alternatehistory.com
Clean Living and Cleaner Businessmen
August 1st, 1987
“Listen, and for those of you from New York, you already know this - the wealthy people where I live and work don’t like me. I’m always competing with them, I like to win. You know who likes me? The people that like me are the cab drivers, and you know why?
They like me because I’m not like the other businessmen in New York. I don’t look at them like they are less than me. Because they aren’t, they really aren’t.
There’s not many other businessmen like me. But one I know for sure is the man who I am introducing right now.
That man is Lee Iacocca.
It’s really rare, folks, it’s really rare to meet another businessman who cares so much about the average guy. And it’s really, really rare that that guy would run for President.
Now, I never want to be the President of this country - what’s the fun in being the President? But if I’m not going to be President than I think Lee is the closest to my values.
I’ve been called a Rockefeller Republican, whatever that means. It’s fancy talk for a guy with common sense. Not too liberal, not too conservative. That’s the same guy that Lee is.
He’ gonna fix the economy, he’s gonna fix the broken foreign policy, and most importantly he’s gonna stand up for the average guy driving the taxi.
And so, without further ado, the next President of the United States, my good friend Lee Iacocca!”
Donald Trump, introducing Lee Iacocca at an impromptu rally in New York
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 8th, 1987
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 13th, 1987
The David Ruffin that walked into rehab and walked out of rehab were two completely different men with one single similarity; both walked in a fresh, eye popping suit.
The last few months had been hell for Ruffin; the cold sweats, the shakes, confinement. A lot could be said about Ruffin, but one thing everyone knew was that he was a showman and fed off of the audience. Locked up with nowhere to go, Ruffin missed the stage almost as much as his family.
Ruffin had been to rehab a number of times over the last decade, but this was the only time it stuck. It was more than the death of his friend, it was more than wanting to get back to the top; it was an assurance that he wouldn’t die before fifty years of age.
And so he stuck it out. And he was clean. Well, clean enough. One thing was for sure; he was staying as far away from cocaine as he could for the rest of his life.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
His biggest worry was that the minute that he stepped out of the doors of the center, he would immediately feel his feet lead him to the inner city, to the crack house that he had spent so much time at over the last many years. It would be subconscious, he worried. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself, he worried.
Most of all, he was worried that Dr. Jekyll would disappear and Mr. Hyde would bubble to the surface.
And yet, standing on the outside for the first time in a long time, those feelings weren’t there. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe it was kicking the cocaine, but David Ruffin felt better than he had since “My Girl” came out.
There was no press waiting on the outside either; he didn’t know why he thought there would be. He was a has-been, a washed up old man, a recovering coke addict with a broken voice and an even more broken ste---
“Let’s change that,” Ruffin said, blocking out the thoughts and taking his first steps free and clean.
“Listen, and for those of you from New York, you already know this - the wealthy people where I live and work don’t like me. I’m always competing with them, I like to win. You know who likes me? The people that like me are the cab drivers, and you know why?
They like me because I’m not like the other businessmen in New York. I don’t look at them like they are less than me. Because they aren’t, they really aren’t.
There’s not many other businessmen like me. But one I know for sure is the man who I am introducing right now.
That man is Lee Iacocca.
It’s really rare, folks, it’s really rare to meet another businessman who cares so much about the average guy. And it’s really, really rare that that guy would run for President.
Now, I never want to be the President of this country - what’s the fun in being the President? But if I’m not going to be President than I think Lee is the closest to my values.
I’ve been called a Rockefeller Republican, whatever that means. It’s fancy talk for a guy with common sense. Not too liberal, not too conservative. That’s the same guy that Lee is.
He’ gonna fix the economy, he’s gonna fix the broken foreign policy, and most importantly he’s gonna stand up for the average guy driving the taxi.
And so, without further ado, the next President of the United States, my good friend Lee Iacocca!”
Donald Trump, introducing Lee Iacocca at an impromptu rally in New York
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 8th, 1987
Gallup Poll of Current Democratic Candidates
Gary Hart - 31%
Lee Iacocca - 24%
Jesse Jackson - 22%
Al Gore - 11%
Richard Gephardt - 6%
Paul Simon - 4%
Bruce Babbitt - 2%
Gallup Poll of Current Republican Candidates
George H.W. Bush - 60%
Dan Quayle - 34%
Jack Kemp - 4%
Al Haig - 2%
Gary Hart - 31%
Lee Iacocca - 24%
Jesse Jackson - 22%
Al Gore - 11%
Richard Gephardt - 6%
Paul Simon - 4%
Bruce Babbitt - 2%
Gallup Poll of Current Republican Candidates
George H.W. Bush - 60%
Dan Quayle - 34%
Jack Kemp - 4%
Al Haig - 2%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 13th, 1987
The David Ruffin that walked into rehab and walked out of rehab were two completely different men with one single similarity; both walked in a fresh, eye popping suit.
The last few months had been hell for Ruffin; the cold sweats, the shakes, confinement. A lot could be said about Ruffin, but one thing everyone knew was that he was a showman and fed off of the audience. Locked up with nowhere to go, Ruffin missed the stage almost as much as his family.
Ruffin had been to rehab a number of times over the last decade, but this was the only time it stuck. It was more than the death of his friend, it was more than wanting to get back to the top; it was an assurance that he wouldn’t die before fifty years of age.
And so he stuck it out. And he was clean. Well, clean enough. One thing was for sure; he was staying as far away from cocaine as he could for the rest of his life.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
His biggest worry was that the minute that he stepped out of the doors of the center, he would immediately feel his feet lead him to the inner city, to the crack house that he had spent so much time at over the last many years. It would be subconscious, he worried. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself, he worried.
Most of all, he was worried that Dr. Jekyll would disappear and Mr. Hyde would bubble to the surface.
And yet, standing on the outside for the first time in a long time, those feelings weren’t there. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or maybe it was kicking the cocaine, but David Ruffin felt better than he had since “My Girl” came out.
There was no press waiting on the outside either; he didn’t know why he thought there would be. He was a has-been, a washed up old man, a recovering coke addict with a broken voice and an even more broken ste---
“Let’s change that,” Ruffin said, blocking out the thoughts and taking his first steps free and clean.
- Meyer London
- Word Count: 700