Washington and Lee hosts its first Mock Convention, correctly predicting William Jennings Bryant as the Democratic nominee.

W&L hosts its first Republican Cycle Mock Convention in the newly constructed Doremus Gym.

John W. Davis was correctly predicted by Mock Con to receive the Democratic Presidential nomination. Davis was a, W&L undergraduate (1892) and Law (1895) alum.

Students sat together with their state delegations on the convention floor. During the convention, Franklin D. Roosevelt was correctly predicted to win the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Two Elephants are rented from Dales Bros. Circus for the State Delegation Parade, setting a standard of elaborate floats for the conventions to follow.

Senator Carlson, Director of National Eisenhower Headquarters, calls for "a national administration in this country which features cooperation and teamwork… and promotes unity among all our people."

While a radio information sheet from 1952 reveals this is not Mock Con's radio debut, the clipping is the first archived radio news coverage of Mock Con.

Barkley, who served as the 35th vice president of the United States, addressed the W&L community in the 1956 keynote speech. He discussed his journey from senior congressman to VP to freshman congressman. He concluded his speech saying, "I'm glad to sit on the back row, for I would rather be a servant in the House of the Lord than to sit in the seats of the mighty." After his powerful last words, he suffered a heart attack, collapsed on stage, and was later pronounced dead. The following week, a moment of silence was held for the Late Former Vice President Barkley.

Truman's speech addresses the transition from despair to hope, receiving a loud ovation at the end. He said, "This is a real Convention, and I ought to know because I've been looking at them since 1912."

Goldwater phones into the convention to accept Mock Con's nomination and discuss his hopeful outlook for U.S. politics. He later received the Republican Presidential nomination but was defeated by Lyndon B. Johnson in the presidential election.

President Nixon kicked off the 1968 convention cycle with a speech encouraging political involvement and activism by the students at W&L and all young people. He ended his speech by answering questions posed by students in the audience. Mock Con also predicted Nixon to receive the Republican Presidential nomination, which he accepted. He described the nomination as the "most exciting election in my life." He added that American politics face "decisions that will affect whether or not there will be global peace."

South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond was invited to campus by the S.C. Delegation for a "Questions and Answers" event in University Chapel. A multiple-course dinner and reception followed the event. Thurmond is the third longest serving U.S. senator, holding a seat in the Senate for 47 years, five months, and eight days.

President Carter was Governor of Georgia when he delivered his Keynote address to W&L students. The following cycle, in 1976, Carter accepted Mock Con's nomination. "I'd like to ask all of you delegates now who have expressed your confidence in me so deeply to join with me in making our nation what it ought to be, and making our government as good as our people are," Carter said.

Munchkins lined the Kansas delegation's float as students dressed as Dorothy and the Wizard wave to parade-watchers. The float was decked out with floral decorations, a castle cut out, and also had more student-characters like the Tin-Man.

Warner, who served as the US Secretary of the Navy and as a Republican US Senator for 30 years, immersed himself in the camaraderie of W&L's Mock Convention. Before riding with Miss Virginia in the parade, Warner stopped to check out elephants rented by students-- an idea inherited from the 1948 and 1960 conventions.

The former Senator from Delaware, President Joe Biden, discusses his campaign for senator as well as his concluded 1984 campaign for U.S. President. Elected to Senate at 29, he also touches on what it is like to be a young person in politics.

The former Governor of Arkansas, President Bill Clinton, spoke at the 1988 Mock Convention. His speech focused on past and present issues with both national and international economics. While discussing the upcoming election, Clinton said, "the issue is-- What are we going to be for?" For students, however, his speech was overshadowed by his surprise saxophone performance at Zollman's Pavilion.

C-SPAN aired its first footage of Mock Convention, highlighting two of the convention's weekend speakers, NY Governor Mario Cuomo and Speaker of the House Thomas O'Neill, Jr.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Vice President Dan Quayle kicked off the Convention Weekend, sharing their thoughts about the Republican party and discussing the current state of US politics. The following day, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Secretary of Education Bill Bennett spoke about a return of power to local governments and citizens.

Geraldine Ferraro served in the US House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985 and was the first female vice presidential nominee in 1984. In 2008, Ferraro was a committed supporter of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. She addressed students during the first session of the convention.

Governor of Utah and U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman and Herman Cain were both forefront potential candidates for the 2012 presidential election before dropping out of the race. In their speeches, they both discussed their careers as republican politicians and their recent presidential campaigns.

The 2012 Mock Convention raised thr bar for conventions to follow. Mock Con not only correctly predicted Mitt Romney for the Republican nominee but also saw the launch of the first interactive Mock Con website, the first female General Chair, and the largest sum of money raised for the convention.

The W&L Mock Convention predicted Donald Trump to win the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. After the announcement of the prediction, Trump called into the convention. "I've been hearing about [Mock Convention] for many years, and I know your track record is extraordinary, better than anyone else's. This is such a great honor," Trump said.

After addressing W&L students in the 1996 Mock Convention, Gingrich returned to speak at the convention a second time. In his speech, he remarked on Mock Convention's outstanding accuracy. "I think this every four-year project is one of the great unique learning experiences in America; it really is remarkable," Gingrich said.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney remarked that he had "been in politics long enough to know this: If you want to see where a presidential election is headed, the place to be is the Washington and Lee Mock Convention."

Heilemann, a journalist for NBC News, discussed being a political journalist in the age of Trump.

Trevor Noah, the host of the award-winning "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" on Comedy Central, discussed the importance of immersing yourself with diverse opinions, especially in politics.

Country music artist Lee Greenwood performed at both the 2016 and 2020 Mock Conventions. He is best known for his song "God Bless the USA."