Avoidance or Engagement? Issue Convergence in U.S. Presidential Campaigns, 1960-2000

A widely noted and oft-decried characteristic of campaigns in the United States is the tendency of the competing sides to talk past each other-to avoid engaging with one another on the same issues. We bring a massive database on statements by the major-party presidential candidates and other campaig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of political science 2004-10, Vol.48 (4), p.650-661
Main Authors: Sigelman, Lee, Buell, Emmett H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advertising campaigns
Candidates
Competition
Convergence
Defense policy
Economic policy
Electoral campaigning
Engagement
National security
Political campaigns
Political candidates
Political manifesto
Political parties
Political science
Presidential candidates
Presidential elections
U.S.A
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Summary:A widely noted and oft-decried characteristic of campaigns in the United States is the tendency of the competing sides to talk past each other-to avoid engaging with one another on the same issues. We bring a massive database on statements by the major-party presidential candidates and other campaign spokespersons in the 1960 through 2000 elections to bear on the question of issue convergence. Far from the exception, a high degree of similarity in the issue emphases of the two sides appears to have been the norm in these campaigns. This result suggests the need to rethink some influential empirical, formal, and normative perspectives on campaigns.
ISSN:0092-5853
1540-5907
DOI:10.1111/j.0092-5853.2004.00093.x