This election season has brought new focus on the mechanisms that we employ in selecting a president. This panel examined the role of parties, primaries, conventions, public financing and the Electoral College in our democracy. What role should each of these processes have in presidential selection? How do they affect the responsiveness of our political system? How might they be improved?

Panelists included:

• Jan Witold Baran, Wiley Rein LLP
• Melody Barnes, Executive Vice President for Policy, Center for American Progress
• Chris Bowers, Co-Founder, OpenLeft website
• Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker
• Pamela S. Karlan, Professor of Law, Stanford Law School
• Ron Klain, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Revolution, LLC
• Joe Trippi, Trippi & Associates