Yeah, I thought he would be a fun addition to the timeline. Do you have any suggestions for cabinet picks?
National Unity 1980: A John Anderson Presidency
- Thread starter Fighting Bob
- Start date
Chapter 10: The Revolt from the Right, Reagan's Gaffes, and the Fall Campaign of 1980
Chapter 10: The Revolt from the Right, Reagan's Gaffes, and the Fall Campaign of 1980
"How can you consider yourself to be a true conservative when you helped elect John Anderson ?" John Kasich during a debate with Ron Paul in 2008.
(Reagan visiting South Carolina)
Despite the optimism radiating from the Anderson campaign, there seemed to be little doubt among mainstream political circles that the next president would be neither Carter nor Anderson by October, it would be Reagan. While Anderson was likely to garner second place or a close third, he never surpassed Reagan in the polls throughout early October. Centrists were no longer afraid of his seemingly far-right agenda after his skillful debate performance. Though many of his positions were ridiculed and labeled as naive by policy experts Reagan was able to present them in a way as though they were rational and common sense ideas in a way that Barry Goldwater or George Wallace never quite learned how to do. And it wasn't just his sunny optimism propelling him to the West House either. The Left was divided and it seemed as though Reagan had just enough support from moderates to push him over the finish line, especially with Baker as his running mate. With evangelical support in the South and Anderson and Carter vote splitting in the North Reagan would tell his staff confidently that he wouldn't be surprised if he got over four hundred electoral votes, a claim which even the most loyal members of his inner circle had trouble taking seriously. Despite Reagan's naivety, no one could have faulted him for his high expectations and hope as many in the nation braced for his ascendancy to the Oval Office. Yet everything would start to go south, due to the emergence of one congressman from Georgia.
"I am running for the presidency because right now no true conservative candidate is running. Carter and Anderson are both liberals and Reagan is a liberal in conservative clothing," Larry McDonald announcing his candidacy.
(McDonald talking to reporters following his announcement).
Few who knew anything about Larry McDonald were surprised by his decision. Despite being a Democrat he made Francisco Franco seem like a progressive. No Republican in Congress could match his hardline voting record on issues like abortion, education, and defense and he was even a member of the infamous John Birch Society. He took a page right of McCarthyism as he constantly exposed their conspiracy theories regarding secret communist plots to destroy America. So radical was McDonald that he would call the up-and-coming Republican Congressman from his neighboring district, Newt Gingrich, "A Liberal." He had once been a proud supporter of Reagan and had campaigned for him in his primary challenge against Ford in 1976 and again in 1980. Yet as the year went on his discontent with Reagan grew. It all started when he heard that Reagan wanted to have Gerald Ford as his running mate a man McDonald considered to be no better than Nelson Rockefeller who he believed was only slightly better than Satan reincarnated. The way he saw it Reagan was sacrificing his conservative principles to placate the establishment, a move McDonald found to be despicable. The brief hope he held after Reagan announced that he wouldn't pick Ford was followed by rage when Reagan picked someone even worse. Following the selection of Howard Baker as Reagan's VP, McDonald withdrew his endorsement from Reagan and refused to campaign for him. The fact that Reagan had chosen a pro-choice running mate confirmed his suspicions that Reagan was not a true conservative. Yet he had not considered entering the race himself until the vice presidential debate. After witnessing Baker meandering his attempt to needle his way on the issue of abortion followed by his laughter after Udall had called him pro-choice he had had enough. Either Reagan would make Baker reverse his position or he would do something about it. Yet when reporters asked Reagan about Baker's comments he neither criticized him nor reaffirmed his pro-life stance.
"Well, Baker and I agree on most of the issues, and just because we don't see eye to eye on every minor position that doesn't mean I don't think that he'll make a great vice president."
