Introduction: Crisis Points in Modern Presidential Election,
ELECTION OF 1952
Truman on Civil Rights,
President Harry Truman-s Special Message to Congress on Civil Rights
February 2, 1948
McCarthy at the 1952 Republican National Convention,
Senator Joseph McCarthy-s Address to the Republican National Convention
July 9, 1952
Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention,
General Dwight D. Eisenhower-s Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Republican National Convention
July 11, 1952
A Promise: Dwight D. Eisenhower and Earl Warren,
Memorandum from President Eisenhower to Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr.
August 5, 1953
Nixon-s "Checkers" Speech,
Television Address by Richard Nixon
September 23, 1952
ELECTION OF 1956
Eisenhower and Desegregation,
The President-s News Conference
August 8, 1956
Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis,
The President-s News Conference
August 8, 1956
ELECTION OF 1960
Eisenhower, Nixon, and the U2 Spy Plane Incident,
Telegram from the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State, Moscow, 7:00 p.m.
May 9, 1960
Nixon-s Fifty-State Pledge,
Richard Nixon-s Acceptance Speech at the Republican National Convention
July 28, 1960
Kennedy-s Religion Speech,
John F. Kennedy-s Speech on Religious Bigotry to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association
September 12, 1960
Kennedy, Nixon, and the First Televised Presidential Debate,
Stills from the Nixon-Kennedy Debate
September 26, 1960
"Nixon-s Experience?" Ad,
Anti-Richard Nixon Campaign Ad
1960
ELECTION OF 1964
Rockefeller on Goldwater-s Extremism,
Nelson Rockefeller-s Remarks to the Republican National Convention
July 14, 1964
Goldwater-s Rejoinder to Rockefeller,
Barry Goldwater-s Acceptance Speech at the Republican National Convention
July 14, 1964
"Peace Little Girl" ("Daisy Girl") Ad,
Campaign Ad for Lyndon B. Johnson by the Democratic National Committee
September 7, 1964
Goldwater-s Sanity,
"1,189 Psychiatrists Say Goldwater Is Psychologically Unfit to be President!"
FACT Magazine
September 1964
ELECTION OF 1968
Wallace-s Third-Party Run,
Stand Up for America: George Wallace Campaign Brochure
1968
RFK Announces His Candidacy,
Robert F. Kennedy-s Announcement of Candidacy for President
March 16, 1968
LBJ Not Seeking Reelection,
President Lyndon B. Johnson-s Remarks on Decision Not to Seek Reelection
March 31, 1968
RFK and MLK,
Robert F. Kennedy Relaying News of the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
April, 4, 1968
Ted Kennedy on Robert-s Death,
Ted Kennedy-s Address at the Public Memorial Service for Robert F. Kennedy
June 8, 1968
Nixon-s Campaign against the Warren Court,
Richard Nixon-s Acceptance Speech at the 1968 Republican National Convention
August 8, 1968
Ribicoff: "Gestapo Tactics in the Streets of Chicago!,"
Abraham Ribicoff-s Speech Nominating George McGovern for the U.S. Presidency
August 28, 1968
ELECTION OF 1972
McGovern-Fraser Commission Report,
Report for the Democratic National Committee by the McGovern-Fraser Commission
1971
Muskie and the Manchester Union Leader,
Don Nicoll-s Interview with Tony Podesta
February 1972
Attempted Assassination of Wallace,
"Wallace Shooting: A Campaign Altered by Violence"
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report (May 20, 1972)
May 15, 1972
Nixon and the Watergate Scandal,
Final Report of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (June 1974)
June 17, 1972
McGovern and the Eagleton Affair,
Excerpts from Thomas Eagleton-s Press Conference, Custer, South Dakota
July 25, 1972
Ford Pardons Nixon,
President Gerald Ford-s Announcement of Nixon-s Pardon
September 8, 1974
ELECTION OF 1976
"To Restore America,"
Ronald Reagan-s Speech at the Republican National Convention
March 31, 1976
"Bio" Ad: The Man from Plains,
Campaign Ad for Jimmy Carter
1976
The Gaffe Heard around the World,
The Second Carter-Ford Presidential Debate
October 6, 1976
ELECTION OF 1980
Carter-s "Crisis of Confidence" Speech,
Address to the Nation on the Energy Situation
July 15, 1979
Ted Kennedy-s "Mudd Moment,"
Excerpt from Roger Mudd-s Memoir The Place to Be (2008)
November 4, 1979
Failed Rescue Mission,
President Jimmy Carter-s Address to the Nation on the Failed Attempt to Rescue American Embassy Hostages Held in Iran
April 25, 1980
"The Dream Will Never Die" Speech,
Senator Ted Kennedy-s Address to the Democratic National Convention
