unfortunately, i don’t think the GOP establishment has learned a thing. And GOP voters kinda like to go with the flow. Like dead fish!
The party that nominated Bob Dole (even after he got beat in New Hampshire), is capable of just about anything.
In 1988, after 8 years of Reagan, GOP started the trip back to RINOism in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Iowa 1988- Bob Dole (37%) Pat Robertson (25%), George H. W. Bush* (19%), Jack Kemp (11%) and Pete DuPont (7%)
New Hampshire rejects Kemp and DuPont:
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=79cd006a-04a7-4520-a2f4-e702dcd3af89
Well, the base learned. I’ll tell you, I don’t like beating up on Bob Dole. I think he’s been unfairly maligned. I still think he was a good man, authentic war hero, I was proud to cast a vote for him in ‘96, my second legal Presidential contest. He was guilty, however, of running far too restrained a campaign against Bubba. Both he and Kemp had nothing to lose by opening up both barrels and didn’t.
I personally wish he had been the nominee in ‘88 instead of Papa Bush, because he wouldn’t have been rolled like George, Sr. was by the rodent leadership in trying to “play nice.” Could there have been better people to run ? Of course, but they didn’t step up, and Dole did. Can’t blame him for the others not stepping up.
In a way, thank heavens Slick Willard did NOT win the Senate race in ‘94, because he would’ve run for President in ‘96 instead, and we now know what damage he would’ve inflicted upon us. Can you imagine him as President during 9/11 ? The guy whose family has run from military service for over a century ? Terrifying.