Would you like to see the major parties have a brokered convention?

[Lincoln Republican]

We will say the primaries and caucuses failed to pick a clear winner, and there are 4 or 5 candidates who are in contention at the convention.

Would you like to see this situation where the major parties have to have a brokered convention to choose a Presidential nominee, with good old fashioned brokering and deal making?

Why or why not?

Please discuss.

[pbrower2a]

No. The results are usually awful.  A brokered convention can result in a Presidential nominee who loses in a landslide.

So what if you are in the other Party.  A landslide can elicit arrogance that leads to gross failure.

[Oak Hills]

Yes, because it would be very interesting to follow.

[Frodo]

No. The results are usually awful.  A brokered convention can result in a Presidential nominee who loses in a landslide.

So what if you are in the other Party.  A landslide can elicit arrogance that leads to gross failure.

What if both major parties have brokered conventions?

[Zioneer]

No. The results are usually awful.  A brokered convention can result in a Presidential nominee who loses in a landslide.

So what if you are in the other Party.  A landslide can elicit arrogance that leads to gross failure.

What if both major parties have brokered conventions?

What if every single major party or major third party (the Dems and GOP, but also the Libertarians, Green, Constitution, etc) had a brokered convention?

[CountryClassSF]

Has there ever actually been a brokered convention? Other than in media fantasyland?

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Has there ever actually been a brokered convention? Other than in media fantasyland?

Yes.

The major parties didn't even have a national primary system until the mid to late 1970s. Before that, a selected number of states would have primaries, but the delegates from the other states could easily override their results at the convention (as they did in 1912, when the primary state delegates preferred Roosevelt but the non primary state delegates preferred Taft) so the primaries were essentially meaningless unless the delegates in non-primary states were sufficiently divided. And before that, there were no primaries at all, it was all done within conventions and smoke filled rooms.

However, since the introduction of the national primary, the conventions have become rather obsolete. Only once has the outcome of a convention been in doubt when primaries were held in all 50 states - and that was the Ford vs. Reagan battle in 1976. I don't count the Kennedy vs. Carter battle in 1980 here as Kennedy had no real chance of winning the convention - Reagan '76 did.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

All political junkies should crave brokered conventions.

[Maxwell]

I would love a brokered convention in both parties.

[The Mikado]

Has there ever actually been a brokered convention? Other than in media fantasyland?

1976 was the last one, but 1976 was a different era, politically.

Obviously the Dems won't be having one in 2016, and the chances of the GOP having one are absolutely minuscule and would depend on two strong candidates with Rand Paul as a kingmaker in a "wins several states" third.

[Ebsy]

Obviously the only opportunity for one this year is on the Republican side, and even then it's probably not going to happen, but I think it's much more likely than some on this forum say.

[Lincoln Republican]

One of the most famous brokered conventions in U.S. history, if not the most famous, was the Republican convention in 1920 which ended up nominating U.S. Senator from Ohio Warren G Harding for President.

A fascinating convention. 

Comes complete with party bosses, smoke filled room, wheeling and dealing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G._Harding

Click on the link and scroll down to Convention.

[TDAS04]

Yes, because it would be very interesting to follow.

[DC Al Fine]

Yes, because it would be very interesting to follow.

If the Canadian system is any indication, they're crazy interesting for Atlas types.

[BaconBacon96]

Yes, because it would be very interesting to follow.

[Indy Texas]

Yes, particularly if it happened not in hidden back rooms but out in the open before all the cameras to be uploaded in real time to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the like.

Paulites camping out and peddling tracts about 9/11, bloated, red-faced Tea Partiers in American flag-patterned shirts screaming about not wanting a RINO nominee, Good Guys with Guns, plastic fetus dolls, prayer circles, Rick Perry doing everything short of offering to accompany delegates to their hotel room for a quickie, Lincoln Chafee randomly showing up because he decided to switch parties yet again but still wants to be president.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

One of the most famous brokered conventions in U.S. history, if not the most famous, was the Republican convention in 1920 which ended up nominating U.S. Senator from Ohio Warren G Harding for President.

A fascinating convention. 

Comes complete with party bosses, smoke filled room, wheeling and dealing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G._Harding

Click on the link and scroll down to Convention.

I imagine if for some reason Hilary dropped out the Democratic convention for 2016 might look something like that.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Nah, the Democrats should wait until 2024 and then have one in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Clanbake.