A week after the Republican and Democratic national conventions convened in Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C., respectively, some are saying the conventions have given the momentum to the Democrats and President Barack Obama.

Some argue that the organization of the Republican National Convention prevented Mitt Romney from getting a bump in the polls. President Obama, on the other hand, saw a 6-percent bump in the national polls immediately following his party’s convention, according to a Sept. 11 CNN/ORC poll.

The Daily Orange spoke with four professors about the conventions as a whole and what the outlook for each candidate and each party looks like going forward.

The D.O.: After watching the two presidential conventions, what is your assessment of how each candidate and each party came out of their respective events? Who do you believe has the most momentum going forward into the first debate and, eventually, the national election less than 60 days away?

Kristi Andersen, a professor of political science, said in an email:

“My judgment is that the Democrats had a more successful convention. Certainly the polls showed more of a traditional post-convention ‘bounce’ for Obama than for Romney.

In addition, the Democratic convention seemed better scripted and organized and more coherent than the Republican convention — better videos, speakers stayed on topic and all speeches helped to support the central argument about fairness and equal opportunity, growing the economy from the bottom up and building a strong middle class. The Republican speakers were often off-target; e.g. Clint Eastwood.

So right now, the Democrats seem to have the momentum. This could change with the debates or events between now and the election, of course.”

Jeffrey Stonecash, a professor of political science, said in an email:

“The primary impact of the conventions in this race has been to give that 10 percent who will decide the race a chance to see what the candidates are like and hear what the parties stand for. The events of the rest of the campaign will determine how that group votes. Conventions, in this case, clarified differences, but the last 2 months matter a great deal.”

Shana Kushner Gadarian, an assistant professor of political science, said:

“This year, the conventions are not about persuasion but more about motivation of the party bases. You’re getting people excited to go out and vote. You’re also getting people excited to go out and knock on doors and mobilize others who might be less interested in politics.”

Robert McClure, a professor of political science and public affairs, said:

“In the modern day, conventions have two purposes: to differentiate one party from another and to motivate their mass following. Both of the parties differentiated themselves unmistakably from each other, both have a different version of moral history and both have a different moral vision. The Democratic Party, in my view, offered a convention that was more energetic, vital and motivational. The democratic troops left Charlotte more energized than the republican troops left Tampa.”

Published on September 17, 2012 at 12:54 am

Contact Nick: nrcardon@syr.edu