Topic: Primary Voters

President Biden called into *Morning Joe* to assert his status as the nominee, railing against "elites" in the Democratic Party. The segment criticizes the poor audio quality of the call, suggesting Biden was using a speakerphone while reading from prepared notes. Biden emphasized that 14 million primary voters chose him and dismissed concerns about his performance.

Reports from the South Carolina primary highlighted instances of registered Democrats participating in the Republican primary to vote for Nikki Haley. These voters expressed a specific desire to stop Donald Trump's momentum. This tactical voting behavior has led to accusations that Haley's support base is not representative of the Republican electorate.

The broadcast opens with a discussion regarding the presence of Chinese language ballots and "I Voted" stickers in Northern Silicon Valley. Questions are raised about California's voter eligibility requirements and whether non-citizens or alien residents are permitted to participate in local primaries. The hosts contrast the simplicity of basic civics questions with the perceived complexity of modern American voting procedures.

Voters in Arizona expressed outrage at a town hall meeting regarding long lines and closed polling stations during the primary. In a separate legal analysis, the hosts look up the definition of battery, noting a "master-servant" exception that allows a servant to use force to protect their master, which they jokingly apply to the Lewandowski case.

The discussion shifts to the perceived media effort to discredit Ron Paul by labeling him a "nut." Despite this, the hosts note a surge in youth support and people re-registering as Republicans to vote for him in the primaries. Both hosts express their intention to re-register as Republicans specifically to support Paul's candidacy.

The hosts speculate on how a candidate like Alvin Greene could win a major primary, suggesting it may be a result of voter apathy or intentional "joker" votes. They discuss the mechanics of open primaries in California and South Carolina, where independent voters can influence party outcomes. The segment concludes with a transition to the BP oil spill coverage.

In the California primary, registered independent voters were permitted to use Democratic ballots but were barred from Republican ballots. This move by the Republican Party effectively blocked "freelance" independents from supporting candidates like Ron Paul. John C. Dvorak admits he would have considered voting for Mike Huckabee for his comedic value or Ron Paul for his message had he been allowed.