Forum Discusses History Of Presidential Primaries, Political Campaigning At NCC
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As the political climate heats up and many people look ahead to decide the next President of the United States, the National Constitution Center is taking a look back at the history of presidential primaries and political campaigning.
During Thursday's discussion at the National Constitution Center, presidential historian David Greenberg talked about campaigning and political spin and how the internet has played a part in letting candidates talk directly to their constituents.
"Trump is out there firing away...with social media, especially with Twitter, he was kind of light years in front of the other candidates and where other candidates would put on Twitter carefully constructed remarks that could have come out of any press release."
During the forum, communications scholar Geoffrey Cowan talked about Jonathan Bourne, the Oregon senator who played a pivotal role in establishing the presidential primary.
"He gets the state of Oregon to adopt the presidential primary that became the first time it was done. That was adopted in 1910."
The discussion also gave panelists a chance to look at voting changes and tendencies over the last century.
