I really doubt we will see the end to the electoral college in American politics. Doing away with it would require an amendment to the Constitution, and I don't believe the less populated states that would be "disenfranchised" by eliminating the EC would vote to ratify the amendment.

This was a unique election caused, I believe, because neither party fielded a particularly popular candidate. Charisma is required in order to appeal to a majority of the voters, and neither candidate was blessed with an overabundance of that.

I may be wrong, of course, but I believe the "likeability" of the candidate is more important to that same majority than issues are. It shouldn't be, but I think it is.

FDR, Eisenhower, Truman (upon becoming president), Kennedy, Clinton, Nixon, even Goldwater, who was never president,had charisma. I think John McCain has it too, and probably would have garnered a larger popular vote than Bush did, maybe even Gore.

I don't think the EC is going away though.

DougR