Last week in Philadelphia, Windy Smith became the first person with Down syndrome to speak at a major political convention. The 26-year-old Tennessee resident even stood side-by-side with George W. Bush after he delivered his acceptance speech.
There is no reason to believe that the Democrats will not follow a similar emotional path at their convention in Los Angeles.
Politicians have always loved to be seen kissing babies and helping those in need. But are some exhibits of compassionate conservatism and liberal outreach actually crass exploitation and political manipulation, especially of the ill and handicapped? It depends upon whom you ask.
"I don't think the American people are particularly cynical," said Karlyn Bowman a public opinion analyst for the conservative American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. "People think about the enormous struggle someone like Windy Smith has faced and admire her. I don't think they overanalyze it."
But others say the GOP went too far with the appearance of Smith, who read a brief letter of support she had written to Bush weeks earlier. "It was a pretty empty charade," said Kenneth Sherrill, a professor of political science at Hunter College, City University of New York. "All you heard was that this young woman thought the world of George W. Bush. She loved him and he loved her."
On some level, though, most would agree that such appearances resonate with voters.
"It's just politics," said Frank Gilliam, a UCLA professor of political science. "Politics is as much about tugging on the heartstrings as it is cold-eyed policymaking."
Smith's appearance was the latest example of the personalization of politics, particularly at national party conventions.
Such scripted displays, Gilliam said, are "meant to elicit the same response--an emotional one. The candidate wants you to feel good and hopes that feeling will make it more likely you'll vote for them."
Emotional appeals have also helped fill a void at conventions created by the disappearance of spontaneous platform debates and the lack of wrangling over the selection of candidates.
Four years ago, Al Gore's poignant account of his younger sister's death from lung cancer moved many to tears at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
