California Delegate Lockout as Likely as an L.A. Blizzard

So let’s get this straight: The Democratic Party is going to hold its 2000 national convention in L.A. because it wants to impress California. Then it’s going to lock out the California delegation?

The largest delegation at the convention? The convention created and bankrolled by wealthy Angelenos, who are among the party’s most generous, loyal donors?

Must be some confusion! Must be the Republican Party that is threatening to ban California delegates from its national convention in Philadelphia. After all, what does the GOP have to lose? It’s already been beaten badly in several recent elections out here.

What’s one more Republican blunder?

No, it’s actually both parties that are getting all huffy and warning about slamming the door on California.

Yes, California--the nation’s most populous state, offering one-fifth the electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

The problem is, Californians had the audacity three years ago to pass--by a landslide vote--the Open Primary Act. Now we can vote in a primary for a candidate of any party. The political parties hate that, but so far they’ve lost their case in the courts.

National conventions, however, aren’t bound by state laws. They make up their own rules. And they refuse to seat delegates selected in an open primary that uses a “blanket ballot,” as California does. They don’t want Democratic voters messing in Republican conventions, or vice versa.

That makes sense. The open primary is a great reform for nominating candidates for public office--but not for electing delegates to private nominating conventions.

But when the parties tried last November to exempt presidential contests from California’s open primary--and return to the old “closed” ballot--voters narrowly rejected the notion.

In truth, neither the parties nor the press did a good job of explaining why the exemption was needed--and that it would not have diluted the new open primary system for nominating state candidates.

So now the Legislature is thrashing about, trying to create some loophole acceptable to the national parties and the courts.

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“We’ve been cautioned that without a change, there’s a grave risk that a California delegation will not be seated,” says Tim Morgan, a Santa Cruz attorney and member of the Republican National Committee, who is trying to help the state GOP avoid getting the boot in Philadelphia.

“I think this is a credible worry. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be a PR disaster for the party. It would be a helluva way to start a presidential campaign.”

You hear the same thing from Democrats. “The [Democratic National Committee] is insisting on a pure [closed] primary,” says state Chairman Art Torres. “My concern is we’re not in compliance with national rules.”

But get real! Is a convention really going to send California packing? The 800-pound gorilla?

As dumb as that might seem, state Senate Republican Leader Ross Johnson of Irvine makes a good point: What if it’s still a close race for the presidential nomination and California’s delegate votes are crucial? An improbable scenario, but possible.

“If you’ve got a chance to be nominated for president of the United States or be nice to California, which are you going to do?” Johnson asks. “You’re going to conduct a strategy that gets you the nomination.

“If you’re coasting to the nomination, of course, then you come out and hold a big press conference and say, ‘Well, this doesn’t meet our rules, but California is too important and. . . .’ ”

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The Legislature is toying with two bills, both designed for the open primary.

One contains the plan of GOP Secretary of State Bill Jones. It would code the blanket ballots by the voters’ party registration. A party then could count only votes cast by its members in awarding delegate slots. But Senate Republicans on Monday blocked passage of this bill, sponsored by Sen. Steve Peace (D-El Cajon).

Republicans helped pass a bill sponsored by Senate Leader John Burton (D-San Francisco). It contains Jones’ plan as a backup if the courts reject Burton’s proposal: a separate party ballot for delegate selection.

This will all get worked out in the Assembly. Unfortunately.

Myself, I’m rooting for gridlock. Dare the conventions to slap down California. Let’s have a real floor fight. Return excitement to these scripted coronations for robot nominees.

Bring back San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to pound the podium and shout, as he did at that dramatic 1972 Democratic convention: “Give me back my delegation!”

They did then--and no doubt would again.