Download
1 / 64
640 likes | 814 Vues
Election 2008. The Race to the White House. Election 2008. The Race for the White House. Key Election Terms. Political party – an organization to gain political power. Candidate – a person who seeks an office, honor, etc.
E N D
Election 2008 The Race to the White House
Election 2008 The Race for the White House
Key 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 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?? • 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?? • 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?? • 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 2008 The Campaigning Begins!
Democratic 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 Candidates • Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY)
Democratic Candidates • Sen. John Edwards (NC)
Democratic Candidates • Sen. Barack Obama (IL)
Other Democratic Candidates • Gov. Bill Richardson (NM) • Sen. Chris Dodd (CN) • Rep. Dennis Kuchich (OH) • Sen. Joseph Biden (DE)
Republican 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 Candidates • Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR)
Republican Candidates • Sen. John McCain (AZ)
Republican Candidates • Gov. Mitt Romney (MA)
Other Republican Candidates • Fmr. Mayor Rudy Giuliani (NYC) • Fmr. Sen. Fred Thompson (TN) • Rep. Ron Paul (TX)
Nomination 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 Primaries • Obama – 2,206 • Clinton – 1,906 • Edwards – 26 • TOTAL NEEDED – 2,118
Democratic Primaries Obama = Green / Clinton = Red
Republican Primaries • McCain – 1,504 • Huckabee - 286 • Romney - 242 • TOTAL NEEDED – 1,191
Republican Primaries McCain = Blue / Huckabee = Orange / Romney = Green
Republican Nominee Sen. John McCain
Republican Nominee • Sen. John McCain • U.S. Senator from Arizona • 72 years old • U.S. Naval Academy, B.S., 1958 • National War College, 1974
Democratic Nominee Sen. Barack Obama
Democratic Nominee • Sen. Barack Obama • U.S. Senator from Illinois • 47 years old • Columbia University, B.A., 1983 • Harvard University, J.D., 1991
Election 2008 The Issues
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” • 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 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 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 Crisis • Advocates development of alternative fuels. • Says oil profits should be reinvested into nuclear energy. • Does not support the Kyoto Protocol.
Energy Crisis • Calls for more investment in hybrid and ethanol production. • Advocates conservation and development of alternative fuels. • Would look into more nuclear energy.
Education • Believes in rewarding good schools. • Supports charter schools. • Opposed to national standards for funding. • Believes states should decide school voucher issue.
Education • 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 Care • Opposes universal, mandated health care and insurance. • Supports tax credits and medical savings accounts for health care. • Advocates more community health centers.
