Transcript Slide 1
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
Chapter 9: Nominations and Campaigns
• • • • • • The Nomination Game The Campaign Game Money and Campaigning The Impact of Campaigns Understanding Nominations and Campaigns Summary
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives
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LO 9.1: Evaluate the fairness of our current system of presidential primaries and caucuses.
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LO 9.2: Explain the key objectives of any political campaign.
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives
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LO 9.3: Outline how fund-raising for federal offices is regulated by campaign finance laws.
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LO 9.4: Determine why campaigns have an important yet limited impact on election outcomes.
Chapter Outline and Learning Objectives
Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
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LO 9.5: Assess the advantages and disadvantages of having a long presidential campaign.
The Nomination Game
• •
Nomination
– The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party.
– Success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention.
Campaign Strategy
– Master game plan that guides a candidate ’ s electoral campaign.
LO 9.1
LO 9.1
The Nomination Game
•
Deciding to Run
– A presidential candidacy in the United States needs to be either announced or an “ open secret ” for at least a year before the election.
– Barack Obama made clear his intention to run for president in January 2007.
2012 Republican Candidates for President
LO 9.1
The Nomination Game
• • Watch Hippocampus video on Primaries, Caucuses and National Convention Competing for Delegates: Caucuses & Primaries – Caucus - A system for selecting convention delegates used in about a dozen mostly rural states in which voters must show up at a set time and attend an open meeting to express their presidential preference.
2012 Iowa Caucus Results
What Happens in the Iowa Caucus?
LO 9.1
The Nomination Game
• Competing for Delegates (cont.) – Presidential primaries are elections in which a state ’ s voters go to the polls to express their preference for a party ’ s nominee for president.
– Frontloading – Recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar to capitalize on media attention. Known as Super Tuesday (the largest # of states holding primaries/caucuses on this day)
The Nomination Game – Super Tuesday March 6, 2012
The Nomination Game
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Competing for Delegates (cont.)
– National Party Convention – The supreme power within each party.
– Super-delegates – Party leaders automatically get delegate slot at national party convention.
LO 9.1
Nomination Game – Super-delegates
Go to Chapter 9 Videos to watch explanation of Super-delegates
& Caucuses
• • • • • • • • • A disproportionate amount of attention goes to the early caucuses and primaries. Critics think America’s media-dominated campaigns are distorted by early primaries and caucuses.
Running for the presidency has become a full-time job, and prominent politicians find it difficult to take time out from their duties to run.
Money plays too big a role in the caucuses and primaries.
Participation is low and is not representative of the voting population.
Although about 50 percent of the population votes in the November presidential election, only about 20 percent casts ballots in presidential primaries.
Voters in primaries and caucuses also tend to be better educated and more affluent than voters in general.
Primaries and caucuses exaggerate regional factors in decision making.
The system gives too much power to the media.
The current system also has powerful defenders, including many of the candidates themselves
The Nomination Game
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The Convention Send-Off
– Rallying point for parties.
– Key note speaker on first day of Convention.
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Party platform (2 nd
next 4 years.
day) – Goals and policies for – Formal nomination of president and vice president candidates on third and fourth days.
LO 9.1
LO 9.2
The Campaign Game
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The High-Tech Media Campaign
– Direct mail used to generate support and money for candidate.
– Get media attention through ad budget and free news coverage.
– The emphasis is on marketing a candidate because news stories focus more on the horse race than substantive policy issues.
In Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren (D) challenges Scott Brown (R) for the U.S. Senate seat with this door hanger.
LO 9.2
The Campaign Game
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Organizing the Campaign
– Get a campaign manager, a fund-raiser, and a campaign counsel.
– Hire media and campaign consultants.
– Assemble staff, plan logistics, and get research staff, policy advisors, pollsters, and a good press secretary.
– Establish a website.
LO 9.2
The Campaign Game
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Campaign Ad – Watch these videos
– Who cares if it works?
– Swiftboat ad on John Kerry in 2004 (watch “Gunner” ad) – Kathleen Hall Jamieson dissecting campainging ads
LO 9.2
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
Money and Campaigning
• • •
The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms The Proliferation of PACs Are Campaigns Too Expensive?
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
Money and Campaigning
“Money is the mother’s milk of politics”
"Let’s face it, politics in this country is coin-
operated."
