Quote:
Originally posted by KSigkid
He was definitely gaining support, but I think the Democratic party was too fractured at that point for anyone to challenge Nixon. McGovern won the nomination because of how far left he was campaigning; his move towards the center turned off many of his potential voters after he secured the nomination.
If you get a chance, read Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail" about the '72 election. Very good book.
As far as people who would have made interesting Presidents - Adlai Stevenson, Henry Clay, RFK come to mind. Hell, if Gary Hart and Ted Kennedy had been smarter, those may have been memorable campaigns as well. Tilden is someone who was absolutely robbed in the situation with Hayes. Or there was Thomas Dewey...wonder how he would have been if he really did overtake Truman?
I'll post a couple of more as I think of them.
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wow, I think I must have overlooked RFK because it was so obvious . . . good catch.
As far as the fracturing of the Democratic party - very true, and I will def pick up Thompson's book (unless you want to loan me your copy, hint hint), but the reality is that much of Nixon's strategy was talking over the heads of the media (who hated him, and rightly so) and pointing out McGovern's rhetoric as insanely left-wing (resulting in him being labeled as a 'radical'). Wallace carried every county in FL, and won MD even after being shot - his actual policies and worthiness notwithstanding, he would have put up much more of a fight than McGovern, who was universally seen as completely impossible to elect (a la Howard "YEEEAAAAAH!!" Dean). It may have made no difference - Nixon was insanely popular due to economic recovery and the war looking better (sound familiar?), if I'm correct, and Collin would know better for sure, but it's an interesting concept.