[Wright is right!]

"Nixon in 1968, who was not an incumbent, was more likeable than Hubert Humphrey, AKA The Happy Warrior?"

To enough pipple in order to elect him. Our view of Noxin today is a lot different than it was back then. Common Tator had a specific analysis of that race and perhaps he'll wander by and enlighten us.

Michael

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Well, if all that the theory means is that the person who gets elected was, by definition, more likeable, then the theory doesn't tell us anything at all.

I was around in '68, and I think most objective observers would have concluded that Humphrey was the more likeable candidate.

Nixon was the sourpuss who had famously stated after losing the '64 CA governor's race that the press wouldn't have him to kick around anymore, because that was his last race. He was a glum figure.

Humphrey's loss was probably due to the riots at the Chicago convention, the notion that he hadn't stood up to LBJ on Vietnam, and perhaps the view that Nixon was tougher or better on foreign policy.

But I think it's impossible to argue that Nixon was more likeable. Humphrey was well liked and admired by people across party lines.