What's happened so far in the race to the White House
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2004-02-24 15:35

Chronology

Key events along the campaign trail for the Nov. 2004 US presidential elections.

August 30, 2004

Republican National Convention begins at Madison Square Garden in New York while more than 200,000 demonstators marched with anti-Bush banners like"No War" past a heavily fortified Rupublican convention hall.

GOP convention protest covers miles of New York street

July 29, 2004

John Kerry was officially nominated on late Wednesday by the Democratic Party as its presidential candidate to face President George W. Bush in the Nov. 2 elections.

US Democrats nominate Kerry for president

July 26, 2004

Democrats open their national convention in Boston with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter urging party to unite behind Kerry and beat Bush in November.

Clintons vow to make Kerry next president

July 20, 2004

Bush's re-election campaign had raised $226 million while Kerry collected $185 million, both party records.  

John Kerry on Tuesday chose former rival John Edwards as his running mate, selecting the smooth-talking Southern populist over more seasoned politicians in hopes of injecting vigor and small-town appeal into the Democratic ticket.

Edward's join Kerry's bid to unseat Bush

March 12 2004

Republicans proclaim John Kerry "wrong on taxes, wrong on defence" in a series of attack ads the Bush campaign broadcasts across 18 battleground states. The adverts come after Mr Kerry was heard to describe the party as "the most crooked ... lying group I've ever seen".

Bush, Kerry step up attacks on each other

Bush ADs go negative

March 10 2004

The Bush administration's handling of the economy moves up the electoral agenda when official figures show the US trade gap with the rest of the world swelled to a record $43.1bn in January.

March 9 2004

A poll published by the Washington Post has John Kerry inching ahead of George Bush for the first time. The survey gives him a lead of four percentage points, and there is more good news for the Democrats, with Mr Kerry receiving more support than Mr Bush in eight of 12 policy areas.

March 8 2004

John Kerry causes political uproar by claiming he has the private support of foreign leaders who want George Bush beaten. He tells supporters in Florida that he has "met foreign leaders who can't go out and say this publicly, but boy they look at you and say, 'You've got to win this, you've got to beat this guy, we need a new policy,' things like that."

March 5 2004

The first poll pitting John Kerry against George Bush since Mr Kerry became the de facto Democratic nomination after his resounding victories in the Super Tuesday primaries shows him with the support of 45% of the electorate, just one point behind the president.

AP poll finds Bush, Kerry tied in race

March 4 2004

George Bush's re-election campaign runs into trouble after he is accused of delivering a "slap in the face" to the victims of the September 11 2001 attacks by using images of the atrocity in television adverts.

Bush 9/11 ads spark anger

March 3 2004

John Edwards bids a passionate farewell to the Democratic contest, paying tribute to the working people he said were the inspiration of his campaign, and delivering a courteous nod to the victor, John Kerry.

Edwards quitting race

March 2 2004

John Kerry promises the US will "rejoin the community of nations" after driving his sole remaining rival, John Edwards, out of the nomination race with decisive wins in a string of primaries across the country on Super Tuesday.

Kerry cements nomination, Edwards out

February 24, 2004

Ralph Nader, facing the wrath of Democrats who blame him for Al Gore's loss in 2000, on Monday offered words of advice to party members who fear his candidacy will help re-elect U.S. President Bush.

As an independent, Nader said he decided to run because both major political parties refused to address a list of issues that will form the basis of his campaign, including a push for public financing of elections, a universal, single-payer health care system and revising the tax system to ensure wealthy citizens and corporations pay their fair share.

Nader to angry Democrats: relax, rejoice

February 11 2004

Wesley Clark calls time on his first bid for public office after a poor showing in the crucial Tennessee and Virginia primaries. After a week spent battling with John Edwards to win votes in the south, Mr Clark is forced to quit after running out of both cash and support. Mr Edwards battles on, but John Kerry takes the plaudits as a north-eastern liberal wins in the south for the first time. Howard Dean, who sits out these two primaries, plans a "last stand" in Wisconsin.

