What if Dukakis didn't run in 1988? Who would get the nomination? What would the results of the general election be? What effects would Willie Horton not being an issue have on subsequent elections?
It was the Dukakis campaign that made an issue out of that.Biden if he properly cited the source of his stump speeches may have pulled it off.
Biden if he properly cited the source of his stump speeches may have pulled it off. Gary Hart if he hadn't antagonized the press about potential infidelities. Maybe even Bill Clinton; he changed his mind the day before announcing a run. Cuomo was a shoe-in if they could only convince him to run.
But you need an opponent with a record of saying that they wanted to be soft on crime, who has a record of doing things that are soft on crime, or a record of high crime rates for a "my opponent is soft on crime" campaign to work. For example, Bentsen or Gore definitely weren't soft on crime.As for the second part of the question, while it wouldn't be the Willie Horton ad anymore, the resentments from a lot of voters and fear of increasing crime rates would have still allowed Atwater-ian politics to flourish that cycle.
But this then also changes Bush's vice presidential nominee. If Bush didn't think he had it in the bag I don't think he'd have picked Quayle. I think I recall Bob Dole was second on the list but maybe he just told him that. Not sure if having Dole instead helps a lot, maybe Elizabeth Dole would.
The nomination was Cuomo's if he wanted it and chose not to run for it. That was also the case in '92 and again he chose not to run for it. Biden also had two brain aneurysms in 1988, so if those still happen, he's out. Gore is a possibility and I would also throw in Gephardt as well. Gary Hart was also a major possibility, but couldn't keep his pants zipped.Gore possibly. Maybe Biden or Cuomo.
What about Jesse Jackson? Ya think he has a chance?The nomination was Cuomo's if he wanted it and chose not to run for it. That was also the case in '92 and again he chose not to run for it. Biden also had two brain aneurysms in 1988, so if those still happen, he's out. Gore is a possibility and I would also throw in Gephardt as well. Gary Hart was also a major possibility, but couldn't keep his pants zipped.
What about Jesse Jackson? Ya think he has a chance?
1972 repeats itself unfortunately. Jackson was way to radical for the time.What about Jesse Jackson? Ya think he has a chance?