I’ve heard that delegates are required to vote as designated, especially on the first ballot (in many states). What happens if the delegates don’t show up?
McCain still does not have enough delegates legally bound to cast votes for him in the first round. I’m not sure he can get enough to guarantee that any longer. I know he could not have done so if Huckabee had remained in the race.
It has a good and bad side to it for McCain. If he blows up badly before the convention, he doesn’t win. Because the MSM knows this, they are not unloading on him yet.
I don’t know what happens if they don’t show. I’m not worried about the vote for Presidential nominee, but about the votes on the platform, and on the rules, and on resolutions.
If the paul people played things well, they could hold a majority of the delegation, vote for McCain, but also vote an anti-war platform plank.