The Revenge of Retail Politics
Candidates are on their way to spending an astonishing $5 billion on the 2016 Presidential race. A sum larger than the Gross Domestic Products of 40 countries. So far, (according to this excellent NYTimes graphic) the candidates had raised almost $760 million before the first Caucus.
Veepstakes! (Or why Julian Castro won’t be Clinton’s running mate)
“I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.”
But the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary will choose only about two percent of the delegates to each national convention.
“I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.”
So said “Boss” William Tweed, the iconic (and audacious and arrogant) boss of New York City’s infamous Democratic political machine in the late nineteenth century. He spoke too soon (or too truthfully) for the arrogance of Tweed and his ilk provoked reformers to take away the nominating power of political machines and political parties and give that power to the voters. That is what primary elections are about.