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Selecting a President:

A comprehensive guide to the four stages of the presidential nomination and election process - caucuses & primaries, nominating conventions, general election, and the electoral college. Understand the importance of each stage and how candidates campaign to secure the nomination and win the presidency.

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Selecting a President:

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  1. The Presidential Nomination and Election Process Selecting a President:

  2. Presidential Selection • Stage 1: Caucuses & PrimariesThe Battle for the Party Faithful • Stage 2: Nominating Conventions“Glorified Infomercials?” • Stage 3: General Election The Fight for the Center • Stage 4: Electoral College Power to the People?

  3. Stage 1: Caucuses • Closed meeting of party members in each state where party members get together to decide who they want to represent their party in the general election • Currently used in only six states Barrack Obama campaigns in Iowa

  4. Stage 1: Caucuses The Iowa Caucus is the first primary/caucus. Considering Iowa is a relatively small state, why are the Iowa caucuses so important?? It is the first and largest in the modern presidential election cycle Hilary Clinton (D) and Rudy Guilliani (R) campaigning in Iowa

  5. Presidential Primary Elections - special elections in which voters select candidates to be the party’s nominee for president in the general election. Stage 1: Primaries • Primary Season - January - June • Who Decides? - State party organizations for the most part decide the rules for the primaries in a particular state. • Types of Primaries: • Closed Primaries • Open Primaries Mitt Romney campaigning in New Hampshire

  6. Closed Primary • Voters may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party

  7. Open Primary • A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his or her own party affiliation.

  8. Methods of Selecting Presidential Delegates by State Which is most popular? Why??

  9. 2008 Open & Closed Primaries Virginia has a “modified open primary”

  10. Barack and Michelle Obama at the 2004 Democratic National Convention Stage 2: Presidential Nominating Conventions

  11. George W. and Laura Bush at the 2000 Republican Convention Nominating Conventions • An assembly held by political parties every four years • Usually held in late summer before the general election in November

  12. Purposes of Nominating Conventions • At the convention the party adopts a platform to unify support behind common goals. • Delegates to the convention elect that party’s nominees for President and Vice-president. 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan

  13. What is a Party Platform? • Platform - a statement of principles and objectives a political party and a candidate support • Plank - Individual topics in a party’s platform (ex: abortion, war in Iraq)

  14. Who are Delegates? Delegate - A voting representative to the party nominating convention

  15. Proportional System Primary system used by the Democratic Party Candidates get a % of delegates based on the popular vote Winner-take-all System System used in most Republican primaries The winner of the popular vote in that state receives all that state’s delegates Similar to electoral college Delegate Selection

  16. Democratic Party Rules:Two Types of Delegates Pledged Delegates v. Superdelegates

  17. Pledged delegates are required to vote at the convention based on the popular vote in their state (they have to listen to the people) Pledged Delegates Pledged delegates count during the 2008 Democratic primaries

  18. Members of the Democratic Party establishment who serve as unpledged (??) delegates at the party convention They are free to vote for any candidate at the convention (don’t have to listen to the popular vote in their state) Superdelegates

  19. Superdelegates By John Trever, The Albuquerque Journal 03/30/2008 http://www.politicalcartoons.com/

  20. The speech given at the convention that embodies that party’s core message Extremely important event– can propel a politicians career Do you know who gave the 2004 Keynote Address at the Democratic Convention??? Convention Speeches: The Keynote Address

  21. Current President, (Then a Senator) Barrack Obama gives the 2004 DNC Keynote Address

  22. Given at the final day of the convention - winning candidate formally accepts the party’s nomination for president Huge media event - Acceptance Address is always televised by the major networks The Acceptance Address 1960 presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon deliver their Acceptance Addresses at their party’s national convention

  23. Critics say that party nominating conventions have become nothing more than infomercials. 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York City What do you think?

  24. Stage 3: General Election • Candidates ACTIVELY campaign by… • (Basically do ANYTHING that they think will get them more voters)

  25. Raise money Barack Obama raised over $600 million dollars – more than any other candidate ever

  26. Run ads (TV, radio, mail, internet etc)

  27. Participate in Debates

  28. Hold rallies and give speeches

  29. Presidential Nomination/Election Process Pamphlet • Create a pamphlet detailing the Presidential Nomination/Election Process • Be sure to make it colorful and include at least one picture on each page.

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