MSNBC First Read - First Thoughts: Calendar chaos?

[OmahaBlueDog]

Calendar chaos? The GOP presidential field is mostly set, the future debates (including our NBC-Politico one on Sept. 7) are scheduled, and the full-fledged campaigning has already begun. The one thing we’re missing: an actual primary calendar. According to Republicans monitoring this subject, there are two different timeline scenarios. The first is the RNC-sanctioned February start date: Iowa goes Feb. 6, New Hampshire Feb. 14, Nevada, Feb. 18, South Carolina Feb. 28, and Super Tuesday is March 6. The second is the more chaotic January (or even December) start date: States like Arizona and Florida -- risking losing half their delegates and other penalties -- set their primaries early, pushing Iowa, New Hampshire, and other states into January or earlier. Which scenario is more likely? Although this remains a fluid situation, one plugged-in Republican eyeing the calendar process for one of the campaigns says there’s a “99%” chance it begins in early January instead of February. So start making your New Year’s Eve plans in Des Moines now. Or at least buy refundable air tickets.

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/25/7471076-first-thoughts-calendar-chaos

My takeaway from all of this: Any chance Mitt Romney has of securing the GOP nomination rests with making the primaries stretch as long as possible. As it stands now, he stands to get slaughtered in Iowa and South Carolina. Arizona moving up wouldn't bode well for him either.

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Ironic since

just a few weeks ago an accelerated schedule was seen as helping anoint Romney. Now he has to pull it out as long as possible.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. My sense all along was that the GOP wants an alternative to Romney

He won't be able to escape the ties to health care reform, he's not a "gun guy", and he can't escape the perception that he's "mushy" or "wishy washy" on certain issues. His LDS faith doesn't help him with a broad segment of Christians, either.