The Sunshine Empire

One of the things that I love about early 20th century American politics is the contentious national presidential nominating conventions in the summers of election years.  These grand meetings are where the candidates where hand chosen through smoke filled back rooms.  On a side note I’ve always wondered why they did not just open a window or something if they where so smoky.  Candidates where chosen after hundreds of ballots from delegates from all over the country.  Titanic deals where struck that affected American history, and world events, all by the art of politics.  But as the century wore on they developed into staged infomercials that are simply to promote a candidate that has been chosen through a primary system and has been the winner for some months.  Yet I feel this year could be different.

A confusing number of candidates in both parties are in flux in too many states for their to be a deciding winner after two primary victories.  Due to the large number of candidates and the large number of states that each of them lead in, I could see some genuine confusion when it comes time for summer in 2008.  What if no one candidate has the needed delegates to be a first ballot choice?  Then the intrigue begins.  This may even force the networks to actually cover the conventions.   I truley wish something like that happens in both races, but it will probably not.  I’m just miserable enough to still watch it though.