The countryside
The 1988 campaign presented an open competition to the republican and democratic sides, as a republican president. Ronald Reagan Entered the last year of his second term. Many contenders On the Democrat side has entered the race. The commentators made them a derisory reference to them as “the seven dwarfs”. They included the old Arizona Gov. Bruce BabbittSen du Delaware Joe Biden,, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Missouri representative Richard GephardtSen. Tennessee Sen. Al Gore,, civil rights chief Jesse Jacksonand the Senator of Illinois Paul Simon. Three candidates who were a little more inspiring had decided not to run: the former senator Gary Hart of ColoradoWho abandoned because of a sex scandal, returned to the race and then abandoned for good; Sen. New Jersey Bill Bradley; And new York Gov. Mario Cuomowho simply refused to run.
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The Republicans, looking for a candidate who could correspond to the stature and electability of Reagan, were also at a loss. THE nominal The front of the head, George Bush, suffered from a reputation as a “mauviet” which in 22 years of public life – as a former representative, American ambassador to the The United Nationsdirector of Central Intelligence AgencyAnd, for more than seven years, the vice -president of Reagan – had failed to distinguish himself as something other than a docile Instrument of someone else’s policy. There were three interesting republican alternatives: Bob Dole of KansasThe head of the Senate minority, which was respected for his mind and intelligence, although considered by some as too acerbic; Former representative of New York Jack Kempvenerated among many conservative like Reagan’s true ideological heir; and the reverend Pat RobertsonA popular televangelist. None of the three, however, succeeded in the primary season.
Biden retired from the race after being surprised by quoting, without credit, speeches of Neil KinnockThe British Labor Party chief. Among the other Democrats, Babbitt, Simon and Gephardt all abandoned along the way after having failed to attack enough primary victories – or to collect enough money – to continue. Babbitt, although he drew attention with a courageous promise to increase taxes to help reduce the budget deficit in the swollen United States, did not meet well on television. The characteristic butterfly knot of Simon and the old -fashioned government approach of domestic problems have failed to attract enough support. Gephardt managed to win the crucial Iowa caucusBut its basic theme – the protectionism of the milking – did not play well outside the Midwest.
It left Gore, Jackson and Dukakis. Young, attractive and southern, with a reputation as a centrist, Gore seemed to have momentum after winning five South primaries in one day, “Super Tuesday” on March 8. However, his campaign failed in New York, where he had attributed support for support New York City controversial mayor, Ed Koch. When the votes were counted for New York primary on April 19, Dukakis had finished first, providing a major momentum to his campaign. Dukakis, who was born and grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, son of Greek immigrants, became the first Greek American nominated as president. Jackson, who then had the second highest delegate account and was the first African-American to set up a serious presidential series, decided to continue to travel the last four primaries, California,, Montana,, New JerseyAnd New MexicoJune 7.
When Democrats summoned In Atlanta In July to Crown Dukakis as a candidate, Jackson made an effort behind the scenes to claim the vice-presidency, but quickly gave in, fearing to divide the party according to the racial lines and was content to win some boards favorable to the minorities of the party platform. Dukakis rather chose Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen be his package. The Convention ended with an unusual note of harmony for the Democrats, whose ticket was soon up to 17 percentage points ahead of the Republicans in opinion polls.
This advance did not last long. Bush, who had taken a bad start in the primaries, finishing third in Iowa Behind Robertson and Almsmade an impressive return. He exceeded Dole and Kemp on February 16 New Hampshire vote and of course Great Tuesday. March 29, after Bush won the Illinois Primary with 55% of the votes (Kemp had then abandoned), Dole retired from the race, and Bush became the Republicans’ de facto candidate. This role was formalized in August to the Party Convention in New Orleanswhere Bush surprised many politicians by choosing Dan QuayleA young and relatively forgiven Indiana Senator, like his running mate.
Bush’s success to win the appointment was more due to the strength of his organization than because of his ability to project a clear vision of what a bush presidency would be – a deficiency that the candidate himself called “vision”. By dragging his democratic opponent in the polls at the end of the summer, the vice-president made a risky decision; Instead of highlighting his qualifications for the post and his plans for the country, Bush would campaign against the weaknesses of his opponent. Consequently, the speeches and advertising of the Bush campaign focused on such ostensibly trivial problems as a leave of the Massachusetts prison, the veto of Dukakis of a law of the State forcing public pupils to recite the promise of Allegianceand Dukakis alleged Failure to deal with pollution in the port of Boston. More urgent national concerns – the federal deficit and a host of servants and foreign policy Questions – are largely not treated.
Although many commentators have criticized the Bush as a negative and trivial approach, it worked. (The most controversial announcement of the campaign, the so-called Willie Horton Ad with a criminal who was left to go out for a weekend in the Massachusetts and then attacked and raped a woman, was considered racist by many, but was managed by an independent group rather than by Bush’s campaign.) In mid-August, Bush had taken the lead in opinion polls. He never lost it, although Dukakis appreciated a minor rebound after his vigorous Performance in the first of the two television presidential debates. Much of the ultimate success of Bush could be attributed to the relatively inept performance of the Dukakis camp, which was slow to respond to Bush’s attacks. Consequently, the vice-president was able to describe his opponent as a dangerous liberal. It was an unusual accusation for Dukakis, the three terms of which the governor had marked him as moderate. Dukakis himself turned out to be an activist without passion at crucial moments in the race. This moment came in the second debate, when the moderator asked by the moderator Bernard Shaw If he would always oppose death penalty If his wife was raped and murdered. Instead of answering this provocative question with indignation or serious, Dukakis delivered a cool academic memoir against the death penalty without mentioning the name of his wife once. A few days later, the governor was up to 17 points behind opinion poll.
The Dukakis effort finally caught fire in the last two weeks of the campaign. Kiss the “liberal” label and make a fierce populist Call, the governor began to attract huge and enthusiastic crowds. He even got closer to Bush in the polls. At that time, however, it was too late. On November 8, Bush’s election day won 54% of the 46% votes from Dukakis. The vice-president has borne all states except 10 and the District of Columbia. This gave him a margin of 426–112 in the electoral college. However, when the electoral college met in December, Dukakis received only the L11 votes. Apparently to protest against the electoral college system, a voter of Virginie-WesternA state that Dukakis had won, chose Bentssen for the president and Dukakis for vice-president.
“People have spoken,” said Bush shortly after learning that he had won. Nevertheless, in the minds of many Americans – and in particular the Democrats, who have kept control of the congress – Bush’s negative campaign had left a sour impression. Perhaps feeling these doubts, he tried in his victory speech to face “The Vision Thing” and to reach out to those who had voted against him. “When I said I wanted a nicer and softer nation, I thought-and I think it,” he said. “My hand is you, and I also want to be your president.”
For the results of previous elections, see American presidential election of 1984. For the results of subsequent election, see American presidential election of 1992.
