George H.W. Bush
George Bush, a New England aristocrat partially transplanted to Texas, entered politics after
almost two decades in the oil business. He was born on 12 June 1924 in Massachusetts, and
grew up in a wealthy New York suburb.
Bush followed his father’s example in switching from financial success in business to politics.
He was and unsuccessful Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas in 1964 and
1970, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1966 and again in 1968. After losing the
race for the Senate in 1970, Bush was appointed by Presidents Nixon and Ford to a succession
of important positions: U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the RNC, liaison
to China, and director of the CIA. In January 1977 Bush resigned as head of the CIA and
returned to Texas, where he began campaigning for the presidency in 1978. However, he lost
the nomination to the more glamorous and conservative Ronald Reagan, who later picked him
to be his running mate for the office of vice-president. The Reagan-Bush ticket won easily in
1980, and 1984.
Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis’s political strength, and the reason he won the Democratic nomination in
1988, was the fact that very different kinds of Democrats and liberals could project their
hopes onto him. At heart, the Governor of Massachusetts was an old-style Democrat.
Dukakis’s style was that of the upper-middle-class reformers who were now so important to
the Democratic nominating process. Yet Dukakis was also a Greek American, the “son of
immigrants,” as he would say over and over. His approach to government was intensely
serious and mistrustful of politics-as-usual.
Table of Contents
1. The Candidates – A Political Biography
1.1 George H.W. Bush
1.2 Michael Dukakis
2. The Race for the White House
2.1 The Nominating Process
2.2 George Bush - The Reagan Heir
2.3 Campaign Strategies
2.4 The Bush Platform
2.5 The Bush Campaign on Air – “Revolving Doors”
2.5.1 The Ad Background
2.5.2 The Reaction to the Ad
2.6 The Impact on Voters
3. The Election Outcome
3.1 Election Results
4. Historical Significance of the 1988 Campaign
Objectives and Topics
This work provides a detailed analysis of the 1988 U.S. Presidential Election, examining the political backgrounds of George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis, the strategic conduct of the campaign, and the eventual impact on American voters and the political process.
- Political biographies and profiles of the candidates
- The Republican nominating process and the role of the South
- Strategic campaign management and the use of negative advertising
- The "Revolving Doors" media campaign and its effect on public perception
- The election outcome and long-term significance of the 1988 political atmosphere
Excerpt from the Book
The Bush Campaign on Air – “Revolving Doors”
While taking part in a furlough program in Dukakis’ Massachusetts, the convicted murderer Willie Horton, an African American, raped a woman and stabbed her companion. The “Revolving Door” ad sought to hold the Governor’s policies responsible for the incident and argued, if Dukakis promised to “do for America what he has done for Massachusetts […] America can’t afford that risk”.
Bush’s 1988 “Revolving Door” ad clearly shows the change in the journalists’ reaction to attack ads. Although there are many denying the rise of negative ads in the 1988 election, the media has become quite tolerant of these ads since the late 1980s. In contrast to the “Daisy” ad of 1964, which was immediately condemned and taken off the TV screens, reporters in 1988 treated the furlough ad as a typical news story.
For the first time in 1988 it seemed like the candidates used their ads not to promote themselves but to criticize their opponent. Bush’s lead in the polls was frequently ascribed to the success of his negative ads and the lack of quick and forceful response by Dukakis.
Summary of Chapters
1. The Candidates – A Political Biography: This chapter outlines the professional and personal histories of George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis, detailing their paths to the 1988 nomination.
2. The Race for the White House: This section covers the nominating process, the campaign strategies employed by both teams, and the pivotal role of media advertisements like the "Revolving Doors" spot.
3. The Election Outcome: This chapter presents the statistical results of the 1988 election and analyzes the shift in voting patterns across different regions of the United States.
4. Historical Significance of the 1988 Campaign: This concluding analysis reflects on the legacy of the campaign, focusing on voter turnout, the increase in political negativity, and the overall disillusionment of the American public.
Keywords
1988 U.S. Presidential Election, George H.W. Bush, Michael Dukakis, Campaign Strategy, Negative Advertising, Revolving Door Ad, Willie Horton, Republican Party, Electoral College, Voter Turnout, Political History, Conservatism, Lee Atwater, GOP, Reagan Administration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this analysis?
The work examines the political dynamics, campaign tactics, and outcome of the 1988 United States presidential election between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis.
What are the central themes discussed in the document?
Key themes include the transformation of campaign strategies, the rise of negative political advertising, the role of the Religious Right, and the impact of the 1988 campaign on voter behavior and political perception.
What was the primary research goal?
The document aims to analyze how Bush's campaign team effectively utilized political messaging to secure victory and how the election reflected broader trends in American political culture.
Which historical context is relevant to this election?
The campaign took place following eight years of Ronald Reagan's administration, a period characterized by relative peace and prosperity, yet accompanied by voter uneasiness about the future.
What specific campaign strategies are analyzed in the main body?
The text focuses on the shift toward negative campaigning, specifically the "Revolving Door" ad, and how the Bush campaign targeted the perceived weaknesses of Michael Dukakis.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Relevant keywords include 1988 U.S. Presidential Election, Campaign Strategy, Negative Advertising, Political History, and Electoral College.
What was the significance of the "Revolving Door" ad?
It was a landmark negative advertisement that successfully linked Governor Dukakis to a violent crime committed by a furloughed prisoner, significantly shifting public opinion on the issue of crime.
How did gender influence the impact of the campaign's messaging?
The analysis indicates that the "Revolving Door" ad had a disproportionately strong impact on women voters, who became more likely to identify crime as a top-tier political issue after viewing the material.
What does the document conclude about the 1988 campaign's legacy?
It concludes that the campaign was widely viewed as negative and divisive, contributing to the lowest voter turnout since 1924 and leaving many Americans dissatisfied with the political process.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2004, The U.S. Presidential Elections 1988, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153852
