Behind the Oval Office
President Clinton contacted Dick Morris, an associate of seventeen years, one month before the 1994 gubernatorial elections with one goal in mind, to win the 1996 presidential election. His intentions were to get Morris's help to win back the presidency and redefine his image as the Commander in Chief. With the notion of the permanent campaign, Clinton was able to gain back public appeal and win the 1996 election with ease. Recent history has shown that presidents can not only be brought down by their failures but by their successes as well. Although they may accomplish what they say they are going to, failures to initiate new programs and innovate cause voters to lose interest. This was where Dick Morris and the permanent campaign stepped in. Clinton employed Morris to figure out which way the public was going on issues and what they really wanted out of their president. What the majority of people wanted was change. The public wanted a president who acted like a president. The use of extensive polling helped Morris and Clinton determine the popular stances on issues, which arguments were more persuasive, and why certain voters liked or disliked the President. Clinton needed to get a clear
Dick Morris urged the President to take moderate positions overall but to take strong and opposing positions on the worst of the right wing issues like abortion, gun control, and militia. Lott was a conservative but not extreme right wing. He never intended to change the President's mind or "flip flop" on anything but instead brought to attention the Presidents already taken positions that would be popular among voters. Clinton's easy win in 1996 was a result of his new definition of the job and the new substance that was added to his campaign. Clinton's values campaign showed the average American what an activist president could do for them. Republicans felt that in order to beat Clinton they had to obliterate him. Clinton did not wish completely abandon his Democratic Party. In turn, Clinton could let Lott know where he and the Democrats stood on issues. This gave the Republicans virtually no chance of catching Clinton's lead. Polling was not used to tell the President what to do, but was a good gauge as to what the public felt was important for him to do and where they stood as a society. What Dick Morris did with Bill Clinton was not spinning. The campaign spent 85 million dollars on advertising in 1996, which doubled that of 1992. However, The Republican Party had their fair share of chances to challenge the campaign.
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Acceptance Essays
