Ronald Reagan was on the ropes after the Iowa caucuses. His campaign staff was a mess with John Sears still at the helm, they were practically out of money, Reagan was down in national GOP polls to Bush and was being written off.
Then he went to NH, where he had lost in 1976. He fired Sears, brought in Bill Casey, went on a 2 week personal barnstorming tour of NH, snookered Bush at the NH debate, ("I paid for this microphone, Mr. Green") and walked away from the NH primary with 51% of the vote in a multi-candidate field.
It still wasn't over. He had a setback in Florida and coujldn't afford to contest Pennsylvania but the ship had been righted and he went on to the nomination.
Even in the general election, he didn't pull away from Carter 'til the debate, 8 days before the election. As you said, he had to fight tooth and nail to win in '80 against a man the country was looking for an excuse to fire. The MSM had done a number on him like they have with Palin.
Lots of parallels to today.
No kidding, it's almost uncanny. Sarah is liked, she can state issues in everyday language, the media hates her, and the tea party as momentum. I'm not a Palin supporter at this time, but I am looking at her as a serious candidate. Right now, she's my personal frontrunner.
Everything you said is true about Reagan's campaign, he was viewed as the underdog. He'd never win, he tried 3 times. He was pro America, clinging to his God and guns. Sarah is Pro America, he was a buffoon, Sarah is a buffoon, he was just an actor, Sarah is just a hick. She's been through the vetting process, Owebama could never survive what Palin went through.
At this point in time, she has the best chance to win. And she's conservative. I'll never hold my nose again.
Yes, indeed, lots of parallels to today.
And just think, he “could” have won election in ‘68, but Nixon managed to win the nomination in round one at the Convention. The second round of voting would have seen RWR the victor.
All of which only means: Trust Sarah Palin;s “timing”.
She has the keenest political instincts and mind since RWR.
I remember that, he was everywhere. I was ineligible for the 1976 election by 6 weeks, so I was really focused on the 1980 election. I absorbed it all. By then, I was a new mom, the hostages, gas lines, the misery index, all of it. Carter was a mess. I never thought we'd experience it again. Now, it's Carter times 4. Owebama is THE WORST PRESIDENT THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER HAD......
EVER
Palin can win, and she'll restore our country with people in congress like Paul Ryan taking care of the finances.