As an author of The Almanac of American Politics, Michael Barone should know better than to misrepresent the way the GOP selects delegates in the presidential nomination campaign:
Winner-take-all is the Republican idea of fairness. The party seeks unity and uniformity, and doesn’t encourage dissent. You know the rules in advance, and if you come out ahead you get the big prize. Thus, few Republicans thought it unfair when John McCain got all 58 delegates from Missouri on Super Tuesday after beating Mike Huckabee there 33 percent to 32 percent.
In reality, Missouri was one of only ten winner-take-all contests on the nomination calendar. Include WTA by district and statewide contests and the total is 19 of 56 — a plurality at best. The GOP has a variety of methods of delegate selection, reflecting the party’s emphasis on federalism more than any particular notion of fairness.
The nomination itself is winner-take-all. Barone correctly identifies that as the source of the Democrats’ dilemma.
All of our races are winner-take-all; the only real difference is how the winner is decided.
I’m still waiting to see a Clinton/Obama/Kucinich co-presidency, but not anxious for it to show itself.
Karl – Why must you insist on pointing out the facts to these people?
As a contrast with the Democrats, what Barone said makes some sense; he’s pointing to the difference between equality of outcome (promoted by the Donks) and equality of opportunity (promoted by the GOP). The liberals would look at the 33-32 victory for McCain over Huckabee and say that they should get roughly the same number of delegates.
I’m wondering how this POV would stand up in the face of a hypothetical 2000-turnabout scenario? One where Clinton or Obama wins the electoral vote, but loses the popular vote.
S/He’s not MY president.
I didn’t think it was unfair when Sen. McCain got all the delegates and Hick got nones. This is a just world.
As opposed to changing the rules in mid-game and giving the prize to the also-ran?
Demanding uniformity from the states in their delegate selection process is encouraging dissent? Who knew?
Yeah, they are really big on “sharing”, right up until they have a razor’s edge of a numerical advantage, then it’s “well, we’re in charge now, so just get with the program, mister!” (cv the beginning of the 107th Congress between January 3rd and January 20th, 2001, and the current Senate make-up, where it is 49 Democrats/49 Republicans/2 Independents).
And somehow “plurality = mandate” when it is a Democrat, but with the GOP, it’s only proof that a majority did not vote for him.
OT: I think McCain’s wisest choice for VeeP is Condi Rice. Think about it.
Brainster,
What you argue (and Barone argues) only holds a third of the time at best. The GOP used to have many more WTA contests. I think Barone still has that model in his mind and did not bother to look at the actual numbers.
Why don’t we split the Presidency? Right now, it’s a “winner-take-all” setup and that’s not fair. If Candidate A takes 60% of the popular vote, he should only be able to make 60% of the decisions. If Candidate B takes 40% of the vote, he should be able to make 40% of the decisions. After all, the people has spoken!!
Drumwaster,
OT: I think Rice was much more popular with the GOP when she was NSA instead of SecState. I’m guessing you think she attracts Dems based on identity politics, but I would bet she would be used to paint McCain as Dubya, Part III. And there would be a massive whispering campaign against her, particularly if Obama is the nominee.
yeah, no need to give them something more substantial to work with on that front. I told RTO I was going to send an email to Chuck Schumer after his remark on MTP that “The great moral issue is defeating George Bush, John McCain, and coming up with a way that we can do–walk away from the convention unified.”
Chuck, I see what you’re doing!
That’s so all the marbles kind of too, maggie. When McCain wins, Bush will be validated by inference, and these sad little people and their media friends will lose all their investment.
Complaining about the system when you knew the rules in advance is just childish.