Abstract:
In 2000, the incumbent party lost the presidential election for the first time, although the pre-election environment strongly favored the incumbent party. Bill Clinton’s Vice President Albert Gore and the son of the 41st US-President, George W. Bush, fought for the electorate for several months. Both, Bush and Gore, succeeded their party competitors John McCain and Bill Bradley, respectively. The longest and most expensive race in the history of US-elections ended up in a Supreme Court decision.
The paper’s aim is to pass the election campaigns in review, to check the background, and to find answers to the question of why George W. Bush was elected 43rd President of the United States. The analysis deals with numerous aspects. Beginning with the primaries and caucuses, the paper continues with the rules of the game, the campaign strategies, the debates, and the media coverage. Among others, it tackles the “videostyles”, the Conventions and the selection of the running mates. Of the five pivotal elements two of them come out in favor of Gore. Six crucial advantages of Bush against Gore decide the race and answer the main question, which was stated before.