WI: Gore nominated in 1988 and loses the general. Who runs in 1992? Who gets nominated?

Clinton may not do as well, as a New Democrat lost just four years earlier. I'd say that Harkin, Brown or Kerrey would have a much better shot at the nomination.
 
I suspect that the Dems will nominate a New Deal liberal in 1992 in this TL--indeed, perhaps someone such as Paul Tsongas.

I'd disagree on it someone like Paul Tsongas.

Honestly, if there's anyone on the Democrats who I could picture winning the primary and the general, it'd be Mario Cuomo.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
I'd disagree on it someone like Paul Tsongas.

Honestly, if there's anyone on the Democrats who I could picture winning the primary and the general, it'd be Mario Cuomo.
Cuomo would certainly be very interesting. Honestly, I think that he would have beaten Bush Sr. and become our nation's first Italian-American President! :)
 
Cuomo would certainly be very interesting. Honestly, I think that he would have beaten Bush Sr. and become our nation's first Italian-American President! :)
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If they can convince Cuomo to get in, I'm sure he'd be the frontrunner. Of course, assuming Bush's term turns out as in OTL, that might be problematic. The OTL '92 set would probably run, as might Dukakis (unless he got damaged in the '88 primary).
 
Yes, and? Based on these polls, Bush would have beaten Gore by 15% in the popular vote rather than lose to Gore by 0.5% in the popular vote!

Some pre-election polls not reflecting the final results does not mean that Cuomo could easily overcome that kind of deficit (although this was right after Iraq I, so things might not remain quite so lopsided). While he gave a helluva speech in 1984 he's no Bill Clinton.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Some pre-election polls not reflecting the final results does not mean that Cuomo could easily overcome that kind of deficit (although this was right after Iraq I, so things might not remain quite so lopsided). While he gave a helluva speech in 1984 he's no Bill Clinton.
I suspect that the poor economy would have still pushed Cuomo over the top, though; indeed, maybe by a 1-2% margin rather than a 5% margin, but still a Cuomo victory. :)
 
I suspect that the poor economy would have still pushed Cuomo over the top, though; indeed, maybe by a 1-2% margin rather than a 5% margin, but still a Cuomo victory. :)

Why though? March 1991 was right in the middle of the recession, and the public still wouldn't give Cuomo the time of day. Not saying that he (or whoever gets the nod) can't win, but it's far from a done deal.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Why though? March 1991 was right in the middle of the recession, and the public still wouldn't give Cuomo the time of day. Not saying that he (or whoever gets the nod) can't win, but it's far from a done deal.
The recession was covered up by the Gulf War in public perceptions in March 1991, though; plus, the longer the recession lasted and the Gulf War receded, the more that it hurt Bush Sr.
 
The recession was covered up by the Gulf War in public perceptions in March 1991, though; plus, the longer the recession lasted and the Gulf War receded, the more that it hurt Bush Sr.

It does, but I'm not so sure the public will feel that an old-school liberal is the right answer. The party might, after Gore lost, but that's another thing entirely.
 
Given the trends that existed within the Democratic Party at the time, at least as passed down through the decades, I wouldn't be shocked if it's still Clinton or some other DLC type. After all, the trend throughout the '80s and '90s was the blame Democratic defeats on the Party having moved too far to the left and needing to move back towards the center in order to win. Likely if Gore loses, his defeat is blamed on him being too far to the left in some way or other and the Party tries to move itself further towards the perceived political center.
 
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