"Minor issue?" McDonald thought. Did Reagan not even have the guts to stand up for the unborn? It was then that McDonald entered the race as an independent candidate on October 11th, asking his friends and fellow congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate. His announcement sent shockwaves across the political world and the dynamics would never be the same. His decision to enter the race at such a late date was a small comfort to Reagan as McDonald had no possibility of getting ballot access in all fifty states as election day was less than a month away. Yet with such devoted followers, McDonald was able to get ballot access where it mattered, across the South and some Western states. Funding was also not an issue for McDonald. He was a skilled fundraiser and was soon issuing ads attacking Baker's pro-choice views from Virginia to Texas. Notoriety and coverage also weren't hard to come by as the media spent ample time covering his sensationalist campaign and he received endorsements from prominent evangelical pastors like Jim Bakker who were upset with Reagan for choosing Baker. While he never polled more than five percent nationally by election day McDonald's support in several deep southern states reached the double digits. Despite being unfazed in public Reagan was terrified about McDonald. With less support from the Moral Majority and the South he couldn't win outright so he went on the attack. He had his staff do up all the dirt they could find at McDonald yet nothing could stick to him as he remained as popular in the region as George Wallace had been. It was then that Reagan started to overact. In a speech in Jackson Mississippi, he would first call McDonald a racist and a latter-day segregationist and then as his temper flared under the hot southern sun "a Nazi."
(Reagan in Mississippi before going on a tirade against McDonald)
The remarks would completely backfire as he brought more attention to his opponent's campaign and McDonald hammered Reagan for comparing him to Hitler. Reagan would be forced to apologize and his public image would be damaged. Unfortunately for him, he didn't just make gaffes when he talked about McDonald. Several off-the-cuff remarks he made in the North would be laughed out to no end by the press especially when he claimed that "trees cause more pollution than cars." Yet all of his gaffes would pale to the remarks he made in his Native California on October 23rd. In an attempt to bolster his foreign policy credentials, Reagan would announce his anti-ballistic missile system which he referred to as, "STAR WARS," in which he called for for lasers to be used to shoot down nuclear weapons before they reached the United States. His speech would be torn apart by both Anderson's and Carter's campaigns in attack ads that were shown across the country. Reagan had once seemed so presidential yet his remarks made the American Public take him less and less seriously. The only solace he had was that things weren't going very well for Carter either. He still had not gotten the hostages back from Iran while the energy crisis and inflation were still tearing the economy apart. And even worse, Kennedy had still refused to endorse him outright. He refused to campaign with Carter as did many other national Democrats who were secretly or openly backing Anderson after Udall had jumped ship to his campaign. The only candidate who seemed to have his head above water it seemed was Anderson. Despite being heavily attacked by the Carter campaign Anderson remained popular as voters reacted negatively to Carter's pessimism. Towards the end of the month with both his opponents declining in approval Gallup would release a poll that voters just a few weeks prior would not have believed. Anderson was tied with Reagan.
Reagan/Baker: 35%
Anderson/Udall: 35%
Carter/Mondale: 27%
McDonald/Paul: 3%
As Reagan saw the poll he wished he had taken back all his decisions since September. He should have listened to his advisors and Nancy and should have never met with Anderson, he should have just debated him without Carter a move which would have likely delegitimized Anderson, and he should have listened to his advisors when they told him that Anderson was taking as much support from his campaign as Carters. But Reagan was ever the optimist. Another debate would be held on the 28th and in that debate he was sure that he would finally put an end to Anderson's ambitions.
"How can you consider yourself to be a true conservative when you helped elect John Anderson ?" John Kasich during a debate with Ron Paul in 2008.
(Reagan visiting South Carolina)
Despite the optimism radiating from the Anderson campaign, there seemed to be little doubt among mainstream political circles that the next president would be neither Carter nor Anderson by October, it would be Reagan. While Anderson was likely to garner second place or a close third, he never surpassed Reagan in the polls throughout early October. Centrists were no longer afraid of his seemingly far-right agenda after his skillful debate performance. Though many of his positions were ridiculed and labeled as naive by policy experts Reagan was able to present them in a way as though they were rational and common sense ideas in a way that Barry Goldwater or George Wallace never quite learned how to do. And it wasn't just his sunny optimism propelling him to the West House either. The Left was divided and it seemed as though Reagan had just enough support from moderates to push him over the finish line, especially with Baker as his running mate. With evangelical support in the South and Anderson and Carter vote splitting in the North Reagan would tell his staff confidently that he wouldn't be surprised if he got over four hundred electoral votes, a claim which even the most loyal members of his inner circle had trouble taking seriously. Despite Reagan's naivety, no one could have faulted him for his high expectations and hope as many in the nation braced for his ascendancy to the Oval Office. Yet everything would start to go south, due to the emergence of one congressman from Georgia.
