PHOTO GALLERIES:

https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/politics/elections/2016/07/18/republican-national-convention-in-cleveland/87176930/

Republican National Convention in Cleveland:

——–> https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/politics/elections/2016/07/18/republican-national-convention-in-cleveland/87176930/

Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia:

———> https://www.azcentral.com/picture-gallery/news/politics/elections/2016/07/22/democratic-national-convention-in-philadelphia/87464224/

“Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever nominated by a major U.S. party, spoke of unity and reached out to all Americans, even those who won’t vote for her, with a positive tone. Donald Trump at times painted a grim portrait of the United States as a nation facing immediate threats from illegal immigration, terrorism and attacks on law enforcement.

These differences — and the internal tensions that erupted at times into booing and chants throughout both conventions — provide insight into the state of the presidential race, as well as the future of the two parties.”

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I think this shows just how important these conventions can be and how much weight they carry. The convention is not just about the party, but it is about crafting a narrative that represents the whole party and the party’s future. Whatever agenda or campaign strategies that the candidates are pushing, intertwined in their speeches at the convention, are representative of the other candidates within their respective party both past and future. This is why 2016 was so controversial.

source: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/07/31/what-republican-democratic-conventions-tell-us-donald-trump-hillary-clinton/87667832/

She uses her acceptance speech to draw upon Trump’s agenda, which I found interesting. She spends a good deal of time comparing her campaign to his and how stark in contrast they are. She refers to Trump as someone who instills fear in the American people rather than hope, which is her key point that gets the crowd most excited. She connected back to Roosevelt and tied in Democratic party connections, typical for a convention speech. Is she comparing herself to FDR here? Watch the video and notice how the attendees of the convention are her biggest supporters.

Start @ 41 seconds

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/07/a-laymans-guide-to-the-republican-and-democratic-national-conventions/489560/

“The goal is to keep all those squabbles about the platform and rules—the nuts and bolts of a political party—in the background, and the spotlight on themselves. Conventions in the modern era are less about the parties than the candidates, and this is their showcase… these eight days in July may be their last, best chance to get millions of anxious, dissatisfied Americans to embrace them, and their visions for the future.”

National Party Conventions finalize a party’s choice for presidential and vice presidential nominees. However, in recent decades, the presumptive nominee is known well before the convention begins. As a result, conventions tend to be more about spectacle and show, as seen in the above image.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2020/08/14/902160886/political-conventions-will-likely-never-be-the-same