Anyone Can Grow Up to Be President! (And Other Myths of the American Presidential Election Process)

In: New political science: a journal of politics & culture, Heft 28-29, S. 7-29

Abstract

The myth that the US presidential election process is free from manipulation & open to anyone fulfilling the constitutional criteria for election to the office is explored through analysis of the 1992 presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Larry Agran. Rather than an even-handed process open to all, it is demonstrated that the presidential election process is managed at every opportunity by major party officials to marginalize other candidates. Marginalization is accomplished through denial of access to forums or debates & party official alliances with the media such that the media is given access to relevant news in return for promoting only major party -- newsworthy -- candidates. Combined with state ballot access laws that restrict eligibility only to those candidates who are generally recognized by the national news media, insurgent & third party candidates stand almost no chance of presenting their platforms to a national audience, or of being judged by voters at the polls. 4 References. Adapted from the source document.