Convention Season
John McCain stood beside his wife Cindy just off stage. He looked out to watch the speaker, Governor Jeb Bush, delivering his introduction. It was a surreal moment for the candidate. He had worked for years to reach this moment, yet it didn’t feel like it was actually happening. McCain was nominated a day before, after a thrilling speech by Senator George Allen. It was a conservative rallying cry in a year where the Republican nominee was anything by a party-line voter. That was the biggest factor holding McCain back. Four years earlier, he was a beaten man. George Bush had “out-conservatived” McCain. Yet now he was accepting the nomination of the very same party that had rejected him so abruptly. He was the new Republican standard bearer, the man tasked with taking back the White House after twelve years in the desert. McCain had always been an important force in Washington, but now he was poised to take a great leap into the most important office in the world.
The 2004 Republican National Convention was held in Miami. The symbolism was obvious. Florida, specifically Miami-Dade County, was the site of one the closest and most contentious episodes in American political history. The recount had deeply divided the country and the state along partisan lines. Now the Republican Party returned to the Sunshine State, with the goal of rallying their supporters around the Straight Talk Express. Florida Governor Jeb Bush attempted to defuse claims that this was a “revenge convention,” claiming that “There are dozens of reasons why the delegates would want to come to Florida: the weather, the food, the entertainment. I doubt anyone wants to come to Miami to relive all the fun we had four years ago.”
The convention was a raucous affair. Florida’s Congressional delegation proudly rang in the affair, praising Senator McCain for his consistent support for a strong foreign policy and other traditionally Republican causes. The speeches would go back and forth between praising McCain and attacking President Gore. In both cases, the emphasis was on foreign policy. Republicans praised McCain for his record of service in Vietnam and a strongly pro-defense record in the Senate. They attacked Gore for “leading from behind” and for failing to take a stronger position against Iraq and state-sponsors of terror. The party united behind their nominee and against his opponent in a profound show of strength. Former Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush both spoke, as did 2000 nominee George W. Bush. All three praised McCain for his service to the country and his record in the Senate. There were consistent references to Ronald Reagan. The late President’s legacy loomed large over the party he helped put into office. MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews noted that “it looks like the Republican Party is still looking for the next Reagan. Maybe they hope that if they keep evoking him McCain will transform into him.” The most poignant moment was a speech by Nancy Reagan that focused on her husband’s legacy as a husband and father.
Senator George Allen of Virginia delivered the convention’s keynote address. Allen was a rising star within the Republican Party. His strongly conservative voting record, youth, and charisma made him a potential Presidential candidate in the future. He was also on Senator McCain’s shortlist for Vice-President. Allen’s speech was a call-to-arms for the Republican Party. It praised the “fundamental American promise that individual freedom and liberty will lead to prosperity for all. A small government is necessary to preserve that freedom, while a strong national defense is needed to protect all our liberties.” Allen also attacked President Gore and the Democrats: “For the past twelve years, the only thing standing in the way of an every bigger government, ever higher taxes, and ever more regulation is a committed and conservative Republican Party. President Gore wants to stop us. But in November, we will say ‘no more!’ Finally, Allen wrapped up his speech with strong praise for his party’s nominee: “I’ve had the privilege to serve with John McCain for the past four years. And I look forward to having the honor to work with him when he is President of the United States!”
Senator McCain’s speech was focused squarely on foreign policy and national security. After being introduced by Governor Bush, McCain walked onto the stage to the deafening cheers of a convention hall that was readily waiting for their nominee. The candidate began his speech with praise for those who spoke before him “I could not ask for a greater welcoming committee. I’m honored to be standing here in front of you today. And as you’ve heard endless times these past few days, I’m incredibly lucky.” Then he launched into the meat of the speech: “America is a country grounded in sacred rights. It is single-greatest burden of our government to protect and defend them. We do not seek war or violence. But to ensure that our rights are not infringed, we must have a strong national defense. And we must not shrink from our responsibilities around the globe. To do so would strengthen those that wish to destroy our freedom. As your Commander-in-Chief, I promise never to retreat in the face of the threats we face.” McCain’s focus on foreign policy was telling. He almost entirely ignored social issues, merely stating that “A strong America also requires strong families, entrenched in time-tested values. We must never discard them in the name of progress.” He touched more on the economy, claiming that “Ronald Reagan proved tax cuts work. They put more money in the pockets of the American people, and ensure that government cannot grow infinitely. As President, my first act will be to cut your taxes while equally cutting spending. That is something my opponent cannot say.”
