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Post by BossMan on Nov 13, 2016 13:56:06 GMT
Given how strongly this forum backed HRC in the most recent US presidential election - certainly in relation to the other candidates - I thought it would be interesting to experiment how we would have voted when Reagan won his greatest electoral victory. A test for the somewhat left leaning clientele of this forum.  |
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Post by pragmaticidealist on Nov 13, 2016 14:42:56 GMT
Mondale.
Interestingly the Democrats suffered four popular vote defeats during the 20th century that were even worse than this: 1904, 1920, 1924, and 1972. In the first three of those they won over 100 electoral votes due to their then-stronghold of the South. McGovern won Massachusetts instead of Minnesota in 1972 hence getting a slightly larger electoral vote than Mondale.
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Post by carlton43 on Nov 13, 2016 16:23:21 GMT
Reagan.
I liked his approach, his style and his ability to unify and communicate to everyone. I think he was a great politician.
I would have enthusiastically voted for Goldwater. I could never understand why he was so unpopular and I still don't know.
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Khunanup
Lib Dem
Portsmouth Liberal Democrats
Posts: 11,506
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Post by Khunanup on Nov 13, 2016 16:37:41 GMT
Reagan. I liked his approach, his style and his ability to unify and communicate to everyone. I think he was a great politician. I would have enthusiastically voted for Goldwater. I could never understand why he was so unpopular and I still don't know. Read any books/articles about the '64 campaign. The Dems portrayed him as a dangerous extremist endangering the future of the world, aided and abetted by some magnificently ill judged speeches by Goldwater himself. Then there was his opposition to the Civil Rights Act for libertarian reasons, which had the unfortunate (though predictable) result of him being backed by a particularly unplesant collection of individuals, at a time when those collections of people were still relevant and powerful. |
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Richard Allen
Banned
Four time loser in VUKPOTY finals
Posts: 19,052
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Post by Richard Allen on Nov 13, 2016 16:57:11 GMT
Reagan. I liked his approach, his style and his ability to unify and communicate to everyone. I think he was a great politician. I would have enthusiastically voted for Goldwater. I could never understand why he was so unpopular and I still don't know. I have immense respect for Goldwater but he lacked the eloquence to sell his message. His strong conviction in his beliefs often came across as angry, strident or aggressive. Reagan communicated a similar message but his tone was completely different. |
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Post by carlton43 on Nov 13, 2016 17:03:57 GMT
Reagan. I liked his approach, his style and his ability to unify and communicate to everyone. I think he was a great politician. I would have enthusiastically voted for Goldwater. I could never understand why he was so unpopular and I still don't know. Read any books/articles about the '64 campaign. The Dems portrayed him as a dangerous extremist endangering the future of the world, aided and abetted by some magnificently ill judged speeches by Goldwater himself. Then there was his opposition to the Civil Rights Act for libertarian reasons, which had the unfortunate (though predictable) result of him being backed by a particularly unplesant collection of individuals, at a time when those collections of people were still relevant and powerful. I lived through it K! |
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Malice the Red
Non-Aligned
What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?
Posts: 87 
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Post by Malice the Red on Nov 13, 2016 18:07:03 GMT
Walter Mondale, a great man. Stood up for the people like many Minnesota DFL liberals of his era.
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Khunanup
Lib Dem
Portsmouth Liberal Democrats
Posts: 11,506
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Post by Khunanup on Nov 13, 2016 18:27:59 GMT
Read any books/articles about the '64 campaign. The Dems portrayed him as a dangerous extremist endangering the future of the world, aided and abetted by some magnificently ill judged speeches by Goldwater himself. Then there was his opposition to the Civil Rights Act for libertarian reasons, which had the unfortunate (though predictable) result of him being backed by a particularly unplesant collection of individuals, at a time when those collections of people were still relevant and powerful. I lived through it K! I know you did, I was just trying to be helpful seeing as you appeared not to know why Goldwater failed so badly. If you were being rhetorical I missed the tone of your post. |
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Post by Lord Twaddleford on Nov 13, 2016 18:37:33 GMT
Would've gone for Mondale myself.
