alternatehistory.com
Jackson and Iacocca
May 6th, 1987
“In 1988 there are already four Democrats running for President. Just as I said in 1984, I will say it again - You got a vote, you got a chance, you got hope.
Your choice is between members of the Democratic establishment, the ones who lost in 1984, who lost in 1980, who continue to lose.
The Gary Hart of 1988 is no different than the Walter Mondale of 1984. They will never listen to you, to any of you.
There’s a positive and negative aspect to everything. Four years ago they marginalized us, that was the negative. The positive was that they underestimated us.
For centuries we have been underestimated. Well, I can say with confidence that after this election no one, and I say no one, in Washington or anywhere else will ever underestimate or marginalize us again.
Many of you out there, broken by the system that tries too hard to snap us like twigs, must feel hopeless. For all the hopeless, there’s only one choice.
You can choose to vote for hope.
Hope. Jackson fights for homeowners.
Hope. Jackson fights to raise the minimum wage.
Hope. Jackson fights for equal pay for working women.
Hope. Jackson fights for daycare for kids.
Hope. Jackson fights to save our farms.
Hope. He fights to stop the flow of drugs.
Hope. He fights for the people.
Hope. And we the people will win.
Thank you all very much.”
-The Reverend Jesse Jackson, announcing his candidacy in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, Alabama
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May 8th, 1987
Gallup Poll of Current Democratic Candidates
Gary Hart - 40%
Jesse Jackson - 27%
Richard Gephardt - 15%
Al Gore - 10%
Bruce Babbitt - 8%
Gallup Poll of Current Republican Candidates
George H.W. Bush - 65%
Dan Quayle - 19%
Jack Kemp - 10%
Al Haig - 6%
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May 9th, 1987
“Tip, what do you think about me running for President?”
Neither Lee Iacocca, the chair of Chrysler who had been hailed as a hero in both the industrial and national spotlights in the last year for his work saving his company, or Tip O’Neill, the five-time Speaker of the House, had time for small talk. Iacocca had just sat down as he began.
“Of what?” O’Neill said back, displaying his natural charm and humor that had pushed him to the forefront of Democratic politics for the last two decades. He knew they had had this exact same conversation each year since 1982, and yet here they were again.
“Are you crazy?” O’Neill continued, getting more serious, “You gotta be nuts. You’re a businessman. You don’t have the temperament for it.”
“Better a businessman than a politician,” Iacocca said, before laughing, “no offense to you of course.”
“You asked my opinion,” Tip started, “I just think that this crop of candidates will provide a winner for us. Lord knows how long we’ve suffered under Herbert Hoover with a smile.”
Iacocca shook his head passionately, like he was in the boardroom at Chrysler.
“This crop of candidates is the exact reason why I’ve been considering jumping in. Really, Tip? Don’t get me wrong, I feel bad for Hart, but he’s exactly what’s wrong with the party. Same as Jackson. Too bleeding heart, too embroidered into D.C. Maybe what this country needs is a businessman.”
“Well, I know I can’t dissuade you if your heart is in it already,” Tip said, “but I promise you that nobody can keep their hands clean once they jump in the swamp. Nobody.”
“In 1988 there are already four Democrats running for President. Just as I said in 1984, I will say it again - You got a vote, you got a chance, you got hope.
Your choice is between members of the Democratic establishment, the ones who lost in 1984, who lost in 1980, who continue to lose.
The Gary Hart of 1988 is no different than the Walter Mondale of 1984. They will never listen to you, to any of you.
There’s a positive and negative aspect to everything. Four years ago they marginalized us, that was the negative. The positive was that they underestimated us.
For centuries we have been underestimated. Well, I can say with confidence that after this election no one, and I say no one, in Washington or anywhere else will ever underestimate or marginalize us again.
Many of you out there, broken by the system that tries too hard to snap us like twigs, must feel hopeless. For all the hopeless, there’s only one choice.
You can choose to vote for hope.
Hope. Jackson fights for homeowners.
Hope. Jackson fights to raise the minimum wage.
Hope. Jackson fights for equal pay for working women.
Hope. Jackson fights for daycare for kids.
Hope. Jackson fights to save our farms.
Hope. He fights to stop the flow of drugs.
Hope. He fights for the people.
Hope. And we the people will win.
Thank you all very much.”
-The Reverend Jesse Jackson, announcing his candidacy in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, Alabama
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 8th, 1987
Gallup Poll of Current Democratic Candidates
Gary Hart - 40%
Jesse Jackson - 27%
Richard Gephardt - 15%
Al Gore - 10%
Bruce Babbitt - 8%
Gallup Poll of Current Republican Candidates
George H.W. Bush - 65%
Dan Quayle - 19%
Jack Kemp - 10%
Al Haig - 6%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 9th, 1987
“Tip, what do you think about me running for President?”
Neither Lee Iacocca, the chair of Chrysler who had been hailed as a hero in both the industrial and national spotlights in the last year for his work saving his company, or Tip O’Neill, the five-time Speaker of the House, had time for small talk. Iacocca had just sat down as he began.
“Of what?” O’Neill said back, displaying his natural charm and humor that had pushed him to the forefront of Democratic politics for the last two decades. He knew they had had this exact same conversation each year since 1982, and yet here they were again.
“Are you crazy?” O’Neill continued, getting more serious, “You gotta be nuts. You’re a businessman. You don’t have the temperament for it.”
“Better a businessman than a politician,” Iacocca said, before laughing, “no offense to you of course.”
“You asked my opinion,” Tip started, “I just think that this crop of candidates will provide a winner for us. Lord knows how long we’ve suffered under Herbert Hoover with a smile.”
Iacocca shook his head passionately, like he was in the boardroom at Chrysler.
“This crop of candidates is the exact reason why I’ve been considering jumping in. Really, Tip? Don’t get me wrong, I feel bad for Hart, but he’s exactly what’s wrong with the party. Same as Jackson. Too bleeding heart, too embroidered into D.C. Maybe what this country needs is a businessman.”
“Well, I know I can’t dissuade you if your heart is in it already,” Tip said, “but I promise you that nobody can keep their hands clean once they jump in the swamp. Nobody.”
- Gentleman Biaggi
- Word Count: 600