Presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush during one of the presidential debates in the 2000 election season. (The New York Times) As Bill Clinton’s presidency neared its end, the presidential election of 2000 saw Vice President Al Gore compete for the White House against George W. Bush, the son of the former eponymous … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – The 2000s: Old Rivalries, New Millennium
As the two-term presidency of Ronald Reagan neared its end, Vice President George Herbert Walker Bush faced competition from both Kansas Senator Bob Dole and Virginia televangelist Pat Robertson for the Republican presidential nomination. While Bush trailed behind the two other candidates for a while, he had a stronger base of financial and political support … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – 1988 to 1996: Twilight of the 20th Century
By the end of the 1970s, the Carter administration had become increasingly unpopular among the general American public. The advent of “stagflation” - a combination of high unemployment rates and inflation of the money supply - persisted throughout the decade with little improvement under Carter’s leadership. In international affairs, fifty-two American civilians and diplomats were … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – The 1980s: The “Reagan Revolution”
After a full four-year term, Nixon unanimously earned the Republican nomination for president in the 1972 election. His presidency was generally well-received for several reasons. In diplomacy, Nixon managed to open communications with the People’s Republic of China, and heralded the era of détente - a de-escalation of Cold War tensions - with the Soviet … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – The 1970s: From Corruption to Stagnation
The 1960s saw the United States go through several long-term changes in its political and social characteristics, and have been generally described by historians as a decade of domestic and foreign instability. John F. Kennedy maintained a generally-consistent approval level during his presidency. Through 1961 to 1963, he led the United States through the Cuban … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – Divisions of the 1960s
The presidential election of 1960 brought with it a pair of “firsts” for American politics. It was the first presidential election with the new states of Alaska and Hawaii, and the first where both candidates were born in the 20th century. John F. Kennedy - a Navy veteran and Democratic Senator from Massachusetts - faced … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – The 1960s: “Firsts for the New Decade”
While the television had been used previously in politics, the 1952 presidential election was the first that saw both mainline parties using the medium prominently. After declining the offer in the previous election, Dwight D. Eisenhower agreed to run for president in 1952 on the Republican ticket. Adlai Stevenson II - the grandson of William … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – The 1950s: “Selling the Presidency like cereal…”
After the radio’s ascent to global prominence in the early 20th century, the television was the next major step in telecommunications technology. Much like the radio, the earliest television prototypes emerged among different inventors and scientists across the world in the 19th century. While their methods differed, the common idea was to transmit moving images … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – 1945 to 1948: The Onset of Television and the Cold War
Left: Advertisement for the Hearst Newspaper chain, c. 1920. (Public Domain) Advertisement promoting music concerts broadcasted over the radio, c. 1920. (Public Domain) The evolution of technology has historically progressed alongside changes in mass media and politics. American elections and campaigns are no exceptions to this trend, as the newspaper reigned supreme in mass media … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – 1900 to 1945: Campaigning Over the Air Waves
Portrait photograph of James A. Garfield, c. 1870. (Library of Congress) Portrait of Winfield S. Hancock, c. 1870. (Library of Congress) The four decades after the Civil War’s end saw a major increase in newspaper circulation. Due to the partisan divide between the Union and the Confederacy in the war, newspapers that already had political … Continue reading American Elections and Campaigns – 1865 to 1900: Postbellum Partisanship, Campaigning, and Infighting
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