Posted on 10/25/2002 9:17:17 AM PDT by FrankBlaze
How the press always "presumes" CA as totally liberal even though 3 of the last "conservative" initiatives passed overwhelmly. The press ignores this, assuming CA is hugely liberal and writing off a "conservative victory" as extremist or deviant and liberal victories as normal and "the way reality is."
In fact, of course, universal conventional wisdom in 1966, and, for that matter, in 1976 and 1980 when he ran for president, was that Reagan could not be elected. One day a few weeks before the ’76 GOP primary in Indiana, where I was working in a very minor capacity for the Reagan effort, I happened to find myself on an airplane across the aisle from a pair of Jimmy Carter campaign staffers. We all were wearing our campaign buttons, and you would have thought I was their long, lost wealthy uncle come home to dole out the fortune. They were all over me. These political pros considered the whole Reagan campaign as nothing less than an unofficial arm of the Carter effort. If we Reaganites could just find a way to take the nomination from Gerald Ford, November would be a formality. Reagan winning never crossed their minds. And so it always is: with Pat Brown “helping” Reagan win the ’66 GOP primary over San Francisco Mayor George Christopher and Gray Davis “helping” Bill Simon topple LA Mayor Dick Riordan. As the San Diego Union-Tribune put it recently: “While Davis was wary of going against Riordan in November, he salivated at the prospect of facing Simon.” The supporting rationales come and go, but the certitude never wavers.
In fact, of course, universal conventional wisdom in 1966, and, for that matter, in 1976 and 1980 when he ran for president, was that Reagan could not be elected. One day a few weeks before the ’76 GOP primary in Indiana, where I was working in a very minor capacity for the Reagan effort, I happened to find myself on an airplane across the aisle from a pair of Jimmy Carter campaign staffers. We all were wearing our campaign buttons, and you would have thought I was their long, lost wealthy uncle come home to dole out the fortune. They were all over me. These political pros considered the whole Reagan campaign as nothing less than an unofficial arm of the Carter effort. If we Reaganites could just find a way to take the nomination from Gerald Ford, November would be a formality. Reagan winning never crossed their minds. And so it always is: with Pat Brown “helping” Reagan win the ’66 GOP primary over San Francisco Mayor George Christopher and Gray Davis “helping” Bill Simon topple LA Mayor Dick Riordan. As the San Diego Union-Tribune put it recently: “While Davis was wary of going against Riordan in November, he salivated at the prospect of facing Simon.” The supporting rationales come and go, but the certitude never wavers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.