Archive: 1992 New Economy, New Media, and the New World Order

The end of the Cold War, the high-technology revolution, and the cultural transformations of the post-civil-rights era had profound political effects that reverberated through the 1992 election. Riding high after the success of the Gulf War, incumbent George H.W. Bush seemed at first to be a sure bet for reelection, but a souring economy changed the electoral math. After a series of failed Democratic campaigns for the White House in which "liberal" became a dirty word, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton ran as a centrist "New Democrat," espousing policies like welfare reform and government efficiency. But the election — and Clinton's ultimate victory — hinged on the insurgent third-party candidacy of the businessman H. Ross Perot, whose campaign reflected the growing power of the independent voter and the new ways to communicate in the Information Age. Lynn M. Thomas, Professor and Chair, UW Department of History John M. Findlay Margaret Pugh O'Mara, Associate Professor, UW Department of History 10/30/2012