WI: Kennedy vs Reagan in 1980?

What if Ted Kennedy had won the Democratic presidential primary against Jimmy Carter in 1980? How would he have done against Ronald Reagan? Would he have had a chance at winning? Would Reagan make the Chappaquiddick incident part of his campaign? What line of attack would Kennedy have used against Reagan? Who would Kennedy have picked for his running mate? Discuss.
 
What if Ted Kennedy had won the Democratic presidential primary against Jimmy Carter in 1980? How would he have done against Ronald Reagan? Would he have had a chance at winning? Would Reagan make the Chappaquiddick incident part of his campaign? What line of attack would Kennedy have used against Reagan? Who would Kennedy have picked for his running mate? Discuss.

Kennedy looses, badly, the guy was all of Clinton's worst faults without any of the redeeming political skills and savoir faire

The media would rake Kennedy over the coals as his skeletons would lead to record sales (not even bothering with Chappaquiddick; just focusing on the womanizing and drunkeness)
 
It would have been a close race. The liberals stayed home in 80 they hated Carter more than Reagan. The unions would have supported Kennedy and that meant a lot more than now. Chappaquiddick is bad and no good way to explain it . Saying your sorry over and over would have been key. I am sure EMK staff had an idea what to do. The polls between Carter and Reagan were close to the end. Yes Reagan got like 90% of the Electoral vote but i belive he got 51% of the popular vote. Not a huge victory there. EMK would have kept all of Carters votes and added the people who stayed at home. The year anniversary of the Iran hostage sitaution does not hurt Kennedy like it does Carter. The economics does not hurt Kennedy like Carter. He says i will make it work like my brother did like FDR did. Many southen democrats in the process of becoming GOP over racial maters still had New Deal roots. Many of them stay because of Kennedy talking economics about the little guy and the middle class. Kennedy could have got Anderson not to run getting him many liberal GOP votes that way. Kennedy would win the debates. Who he picks has VEEP and how much does Carter do is BIG! It will be race a lot like 2000.
 
Kennedy would do better than Carter carrying MA, RI, NY and all the Carter states except GA and maybe MN. Reagan still wins by a large margin.
 
It would have been a close race. The liberals stayed home in 80 they hated Carter more than Reagan. The unions would have supported Kennedy and that meant a lot more than now. Chappaquiddick is bad and no good way to explain it . Saying your sorry over and over would have been key. I am sure EMK staff had an idea what to do. The polls between Carter and Reagan were close to the end. Yes Reagan got like 90% of the Electoral vote but i belive he got 51% of the popular vote. Not a huge victory there. EMK would have kept all of Carters votes and added the people who stayed at home. The year anniversary of the Iran hostage sitaution does not hurt Kennedy like it does Carter. The economics does not hurt Kennedy like Carter. He says i will make it work like my brother did like FDR did. Many southen democrats in the process of becoming GOP over racial maters still had New Deal roots. Many of them stay because of Kennedy talking economics about the little guy and the middle class. Kennedy could have got Anderson not to run getting him many liberal GOP votes that way. Kennedy would win the debates. Who he picks has VEEP and how much does Carter do is BIG! It will be race a lot like 2000.


umm... what happens when the Wall Street Journal and other non Kennedy friendly publications start posting articles about Kennedy's rampant womanizing and alcoholism?

what happens when his various mistresses start giving interviews on nightline and 60 minutes

and in 1980 Kennedy was actively womanizing and drinking... it wasn't W's sort of campaign where he had been born again and only his past behavior prior to reform was at question; Kennedy was still actively doing these things and it wasn't a well kept secret
 
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Reagan 322
Kennedy 216
 
BlairWitch749
You bring up some good points. If Bush is the VP
Candidate EMK brings up his girl friend problems.
He had one took her to China with him. The rumors about
Reagan having his girl friends before his marriage with
Nancy having abortions are leaked. Fighting fire with fire. Really dirty
Election. Like Bush senior did in 88. The race comes
down to the Blue dog Democrats. Also called Reagan Democrats.
Do they vote for Kennedy and his progressive
economic plans. Or do they vote anti civil rights like they
did in OTL? Kennedy VP pick is big. He must pick
a conservative from the South. Bentson may get an early nod.
 
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