Settin' the Woods on Fire again
Gavin Ad:
Background: black and white photo of Charles Percy with Birch Bayh, Hubert Humphrey and Ted Kennedy, all smiling.
Voice over: “Senator Charles Percy voted with Hubert Humphrey, Birch Bayh and Ted Kennedy 86% of the time.
“If he votes like a Liberal Democrat, why isn’t he running as a Liberal Democrat?”
Switch to color photo of James Gavin with Republican legislators:
“Let’s join the President in preserving the values that made this country great.”
FIN
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Reagan ad:
Background: Black-and-White photo of a grim-faced President Gavin with Henry Kissinger in the background.
Voice over: “Since November 1973 unemployment has risen, the economy has faltered and millions of Americans have lost hope.”
“In November 1973 Portugal, Greece and Turkey were U.S. allies, now we’ve lost them to Communist intrigue.”
“How much more can we afford to lose?”
Switch to color clip of Reagan speaking; flags in the background.
Reagan: “Together we can restore hope and prosperity to America. By ending big government and standing-up to the Communist challenge we will regain our nation’s strength and bring back prosperity. Wont you join me in that mission?”
FIN
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Reagan Ad:
Ronald Reagan addresses the camera from a quasi-Oval Office style set. He is sitting on the edge of the desk and the flag is prominent behind him.
“My opponents want to confuse you about who I am and what I stand for. But there’s no mystery about who I am.
“My policy is to get government off your backs and put power and opportunity back into the hands of our citizens. Those were the values of our Founding Fathers, and they are what made America the greatest and freest nation in the world.”
“My opponents want to bring you more of the same. So ask yourself, are you better off today than you were four years ago?”
“Then ask if you want the same for the next four years.”
“If not, then I think you’ll agree that it’s time for a change.”
“Together, let’s make America great again.”
FIN
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Percy ad:
Background: Photos of Sen. Charles Percy:
Voice over: “Charles Percy served his country during World War II and lead a multi-million dollar company before entering public service. He understand what it is to manage a business and to produce results.”
“In the Senate, Charles Percy has consistently stood-up for the rights of small business and ordinary Americans. He has fought for more education funding for your children, and he has sponsored legislation to put the selection of judges above partisanship. Charles Percy does this to serve all Americans.”
Percy speaking: “The promise of America is open to all our citizens. My goal is to make that promise a reality for everyone.”
Voice over: “On (date) vote Charles Percy for President.”
FIN
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Percy ad:
Background: Black and White photo of an unsmiling Reagan
Voice over: “Ronald Reagan says he wants to turn Social Security over to the stock market.”
Background: Pictures of downcast and anxious traders on the floor of the NYSE
Voice over: “If the Social Security trust fund had been invested in the markets in 1972, it would have lost one-quarter of its value by today.”
”That’s one quarter of your retirement security gone under the Reagan plan.”
Film of Senator Percy addressing the camera.
Senator Percy: “No matter what I will protect your Social Security, because you worked hard for it. Mr. Reagan wants to turn it over to chance. That’s no way to treat those who have put their blood, sweat and tears into building this great nation. Join with me in protecting Social Security from reckless schemes.”
Voice Over: “On (date) vote Charles Percy for President.”
FIN
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Askew Ad:
Background: Clip of George Wallace’s inauguration as Governor of Alabama in January 1963.
George Wallace: “Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!”
Background: Film of protesters being attacked by German Sheppard dogs.
Voice over: “This is the real George Wallace. He says he won’t lie to you and that he’s a new Wallace, yet he hasn’t repudiated his past stands on segregation, nor has he apologized to those he hurt. When asked where he stands today, he dodges and hides behind code words like 'order' and 'security.' ”
Background: Film of Wallace standing in the door of the University of Alabama in 1963.
“Does the new Wallace believe in American values, or will he still deny American citizens the right to go to school?”
Repeat of Wallace’s Segregation today etc. Line.
“So who is the real George Wallace?”
“On (date) vote for Reubin Askew; you know where he stands.”
FIN
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Wallace ad:
Frames Wallace as he addresses the camera before a pastoral setting.
George Wallace: “In the past I may have said some things that upset people, but no one ever denied that George Corley Wallace fought hard for the ordinary people of Alabama. Just ask’em, they’ll tell you.
“Today Washington is snarled-up by a professional class o’ politocrats who do nothing but tax-tax-tax and tell you where you can or can’t send your kids school and bury our small businesses under a pile or regulations. Worse yet, the politocrats make money – big money – off the cozy inside deals they make for themselves and stick you with the bill.
