A Look to the 2004 Election

The 2004 election took place in a highly competitive environment with the two candidates taking pleasure in full benefits of media coverage and a close race thus ensured. As a result of the media coverage, the voters made informed choices. The 2004 election were however held at a unique time, in the context of an ongoing election reform process with procedural issues such as provisional balloting remaining to be addressed. During the Election Day, a broad participation and turnout was evident indicating a high interest among voters in the contest. As expected, the Republican and the Democratic Parties dominated the political landscape due to their substantial material and institutional resources. The Republican nominees were President George W. Bush and his Vice Richard Cheney while the Democratic nominees were President Senator John Kerry and Vice Senator John Edwards.

Being the 55th quadrennial presidential election, they were detained on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 with the President George W. Bush defeating the Democratic Party candidate John Kerry. The dominant theme throughout the campaign was the controversial foreign policy, particularly the issues relating to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the ongoing War on Terrorism. Despite the voting controversies and concerns especially with the state of Ohio, the 2004 election process had far less controversy than in 2000.

There were some states that decided to change their allegiance. New Mexico and Iowa, while Democratic during the 2000 election, they voted Republican in the 2004 election. What made the Republican nominee George W. Bush win the election? It had a lot to do with his popularity as a wartime president. Having invaded both Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the war on terror, it helped consolidate his base and ward off any serious challenge. His continued support on efforts to fight terrorism and with the fateful September 11 episode still fresh in the minds of most Americans, it is not difficult to see why this approach favored him in the 2004 election. His focal point was two-fold: Defend America from terrorism and build an ownership society. The ownership society would allow Americans to increase home and stock ownership, invest in the stock market using some of their Social Security and encourage more people to have their own health insurance. While Kerry’s slogan of “Stronger at home, respected in the world’, won him the Democratic nominations and suggested that his concerns would involve paying more attention to domestic concerns, Bush’s toughness on terrorism sounded more pleasing to the Americans which was reaffirmed during the 2004 election.

Thank You for taking time to read my blog reviewing the 2004 Election. Please accept my gift of 5 Free Listing from Big Value at www.wordsRmoney.com