Hit me baby one more time!

In the state of Illinois the law requires that all political candidates be certified for placement on the ballot 67 days before the November election.  Why is this relevant?  Because with the GOP delaying their convention until September in New York City so that they can sponge off the memory of 9/11, President Bush's official nomination will fall after that deadline.  The possibility exists that Bush will not be listed on the ballot and anyone who wanted to vote for him here in Illinois would have to write him in.

This is probably not that big of a deal.  I think the GOP has written off Illinois already as a winnable state.  However, similar laws exists in other states, and the President faces the same possibility, that he will not be listed on ballots in states where he will need to win if he wants to be reelected.  I am not up on the legislative activities of other states, but I do know that in Illinois there have been attempts to modify this law so that the deadline is extended to a time beyond the GOP convention.  So far the measures have been defeated because of extra riders that representatives have tried to add to the assorted bills presented that would change this law.  It will be changed eventually though, I predict.

Realistically I don't expect there to be a single state that does not have the President listed on its ballot on Election Day.  I'm sure that all state governments will have compromised their laws to allow him on the ballot, and quite honestly, he should be on the ballot.  The thought of an incumbent president not being on the ballot because of a obscure law seems ridiculous, even if it is GW.

Still, I hope the possibility that Bush will not be on some ballots make the powers of the GOP squirm.  It's the least they deserve for once again insulting our intelligence by trying to pass on their 9/11 game as an unavoidable time conflict.  They deserve to get ripped on this, and I hope the democrats take advantage of this big lob they have been given and smash it back.

And I'm thinking I should take a break from the political spectrum for a bit, so I will.  No politics in this for the rest of the week.