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Primaries and Caucuses (negative (constant media attention and TV debates,…
Primaries and Caucuses
insider and outsider candidates
outsider candidates
no experience of Washington DC politics
state governors - jimmy carter, Ronald Reagan, George W bush
Insider candidates
have held political office in Washington DC
insiders stress the need for experience
e.g George bush sir
candidates have to balance their ticket
Vice President opposite to them
Positives
more democratic choice for voters
ends smoke filled room politics
shows who can win and where
Clinton 1992 - southern democratic but primaries showed liberal northern support
same with Obama but opposite
weeds out the weaker candidates
2012 Michelle Bachmann queen of the tea party can 6th in Iowa and dropped out
long & gruelling process
tests candidates resilience
tests suitability for the role of president
negative
to long winded
with invisible primary it leads to constant state of election
constant media attention and TV debates
trivialises process
beauty contest with no policy debate
too much time fund-fund-raising
suitable candidates may drop out if no funds
exhausting for candidates
if they already hold public office
gives momentum to outsider candidates
reduces role of parties in deciding a nominee
personality contest rather than political
little peer review
divides politicians from the same party
in 1992 rep could not make friends
low turnout = unrep view
potential to alienate voters by flip-flopping
from one policy to another