Why Did the Founding Fathers Create the Electoral College?
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=5734
General Information
Source:
Creator:
NBC Today Show
Katie Couric
Resource Type:
Copyright:
Event Date:
Air/Publish Date:
12/11/2000
12/11/2000
Copyright Date:
Clip Length
Video News Report
NBCUniversal Media,
LLC.
2000
00:02:07
Description
Professor Mark Siegel of American University discusses why the founding fathers created the electoral
college, and how well it works in modern day presidential elections.
Keywords
Close, Contested, Presidential, Elections, Selection, Electoral College, Founding Fathers, Constitution,
Constitutional, Federalist 68, Alexander Hamilton, Popular, Vote, Government, Executive Branch, 1824
Presidential Election, 1876 Presidential Election, 1888 Presidential Election, 1960 Presidential Election,
President, John F. Kennedy, JFK, Congress, Legislative Branch, Professor, Mark Siegel, American
University
Citation
© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 of 3
MLA
"Why Did the Founding Fathers Create the Electoral College?" Katie Couric, correspondent. NBC Today
Show. NBCUniversal Media. 11 Dec. 2000. NBC Learn. Web. 6 May 2017
APA
Couric, K. (Reporter). 2000, December 11. Why Did the Founding Fathers Create the Electoral College?
[Television series episode]. NBC Today Show. Retrieved from
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=5734
CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE
"Why Did the Founding Fathers Create the Electoral College?" NBC Today Show, New York, NY: NBC
Universal, 12/11/2000. Accessed Sat May 6 2017 from NBC Learn:
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=5734
Transcript
Why Did the Founding Fathers Create the Electoral College?
KATIE COURIC, co-host:
Well, why did the founding fathers come up with the Electoral College in the first place?
Prof. SIEGEL: Well, there was a debate, and the Electoral College was a--was a compromise. Some
wanted to elect presidents directly by the people. Others wanted presidents elected by--by Congress.
Alexander Hamilton in Federalist '68 talked about an elite group that would make an informed judgment
with the sense of the people. So the Electoral College was just kind of a compromise between the--the two
more extreme views.
COURIC: Well, do you think it's viable today, Professor, because many people might think that the
popular vote is a fairer way to elect a president.
Prof. SIEGEL: Certainly, we haven't seen an Electoral College inversion where the--the popular vote
winner was declared the loser of the election since 1888. So it's not clear in terms of legitimacy and
governability how a modern electorate would respond to that--that kind of an outcome. Obviously, this
country has moved in the direction of one--one person, one vote, and the Electoral College somewhat
distorts that, as you know. But there are some advantages to it. It decreases the possibility of regional
candidates, factional candidates. It certainly is--is linked to our federal system of--of government. And all
those factors are terribly important.
COURIC: But a candidate has won the popular vote and lost the Electoral College three times in history,
right?
Prof. SIEGEL: Three times, and some Republicans would say it happened in 1960 as well with John
Kennedy, because 200,000 of his popular votes were really cast for the Democratic Party and not for him
directly. So we're talking about 1820, 1824, 1876, 1888 and some would say 1960.
COURIC: Well, if that happens again, it would be quite difficult for whoever is elected, or would it be
© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 2 of 3
difficult for whoever—whosever elected to--to govern? That wouldn't exactly be a mandate.
Prof. SIEGEL: There wouldn't be a--a mandate to govern. I think at the--at the outset, it would be difficult
until the president. It would be a legal election. The election would be valid. It would stand. But that
person would have to really prove his bona fides. And I think in time legitimacy and governability would
be addressed.
© 2008-2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 3 of 3