An Era of Limits

[jacopo]

An Era of Limits

Okay, here's my first, mediocre, attempt at a timeline. I'm afraid I'm useless at following things through, but I'll try to keep this up. You'll have to excuse the DD/MM/YYYY format of the dates. For all my fascination with American politics, I'm not American, and old habits die hard. Anyway. EDIT: Due to popular demand, I've edited the posts to put the dates in the American format.






“Emboldened by his upset win against Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ), Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia now turns his attention to the vital New Hampshire primary. There, he faces a challenge from California Governor Jerry Brown, whose message of ‘fiscal moderation’ may carry some weight with the voters of the state. Brown, 38, is a maverick Democrat, advocating strict environmentalism and liberal social policies coupled with a populist tax-cut platform. Carter has been trailing Brown in the polls, but his Iowa victory may spell the end of Brown’s brief experiment in national politics...”

-From The Des Moines Register, 1/27/1976

“This is an era of limits, and we had all better get used to it."

-Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) speaking in Cedar Rapids, 1/30/1976


“Gerry Ford is a dead dog.”

-Unknown Brown volunteer, remarking on a poll which showed Ford losing by 20 points to a generic Democrat.

“REAGAN SQUEAKS BY; BROWN BEATS CARTER, HARRIS TO WITHDRAW

It was a night of suspense and shockingly narrow margins. In the Republican primary, President Gerald Ford was defeated in an upset by conservative challenger Ronald Reagan (R-CA) by a razor-thin one per cent. Governor Reagan, a conservative icon, has been leading an insurgent candidacy against the incumbent President, criticising his alleged lack of action in South Vietnam. Ford campaign insiders have blamed one of the Democratic candidates, Governor Jerry Brown’s ‘viscous’ attacks on Ford as playing a role in the loss. All eyes will now be on the Massachusetts primary next month.

Brown (D-CA), narrowly defeated Governor Jimmy Carter (D-GA) in the Democratic primary. Carter was enjoying a last-minute surge in popularity after his surprise win in Iowa, but Brown triumphed by a margin of just two per cent. Rep. Mo Udall (D-AZ) finished in third place. Other candidates received only marginal support. Senators Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson of Washington and Birch Bayh of Indiana, and both Carter and Udall have all vowed to fight on in further primaries. His campaign having virtually collapsed on election night, it is widely believed that liberal Senator Fred Harris of Oklahoma will withdraw his name from the race for the nomination.” In his victory speech to ecstatic supporters, Governor Brown reiterated his ‘era of limits’ theme, and blasted President Ford for his pardon of former President Nixon. Said Brown: “This White House is one of the most corrupt we’ve ever seen, a pathetic continuation of failed Nixon-Agnew policies, and a culmination of the Republican philosophy of naked greed and fiscal irresponsibility.”

-From The Concord Monitor, 2/24/1976

 

[jacopo]

“Jesus! Ronald Reagan, a genuine nut job who’d make Dick Nixon look like a liberal, comes crawling out of the undergrowth to steal New Hampshire primary from dolt in chief, Gerry Ford. Reagan is a drooling invalid who will probably have won in Massachusetts, too, by the time this letter is printed.
As for the Democrats, Jerry Brown, who wouldn’t make a terrible President, beat Jimmy Carter, who’d make at least a decent one. I had the distinct displeasure of witnessing good ol’ Hubert Humphrey on the tube after the primary. I almost got sick- this weird, haggard old ghoul squealing like a pig when anyone mentioned the pathetic “Draft Humphrey” movement. Nonetheless, I’m no fan of ‘Governor Brown,’, a bum who was known as Shithead Jerry when I would run into him crawling around the streets, weeping and pissing down his leg, stoned on a cocktail of some heavy drugs, grabbing at me and bawling about ‘limits’.”