If nothing else at least he was honest about the possibility of raising taxes, even if the manner he expressed it may have contributed to his loss.
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Post by carlton43 on Nov 13, 2016 22:05:08 GMT
I know you did, I was just trying to be helpful seeing as you appeared not to know why Goldwater failed so badly. If you were being rhetorical I missed the tone of your post. No, that was helpful K and my note was confession not rhetoric. I didn't understand it at the time and there was far less detailed comment that made sense in the English press of the time. |
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Post by Adam in Stroud on Nov 13, 2016 22:44:55 GMT
I'd have voted for Mondale for the same reason that I'd have voted for HRC - I'm moderately left-wing so I'm more likely to vote for the centre-left candidate that the right wing one unless there is a massive differential in quality of candidate; and in any case, when it comes to the quality of candidate I think Mondale was better qualified than Reagan who I think was a bit high-weight. And for those on the right who may be aghast at that suggestion, I give you the Contradeceptive and numerous corruption scandals, the details of which I've forgotten but which were recurrent at the time, from memory. There is some evidence that his Alzheimer's started to take effect during his second term, which is what we are considering.
But the OP is very sound in that Mondale lost for at least some of the same reasons as HRC, a staggering lack of charisma and connection with the electorate. The same goes for Gore.
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Post by Lord Twaddleford on Nov 13, 2016 23:05:18 GMT
If only the Gipper had gotten 4000 more votes in Minnesota, it would have been the greatest electoral victory since 1820. I do believe he could've requested a recount there at the time, but decided not as 1) he'd already won, & 2) he decided that Mondale had been humiliated enough that election cycle. |
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Post by finsobruce on Nov 13, 2016 23:28:02 GMT
If only the Gipper had gotten 4000 more votes in Minnesota, it would have been the greatest electoral victory since 1820. I have my doubts that we are about to embark on a new "Era of Good Feelings".  |
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Post by BossMan on Nov 13, 2016 23:58:55 GMT
If only the Gipper had gotten 4000 more votes in Minnesota, it would have been the greatest electoral victory since 1820. December 1984: Reporter: "Mr. President, what would you like for Christmas?" Reagan: "Well, Minnesota would have been nice." |
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Richard Allen
Banned
Four time loser in VUKPOTY finals
Posts: 19,052
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Post by Richard Allen on Nov 14, 2016 0:12:27 GMT
If only the Gipper had gotten 4000 more votes in Minnesota, it would have been the greatest electoral victory since 1820. I bow to few in my enthusiasm for Ronald Reagan but Walter Mondale is a good man who deserved better than the drubbing he received so I can't begrudge him carrying his home state. |
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Post by BossMan on Nov 14, 2016 0:20:41 GMT
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Post by No Offence Alan on Nov 14, 2016 0:29:24 GMT
As I remember it, the Democratic Primary of Mondale v Hart v Jackson was more interesting than the Presidential election itself.
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Malice the Red
Non-Aligned
What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?
Posts: 87
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Post by Malice the Red on Nov 14, 2016 1:03:59 GMT
As I remember it, the Democratic Primary of Mondale v Hart v Jackson was more interesting than the Presidential election itself. I'd honestly prefer watching grass grow to the 1984 general election campaign... Ratings must have been abysmal |
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john07
Labour & Co-operative
Posts: 14,525
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Post by john07 on Nov 14, 2016 14:07:29 GMT
As I remember it, the Democratic Primary of Mondale v Hart v Jackson was more interesting than the Presidential election itself. Where's the beef! |
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Foggy
Non-Aligned
Long may it rain
Posts: 5,506
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Post by Foggy on Nov 14, 2016 20:22:03 GMT
I was only a few weeks old at the time of this election. With the benefit of hindsight and as a non-US citizen, I would prioritise foreign policy business of the time that needed sorting out, which means a vote for Ronald Reagan.
From the perspective of a domestic American voter, there is a case for Mondale, but even then, Reagan's campaign rightly pointed out that enough people felt better off than they had 4 years earlier to see him handsomely re-elected.
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