What if no candidate has a majority of delegates after the primaries?

[zorkpolitics]

What if Dean, Kerry, Lieberman, Graham, and Edwards all win early primaries and all continue to the convention? What if no candidate has a majority of delegates?

Would a multiple ballot convention be a good thing:
Great TV coverage, thrill of the race, dramatic winner, a final united party?

Or would a deadlocked convention be a disaster:
Endless ballots, no winner for days, lack of legitimacy to whoever wins, bad feelings and lack of unity?

[stevebreeze]

1. it would be a victoy ofr democracy

it would take the wind out of the DLC and the controling special interests.

[Madball02]

4. what?

the no plurality amongst delegates would help the DLC?


I think thats reaching...

[stevebreeze]

10. Perhaps I need to explian better

It is my belife that the activist population that typicly goes to the convention is to the left of the DLC. Sorry if I was not clear.
:kick:

[tsipple]

2. Unlikely in the Front-Loaded System

It's fun to think about, but the system is "rigged" to quickly arrive at a winner. Lots of primaries clustered together early in the calendar. However, something like 15% of delegates are actually unelected by voters, since they are "superdelegates," such as Congressmen. I think Dukakis in 1988 needed some of their votes to win on the first ballot. That's another safeguard against a deadlocked convention.

[JeniB]

3. Aren't you forgetting someone?

For all of the support he has, I can't believe you guys keep trying to keep him out.

Edited for spelling.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. I'm Thinking American Idol

It's the only truly democratic way. Best singer wins.

Ooh, what an awful thought...

[mndemocrat_29]

15. Kim Locke for President!

n/t

[mndemocrat_29]

16. A Truly Awful Thought

American Idol probably not a good idea: Isn't Trent Lott a fairly decent singer?

[election_2004]

6. Several months ago...

Hillary Clinton predicted that the Democratic nominee would be decided by March.

And doesn't Gephardt have the most superdelegates?

[goobergunch]

12. Gephardt currently leads the delegate count

http://www.freewebs.com/goobergunch/pdem.html

(and yes, I am shamelessly plugging my own site)

[genius]

7. There's always Al Gore

He pretty much agreeable to everyone - since he's the legitimate President.

[election_2004]

8. not to me....

And not to many Independent, moderate voters who don't want a melodramatic "rematch" of Bush vs. Gore.

And if we're so keen on putting up a "compromise candidate" in the event of a deadlocked convention, then how about Wesley Clark? He has much less baggage than Gore does.

[devarsi]

19. Why Melodrama?

Why not simply "dramatic?" There's nothing wrong with some drama in politics, it may actually GOTV!

And BTW, EVERYBODY has baggage! (Oh Yeah, Clark has baggage)

But of all the candidates, ONLY Gore has already beaten Bush.
Only Gore has national, executive level experience.
Only Gore has been cheated of the Presidency.
Only electing Gore would restore the blance of democracy.

[election_2004]

20. yeah, that makes a lot of sense...

Just shove Gore down the throats of new voters in 2004, even if they weren't eligible to vote in 2000.

No thank you - - I'll take a fair, unhijacked primary process.

[election_2004]

9. And there's always Wesley Clark

See my above post

[goobergunch]

11. I would enjoy watching it...

so I think it would be a good thing.

:evilgrin:

[Yupster]

13. It would be cool but

I think in that case the 800 super-delegates would get together and throw themselves at one guy or the other and that would annoint him before the convention started.

[Nicholas_J]

14. If one candidate soes not get to the 37 percent or so level

Then you have it, the delegates, the DNC, and the DLC select the candidate they think most likely to be able to mount the best opposition to the Republican incumbent.

Since 37 percent of the delegates are DLC loyal super delegates, they are the power that makes the choice. Once the canapgn gets seriously going, whoever is given the nod by most of that 37 percent wins.

The DLC is seriously opposed to Dean and unless he starts serious fence mending, he does not stand a chance. Regardless of what the voters think. If you look at the polls, only two candidates have enough puplic support to carry the nomination, and so far thats Gephardt and Lieberman. The number of undecided voters have falle to too small a percentage in the national polls to allow any other candidates to get enough of the votes to carry the party's nomination, except for Kerry, who comes close to getting enough votes, Dean falls just a bit too far behing to reach the threshold, and since all that is really left to run is to pick up support now is between labor day and new years. It is late in the game to move high enough for any but Gephardt or Lieberman to carry the support of the party itself. The primaries are not much different than polls, and guides the party, but do not rule the party.

[mndemocrat_29]

17. Hillary or Gore

If the DLC were truly going to decide this, they'd pick the two people who consistently poll the best: Hillary or Gore.

[shatoga]

18. Draft GORE and WIN - more votes than Bush - again!

All we'd need is an honest vote count to elect President Al Gore.

given an honest vote count in 2000;
Gore would be president right now.

Just imagine.
No dismantling of environmental regulations.

No invasion of other countries on a basis of lies.

No stand down on 911.

America lost when we failed to go on a general strike in 2000 and Demand an honest vote count.

The fantasy that Bush will let the votes be counted in 04 is for those who buy swampland in Florida.

Or believe Saddam had WMD and just didn't use them to defend his country from invasion.

Ask the easter bunny, or great pumpkin for an honest vote count in 04, because Bush won't give you one.

[The Sushi Bandit]

21. Then Dennis Kucinich would WIN!!

Watch as the Green Party throws their support to him. They are not above changing partys just to vote for him. Word is it is being discussed right now in the California pleninaries.

[robcon]

22. As I see it, if no candidate has the majority...

there will be deals for candidates to drop out of the contest, and "recommend" to their delegates pledged to them by the primary to vote in a particular direction.

I think some deals for VP, or Sec'y of State, etc. might be made during that time. It would be great fun to watch. Tension, vote-swapping, back-stabbing: a real convention.