After the final primaries , Carter met with Kennedy in the White House . Partly because Carter refused to accept a party platform calling for the establishment of a national health insurance program , Kennedy refused to concede . He instead called for an " open convention " , in which delegates would be free to vote for the candidate of their choice regardless of the result in the primaries . Carter 's allies defeated Kennedy 's maneuverings at the 1980 Democratic National Convention , and Carter and Vice President Mondale won re-nomination . Despite Kennedy 's defeat , he had mobilized the liberal wing of the Democratic Party , which would give Carter only weak support in the general election
1980 Democratic National Convention
1980 Democratic National Convention
Presidency of Jimmy Carter