1996 POLITICAL CONVENTIONS AND PERSONALITIES
This paper covers and discusses the 1996 Republican and Democratic National Conventions and some of the personalities there present. In general, both conventions were gigantic duds to
1996 POLITICAL CONVENTIONS AND PERSONALITIES
This paper covers and discusses the 1996 Republican and Democratic National Conventions and some of the personalities there present. In general, both conventions were gigantic duds to which the public largely tuned out because of the conventions' pre-programmed and banal nature and the lack of any real excitement or lively debate at them on the issues. The most interesting personalities to emerge at the conventions were not the presidential candidates whose views were well-known, but their running mates and their wives. Jack Kemp and Al Gore were showcased to advantage for the next presidential campaign. There were also interesting comparisons and contrasts between Hilary Clinton and Elizabeth Dole. Ross Perot was nominated by the Reform Party in a convention which drew even less interest than the major conventions and presaged his decline as a third party candidate. Despite many favorable demographic trends and skin deep public enthusiasm for Bill Clinton, the Republicans appear to have succeeded by their maladroit actions in Congress and during the campaign in guaranteeing the re-election of the President.
The Conventions in Historical Context.
The national political convention of the Republicans in San Diego in mid-August 1996 and of the Democrats in Chicago two weeks later generated less public interest than any other major party conventions in recent memory. Anticipating lessened public interest, the major television networks limited most of their coverage for the first time to prime (evening) time. Zoglin reported that only 12 percent of homes with television sets tuned in to the conventions, a drop of 25 percent since 1992 (22). The reas...