Comments on: Brokered Conventions

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:29:52 +0000

Thanks for the memories. I remember when Martin Luther King was killed and Robert Kennedy’s announcment of it, hearing it again, chokes me up.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:05:29 +0000

(I am gong with the pollyanna wish that Obama ends up winning the nomination. Don’t telly anyone that I am running a campaign of whisper and innuendo.)

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:19:56 +0000

Mike: While I think there are interesting parallels between 68 and now (scary people in office, an unpopular war, dual inspiring … for different reasons … candidates in the Democratic party, etc.) there are also vast differences, of course.The uneasy parallel is this: In 68 HHH managed the convention and took power, and Nixon won. If Clinton does something similar, it may turn out retrospectively that the Republicans putting up an “aisle crosser” candidate was brilliant, and the reason for their victory.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:19:39 +0000

I barely remember seeing these 1968 events, but I do remember them. I don’t know that a brokered convention will lead to such a mess, because the differences between McCarthy and Humphrey over the Vietnam war were far greater than they are between Obama and Clinton over the Iraq war (as much as they try to create separation neither is calling for an immediate pullout.)The fear that if the convention may actually be exciting this year it will lead to a loss in the general election is in my opinion unfounded. It would be nice if the candidates didn’t have to go after each other in order to get the nomination, but they know what works and what doesn’t. People say they want Pollyanna, but what they really want is Xena.I say it will drive up voter interest, and the only fear is that the supporters of the candidate who is not selected will drop out in a fit of pity and despair.