“Well, that ain’t right and it’s not the real America. I want to end the rule of slick, deal-making politocrats and return our government to you, the people. Won’t you join me in that?”
Caption: George Wallace for President.
FIN
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Williams (radio ad/text also printed in local papers)
Williams:”My name is Jack Richard Williams and I am running in the Republican primaries for President. You’ve probably never heard of me. I was the Republican Governor of Arizona for two terms. That's right, Arizona, the home of Senator Barry Goldwater senior.
“During my terms as Governor I cut taxes, toughened our state’s penalties for violent crime, and returned more authority to local governments over areas of education and allocation of local property taxes.
“Ronald Reagan was Governor of California during the same period, and he did none of these things. Instead, in his first year, he signed bills that loosened controls on abortion and increased the State deficit. As Governor, Ronald Reagan never cut a tax without increasing two others.”
“The last thing we need now are new taxes and higher deficits. As President I would cut taxes, reduce the deficit and return more of your money to you, just as I did for the citizens of Arizona.
“I’m Jack Richard Williams and I’m the true conservative running for President on the Republican ticket.”
FIN
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March 9, 1976
The Florida Primary
Democrats:
George Wallace: 32%
Reubin Askew: 31%
Henry Jackson 19%
Ron Dellums 9%
Birch Bayh: 3%
Ellen McCormack: 3%
Calvin Rampton: 2%
Lloyd Bentsen: 1%
Milton Shapp: 0%
Sargent Shriver: 0%
Frank Church: 0%
Fred Harris: 0%
In 1972 Wallace had been defeated in the Florida primary by another Southern populist, John McKeithen, which was later recognized as the beginning of McKeithen’s coming out as a serious contender for the nomination. This time Wallace had the populist end of the field to himself and edged out the popular Governor of this state by only 1% of the vote. The reason it remained so close was attributed to Governor Askew having the home state advantage.
Wallace’s campaign team had learned from their 1972 experience and here, and in North Carolina, they undercut Askew by going to his right on law-and-order issues while criticizing his more conservative fiscal approach from the populist left as “big time Wall Street telling main street what to do with your money.”
As Wallace would say during his campaign (about Askew in particular, though he used this against Henry Jackson as well):
“If you want to vote for a Republican, then go vote for one. There’s a whole mess of ‘em running this year and they're all a bunch snake oil salesmen sellin' you the good for Wall Street brand of hokum. When I look at what Governor Askew (or Senator Jackson) wants I see only three letters G-O-P.
"You know, someone put out a TV ad asking why Charles Percy ain't runnin' as a Democrat. Well, I got to ask, why isn't this guy runnin' as a Republican. He sure does sound like old Dick Nixon and Ronnie Reagan. All that's missin' is the elephant.
"I’m not runnin’ to be a Wall Street lackey. I’m runnin’ for you, the people of main street America. That’s George Wallace’s priority.”
Jackson’s support was primarily among Jewish voters in the South of the State, while Dellums picked-up a considerable portion of the black vote.
Birch Bayh, Milton Shapp, Sargent Shriver, Frank Church and Fred Harris did not actively campaign in this contest.
Calvin Rampton announced on March 10 that he would suspend his campaign.
Republicans:
Ronald Reagan: 28%
James Gavin: 28%
Charles Percy: 19%
George Bush: 11%
Jack Williams: 9%
John Connally: 4%
Harold Stassen: 1%
The President and Ronald Reagan tied for first place, splitting 56% of the Republican vote, and the State's delegates.
While Reagan remained strong among conservatives, the President picked-up votes among more moderate Republicans and benefited from a strong turn-out among the State’s military population (including military retirees).
Percy and Bush split the remainder of Republican or “change” Republicans.
Jack Williams was successful in cutting into Reagan’s conservative support with his “I’m the real conservative appeal.” John Connally tried that too, but Williams proved better at winning over what have been described as “Wallace-type Republicans.”
John Connally withdrew from the contest in March 11.
Polling after the primary noted that the infamous “Spriggs” ad had an adverse effect on Reagan’s campaign, especially in the more conservative north and northwest areas of Florida. Polling also showed that retirees who voted in the Republican primary split between the President, Percy and Bush over concerns about Reagan’s position on Social Security.
George Wallace’s campaign also made use of the “Spriggs” ad to campaign on “tough-on-crime” issues in mainly white areas of the State.
