6. Presidential nominations and campaigns

Question 1

Prior to ___ party leaders picked the candidates that would represent their party in presidential elections (few primaries)

Answer 1

1970s

Question 2

What led to the primary nomination process?

Answer 2

splits in both parties:

• 1964 GOP Goldwater conservatives v moderates
• Dems 1968 convention riots over vietnam war

Question 3

What happened at the 1964 republican convention?

Answer 3

• tv footage of goldwater supporters against the traditional more moderate reps from the east coast who were for civil rights
• set the GOP on the path to becomign the “conservative party” and helped to ideologically sort both parties
• suggested there should be a more democratic process for nominating candidates

Question 4

who were the Dem candidates in the 1968 convention? why was it significant when one won?

Answer 4

McCarthy (antiwar) v Humphrey

Humphrey didnt participate in early primary states yet he won the nomination. people pissed about this

Question 5

Example of iowa caucus being important?

Answer 5

bounce after obama won iowa when clinton had been favourite before this and she was more well-known. obama underdog

Question 6

why did super tuesday start?

Answer 6

all southern states having primaries on same day to increase their significance/sway in the primaries

Question 7

why not have a national primary?

Answer 7

means person with most money and popualrity woudl win

e.g. clinton would have won over obama

Question 8

what are the effects of front-loading in primaries?

Answer 8

• candidates with less resources forced out sooner than usual
• presumptive winner emerges more quickly than in the past (rallying aroudn the flag)
  entire primary process shorterned

Question 9

given the recent evolutions in primary elections and politics, what are some of the most important factors for winning a party’s nomination?

Answer 9

• start campaign early (recent development, up until 1970s it was considered a weakness to announce your candidacy too early)
• name recognition
• raise lots of money
• focus on early states for momentum
• media attention

Question 10

how did Dem primary voters strategise in 2020?

Answer 10

top was ability to beat Trump

Question 11

what does “post persuasion” mean?

Answer 11

now strategy is to increase voter turnout from peopel who already agree with you, rather than convince independments and people from the other side

Question 12

why did JFK’s use of tv slap?

Answer 12

• now 90% of US household had a tv
• jfk met with rpoducers to ensure good camera angles + wearing the right clothing
• nixon looked ill and didnt quite come to appreciate power of tv. didnt realise he didnt have to go to every sstate if he used tv correctly to reach everyone without physically having to be there

Question 13

what is geographically interesting about how many people trust the elections process?

Answer 13

• Democratic trust in elections rises as Republican trust plummets after the election
• not specific to local region, but due to national identification (even in states that Trump one, democrats had more trust in eleciton system)