Jimmy Carter

The Democratic National Convention will be called to order at 5:00 PM EST today, with a theme of "One Nation."  Featured speakers include Michelle Obama, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), former President Jimmy Carter, and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, who will introduce a tribute to her uncle, U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). 

Nevada’s early caucus has given voters a true relevance in the presidential nomination process, perhaps for the first time in state history.  Past caucuses have gone largely unnoticed, and presidential primaries held in 1976 and 1980 were not hotly contested.  In 1976, Ronald Reagan defeated Gerald Ford here by a 66%-29% margin, but lost primaries in Oregon and Kentucky that had attracted considerably more attention.  On the Democratic side, Jerry Brown won Nevada 53%-23% over Jimmy Carter.  In 1980, Carter defeated Ted Kennedy by a 38%-29% margin.

Let’s start by stipulating the obvious: A Republican, particularly one named Rudolph, could wind up winning next year’s presidential race, denying Democrats simultaneous control of the White House and Congress at least through 2012.

But let’s say that doesn’t happen. Let’s suppose that, for the first time since the Republican tidal wave of 1994, Democrats end up next year with total control of the federal government.

It’s not an unlikely prospect.