Nation: But Can Reagan Be Elected?

Time ^ | March 31 1980

[Leroy S. Mort]

Reagan confronts a Democratic President who, after a temporary surge in the national polls because of the crises in Iran and Afghanistan, is now plagued by declining job ratings. The odds are that by fall, Carter will be trying to defend his management of an economy with double-digit inflation and rising unemployment, gasoline prices of upwards of $2 per gal. and a reduced budget that offends many of the traditional Democratic-constituencies. New York Opinion Researcher Daniel Yankelovich sums it up: "The biggest thing Reagan has going for him is Carter."

[Leroy S. Mort]

Everything old is new again. This article is just loaded with gems. Enjoy.

[Bigtigermike]

I know, I posted this article earlier this year. Nothing has change in politics from Ford saying that a conservative can’t win to the RINOs wanting moderates like Bush and were apprehensive of Reagan. Even got the media and moderates bemoaning gaffes of Reagan, saying he is embarrassing

[GenXteacher]

Wow...thanks for putting that out there!

[LMAO]

I was there. And there are alot of similarities between today and 1979

[KC_Lion]

I don't know, has Reagan even announced yet? I mean the Media will tear him a new one for being in all those B-Movies back 30 years ago, Not to Mention Carter has help bring peace between the Palestinians and Israeli's. And with Mt St. Helen's Eruption, his concern has bought him alot of credit with the Independent voters, we CAN'T risk the Independent votes. Reagan's seams too radical, I for one think that George Romney should Run, He won't alienate the Independent Voters, and Who are the Conservatives going to vote for anyway? Carter? We need a middle of the Road kind of Republican, Besides the Media will say that Reagan will bring Four more Years of Nixon, it will be Nixon's Third Term.

Carter is all but unbeatable, we should concentrate on winning the House and Senate instead, and leave Reagan with his Chimp.

Do I need a Sarc?

[Vaquero]

when you have Jimmy Carter II(worse than the original)at the helm....

.....it follows that you can have Reagan II....

[luv2ski]

Incredible. Reading that article knowing how the election turned out (landslide) and how Reagan's policies turned out, it is amazing how all the "experts" were warning us about him. They were trying to describe him as "simple" and prone to gaffs. How about the "don't change horses a**s" in the middle of a bad economy? The Dems are trying the exact same tactic now!

Let's hope that the outcome is the same as it was in 1980. I remember hearing on the radio that one state after another was going to Reagan and thinking, "Ok. Now maybe we have a chance."

This whole article could have been written last week with a couple of different names inserted.

[Sonny M]

If Reagan ran today, I have no doubt that more then a few folks who call him a RINO, some of them would argue he can't be trusted, and go on about how the media has defined him and the damage is done.

In short, every criticism of Governor Palin, plus Governor Perry plus Michelle Bachmann all rolled into one target..........

He would be attacked in both the primary (which he would still win), and the general election........after which he would again still win in a massive blowout.......LOL.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

$2 for gallon of gas. Oh no! Thanks for posting.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Doesn’t sound like much until you realize that $2.00 in 1980 would be equivalent to $5.72 today.

[Wildbill22]

‘Ex-President Gerald Ford left no doubt about his views when he warned last month: “A very conservative Republican cannot win in a national election.”’

[johngrace]

Great flashback! Thanks for sharing!!

[johngrace]

"Carter is an undeniably deft—and extremely lucky—politician. He also is a relatively known quantity in the White House, whereas the inexperienced Reagan would require a definite leap of faith by voters supporting him.

Says Northwestern University Political Scientist Louis Masotti: "There's a variation on the old cliché: you don't change horses' asses in midstream. You've got one, and at least you know its contours."

I wonder if this political scientist knows how big his contours were at the time. What a statement. Who is the real horse's ass thinker now. Wow! He thought he was sooo clever with this statement.

An expert! Put all the experts in one room. What do you get? ROFL!!!

[Dr. Sivana]

This article is full of gems. I like this one:

One of his proposed cures for inflation is the notion that a huge tax cut will restore the productive vitality of the economy and control price rises. Most economists believe this approach is nonsense, that it would simply fuel more inflation.

Inflation rate 1979-1988
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/historical-inflation-rates/

1979	11.3
1980	13.5
1981	10.3
1982	6.2
1983	3.2
1984	4.3
1985	3.6
1986	1.9
1987	3.6
1988	4.1

[BfloGuy]

Interesting that Carter was leading Reagan by 25 points in March of election year.

[Henry Hnyellar]

Who would that be? I see no Reagan (or even a near-Reagan) in the current field. And no Palin is not a present day Reagan.

[AZLiberty]

A tax cut was the right idea for 1979, but will not be enough in 2012. We need to overturn a vast collection of policies, laws, and regulations that have made it difficult for U.S. business owners and employees to make a living.

[TheOldLady]

Bingo!

[TheOldLady]

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[Tailback]

Portion of a speech from some dumb hick that attended a no-name college in flyover country. No teleprompter was needed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERnsu6aBdeQ