| The United States presidential election in 2004 | | | | wartime president; but there were still some |
| was held between two presidential candidates | | | | controversies around the issue: Bush, the |
| John Kerry and George Walker Bush. George | | | | republican candidate and the president of war |
| Bush gain both popular and electoral vote, though | | | | focused his campaign on national security and |
| Bush's popular vote had a slim margin compared | | | | presented him as a decisive leader for war |
| to that Kerry's. The election was also different | | | | against terrorism while Kerry the democrat |
| from the election of 2000 in which George Bush | | | | candidate believed in "stronger at home, |
| became the president of the United States with | | | | respected in world" policy which suggested more |
| gaining the vote of electoral collage but failed in | | | | attention to domestic affairs. Another important |
| gaining the popular vote. So what had happened | | | | factor was that the election was held only one |
| to public opinion that made them to vote for | | | | year after the invasion on Iraq and considering |
| Bush, the same candidate who had failed to gain | | | | the swift victory of American military forces and |
| the popular vote in previous presidential election? | | | | relatively few causalities of American troops, Bush |
| Had Bush proved to be a better President during | | | | had gained more approval rating (which did not |
| his first term of presidency? Or was it due to his | | | | last long with failure in finding weapons of mass |
| 2003 invasion of Iraq and the importance of | | | | destruction which was the logic for the war, and |
| foreign policy that led to his victory? Or by | | | | long occupation of Iraq which led to mass |
| comparing the slim difference between the | | | | protests in future years). Bush's approval rate in |
| popular votes of the two candidates can we say | | | | the month of May rode at 66% to a CNN-USA |
| that the war on terrorism was not that much | | | | Today-Gallup poll. Another interesting point is that |
| important or influential in Bush's election? | | | | when American troops are sent out for a war, |
| Before answering to these questions we should | | | | the commander-in- chief gains more approval and |
| know why do people vote they way they do? | | | | fame inside the country; though this trend is not |
| Some believe that people vote based on party | | | | long lasting and by the time people are becoming |
| affiliation e.g. they vote to democrats or | | | | aware of heavy casualties or are becoming |
| republicans because they feel a psychological | | | | dissatisfied due to tax increase, the protests are |
| attachment toward one of these parties. Others | | | | going to start; this was the case in Vietnam War |
| believe that party affiliation model is out of | | | | and the war in Iraq. But with respect to the 2004 |
| fashion in recent years and Americans are | | | | presidential election, as it was mentioned |
| becoming more sophisticated. By the emergence | | | | Americans were still in high sprit with their |
| of new issues, new generation of Americans | | | | apparent victory in Iraq and Bush was gaining |
| decide about their future president based on the | | | | more fame and popularity for his heroic actions. |
| important issues of the time. Statistics shows that | | | | So, perhaps it can be said that Americans were |
| in 1992 presidential election only about 29 per cent | | | | looking for a president who would continue these |
| of the voters strongly identified with Republicans | | | | heroic actions and glorious victories for a while. |
| or Democrats, which is rather a significant | | | | But it is oversimplification to say that the only |
| decrease compared to 1960s. So, most voters in | | | | reason for George Bush's victory in presidential |
| recent years are said to be independent. | | | | election of 2004 was his foreign policy attitudes. |
| This paper will focus on issue voting theory: that | | | | This becomes more problematic when popular |
| people decide about their future president based | | | | votes of the two candidates are compared: Bush |
| on the important issues of the time, though the | | | | gained 62,040,610 popular vote and his rival Kerry |
| writer admits issue theory, while being important | | | | gained 59,028,111. As it is clear the difference |
| is not completely responsible in election of a | | | | between the two candidates is not that much |
| president. | | | | significant and so other factors should be taken in |
| American public usually prefer to focus on | | | | to consideration for a more comprehensive |
| domestic issues rather than foreign policy. But in | | | | conclusion. |
| 2004 presidential election foreign policy was the | | | | References: |
| dominant theme in presidential campaigns. The | | | | [ |
| reason for that was U.S. invasion on Iraq which | | | | Controversies in American Politics & society. |
| had started in 2003 and had changed Bush to a | | | | Mckey, Houghton&Wroe. Blackwell, 2002. |