Questions for The Elections of 2008

Edited by Michael Nelson

Chapters 1-3

 

 

 

Chapter 1 (Nelson) Questions:

 

  1. How was the presidential election of 2008 more wide open than any other presidential election?   What are the constitutional requirements to be president?  Explain why the president being a natural born citizen was so important to the founding fathers.  Explain how this provision affected eligibility to become president even in 2008.  Discuss how social background barriers to becoming president have seriously weakened or fallen recently.  What career paths to the presidency have changed recently.

 

  1. Who were the major Republican candidates for president in 2008 and how were they distinctive?  How were the major Democratic candidates and how were they distinctive?

 

  1. Give some general conclusions drawn by Nelson about the results of the 2008 election.

 

Chapter 2 (Burden) Questions:

 

  1. What are the three unique features of the 2008 election according to Burden?

 

  1. What is the "invisible primary"?  What three sets of earlier party nomination reforms were especially important in 2008 and explain why?  Who are the superdelegates?  Why did Florida and Michigan have trouble seating their delegates at the Democratic Convention in 2008?  What is "Super Tuesday"?

 

6.   Discuss the major turning points in McCain's nomination victory over his major

      Republican opponents.   Discuss the major turning points in Obama's nomination victory

      over his major Democratic opponents.   In what ways was Obama's nomination victory

      over Hillary Clinton especially surprising?

 

7.   What are the major lessons of the 2008 presidential nomination contests according to

      Burden?

 

Chapter 3 (Pomper) Questions:

 

      8.   In what ways did the election of 2008 shatter conventional wisdom about who would be

            elected president?  In what ways was Obama's victory decisive?  Explain how turnout,

            geography and demography explained the Obama victory.  How did Obama generally do

            among white voters compared to other recent Democrats?  Where does Pomper feel that

            racial prejudice likely hurt Obama?  What is the "Bradley Effect"?  What does

            Pomper say about it?

 

      9.   Give some reasons why the Democrats were optimistic about winning the 2008 election.

            What were the strengths and weaknesses of Obama and McCain as candidates?

 

    10.   Discuss how each of the following factors helped determine the outcome of the 2008

            presidential election:  The nomination of Sarah Palin; the collapse of the economy; the

            candidates' performances in the presidential debates; and the quality of the Obama and

            McCain organizations.

 

    11.   What are some conclusions that Pomper draws about the presidential election of 2008

            and its future implications?