-Hunter S. Thompson, in a letter to Rolling Stone, 1976

“FRED HARRIS WITHDRAWS FROM DEM. RACE

Senator Fred Harris (D-OK), an icon of the liberal wing of the Democratic party, and candidate for his party’s nomination for President, today announced that he was quitting the race. Harris’ campaign failed to gain traction, and faltered in early contests. The Senator pledged to support the eventual nominee in November, and did not make an endorsement of any other candidate. Senator Harris is a noted liberal , and was one of Senator George McGovern’s early supporters in his failed bid for the presidency four years ago. Some insiders believe that Harris’ ties to McGovern hurts his campaign, as voters were wary of another landslide defeat”

- From The Washington Post, 2/26/1976

 

[jacopo]

“FORD DEFEATS REAGAN; JACKSON EDGES BROWN IN MA, CARTER WINS VERMONT

President Gerald Ford, his campaign reeling from his narrow defeat by Gov. Ronald Reagan (R-CA) in New Hampshire, gained two much-needed victories in the states of Massachusetts and Vermont yesterday. While Ford’s victory in both states was taken for granted up until recently, Reagan had been rapidly gaining ground after his New Hampshire win, especially in Massachusetts, forcing Ford to personally campaign in the state. Ford defeated Reagan by 51-44% , but had been leading Reagan by 60-30% in polls prior to the latter’s New Hampshire triumph. Vermont was not as close, with the President crushing his challenger by a 75-25% margin. Nonetheless, these victories are but a temporary respite for the President, who must again face Governor Reagan in Florida and Illinois later this month. Polls have shown the race there to be close.

On the Democratic side, Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) had his momentum stalled when Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson, the Senator from Washington, narrowly defeated him, winning with a 30-28% margin. Other candidates received varying shares of the vote, with Gov. Jimmy Carter (D-GA) in third place and Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ) coming a close fourth. In the state of Vermont, Carter gained his first victory since Iowa, capturing 32% of the vote to Gov. Brown’s 29%. No other single candidate received a significant amount of the vote, with the exception of former Ambassador and Vice-Presidential candidate Sargent Shriver, who received 7%. Sen. Jackson spoke to supporters in Massachusetts, congratulating Brown and Carter on their efforts, and vowing to win the Florida and Illinois primaries. Polls show Jackson weak in Illinois, but viable in Florida. With no clear-frontrunner, the Democratic primaries look wide open. Opinion on p.22.”

-From The Washington Post, 3/2/1976

 

[jacopo]

“OPINION: PREDICTIONS FOR NOVEMBER

Governor Ronald Reagan of California has long been an icon in the Republican party’s conservative wing, and a political bogeyman to the Democratic left. It was widely believed that he would have thrown in his hat into the proverbial ring in 1980, but instead he has chosen to challenge an incumbent President for his party’s nomination. The question on the lips of every political hack in every state in the country is whether he can actually win, either in the primaries or the general election.

The simple fact is, yes, he can. Reagan can, even with ease, use his shaky coalition of radical conservatives and working-class Republicans to beat Ford in the next two, crucial, primaries. If he manages that, North Carolina looks like a very good bet for Reagan. He has the support of the state’s ultra-conservative Senator, Jesse Helms, and if he does indeed win in North Carolina, his momentum may be unstoppable, and he may even win the G.O.P. convention on the first ballot. However, President Ford handily beat Reagan despite the latter’s New Hampshire triumph last month. Attacks from the Democratic side on Ford are widely considered to have contributed to his razor-thin defeat, especially those of Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA), which brings me onto the other party’s primaries...

