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Election Election 2008 2008 The Race to the White House

Election 2008 Election 2008 The Race to the White House

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Election 2008Election 2008

The Race to the White House

Election 2008Election 2008

The Race for the White House

Key Election TermsKey Election Terms

Political party – an organization to gain political power.

Candidate – a person who seeks an office, honor, etc.

Primary election – a preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office, party officers

General election – a regularly scheduled local, state, or national election in which voters elect officeholders.

Key Election TermsKey Election Terms

Caucus – a meeting of party members within a legislative body to select leaders and determine strategy

Closed primary – direct primary in which only persons meeting tests of party membership may vote.

Open primary – a direct primary election in which voters need not meet a test of party membership.

Electoral College? Huh??Electoral College? Huh??

Electoral College? Huh??Electoral College? Huh??

U.S. presidents are NOT chosen by direct popular vote (meaning they got the most votes from the people)…just ask Al Gore (2000), Grover Cleveland (1888), Sam Tilden (1876), Andrew Jackson (1828).

Instead, the Electoral College actually decides the presidency…

In every state, a list of electors is pledged to each candidate.

The purpose of the direct popular vote in each state is to choose one of these electors.

Electoral College? Huh??Electoral College? Huh??

Usually, the candidate who wins the direct popular vote in a state gets all of the state’s electoral votes…

These electors meet in their state capitals in December to cast their state’s electoral votes for president.

These votes are sent to the U.S. Congress for official counting…

Electoral College? Huh??Electoral College? Huh??

The total number of votes in the Electoral College is 538.

The presidential candidate who wins 270 or more of these votes wins the election!!!

Election 2008Election 2008

The Campaigning Begins!

Democratic CandidatesDemocratic Candidates P.S. Why does the

Democratic Party use a donkey as it’s symbol?

Most associated with President Andrew Jackson, who was called a “jackass” by his opponents!!!

President Jackson then took up the symbol to describe his own “stubbornness”!!

In 1874, Thomas Nast made the symbol popular in a political cartoon and it remains to this day!!

Democratic CandidatesDemocratic Candidates

Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY)

Democratic CandidatesDemocratic Candidates

Sen. John Edwards (NC)

Democratic CandidatesDemocratic Candidates

Sen. Barack Obama (IL)

Other Democratic CandidatesOther Democratic Candidates

Gov. Bill Richardson (NM) Sen. Chris Dodd (CN) Rep. Dennis Kuchich (OH) Sen. Joseph Biden (DE)

Republican CandidatesRepublican Candidates P.S. Why does the

Republican Party use an elephant as it’s symbol?

In 1874, Thomas Nast again drew a political cartoon depicting the Democratic “donkey” kicking at a Republican “elephant”.

The idea stuck and is still used today!

Republican CandidatesRepublican Candidates

Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR)

Republican CandidatesRepublican Candidates

Sen. John McCain (AZ)

Republican CandidatesRepublican Candidates

Gov. Mitt Romney (MA)

Other Republican CandidatesOther Republican Candidates

Fmr. Mayor Rudy Giuliani (NYC)

Fmr. Sen. Fred Thompson (TN)

Rep. Ron Paul (TX)

The Party DebatesThe Party Debates

Democratic DebatesDemocratic Debates

Democratic DebatesDemocratic Debates

Democratic DebatesDemocratic Debates

Democratic DebatesDemocratic Debates

Republican DebatesRepublican Debates

Republican DebatesRepublican Debates

Republican DebatesRepublican Debates

Republican DebatesRepublican Debates

Nomination ProcessNomination Process

Each state holds a primary election or caucus Depending on state or party laws, voters often are

voting for a “delegate” who will be “bound” to vote for that candidate at the party’s national convention.

“Unpledged” delegates also participate in the party’s nominating convention, but are not bound to vote for a particular candidate.

Democratic PrimariesDemocratic Primaries

Obama – 2,206Clinton – 1,906Edwards – 26

TOTAL NEEDED – 2,118

Democratic PrimariesDemocratic Primaries

Obama = Green / Clinton = Red

Republican PrimariesRepublican Primaries

McCain – 1,504Huckabee - 286Romney - 242

TOTAL NEEDED – 1,191

Republican PrimariesRepublican Primaries

McCain = Blue / Huckabee = Orange / Romney = Green

The NomineesThe Nominees

Republican NomineeRepublican Nominee

Sen. John McCain

Republican NomineeRepublican Nominee

Sen. John McCain

U.S. Senator from Arizona 72 years old U.S. Naval Academy, B.S.,

1958 National War College, 1974

                                                                              

Democratic NomineeDemocratic Nominee

Sen. Barack Obama

Democratic NomineeDemocratic Nominee

Sen. Barack Obama

U.S. Senator from Illinois 47 years old Columbia University, B.A., 1983 Harvard University, J.D., 1991

Election 2008Election 2008

The Issues

Iraq War & “War on Terror”Iraq War & “War on Terror”

Believes that the U.S. should fulfill it’s mission in Iraq.

Believes U.S. troops should remain until the mission is completed.

Believes war in Iraq is directly related to the “War on Terror”

Iraq War & “War on Terror”Iraq War & “War on Terror”

Believes in a slow, scheduled withdrawl from Iraq.

Believes war was a “strategic blunder”.

Believes in open dialogue with Syria & Iran.

Believes focus of “War on Terror” should be on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Illegal ImmigrationIllegal Immigration

Supports giving illegal aliens eventual citizenship if earned.

Advocates fines, waiting periods, and deportation in some cases.

Supports building a wall to increase border security.

Illegal ImmigrationIllegal Immigration

Supports giving illegal aliens eventual citizenship if earned.

Supports border patrol and building a wall.

Advocates holding employers accountable for hiring illegal aliens.

Energy CrisisEnergy Crisis

Advocates development of alternative fuels.

Says oil profits should be reinvested into nuclear energy.

Does not support the Kyoto Protocol.

Energy CrisisEnergy Crisis

Calls for more investment in hybrid and ethanol production.

Advocates conservation and development of alternative fuels.

Would look into more nuclear energy.

EducationEducation

Believes in rewarding good schools.

Supports charter schools.

Opposed to national standards for funding.

Believes states should decide school voucher issue.

EducationEducation

Believes in providing incentives to improve the educational system.

Increase teacher pay to attract more qualified teachers.

Says “No Child Left Behind” is under funded.

Health CareHealth Care

Opposes universal, mandated health care and insurance.

Supports tax credits and medical savings accounts for health care.

Advocates more community health centers.

Health CareHealth Care

Believes U.S. Government should provide universal health care for all.

Advocates more competition among insurance & pharmaceutical markets to lower costs.

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

Advocates overthrowing “rogue governments” and using assertive tactics.

Dialogue with China, not Cuba.

Believes nuclear strength should be a tool in diplomacy.

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

NATO should be strengthened.

U.S. policy should be to promote democracy & human rights.

Supports African development.

Supports Israel. Dialogue with Syria / Iran

The Party Tickets!!The Party Tickets!!

Democratic TicketDemocratic Ticket Obama / Biden ‘08

Republican TicketRepublican Ticket McCain / ?????? ‘08

Party Nominating ConventionsParty Nominating Conventions

Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention

Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention

Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention

Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention

Republican National ConventionRepublican National Convention

Just ONE Vote!!!Just ONE Vote!!!

1776: One vote gave America the English language instead of German.

1800: One vote kept Aaron Burr, later charged with treason, from becoming president.

1850: One vote made California a state. 1859: One vote made Oregon a state. 1868: One vote saved President Andrew Johnson

from being removed from office.

Still don’t get it??Still don’t get it??