To what extent do the major party conventions continue to have a meaningful role? (15)
Point 1 - Not Meaningful - Choosing Presidential/VP Candidates:
Its a formal function + said to be insignificant → we already know who the candidate is going to be
The candidate is usually known by around April and Conventions take place in August/September
Its done through a roll-call vote + delegates announce who they are voting for → post-reform, delegates know
who they are voting for (committed delegates)
Due to committed delegates → winner is known + the function seems pointless → its function is to ‘confirm’
rather than to decide.
EX: Since 1976, every Republican candidate was known beforehand without doubt + 1988 VP
EX: By the 2012 Republican National Convention it was clear that Mitt Romney was going to be the Republican
nominee.
VP Candidate → not even announced @ convention - known beforehand
EX: Last VP announcement made @ convention was Republican in 1988
Flair: It is more important when primaries are between 2 strong candidates → Obama/Clinton was going to be
decided by super-delegates - however, many stated they would side with popular vote winner (Obama) and Clinton
pulled out the race.
Point 2 - Not Meaningful - Deciding the Party Platform
Claims that are made are weak and tend not to be carried out after
EX: Mitt Romney agreed at the Republican Party convention that he would not support abortion under any
circumstances, yet in a presidential debate he claimed that he would support it in the cases of rape and incest.
Moreover, if the candidate were to win the election, they would be the head if a singular executive, giving them
the power to pursue their own policy goals regardless of claims made at party conventions.
Flair: this may be more apparent during the lame duck stage of a presidency, as the importance of popular support
deteriorates.
Point 3 - Meaningful - Uniting Party + Party Faithful
There are informal functions of party conventions → they make conventions questionably worth holding.
Promoting Party Unity → arguably most important function - follows bitter primaries + is used to unite the party
before general election.
EX: 2008 Dem Primary = very bitter + there was personal rivalry due to it being so close → party convention united
Clinton/Obama through her and Bill’s speech + endorsement FLAIR: Unimportant in 2012 Dems – Incumbent
president.
Its importance is shown in years where there was no party unity + they ended up losing election
EX: 1980 Dem Convention - President Carter (won nomination) had rivalry with Senator Kennedy → the Dems lost
the election
Enthusing Party Faithful → vital for campaign that party faithful all back the candidate + feel enthusiastic → they
are the forefront of the campaign - caucusing + knocking door-to-door, handing out leaflets etc.
Speeches + appearance of party ‘heros’ are extremely important → EX: Clinton received a standing ovation in 2008
from all the delegates, enthusing them to go home and campaign for Obama
Point 1 - Not Meaningful - Choosing Presidential/VP Candidates:
Its a formal function + said to be insignificant → we already know who the candidate is going to be
The candidate is usually known by around April and Conventions take place in August/September
Its done through a roll-call vote + delegates announce who they are voting for → post-reform, delegates know
who they are voting for (committed delegates)
Due to committed delegates → winner is known + the function seems pointless → its function is to ‘confirm’
rather than to decide.
EX: Since 1976, every Republican candidate was known beforehand without doubt + 1988 VP
EX: By the 2012 Republican National Convention it was clear that Mitt Romney was going to be the Republican
nominee.
VP Candidate → not even announced @ convention - known beforehand
EX: Last VP announcement made @ convention was Republican in 1988
Flair: It is more important when primaries are between 2 strong candidates → Obama/Clinton was going to be
decided by super-delegates - however, many stated they would side with popular vote winner (Obama) and Clinton
pulled out the race.
Point 2 - Not Meaningful - Deciding the Party Platform
Claims that are made are weak and tend not to be carried out after
EX: Mitt Romney agreed at the Republican Party convention that he would not support abortion under any
circumstances, yet in a presidential debate he claimed that he would support it in the cases of rape and incest.
Moreover, if the candidate were to win the election, they would be the head if a singular executive, giving them
the power to pursue their own policy goals regardless of claims made at party conventions.
Flair: this may be more apparent during the lame duck stage of a presidency, as the importance of popular support
deteriorates.
Point 3 - Meaningful - Uniting Party + Party Faithful
There are informal functions of party conventions → they make conventions questionably worth holding.
Promoting Party Unity → arguably most important function - follows bitter primaries + is used to unite the party
before general election.
EX: 2008 Dem Primary = very bitter + there was personal rivalry due to it being so close → party convention united
Clinton/Obama through her and Bill’s speech + endorsement FLAIR: Unimportant in 2012 Dems – Incumbent
president.
Its importance is shown in years where there was no party unity + they ended up losing election
EX: 1980 Dem Convention - President Carter (won nomination) had rivalry with Senator Kennedy → the Dems lost
the election
Enthusing Party Faithful → vital for campaign that party faithful all back the candidate + feel enthusiastic → they
are the forefront of the campaign - caucusing + knocking door-to-door, handing out leaflets etc.
Speeches + appearance of party ‘heros’ are extremely important → EX: Clinton received a standing ovation in 2008
from all the delegates, enthusing them to go home and campaign for Obama
