Brokered Convention: the nightmare scenario

[ringmastery]

This isn't as crazy as it was a month ago.

If the Iowa caucus is close and the top 4 are bunched up closely, the money is going to start flowing to Edwards and Kerry. NH will suddenly become much more competitive. Dean will be marginalized, but he still has the superb fundraising base and organization to make a run of it in every state.

It could be a long drawn-out primary between Dean, Edwards, Clark, and Kerry, with no candidate with a majority of the delegates.

Not having a candidate and uncertainty until July would be a nightmare. All the top candidates would become "damaged goods" and the party will have to beg Hillary or Gore to bail it out, I think. They are the only two individuals with enough of a national base to make a legitimate run against Bush in a time-compressed 3 month campaign.

[deminflorida]

1. Don't think so....

Iowa and New Hampshire don't represent main-stream America.

There's going to be an election this time around and it's going to open some eyes within the Democratic Party, believe me.

[Syrinx]

2. I could go with Gore

After all, he won last time. But Hilary is a sure road to defeat. I'd vote for her, but not too many people would. At least not enough.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

7. same here, Gore not Hillary

Not a big fan of either - but Gore DID win the election last time, and God knows we would have been better off if the Supreme Court hadn't struck down the Constitution.

[NWHarkness]

3. Say what?

How would a candidate who is competitive in every state be considered "marginalized"?

[ringmastery]

4. $200 million

Bush.

no focused opposition until July.

You figure it out.

[AntiCoup2K4]

5. If we let the DLC pick this nominee, we are SO fucked!

And if they only have three months to take on Junior - that much worse.

[DjTj]

6. You can't damage goods that are strong candidates...

...this is what we should learn from Iowa. Dean hammered Kerry for months but nobody was really paying attention. Everyone dismissed Edwards as having no chance

When people actually started paying attention, Kerry and Edwards surged.

Bush can spend his $200 million however he wants for the first few months. However, when people actually start tuning in during the last month, our candidate will shine through.

The Dems have savaged each other and we've come out just fine. I'm not afraid of Bush now.