U.S presidential contest is unique in the world because of the magnitude of the office, every presidential election is historical and impacts upon the rest of the world. The formal criteria for becoming president as set forth in article 11, Section I of the Constitution are threefold : natural born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for 14 years. But the informal criteria are numerous and include political experience, personal charisma, fundraising, and audience adaptation.
Presidential contest extends beyond the traditional three-month campaign between Labor Day and November every four years. The contest has become continual and a matter of lifelong training and maneuvering. The right person is not just found but is created, demonstrated, and articulated to the American public. The strategies and tactics presidential candidates use to present themselves and to communicate with American public are of vital importance and are the focus of this chapter.
One of the most striking features of our presidential nomination process is its constant change of rules, financing, regulations, and primaries. Since 1968, presidential primaries have become the critical factor in capturing nominations and the public have become the true power brokers. In effect, blurred the distinction between nominating and electing candidates.
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