1980: Bush campaigns last week in New Hampshire, doesn't go home to Houston.

Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America, Craig Shirley, 2010:

https://books.google.com/books?id=q...ge&q=jogging Houston inauthor:Shirley&f=false

"Incredibly, George Bush did no personal campaigning in the state for the last seven days other than to appear at the two debates. Gregg, now running Bush's campaign, was afraid to change plans in the wake of the Nashua debate debacle, fearing it would look as though they'd panicked.

" . . . he [Bush] left the state after the Nashua debate and went back to Houston for the Sunday and Monday before the primary. He was imprudently photographed jogging in shorts, in the warm Texas sun, while Granite Staters were shoveling snow off their driveways and sidewalks, or shivering in their cold cars awaiting some heat. . . "
So, the Nashua debate was part of it, but it wasn't the whole story. In particular, people do not like being taken for granted.
 
I don't see him winning New Hampshire after I paid for this microphone! So I don't think this changes much.
 
Last edited:
I don't see him New Hampshire after I paid for this microphone! So I don't think this changes much.

Was that really this amazing thing that changed who would get the nomination or is it overexaggerated as this turning point? Most people probably didn't even hear about it in the state.
 
I kind of agree. I think the Nashua debate was probably only one of several factors. And one major factor of course was simply Reagan's popularity.

But the point from the above passage of this book, that George Bush's campaign manager comes up with this minimalist plan for the last week of New Hampshire! ? ! After Bush had won the Iowa caucus? It really is quite remarkable once you think about it.
 
Reagan changed campaign managers between Iowa and New Hampshire. William Casey came in taking a Reagan campaign that was nearly out of money and floundering and kicked things into gear. A competent campaign manager can do wonders.
 
As I remember reading about . . .

Ronnie lost Iowa because his main campaign guy told him he had it in the bag, and on this guy's advice, didn't participate in a debate.

At some point in New Hampshire, a couple of campaign guys visited Ronnie late at night. And when they left, he said to Nancy, next time those bastards will be after Ed. (meaning Ed Meese)

And on one occasion, Nancy followed a couple of campaign people back into the hotel's hallway and informed them that that had been no way to talk to her husband and that was not exactly the kind of approach to motivate him.

And as I remember it, the Reagan Campaign announced a change of leadership sometime during the evening of the day of the New Hampshire primary, figuring that this announcement would be largely lost in the day's news.

A lot of interesting stuff for what people think of as a cake walk! (much of this from Germond and Witcover's book on the election)
 
Last edited:
Top