The Democratic race seems, in a word, murky. Senator Henry Jackson (D-WA), a hawkish anti-McGovern who once quipped “I'm not a hawk or a dove. I just don't want my country to be a pigeon.”, was an early frontrunner who ran into fundraising difficulties and bombed in Iowa and New Hampshire. Nonetheless, his narrow win in Massachusetts may have revitalised his flagging campaign. The man he beat by two per-cent is the aforementioned Jerry Brown, a young Californian with decidedly populist ideas. Brown’s narrow victory in New Hampshire has bolstered his fledgling campaign and transformed into a rising party star, and a possible frontrunner. It’s a story that sounds similar to that of Governor Jimmy Carter (D-GA), who crushed the opposition in Iowa, only to be slimly defeated by Brown in New Hampshire, and is resurgent following his victory in Vermont yesterday. If any pundit says they have a clue how this race is going to turn out, they’re lying. We have at least two credible frontrunners- Jimmy Carter and Jerry Brown, one possible frontrunner- Jackson, and a host of other candidates with little chance to win the nomination. If someone put the figurative gun to my head and asked me to pick, I’d go with either Carter or Brown in Illinois, because it’s truly a toss-up, and Jackson in Florida. If Carter and Brown continue this game of tit for tat, voters may simply switch to Jackson as a compromise candidate. So, again, if I had to make a prediction, I’d pick Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson as the Democratic nominee in 1976.

There you have it, the 1976 election will consist of Governor Ronald Reagan and a moderate Republican, against Senator Henry Jackson and a liberal Democrat. If only it were that simple- we could easily end up with a Republican ticket of Ford/Reagan facing off against some bizarre amalgamation of a Democratic ticket like Brown/Carter. The only candidate I’d truly rule out at this point is Ellen McCormack, the fringe anti-abortion candidate from New York. But don’t put money on that, because this isn’t over yet."

-From The Washington Post, 3/2/1976 [1]






[1]Note: This isn't intended to be any particular columnist. If you want, view it as a kind of author avatar- me commenting on the race. : )

 

[statichaos]

This is excellent stuff, and I love how you make such an unlikely frontrunner so totally believable. Well-done, and I'm looking forward to future installments.

 

[jacopo]

I'm giggling like a bashful schoolgirl over praise from the author of "A World of Laughter, a World of Tears". Much appreciated!

 

[jacopo]

“REAGAN BEATS FORD, JACKSON EDGES CARTER IN FLORIDA

Ronald Reagan, the conservative former Governor of California, narrowly defeated President Gerald Ford in the Florida today, in what is seen as a near-fatal blow to Ford’s chances of winning the nomination. Reagan won 51% of the vote to the President’s 49%. The state had been close, and only a last-minute spending blitz by the Reagan campaign swung the vote to the conservative ex-governor. Ford’s spokesman issued a brief statement congratulating Reagan and vowing to fight on in the coming primaries. All eyes are now on Illinois, where the two will face off again on the 16th of this month, a contest also expected to be close.

In the Florida Democratic primary, Governor Jimmy Carter lost by a handful of votes to Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson in Florida. Senator Jackson defeated Carter in Florida by three per-cent, and can now be considered one of the front-runners for the party’s nomination. Governor George Wallace of Alabama came a close third, with Gov. Brown of California coming a mere fourth in the race. Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ) formally dropped out of the race, his campaign having gained little traction in the primaries. Udall made no endorsement.”

-From The Washington Post, 3/9/1976


“BROWN WINS ILLINOIS; NO CLEAR WINNER IN GOP PRIMARY

Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) won the Illinois Democratic primary last night by the narrowest of margins, taking 35% of the vote. Gov. Jimmy Carter (D-GA) came in second place, with 34% of the vote. Gov. George Wallace (D-AL) won 24% while former Vice-Presidential candidate Sargent Shriver received 4% of the vote. Frontrunner, Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson (D-WA) did not participate, but received 3% of the vote in write-in ballots. The race is now effectively between Gov. Brown, Gov. Carter and Senator Jackson, with myriad other candidates polling poorly. The next primary is North Carolina, one of the few states where Gov. Wallace is competitive, and may make the difference.

Narrow as Brown’s victory was, the Republican primary was narrower. As of the time of printing, President Ford led Governor Reagan by a mere 351 votes. Counting is still underway, and the winner may not be known for several days.”

-From The Washington Post, 3/16/1976

 

[jacopo]

One last update for today:

“BROWN BLASTS FORD, JACKSON IN CHARLOTTE

Campaigning in Charlotte, N.C., Governor Jerry Brown, (D-CA), a presidential candidate, compared President Gerald Ford to disgraced former President Richard Nixon, and called his administration a “paragon of corruption”. Brown also blasted Democratic frontrunner ‘Scoop’ Jackson, calling him a “Republican [Note: Jackson is a Democrat] fascist... [who] is a lackey for the corrupt Ford White House”. A spokesman for the Jackson campaign denounced Brown’s comments as unpatriotic.”

-From The Charlotte Observer, 3/21/1976

“ON EVE OF PRIMARY, BROWN ATTACKS FORD

Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) kept up his merciless attacks on President Gerald Ford today, telling a packed auditorium in Raleigh that Ford had made a shadowy deal with former President Richard Nixon to pardon Nixon for any involvement in the Watergate scandal in exchange for the latter’s resignation, handing the Presidency to Ford. Brown also repeated his frequent charges of corruption against Ford’s administration. The White House had no comment on Brown’s allegations, but an anonymous aide charged that the attacks were simply part of Brown’s technique to act like the Democratic frontrunner. The aide added that Brown would ‘lose big’ in the primary. Some commentators have alleged that Brown’s harsh attacks are damaging Ford in his primary efforts against challenger Ronald Reagan...”

-From The Charlotte Observer, 3/21/1976


“GEORGE HERMAN: Governor, you’ve been very critical of the President lately...

GOVERNOR BROWN: Yes...

HERMAN: Well, some people feel that you’re unfairly influencing the Republican primaries with what some would call unfair criticism of-

BROWN: I don’t think it’s unfair, George. President Ford has repeatedly lied to this country. He pardoned a criminal, Richard Nixon, so that he could have the Presidency. He’s continued the failed Nixon-Ford polices on the economy, on Vietnam. He’s continued the stench of corruption that still plagues our great country, George, and-

HERMAN: Governor, with all due respect, none of these charges have been proven.

BROWN: Let me finish please, George.
[Brown looks directly at the camera]
My friends, Gerald Ford has lied to you consistently and shamelessly. He’s no different to Richard Nixon. Scoop Jackson has lied to you consistently. He’s no different to Richard Nixon, either. Strong words, I admit, but it’s the truth. And, as President, I’ll tell you the truth. Nothing but.

HERMAN: Excuse me, Governor, but with respect, this isn’t a campaign commercial.

BROWN: And I’m not trying to make it one, George. I’m just speaking honestly.”

-From Jerry Brown’s famous appearance on Face The Nation, 3/22/1976

​

 

[Old Crank 67]

“REAGAN BEATS FORD, JACKSON EDGES CARTER IN FLORIDA

Ronald Reagan, the conservative former Governor of California, narrowly defeated President Gerald Ford in the Florida today, in what is seen as a near-fatal blow to Ford’s chances of winning the nomination. Reagan won 51% of the vote to the President’s 49%. The state had been close, and only a last-minute spending blitz by the Reagan campaign swung the vote to the conservative ex-governor. Ford’s spokesman issued a brief statement congratulating Reagan and vowing to fight on in the coming primaries. All eyes are now on Illinois, where the two will face off again on the 16th of this month, a contest also expected to be close.

In the Florida Democratic primary, Governor Jimmy Carter lost by a handful of votes to Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson in Florida. Senator Jackson defeated Carter in Florida by three per-cent, and can now be considered one of the front-runners for the party’s nomination. Governor Jerry Brown of California came a close third. Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ) formally dropped out of the race, his campaign having gained little traction in the primaries. Udall made no endorsement.”

-From The Washington Post, 9/3/1976


“BROWN WINS ILLINOIS; NO CLEAR WINNER IN GOP PRIMARY

Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) won the Illinois Democratic primary last night by the narrowest of margins, taking 35% of the vote. Gov. Jimmy Carter (D-GA) came in second place, with 34%. Gov. George Wallace (D-AL) won 24% while former Vice-Presidential candidate Sargent Shriver received 4% of the vote. Frontrunner, Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson (D-WA) did not participate, but received 3% of the vote in write-in ballots. The race is now effectively between Gov. Brown, Gov. Carter and Senator Jackson, with myriad other candidates polling poorly. The next primary is North Carolina, one of the few states where Gov. Wallace is competitive, and may make the difference.

Narrow as Brown’s victory was, the Republican primary was narrower. As of the time of printing, President Ford led Governor Reagan by a mere 351 votes. Counting is still underway, and the winner may not be known for several days.”

-From The Washington Post, 16/3/1976

Why would Wallace contest Illinois and not Florida? IOTL, Wallace WON Florida handily back in 1972, and even in 1976 came a close second to Carter. He was not a factor in Illinois either time.

 

[jacopo]

Why would Wallace contest Illinois and not Florida? IOTL, Wallace WON Florida handily back in 1972, and even in 1976 came a close second to Carter. He was not a factor in Illinois either time.

Looks like I misread the primary data on Wikipedia, and read Illinois as having the higher percentage for Wallace. My mistake. Although ITTL, much of Wallace's supporters have flocked to Jackson, reducing Wallace's impact quite a lot.


EDIT: Although Wallace did get 28% of the vote in Illinois, second only to Carter.
EDIT AGAIN: Ah, reading back over that, it seems like I simply forgot to mention Wallace in the Florida article. D'oh! Will edit, thanks.

 

[T3h_shammy]

Interesting. Not enough seen yet, but I'm guessing we will see Brown running America or not much changes except a earlier ascended Reagan who might not be half as effective.

 

[Historico]

Hmm...A President Jerry Brown in '76...This definatley has a lot of potential, and I dig your writing style. Although I think getting him elected in 1980 might have had cooler ramifications "Protect the Earth, serve the people, and explore the universe". So I really don't expect his Presidency atleast Domestically to be to different from OTL Carter's more moderate policies.

 

[wargamer6]

Looks good so far but I have 1 small nitpick. Could you do the dates this way? 6/4/09 style? The American papers wouldn't do it the way you have it now.

 

[jacopo]

Looks good so far but I have 1 small nitpick. Could you do the dates this way? 6/4/09 style? The American papers wouldn't do it the way you have it now.

Heh, I preemptively apologies for any confusion caused by my method of writing dates. But, hey, the reader is king. I'll edit the posts, and future entries will have the dates in the American manner. Thanks for reading.


EDIT: Thanks again for all the comments & feedback. Always appreciated. In future updates, you can expect Jackson to start going after Carter voters hard, a vitrolic campaign ad to shock the nation, and watch in horror as the Ford/Reagan battle drags on and on...

 

[jacopo]

A short update:



“FORD WINS ILLINOIS AFTER RECOUNT

After a recount that lasted several days, President Gerald Ford was certified the victor in last weeks Illinois primary. Ford beat conservative challenger Ronald Reagan by a mere 119 votes. Reagan’s campaign has conceded the primary, and a spokesman congratulated the President on his “pyrrhic victory”. The North Carolina primary, set for tomorrow, is seen by many as leaning to Governor Reagan, as Senator Jesse Helms has strongly endorsed the challenger, and has barnstormed for Reagan throughout the state. President Ford has vowed to fight on, whatever tomorrow’s result.”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Dan Rather, CBS News, 3/22/1976

“People have to choose whether they want to live in an America that still values integrity, responsibility, and the possibilities offered by the American Dream, or if we want to live in Gerald Ford’s America, or Ronald Reagan’s America, or Scoop Jackson’s America, where the people cry out for hope.”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Jerry Brown, speaking on the morning of the North Carolina Primary, 3/231976

 

[TNF]

Really liking this timeline. :]

 

[jacopo]

Thanks! Here's a fairly important update.


“REAGAN CRUSHES FORD; BROWN BEATS JACKSON, CARTER IN NC

Gov. Ronald Reagan defeated President Gerald Ford by a twenty-point margin in North Carolina’s primary yesterday, taking 60% of the vote to the President’s 39%. A triumphant Reagan called the victory a “defining moment in this historic election”. Speaking to exhausted supporters at his regional headquarters, Reagan said that “We are now well on our way to Kansas City, and we’re well on our way to Washington, too. Thank you so much, and God bless you all.” Reagan was vocal in thanking Senator Jesse Helms, who has campaigned for Reagan in the state, and a tongue-in-cheek show of gratitude to Democratic contender Jerry Brown, whose much-publicised furious attack on President Ford on discussion show Face The Nation may have hurt Ford amongst some voters. Ford issued a brief statement congratulating Mr. Reagan. Many Republican insiders fear that a continuous tit-for-tat primary battle will lead to a fractured party at the Kansas City convention later this year.

Brown, competing in the simultaneous Democratic primary, bested Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson, winning 44% of the vote to Jackson’s 30% and Governor Jimmy Carter’s 25%. George Wallace, the paraplegic Southern populist, withdrew from the race, having gained no delegates and having little chance to win the nomination. Wallace’s campaign was destroyed by Jackson’s rise, the Washington Senator taking large amounts of the hawkish white vote that Wallace so relied upon, and further damaged by the Georgian Carter, who has received large amounts of Wallace’s other bulwark, the Southern vote. Wallace received just 1% of the vote in North Carolina. Brown and Jackson are now considered the frontrunners for the nomination, with Carter a close third.”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]From The Washington Post, 3/23/1976

“CARTER TO DROP OUT?

Rumors abound on the campaign trail that Gov. Jimmy Carter (D-GA) will drop out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination if he loses next month’s Wisconsin primary. Carter, a moderate, was the frontrunner for the nomination two months ago after his win in the Iowa caucuses, but Governor Jerry Brown’s narrow victory in New Hampshire badly stalled his momentum, and Carter has since found himself coming in a close second or third behind the new frontrunners, Brown and Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson. Carter had been leading narrowly, but Jackson, in an attempt to sway Carter’s moderate voting block with his hawkish policies, has been blasting Carter to rallies in the state, and it is now virtually a tie between the two. Carter’s campaign denied the rumors, but has intensified television and radio spending in the state by a large amount...”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]From The Washington Post 3/30/1976

“It was weird. You had Carter trying to run a positive campaign, and then you had Jackson criticising Carter at every opportunity, and Jerry attacking Ford and Jackson, and the end result was that, by pure chance, Jerry was really the only one not being barraged by negative ads... because Carter and Jackson started really going at each other before the Wisconsin primary... we knew that if we won in Wisconsin, we’d be the clear frontrunner, and this scared the shit out of both of them, but especially Jackson. And since our voters were pretty firmly in the bag for Jerry, Jackson really started pulling for Carter supporters, if you remember that awful ad they ran...”
- Larry Halleck, Brown campaign volunteer, quoted in American Voices: The Election of 1976



“I hear rumours that Governor Carter is to drop out if he loses this primary on the sixth. Well, good riddance- because, friends, between you and me, the country’s better off without some Georgia Governor trying to hustle his way into the Oval Office. Jimmy Carter, friends, is a good man. But he is not- he is not- a strong man. We need a strong man for President, we need a firm hand at the wheel of this great country. And that’ why I’m running for President of the United States. Thank you very much.”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson, speaking to a crowd in Wisconsin, 3/2/1976




“Fade in...

Voice over: Jimmy Carter says, quote, ‘We move from one crisis to the next as if they were fads, even though the previous one hasn't been solved.’

(We see the words circled on Carter campaign literature)

VO: Jimmy Carter thinks that the United States is indecisive. Jimmy Carter thinks that our great country is weak.

(We see Scoop Jackson shaking hands with some soldiers, looking Presidential)

VO: Scoop Jackson rejects Carter’s unpatriotic words as false. Scoop Jackson will always stand by this great nation. And as President, Scoop Jackson will be committed to keeping the United States free and strong. On the sixth, please vote Senator Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson as your choice for the Democratic nomination.

(Cut to Jackson, sitting behind a desk in a room that looks noticeably similar to the Oval Office. He smiles, looking statesmanlike)

Jackson: I’m Scoop Jackson. And I approve this message.

