In American political jargon, an October surprise is a news event with the potential to influence the outcome of an election, particularly one for the U.S. presidency. The reference to the month of October is because the Tuesday after the first Monday in November is the date for national elections (as well as many state and local elections), and therefore events that take place in late October have greater potential to influence the decisions of prospective voters.

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  • In American political jargon, an October surprise is a news event with the potential to influence the outcome of an election, particularly one for the U.S. presidency. The reference to the month of October is because the Tuesday after the first Monday in November is the date for national elections (as well as many state and local elections), and therefore events that take place in late October have greater potential to influence the decisions of prospective voters. The term came into use shortly after the 1972 presidential election between Republican incumbent Richard Nixon and Democrat George McGovern, when the United States was in the fourth year of negotiations to end the very long and domestically divisive Vietnam War. Twelve days before the election day of November 7, on October 26, 1972, the United States' chief negotiator, the presidential National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, appeared at a press conference held at the White House and announced, "We believe that peace is at hand". Nixon, despite having vowed to end the unpopular war during his presidential election campaign four years earlier, had failed to either cease hostilities or gradually bring about an end to the war. Nixon was nevertheless already widely considered to be assured of an easy reelection victory against McGovern, but Kissinger's "peace is at hand" declaration may have increased Nixon's already high standing with the electorate. In the event, Nixon outpolled McGovern in every state except Massachusetts and achieved a 20 point lead in the nationwide popular vote. The fighting ended in 1973, but the last soldiers didn't leave Vietnam until 1975. Since that election, the term "October surprise" has been used preemptively during campaign season by partisans of one side to discredit late-campaign news by the other side.
  • Sorpresa de Octubre es un término que, en la jerga política estadounidense, hace alusión a un posible evento que pueda influir potencialmente en las elecciones de EEUU. El nombre viene dado porque el proceso electoral se celebra el primer martes tras el día 1 de noviembre, por lo que los hipotéticos sucesos a los que hace referencia este término político ocurren en Octubre. El origen del término está en las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 1972. En dicha elección concurrían el republicano Richard Nixon y el demócrata George McGovern, la cual estuvo marcada por la Guerra de Vietnam. El 26 de octubre, 20 días antes del día de las elecciones, el Consejero de Seguridad Nacional Henry Kissinger dijo: "Creo que la paz está en nuestras manos". En principio, es de suponer que esta afirmación -la cual no era precisa, dado que la paz se logró tres años más tarde- supuso un fuerte empujón a favor de Nixon, el cual finalmente ganaría las elecciones.
  • オクトーバーサプライズ（October surprise）は、アメリカ合衆国大統領選挙が実施される年の10月におこるとされている事件を示す。11月の本選挙直前におきる現象であるため、少なからず影響を与えるのではないかという指摘がある。最も注目を浴びたのが1980年アメリカ合衆国大統領選挙であり、この選挙以降米マスメディアの間で「10月の驚く出来事」という意味で頻繁に使われるようになった。
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  • In American political jargon, an October surprise is a news event with the potential to influence the outcome of an election, particularly one for the U.S. presidency. The reference to the month of October is because the Tuesday after the first Monday in November is the date for national elections (as well as many state and local elections), and therefore events that take place in late October have greater potential to influence the decisions of prospective voters.
  • Sorpresa de Octubre es un término que, en la jerga política estadounidense, hace alusión a un posible evento que pueda influir potencialmente en las elecciones de EEUU. El nombre viene dado porque el proceso electoral se celebra el primer martes tras el día 1 de noviembre, por lo que los hipotéticos sucesos a los que hace referencia este término político ocurren en Octubre. El origen del término está en las elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 1972.
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  • October surprise
  • Fort Smith
  • オクトーバーサプライズ
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