TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Political independents undermine primaries (Mercury News) NOTE: Or, who needs democracy when you have partisan control?
• Candidates face closed primary in Florida-Florida's vote is the first of this race in which independents have no say (Herald Tribune)
• Fate of Idaho's Republican primary still unresolved (Times-News Magic Valley)
• Clinton, Obama go for the jugulars (each other's) (LA Times Top of the Ticket blog) Many Democratic leaders might have been left wondering how many independent voters this kind of squabbling -- the mention of Wal-Mart, the reference to Rezko -- might drive away from the eventual nominee later this year. NOTE: I have to agree with this. Better to address the American people with your message....
• Oklahoma Independents can’t vote in primaries (Alva Review/Courier OK )
• California Party Lines Changing (KFSN)
• Dems eye boost from Calif. primary rules (UPI.com)
• Independence Party considering changes to its rules (Minnesota Public Radio)
• Clinton-Obama contest divides S.C. by race, gender, age (Star-Ledger)
• POLL: NY DUO IN FOR A SHOCK (NY POST) NY African American voters going for Obama
• Siena Poll: Bad News For Rudy In NY, Good News For Spitzer (Elizabeth Benjamin, NY Daily News Daily Politics blog)
• A black president or woman president? A happy dilemma for some (YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC)