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PSC 305: Presidency & Congress | PSC 311: Voters, Parties & Elections | Charts of '07-'08 Polls

Conventions used to be lengthy, deliberating bodies making a real choice of presidential nominee.  Since the 1960s, however, the nominees have been essentially predetermined by the delegate count from the primaries and caucuses.

The first day is taken up with the platform debate over issues, the first and second evenings with introductions, keynotes and testimonials about the party, the candidate and his or her family; the third night with vice presidential nomination; and the final night with presidential nomination (usually anointment).  Junior leaders have their moments in prime time to speechify.

A weakness of US conventions is their loose connection to actual policies in office -- they are better seen as political theatre.

Media network coverage used to be blanketing, but nowadays involves only an hour or two of prime time per evening.

This time, speeches are also available online

Surprise choice of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska dominated the coverage.  She emerged as a lively speaker with a common touch, appealing to "hockey mom" mothers, gun owners, and the right wing of the culture wars.

A political science major from Idaho, and a Miss Congeniality in a state pageant, with a mid western twang, she has a remarkably strong speaking style, and was comfortable with teleprompters.

Her large and appealling family were telegenic, including the infant with Down's syndrome.

Her attacks on Obama's lack of executive experience compared to her own small-town mayor's experience, played well to the crowd, but will seem less significant in time.

Her attacks on Obama's policy and tax plans were popular but really far-fetched -- see the fact-checking service, Politifact.com.

Her audience ratings were almost as high as Obama's, at 37 million.

She came with two known vulnerablities: she had supported the "bridge to nowhere" until it was clearly failing; and her 17 year old daughter Bristol was acknowledged as being pregnant.  These she brushed aside, well, in her speech.

McCain's speech, although clear and policy oriented, was not such a crowd pleaser as the VP nominee's.

Since McCain is better at "town hall meetings" than a formal speech, the podium was moved into the audience.

"We have lost the trust" of the American people in corruption and must earn it back.

Strong foreign policy with regard to terrorism and Iran, knows how to stand up to world leaders.

"Build the foundation for an enduring peace."

McCain's personal story of being tortured was introduced (again) humbly with a theme of the self-centered youth learning modesty and patriotism.  He was saved by fellow prisoners.

"Fight with me." "Stand up and fight."  "We never fight history, we make history" -- his final lines to fire up the troops.

The theme of the convention was "Country First".  Leading politicians were introduced but President Bush appeared only by video.  The party -- let alone the current war in Iraq -- was hardly mentioned in speeches.

Strikingly, the leading females (Laura Bush, Sarah Palin, Cindy McCain in speeches and a video) were a huge success.

Cindy McCain's adopted daughter from BanglaDesh, the dark-skinned target of smears in the 2000 South Carolina Republican primary, was introduced by video and in person.

Cindy McCain herself successfully emphasized her global charity work, and her parents humble roots, rather than the fortune she inherited.  Her presentation of self included a softer hair style than previously,

Successful warm-up speeches on Thursday before the VP nominee acceptance speech: Rudolph Giuliani and (to some degree) Fred Thompson, who both performed better with a Teleprompter than they had on the campaign trail.  Mitt Romney, a competent speaker as before, did not add originality to his credentials.

Obama picked Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, seemingly in order to balance the ticket with longer Washington experience (especially in foreign policy) and an ability to attack the opposition.

Obama's riveting acceptance speech was watched by about 38 million people live and many more online later.  It was considered one of the great convention speeches.

Hillary and Bill Clinton spoke eloquently in support of Obama.