How come Reagan won in a 49-state landslide in 1984?

[Bo]

Sure, the economy was good and hyperinflation was defeated, and also Reagan was charismatic. However, Mondale was a very experienced and qualified opponent. How come Reagan managed to win such a huge landslide that year? I would have expected Mondale to win at least several states due to his qualifications and the Democratic base voting for him. I mean, in 1972, Nixon managed to protray McGovern as an extremist, but Reagan enver tried to do that to Mondale (or so I think).

[Bo]

He chose not to campaign in Minnesota.

lol. Why, though?

[Bo]

He chose not to campaign in Minnesota.

lol. Why, though?

Because a 50 state landslide would be too humiliating for Mondale.

Yeah; Reagan was quite noble in that sense.

Wow. I neer saw the words Reagan and noble together before. Probably because it's an oxymoron. I get your point though.

[Bo]

He chose not to campaign in Minnesota.

lol. Why, though?

Because a 50 state landslide would be too humiliating for Mondale.

Yeah; Reagan was quite noble in that sense.

Wow. I neer saw the words Reagan and noble together before. Probably because it's an oxymoron. I get your point though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_Noble

ROTFLSH

[Bo]

You are the one who started by attacking the qualifications of Reagan and Carter, not I. I don't care whether someone has held any political office at all, but that doesn't mean they will be considered "qualified" by public opinion.

A) I never attacked Carter's qualifications.
B) Public opinion is a bad gauge of whom is qualified to be President.

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Reaganomics is one of many reasons that Reagan should NEVER have been President and the reason that 1984 is an embarrassing example of the way the American mind thinks. As for Gary Hart, lawl. Too much controversy, Reagan and his religious right cohorts would have made quick work of him in the smear campaign that would follow his nomination. Not to mention that Hart's platform was completely devoid of anything substantive.

As much as I hate Reagonomics, another GOPer would have likely introduced it later if Reagan did not. Maybe someone like Bob Dole or Jack Kemp.

[Bo]

Mondale pledged to raise taxes. People don't like fiscal responsibility.

Didn't he say he won't raise them on people making $25,000 a year or less? $25,000 in 1984 would probably be more than $50,000 today due to inflation.

[Bo]

I'm interested in knowing if Reagan actually did win MN because the margin was so tiny.  Maybe they pulled some strings there to avoid the sweep?

Unlikely. If there was fraud in MN, it would have been discovered. Besides, why would Mondale do that?--a rigged win in Minnesota would have damaged his reputation much more than a loss in Minnesota would have.

[Bo]

I don't think that 3 out 44 Presidents (Harding, Kennedy, and Obama) is a large enough sample to make this claim.

Well, I did say "Presidents from primarily legislative background" not "Presidents elected to the White House straight from the legislature". So LBJ, Ford and Truman definitely count, and only one of them who can be considered a remotely successful President is Truman.

Obama is pretty successful so far. Also, LBJ and Ford were moderately successful--LBJ for passing many social programs and Ford for reducing the inflation rate, detente, and avoiding any serious foreign crises.