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2008 Democratic Primary Race
Overview:
Join us as we analyze the Democratic primary race for President. We will review the candidates and their campaign strategies as well as the key issues that divide or unite them. We'll look beyond the sound bite rhetoric as we examine the subtle (and not so subtle) differences that are likely to determine who becomes the Democratic nominee.
Key Lecture Points:
• As the 2008 presidential elections draw nearer, Democrats are in the process of choosing their candidate. The primaries, or the state-level contests for the party’s nomination for president, are currently under way and are, as usual, causing flurry of media attention.
• With Barack Obama declared the winner of the Iowa caucuses and South Carolina primary, and Hillary Clinton the winner in New Hampshire and Nevada, the Democratic primary race is intensifying. Further, as other Democratic candidates, like John Edwards, Bill Richardson, and Dennis Kucinich, have withdrawn, they have turned the race into a two person competition. That said, Edwards, Richardson and Kucinich have not yet endorsed either Clinton or Obama. As such, they still carry weight in the competition.
• As Super Tuesday approaches, we can expect the campaigning to heat up, as the results after this day of voting will be decisive in the larger contest. On Tuesday, February 5, 22 states have scheduled their primaries, the earliest date on which the party will allow them to be held. A full 2,075 votes are up for grabs, more than the majority required to take the nomination. The Colorado caucus will be held on Super Tuesday.
• In order to capture the party’s nomination, candidate must win a majority of the 4,040 delegate votes at the Democratic National Convention this summer. Of the 4,040 delegates at the convention, 3,248 are “pledged” delegates (they have to vote in accordance with what their state party declares, usually in proportion to the number of votes that candidate receives in the primary or caucus), and 796 are “unpledged” with the ability to vote for any candidate (they are usually party leaders and elected officials). These so-called Super Delegates are becoming an increasing interest and controversy, as they represent 20% of the total and could tip the balance for either candidate.
• Another controversy touches upon the role that the national party plays in scheduling primaries. Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates to the convention as punishment for scheduling their primaries prior to the rules set by the Democratic National Committee.
• The Convention holds special interest for Coloradans, as Denver is hosting the event from August 25-28, 2008.
Exploration Questions:
• Why did the DNC strip Florida and Michigan of its delegates at the convention?
• In what way might this action affect the upcoming convention?
• How might "Super Delegates" affect the upcoming convetion?
Reflective Question:
• What memories do you have of past Democratic Conventions?
• Have you ever attended a convention? If so, what was your experience?
• Have you ever attended a caucus? In what ways was it different than voting?
More to Explore:
• Democratic National Committee Website: www.democrats.org
• General Overview of Candidates' Stands: www.ontheissues.org
• New York Times Coverage of Primaries: http://politics.nytimes.com
Books For Further Reading:
• Scala, Dante J. Stormy Weather: The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. 218 pages. This historical, political and strategic analysis of the New Hampshire primaries explains the importance of the contest, its implications for the presidential election and those strategies that work and those that don’t. Click here to order.
• Gangale, Thomas M. From the Primaries to the Polls: How to Repair America’s Broken Presidential Nomination Process. Praeger, 2007. 280 pages. This reading of the presidential nomination process argues that it is “unfair and exclusive”, giving unfair privilege to states that go first in the primary elections. He also argues that front-loading the primary calendar has the effect of the awarding the nomination to the candidate with the best financing. Click here to order.
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