Hello and welcome to another edition of the presidential election series. Today, we’ll be discussing the Election of 2004. George W. Bush faced a major war following a shocking incident just months into his term, along with a tough Democratic challenger in the upcoming election.
President Bush & 9/11
In his first few months in office, President George W. Bush opposed federal funding for stem cell research and refused to support the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing carbon emissions. However, he supported initiatives like drilling for oil in Northeastern Alaska, passed the No Child Left Behind Act, and signed the 2001 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act, along with the 2003 Job and Growth Tax Relief Act, which together became the largest tax cuts in American history.
While some supported the president’s decisions, others found them problematic. However, American sentiment shifted dramatically following the events of September 11, 2001, when terrorists connected to Al-Qaeda hijacked four planes. Two of those planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the last crashed into an open field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back, preventing it from reaching its intended target.
These attacks resulted in thousands of injuries and nearly 3,000 deaths, along with health issues for those exposed to debris at Ground Zero. The aftermath fostered a period of fear, uncertainty, and paranoia in the United States that can still be felt today.
Bush famously visited New York shortly after the attacks, delivering a short but impactful speech that boosted his approval ratings. By the end of his first year in office, his approval ratings soared to 90%, the highest for any U.S. president in their first year since Harry Truman, JFK, and Ronald Reagan.
The War on Terror
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Bush addressed Congress, marking the beginning of America’s War on Terror, declaring that there would be no distinction between terrorists and those who harbored them. Similar to his father’s presidency, George W. Bush centered his administration around foreign policy. On October 7, he initiated airstrikes in Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban, which was harboring Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Although U.S. and U.K. forces successfully overthrew the Taliban, they failed to capture Bin Laden, who escaped to Pakistan. Plans to invade Iraq based on claims of Weapons of Mass Destruction faced criticism for a lack of evidence.
Nonetheless, President Bush sent troops to Iraq, swiftly defeating Saddam Hussein’s forces within three weeks and capturing Hussein on December 13, 2003. Hussein was later tried, convicted, and executed. This overwhelming support within the Republican Party allowed Bush and Dick Cheney to secure their renomination without opposition.
Democratic Presidential Candidates
Initially, some presumed that former Vice President Al Gore would make a third run for the presidency, but he declined to enter the race following Bush’s rising approval ratings post-9/11. This opened the door for several candidates, with three standing out: John Kerry, John Edwards, and Howard Dean.
Kerry, a moderate Senator from Massachusetts and a Vietnam War hero, received the Bronze and Silver Stars and three Purple Heart Medals. Edwards, a fresh-faced Senator from North Carolina, was seen as a potential future VP or president. Dean, the former Governor of Vermont, leaned further left and effectively engaged young voters online. Heading into the Iowa Caucus, Dean was seen as the frontrunner but ultimately finished third. Kerry soon emerged as the Democratic nominee, with Edwards as his running mate for the Election of 2004/
Political Dirty Tricks
As foreign policy became the dominant issue alongside the economy and healthcare, Kerry’s campaign emphasized his war hero status while criticizing Bush’s handling of the Iraq invasion, advocating for a more diplomatic approach. Mirroring his father’s strategy in 1988, Bush sought to portray Kerry as a Northeastern liberal and untrustworthy leader. This was evident in attack ads depicting Kerry as a flip-flopper on issues like gas taxes and the Iraq invasion.
Kerry also faced scrutiny over his military service, with former soldiers appearing in attack ads to downplay his achievements. However, it was later revealed that these soldiers, part of a group called “Veterans For Truth,” were paid by Republicans connected to the Bush administration, including senior advisor Karl Rove.
Presidential Debates and The October Surprise
The VP debate saw news networks debate the winner between Cheney and Edwards, while the first presidential debate saw Kerry emerge with a critical victory, aided by Bush’s visible frustration. The second debate was largely viewed as a draw, but Bush appeared to regain ground in the third debate, particularly when the topic of same-sex marriage arose. Kerry attempted to highlight perceived hypocrisy in the Bush administration, given that Dick Cheney’s daughter is a lesbian; however, this strategy backfired.
A significant shift occurred just four days before the Election of 2004 when a videotape surfaced showing Osama Bin Laden taking responsibility for the 9/11 attacks. In the video, Bin Laden ridiculed Bush’s anti-terrorism efforts, contributing to a boost in Bush’s poll numbers leading up to election day.
Election of 2004 Results
George W. Bush narrowly won re-election, carrying 31 states to secure 286 electoral votes and receiving 50.7% of the popular vote. John Kerry won 19 states and D.C., garnering 251 electoral votes and 48.3% of the popular vote. Notably, an elector in Minnesota cast a vote for John Edwards.
Bush’s victory margin was the smallest for any re-elected president, with about 3 million votes separating the two candidates in the popular vote.
As of this article’s publication, George W. Bush remains the last Republican candidate to win the popular vote against a Democratic challenger and the last Republican president to be re-elected for a second term.
