Feel-Good, 1; Voters’ Needs, 0

The presidential primary season provided gripping contests this year--for about six weeks. By March 7, when California voted, it was over. A long, yawning gap has preceded the conventions, at one time the signal for the campaign season to begin, and now a GOP decision has ensured that it will be the same or worse in four years.

In 1996, Republicans meeting in San Diego recognized the problem of increasingly “front-loaded” primaries and began working on ways to revive and tighten the primary season. This was even before California and other states pushed their balloting back to the first week in March in hopes of increasing their clout.

Cheers for the Republican National Committee, which approved a plan this summer to spread the primaries over a four-month period, February through May. It was a flawed plan, putting small states at the front of the pack and big states, including California, at the end. But at least it was a beginning.

All that work has gone for nothing, however. Bush forces told the GOP National Convention’s rules committee at the end of last week that it wanted the plan killed before it got to the floor of the convention. Bush is so determined to keep this a feel-good convention that he doesn’t want to risk even the most mundane of floor fights.

There would have been some debate because California and other large states resent being forced perpetually to the end of the primary schedule. The delegates might have opted for a compromise supported by California Secretary of State Bill Jones and other state elections officers. Their sensible proposal was to have four regional primary election dates--across a March-May period--that would be rotated every four years so no one would have to be last all the time.

Now, reform is dead for four years. Chances are, the 2004 primary season will be even more chaotic. And well-known, well-heeled candidates will have an even greater advantage. An insurgent, as John McCain was this year, remains likely to be rolled over by big money and special interests. Had the Republicans made the change to a new primary schedule, the Democrats probably would have been forced to change. It’s still conceivable that the Democrats might revise their primary schedule, but don’t count on it. The big money and special interests care just as deeply about that party.