Bicentennial Man: Ford '76 and Beyond

In my state's defense, we don't like people from Mass coming up and trying to use us.
Those freakin' Massholes amirite??
I love this TL but it is quite a dystopia at the moment. @KingSweden24 pulls it off incredibly well though
Thank you! I try not to make it toooo dystopic, though; I'm sure people in Iran, Somalia or South Korea would probably say they're happy with how things are going ITTL if they were given the choice (perhaps even Zimbabwe-Rhodesia)
 
Yup. Also people coming up for politics, saying "they uphold NH values" meaning whatver they want it to, then leave us until the next election, while we endure months of ads. On TV, on radio, in the mailbox, in the goddamn milk carton.....
I couldn’t imagine owning a television in a swing state/early primary state every four years
 
New Hampshire's snowy, granite hills and bucolic small New England townships would, a month after the inconclusive Iowa caucuses did little to clear up the picture for either party, reveal themselves a major proving ground in what was already becoming an acrimonious and acidic primary on the Republican side.

Wonderful chapter, my friend. It is a joy to read this in a breeze.

The Dole campaign really is hanging on by a thread; I'm unsurprised that after the rough '70s people would want change. Reagan, of course, would be the one to benefit from attacking the incumbent administration. I must say that I'm amused that John Connally, notorious wheeler-dealer and overall not the cleanest individual, is marketing himself as a New Start. Overall great, great developments wrt the GOP primaries.

I'm very much unsurprised that Dukakis completely flamed out; Says a lot about the 80s Dems that he was a nominee IOTL. As expected, the nomination really ends up boiling down to a Carey-Askew slugfest (dream ticket material right here, natch); Udall, to my regret, has faltered, but both Carey and Askew are great potential nominees. The Man Who Saved New York and Reubin the Good, so to say. I'm looking forward to the next set of primaries indeed; though usually I'd hope there would be an undisputed nominee, a brokered convention would possibly be very, very interesting to see.

As always, thank you for the effort, pal. It's a really neat job you've done.
 
Wonderful chapter, my friend. It is a joy to read this in a breeze.

The Dole campaign really is hanging on by a thread; I'm unsurprised that after the rough '70s people would want change. Reagan, of course, would be the one to benefit from attacking the incumbent administration. I must say that I'm amused that John Connally, notorious wheeler-dealer and overall not the cleanest individual, is marketing himself as a New Start. Overall great, great developments wrt the GOP primaries.

I'm very much unsurprised that Dukakis completely flamed out; Says a lot about the 80s Dems that he was a nominee IOTL. As expected, the nomination really ends up boiling down to a Carey-Askew slugfest (dream ticket material right here, natch); Udall, to my regret, has faltered, but both Carey and Askew are great potential nominees. The Man Who Saved New York and Reubin the Good, so to say. I'm looking forward to the next set of primaries indeed; though usually I'd hope there would be an undisputed nominee, a brokered convention would possibly be very, very interesting to see.

As always, thank you for the effort, pal. It's a really neat job you've done.
What a kind comment to come back to from the gym! I appreciate that immensely. Yeah, an old-fashioned pol like Connally is no stranger to hypocritical reinventions and pretending grease is not in fact grease, and it’s been fun writing him as a much more formidable foil to Reagan (no Carter and the travails of Ford make it much harder for the Gipper to position himself as a savior)
 
What a kind comment to come back to from the gym! I appreciate that immensely. Yeah, an old-fashioned pol like Connally is no stranger to hypocritical reinventions and pretending grease is not in fact grease, and it’s been fun writing him as a much more formidable foil to Reagan (no Carter and the travails of Ford make it much harder for the Gipper to position himself as a savior)

You're very welcome, my friend. I'm always entertained by Big Bad John; a first-rate political animal, always ready to shank someone else as long as he ends up on top, be it as LBJ's bagman, Texas Guv'nor, Treasury Secretary (remembering that the Nixon Shock was his doing), party-switcher, and defendant in a corruption trial, Connally is one hell of a personality and his ability to always slip through and try again is impressive in its audacity as it is maddening.

Indeed, good 'ol Ronnie can't keep at being the shiny, sunny grandpa/reverse FDR that will save America from itself (though he will try); in order to win a bloodier primary he probably has to get down to the wire and start out-reactionarying the other candidates, which by then his relative extremism may end up being an issue in the general election, after 12 years of Republican stagnation.
 
