Electoral systems- the national convention

Question 1

When is this?

Answer 1

In the third stage

Question 2

How does the vice president get chosen?

Answer 2

at convention by the delegate and then chosen at the convention by presidential candidate

Question 3

Strategies to choose the vice president?

Answer 3

Balancing the ticket
Potential in government
Party unity

Question 4

Strategies for vp- balancing the ticket?

Answer 4

Choosing the vice president to attract different support to appeal to voters geographic, experience, age, ideology, race and gender

Question 5

Strategies for vp- balancing the ticket examples?

Answer 5

Biden and obama
Bidens- 65, in the senate for 36 years, expertise in foreign policy
Obama- 47, 4 yrs in senate and race

Question 6

Strategies for vp- potential in government?

Answer 6

Focusing could be on what they could bring to the white house, governing and campaign

Question 7

Strategies for vp- potential in govt example?

Answer 7

Dick Cheney
Bush had no experience so chaney helped run executive brand as he served 2 presidency (ford chief of staff)
And Bush snr defence secretary also chief whip in HCR
-Trump for mike pence as governor of indiana further congress

Question 8

Strategies for vp- party unity?

Answer 8

-Choose a former rival in primary in primary to resolve battles
-Trouble is that former rival are often incompatible politically and have often said some harsh things about each other to extent is implausible
-This isn’t used much

Question 9

Strategies for vp- party unity example?

Answer 9

Reagan chose Bush snr
Kennedy or Johnson

Question 10

When is the national convention?

Answer 10

Mid july, august to september

Question 11

What part goes first in national convention?

Answer 11

The opposing party and go to the places they want to win
e.g Trump in Cleveland Ohio from 18-21 july and clinton was in Philadelphia from 25-28th july which is the earliest dates since 1980

Question 12

What is a broken convention?

Answer 12

Delegate votes are very close and usually very close

Question 13

Informal functions?

Answer 13

-Promoting party unity
-Enthusing the party faithful
-Enthusing ordinary votes
-Post convention bonds

Question 14

Informal functions- promoting party unity?

Answer 14

Primary’s can turn bitter so convention can heal wounds

Question 15

Informal functions- promoting party unity example?

Answer 15

2016 democrats convention, rivalry between Clinton and Sanders
Whenever sanders talked about clinton he got booed at the mention of her name
-He talked about backing her up
(although could be said it isn’t effective as didn’t bring unity

Question 16

Informal functions- enthusing the party faithful?

Answer 16

Vital that party faithful in all so states feel enthusiastic and committees as they head home to fight party candidates in a week comparison
-Meeting and phone to make literature to distribute and provide transport to and from
-Opportunity for party faithful through speeches

Question 17

Informal functions- enthusing the party faithful example?

Answer 17

Michelle Obama brought delegates to feel enthusiastic for the party faithful to return back to state to work for Hillary Clinton’s election

Question 18

Informal functions- enthusing ordinary voter?

Answer 18

The voters arent present so this has to be done via tv
-Big opportunity to gain attention as the presidential candidate gives an acceptance speech
-Primary’s receive barley any attention so due to the finalisation of the tnc it gives voters the opportunity to fully look at the party

Question 19

Examples of enthusing the party faithful?

Answer 19

2016
Donald Trump- did an aggressive speech about how he would make america great again showing a violent bleak picture of america
Hillary Clinton- did an optimistic safe and confident speech

Question 20

Informal functions- Post convention bounce?

Answer 20

Opinion polls register immediate effect of the convention with the increase during speech
-Celebrate past and also identify ‘rising star’
-Millions of america shunned campaign tune in to key moments of campaign ‘Convention less newsworthy but are still important’ Stephen way

Question 21

Informal functions- example of rising star?

Answer 21

2004 senator from Illinois wowed the democratic convention, it was Barak Obama the former president

Question 22

Informal functions- post convention bounce ways to say it isn’t significant?

Answer 22

Hillary Clinton won the battle of the convention but lost the election

Question 23

What are the 3 formal functions?

Answer 23

Choosing the party presidential candidate
-Choosing the party’s vp candidate
-Deciding the party’s platform

Question 24

Formal functions- choosing the party presidential candidate?

Answer 24

-Choose candidate by announcing the delegate and who they wish to vote for (Via primary’s), They are committed delegates so foregone conclusion
-To win the party candidate must win an absolute majority of delegates votes

Question 25

Formal functions- choosing the party presidential candidate example?

