The Election of 1996: Reports and Interpretations (American Politics Series) Book

The midterm elections of 1994 sent Bill Clinton a message that he listened to and acted on. The change could be seen in the President's metamorphosis on policy and politics. Some agreed and some disagreed with this chameleon-like behaviour, but the end result was re-election in 1996. Not since FDR had a Democrat been elected to a second term. The paradox of the election is that in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Republicans remained firmly in power. This book explores the concatenation of circumstances that produced the election results of 1996. It examines the complexities of the election and the underlying themes that played a part in creating the dichotomous political outcome. Contributions include: an analysis of the first Clinton administration and the apparent realignment of 1994; an examination of the nomination process, the Republican challengers, the scripted conventions and the third-party and independent candidates; and a survey of public opinion and the voter's response to the public personas of the candidates.Read More