In defense of campaign grind of the primaries

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Party primaries are not battles between good and evil. They are battles between personalities and incremental policy differences.

And they are a negotiation. That party platform isn't just set by convention delegates, it is set by the candidates in the negotiations that are campaigns.

Thanks to the process, Hillary today is much stronger on Iraq withdrawal, has sponsored the $9.50 minimum wage and much more oppositional to Bush because everyone adopts each other's positions, and gets locked into them.

Thanks to the process, Obama is a vastly better campaigner, and more Presidential, than he was six months ago.

Thanks to the process, If Hillary wins there is a decent chance she would offer the VP to Obama. Three months ago that chance was zero. (I'm sure she would prefer to avoid it, fearing he would build his party base by second guessing her in the WH... like RFK to her LBJ)