Wins in south take Kerry close to clinching Democratic race, Clark quits

February 8 2004

Before the campaign heads south, the small New England state of Maine also votes for John Kerry. Only 20,000 people vote - but that is almost twice as many as in the 2000 election. Howard Dean comes second, but fails to make a real impression on what is almost home territory. The win is Mr Kerry's 10th from 12 contests held so far.

February 7 2004

There are more victories for John Kerry, this time in Michigan and Washington - big states which send plenty of delegates to the Democratic convention. Mr Kerry wins easily, taking around 50% of the vote in both states. Struggling Howard Dean finishes a good second in Washington, but loses the support of a key union. Candidates begin to think about the forthcoming southern primaries.

Kerry wins Michigan and Washington

February 3 2004

John Kerry wins in Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico and North Dakota, but faces criticism that he is not a national candidate to carry the conservative south. Welsey Clark takes Oklahoma, and John Edwards his native South Carolina. Joe Lieberman drops out of the race.

Kerry wins four states, Edwards nets one

January 27 2004

With his campaign revitalised, it is John Kerry who now looks unstoppable. He takes the north-eastern state of New Hampshire with 39% of the vote against 25% for Howard Dean. Wesley Clark and John Edwards pretty much tie for third place, with arounnd 12% of the vote.

January 20 2004

George Bush begins his re-election campaign with the annual state of the union address. He declares the US to be on a mission to "lead the cause of freedom", he scales down his claims over Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and he argues that Saddam Hussein's removal has made the world "a better and safer place". On domestic issues, he outlines plans to spend $120m (￡66m) on job retraining and expansion in public health insurance - both traditionally Democratic themes.

Bush to set re-election themes in speech

January 19 2004

Despite polls showing his rivals closing in on his lead, most are taken by surprise when Howard Dean, the frontrunner, comes third in the first of the Democratic votes to choose a candidate - including, apparently, Mr Dean himself. His "I have a scream" concession speech becomes an internet and late night talkshow hit for all the wrong reasons, with Mr Dean shrilly vowing to "take back the White House". John Kerry wins, John Edwards takes second place, and Richard Gephardt stands down.

January 15 2004

Carol Moseley Braun becomes the first of the nine Democratic hopefuls to drop out of the race for the White House. The only woman, and one of two African Americans running for the party's nomination, she says she cannot compete in terms of fundraising and organisation, and urges her supporters to back Howard Dean.

January 13 2004

Mr Dean wins Washington DC, a nonbinding primary.

January 8 2004

George Bush moves to woo America's fast growing Hispanic community by proposing a guest worker programme which would legalise the status of millions of illegal immigrants.

Bush plans immigrant legalization reforms

December 9 2003

Former vice-president Al Gore announces his endorsement of Howard Dean.

Gore points the Democrats towards Dean

November 10 2003

Mr Kerry fires his campaign manager and long-time adviser Jim Jordan.

September 17 2003

Retired General Wesley Clark, the former commander of Nato, announces he will seek the Democratic nomination.

February 18 2003

African-American woman joins White House hopefuls: Former senator Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois announces she will seek the Democratic nomination.

Febraury 17 2003

Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio says he will seek the Democratic nomination.

January 21 2003

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton announces he will seek the Democratic nomination.

January 13 2003

Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman, who unsuccessfully sought the vice presidency on Al Gore's ticket in 2000, announces he will seek the Democratic nomination.

January 6 2003

Representative Richard Gephardt of Missouri says he will seek the Democratic nomination.

January 2 2003

North Carolina senator John Edwards announces he will seek the Democratic nomination.

December 15 2002

Former vice president and presidential candidate Al Gore said he would not make another run for the White House.

Al Gore not to seek White House in 2004

December 1 2002

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts announces he will seek the Democratic nomination for president.

August 7 2002

Vice-president Dick Cheney says he will run for a second term with George Bush.

May 31 2002

Former Vermont governor Howard Dean enters the presidential race.

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