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Last update - 01:57 03/06/2008 With primary in sight, Kadima chiefs scurry to drum up support By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Dichter, Livni, Mofaz, Kadima Kadima's leaders are preparing for a party primary, even though discussions on a voting date will start only next week when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert returns from Washington. The political jostling began in earnest last week, after the testimony by American businessman Morris Talansky in the corruption investigation against Olmert. Activists for Kadima's top politicians have taken thousands of membership forms from the party's headquarters in Petah Tikva since the Talansky affair broke out last month. Party MKs are also making preparations to contend for their place on the party's list if early elections are held. Advertisement Cabinet ministers Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz, Avi Dichter and Meir Sheetrit have all said they will run for Kadima's leadership. Mofaz is believed to have gathered the largest number of supporters. He registered Kadima members at bus company Egged and the Ports Authority and has supporters in Likud, who are also signing people up on Kadima membership forms so they can vote for Mofaz in the primary. Party sources say Dichter and Sheetrit are believed to be next in the table, with Livni trailing. Kadima local-authority heads have conducted a membership census in preparation for the local elections due in November. They signed up thousands of people as new party members, among them around 9,000 people from the Arab and Druze communities, some 6,000 from the Russian-speaking community and a few hundred ultra-Orthodox people who hope to gain a foothold in the ruling party. Certain candidates have vote contractors working for them. Other vote contractors will "trade" the supporters they gather to the highest bidder, when leadership candidates start wooing MKs who have gathered a large group of supporters. Some 12,000 members comprise Kadima's founding members from the time Ariel Sharon formed the party in 2005. They were enlisted by telephone and online, and it is not clear whether they still support Kadima. Livni, Moaz, Sheetrit and Dichter will try to reach them. "Livni is out of touch, she has never run in primaries before," a Kadima MK said. "She doesn't understand that on election day at least half the members who joined in the census will obey orders from the top. I've signed on hundreds of members who will vote as I tell them to." In the last few days Livni's political adviser Eli Yadid has been working with large vote contractors to ensure support for her. She herself has begun meeting MKs. Unlike Mofaz, Sheetrit and Dichter, Livni is counting on her popularity among the public. She believes that in the end Kadima members will vote for the candidate who will bring them the largest number of Knesset votes. Central and grassroots Kadima activists have told Yadid of their concern that Olmert's people in the census, especially mayors and other local-authority heads, will support Mofaz rather than Livni. When Shimon Peres faced off against Amir Peretz in the Labor primary in 2005, Peres had a big lead in all the public opinion polls but was defeated in the election. This was because Peretz had an organized census that could use the Histadrut apparatus both in mustering supporters and getting people to the polls. In contrast to Livni, Mofaz has been preparing for a primary since the end of the last elections. He visited 150 local authorities and has held a political gathering or tour at least once a week. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Slamming Obama McCain uses speech to AIPAC to criticize Obama for willingness to meet U.S. foes. Soldier kidnapping Three Israeli Arabs charged with planning to kidnap, kill soldier.   1.   KADIMA IS A DEFEATIST LEFTWING PATRY 05:57  |  Robinson 03/06/08   2.   Mofaz would make a good PM 07:22  |  leven5 03/06/08   3.   Israelis are the biggest "friars" (suckers) 08:23  |  Lemmings Hotline 03/06/08   4.   Kadima Look For Support, Don`t realize There All Being Voted Out 08:29  |  Dish It Out 03/06/08

Read & React MK Avital: Israel should renounce Hagee, his ilk Responses: 1 Shin Bet detains Physicians for Human Rights official Responses: 13 Housing Min.: Olmert backed move to build new homes in E. J'lem Responses: 98 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded Rwanda youth village Responses: 9 U.S. imam fighting deportation talks of torture by Israel Responses: 35 Egypt tries to thwart EU pact to upgrade Israel trade ties Responses: 46 Rosner's Domain New Guest: Why educate child as Jew when he is not Jewish? McCain's real enemy: Iran or Obama? (WTR) Poll: What political option is better for Israel? The ultimate challenge for Pastor Hagee McCain's Defense Sec(?) isn't sure about recognizing Israel (WTR) More Headlines 09:29 With eye on PM job, Mofaz parlays with Shas to avoid early elections 09:26 Olmert heads to U.S. with focus on defense ties, thwarting Iran 09:45 Housing Minister: Olmert backed decision to build new homes in East Jerusalem 02:39 Egypt tries to thwart Israel's plans in Europe 03:52 Physicians for Human Rights official detained by Shin Bet 09:55 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded youth village in Rwanda 09:50 Former neo-Nazis from Sweden visit Yad Vashem 08:10 Gal-On bill would jail 'online brothel managers' for 5 years 01:57 With primary in sight, Kadima chiefs scurry to drum up support 02:16 Doctors identify three IDF soldiers among remains handed over by Hezbollah 02:49 In about-face, government may open doors to Falashmura immigration 05:53 Anti-Semitic incidents in Canada hit record high in 2007 Previous Editions Select Day 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may

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