The primaries and caucus system in the US is undoubtedly an improvement on what came before, where party candidates were chosen in “smoked-filled rooms”, but that’s not saying much. The role of money and the media, both of which are needed to appeal to a mass electorate, has not resulted in the testing of presidential qualities. Instead, it’s all about the message. Thankfully, there are some reforms that might help. Removing caucuses, super delegates and closed primaries could all improve the current process and lend greater legitimacy to the candidates who go on to compete in the general election.

Like the podcast? Then why not subscribe to The A Level Politics Show PLUS PLUS PLUS? In addition to the monthly free episode , you'll receive TWO additional podcasts each month. Once they are released, these bonus episodes will will appear automatically in your podcast feed. Subscribe now to PLUS PLUS PLUS for a fantastic price of £1.99 per month. Just click the following link to get started: https://anchor.fm/nick-de-souza/subscribe Thank you so much for supporting the show.