Barack Obama’s campaign benefited greatly in the Democratic primary from the caucus system, which effectively disenfranchised large numbers of Hillary Clinton’s supporters including seniors, the disabled, shift workers, and members of the military.
The LA Times reports that party leadership, firmly under Obama’s control, beat back an attempt to amend the Democratic platform to ban caucuses in favor of state primaries:
“But the party's platform committee refused to allow a vote on the amendment or even a discussion. Co-chair Patricia Madrid, a former New Mexico attorney general, said the matter would instead be taken up at a later date by the party's rules committee.”
The Times article details discussions on other issues in contention among Obama and Clinton loyalists in constructing the party’s platform, including universal health care, a signature issue for Clinton.
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Welcome to Katalusis for progressive views on politics, religion, environmental issues, and popular culture. (Photo of the Mississippi River from the University Club in St. Paul, MN.)
Good observations. The New Yorker magazine article last month made similar points in exquisite detail and in great chronological order about the Chicago Machine, Sen. Obama's deep affiliations with it, and the nimble way the 'ousider' image has been crafted.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, too much noise about an otherwise inconsequential cover art distracted the general public from paying attention that the article inside deserved.
Glad that the MSM is finally waking up to some of these issues, and I am sure glad Katalusis is reportig on it. Thanks, for a nice blog.