1952’s brokered convention brought defeat to the Democratic Party

1952 was the last year when the Democratic Party had a brokered convention, and imposed on party members the fiat candidate chosen by Harry Truman: Adlai Stevenson. The party was trounced in the general election. There are those who say that it was the most undemocratic of the Democratic Party’s conventions in the 2Oth century, going hand in hand with the disaster of the 1968 Chicago convention. The people wanted an anti-war nominee. Boss Daley teargassed protesters on the streets. Again, the party lost in the general election and Tricky Dickey became president.

Will history repeat itself in 2008? Right now the hunt for delegates is a virtual tie: 855 for Hillary Clinton and 861 for Barack Obama. It does not include the 800 super delegates, who are not elected at state party conventions. They are appointed. If those unelected delegates throw their support to the candidate of the status quo and the party machinery, Hillary Clinton, it is very possible that thousands if not millions of Americans will choose to stay home in November, ensuring the election of warmonger John McCain.

I urge you to visit the political blogs where people discuss the current situation. I was astounded to hear the following statement by huge numbers of discussion participants, who in their great majority identified themselves as Democrats. If the choice is between Hillary Clinton and John McCain, I will vote for McCain, they said. How sad. But that is what will happen if someone is imposed from above; in this case the 800 unelected super delegates.

The only nominee that can beat Big Mac is Barack Obama. He is the only one that will attract independents and disaffected moderate Republicans. Will the Democratic Party commit political suicide?