You're very welcome, my friend. I'm always entertained by Big Bad John; a first-rate political animal, always ready to shank someone else as long as he ends up on top, be it as LBJ's bagman, Texas Guv'nor, Treasury Secretary (remembering that the Nixon Shock was his doing), party-switcher, and defendant in a corruption trial, Connally is one hell of a personality and his ability to always slip through and try again is impressive in its audacity as it is maddening.

Indeed, good 'ol Ronnie can't keep at being the shiny, sunny grandpa/reverse FDR that will save America from itself (though he will try); in order to win a bloodier primary he probably has to get down to the wire and start out-reactionarying the other candidates, which by then his relative extremism may end up being an issue in the general election, after 12 years of Republican stagnation.
You're reading what is about to unfold in the GOP primary very ably.

If it is down to Carey or Askew, I'd be rooting for Reubin myself.
I've found something to like about both men, though both certainly have their flaws as politicians, too
 
Wonderful chapter, my friend. It is a joy to read this in a breeze.

The Dole campaign really is hanging on by a thread; I'm unsurprised that after the rough '70s people would want change. Reagan, of course, would be the one to benefit from attacking the incumbent administration. I must say that I'm amused that John Connally, notorious wheeler-dealer and overall not the cleanest individual, is marketing himself as a New Start. Overall great, great developments wrt the GOP primaries.
Let me double down on the praise here. I can actually buy that Dole would have support in 1979-1980. In the 1970s there were still a lot of Old School Republicans who flocked to defend the incumbent, who thought Nixon should not have resigned in 1974 and that would have supported Ford in 1980 if he actually ran. So it is not surprising that many of them would rally behind Vice president Dole in 1980. As for Connally, I do think he has the right combination of self confidence, shameless less and self delusion to think that with enough money and clever marketing he could brand himself the "new start" candidate.
 
Let me double down on the praise here. I can actually buy that Dole would have support in 1979-1980. In the 1970s there were still a lot of Old School Republicans who flocked to defend the incumbent, who thought Nixon should not have resigned in 1974 and that would have supported Ford in 1980 if he actually ran. So it is not surprising that many of them would rally behind Vice president Dole in 1980. As for Connally, I do think he has the right combination of self confidence, shameless less and self delusion to think that with enough money and clever marketing he could brand himself the "new start" candidate.
Indeed. The “next in line” mentality that dominated the GOP from Teddy Roosevelt onwards did not really end until recently. Hell, Dole was the clear cut frontrunner in 1996 despite generating near zero enthusiasm from anybody
 
Indeed. The “next in line” mentality that dominated the GOP from Teddy Roosevelt onwards did not really end until recently. Hell, Dole was the clear cut frontrunner in 1996 despite generating near zero enthusiasm from anybody
Keep in mind this was the Cold War, and similar to OTL the clock is set a few minutes closer to midnight. Even without ads warning about mushroom clouds many voters are going to have the fear of Nuclear War in mind when weighing up their options. Foreign policy credentials and experience mattered more in the Cold War than in the Post Cold War period, hence Connally and Dole have a leg up over the actor Reagan.
 
You're reading what is about to unfold in the GOP primary very ably.

Haha, you flatter me, but thank you. I had a semblance of possible results from skimming past threads about scenarios like that and etc. IOTL Reagan really only had a blip in Iowa due to John Sears being too clever by half wrt to barely campaigning; by NH Reagan '80 was in full roll. This was possible in good part because Carter was a very, very easy scapegoat to obscure the nastier parts of Reagan's record (Social Security, the racism with Nixon against African representatives, etc.). In a scenario where he's struggling against his own party once again, it's gonna be a tougher fight due to having to run on his record and fend off more damaging attacks from Dole, Connally, and co.

Let me double down on the praise here. I can actually buy that Dole would have support in 1979-1980. In the 1970s there were still a lot of Old School Republicans who flocked to defend the incumbent, who thought Nixon should not have resigned in 1974 and that would have supported Ford in 1980 if he actually ran. So it is not surprising that many of them would rally behind Vice president Dole in 1980. As for Connally, I do think he has the right combination of self confidence, shameless less and self delusion to think that with enough money and clever marketing he could brand himself the "new start" candidate.

