Comments on: Super Tuesday

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:56:44 +0000

I just wanted to point out a spelling mistake (?) here in the article in the 2nd paragraph, line 8: “This also means that if you *loose* in some of the early states that pick first,……”. Shouldn’t that have been “lose”?

And thanks, Jeff, for this very informative stuff!

[Thanks, Thomas. We've corrected it.--ESL Podcast Team]

By: Wislei

Wislei — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:53:11 +0000

Hi Jeff
Are there others political parties in USA besides Democrat and Republican? Some say they exist, but for me they are like cod fish’s head: we know that cod fish has head but we never see it.

By: ahruiheng

ahruiheng — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:38:24 +0000

” These delegates must vote for the person their state told them to vote for, at least on the first ballot (vote) of the convention.”
how about if the candidate won a state then quitted,who else should the delegates vote for?hold another primary to decide?

By: emiliano

emiliano — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:15:57 +0000

Last night I went to bed near 4,30 p.a. looking for the news on the web, and it was amazing to see the newspapers showing the pools on first page.
Here, all newspapers did the same El Pais, El Mundo, ABC, etc., and each has his candidate. El Pais (Obama) of course as it is in the same way
that our Government.
I had on my screen The N.Y. Times, Whashington Post, El Pais, and El Mundo. I was looking at them simultaneously.
Also on the radio every journalist told us before that they were going to be all night awake watching for the results.
As Matteo says I know that Italy has same problem than here as the list are decided by the parties. The lists are closed, and if one of the first parties has not enough majority to make up Goverment the separty parties has the key of Government, what is happening just now. A big disaster, as they are people that wanted to go out of Spain “Nationalist”, they don’t want to speak spanish, they dislike the spanish flag…..also dislike our history and teach children what ever they wanted at the schools. Also, what is more incredible they “do not teach spanish at the schools” and the Spanish flag is not at the Cityhall buildings….and so on.. These parties are never satisficed wich what they obtain from official goverment………
We have elections next march, and as our politicians are so mediocres we are much more interested in what is happening in US. elections, that in ours as we know it should be just the same we have now, much more of the same what a pity.
Matteo yesterday I listen that in Italy 60 years of democracy after the second war 59 differents goverments, that is very incredible and that is the truth a country goes on without goverment at all. Regards.
Good for spanish people in U.S., their votes go to Hillary…….and in California has been esential for her. I am happy.

By: miguel

miguel — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:02:56 +0000

Thanks a lot for your answer, Jeff

By: Dr. Jeff McQuillan

Dr. Jeff McQuillan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 03:14:16 +0000

Thanks to Emiliano and Matteo for their comments. It is interesting to hear the perspective of others about your own country, and of course to learn about the situation in other places.

To answer Miguel’s question: It depends on the state and on the party. In some states, they have “open” primaries, meaning that even people who are not party members (“independents”) may vote in the election (they just pick one party or the other, but not both!). Some states have a “closed” primary, meaning that you have to be registered in for that party. But it is the parties that decide whether it will be open or closed. Here in California, you can vote in the Democratic primary if you are an independent, but not in the Republican one. This causes additional confusion. To make matters worse, the Democratic party has a certain percentage of delegates who are not decided by the popular vote. These are called “super delegates” and are usually political party members, elected officials, and other infuential people in the party organization. Still, the large majority of the delegates for both parties are popularly elected on primary day.

By: miguel

miguel — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:58:09 +0000

Thanks a lot for the explanation.

But I have a question: who can participate in the election of the delegates of a state? Only party members?

By: Matteo

Matteo — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:16:19 +0000

Hi, this is my first posting here.
It seems to me that the process of selecting candidates for the general election in US has the benefit of involving people in this decision process by contributing to renew politics and politicians in your State. I’d rather prefer it was the same in my country too, but I’m afraid it is far too different. Unfortunately the citizens in Italy have no choice on which candidate they want to vote, neither for the presidency (prime minister) or for the members of the parliament. Both are decided by the Italian parties which are far more then two. So we are stuck with almost the same candidates as 10 years ago! The next general elections is due in Italy in April and Berlusconi (which is now 72 years old) is opposed to Veltroni (52) but both have always been in politics from more than a decade and there is no new face on the stage. I really envy your political system because it is up to the American people who will drive the US in the next years.

By: emiliano

emiliano — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:51:46 +0000

Sorry, I do not think yours like a crazy system, not at all, I like it very very much, as I said above, and my “caucus” is Hillary for president.
Obama seems also a good fellow but I prefer Hillary as I know her better. A great person, a great woman, and sure a good President.

By: emiliano

emiliano — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:35:13 +0000

I use to listen to the news every afternoon on the radio, and you can’t imagine how much time they talk about nominations in your country. Just now they are speaking about this super tuesday but they don’t explain it as clearly as you do in the blog.
¿Is there anybody that don’t know now how are the nominations in U.S.?. I think it is very interesting and nice to know how is democracy elections are in other nations.
But if in my country should be “caucus” in some places sure it shall be very dangerous because many people would fight among them, or sure some other bad things may happen.
Political feelings have to be “secret” (top secret) in many regions of Spain if you want to be safe, or simply if you want to live over there with neighbourhood. In fact a lot of people have to go away from little towns o villages if their neighbours know something about his way of thinking, just because their lives where in danger. Other lost their lifes because they didn’t want to go and were killed without other reason that their way of thinking.
And this is something that not so many people kwons about what is happening just now here in my country. Many journalists, politicians, artist, or significant persons who have some influence need to have permanent escort all day wichever place they go.
This is very sad and not well known by other nations or people over there. I think we are a young democracy and we need more time to establish it everyplace in this country.
I envy very much your “caucus” and when this way of elections should be possible here, everywhere, it shall be a sign of things are going much better.
For me also it is very difficult to talk about politicians just among my friends….¿can you imagine “caucus”?
Thank you Jeff you explain it perfectly, and again I envy your Iowa’s people.