It’s too bad David Macaulay (of The New Way Things Work fame) didn’t expand his expertise to politics. Right about now we could use some detailed diagramming of how on earth one goes from a barely known Illinois senator to the presumptive Democratic nominee of the President of the United States. We could especially use that diagram to explain what superdelegates have to do with any of this. I promised in my last blog to explain delegates and superdelegates. So for all of you who are wondering what on earth all the hoopla was, now you’ll have an explanation with … Continue reading →

Today is really THE super Tuesday to beat out all other super Tuesdays. Today is the last day of the Democratic primaries. Primaries today are being held in Montana and South Dakota and this is the end. . .we think. Under Pressure The Clinton campaign is under increasing pressure to cede the nomination to Barack Obama. Yet she hasn’t. Personally, I think her campaign strategist is brilliant. If she is to win the nomination (McCain says to “never count a Clinton out.”) she now has a story of fighting for her nomination that will carry her well into the general … Continue reading →

On Tuesday, Clinton won the Pennsylvania primary. Yesterday we talked quite a bit about primaries and their role in the run for President. Had she lost, her ability to be elected would be next to null. . .a mathematical impossibility. Actually, it still is nearly a mathematical impossibility. But her win yesterday was important for her campaign and has some serious implications for Obama’s campaign as well. What Hillary’s Win Does for Her First and foremost, it keeps her in the race. Had she lost on Tuesday, I think that she would’ve needed to bow out gracefully. (I’m not saying … Continue reading →

I have been covering the various candidates’ running platforms, but yesterday was the Pennsylvania primary and so I thought it would be more appropriate today to focus on what the purpose of a primary election is, why yesterday’s win was important, and what this means for the Democratic party. (McCain is said to have secured the Republican nomination on Feb. 28th.) I will return to discussing the Obama running platform tomorrow. What Exactly Is a Primary? A primary is essentially one means by which a party elects its candidate. Each state controls their own primaries and generally, when you register … Continue reading →

So yesterday, I read in the paper that the Michigan governor as well as the Florida state party chair in conjunction with the Clinton campaign think there should be some kind of do-over vote in June. Considering that both Florida and Michigan held their primaries in January, what’s going on? Senator Clinton won both primaries, so why would her campaign support a ‘do-over’? Meaningless Votes Well, it turns out that the Democratic National Convention (DNC) stripped both states of their delegates because they held their primaries too early in violation of their rules. None of the candidates (Clinton and Obama … Continue reading →

What a wild ride yesterday was in the four states where both Democratic and Republican candidates faced the judgment of the voters. John McCain swept all four states and is now the presumptive nominee. Governor Mike Huckabee took a final bow and gave a rousingly warm speech about patriotism and standing together, united as one country. The speech cited the words spoken at the Alamo where the men knew that they would be put to the sword, down to the last, but that as long as their flag flew, they would not surrender. This is a sentiment cherished by all … Continue reading →