Posted on 12/27/2005 6:33:51 PM PST by Dionysiusdecordealcis
Who gives a rat's axe at this point?????
OTOH, if even one fifth of the Southern evangelicals who voted for Carter had voted for Ford, we would have been saved, too. What if...?
Pubbies funneling money to McCarthy would have been exposed, and it would have backfired. One can't keep that kind of thing secret.
If Ford had won, we would have probably never had the Reagan presidency.
If Gene McCarthy is to be blamed, then I'd thank him, if he was still around.
Obviously you don't. Who cares that you don't care? To some people history matters.
In Roeser's postings, a somewhat unconventional view of McCarthy emerges, and the thought that we came that close to being spared the plague that was Jimmah is worth a few moments' reflection, for those who reflect on history.
But you have more important things to do, I'm sure. My apologies for distracting you. I'm glad you didn't waste any more time actually reading the articles on McCarthy.
Sorry, you are right. I'm wrong. Anything that would have saved us that dang Carter's presidency would have been worth it.
"Who gives a rat's axe at this point?????"
Intelligent, wise and thoughtful folks.
Oh, we may have had Reagan yet...maybe Dole would have had an advantage as a sitting VP, but it would have been no clear path to the nomination either.
But you're right -- coulda, woulda, shoulda...
Reagan was pretty old by 1984 to be elected for a first term.
Then again, coulda, woulda, shoulda,
McCarthy might have attracted some eastern GOP libs but that's all. He was a distant man, more stand offish than Nixon and even more tone deaf, and could never have mounted a serious campaign.
If Ford had been reelected in 1976, he would have been ineligible to run in 1980. He acceeded to the presidency in August, 1974 -- more than two years' worth of Nixon's term. So he was eligible to only one additional term in his own right.
In 1980, Dole would have been the incumbent Vice President, so presumably he would have had an advantage. Again, coulda-shoulda-woulda.
History will treat Gerald Ford kindly, and it may not have if he had served another four years. As someone else pointed out, that could have prevented a Reagan presidency. As I see it, and I liked Ford, and loved Reagan, it was a win/win situation for us as it turned out.
I can tell you this point is correct ....
In 76, before the Internet, you might have been able to, at least for a few months, if it could be raised from a limited number of people.
Maybe, but don't you thing the Dems would have been interested in finding out just where and how McCarthy suddently got big bucks to attack Carter?
I tend to agree, it was Jimmy Carter's ineptness, that was the main reason for Reagan's landslide in 80.
The election of Carter was the best thing that ever happened to the Republican Party.
Thats interesting. What I remember is Baptist minister Bill Moyers interviewing the Sunday school teacher and I think it is worth remembering, because there is a movement afoot to equate Great Society democratic social programs with Christianty. I expect political races to be holier than thou.
OH without a doubt. I just think it might have taken some time and if done right would have been a hard thing to explain to the public.
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