"I am running for the presidency because right now no true conservative candidate is running. Carter and Anderson are both liberals and Reagan is a liberal in conservative clothing," Larry McDonald announcing his candidacy.
(McDonald talking to reporters following his announcement).
Few who knew anything about Larry McDonald were surprised by his decision. Despite being a Democrat he made Francisco Franco seem like a progressive. No Republican in Congress could match his hardline voting record on issues like abortion, education, and defense and he was even a member of the infamous John Birch Society. He took a page right of McCarthyism as he constantly exposed their conspiracy theories regarding secret communist plots to destroy America. So radical was McDonald that he would call the up-and-coming Republican Congressman from his neighboring district, Newt Gingrich, "A Liberal." He had once been a proud supporter of Reagan and had campaigned for him in his primary challenge against Ford in 1976 and again in 1980. Yet as the year went on his discontent with Reagan grew. It all started when he heard that Reagan wanted to have Gerald Ford as his running mate a man McDonald considered to be no better than Nelson Rockefeller who he believed was only slightly better than Satan reincarnated. The way he saw it Reagan was sacrificing his conservative principles to placate the establishment, a move McDonald found to be despicable. The brief hope he held after Reagan announced that he wouldn't pick Ford was followed by rage when Reagan picked someone even worse. Following the selection of Howard Baker as Reagan's VP, McDonald withdrew his endorsement from Reagan and refused to campaign for him. The fact that Reagan had chosen a pro-choice running mate confirmed his suspicions that Reagan was not a true conservative. Yet he had not considered entering the race himself until the vice presidential debate. After witnessing Baker meandering his attempt to needle his way on the issue of abortion followed by his laughter after Udall had called him pro-choice he had had enough. Either Reagan would make Baker reverse his position or he would do something about it. Yet when reporters asked Reagan about Baker's comments he neither criticized him nor reaffirmed his pro-life stance.
"Well, Baker and I agree on most of the issues, and just because we don't see eye to eye on every minor position that doesn't mean I don't think that he'll make a great vice president."
"Minor issue?" McDonald thought. Did Reagan not even have the guts to stand up for the unborn? It was then that McDonald entered the race as an independent candidate on October 11th, asking his friends and fellow congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate. His announcement sent shockwaves across the political world and the dynamics would never be the same. His decision to enter the race at such a late date was a small comfort to Reagan as McDonald had no possibility of getting ballot access in all fifty states as election day was less than a month away. Yet with such devoted followers, McDonald was able to get ballot access where it mattered, across the South and some Western states. Funding was also not an issue for McDonald. He was a skilled fundraiser and was soon issuing ads attacking Baker's pro-choice views from Virginia to Texas. Notoriety and coverage also weren't hard to come by as the media spent ample time covering his sensationalist campaign and he received endorsements from prominent evangelical pastors like Jim Bakker who were upset with Reagan for choosing Baker. While he never polled more than five percent nationally by election day McDonald's support in several deep southern states reached the double digits. Despite being unfazed in public Reagan was terrified about McDonald. With less support from the Moral Majority and the South he couldn't win outright so he went on the attack. He had his staff do up all the dirt they could find at McDonald yet nothing could stick to him as he remained as popular in the region as George Wallace had been. It was then that Reagan started to overact. In a speech in Jackson Mississippi, he would first call McDonald a racist and a latter-day segregationist and then as his temper flared under the hot southern sun "a Nazi."
