Posted on 10/19/2009 8:05:18 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross
EDITOR’S NOTE: In his new book, Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America (ISI Books), Craig Shirley provides the first inside look at the historic 1980 election, a race that even as late as election day was judged “too close to call.” In this excerpt, Shirley shows how close Reagan’s campaign came to collapsing in the Republican primaries — and how the candidate turned things around.
The thirty-five days between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary during the 1980 presidential campaign were the most important time in Ronald Reagan’s political life. And the pivotal moment in this, his third try for the Republican nomination, occurred in a high-school gymnasium just three days before the New Hampshire vote.
Long the front-runner for the Republican nomination, Reagan suffered a stunning upset in Iowa at the hands of George H. W. Bush on January 21. Worse for Reagan, his campaign’s internal polling showed the former California governor falling 21 points behind Bush in New Hampshire. If Reagan lost to Bush in New Hampshire, his campaign would be over. Forever. There was no tomorrow. This was it for the Gipper. (snip)
Sears’s plan was to have Reagan relent at the last minute and invite the other candidates to participate. That would allow Reagan to appear magnanimous, and the maneuver would embarrass Bush into allowing the other Republicans — Senators Bob Dole and Howard Baker, Congressmen Phil Crane and John Anderson, and former Texas governor John Connally — onto the stage. Or perhaps it would create such chaos as to prevent Bush from winning the debate. Years later Charlie Black told me, “We knew he would choke.” Sears was blunter: “Our job was to show that Bush was not capable of being president.” ...(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
Possibly a strategy to replicate in some way in a future crowded Republican primary as well.
This is U.S. History, I see the globe right there.
The question is if Mitt Romney will use that strategy with candidates like Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint Mike Pence etc. etc.
The inside the beltway crowd has picked Romney and they intend to shove him down our throats by hook or crook.
Damn, that was a good write-up!
How I miss those days!
CA....
BTT!! (The old days!)
Most readworthy! Thanks!
Except Slick Willard would say, “I PAID for that crowd !”
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