just sort of accepted it.

[Whale Psychiatrist]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

[VBM]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

Yeah, I’m fine with people criticizing him for picking SC of all states to go first. But for whatever reason, progressives feel the need to also go after him for “snubbing” NH

[DrScholl]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

[Brother Jonathan]

The law does not purport to tell other states when to hold primaries, just that the Secretary of State has to schedule the primary on a date  "which is 7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election." So South Carolina can go whenever it wants, the law would just require the NH SoS to schedule the NH primary at least seven days before whatever date another state went with.

[Joe Biden 2028]

Yep

A lot of Democrats don't like Biden because he is a straight white man. Yet he has been the most progressive and competent President in modern American history. #BestPresidentofmylifetime

[Joe Kakistocracy]

Pretty much yeah.

The New Hampshire law is probably unconstitutional anyway. New Hampshire doesn't get to dictate how other states handle their election process.

The defense of this status quo would be that New Hampshire isn't really dictating how other states do anything.  If another state wanted to hold their presidential primary three full years before a presidential general election, they'd be free to do so; New Hampshire would then just go a week before that.

The real test would be if another state passed a law using the same language as the NH one.  Then the federal courts would have no choice but to weigh in, and hopefully strike down the whole stupid thing.

[VBM]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

Than why not have Georgia go first? Georgia also has a large black population and is actually a swing state. It’s pretty obvious that Biden pushed for SC to go first as a favor to Clyburn

[Mr. Third-Wayist]

This could also be an example as to how this does not necessarily translate into electoral results as Biden still beat his nearest competition by almost 50% whilst not being on ballot

[ProgressiveModerate]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

Agree.

And while SC is more diverse than NH, it's still a state missing an important faction of Dem primary voters; mainly Hispanics and Asians. Imo if the argument is the first state should be the most representative, I'd go with New Jersey.

[Arizona Iced Tea]

The reason Biden wanted SC to go first was because he won it in 2020 and got 5th place in NH. It's really not that complicated.

[PeteB]

Tbh it is a kneejerk reaction but also a logical one.  Biden did really well in NH, but he didn't face any competition (with due apologies to Phillips and Williamson).  If he had a strong challenger, his proposal would play against him in NH, but I still think it would be a minor distraction in the result.

[VBM]

The reason Biden wanted SC to go first was because he won it in 2020 and got 5th place in NH. It's really not that complicated.

Obviously, but MAGA and Rose Twitter were attacking Biden for disrespecting New Hampshire when they should have been attacking him for propping up SC as a blatant favor to Clyburn

[The Mikado]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

Than why not have Georgia go first? Georgia also has a large black population and is actually a swing state. It’s pretty obvious that Biden pushed for SC to go first as a favor to Clyburn

The Democrats did offer GA early state status. The RNC didn't. GA's GOP state government didn't move forward because they care more about not angering the RNC than early status in a Democratic primary they didn't care about.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Yes. It's why, when it comes to actual election results, I think he may be the most underestimated man in politics this century.

[Compuzled_One]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

Than why not have Georgia go first? Georgia also has a large black population and is actually a swing state. It’s pretty obvious that Biden pushed for SC to go first as a favor to Clyburn

I do wonder, why not Nevada? It sounds like it's pretty proportional to what the US is like, and it's an early state already to.

[Mr. Smith]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

Agree.

And while SC is more diverse than NH, it's still a state missing an important faction of Dem primary voters; mainly Hispanics and Asians. Imo if the argument is the first state should be the most representative, I'd go with New Jersey.

Or Nevada, but ofc Biden got his a*& handed to him there too, by Bernie and the one minority demographic that he has not done well with.

[CentristRepublican]

Yeah, NH's law is very pretentious and self-aggrandizing and Biden has every right to criticize it, or not take it with as much seriousness as some might like for it to be given.

I only disagree with Biden on which state should replace NH. Imo SC gives disproportionate influence to AA's at the expense of other minority groups. Instead of picking one minority group and going with a state that gives them a significant influence, better to a pick a state that's more a microcosm of the US demographically, and where Hispanics, Asians, etc. are also reasonably represented. To that end, I'd push for an NJ or an IL.

[CentristRepublican]

Pretty much yeah.

The New Hampshire law is probably unconstitutional anyway. New Hampshire doesn't get to dictate how other states handle their election process.

Surprised it hasn’t been struck down yet

I don't think it was ever relevant enough to receive that attention. It would only become relevant if NH was no longer the first primary state, and then someone tried to challenge that on the basis of this law. NH is still the first state, albeit less because of the law and more because of tradition and other reasons, and so addressing the law hasn't been necessary.

[BG-NY (permanently retired)]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

South Carolina is 60% one race (black). How is that “diverse”?

[ProgressiveModerate]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

Than why not have Georgia go first? Georgia also has a large black population and is actually a swing state. It’s pretty obvious that Biden pushed for SC to go first as a favor to Clyburn

I do wonder, why not Nevada? It sounds like it's pretty proportional to what the US is like, and it's an early state already to.

Nevada is good in terms of racial diversity, but it lacks diversity in other ways - virtually no rural Democrats and severe underrepresentation of college-educated Dems. No real universities/college towns either.

My main criticism of NJ is just that it's a relatively large state (in terms of population) with an expensive media market, which might make it harder for less established and unknown candidates to break through.

Honestly, there's no "perfect state"

[CentristRepublican]

There's no particular reason why NH should go first other than tradition. What's at issue is Biden wants the state that solidified the nomination for him in 2020 to take its place - it feels like a form of cronyism.

You are ignorant of what the word cronyism means. Define what it means without looking at a dictionary. I'll wait.

The primary schedule was rearranged to give more diverse communities a voice early in the process, not because Biden won't South Carolina. There was a lot of support for changing the calendar because it was not reflective of the Democratic coalition.

South Carolina is 60% one race (black). How is that “diverse”?

Agreed. It overrepresents one minority group at the expense of others. Hispanic votes in states like AZ and NV are just as crucial as the black vote is in states like GA and MI. Best bet if you're trying to give all minorities some clout in the first primary state, is to go with IL or NJ or even NY.