(Reagan in Mississippi before going on a tirade against McDonald)
The remarks would completely backfire as he brought more attention to his opponent's campaign and McDonald hammered Reagan for comparing him to Hitler. Reagan would be forced to apologize and his public image would be damaged. Unfortunately for him, he didn't just make gaffes when he talked about McDonald. Several off-the-cuff remarks he made in the North would be laughed out to no end by the press especially when he claimed that "trees cause more pollution than cars." Yet all of his gaffes would pale to the remarks he made in his Native California on October 23rd. In an attempt to bolster his foreign policy credentials, Reagan would announce his anti-ballistic missile system which he referred to as, "STAR WARS," in which he called for for lasers to be used to shoot down nuclear weapons before they reached the United States. His speech would be torn apart by both Anderson's and Carter's campaigns in attack ads that were shown across the country. Reagan had once seemed so presidential yet his remarks made the American Public take him less and less seriously. The only solace he had was that things weren't going very well for Carter either. He still had not gotten the hostages back from Iran while the energy crisis and inflation were still tearing the economy apart. And even worse, Kennedy had still refused to endorse him outright. He refused to campaign with Carter as did many other national Democrats who were secretly or openly backing Anderson after Udall had jumped ship to his campaign. The only candidate who seemed to have his head above water it seemed was Anderson. Despite being heavily attacked by the Carter campaign Anderson remained popular as voters reacted negatively to Carter's pessimism. Towards the end of the month with both his opponents declining in approval Gallup would release a poll that voters just a few weeks prior would not have believed. Anderson was tied with Reagan.
Reagan/Baker: 35%
Anderson/Udall: 35%
Carter/Mondale: 27%
McDonald/Paul: 3%
As Reagan saw the poll he wished he had taken back all his decisions since September. He should have listened to his advisors and Nancy and should have never met with Anderson, he should have just debated him without Carter a move which would have likely delegitimized Anderson, and he should have listened to his advisors when they told him that Anderson was taking as much support from his campaign as Carters. But Reagan was ever the optimist. Another debate would be held on the 28th and in that debate he was sure that he would finally put an end to Anderson's ambitions.
Sorry, I thought I'd be able to reply earlier. I should be able to give another update by sometime next week I would be happy to take any suggestions for Anderson's cabinet.
"I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for that meddling Larry McDonald"Chapter 10: The Revolt from the Right, Reagan's Gaffes, and the Fall Campaign of 1980
"How can you consider yourself to be a true conservative when you helped elect John Anderson ?" John Kasich during a debate with Ron Paul in 2008.
(Reagan visiting South Carolina)
Despite the optimism radiating from the Anderson campaign, there seemed to be little doubt among mainstream political circles that the next president would be neither Carter nor Anderson by October, it would be Reagan. While Anderson was likely to garner second place or a close third, he never surpassed Reagan in the polls throughout early October. Centrists were no longer afraid of his seemingly far-right agenda after his skillful debate performance. Though many of his positions were ridiculed and labeled as naive by policy experts Reagan was able to present them in a way as though they were rational and common sense ideas in a way that Barry Goldwater or George Wallace never quite learned how to do. And it wasn't just his sunny optimism propelling him to the West House either. The Left was divided and it seemed as though Reagan had just enough support from moderates to push him over the finish line, especially with Baker as his running mate. With evangelical support in the South and Anderson and Carter vote splitting in the North Reagan would tell his staff confidently that he wouldn't be surprised if he got over four hundred electoral votes, a claim which even the most loyal members of his inner circle had trouble taking seriously. Despite Reagan's naivety, no one could have faulted him for his high expectations and hope as many in the nation braced for his ascendancy to the Oval Office. Yet everything would start to go south, due to the emergence of one congressman from Georgia.
"I am running for the presidency because right now no true conservative candidate is running. Carter and Anderson are both liberals and Reagan is a liberal in conservative clothing," Larry McDonald announcing his candidacy.
(McDonald talking to reporters following his announcement).
Few who knew anything about Larry McDonald were surprised by his decision. Despite being a Democrat he made Francisco Franco seem like a progressive. No Republican in Congress could match his hardline voting record on issues like abortion, education, and defense and he was even a member of the infamous John Birch Society. He took a page right of McCarthyism as he constantly exposed their conspiracy theories regarding secret communist plots to destroy America. So radical was McDonald that he would call the up-and-coming Republican Congressman from his neighboring district, Newt Gingrich, "A Liberal." He had once been a proud supporter of Reagan and had campaigned for him in his primary challenge against Ford in 1976 and again in 1980. Yet as the year went on his discontent with Reagan grew. It all started when he heard that Reagan wanted to have Gerald Ford as his running mate a man McDonald considered to be no better than Nelson Rockefeller who he believed was only slightly better than Satan reincarnated. The way he saw it Reagan was sacrificing his conservative principles to placate the establishment, a move McDonald found to be despicable. The brief hope he held after Reagan announced that he wouldn't pick Ford was followed by rage when Reagan picked someone even worse. Following the selection of Howard Baker as Reagan's VP, McDonald withdrew his endorsement from Reagan and refused to campaign for him. The fact that Reagan had chosen a pro-choice running mate confirmed his suspicions that Reagan was not a true conservative. Yet he had not considered entering the race himself until the vice presidential debate. After witnessing Baker meandering his attempt to needle his way on the issue of abortion followed by his laughter after Udall had called him pro-choice he had had enough. Either Reagan would make Baker reverse his position or he would do something about it. Yet when reporters asked Reagan about Baker's comments he neither criticized him nor reaffirmed his pro-life stance.
