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1980 Democratic National Convention

U.S. political event held in Madison Square Garden in New York City

1980 Democratic National Convention

U.S. political event held in Madison Square Garden in New York City

FieldValue
logo1980 DNC logo mark 1.jpg
logo_size100px
year1980
partyDemocratic
dateAugust 11–14, 1980
imageDP1980.png
image_size125
image2DV1976.png
image_size2125
captionNominees
Carter and Mondale
venueMadison Square Garden
cityNew York, New York
presidential_nomineeJimmy Carter of Georgia
vice_presidential_nomineeWalter Mondale of Minnesota
ballots1
totaldelegates3,346
votesneeded1,674
speakersTed Kennedy
Abe Beame
Geraldine Ferraro
Bruce Sundlun
Ruth Messinger
Thomas Addison
Ed Koch
Robert Abrams
Bella Abzug
Mario Biaggi
Steve Westly
Howard Dean
presidenttotalsCarter (Georgia): 2,129.02 (63.63%)
Kennedy (Massachusetts): 1,150.48 (34.38%)
Carey (New York): 16 (0.48%)
Proxmire (Wisconsin): 10 (0.30%)
Others: 40.5 (1.21%)
vicepresidenttotalsMondale (Minnesota): 2,428.7 (72.91%)
Not Voting: 723.3 (21.72%)
Scattering: 179 (5.37%)
previous_year1976
next_year1984

Carter and Mondale Abe Beame Geraldine Ferraro Bruce Sundlun Ruth Messinger Thomas Addison Ed Koch Robert Abrams Bella Abzug Mario Biaggi Steve Westly Howard Dean Kennedy (Massachusetts): 1,150.48 (34.38%) Carey (New York): 16 (0.48%) Proxmire (Wisconsin): 10 (0.30%) Others: 40.5 (1.21%) Not Voting: 723.3 (21.72%) Scattering: 179 (5.37%)

Madison Square Garden was the site of the 1980 Democratic National Convention
Carter and Mondale stand together at the end of the convention

The 1980 Democratic National Convention nominated President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale for reelection. The convention was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City from August 11 to August 14, 1980.

The 1980 convention was notable as it was the last time in the 20th century, for either major party, that a candidate tried to get delegates released from their voting commitments. This was done by Senator Ted Kennedy, Carter's chief rival for the nomination in the Democratic primaries, who sought the votes of delegates held by Carter.

Notable speakers

After losing his challenge for the nomination earlier that day, Ted Kennedy spoke on August 12 and delivered a speech in support of President Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Kennedy's famous speech eventually closed with the lines: "For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." His speech was written by Bob Shrum.

Various prominent delegates to this convention included Abe Beame, Geraldine Ferraro, Bruce Sundlun, Ruth Messinger, Thomas Addison, Ed Koch, Robert Abrams, Bella Abzug, Mario Biaggi, Steve Westly, and Howard Dean.

Voting

Candidates Image:Jimmy Carter portrait (cropped 3).jpg||alt=PresidentJimmy Carter Image:Ted Kennedy in New York.jpg| Image:Senator William Proxmire.jpg|

President

Delegate voting results

Democratic National Convention presidential vote, 1980CandidateVotesPercentage
**Jimmy Carter** **(inc.)**2,12364.04%
Ted Kennedy1,15134.72%
William Proxmire100.30%
Koryne Kaneski Horbal50.15%
Scott M. Matheson50.15%
Ron Dellums30.09%
Robert Byrd20.06%
John Culver20.06%
Kent Hance20.06%
Jennings Randolph20.06%
Warren Spannaus20.06%
Alice Tripp20.06%
Jerry Brown10.03%
Dale Bumpers10.03%
Hugh L. Carey10.03%
Walter Mondale10.03%
Edmund Muskie10.03%
Thomas J. Steed10.03%
**Totals****3,315****100.00%**

Vice president

After Ted Kennedy lost the presidential nomination contest, over 700 of his delegates walked out of the convention, and the rest decided to scatter their votes. It took several roll calls to conclude the ballot.

As of 2024, this is the last time that the Democratic Party has required a roll call for the vice presidential spot.

Vice Presidential tally:

Democratic National Convention Vice presidential vote, 1980CandidateVotespercentage
**Walter Mondale (inc.)**2,42972.90%
Melvin Boozer481.44%
Ed Rendell280.84%
Roberto A. Mondragon190.57%
Patricia Stone Simon110.33%
Tom Daschle *(under 35 years old)*100.30%
Ted Kulongoski80.24%
Shirley Chisholm60.18%
Terry Chisholm60.18%
Barbara Jordan40.12%
Richard M. Nolan40.12%
Patrick Joseph Lucey30.09%
Jerry Brown20.06%
George McGovern20.06%
Eric Tovar20.06%
Mo Udall20.06%
Les Aspin10.03%
Mario Biaggi10.03%
George S. Broody10.03%
Michelle Kathleen Gray *(under 35 years old)*10.03%
Michael J. Harrington10.03%
Frank Johnson10.03%
Eunice Kennedy Shriver10.03%
Dennis Krumm10.03%
Mary Ann Kuharski10.03%
Jim McDermott10.03%
Barbara Mikulski10.03%
Gaylord Nelson10.03%
George Orwell *(non-American, deceased)*10.03%
Charles Prine Sr.10.03%
William A. Redmond10.03%
Jim Thomas10.03%
Elly Uharis10.03%
Jim Weaver10.03%
William Winpisinger10.03%
Abstained/absent72821.85%

The President's acceptance speech

President Carter gave his speech accepting the party's nomination on August 14. This was notable for his gaffe intended to be a tribute to Hubert Humphrey, whom he referred to as "Hubert Horatio Hornblower".

On November 4, President Carter and Vice President Mondale lost to Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the general election, having lost both the popular election by 8,423,115 votes and the Electoral College by 440 votes.

Platform

Abortion

In addition to its 1976 stance that merely opposed overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1980 platform for the first time explicitly supported the Roe decision as the law of the land.

References

References

  1. Auletta, Ken. "Kerry's Brain." ''The New Yorker''. 20 Sept. 2004.
  2. "US President - D Convention Race - Aug 11, 1980". Our Campaigns.
  3. [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=59872 Our Campaigns - US Vice President - D Convention Race - Aug 11, 1980]
  4. (August 15, 1980). "Carter Blows the Horn Of the Wrong Horatio". [[The New York Times]].
  5. [http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?f=0&year=1980 1980 Presidential General Election Results]
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