August 12, 1980
"Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?,"
The Second Carter-Reagan Presidential Debate
October 28, 1980
ELECTION OF 1984
Mondale and Paying Higher Taxes,
Walter Mondale-s Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention
July 19, 1984
Reagan-s Age Issue,
The Second Reagan-Mondale Presidential Debate
October 21, 1984
"Morning in America" Ad,
Campaign Ad for Ronald Reagan
1984
ELECTION OF 1988
Hart and Donna Rice,
"Newspaper Stakeout Infuriates Hart: Report on Female House Guest Called 'Character Assassination-"
James R. Dickenson and Paul Taylor, Washington Post
May 4, 1987
Bush-s "Read My Lips" Pledge,
George Bush-s Acceptance Speech at the Republican National Convention
August 18, 1988
Dukakis and the "Tank Ride" Ad,
Anti-Michael Dukakis Campaign Ad
1988
"Senator, You Are No Jack Kennedy,"
Bentsen-Quayle Vice Presidential Debate
October 5, 1988
Dukakis and the Death Penalty Question,
The Second Bush-Dukakis Presidential Debate
October 13, 1988
"Willie Horton" Ad,
Anti-Michael Dukakis Campaign Ad
1988
Reagan, Bush, and the Iran-Contra Affair,
Excerpt from the Final Report of the Independent Counsel for Iran/Contra Matters (August 4, 1993)
1987-1988
ELECTION OF 1992
The Star Publishes Gennifer Flowers-Allegations,
"PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: Allegations of Clinton Affairs May Recast Democrats-Race"
Rhodes Cook, CQ Weekly
January 25, 1992
Is Bill Clinton a Draft Dodger?,
Bill Clinton-s 1969 Letter to the Head of the University of Arkansas-s Army Reserve Program
February 12, 1992
Buchanan at the Republican National Convention,
Pat Buchanan-s Address to the Republican National Convention
August 17, 1992
ELECTION OF 1996
Colin Powell Declines to Run,
Press Conference in Washington, D.C.
November 8, 1995
Dole Retires from the Senate,
Address on the Senate Floor
June 11, 1996
ELECTION OF 2000
Clinton, Gore, and the Monica Lewinsky Affair,
Excerpt from the Starr Report
September 9, 1998
Push Polls and Whispers: South Carolina Primary,
Republican Primary Debate in South Carolina
February 16, 2000
Nader at the Green Party Convention,
Ralph Nader-s Acceptance Speech at the Green Party Convention
June 25, 2000
Gore-s Kiss,
Image from the 2000 Democratic National Convention
August 17, 2000
Bush v. Gore,
George W. Bush, et al., Petitioners v. Albert Gore, Jr., et al.
On Writ of Certiorari to the Florida Supreme Court
December 12, 2000
ELECTION OF 2004
Bush and Same-Sex Marriage Initiatives in Competitive States,
President Bush-s Remarks Calling for a Constitutional Amendment Defining and Protecting Marriage
February 24, 2004
Kerry and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth,
Anti-John Kerry Campaign Ad
2004
Bush Air National Guard Allegations Surface,
Alleged Air National Guard Memo (August 18, 1973)
September 8, 2004
ELECTION OF 2008
Obama-s Keynote Speech,
Barack Obama-s Speech at the Democratic National Convention, Boston, Massachusetts
July 27, 2004
Obama, Race, and the South Carolina Democratic Primary,
Barack Obama-s Victory Speech following the South Carolina Primary
January 26, 2008
"A More Perfect Union" Speech,
Barack Obama-s Speech on Race
March 18, 2008
Obama Rejects Public Financing,
Letter to Barack Obama from Common Cause and the League of Women Voters (February 2008)
June 2008
Obama at the Democratic National Convention,
Barack Obama-s Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention
August 28, 2008
McCain-s "Fundamentals" Gaffe,
Campaign Speech in Jacksonville, Florida
September 15, 2008
The "Joe the Plumber" Exchange,
Third Obama-McCain Presidential Debate
October 15, 2008
Powell-s Endorsement of Obama,
Excerpt from Obama-s Speech at Fayetteville, North Carolina
October 19, 2008
ELECTION OF 2012
Rick Perry-s "Oops Moment,"
Republican Presidential Primary Debate, Rochester, Michigan
November 9, 2011
Bill Clinton at the Democratic Convention,
Bill Clinton-s Address to the Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina
September 5, 2012
Mother Jones Releases Mitt Romney-s "47%" Video,
Transcript of Video from Mitt Romney Fund-raiser, Boca Raton, Florida (May 17, 2012)
September 17, 2012
An October Surprise: Hurricane Sandy,
"FEMA and Federal Partners Continue Steadfast Support for Areas Affected by Superstorm"
Federal Emergency Management Agency Press Release
October 31, 2012
Timeline,
Further Reading,
Index,
About the Authors,
