Electoral systems- the national convention Flashcards
When is this?
In the third stage
How does the vice president get chosen?
at convention by the delegate and then chosen at the convention by presidential candidate
Strategies to choose the vice president?
Balancing the ticket
Potential in government
Party unity
Strategies for vp- balancing the ticket?
Choosing the vice president to attract different support to appeal to voters geographic, experience, age, ideology, race and gender
Strategies for vp- balancing the ticket examples?
Biden and obama
Bidens- 65, in the senate for 36 years, expertise in foreign policy
Obama- 47, 4 yrs in senate and race
Strategies for vp- potential in government?
Focusing could be on what they could bring to the white house, governing and campaign
Strategies for vp- potential in govt example?
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
Strategies for vp- party unity?
-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
Strategies for vp- party unity example?
Reagan chose Bush snr
Kennedy or Johnson
When is the national convention?
Mid july, august to september
What part goes first in national convention?
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
What is a broken convention?
Delegate votes are very close and usually very close
Informal functions?
-Promoting party unity
-Enthusing the party faithful
-Enthusing ordinary votes
-Post convention bonds
Informal functions- promoting party unity?
Primary’s can turn bitter so convention can heal wounds
Informal functions- promoting party unity example?
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
Informal functions- enthusing the party faithful?
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
Informal functions- enthusing the party faithful example?
Michelle Obama brought delegates to feel enthusiastic for the party faithful to return back to state to work for Hillary Clinton’s election
Informal functions- enthusing ordinary voter?
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
Examples of enthusing the party faithful?
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
Informal functions- Post convention bounce?
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
Informal functions- example of rising star?
2004 senator from Illinois wowed the democratic convention, it was Barak Obama the former president
Informal functions- post convention bounce ways to say it isn’t significant?
Hillary Clinton won the battle of the convention but lost the election
What are the 3 formal functions?
Choosing the party presidential candidate
-Choosing the party’s vp candidate
-Deciding the party’s platform
Formal functions- choosing the party presidential candidate?
-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
Formal functions- choosing the party presidential candidate example?
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
Formal functions- analysis of choosing candidate?
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
Formal functions- choosing vp candidate?
Obama and Biden
Formal functions- analysis of choosing vp?
Conventions role in choosing the vp candidate has been lost in last 2 decades
Not relevant as last was 1988
Formal functions- Deciding the party’s platform?
Like a manifesto, a document of policies that candidates say they will do if they are elected, the committees come up with them
Formal functions- Deciding the party’s platform example?
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
New nomination process- strengths?
-Increased participants
-Increased choice
-Open to outsider
-A gruelling race
Strength- Increased participants?
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
Strength- Increased choice?
In 1968 only 5 candidates 3 dem 2 rep
2016, 22 candidates 17 rep and 5 dem
2020 29 just for dem
Strengths- Open to outsider?
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
Strength- A gruelling race?
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
Weakness of the new nomination process?
-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
Weakness- Widespread apathy and boredom?
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%
Weakness- Voters are unrepresentative of the voting age population?
Primary voters usually older, wealthy and more ideological so they dominate candidate
e.g. Ron Paul won at 10% of vote
Weakness- Process is far to long?
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
Weakness -Process is very expensive?
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
Weakness- Process is to dominated by the media?
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’
Weakness- Primaries can easily developed into bitter personal battles?
2000 primary’s McCain tv ad accused George W Bush for not telling the truth to liken Clinton
2016 Trump’s opponents
Weakness- Lack peer review?
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
Weakness- Superdelegates?
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