Answer 25

Rep convention in 2016, 2472 delegate and Donald Trump needs to receive 1237 votes to win a nomination
But dem there were 4763 delegates meaning HC needed to ge 2382

Question 26

Formal functions- analysis of choosing candidate?

Answer 26

More accurate to say they confirm rather than choose the candidate, Last time this was close was 1976 Gerald ford delegated the former governor of cali against Regan, Ford won

Question 27

Formal functions- choosing vp candidate?

Answer 27

Obama and Biden

Question 28

Formal functions- analysis of choosing vp?

Answer 28

Conventions role in choosing the vp candidate has been lost in last 2 decades
Not relevant as last was 1988

Question 29

Formal functions- Deciding the party’s platform?

Answer 29

Like a manifesto, a document of policies that candidates say they will do if they are elected, the committees come up with them

Question 30

Formal functions- Deciding the party’s platform example?

Answer 30

Hillary clinton dem, didn’t want to raise minimum wage compared to Bernie sanders who did, ended up going with Bernie $15 an hour
-Rep Pro life, Dem Pro choice
-Rep wanted to turn over Obergefell v Hodges

Question 31

New nomination process- strengths?

Answer 31

-Increased participants
-Increased choice
-Open to outsider
-A gruelling race

Question 32

Strength- Increased participants?

Answer 32

In 1968 the last year of the unreformed system only 11.7 million americans took part in the nomination process
By 1988 it was 35 mill 21% of the voting age population and in 2016 61 million americans took part in the nomination process just short of 30% of the voting age population

Question 33

Strength- Increased choice?

Answer 33

In 1968 only 5 candidates 3 dem 2 rep
2016, 22 candidates 17 rep and 5 dem
2020 29 just for dem

Question 34

Strengths- Open to outsider?

Answer 34

Politicians who dont have a national rep lile Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton or Obama primaires were the only way they cpuld emerce as new presidential caniddates. Soeone with no experience in office opposed to someone in higherarchy

Question 35

Strength- A gruelling race?

Answer 35

Appropriate demanding tests for a demanding job
e.g. 1992 Senator Paul Tsongas who fought from cancer when running for presidents had a lighter schedule for presidency so voters saw hi was week

Question 36

Weakness of the new nomination process?

Answer 36

-Widespread vote’s apathy and boredom
-Voters are unrepresentative of the voting age population
-Process is far to long
-Process is very expensive
-Process is to dominated by the media
-Primaries can easily developed into bitter personal battles
-Lack peer review
-Superdelegates

Question 37

Weakness- Widespread apathy and boredom?

Answer 37

In incumbent years of presidency turnout is low like in 1996 17% as Clinton
17.2 for G Bush in 2004
Even w/o incumbency it is still 19%

Question 38

Weakness- Voters are unrepresentative of the voting age population?

Answer 38

Primary voters usually older, wealthy and more ideological so they dominate candidate
e.g. Ron Paul won at 10% of vote

Question 39

Weakness- Process is far to long?

Answer 39

In 1960 John Kennedy announced his run for presidency 66 days before first primary
Whereas in 1972 George McGovern entering the race 414 days before the first primary

Question 40

Weakness -Process is very expensive?

Answer 40

If they want to start early presidential candidates have to spend a lot of money
e.g. Hillary Clinton raised $275 mil where as DT and Ted Cruz $90 mill

Question 41

Weakness- Process is to dominated by the media?

Answer 41

Before reform dominated by small group of professionals
Now ordinary members have to vote based of of what the media tells them about individuals
e.g. Lovey ‘become a televised horse race’

Question 42

Weakness- Primaries can easily developed into bitter personal battles?

Answer 42

2000 primary’s McCain tv ad accused George W Bush for not telling the truth to liken Clinton
2016 Trump’s opponents

Question 43

Weakness- Lack peer review?

Answer 43

Back in pre-reform era candidates were professional politicians so peer review. Now there isn’t much as it’s by the voters
Professor Jeana Kirkpatrick- ‘they know the nature of political job. Professor Austin Ranney also says that bea,oned the fact parties are the prizes not the judges’
E.g. Donald Trump

Question 44

Weakness- Superdelegates?

Answer 44

SD- people appointed automatically as uncommitted delegates of the democratic national party convention by being elected politicians or senior party officials
-Invented due to lack of peer review in 1984
-2008 helped Obama as neither him or Clinton won a super majority, so Super Delegate won this
As well as Clinton and Sanders