http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080202/D8UI8QGO1.htmlBy DAVID ESPO
WASHINGTON (AP) - When it comes to presidential primaries, Democrats and Republicans play by different rules. One party likes to share. The other, not so much.
Which goes a long way toward explaining why Arizona Sen. John McCain hopes to take control of the race for the Republican presidential nomination in Super Tuesday's primaries and caucuses.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., applauds the crowd before delivering a campaign speech i8n Denver, Colo., Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008. When it comes to presidential primaries, Democrats and Republicans play by different rules. Which goes a long way toward explaining why Arizona Sen. John McCain hopes to take control of the race for the Republican presidential nomination in Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses. And why the busiest primary day in history may merely intensify the contest between Democratic rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
And why the busiest primary day in history may merely intensify the contest between Democratic rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
"The delegate selection process is designed to keep the campaign going for as long as possible" among Democrats, said Howard Wolfson, communications director for Clinton's campaign.
The Democratic rules provide for delegates to be awarded proportionately on the basis of the popular vote. It wasn't always that way, but a change designed to weaken the control of party bosses was ushered in after the riotous Vietnam War-era 1968 convention.
This year, Wolfson added, the calendar "was designed to pick a candidate as quickly as possible."
FULL story at link.