Al Gore 2000=Richard Nixon 1960?

[Thunderbird is the word]

Both were uncharismatic Vice-Presidents who botched a televised debate. Both should have cruised to an easy victory in a time of peace and prosperity but were unable to ride the coattails of a widely popular president that they'd served under and both lost in a highly controversial election by a hair thin margin. I remember articles like this around 2006 being written suggesting that Gore would run in 08 with a Nixonian style comeback.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Both were seen as somewhat demagogic early in their career, Nixon with his red baiting and Gore with his PMRC involvement.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Both should have cruised to an easy victory in a time of peace and prosperity

Yeah, I don't think all was well in 2000. As I've posted already elsewhere:

I think it's quite clear why he won, going by statistics collected in Erika Shaker's book "Great Expectations" comparing American attitudes between 1992 and 2000. The results are...unpleasant. Here's a sampler:

-In 1992, 16% of Americans believed non-whites should not be allowed to immigrate. By 2000, it was 25%

-34% of Americans believed a widely advertised product was probably good in 1992. In 2000, it was 45%.

-In 1992, 66% of Americans discussed local issues with other people. That number was 34% in 2000.

-36% of Americans believed that men should be heads of their household in 1992. In 2000, that number was 49%.

-The number of Americans who believed that violence is a normal part of life rose from 9% in 1992 to 31% in 2000.

-The number who believed that violence is an acceptable way to meet your goals rose from 14% in 1992 to 26% in 2000.

-In 1992, 72% of Americans considered defending the environment a priority. In 2000, 57% did.

-American's time spent watching television increased from 35% to 40% between 1992 and 2000.

-65% of Americans considered materialism a threat to society in 1992. In 2000, that number was 48%.

- In 2000 34% of Americans said they enjoyed showing foreigners that they're smarter and stronger, up from 27% in 1992.

I could go on, but you get the point. Something about the Clinton presidency caused a shift from relatively progressive attitudes toward reactionary conservatism and shallowness. This is why Bush was elected.

I don't fully understand how American mindsets deteriorated so badly in the Clinton years, but they did.

Pretty depressing, I imagine that that polling would have gotten better in some areas and worse in others today. I'm really not a fan of Clinton either, I was mainly just making a comparison about the economy which was doing pretty well in 2000 compared to today. The environmental one is particularly depressing, I think that FauxNews turning the environment into a left vs right issue might have had something to do with it whereas it didn't used to be so politically charged.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Both should have cruised to an easy victory in a time of peace and prosperity

Yeah, I don't think all was well in 2000. As I've posted already elsewhere:

I think it's quite clear why he won, going by statistics collected in Erika Shaker's book "Great Expectations" comparing American attitudes between 1992 and 2000. The results are...unpleasant. Here's a sampler:

-In 1992, 16% of Americans believed non-whites should not be allowed to immigrate. By 2000, it was 25%

-34% of Americans believed a widely advertised product was probably good in 1992. In 2000, it was 45%.

-In 1992, 66% of Americans discussed local issues with other people. That number was 34% in 2000.

-36% of Americans believed that men should be heads of their household in 1992. In 2000, that number was 49%.

-The number of Americans who believed that violence is a normal part of life rose from 9% in 1992 to 31% in 2000.

-The number who believed that violence is an acceptable way to meet your goals rose from 14% in 1992 to 26% in 2000.

-In 1992, 72% of Americans considered defending the environment a priority. In 2000, 57% did.

-American's time spent watching television increased from 35% to 40% between 1992 and 2000.

-65% of Americans considered materialism a threat to society in 1992. In 2000, that number was 48%.

- In 2000 34% of Americans said they enjoyed showing foreigners that they're smarter and stronger, up from 27% in 1992.

I could go on, but you get the point. Something about the Clinton presidency caused a shift from relatively progressive attitudes toward reactionary conservatism and shallowness. This is why Bush was elected.

I don't fully understand how American mindsets deteriorated so badly in the Clinton years, but they did.

Pretty depressing, I imagine that that polling would have gotten better in some areas and worse in others today. I'm really not a fan of Clinton either, I was mainly just making a comparison about the economy which was doing pretty well in 2000 compared to today. The environmental one is particularly depressing, I think that FauxNews turning the environment into a left vs right issue might have had something to do with it whereas it didn't used to be so politically charged.

Yeah. What concerns me most is the rising indifference to violence and the decline of simply talking about issues. And in only eight years.

I think that social media has made things even worse with people retreating into increasingly ideologically insulated bubbles. One thing I like about uselectionsatlas is that you get people with a wide variety of different views mixing it up and getting along.