A campaign bus (battle bus in the UK) is a bus used as both a vehicle and a center of operations during a political campaign, whether for a specific candidate, a political party, or a political cause. A campaign bus can also transport members of the press covering a candidate's campaign.[1] In the UK, they are shared by reporters, political commentators and a politician, usually a party leader, to give them all access to each other as they traverse the country making speeches and other engagements during a general election campaign. In theory, the mutual advantage is that journalists get close access to politicians, and politicians can convey their message more directly to those reporting them.[2] The modern use of campaign buses is often calculated to bring to mind whistle stop train tours that political candidates had historically used to reach large numbers of voters while campaigning by train.
The use of the campaign bus began at least as early as the 1940s, when The New Republic reported that 1948 presidential contender Thomas E. Dewey was "waylaid... in his campaign bus" by a charmed female admirer who "told him she would vote for him because he was 'so pink and pretty'".[3]John F. Kennedy's "Alliance for Progress" theme was coined on board a campaign bus travelling through Texas in 1960.[4] Candidates may provide interviews to the press or relax on the campaign bus. In 1972, the presidential campaign of Senator Ed Muskie was damaged when a reporter wrote that Muskie's wife, Jane Muskie, "tried to cheer up a campaign bus with the flippant suggestion that everybody swap risque stories".[5]
Some buses may have names relating to the general theme of the campaign; John McCain traveled aboard a campaign bus named the "Straight Talk Express" during his 2000 presidential campaign.[9]
U.S. Senator John Edwards campaign bus in 2008
Campaign buses are used in many countries. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known popularly as Lula, used this method of campaigning extensively, and was elected President of Brazil. Over the course of his campaign, "Lula traveled to 350 cities and towns in twenty-three states, in separate campaign bus tours".[10] In the United Kingdom, John Major "adopted the old-fashioned practice of addressing the public from a 'soap box' erected outside his campaign bus".[11]Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas also used a campaign bus to great effect during his 1988 campaign for President of Mexico, which although unsuccessful led to the downfall of single-party rule in Mexico.[12] In Canada party leaders often lease coaches with sides decorated with the party name or their own names. The buses are used to travel between destinations that do not require air travel. Members of the media and other campaign officials may travel along with the party leader.
^"To Jane Muskie, primaries are no joke", LIFE (12 May 1972), p. 81.
^. BBC. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
^. BBC. Archived from the original on 16 March 2003. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
^"Labour defends use of pink minibus in women's campaign". BBC News. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
^James W. Johnson, Arizona Politicians: The Noble and the Notorious, (2002), p. 16.
^Richard Bourne, Lula of Brazil: The Story So Far (2008).
^Brian McNair, An Introduction to Political Communication (2011), p. 135.
^Dan La Botz, Democracy in Mexico: peasant rebellion and political reform (1995), p. 83.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Election campaign buses.
Images of United Kingdom general election campaign buses
Interior of the Conservative Party (UK) campaign bus
March 09, 2023
campaign, campaign, battle, used, both, vehicle, center, operations, during, political, campaign, whether, specific, candidate, political, party, political, cause, campaign, also, transport, members, press, covering, candidate, campaign, they, shared, reporter. A campaign bus battle bus in the UK is a bus used as both a vehicle and a center of operations during a political campaign whether for a specific candidate a political party or a political cause A campaign bus can also transport members of the press covering a candidate s campaign 1 In the UK they are shared by reporters political commentators and a politician usually a party leader to give them all access to each other as they traverse the country making speeches and other engagements during a general election campaign In theory the mutual advantage is that journalists get close access to politicians and politicians can convey their message more directly to those reporting them 2 The modern use of campaign buses is often calculated to bring to mind whistle stop train tours that political candidates had historically used to reach large numbers of voters while campaigning by train A campaign bus for UKIP The use of the campaign bus began at least as early as the 1940s when The New Republic reported that 1948 presidential contender Thomas E Dewey was waylaid in his campaign bus by a charmed female admirer who told him she would vote for him because he was so pink and pretty 3 John F Kennedy s Alliance for Progress theme was coined on board a campaign bus travelling through Texas in 1960 4 Candidates may provide interviews to the press or relax on the campaign bus In 1972 the presidential campaign of Senator Ed Muskie was damaged when a reporter wrote that Muskie s wife Jane Muskie tried to cheer up a campaign bus with the flippant suggestion that everybody swap risque stories 5 Battle buses were first seen in the UK in the late 1970s Before that reporters followed party leaders in separate cars 2 The battle bus was a significant feature of the 1987 UK general election as David Owen and David Steel of the SDP Liberal Alliance each crisscrossed the country in matching battle buses 6 each painted bright yellow 7 In the 2015 general election Harriet Harman s Woman to Woman campaign was notable for its bright pink battle bus 8 Some buses may have names relating to the general theme of the campaign John McCain traveled aboard a campaign bus named the Straight Talk Express during his 2000 presidential campaign 9 U S Senator John Edwards campaign bus in 2008 Campaign buses are used in many countries Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva known popularly as Lula used this method of campaigning extensively and was elected President of Brazil Over the course of his campaign Lula traveled to 350 cities and towns in twenty three states in separate campaign bus tours 10 In the United Kingdom John Major adopted the old fashioned practice of addressing the public from a soap box erected outside his campaign bus 11 Cuauhtemoc Cardenas also used a campaign bus to great effect during his 1988 campaign for President of Mexico which although unsuccessful led to the downfall of single party rule in Mexico 12 In Canada party leaders often lease coaches with sides decorated with the party name or their own names The buses are used to travel between destinations that do not require air travel Members of the media and other campaign officials may travel along with the party leader See also EditSound trucks in Japan Tour bus Sleeper busReferences Edit Howard R Ernst Larry Sabato Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections 2007 p 220 a b Wheeler Brian 22 December 2004 Last stop for the battle bus BBC Retrieved 23 September 2009 Herbert David Croly The New Republic 1948 p 10 Arthur M Schlesinger Jr A Thousand Days John F Kennedy in the White House 1965 p 193 To Jane Muskie primaries are no joke LIFE 12 May 1972 p 81 1987 General Election BBC Archived from the original on 12 February 2009 Retrieved 29 March 2009 1987 General Election BBC Archived from the original on 16 March 2003 Retrieved 29 March 2009 Labour defends use of pink minibus in women s campaign BBC News 10 February 2015 Retrieved 17 December 2022 James W Johnson Arizona Politicians The Noble and the Notorious 2002 p 16 Richard Bourne Lula of Brazil The Story So Far 2008 Brian McNair An Introduction to Political Communication 2011 p 135 Dan La Botz Democracy in Mexico peasant rebellion and political reform 1995 p 83 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Election campaign buses Images of United Kingdom general election campaign buses Interior of the Conservative Party UK campaign bus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Campaign bus amp oldid 1127982165, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
