[Mike Fieschko]

The other three nominees were all strong ideologues. Each represented the crest of a wave of “true believers,” who were convinced that the nation and the world would be vastly improved if only their candidate were elected President. But beliefs like that go hand-in-hand with an aggressive neglect of the question of electibility. As a rule, the stronger the belief that a candidate OUGHT to win, the less the examination of whether the candidate CAN win.

Regarding Barry in 1964, wasn't there a delusion (as it turned out), that if the voters were faced with a 'choice, not an echo', then the conservatives who'd been staying at home and not voting, would show up at the polls and elect Goldwater? I've read that in books on the 1964 campaign and Barry's state primaries and conventions efforts to secure the nomination.

There's a similar delusion among leftist Dems: that with Dean as a candidate (and now, with Dean in charge of the DNC), he'll 'energize' the base and all these leftwingers who've stayed at home ...

[185JHP]

Barry energized hardcore types. Unfortunately there weren't enough around to win a national election. I liked his '64 platform. But it wasn't viable and still isn't viable at this time. The K-flopper won a bunch of states...