U.S. presidential election, 1988

The U.S. presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties. Ronald Reagan, the incumbent President, was vacating the position after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-Second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the Democrats nominated Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts. Bush capitalized on Reagan's popularity while Dukakis's campaign suffered from several miscues; the result was the third lopsided Republican victory in as many presidential elections.

Nominations

Democratic Party nomination

Having been badly defeated in the 1984 presidential election, the Democrats were eager to find a new approach to win the presidency. Among the field of candidates were the following:

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• Bruce E. Babbitt, former governor from Arizona
• Joseph R. Biden Jr., U.S. senator from Delaware
• Michael S. Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts
• Richard A. "Dick" Gephardt, U.S. representative from Missouri
• Albert A. Gore Jr., U.S. senator from Tennessee
• Gary W. Hart, former U.S. senator from Colorado
• the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, civil rights activist
• Paul M. Simon, U.S. senator from Illinois

In early 1987, Sen. Gary Hart was the clear frontrunner in the field (Democratic party efforts to recruit New York Gov. Mario Cuomo aside). Hart had put in a strong showing in the 1984 presidential election, and had refined his campaign in the intervening years.

Related Topics:
1987 - New York - Mario Cuomo - 1984 presidential election

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However, questions about extramarital affairs dogged the charismatic candidate. One of the great myths is that Senator Hart challenged newspapers to 'put a tail' on him. In actuality, the Miami Herald had received an anonymous tip from a friend of Donna Rice's that Rice was involved with Hart. The stakeout was also an exercise worthy of the Keystone Kops since there was an unguarded exit through which Hart and Rice may have left. It was only AFTER Hart had been discovered that the Herald reporters found Hart's quote in an advance copy of New York Times magazine. On May 8, 1987, a week after the Donna Rice story broke, Hart dropped out of the race. In December of 1987, Hart returned to the race. However the damage had been done.

Related Topics:
May 8 - 1987

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Joseph Biden's campaign was also surrounded with controversy, as he was found to have plagiarized a speech from British Labour party leader Neil Kinnock, and then was found to have also engaged in plagiarism in law school. These and other misrepresentations would lead him to drop out of the race. The plagiarized speech was revealed in a videotape of both speeches leaked to the press. The initial speculation incorrectly pointed the blame on the Gephardt campaign as the source of the tape. Michael Dukakis later revealed that his campaign was responsible for leaking the tape, and two members of his staff resigned.

Related Topics:
Plagiarized - Neil Kinnock

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In the Iowa caucuses, Gephardt finished first, Simon finished second, and Dukakis finished third. In the New Hampshire primary, Dukakis finished first, Gephardt finished second, and Simon finished third. Dukakis and Gore campaigned hard against Gephardt with negative ads, and eventually the United Auto Workers retracted their endorsement of Gephardt, who was heavily dependent on union backing.

Related Topics:
Iowa caucuses - New Hampshire primary

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In the Super Tuesday races, Dukakis fared very well, though not well enough to knock out his main rivals. Gore and Jackson did very well in those races, both placing first in many southern states, creating a credible challenge to Dukakis's front runner status. Dukakis eventually emerged as the winner of a long primary process, with Gore's effort to paint Dukakis as too liberal for the general election failing and Jackson focused more on getting enough delegates to make sure African-American interests were represented in the platform than on winning.

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The Democratic Party Convention was held in Atlanta, Georgia. It was primarily noteworthy for the Dukakis nominating speech (widely criticized as lengthy and tedious) delivered by Arkansas governor William Jefferson Clinton, and the selection of Lloyd Bentsen as the vice presidential candidate.

Related Topics:
Democratic Party Convention - Atlanta, Georgia - William Jefferson Clinton - Lloyd Bentsen

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Republican Party nomination

The Republican primary was less notable, with Vice President George H. W. Bush going in as the clear frontrunner. Bush had the support of President Ronald Reagan, who remained very popular with both Republicans and the country at large. Bush pledged to continue Reagan's policies, but also pledged a "kinder, gentler America" in an attempt to win over some more moderate voters.

Related Topics:
George H. W. Bush - Ronald Reagan

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There nevertheless emerged a few challengers for the nomination. They were:

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• Bob Dole, Senator from Kansas
• Pierre DuPont, former Governor from Delaware
• Alexander Haig, Reagan's former Secretary of State
• Jack Kemp, Congressman from Buffalo, NY; former NFL player
• Pat Robertson, evangelical preacher

Bush's main challenge came from Sen. Dole, who won the Iowa caucus, though Bush ultimately won the nomination.

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The Republican party convention was held in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Louisiana Superdome. Bush made an energetic pledge, "". It would be a comment that would dog him for a long time to come. Vice-Presidential candidate Dan Quayle was selected at the convention.

Related Topics:
New Orleans, Louisiana - Louisiana Superdome

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Other nominations

• Willa Kenoyer / Ron Ehrenreich - Socialist Party USA: Advocated a decentralist government approach with policies determined by the needs of the workers.
• Ron Paul - Libertarian Party: Called for the adoption of a global policy on military non-intervention; wanted to uninvolve the government with education; critical of Reagan's "bail out" of the Soviet Union.
• Lenora Fulani - New Alliance Party: Focused on issues concerning unemployment, healthcare, and homelessness.