Posted on 12/31/2022 6:47:43 PM PST by RandFan
On Dec. 10, 1991, a conservative pundit who had worked for three presidents and become a celebrity by hosting a cable television debate show declared he would run for elected office for the first time – and not just any office.
Pat Buchanan, a veteran of the Nixon, Ford and Reagan White Houses, announced his campaign for the presidency in front of a small yet raucous gathering of his supporters in New Hampshire. He would challenge in the upcoming primaries incumbent Republican President George H. W. Bush who, in Mr. Buchanan’s view, was a globalist who had lost touch with working-class Americans. In his 15-minute speech, Mr. Buchanan vowed to make “America First” by moving the party further to the right a generation before Donald J. Trump would triumph over the “establishment.”
“Beyond these shores, a new world is being born for which our government is unprepared and for which we are unprepared. The dynamic force that is shaping that new world in nationalism,” Mr. Buchanan said. With the Cold War over, it was time for the United States to focus on itself rather than its foreign alliances and formerly Communist enemies.
Two months later, Mr. Buchanan won 37.5% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary, a surprisingly strong showing against an incumbent president (Bush won 53%). By attacking illegal immigration, free trade, deindustrialization, cultural liberalism (i.e. gay rights) and the two-party establishment in his pugnacious yet media-friendly style, Mr. Buchanan sensed he might be able to fill the vacuum to the right of Bush (and Reagan, for that matter). And in his willingness to insult and demonize his opponents by appealing to racial and cultural grievances, Mr. Buchanan set the stage for Mr. Trump.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
The results of Buchanan’s loss back then, can be seen all over America today. In every direction.
Buchanan was right - watch the full culture war speech from the 1992 convention. Totally on point and prescient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2olwuAy3_og
I still have my pitchfork, Pat.
This is the Washington Times? The tea party are always racists and cultural bigots. They only insult and demean. The other side never do either.
Pat would have set us on a different path. Instead, we got more of the NWO.
Pat was one of the greatest American patriots of our lifetimes.
Buchanan set the path for Trump. His candidacy was a continuation of the lunch pail worker Republicanism. Bush Deep State Uniparty constant war crowd beat him. Got us to where we are now.
I’d also heard rumors of an out of wedlock child for Pat. Never confirmed it.
Reagan’s biggest mistake was his VP pick. Led to the Clintons and a few trillion wasted in the Middle East.
I was in the convention hall when Reagan announced that Bush was his man--and I was one of the few that was not wildly cheering and applauding. I knew that should Reagan win the White House, Bush would undo everything he accomplished. Reagan should have gone with Jack Kemp or Paul Laxalt.
CIA demon Bush probably told Reagan that the CIA has “six ways to sunday” to take care of people if he doesn’t get his way as the VP pick.
I first saw Pat Buchanan back in early 1980s on the John McLaughlin talk show.
Pat was one of the token social conservatives on that show. Fun times.
He fit in nicely. Sort of a Gentleman-Rebel if such a category exists.
I believe the Host McLaughlin was a trained Jesuit. If he were still around now, I think McLaughlin would be a (non -hysterical) Never Trump. He seemed not to trust any True Believer.
I think Reagan chose Bush to unite the party and to get the moneybags of the Wall Street faction of the GOP on board.
Save your pitchforks, the populists will rise again! I remember still Pats speeches—His call to “Ride to the sound of the guns,” and his last moving one The “Rejected stone shall be the keystone of a new movement” It was under the unlikely run by Donald J. Trump. Pat B. was like John The Baptist, crying in the wilderness. If Trump is rejected, and if he goes independent or Reform, Millions will leave the Vichy Republicans and form a new party—a movement that will shake the Republic to her foundations.
“CIA demon Bush probably told Reagan that the CIA has “six ways to sunday” to take care of people...”
....and Bush then had Hinkley programmed to “JFK” Reagan early in his term.
Almost worked.
There are no coincidences in Swamp politics.
Or so I think, but what do I know.
I think Pat is bitter sometimes about Trump.
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