Poor Planning

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Record interest in Barack Obama's soaring presidential bid became too much for the state campaign to handle this week.

In a move some Obama backers called undemocratic but campaign officials said was unavoidable, hundreds of supporters were barred Tuesday from competing in the state's 53 caucuses this weekend that will determine who represents the candidate at the Democratic National Convention.

Campaign officials said too many people had signed up to become district-level delegates and Sunday's Iowa-style contests simply can't accommodate the crowds. Merc News

San Francisco officials spent months preparing for the arrival of the Olympic torch, but their decision Wednesday to cut the route short and drastically alter the torchbearers' path was an act of desperation just before opening ceremonies kicked off, sources said.

The move to scrap the city's highly publicized plans for runners to carry the torch from AT&T Park and along the city's scenic waterfront infuriated many protesters and torch supporters who waited for hours to spread their anti-China message or to catch a glimpse of the Olympic flame.

But Mayor Gavin Newsom said he and Police Chief Heather Fong decided to change the route after realizing that police officers stationed along the designated path - especially near the ballpark and the Ferry Building, the relay's original start and finish - were overwhelmed by the size of the crowds and by skirmishes between torch supporters and protesters. SFGate

Yes, politics is changing. It has been for a while. Facilitate it, don't fear it.