Editorial: Primary reforms get bushwhacked

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 | 8:46 a.m.

Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush has tight control over this week's well-scripted Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. Unfortunately this iron grip has extinguished what promised to be one of the convention's most important developments -- aside from Bush's coronation. Bush's advisers sent word last week that the nominee wanted a plan killed that would restore some rationality to a process that has witnessed an out-of-control frontloading of primaries. The convention's rules committee complied with Bush's request, voting to defeat the plan despite the Republican National Committee's previous endorsement.

Under the proposal the smallest populated states, such as Nevada, would have voted prior to the larger populated states. This would ensure that a well-financed candidate couldn't deliver a knockout blow before voters in other states ever made it to the polls. Big states, such as California, that now have earlier primaries, opposed the plan. So Bush, who is avoiding any fights at the convention, scuttled the reform.

Americans have become cynical that big-monied candidates have an unfair advantage over lesser-known, underfunded rivals. While this reform could have made it more difficult for him to have captured his party's nomination this year if it had been in place, it's too bad Bush didn't see the bigger picture by creating a well-reasoned nominating process for future candidates and the voting public.