Is defeat probable for GOP if Reagan wins nomination?

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | March 5, 1980 | Richard J. Cattani

[monkapotamus]

The nation's Republicans are working against the clock to answer two key questions: Can conservative Ronald Reagan possibly attract enough independent and Democratic votes to win in November?

"Reagan is the opponent of choice for Carter," says I. A. Lewis, director of the Los Angeles Times Poll, a point on which most analysts agree. "But Reagan can reach across and cause mischief in the Democratic constituency," Mr. Lewis says. "Reagan appeals to blue collar, working-class voters. He can win Democratic votes..."

[w1andsodidwe]

I remember that time so well. We were told that the outsider Reagan would go down to defeat. The Republican party establishment hated him. And he had been on TV which was just terrible. And I tell you the man had been divorced. There was no way he could win. It was hopeless.

And the end result was glorious. Just as it will be this time.

[Mr. Mojo]

Damn, at first I thought I’d entered a time warp. Oh well...

[Netz]

Did Reagan have the Republican party actively working against him at that time?

[conservative98]

"But as we've already seen," he says, "much of the eroded Bush support has gone to Reagan (Trump), not Baker (Cruz)." Neither party has power brokers any more, he says: "The candidates are organized like entrepreneurs, to win for themselves, not to deliver to someone else."

"Given the triumph of populism in politics today, the notion a candidate can enter late and take the nomination away from a candidate like Reagan (Trump), in it from the beginning, must be questioned," Mr. Ranney says.

-----------
Did they say populism? Shhhhh, don't tell Levin.

[Repeal 16-17]

It is freaky how history appears to repeating itself. Political déjà vu.

[proust]

Yes until he paid for the microphone.

[irishjuggler]

I remember Ronald Reagan. I remember 1980. Reagan was a gentleman, a class act and a principled conservative. The Donald is rude, crude, classless and is neither principled nor conservative. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, The Donald is practically Reagan’s clone and this is deja vu all over again. /s

[map]

No way Reagan can win. Have you seen the polls Carter vs. Reagan?

If the Republicans nominate Reagan it will be worse than Goldwater, 16 years ago. I can see Ford or Rockefeller or Scranton.

Reagan is a sure loser. You can bet on it.

[pepsionice]

Fox is anti-Reagan....aren’t they?

I sure hope that Jimmy can hold out. We wouldn’t want a President who would trigger riots across America as President.

You think that Jimmy will get the hostages out safely?

[Catsrus]

You are so full of propaganda BS. Trump is a world-class businessman. He isn’t rude - that’s just a figment of the MSM. He speaks his mind, just like Reagan did. I guess you haven’t seen the videos where Reagan tells a protestor to “shut up!” Would you consider that gentlemanly or classless? Probably so. Yourmisguided characterization of Trump is pathetic.

[Netz]

Reagan had to overcome obstacles but not to the same degree and venom as Trump is facing. It is an uphill battle.

[AlanGreenSpam]

Agreed about Trump vs. Reagan... Reagan was a consummate gentleman and had HUMBLE SELF-EFFACING HUMOR.

Trump is a blowhard. Always boasting. I wish he would lay off the ego stuff and take a page out of the Reagan book.

And unlike Trump, Reagan was actually quite the political intellectual in spite of how the Left portrayed him as stupid.

All one has to do is spend a glorious 30 minutes watching Reagan’s 1964 Speech to appreciate his superior intelligence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXBswFfh6AY

There is NO WAY Trump could ever write & present such a powerful political/economic speech. He’s just not in Reagan’s league.

Given the foregoing, perhaps Reagan’s civility wouldn’t work against the PC-Fascist left-wingers and Trump’s low-class New York bully persona is what we need to break up the left-wing socioeconomic FASCISM so rampant in our country.

[proust]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDO_W619978

[GLDNGUN]

It is freaky how history appears to repeating itself. Political déjà vu.

It's only going to get "freakier". We now have some GOP-e saying they will run a 3rd party candidate if Trump is the GOP nominee. SAME THING HAPPENED IN 1980 as just about everyone seems to have forgotten. First, the GOP said Reagan was too extreme and that he could never win a general election, especially against a sitting President. Indeed, Reagan was 20+ points down in the March, 1980 polls.

One of Reagan's GOP primary opponents was John Anderson. John Anderson said Reagan was too extreme and ran against Reagan and Carter as an independent. Now, Reagan's goose was really cooked, was it not? He not only had to battle a media-supported democrat with a huge lead, but now also a defector from his own party? Surely, Anderson would take votes away from Reagan, making him that much more of a longshot.

Anderson took about 7% of the popular vote but didn't win any states. Exit polls show he actually took as many votes away from Carter as he did Reagan. Of course, Reagan beat Carter by about 10% in an electoral landslide.

[Democratic-Republican]

It is freaky how history appears to repeating itself. Political déjà vu.

Exactly.

Marky Mark Levin: 'Waaaah, the era of Reagan is NOT over, dammit! Stop supporting populists!

~sigh~ no Mark, it is not over. It is simply repeating yet again, except that this time YOU are the one pulling for the Haig, Connally, Laxalt, Tower or whichever were regional conservatives that year.

Another great parallel to 1980 ... international press and leaders sticking their noses into our business.

This will not end well ... for them ... again.

[map]

Yeah, Jimmy can do it. He’s in the Rose Garden, strategizin’. No way Cowboy Reagan can beat the genius Jimmy-— have you seen the polls?-—shoot. Those hostages will be back before you can sing “Jimmah crack’ corn”.

[irishjuggler]

I guess you haven’t seen the videos where Reagan tells a protestor to “shut up!” Would you consider that gentlemanly or classless?

Gentlemanly. Reagan was tough on bullies. He wasn't going to be pushed around by bullies. Trump is the bully. Never in a million years would Reagan engage in petty little feuds with reporterettes like Trump is doing with Megyn Kelly. Never in a million years would Reagan refer to people who disagree with him as dogs and disgusting animals. Never in a million years would Ronald Reagan publicly mock people for their disabilities, appearance, etc.

[JimSEA]

Very true. Keep you’re beliefs ...

[Veracious Poet]