Legal Commentary

How The Media Covers The Nomination Process; Or Did Romney Win The Day Yesterday?

By Big Tent Democrat

Despite the ridiculous, pathetic and shameful attempt by the Obama campaign to spin the undemocratic and outrageous delegate selection system used in Nevada (and Iowa) as a "win," the Media, to its credit, did not bite. As Chris Bowers notes:

. . . [T]he media is instead covering who wins the popular vote of individual states. . . . [T]he media is covering is interesting and closer to the concept of one person, one vote . . .

Chris is strangely upset about this respect for the wishes of voters. I say thank gawd someone respects the voters, because the delegate allocation system sure does not.

The funny thing is if the Media did NOT cover it this way, there would be no reason to give Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, etc. much coverage at all. The delegate results in these states are virtually meaningless. They will have almost nil effect on the delegate count. The only primaries that would have the heft to merit big coverage would come on February 5 and after - when the a great proportion of the delegates will be chosen. These states would get the coverage of Mitt Romney's win in Wyoming.

More . . .

The system that has been set up is, for better or worse, intended to require candidates to campaign vigorously in smaller states where the voters can get an up close and personal view. Let the voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and Nevada evaluate the candidates we are told. If we then ignore this evaluation, what's the point?

Finally, was yesterday Miit Romney's day? He won more delegates than John McCain. Surely that should have been the headline according to Bowers, no?

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 20, 2008 (boomark / email).