I guess the establishment never really was dead, indeed; you're right. If everything fell into place, Ford IOTL could have made a serious run in 1980 and clinched the nomination even from Reagan (iirc he polled better). Nonetheless, as a non-incumbent he'd have an even harder time than he would have done in 1976. I'm getting sidetracked, but you're right in that Dole would have some semblance of support, at least from establishment GOPers trying to keep the 'nuts' out.
Connally is definitely a bombastic character, larger-than-life, and thus his ego knows no bounds. I assume most of y'all have already seen this article, but here's an excellent breakdown of his personality and antics: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-truth-about-john-connally/

Indeed. The “next in line” mentality that dominated the GOP from Teddy Roosevelt onwards did not really end until recently. Hell, Dole was the clear cut frontrunner in 1996 despite generating near zero enthusiasm from anybody

It really is very predominant; Reagan in 1980, Dole in 1996, McCain in 2008. Though Dole in '96 I'd say was really kind of a byproduct of Clinton's triangulation and Gingrich just completely trashing his party with the shutdowns and etc. Even then, if Bush Sr. had a VP other than Dan Quayle, bless his heart, that VP could have probably ran away with the nomination; say, Deukmejian or Lamar Alexander. Dole basically took one for the team in that election.
 
I've found something to like about both men, though both certainly have their flaws as politicians, too
Since I imagine their flaws as politicians are going to be center stage in the primary fight, let me ask -- what do you like about Carey and Askew as men (outside of slogans like "the man who saved New York, etc)?
 
Keep in mind this was the Cold War, and similar to OTL the clock is set a few minutes closer to midnight. Even without ads warning about mushroom clouds many voters are going to have the fear of Nuclear War in mind when weighing up their options. Foreign policy credentials and experience mattered more in the Cold War than in the Post Cold War period, hence Connally and Dole have a leg up over the actor Reagan.
A good point!
Haha, you flatter me, but thank you. I had a semblance of possible results from skimming past threads about scenarios like that and etc. IOTL Reagan really only had a blip in Iowa due to John Sears being too clever by half wrt to barely campaigning; by NH Reagan '80 was in full roll. This was possible in good part because Carter was a very, very easy scapegoat to obscure the nastier parts of Reagan's record (Social Security, the racism with Nixon against African representatives, etc.). In a scenario where he's struggling against his own party once again, it's gonna be a tougher fight due to having to run on his record and fend off more damaging attacks from Dole, Connally, and co.



I guess the establishment never really was dead, indeed; you're right. If everything fell into place, Ford IOTL could have made a serious run in 1980 and clinched the nomination even from Reagan (iirc he polled better). Nonetheless, as a non-incumbent he'd have an even harder time than he would have done in 1976. I'm getting sidetracked, but you're right in that Dole would have some semblance of support, at least from establishment GOPers trying to keep the 'nuts' out.
Connally is definitely a bombastic character, larger-than-life, and thus his ego knows no bounds. I assume most of y'all have already seen this article, but here's an excellent breakdown of his personality and antics: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/the-truth-about-john-connally/



It really is very predominant; Reagan in 1980, Dole in 1996, McCain in 2008. Though Dole in '96 I'd say was really kind of a byproduct of Clinton's triangulation and Gingrich just completely trashing his party with the shutdowns and etc. Even then, if Bush Sr. had a VP other than Dan Quayle, bless his heart, that VP could have probably ran away with the nomination; say, Deukmejian or Lamar Alexander. Dole basically took one for the team in that election.
The other POD I considered before going with this much simpler one was if the Reagan-Ford "superticket" had emerged in 1980 and then Hinckley was successful, for what its worth. Lol. I'd still read the hell out of that timeline though!

Since I imagine their flaws as politicians are going to be center stage in the primary fight, let me ask -- what do you like about Carey and Askew as men (outside of slogans like "the man who saved New York, etc)?
Askew's Mr. Rogers persona and genuine New South commitments I find quite appealing. That said I think they were a double edged sword; he may very well have come across as "too nice" for a general electorate, especially with the Soviet Union.

Carey's no-nonsense old-school labor Dem ways I find appealing (which is odd since I'm personally the epitome of the modern suburban white-collar college-educated centrist). That said, it's been pointed out elsewhere in this TL that Carey had a bit of Dukakis in him - overly sure of his own brilliance, prickly, a little wonky as a Governor. Hard to say, the source was fairly slanted against him.
 
Carey's no-nonsense old-school labor Dem ways I find appealing (which is odd since I'm personally the epitome of the modern suburban white-collar college-educated centrist). That said, it's been pointed out elsewhere in this TL that Carey had a bit of Dukakis in him - overly sure of his own brilliance, prickly, a little wonky as a Governor. Hard to say, the source was fairly slanted against him.
Carey's old school Irish Blue collar burly no nonsense attitude could rub people the wrong way and I can see it happening in a Presidential Campaign.
 
Top