Legal Glitch Snarls Bush's Spot on Illinois Ballot

[Eye and Monkey]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-campaign-bush-illinois.html

CHICAGO (Reuters) - For want of a small change to the Illinois election law, President Bush's name is not supposed to be on the state's November ballot, but officials said one way or another, it will be there.

The glitch arose because the Illinois legislature adjourned earlier this week without extending the Aug. 30 deadline for presidential candidates to be certified by the state elections board and qualify for the Nov. 2 ballot.

The relatively late dates of this year's Republican Party convention, running Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, mean that Bush will not be the official nominee until after the deadline set in state law. Eight other states had the same problem but fixed the date. As a result Illinois, is the only state where Bush could be left off the ballot.

MORE - (not much more)

[uhhuh]

1. Too freakin bad

Rove wanted his 9/11 exploitation convention, and he got it.

States should have no responsiblility to rewrite their laws to accomodate a cynical political ploy.

The chimp is the"popular wartime president" right?

He should be able to win without Illinois easily, right?

The people of Illinios should have the right to not have their eyes soiled by having to look at his ugly moniker when looking for Kerry's name on the ballot. I say, give them a break this time.

[0rganism]

5. Ha! bush's down 15 points in Illinois anyway, not like he's going to win

Of course, making the people who want to vote for bush remember how to spell out his name for the write-in slot is going to cut further into his numbers...

[Born Free]

11. "one way or the other he will be on the ballot"

reminds me of the 2000 election, "one way or another he will win Florida"

[booksenkatz]

13. The "one way or another" administration

Everything they do is conducted in the guise of "one way or another." Baby Bush throws a fit and gets his way, regardless of facts, regardless of rules, regardless of how many deaths it takes, regardless of the depletion of our treasury, etc.

They're always on about "rule of law" except when the rules throw up a roadblock and get in the way of their greed (or Armageddon).

[bluestateguy]

2. It's still June and he's not on the ballot yet...tick tock tick

Being president does not give anyone the right to be on the ballot of any state. If I were Illinois I would demand concessions from the White House before agreeing to make special exceptions to the rules.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

3. What did GWB say about State's Rights back in 2000?

Oh yeah, he supported them.

Funny way of showing it.

[burrowowl]

4. Let the Bu$h voters

write him in. Will be interesting to see how many spellings of George W. Bush there are and which ones will be accepted.

[stevedeshazer]

6. "but officials said one way or another, it will be there."

And that, my online friends, is the life you live when you are George W. Bush.

Even though this is apparently against Illinois election law, they'll figure out a way to get His Royal AssHoliness on the ballot anyway.

[David Dunham]

7. Automatic 20 plus electoral votes for Kerry.

[GregW]

8. This isn't a 'glitch' - it's gross incompetence

How this buffoon can get elected is beyond me.

[struggle4progress]

9. The states shouldn't have let the Repubs jerk them around.

The Repubs have lawyers and can figure out when the state deadlines are. When the Repubs pushed their convention back after the deadlines, the states should have said "too bad."

[saracat]

10. Why is the convention that late?

And why is he given special consideration? Are the Bushies above the rules again and why are they allowed to be?

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. Wait a second

the law is the law. Plus I thought states couldn't change the rules in the middle of an election cycle.

Remember during the recount, when Katherine Harris couldn't wait 5 more minutes for WPB to finish their recount? Her and Baker cared so much about the rule of law, that they demanded the strictest interpretations when it favored Bu$hCo.

Now when the rule of law effects Bu$h in a negative way, they tell us don't worry we'll do what we have to do to fix it. The dems need to fight this sort of thing tooth and nail. No one is above the law, not even Bu$hler.