1. Delegates, Platforms, & Planks
National Conventions
Delegates, Platforms, & Planks

2. Delegates
Review: How are Delegates chosen?
Primaries
Caucuses

3. Superdelegates
By definition, Superdelegates are national party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic National Party Convention
Who are they?
Public office holders
Party officials
Democratic party became concerned about the lack of a role for party leaders at their conventions that starting in 1984 they automatically set aside 15% of their delegate slots for public officeholders and party officials.

4. Why Superdelegates?
Designed to restore an element of oversight by party leaders and public office holders
Ensures participation of those most familiar with the candidate
To date the primaries have proved to be far more crucial than the superdelegates.

6. National Party Convention
By definition, a National Party Convention is the supreme power within each of the parties.
Meets every four years
Nominate Party President & Vice President
Today, the drama h been drained from the conventions because the winner is a foregone conclusion. No longer can a powerful governor shift a whole block of votes at the last minute. Delegates selected in primaries and open caucuses have known preferences. The last time there was any doubt about who would win at the convention was in 1976 when Gerald Ford barely edged out Ronald Reagan for the Republican Nomination.
The reduced drama at party conventions also reduces the number of hours networks cover the events. At one time, the National Conventions once garnered more national T.V. attention than the Summer Olympics. However, as the number of primaries and caucuses increase over the years, nominations are decided before the conventions. The element of suspense is gone, hence media coverage is limited compared to what it has been in years past.

7. 2008 Conventions Democratic Republican Denver, Colorado
August 25-28, 2008
Republican
St. Paul, Minnesota
September 1-4, 2008

8. The Agenda Day One: Keynote speech Recalling party heroes
Condemning opposition
Highlights nominee’s strengths

9. Agenda Day Two: Party Platform approved & confirmed
In writing a party platform, disagreements between various factions of the party often become evident. In recent years, Ann Stone has led a movement of Republican women in favor of a pro-choice plank on abortion. Although Ann Stone’s efforts have received a fair amount of media attention, she has been unsuccessful in getting the republican convention to consider its pro-life platform.

10. What is a Platform?
A Party Platform is a political party’s statement of its goals and policies for the next four years.
Drafted prior to National Convention by a committee
The committee members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate’s strength

11. What is a Platform?
If 20% of committee delegates disagree with platform, the minority may propose an alternative plank to the convention floor for debate.
Planks are the individual issues that compose the overall party platform.
In recent years, party platform has served mostly as a way for the minority factions in the party to make sure that their voices are heard.

12. Party Platforms 2008 Republican Platform 2008 Democratic Platform
Hyperlinks to each party’s platforms for this election year.

13. For Example… Planks included in a party platform: Education Veterans
National Security
Agricultural Policies
Climate Change
Why are planks important? How do they help you, the voter, decide who to support?

14. More Planks… The Economy Energy Health Care Iraq Immigration
Tax Reform

15. Agenda Day Three Formal Nominations
Speeches given by well-known candidate supporter, followed by subsequent speeches
Balloting begins, states announce results
Nomination becomes official

16. Agenda Day Four Vice-President chosen by roll-call vote
Acceptance speech given
Grand Finale: Presidential Candidate’s acceptance speech
Historically, Vice President nominations follow the Presidential Candidates recommendation. The roll-call vote is merely a formality. This year, Senator Hillary Clinton asked the Democratic Delegates to forgo the roll-call vote and unanimously approve of Senator Obama’s choice in Joe Biden. She felt it would foster party unity.

17. Acceptance Speeches Senator Obama's Acceptance Speech
Senator McCain's Acceptance Speech

18. Discussion
What common characteristics did you notice in Obama and McCain’s speeches?
Were there distinct differences?
If so, what?

19. Official Site Democratic National Convention
Republican National Convention
Go online to view schedule, read speech transcripts, watch videos of speeches & events