LO 9.3
- Money indicates the level of support a candidate has
LO 9.3
Money and Campaigning
• Federal Election Campaign Act 1974 – Ferret out corruption in political campaigns by restricting financial contributions.
– provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections – Set limits on the amount of money an individual could contribute to a single campaign – Required reporting of contributions above a certain threshold amount.
– The Federal Election Commission was created to enforce the statute.
Money, Campaigning and The Supreme Court
LO 9.3
• Buckley v. Valeo (1976) ruled that: – Limits to campaign contributions set by the FEC is constitutional and DOES NOT violate freedom of speech. This is to prevent corruption.
– However, in order to preserve free speech: • a candidate may spend unlimited amount on his campaign using his own money or family resources.
Money and Campaigning
• • But Federal Election Campaign Act 1974 was amended in 1979 that created loop hole for soft money.
Soft money are not regulated and not subject to limit of campaign laws. These are contribution given for purpose of party building expenses (voting drive to get people to vote for a party or generic party ads) LO 9.3
LO 9.3
Money and Campaigning - PAC
• • • • Campaign reforms of 1974 also created PAC.
PACs = Political Action Committees Anyone can create a PACs (corporations, interest groups, unions, BASIS, etc) PACs must register with the FEC and they are restricted in campaign limits.
Money and Campaigning
1. In 2000, soft money raised by both parties was almost $500 million!!
2. The 2002 McCain-Feingold Act (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) finally banned soft money 3. Individual could give up to $2,000 to a candidate.
4. This was a crusade by Sen McCain (R- AZ) and Feingold (D- WI.) LO 9.3
– Watch Campaign Finance Reform
Hard Money Contribution Limits T9-10
Money and Campaigning
– – Soon other loopholes began to appear.
Wealthy individuals found that they could make unlimited contributions to 527 groups (non profit groups created under 527 section of IRS tax code) – There is no limits to contributions to these groups as long as they do not coordinate with any candidate (i.e. they don’t use “vote for” or “vote against” in their ads) LO 9.3
Money, Campaigning – Super PACs
• Citizens United v. FEC (2010) – A corporation is “a person” and has freedom of speech just like a person.
– corporations and unions can now spend unlimited sums on ads and other political tools, calling for the election or defeat of individual candidates.
– The court said that because these funds were not being spent in coordination with a campaign, they “do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.” LO 9.3
Money and Campaigning – Super PACs
LO 9.3
– Soon after the Citizens United case, the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals made another important decision in Speechnow v. FEC in 2010. – Individuals can now give unlimited amounts to groups
Money and Campaigning – Super PACs
LO 9.3
– Together, these two court decisions gave rise to super PACs in July 2010.
LO 9.3
Money and Campaigning – Super PACs
• • • Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs are prohibited from donating money directly to political candidates.
So why are they powerful ?
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because they may raise UNLIMITED sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates.
Super PACs must report their donors to the Federal Election Commission. They cannot coordinate their spending with the candidate.
Explanation of Super PACs and Dark Money
1.
Watch this video from NBC
Super PACs Attack Ads
Bain Ad Trailer Ads produced and paid for by the super PAC “Winning our Future” in support of Newt Gingrich.
Conservative super PAC: American Crossroads , (“Forward”, “War of Women”, “Great II”) Liberal super PAC: Priority Action USA (“ We the People ”, “ Briefcase”, “ World View ”, “ Donnie ”)
Money and Campaigning – Super PACs
LO 9.3
Money and Campaigning
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Are Campaigns Too Expensive?
– Center for Responsive Politics estimated in 2008 that the contests for the presidency and Congress cost over $5 billion.
– More congressional incumbents spend, the worse they do.
– Doctrine of sufficiency – Spend enough money to get a message across to compete effectively.
The Impact of Campaigns
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Campaigns have three effects on voters.
– Reinforcement – Reinforce voters ’ for candidates.
preferences – Activation – Voters contribute money or ring doorbells.
– Conversion – Convert, changing voters ’ minds.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
LO 9.4
The Impact of Campaigns
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Some factors tend to weaken campaigns
’
impact on voters.
– Selective perception – Most people pay attention to things they agree with and interpret events according to predispositions.
– Party identification influence voting behavior.
– Incumbents – Advantage of name recognition and a track record.
Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
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Are Nominations and Campaigns Too Democratic?
Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased Scope of Government?
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
LO 9.5
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Are Nominations and Campaigns Too Democratic?
– Campaigns are open to almost everyone.
– Campaigns consume much time and money.
– Campaigns promote individualism in American politics.
Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
LO 9.5
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Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased Scope of Government?
– Candidates make numerous promises, especially to state and local interests.
– Hard for politicians to promise to cut size of government.
LO 9.1
Summary
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The Nomination Game
– Presidential primaries and caucuses lead to nomination at national party conventions and allow people to participate in the selection of the Democratic and Republican parties ’ nominees for president.
– The system gives some states much greater influence than others.
LO 9.1
Summary
• The Nomination Game (cont.) – Iowa (1 them.
st caucus) and New Hampshire (1 st primary) have disproportionate power stemming from the massive media attention devoted to these early contests and the momentum generated by winning – Money plays too big a role; turnout rates are too low; and mass media has too much power deciding which candidates are serious contenders.
primary and caucus system?
A. Disproportionate attention goes to the
early caucuses and primaries.
B. Prominent politicians do run.
C. Both money and media play too little a role.
D. Participation is high and representative.
primary and caucus system?
A. Disproportionate attention goes to the
early caucuses and primaries.
B. Prominent politicians do run.
C. Both money and media play too little a role.
D. Participation is high and representative.
LO 9.2
Summary
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The Campaign Game
– Political campaigns are carried out to win election for political office and require organization and effective use of high-tech media.
– One important goals of any campaign is simply to get attention.
– Campaigns seek to control political agenda by getting the media and the public to focus on the issues that they wish to emphasize.
organized campaign?
A. To assist the candidate in responding to reporters.
B. To tell the candidate how he or she is viewed by voters.
C. To feed the candidate the information needed to keep up with events.
D. To keep the candidate from getting bogged down in organizational details.
organized campaign?
A. To assist the candidate in responding to reporters.
B. To tell the candidate how he or she is viewed by voters.
C. To feed the candidate the information needed to keep up with events.
D. To keep the candidate from getting bogged down in organizational details.
LO 9.3
Summary
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Money and Campaigning
– Federal election law restricts direct contributions to federal campaigns to $2,400 for individuals and $5,000 for political action committees (PACs).
– In the presidential nomination process, federal matching funds are available to candidates who agree to limit their overall spending.
LO 9.3
Summary
• Money and Campaigning (cont.) – General presidential election – $85 million grant is available to each party nominee to finance their entire campaign, and candidates who turn down the grant are free to raise an unlimited total in increments equal or less than the maximum contribution limit.
– McCain-Feingold Act (2002) banned unlimited soft money contributions.
According to the textbook, the main benefit of
LO 9.3
campaign finance laws has been to _______.
A. make political campaigns more open and honest.
B. limit spending by candidates.
C. limit spending by corporations.
D. limit unregulated money spent in campaigns.
According to the textbook, the main benefit of campaign finance laws has been to _______.
LO 9.3
A. make political campaigns more open and honest.
B. limit spending by candidates.
C. limit spending by corporations.
D. limit unregulated money spent in campaigns.
LO 9.4
Summary
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The Impact of Campaigns
– Campaigning serves primarily to reinforce citizens views.
’ views and to activate voters rather than to change – Factors such as selective perception, party identification, and the incumbency advantage tend to weaken the ability of campaigns to influence voters ’ decisions.
Which is true about the impacts that political campaigns have on voters?
LO 9.4
A. Always convert voters, but rarely activate voters.
B. Reinforce party images and always convert voters.
C. Reinforce preferences and activate voters, but rarely convert voters.
D. Always convert voters, but rarely reinforce voters.
Which is true about the impacts that political campaigns have on voters?
LO 9.4
A. Always convert voters, but rarely activate voters.
B. Reinforce party images and always convert voters.
C. Reinforce preferences and activate voters, but rarely convert voters.
D. Always convert voters, but rarely reinforce voters.
LO 9.5
Summary
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Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
– American election campaigns are open, democratic, and long.
– Long campaigns provide a strenuous test for all candidates.
– Campaigns lead politicians to make many promises that increase the scope of government.
Today
’
s campaigns clearly promote in American politics.
A.egalitarianism
B.elitism
C.populism
D.individualism
LO 9.5
Today
’
s campaigns clearly promote in American politics.
A.egalitarianism
B.elitism
C.populism
D.individualism
LO 9.5