The National Convention

The National Convention:
These are the official meetings where each major party’s delegates formally choose their candidates for President and Vice President. Once upon a time, these events were wild and chaotic – inflammatory and divisive… Today, it’s more of a time for the party to rally together and get momentum for the upcoming campaign drive.

Each party’s convention accomplishes main goals:
1) name the party’s candidate for President and Vice President
2) bring the various factions and leading personalities in the party together for the common purpose
3) adopt the official party platform

A platform is the formal statements of the basic principles stands on major policy matters and the objectives for the campaign and beyond.

Informally speaking, the meeting tries to promote party unity, mobilize support for the party ticket, and capture the interest of the entire country. Obviously, the mass media will play a key role in this process!

Let’s take a look at how the four day event shakes out…

The Convention Schedule:
Day 1:
Organize the committees
Keynote Address
Other speeches

Day 2:
Presentation and adoption of committee reports
Proposed rules changes for the Convention
Presentation of the Platform – remember, this is both a statement of principle and a campaign strategy – and it needs to appeal to the widest range of delegates!

Day 3:
The Big Day –
Pick the Presidential Candidate – and approve the platform!

Day 4:
The Presidential candidate chooses his running mate –
Reconciliation speeches are given –
The candidate’s formal acceptance speech!

So – who has what it takes to be President?
Conventions try to choose a candidate who will have the widest possible appeal within the party and the electorate.
Most candidates have substantial and well-known records in public office.
Most have served as either Vice President or Governors of states – after all, the Governor is the chief executive at the state level. However, the Senate is also a good training ground.
Typically, presidential candidates are white protestant males, of middle age and having families. College education and military experience is very valuable. Each nominee needs to appear healthy, well developed speaking ability, and must look “good” on television.