The Massachusetts Miracle Worker!

Thursday, August 7, 2008Subject: The Massachusetts Miracle WorkerTime: 4:54:00 PM EDTAuthor: cicero390 Edit Entry Delete Entry
The Democrats got thumped in 1984. Americans no longer wanted The New Deal or Great Society. So, the Democrats looked for a new kind of Democrat to run. They turned to Mario Cuomo. He said no thanks. They turned to Gary Hart. He got caught with his pants down with Donna Rice. The primaries came down to Al Gore, Dick Gephardt, Jesse Jackson, and Michael Dukakis. Dukakis won six primaries on Super Tuesday to Gore's five and became the front runner. Dukakis gained momentum and became the nominee.
On the Republican side, Vice President Bush began as the front runner, but stumbled early allowing Senator Bob Dole an opening. A negative ad run by the Bush campaign portrayed Dole as a tax raiser. Dole lost his temper and went on TV to tell Bush to "stop lying about my record." Bush won the nomination after that gaffe.
Dukakis led Bush at the outset of the general election. Bush appeared wimpy and wishy washy compared to Reagan. Bush went on TV to attack Dan Rather to gain street cred with the right. Then, his campaign attacked Dukakis as a dangerously out of touch liberal. When Dukakis admitted to being a "card carrying member of the ACLU," the campaign used it.
The Bush campaign's biggest setback was their choice of Vice President. Dan Quayle did not make a good first impression and looked like he belonged at the little kids table when he debated Lloyd Bentsen. When Quayle compared his experience in Congress to John Kennedy's (Quayle-12 years/Kennedy-14 years), Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Bentsen responded, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." (Editor's note: Dan Quayle was more qualified for president than Barack Obama).
The contrast between Bentsen and Quayle was striking. So was the contrast between Dukakis and Bentsen. Some thought the two should reverse their spots on the ticket as Dukakis made more errors. The Massachusetts Governor made a campaign stop and got filmed in a tank. He looked like Snoopy and it became a TV ad.
TV finished Dukakis. While governor, he supported weekend paroles for prisoners. One convicted murderer, Willie Horton, got out and committed armed robbery and rape. Senator Al Gore brought it to America's attention and it became a deadly campaign ad.
Bush-Quayle won in a landslide. George Bush became the first vice-president since Martin Van Buren to win the presidency. He would go on and lead America through it's most successful war in history.