Podcasts | Constitutionally Speaking

Episode 49: How Did We Get Here, Primarily Speaking?

Hosted by Jay Cost & Luke Thompson
The second night of the first Democratic presidential candidates debate in Miami, Fla. June 27, 2019 (Mike Segar/Reuters)

Jay and Luke have a look at how we wound up with the unusual primary system we have today. Ever since John Adams, America’s constitutional system for selecting the president has created tensions and frustrations. Indeed, it’s not too much to say that America has never had a particularly good method for choosing the president. What did the Framers miss about parties and factions that created this problem? How have attempts to fix it only made it worse? From Martin Van Buren to George McGovern, this wide-ranging episode covers a lot of history with a relevance to today.

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