When it becomes clear that the convention is split down the middle in fights over the platform, Jason challenges Hudson for the Majority Party's nomination (the novels never use the proper names "Republican" or "Democrat" but the descriptions of Majority Party corresponds strongly to the Democrats of the 1960s). The media, meantime, spins merrily away, filtering what the country is allowed to see and hear from San Francisco.
When political factions become evident in a convention, Jason challenges Hudson for the nomination of the dominant party (the novels use "Republican" or "Democrat" but the descriptions of the dominant party correspond strongly to the Democrats of the 1960s). The media, meanwhile, shapes public perception by selectively presenting information from San Francisco.