The Republican nominee’s speech was widely praised and well received by conservatives and moderates alike. McCain’s focus on foreign policy and national security was seen by observers as wise decision. Despite his strong performance in the primaries, McCain still faced a party with many skeptical elements. Social conservatives doubted his drive on the issues of abortion and gay marriage, while supply-siders were uncertain of his faith in tax cuts. But the party was united behind McCain’s dedication to protecting America and taking a more aggressive stance in foreign policy. The selection of Michigan Governor John Engler to be his running-mate further reinforced the unity doctrine. Engler was a “get-it-done” Governor who alienated no members of the Republican tent. The McCain campaign hoped that by keeping the party united, they could exploit the country’s dissatisfaction with President Gore.
The Democrats gathered for their convention at the end of August, a month later. The convention was held in New York City just days before the third anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Thematically, the Democrats chose to focus primarily on President Gore’s response to 9/11 and his “ongoing fight for working families.” This contrasted with the Gore campaign’s more aggressive, anti-GOP, rhetoric. The first night of the convention was a patriotic roll-out. Mayor Mark Green opened the evening with a passionate speech about New York’s response to 9/11: “So tonight, I’m here to tell America that New York is back and ready to go!” He was followed by former Governor and hero of liberals, Mario Cuomo. Other speakers included former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, a number of Senators and Congress-people, and Senator Hillary Clinton. The next night the focus was more domestic. Labor, women’s rights, environmentalists, and minority leaders all spoke in praise of President Gore. The message was clear: Despite his centrist policies, Gore’s heart was with the right people. The First Lady, Tipper Gore, also spoke about the President’s advocacy for women’s issues despite Republican opposition.
The fireworks came out on the third night. Senator John Edwards, “the Democrats’ Rock Star,” delivered the keynote address. In it, he focused on poverty in America, growing social inequality, and the shrinking middle class. But the speech was also an aggressive one. Edwards targeted the Republicans tax plan as an example of how they weren’t serious about addressing these problems: “Take a look at John McCain’s tax plan. It calls for record cuts for the wealthiest Americans, cuts for big business, and it preserves tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. That’s not going to help the middle class.” Edwards also defended the Gore Administration’s policies in this regard, specifically emphasizing Medicare expansion: “There are too many seniors who have to choose between food and medicine, housing and their prescriptions. That is morally wrong. But John McCain and the Republican Party don’t see it that way. They think it’s bad for business to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, or to allow us to import affordable, high quality medication. But here’s the truth: We can’t afford to keep the status quo. It’s bad for America, and that’s bad for business.” The Senator’s speech was well received by the base, but heavily criticized by Republicans. Edwards was seen as a rising star in the party and a potential future Presidential candidate, and his speech improved his name recognition with the Democratic base.
Vice-President Lieberman followed. His speech focused on foreign policy, applauding Gore for his efforts to keep America safe following 9/11 and “acting decisively to destroy al-Qaeda and put Osama bin Laden on the run.” His speech was an attempt to enforce the President’s national security credentials in the aftermath of the highly patriotic Republican Convention. Lieberman also spoke of his friendship with McCain: “I’ve been a good friend of John McCain’s for many years. We were both elected in 1986, and we both spent our careers in the Senate looking out for America’s fighting men and women and our national security. But I don’t recognize this John McCain. Whether it’s ignoring climate change, eschewing fiscal responsibility in favor of massive tax cuts, or attacking President Gore’s leadership in the war on terror, I don’t recognize the Republican nominee.” The speech was once again music to the ears of Democrats, but deeply angered Republicans.
On the final night, President Gore took to the stage. His speech was titled “Defending the American Dream,” and it dealt with both domestic and foreign policy. Gore talked about the need for action to help the middle class and working families, thinking back to his upbringing “My parents engrained in me a sense of shared responsibility when I was a young boy. I remember being taught that I was no better or worse than anyone else, and that what defined me was how hard I worked for others. That message bears true today. America rises and falls through our shared commitment to the American Dream. We cannot simply expect that all of us will be successful. We must work to make it happen. We must ensure that we have the greatest schools in the world, the highest quality healthcare, and the greatest businesses. But we also have to ensure that these great elements of America are accessible to all Americans.” Gore then shifted towards foreign policy: “On September 11th, this city and this country were attacked. The people who planned and carried out the attacks thought we would retreat or surrender. They were damn wrong. Out of the ashes of those towers we have grown stronger. Our fighting men and women brought democracy to Afghanistan and put Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda on the ropes. Now is not the time to take the crosshairs off them. Now is the time to double down and ensure that there will never be another attack on this country. I need your help; your country needs your help. It’s time to finish what we started.”
