US Presidential Elections: A Tale of Two Conventions

Ziauddin Choudhury
The two major US political parties just concluded their Presidential Nomination
Conventions back to back over two separate weeks. This is a formal process in the
US Presidential Election nomination to put the final seal of approval on the
respective partys official candidate for US Presidential election this November.
People of the United States and US Presidential hopefuls go through this arduous
but extremely gripping process every four years. This year has been more intense
and dramatic than other elections years in recent history. This was made interesting
this year because of entry of two mavericks in the race, the flamboyant business
mogul Donald Trump as a Republican, and a self-declared socialist and a
mesmerizing speaker Senator Sanders as a Democrat.
A principal reason why this year the American public interest has been riveted on
the Presidential race is the unusual characteristics of the two contestants. Donald
Trump, the flamboyant and loose-lipped Republican Presidential hopeful who turned
to politics only last year, and Bernie Sanders, a lifelong independent politician and a
Senator from Vermont who sought Democratic nomination for Presidency. Donald
Trump, a wealthy business tycoon who made fortunes in real estate and
entertainment industry made his entry into the Presidential race by attracting a vast
majority of white working class Americans with his rhetoric against immigration,
free trade, and fears of terrorism mostly centering on Middle East and people of
Muslim background. Senator Sanders, although is in his mid-seventies, appealed to
a mostly young voting population with his strident criticism of growing income
inequality in the country blaming it on the big corporations US economy , and their
oversized influence in US politics. His vision of a more equitable distribution of
wealth, support for a universal health care system, and free higher education for all
inspired a whole new generation and made the youths rally round him. On the
other side, Trump was able to draw into his camp people, large sections of
disgruntled white Americans who had pent up frustration against the Republican
establishment for its perceived inability to help them. Trump successfully played
upon this frustration by planting and stoking their fear of immigrants, terrorism,
Muslims, and blaming free trade for job losses in America.
The main attraction of this years Presidential race is success of the two mavericks
in the nomination process. At the beginning of this process, which was more than a
year ago, most political analysts believed that Trump would be rejected in the
Primaries and Caucuses(party elections for choosing a nominee) sooner than he had
begun. Yet, Primary after Primary Trump showed his appeal to the Republican
voters, ultimately winning the majority of the votes necessary to claim the
nomination. Bernie Sanders was also considered a remote challenge to the
Democratic Party favorite Hillary Clinton. Although he did not end up getting the
majority Primary votes, he was able to keep up the fight till the very end and kept

on gathering a large loyal following to his ideas. The commitment of his supporters
to his policies posed a great threat to the Democratic platform and somewhat put
obstacles in launching a united campaign against the Republicans in the Presidential
elections.
The success of Donald Trump in securing the nomination of the Republican Party by
garnering enough delegates, however, came at a cost to the Republican Party.
Trump, who was not a favorite of the Republican establishment, destroyed too many
eggs in making his Omelet. He not only upended the Republican Party stalwarts and
past Presidents, he also offended them as well his other Presidential contestants
with his rough and tumble behavior, insulting and mocking remarks, and use
language unfit for a Presidential candidate. Unfortunately, the more combative and
abusive remarks he used the more he was cheered by his supporters. To them his
politically incorrect behavior became the cornerstone of his personality.
The more criticism Trump received from Press or other leaders, the more defiant
Trump became brandishing them as conspirators who were out to deprive him of his
rightful claim to nomination. His way of attacks and thoroughly repulsive comments
on his Presidential opponents crossed all limits of decency. Within the party a
sizeable opposition grew to deny him the nomination, which came to be known as
Never Trump movement. The movement did not, however, succeed to the point of
actually finding an alternative to Trump, but it was enough to bring dissension in the
party against him. The Republican Presidential Convention exposed this intra-party
dissension.
The Democratic Party, although initially divided between two camps- Bernies and
Hillarys- was able to bridge over the difference after Bernie conceded victory to
Hillary toward the end of the race. The fact that the partys division was not deep
rooted and Hillary herself was not a divisive leader, there was much less intra-party
tension within Democratic Party than its rival.
This was the overall background under which the two parties held their respective
conventions, in Cleveland and Philadelphia, over the two last weeks of July
consecutively. The conventions were held with usual fanfare, but there was a lot
anxiety over the Republican Convention in Cleveland with apprehensions of severe
anti-Trump protests by both Never Trump Group from within the Republican Party,
and other groups who did not like Trumps message.
The feared riots or massive protests did not happen, but the scene within the arena
of Republican convention did not portray a placid gathering of happy campers
either. A good number of Republican stalwarts refrained from attending the
convention, included among of whom were former Presidents H.W. Bush, George
Bush, Mitt Romney (Presidential candidate in 2012), Jeb Bush, and Governor of
Cleveland Kasich who was also a contender for Presidential nomination this year.
The most significant sign of a seriously fractured Party came from Senator Cruz, the

runner up in the Presidential nomination race, who did not endorse the Partys
nominee Donald Trump to his dismay and shock of his supporters.
Contrast this with the Democratic Party convention held a week later in
Philadelphia. Where the Republican Convention was marked by a nearly all white
representation (the Republican Party is 90% white), the Democratic Party
convention was represented by a mlange of color and race, white, black, brown,
and diversity of culture and beliefs. Where the Republican convention was marked
by intra-party tension and strife, the Democratic convention was of unity and
solidarity. Where the Republican party convention was marked by non-endorsement
of the Party nominee by the Runner up, the Democratic convention was marked by
an enthusiastic and whole hearted embrace of the Party nominee Hillary by the
second running Bernie Sanders.
Apart from the political differences between the two conventions the other
significant dissimilarities between the two were the messages and tonal differences.
Almost all speakers in the Republican convention, starting with Donald Trump, spent
more time in criticizing Hillary Clinton dwelling on her perceived failures and illegal
acts than on any substance or policies. They painted a picture of doom and gloom
and warned people of a dire future if the Party nominees were not elected. It was, as
some columnist stated, a name-calling and insult-a-thon fest where policy took a
back seat. The Democratic convention was just the opposite. It was built on a
promise of hope for a country that has achieved substantial progress over years
through relentless efforts and hard work of all its citizens irrespective of race, color
or religion. Unlike the Republican convention it was attended by an impressive array
of Democratic stalwarts and leaders including President Bill Clinton and President
Obama. The message they gave, in particular, the Presidential nominee Hillary
Clinton, was to not to succumb to fear and prejudices, but to forge ahead to
strengthen the country working together, not separated by race, religion, or color.
She gave a message a hope against one of fear and scare.
The road ahead for the American public is critical, because this Presidential election
gives them a stark choice between a maverick, unpolitical, untested scare
mongering candidate and a seasoned, rational, and internationally known
statesman. This is unique as never before a hitherto unknown person has
successfully raided an established political party and wrested the partys
nomination for President. It is unique because never before in the history of the
United States a woman has been nominated as President by a major political party.
Who the American public will elect? A flamboyant, rabble rousing, scare mongering,
and irrevocably insolent man or an experienced, sober, and highly skilled woman
who has been in public service for last four decades? We can only hope that in
November the populace vote for sanity against insanity, pragmatism against
irrationality, and nation against parochial party interests.