(Text: Funded by the Jackson for President campaign)

Fade out...”

-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]The infamous attack ad run by the Jackson campaign against Jimmy Carter in the days leading up the crucial Wisconsin primary. Carter was shocked by the charges of being unpatriotic, and reportedly never forgave Jackson for the attack.

 

[jacopo]

“BROWN TRIUMPHS IN WISCONSIN, CARTER ENDORSES HIM; REAGAN BEATS FORD AGAIN

Governor Jerry Brown won the Wisconsin Democratic primary yesterday, defeating chief rival Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson. Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia, a former leading contender, withdrew from the race and announced that he was endorsing Brown. It is widely believed that the endorsement comes in light of a widely denounced attack ad aired recently in which Senator Jackson accuses Carter of being unpatriotic. Carter’s decision to endorse Brown puts the California governor on the fast-track for the nomination, and is a huge blow to Jackson’s chances. Further analysis inside.

In the G.O.P. primary, Governor Ronald Reagan again defeated President Gerald Ford, albeit by a relatively narrow margin. Reagan won 52% to Ford’s 48%. The momentum is now clearly on the conservative challenger’s side, but Reagan has been trailing Ford heavily in Pennsylvania, a state Ford needs to win convincingly in to stay viable in the race for the Republican nomination.”

From The Washington Post, 6/4/1976


“(Governor Carter and Mrs. Carter walk on to the stage to a wave of applause from his disappointed supporters)

Carter: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Well, it’s been an amazing journey, hasn’t it? I’d like to thank Hamilton Jordan, my campaign manager, who brought us so close to our goal, all those who volunteered for my campaign and worked so very hard for me, and my wife, Rosalynn who understands the strains that national politics can put on family life. But most of all, thank you. Thank you for your support, thank you for your enthusiasm and your friendship and hospitality. I will never forget the overwhelming kindness and generosity shown to me by the American people throughout this campaign. And I can think of no better place than this small Milwaukee bingo hall, a centre of community and friendship all over this great country, to announce, that, sadly, my campaign for the Presidency has come to an end.


(A scattering of ‘no’s and similar reactions)

No, no. There is nothing sad about tonight. I have no regrets. None. I think we got our message out there, and though we fell short, I believe we held onto our principles. And nothing matters more than that. But, my friends, the journey does not end just yet, for I have an announcement to make. I’ve refused to support any other candidate while I was running for the Democratic nomination, but now the time has to come to make what political pundits like to call an ‘endorsement.

I’m not going to call it anything that pompous. Just a show of support for a man who I believe can lead this country in the future with vision, integrity and courage. That man is Governor Jerry Brown.

(Cheering, applause and the odd boo from the Carter crowd)

I’ve had the privilege of debating and speaking with Governor Brown during these past months, and I have huge respect for him, both personally and politically. I firmly believe that Jerry Brown has the right vision for America, a vision that President Ford, that Ronald Reagan and, yes, that Scoop Jackson cannot match.

We’ve fought a long, hard fight, and I’m aware that there may be some wariness about Governor Brown amongst my supporters. So, friends, tonight I say to you this: Jerry Brown’s America is my America. And I want y’all to help the Governor with the enthusiasm and love that you’ve shown to me so graciously to me in the last few months. And rest assured that I will fight with all my strength to make him our nominee, and our President.

Thank you, and God bless you all.

(Huge roar of applause from the audience. Carter and Mrs. Carter wave and leave the stage.)”

- Jimmy Carter’s speech on the night of the Wisconsin primary, withdrawing from the Democratic race and endorsing Jerry Brown over Scoop Jackson.

 

[TNF]

Sad to see Carter go down, but any boost for Jerry Brown is good in my book. I just want him to crush Reagan in November.

 

[Cylon_Number_14]

For a first timeline, this one is quite good with a good mix of styles for the various faux primary and secondary sources of information.

I look forward to more on Jerry Brown, as he is likely to run for Governor (again) in California next year.