Primaries

(Please bear with me -- I have a nasty cold that's stuffing my head!)

Regardless of how long it seems that the elections drag on, primaries are an absolute necessity for the democratic process, both in terms of party discipline and education of the public.

The primaries serve multiple purposes; they encourage debate about key issues, they inform and energize the public about politics, and they (usually) unite parties behind a candidate. For voters, the primaries serve to inform and energize. Through debates between the candidates, political ads, and media coverage, voters learn more about their candidates and how they stand on certain issues. This part of the primaries is vital; without adequate knowledge of the candidates, voters cannot make informed decisions. The conventions serve as the energizing portion of the primaries. Both parties choose respected and vibrant speakers to praise the chosen candidate and explain why he/she is the better choice which hopefully encourages the public to vote. The only downside of the primaries, for voters, is the overall length of the season and the incessant advertising and campaigning. Voters get slammed over the head with politics during primary season, which can turn people off to voting.

For parties, the primaries generally serve as a positive force. When the entire party supports a candidate, the party becomes a united front. And, when a party is united, that candidate has an edge in the election. Party unity isn't always the case during primaries, as we have seen from the 2008 race. When Hillary Clinton lost the nomination to Barack Obama, the Democratic party split; many of those who supported Clinton shunned Obama, forming their own group (PUMA) to elect anyone but Obama. This division increased when Obama chose Biden as his running mate instead of Clinton. On the other hand, the Republican party does seem united behind McCain and Palin thus far.

I'm not sure whether or not the primaries are good or bad for either specific candidate. They seemed wonderful for Obama at first, since he received so much media attention and voters became familiar with him. But when Palin was chosen as McCain's running mate, the dynamic shifted, and she's now receiving the most attention. In general, though, primaries give candidates the chance to reach voters and inform them of their ideologies.