Just think if Cuomo was the nominee in '88

[Wakie]

Several thoughts on this one ....

*Bush won in 1988 largely running as Reagan's successor.  Remove Reagan and you remove a lot of Bush's popularity.

*Cuomo was rather liberal, but he was also rather cagey.  Much more so than Dukakis.

*With Cuomo you get no Kitty Dukakis is drunk scandal but you do get "Is Cuomo tied to the mob?"  Also you may not get Willie Horton, but you would get Arthur Shawcross.

*Unlike Dukakis, I doubt Cuomo would have picked Bentsen has as VP.  Bentsen totally overshadowed Dukakis and left you feeling like HE was the guy who should be the nominee.  I wonder who other people think Cuomo would have picked as his VP ....

[Wakie]

Wakie, I have a question - do you think Cuomo would have been able to carry New Jersey? He was from close to there (NY) and he was an ethnic -- BUT, New Jersey was also much more conservative back then and had there was a big stigma towards NYC in New Jersey at the time.

Cuomo certainly would be able to pull a lot of support in NJ.  But keep in mind that while Governor he alienated a lot of people in New York City and New Jersey over the issue of sports stadiums.  But at the end of the day, against Bush, I'd give NJ to Cuomo.