Reagan: "they don't...the fireworks begin"
Moderator: "If we could have the first question for Mr Bush
Reagan: "Now wait you asked me...if you could make an announcement first. Now I..."
Moderator: "Excuse me..."
Reagan:"I asked your permission to make an announcement myself."
Moderator: "Would the sound man please turn off Mr Reagan's microphone"
Shouts of protest from audience.
Reagan stands up and lifts up microphone. "Mr Green"
Moderator: "Would the sound man please..."
Reagan: "I am PAYING for this microphone Mr Green!"
Other candidates, like Bob Dole, Jon Anderson, and I think Howard Baker stand up and applaud. George H.W. Bush just sits there and from what I can tell does not applaud.
A what if: This moment does not occur. Someone else wins the NH primary and goes on to win the nomination, as Reagan fades away.
The GOP candidate, whoever he is, narrowly loses (I know,
far-fetched) to Jimmy Carter. Carter wins a second term
in the fall of 1980.
How would history have been different if this moment had not occurred? Maybe Reagan would have had a similar moment in a later primary, but suppose he did a quick fade and someone else wins the nomination. On election night, the GOP candidate gives a concession speech and a smiling
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter wave to their followers as Carter
prepares to go into his second term.
What if.
Concerning Bush, I voted for him in 1988 and 1992 but did so reluctantly since I consider him part of the establishment which is considered the problem of this country. To be blunt, when Bush mentioned about being a “kinder, gentler nation”, IMHO, it was a jab to President Reagan who didn’t play the game of “to get along, you go along” with the democrats.
> Other candidates, like Bob Dole, Jon Anderson, and I think Howard Baker stand up and applaud. George H.W. Bush just sits there and from what I can tell does not applaud.