"Well, Baker and I agree on most of the issues, and just because we don't see eye to eye on every minor position that doesn't mean I don't think that he'll make a great vice president."
"Minor issue?" McDonald thought. Did Reagan not even have the guts to stand up for the unborn? It was then that McDonald entered the race as an independent candidate on October 11th, asking his friends and fellow congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate. His announcement sent shockwaves across the political world and the dynamics would never be the same. His decision to enter the race at such a late date was a small comfort to Reagan as McDonald had no possibility of getting ballot access in all fifty states as election day was less than a month away. Yet with such devoted followers, McDonald was able to get ballot access where it mattered, across the South and some Western states. Funding was also not an issue for McDonald. He was a skilled fundraiser and was soon issuing ads attacking Baker's pro-choice views from Virginia to Texas. Notoriety and coverage also weren't hard to come by as the media spent ample time covering his sensationalist campaign and he received endorsements from prominent evangelical pastors like Jim Bakker who were upset with Reagan for choosing Baker. While he never polled more than five percent nationally by election day McDonald's support in several deep southern states reached the double digits. Despite being unfazed in public Reagan was terrified about McDonald. With less support from the Moral Majority and the South he couldn't win outright so he went on the attack. He had his staff do up all the dirt they could find at McDonald yet nothing could stick to him as he remained as popular in the region as George Wallace had been. It was then that Reagan started to overact. In a speech in Jackson Mississippi, he would first call McDonald a racist and a latter-day segregationist and then as his temper flared under the hot southern sun "a Nazi."
(Reagan in Mississippi before going on a tirade against McDonald)
The remarks would completely backfire as he brought more attention to his opponent's campaign and McDonald hammered Reagan for comparing him to Hitler. Reagan would be forced to apologize and his public image would be damaged. Unfortunately for him, he didn't just make gaffes when he talked about McDonald. Several off-the-cuff remarks he made in the North would be laughed out to no end by the press especially when he claimed that "trees cause more pollution than cars." Yet all of his gaffes would pale to the remarks he made in his Native California on October 23rd. In an attempt to bolster his foreign policy credentials, Reagan would announce his anti-ballistic missile system which he referred to as, "STAR WARS," in which he called for for lasers to be used to shoot down nuclear weapons before they reached the United States. His speech would be torn apart by both Anderson's and Carter's campaigns in attack ads that were shown across the country. Reagan had once seemed so presidential yet his remarks made the American Public take him less and less seriously. The only solace he had was that things weren't going very well for Carter either. He still had not gotten the hostages back from Iran while the energy crisis and inflation were still tearing the economy apart. And even worse, Kennedy had still refused to endorse him outright. He refused to campaign with Carter as did many other national Democrats who were secretly or openly backing Anderson after Udall had jumped ship to his campaign. The only candidate who seemed to have his head above water it seemed was Anderson. Despite being heavily attacked by the Carter campaign Anderson remained popular as voters reacted negatively to Carter's pessimism. Towards the end of the month with both his opponents declining in approval Gallup would release a poll that voters just a few weeks prior would not have believed. Anderson was tied with Reagan.
Reagan/Baker: 35%
Anderson/Udall: 35%
Carter/Mondale: 27%
McDonald/Paul: 3%
As Reagan saw the poll he wished he had taken back all his decisions since September. He should have listened to his advisors and Nancy and should have never met with Anderson, he should have just debated him without Carter a move which would have likely delegitimized Anderson, and he should have listened to his advisors when they told him that Anderson was taking as much support from his campaign as Carters. But Reagan was ever the optimist. Another debate would be held on the 28th and in that debate he was sure that he would finally put an end to Anderson's ambitions.