Word: processions
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Before 1905, party bosses in each state handpicked their choice of candidate, leaving the general population with no say in the electoral process until the general election. Over time, most states switched to the caucuses and primaries, although many of those remained virtually meaningless for decades, as local delegates weren't bound to nominate the candidates who received the most votes. Instead, they would head to state conventions where their votes were bartered among local power brokers, thus keeping the power in the hands of the small cadre of party bosses. State party heads would then show...
...Around the time of Watergate, when the American public was growing increasingly disenchanted with the insulated nature of party politics, states began adopting a more open primary system, with a more publicly accountable nominating process. Many states, for instance, began requiring delegates to sign pledges to nominate the candidates for whom they had been stumping. While nominees are still officially announced at the state party conventions, this is now a mere formality in the 48 states that hold primary and caucuses, as the candidates with the most selected delegates are automatically anointed...
This year, much attention has been focused on the New York Republican party's nominating process. The New York GOP has an onerous process that requires a candidate to garner signatures in each voting district in order to get listed on a party ballot. This year John McCain, running a close second in the state behind George W. Bush - who has gotten vocal support from state GOP heads, including Governor George Pataki - petitioned a state court to add him to the ballots of more than a dozen upstate districts that left him off. At the same time Steve Forbes...
...appointed by "Fat Tuesday," March 14. Most pollsters expect the race to be over by March 7, when 14 states vote, including delegate-heavy California and New York. Also take note of how the GOP primary plays out in the Empire State - with much negative publicity about the nominating process, there will surely be wide-scale calls for reform after the elections...
Critics argue that the condensed schedule forces a disproportionate emphasis on Iowa and New Hampshire, while de-emphasizing states that vote later in the process. As a remedy, there've been widespread calls to either prolong the season or to rotate the states that come first, so more regions will be able to reach out and touch future presidents...