I want a "brokered" Convention; no more annointed candidates

[Stoic]

Especially from the early primaries. If Edwards can't win it outright (and I hope he really does, of course), I hope he has enough delegates to dictate a pro-Worker, pro-Progressive, anti-corporate platform. Go John Edwards!

This isn't over yet.

[FlyingSquirrel]

1. I'm in the dark. What is a brokered convention? Heard of it...

but don't know what it is.

Also -

If none of the three candidates gets the 2,025 or 2,026 delegates needed including superdelegates (heard both numbers) - what happens next?

If Edwards ends up in 3rd place, does he get to choose who gets his delegates?

We may need to know the answers........

[Clintonista2]

10. A brokered convention is when nobody has a majority of delegates, so they need to "broker" a winner

In other words, they need to compromise and make deals with other candidates to try to get delegates.

[last1standing]

2. How would a brokered convention create a less anointed candidate?

If anything it would create a more anointed one as it would be just a few powerful voices deciding who becomes the nominee versus the many who vote in the primaries. I'm a big fan of Edwards this time around, but if he can't win the nomination by a vote of the people then he shouldn't be our candidate. The whole point of a democratic republic is that the people get to decide.

No brokered conventions for me.

[Kucinich4America]

6. There's only one candidate who could easily emerge from a brokered convention this year....

I don't think you would find many in the camps of any of the remaining candidates who would have a problem with that.

And delegates represent the people. It's not 100% direct democracy, but it beats the Hell out of that fossilized scam called the "electoral college" that we haven't gotten rid of yet.

[last1standing]

11. I'd have a massive problem with that.

Gore has been fantastic in a hundred different ways, but he chose not to run for president this cycle and because of that no one had the chance to vote for him. I'd never vote for someone half a dozen people (or even a couple of thousand people) decided was in my best interest, even if that person was Albert Gore.

Whatever happened to the "Democratic" part of the Democratic Party?

[Kucinich4America]

12. "Whatever happened to the "Democratic" part of the Democratic Party?"

It got lost when the Republican DLC came in, and thought they could take over everything. :evilfrown:

[last1standing]

15. I'm no fan of the DLC, but if that's who the people elect, then that's democratic.

When bush the elder won the first election I could vote in, I was upset but at least I knew it was what the majority of the voting populace wanted. When Clinton won twice, i was happy as Hell because someone I thought would help this country was finally in office after 12 years and the majority of the voting populace had spoken. When bush* the lesser stole the election twice, I was pissed as Hell because we were moving away from policies that were good for the country and nation - and the majority of the voting populace had been denied their voice.

I don't want that voice denied again, either for my party or the other. Let the people decide who will represent them for good or ill. That is democracy.

[bluestateguy]

3. And then thre would be endless bitching on DU about the process being undemocratic

Trust me.

[BootinUp]

4. How does that work then?

I guess there must be a wiki page that explains it.

[1corona4u]

5. ME TOO!!!!!

But, I have a TOTALLY different candidate in mind....

[FlyingSquirrel]

7. Ok fine we'll go for Biden then. :-)

So I was just looking it up in Wikipedia. It says that this year a Brokered Convention is seen as more likely to happen with Republicans than Democrats. Also says:

"Secondly, political parties wish to avoid the negative publicity from a brokered convention, which has turned the nominating conventions from the rough-and-tumble affairs to the infomercial-type occasions they are today.<7> Thus, a candidate nominated from the brokered convention will be seen as weak and must climb additional hurdles to gain election."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokered_convention

I don't want our party to end up with a weaker candidate, so I have to say just reading this lessens my desire for a brokered convention even if that's what it would take to get my candidate the win. I want a democratic president and I'm willing to sacrifice a certain amount to get one. However I won't give up on Edwards till he gives in, if ever. I'm torn. Better use the dilemma smiley

:dilemma:

On the other hand, if the same thing happens to Repugs then we're not any worse off than they are.

[youthere]

9. You know what they say Corona...Great minds and all.

[1corona4u]

13. Pray. Pray hard.

;-)

[Egnever]

8. I dont

only because it will be the establishment that goes to the convention and not everyday people. It would ensure a hillary victory.

It would be cool to see though.

[Kucinich4America]

14. I don't know how it ensures a Hillary victory

A brokered convention (given the current status of the race) assumes you're going to have a split between the Hillary and Obama camps. Perhaps a three way split with Edwards, if he catches up in the next few primaries, which I still believe is entirely possible, and frankly, am rooting for, since a Kucinich victory is unfortunately unlikely.

In either a two way or three way split, I don't see either the Obama or Hillary camps conceding to the other. The animosity between the two is obvious, and it's only January. If it's a three way split, I could see a deal between the Obama and Edwards camps, but the Hillbots would probably still hold out against both. I don't see any way that Hillary walks out of a brokered convention at the top of the ticket.

[DiamondJay]

16. the superdelegates do not hurt Hillary (big understatement)

the superdelegates actually have the ability to put Hillary over the top even if Obama wins the primaries, Superdelegates include all members of Congress and certain other elected officials, former Presidents, etc.