Cynthia McKinney wins Green Nomination in 1st round of balloting

1. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

   I’m appreciative of your kind comments G.E. I only wish I were there instead of home, but Ronald and a few others are doing the real work. I am looking forward to reading Paulie’s observations..and find out if he has a Green Party contract for ballot access in his back pocket…I hope so!
2. G.E. July 12, 2008

   Thanks for the great coverage, Gregg. Paulie has IPR press creds but apparently can’t get to a PC.
3. G.E. July 12, 2008

   Gregg – I didn’t mean why should you, IPR, or GPW cover it… Obviously we should!

   I meant that CSPAN cannot be blamed for choosing not to cover it live. The Green convention in no way resembled the drama of the LP convention.
4. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

   And no Mike, there is NO CHANCE that rain will fall up tomorrow. There was a chance that McKinney might not have won on the first ballot, but not much of one, as I pointed out. Had you said that the chances were equal to the chances that life will be found on Mars, I’d have no argument.
5. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

   Now Mike, I can read what I think is disappointment, and while I do understand, it’s not like we had a choice between Nader and an unknown candidate. We have an outstanding nominee. The Libertarians do as well, but their internal unhappiness is greater that I expect will be the case in the Green Party. Nader did not seek, nor want our nomination. What were we to do? Beg? Greens have more self-respect, and with Cynthia McKinney at the head of our ticket, we have reason to be optimistic about our future.

   I wish Nader well, I really do, but I am building a party and he is not.
6. Mike Gillis July 12, 2008

   Just as there is a chance, albeit a small one, that the rain will fall upwards rather than downwards from now on.

   She had such an overwhelming lead over a series of no-name candidates.

   Her biggest competition came from a man running an independent campaign eclipsing hers and who isn’t actively competing for the nomination and has said he wouldn’t accept it. (yet, a man who still beat her overwhelmingly in the primary’s popular vote)

   So, yeah, this convention was a foregone conclusion.
7. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

   Well G.E., I am assuming that you are joking, but in case others did not catch it, or in case I am wrong, let me share an observation.

   Many of McKinney’s supporters were from states some distance from Chicago, and many did not have the money to attend. That meant that there was a chance, albeit a small one, that McKinney would not have won on the first round. The real question was not just how many delegates she had, but how many could afford to actually show up.
8. G.E. July 12, 2008

   Jared – Why bother covering it when the outcome is a foregone conclusion?
9. G.E. July 12, 2008

   Red – I think only 315 or so delegates are present. The Greens allow proxy voting.
10. Jared July 12, 2008

    Mr. Winger,

    Thanks for the information.
11. RedPhillips July 12, 2008

    541. How does that compare to the LP convention? Is it more or less than the GP expected?
12. richardwinger July 12, 2008

    C-SPAN will broadcast it tomorrow (Sunday).
13. Jared July 12, 2008

    Thank you for reporting, especially since C-SPAN refused to cover it.
14. M. D. July 12, 2008

    Any votes for ‘Friend of the site’ Robert Milnes?
15. richardwinger July 12, 2008

    There were also 8 votes for Jared Ball, even though he had dropped out and endorsed McKinney.
16. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

    Final vote:
    McKinney 313 of 541
    Nader 78.5
    Swift 38.5
    Mesplay 35
    Johnson 32.5
    Brown 9
    Hawkins 8
17. Gregg Jocoy Post author | July 12, 2008

    I’ll get more details as soon as possible and update.

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