Conventions

Civics 101

NHPR

Education, History, Supreme Court, American History, Elections, Democracy, Society & Culture, Government, Civics, Politics, Social Studies

4.6 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2019

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The primaries are over, the caucusing has closed, the results are in. Now it's time to party. Nominating conventions are, by and large, a chance for political elites to get together, network and celebrate. The American public has picked a presidential candidate and the convention is there to give it all some pomp and circumstance. But what are all those fancy folk up to in that convention center? And what happens if there is no clear winner after primary season is over? Taking us out onto the convention floor are Domenico Montanaro (NPR Political Correspondent), Alvin Tillery (Northwestern University), Bruce Stinebrickner (Depauw University) and Tammy Vigil (Boston University).

Transcript

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0:00.0	Civics 101 is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
0:16.4	Those opposed shall say no.
0:22.0	The conventions are really cool.
0:25.2	In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it.
0:30.4	For years, every four years, from my whole conscious life, pretty much, I have watched
0:37.6	snippets of nominating conventions and thought to myself, what on earth is going on here?
0:43.2	There's so much buzz in the air. There is anticipation.
0:47.6	We don't have a moment to lose or a vote to spare.
0:52.7	Nothing less than the fate of our nation and the future of our children hangs in the balance.
0:59.3	Three or four days, and there are a bunch of speeches, and then states cast votes.
1:04.9	Alaska cast 18 votes for Governor Mitt Romney and nine votes for Representative Ron Paul.
1:13.6	There's always a celebrity here too, what is that about?
1:16.9	And I'm Sarah Silverman, and this past year I've been feeling the burn.
1:22.7	And then finally, the presidential candidate nominee comes out and is like,
1:27.6	I accept your nomination.
1:29.2	The folks on the floor really want to hear from their nominee.
1:32.2	I accept your nomination for presidential.
1:35.9	I accept your nomination for the president.
1:40.8	Accept your nomination for presidential.
1:45.1	Accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
1:51.6	Which also baffles me because don't we already know who the nominee is?
1:57.7	That's the point of primaries and caucuses, right? Is anyone surprised here?
	...

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