January 25, 2008
University Wargames The Dem Nomination Fight
Tired of watching Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton slug it out on the trail? If you want to know who the Democratic nominee is going to be, keep an eye this weekend on Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va.
On Friday and Saturday, the university is holding its mock convention. Heralded for its accuracy, W&L's convention has correctly predicted the presidential nominee for the out-of-office party each time since 1948, except once (delegates chose Edward Kennedy over George McGovern in '72). The Gate is here in western Virginia this weekend to bring you all the sights and sounds. Check back tomorrow for the convention results. We'll be posting a comprehensive write-up plus plenty of photos on Monday.
The mock convention isn't just a rally to see whom college students like best in the Democratic field (which would likely be Obama, based on students' cheers when candidates' photos were revealed). In fact, many of the students attending are Republicans. All participating students were assigned a state to represent and, for the past several months, have been following news and developments on Democratic campaigns in their state. Based on that research, each state delegation has made its decision, and roll-call votes will be cast tomorrow morning.
The gym-turned-convention-hall has the feel of a national convention, albeit on a smaller scale. Student delegates are not dressed in wild garb to indicate their favorite candidate, but rather in business attire. But state signs are prominently visible, and a large crop of red, white and blue balloons are suspended above the gymnasium, ready to be released when a nominee has been selected.
After all the necessary formalities this afternoon, such as nominating convention chairs, several prominent Democrats addressed participants. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was first, praising W&L students for their civic participation and also noting he was the first governor outside of Illinois to endorse Obama, just days after the senator announced his candidacy nearly a year ago. Seemingly taking a page from Obama's stump speech, Kaine praised him for his optimistic vision of change for the country.
A boundary-breaker in her own regard, 1984 vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro also addressed the crowd. Recalling how far women in the U.S. have come since she addressed the Democratic National Convention nearly 24 years ago, Ferraro was firm in her support for Clinton. "Obama has hope and inspiration, but that's not enough to get things done," she said. Citing Clinton's experience and prior leadership as the main reason the New York senator won her nod, Ferraro also quipped "Oh, and did I forget to mention I really like the fact that she's a woman?"
