Re: Dole ‘96. I’m going to admit that I supported his nomination that year. I tend to be troubled when I see bashing of him for a number of reasons. At that time, I personally wanted someone with the necessary maturity (so dreadfully lacking in Clinton), the war experience as a veteran, and the political experience in dealing with the thugs on the hill. It was one reason why as long ago as 1988, I preferred Dole to GHW Bush (albeit that year I was too young to cast a vote). Dole may not have been sexy, but I think he would’ve done a decent job as President.
As for Dole’s opponents in ‘96, I just plain didn’t care for them. Lamar! for obvious reasons of RINOcity. Forbes because he lacked political experience. He needed to start by running for NJ Governor as his father had (albeit Malcolm lost). And as for Pat Buchanan... yeah, don’t think I have to explain that. It is rather astonishing more serious candidates never entered, especially on the Gubernatorial side.
I still can’t believe how poorly a general election race he ran. I wouldn’t outright accuse him of deliberately losing (as McCain can be forcefully accused of), only that he didn’t go to the fullest extent that he should have in trying to win. In some aspects, he took it all TOO seriously, and the public saw an old, humorless guy, rather than one who can be quite witty and personable, who could’ve put the latter to good use as a nice starting point and then segueing into why we needed grown-up leadership. I would’ve advised him to show off more of that personable side of him (if I recall, after the election was over, he went and appeared on Leno, fairly loosened up and the like, had the crowd entertained, and I believe Leno blurted out, “Wow, if I had known you were this (entertaining), I’d have voted for you.” The election was close enough in a lot of states that with a bit more of a push, and getting the Perot people, Dole could’ve turned it into a narrow win.
Good points about Dole. But it is true that his opponents in the grassroots forgot that they first needed to defeat him ... look at how fractured the opposition was in NH, AZ, SC primaries. If that happens vs. Romney, he will survive and then be unstoppable.
So, if you ask me who I would support in Iowa, I would say: most likely the candidate who is in a position to beat SlickWillardRomney. Same in NH, same in SC, same in FLA.
I would have liked Gramm in ‘96. I didn’t know anything about him at the time though, I was 12-13, most of what I recall first hand from that that race is from SNL, where I remember RINO Lamar! Alexander appeared. Norm MacDonald was awesome as Dole. Thank goodness Colin Powell didn’t run, he may have won and become a RINO disaster President.
Gramm didn’t get very far though, it was over for him when Buchanan beat him the Louisiana caucus.
Dole was the best remaining option I guess. I like Forbes but didn’t he run as a social liberal then? Dole may been not have been great but I think he would have been better than either Bush, I wish he had won in ‘88.
And I wish the GOP Governors anointed someone besides W Bush in 2000. Tommy Thompson maybe, he was the senior Governor and had a good record.