COLUMN: Dream dying fast, but a real presidential convention would be fun

It is probably wishing for too much, but the long, often confusing struggle for the Republican presidential nomination possibly could lead to a real nominating convention.

            It would be the first time since 1952 that a convention actually decided a nomination, and it really would be fun to see it happen. Since then nominations have been pretty well wrapped up before delegates formally confirmed what primaries and caucuses already had decided. (We came close to a brokered convention in 1968, but it didn’t happen.)

            The first year that I really paid attention to the process was 1952, when much was said and written about the battle between old-line Republicans behind Ohio Sen. Robert Taft and backers of World War II hero Dwight D. Eisenhower.

            I listened to that GOP convention on the radio, not having television coverage available. It was the first year, I think, that the TV networks really gave much live coverage to the conventions, but I was not in reach of a good signal.

            Taft had strong backing, but Ike had shown political strength in primaries, and since politics had not as polarized in that era as it was before or is now, his moderation also appealed to many— apparently a majority of — Republican voters.

            The 1952 convention really made its decision in an early fight over seating of delegations from three states. Taft apparently had a small lead in delegates before the credentials fight, but in the contested delegations those seated were pro-Eisenhower, meaning those three states’ pro-Taft delegates couldn’t be part of the proceedings.

            After the first roll call, Taft had 500 votes and Ike had 595, just short of a majority which was about 604. Then there was a switch of, if I recall correctly, the Minnesota delegation. That put Eisenhower over on the first ballot. Other switches followed.

            Before votes were shifted, California Gov. Earl Warren, who later would be chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, had 81 votes; Harold Stassen, who was a wildly unsuccessful candidate in 12 different presidential campaigns, had 20; and Gen. Douglas MacArthur had 10.

            After shifts of votes, it was Ike, 845; Taft, 280; Warren, 77; Stassen zero; and MacArthur, 4 (Stassen was governor Minnesota, so the Minnesota shift that pushed ike over the top came at his expense. Then Richard Nixon was nominated for vice president. That ticket was elected in 1952 and 1956.

            Later, in the 1952 Democratic Convention, two ballots were required to nominate Adlai Stevenson for president.

            Stevenson, governor of Illinois, was a reluctant candidate, probably feeling he should wait for a later election rather than oppose what appeared to be a powerful Eisenhower candidacy. He was pulled into the race late, and many people consider his to have been the last real draft of a presidential candidate.

            Mitt Romney’s Florida sweep throws much cold water on my dream. But Florida, though once a Confederate state and geographically southernmost of the contiguous 48 states, is much different from the southern states that soon will be picking delegates.

            Mathematics and logic say that Romney will arrive at the convention with plenty of delegates for nomination, but if rightist Republicans combine their anti-Romney and anti-government emotions, and hold on to more than half of the votes, Romney might come into the convention without a majority of delegates.

            There are many southern states besides South Carolina and Florida still to select delegates, and Newt Gingrich might make a big comeback in those, despite Romney’s huge advantage in money. Southern Republicans, the vast majority of whom feel an intense duty to back whichever party best expresses their anger and/or resentment toward Washington, might give Gingrich a big boost. Under present poll readings Gingrich would be the obvious candidate for most of the rightists to fall behind, but it’s doubtful he ever could produce a majority.

            But, if Rick Santorum and Ron Paul hang on, denying Romney a majority for a ballot or two, Romney’s support might decline. If he faded, we could get back to the old-fashioned convention wheeling and dealing, and perhaps a draft could develop. Maybe even a legitimate draft. Maybe Chris Christie or Mitch Daniels or Jeb Bush. Actual compromise might happen.

            Wouldn’t it be something to see a convention go into several ballots with new candidates emerging? Such a convention would make a lot better television show than have conventions of all parties since 1952. And I can hope, can’t I? Real nominating conventions were fun.

Thom Anderson is the former editor of the Morning News. Contact him THIDBIT@aol.com.