March 16, 1976
The Illinois Primary:
Democrats:
Birch Bayh: 31%
George Wallace: 20%
Henry Jackson 12%
Reubin Askew: 12%
Ron Dellums 11%
Frank Church: 4%
Fred Harris: 4%
Ellen McCormack: 3%
Lloyd Bentsen: 1%
Milton Shapp: 1%
Sargent Shriver: 1%
Bayh campaigned heavily and swept up much of the liberal and Democratic regular support. Wallace did well in rural and suburban areas, while Jackson and Askew split more conservative Democratic constituencies. Dellums did well in inner city communities.
Fred Harris announced that he would suspend his campaign on March 17.
Republicans:
Charles Percy: 38%
Ronald Reagan: 27%
James Gavin: 15%
George Bush: 13%
Jack Williams: 6%
Harold Stassen: 1%
Charles Percy did well in his home state, where he enjoyed a strong base of support. Ronald Reagan took the conservative vote, but lost a slice of it to Jack Williams, whose results here and in Florida breathed some new life into his relatively small “guerrilla” campaign.
The President and Bush split the moderate Republican voters dissatisfied with Percy but unwilling to vote for either Reagan or Williams.
March 23, 1976
The North Carolina Primary:
Democrats:
George Wallace: 45%
Reubin Askew: 26%
Ron Dellums 12%
Birch Bayh: 6%
Frank Church: 4%
Ellen McCormack: 4%
Lloyd Bentsen: 2%
Henry Jackson 1%
Milton Shapp: 0%
Sargent Shriver: 0%
In 1972 Wallace narrowly defeated McKeithen in North Carolina, and this time he mobilized that support to overwhelm his nearest challenger, Reubin Askew.
Ron Dellums picked-up the black vote and the liberal “anti-cracker” vote more successfully than Birch Bayh (Bayh made only a few high profile appearances in North Carolina while Dellums actively campaigned in the state)
Frank Church also campaigned, cutting into support for Bayh as the establishment candidate.
Henry Jackson did not campaign in North Carolina.
Sargent Shriver actually dropped out of the race three days before the primary, but was still on the ballot.
Republicans:
James Gavin: 32%
Ronald Reagan: 28%
Charles Percy: 17%
Jack Williams: 12%
George Bush: 10%
Harold Stassen: 1%
The President benefited from the military vote in North Carolina, as well as the impact of the “Spriggs” ad.
Jack Williams also hurt Reagan. Although Reagan received overt support from North Carolina’s ultra-conservative Republican Senator Jesse Helms, Helms too bent to some of the doubts about Reagan’s conservative credentials and gave at least some covert support to the Williams campaign, accounting for Williams’ first double-digit result in any primary.
The President’s outright victory breathed new life into a campaign which was beginning to look like it might be fading.
Percy and Bush split the remaining moderate vote. At this point questions were being asked about the viability of George Bush’s campaign.
By the end of March the Republican contest was still a three man race between the President, Reagan and Percy, as they were about evenly matched in delegates, but Williams was making things increasingly difficult for Reagan.
George Wallace’s campaign style, which in the past had been very physical and active, was severely impeded by the fact that he was now confined to a wheelchair. Many commentators believed that he had skipped the Iowa and New Hampshire contests because it was nearly impossible for him to campaign in the heavy snow. (Although he got around snowy Boston and rural Massachusetts just fine).
The wheelchair was an obvious impediment to Wallace, and the Governor was in a great deal of physical discomfort. However, over the interceding four years since he had been shot (which included his 1974 campaign to be re-elected as Governor of Alabama) Wallace had learned how to use his voice to re-capture at least some of the Wallace impact of old. He made a point of never shying away from the fact that he was in a wheelchair, and would point out that a President needed more brain than brawn. Especially in Florida and North Carolina, Wallace’s old populist appeal resonated with white Democratic voters, and he made substantial inroads into white, working class areas in Illinois as he had in Massachusetts.
By the end of March he and Birch Bayh were dueling for the front runner position, though in the delegate count Wallace was ahead of Bayh. The Democratic nomination was now shaping-up as a Bayh-Wallace contest, with the others slipping into the also-ran position.
Reubin Askew, the kinder, gentler Southern Democrat who preached a program of fiscal responsibility and centrism was failing to catch on next to the resurgent Wallace. He also proved to be the less effective campaigner when matched with Wallace.
Wallace’s anti-“politocrats” theme caught on with voters, especially in Florida and North Carolina: the term politiocrat (a portmanteau of politician and bureaucrat) became the first widely used catch phrase of the 1976 election, and entered common usage as a derisive term for professional politicians. Jack Williams liked it so much he began to use it (although, unlike Wallace he emphasised the “crats” half to allude to Democrats in Washington) giving the term an even wider use in the campaign.
