1988 Republican National Convention
The 1988 Republican National Convention was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its convention in one of the five states known as the Deep South, coming on the heels of the 1988 Democratic National Convention, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia.
| 1988 presidential election | |
| Nominees Bush and Quayle | |
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | August 15–18, 1988 |
| City | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Venue | Louisiana Superdome |
| Keynote speaker | Thomas Kean |
| Candidates | |
| Presidential nominee | George H. W. Bush of Texas |
| Vice presidential nominee | Dan Quayle of Indiana |
The convention nominated Vice President George Bush for president, as expected. The second spot on the ticket was not publicly known before the convention; James Danforth "Dan" Quayle, U.S. Senator from Indiana, was selected as Bush's vice presidential running mate. The revelation of Quayle's selection as running mate did not come until the second day of the convention, when NBC News broke the story. As of 2020, it was the last time a major party's presidential candidate announced his vice presidential choice during his party's convention.
The convention featured speeches by Joe Paterno, Helen Hayes, Pat Robertson, a keynote address by New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean, and the music of the Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra.