Why would any voter support a brokered convention?

1. Desire to watch a entertaining/extraordinary political spectacle.
2. Hope to win the lottery for their preferred candidate.
3. Ulterior motive (wants to see Dems hurt)
4. Idealistic motive - Believes selecting a candidate in the heat of the convention is good for the party because of public interest, and because tired of the staged aspects of modern party nominating conventions.

From the point of view of the Democratic Leadership, a brokered convention is the last thing they want. Pelosi, Reid, and Dean have all said no to a brokered convention, no to intense floor fights at 1:30am, no to raw anger, confusion and

I personally think they have a collection of pretty good arguments against a brokered convention, first and foremost that history says it's a sure way to lose an election.

All political junkies have a little bit of reason number one inside us. I think #1 is the best argument for a brokered convention, although I don't think it's a good enough argument for a brokered convention.

Reason #2 is just plain irresponsible. You might get lucky or the country might get who knows? Reid? Anything is possible in a brokered convention (see #1)so it's kind of a crap shoot fatalistic move. It's selfish like your kid who wants their sibling to do a do-over on the coin toss they lost. I don't think the country would take kindly to Gore or Edwards getting the nom after what we've been through. Everybody would be like 'what's the point?' #2 is the fantasizer's number of choice. Spawns complex fantasies about how favorite political figure triumphs in front of the convention and the world.

Reason #3 is pretty self explanatory. Rush likes reason's 1 through 3. He'd love to see a brokered convention. I also bet a brokered Dem convention would work for 3rd party and Independent candidates. As the raw passion, paranoia, and political infighting break out across the convention floor, a lot of sad weary disillusioned people are going to be looking for a place to go in the aftermath.

Reason #4 is the second best reason to be for a brokered convention, but it's lame. The old days are gone because they caused too many problems. Like all institutions, the Dem party is loath to change, so there are a plethora of rules and procedures that may or may not make sense or may make sense to some but not to others. The time to deal with process is before the big show, or after the big show, not on opening night.

I'm pretty sure there won't be a brokered convention. I'm betting we will have a universally presumed candidate by June 9th at the latest, and probably earlier.

If he wasnt man enough to face the voters in the primaries he doesnt deserve to be nominated by some back room deal.

one of those things that looks good on paper.

If, for example, neither candidate has the national support to go up against the other party's candidate, then brining in a "sure bet" seems to make sense. But then the question becomes, who is the sure bet? (Other than Biden, of course :7)

This is such a crucial period in our history - in our continuation of being the country our forefathers dreamed of, it might do more harm than good.

Doubt if it'll get to that, don't you?

Brokering elections happens whether you see it or not. They set the rules - and made sure the convention would have the last word.

Either you have confidence in the process or you don't.

I expect this one will have been brokered by 6/9/08 at the latest. No one inside the party sees an advantage to dragging this out. Bill Clinton won under the same rules. If they are good enough for Bill they are good enough for Hill, even if she loses under the same rules.

Hey I vote June 3rd. I've got confidence. Montana is Obama country. The O in Montana stands for Obama! We might get to put him over the top!

That's what I would do if I were king and Hill continued to stay in. I'd make it go down to Montana and S. Dakota. Have enough supers declare so that the vote of the two states is what actually pushes him over the limit.

Then you can always claim it's the will of the people Obama wins the last two states and the nomination!

We have a summer to mend our bridges and to begin the Autumn ritual.

:kick: