Of the multitude of different styles, goals, extraneous events and speeches of the 2008 Democratic and Republican conventions, the main difference between the two is that the Republican Party seeks to set the focus of the election on the individual candidates, while the Democratic Party seeks to set the focus of the election on the issues.
This is admittedly the case as told by John McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis who said, “This election is not about issues. This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates.”
The format of the conventions seemed to me to be very similar; both conventions reflected a similar hierarchy of speakers wherein wives of the presidential candidates spoke to introduce their husbands, failed primary candidates attacked the other party’s successful candidates, running mates were introduced and finally candidates delivered acceptance speeches. The important difference in this rather predictable schedule is one that reinforces the differences between the two party goals of issues versus individuals; that difference being the role of each party’s most recent president.
While the Democrats’ most recent president, Bill Clinton, talked (center stage and high in the hierarchy of speakers) about the economy, foreign affairs, and health care, the Republicans’ sitting president spoke (via satellite and low in the hierarchy of speakers) primarily about Hurricane Gustav and John McCain’s life and character. This reflects the Democratic Party’s attempt to associate themselves with policies and governments that have historically polled well, versus the Republican Party’s attempt to focus the election on the individual candidate’s life and bio, while distancing themselves from an unpopular sitting president.
Another significant event of each convention was the introduction and selection of the running mate Joe Biden, senator from Delaware, for the Democrats and Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, for the Republicans. These choices reflect the Democrats attempt to focus the election on the issues and the Republicans attempt to focus the election on the individual candidates. The Democrats recognized that a significant issue in the campaign would be their young candidate’s relative inexperience, particularly in foreign policy. In an effort to respond to this issue Obama selected as his running mate an older man with a 35-year senatorial career who also happens to chair the Foreign Relations committee.
In a stroke of pure genius the Republican Party, seeking to refocus the dominant news story on the individual candidates, stunned the national media by selecting a little known first term governor of a state unfamiliar to the media and nation. This move dramatically refocused the attention of the campaign on the individual life and record of Palin, whereas a pick of a more familiar candidate would not. This also allowed the campaign, in the wake of the media onslaught, to claim attacks on Palin and her family were undeserved and even sexist – again avoiding discussion of issues. Furthermore, the inclusion of a female running mate further allows the Republican Party to play a form of politics from which they are generally excluded- identity politics. Now each party has a claim to a historic campaign-the Democrats promise to deliver the first black president, while the Republicans promise to deliver the first female vice-president, each hoping that members of these particular groups will sway their vote in favor of their identity.
Another interesting difference between the two conventions is the way they talked about the state of America. Prior to McCain’s acceptance speech there was little mention of the state of the economy and tough times for Americans, and when he did his statements were drowned out by chants of “USA! USA! USA!”
Despite the lack of discussion about the problems facing America on the Republican side, both campaigns have advocated change in Washington. Oddly enough both parties are portraying their candidates as Washington outsiders who are going to change the way politics is run. While this makes some amount of sense for Democrats who have been out of power for most of the past eight years, despite the fact that their choice for VP has been in the senate for over 30 years, it seems paradoxical on the Republican side. The GOP has controlled both branches of the legislature for six of the last eight years and the presidency for the entire eight. Furthermore the party platform is virtually the same. On the whole this claim to change appears to be yet another attempt to focus attention on individual candidates, who appear to maintain an image of mavericks well, rather than on specific issues.
In the battle to decide the focus of the election the Republican Party is clearly winning at this point. An overview of media stories droning on after the conventions will reveal many discussions of Palin’s life and family and little of voting records or substantive plans.
Daniel Bland is a fifth year philosophy, English and journalism triple major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
