Election 2008: Don't Drop Out

The Democratic Primary Season is grumbling on in search of a victor, like an incontinent old woman in a supermarket, desperately trying to find the Tudor Rose sherry. It says something that even those in the Democratic party are getting concerned about the length of the contest. Not for the same reasons I am (i.e. sheer, raw, gnawing boredom), but rather because of fears of what will happen when a winner does finally emerge to take on the ancient John McCain. The BBC reports:

"Mrs Pelosi, a senior Democrat, told ABC News it was important to get behind one candidate if the party expected to win the White House in November."

And:

"Her comments come after those made by the Democrat's National Chairman, Howard Dean who said that he'd like to see the race concluded by early July."

Which rather defeats the point of democracy for me. I mean, surely the race should go on until either the end date occurs, or one of the candidates drops out of their own volition. Yeah, it might be inconvenient, but democracy will give you those downsides as well as giving you some benefits. Obama seems to have got this message – although I’d imagine the sentiments were expressed through clenched teeth in an angry, bitter tone:

"Mr Obama has distanced himself for calls for Mrs Clinton to concede the race, saying she should be able to compete as long as she is able and has supporters."

Quite. Although it is quite telling that neither Dean not Pelosi embrace one candidate over the other. Maybe both seem themselves as potential Vice-Presidential candidates. And an Obama-Pelosi ticket might prove to be very popular…