Camelot Anew, Chapter Two: The Reagan Revolution

[MAINEiac4434]

I suppose in order for the timeline to work and Reagan to win, McGovern has to win the D nomination. With that being said I find it hard to believe someone like Buyh wouldn’t win. When youre the VP of a President with an 80% approval you usually do good. Add in the fact he likely had the blessing of the Kennedy family and idk how he wouldn’t win the nomination

That's part of why I also had Hartke run. They split the "establishment" vote.

But also, consider the TL atmosphere: Democrats had won the last four elections. It's just time for a change.

[MAINEiac4434]

"All respect to Nick Galifianakis. He was smart, capable, more than liberal enough. But next to Thompson, he came off as boring. And when you knew Nick in person, you knew he was the opposite of boring. But he wasn't up there singing like Thompson was. It was just McGovern's luck to come up against the first movie star Presidential candidate and first singing Vice Presidential candidate."

Gallup presidential poll, August 14-21
Ronald Reagan/Ronnie Thompson (R): 47.2%
George McGovern/Nick Galifianakis (D): 42.9%
Other/Undecided: 9.9

[MAINEiac4434]

Wait Nick is related to Zach of the same last name?

Nick Galifianakis is Zach Galifianakis's uncle.

[MAINEiac4434]

"Ronnie simply outclassed Galifiwhatever in the VP debate, the first one. Ronnie just went after him and it just didn't stop for the entire two hours."

"Yeah...that debate wasn't the best. I kind of put George in a hole there."
-excerpt from an interview with Nick Galifianakis, September 10, 2009.

"People like to blame Nick and the VP debate for everything. No. It was the pictures that came out a week later."
-excerpt from an interview with George McGovern, April 28, 2006.

Images from George McGovern's 1975 trip to Cuba

"I can't believe we didn't find those first. It would've ended his primary campaign. I wonder how long Atwater was sitting on those."

"What you need to ask yourself when you enter the voting booth in six weeks, is which candidate will defend this country. Which candidate will stand up for you. Which candidate is in your corner. Me or Senator McGovern? The Senator who wants to make friends with Fidel Castro. George McGovern wants you to believe he's no more liberal than President Kennedy. But President Kennedy never went to Cuba. President Kennedy never had ice cream with Castro!"

"It was just so unfair for George. It was a goodwill trip! He was able to recover some by quite frankly destroying Reagan in the debates. But the damage was done. It was like LBJ's daisy ad."

Gallup tracking poll: September 14-21 (before Cuba images released)
Former Governor Ronald Reagan/Governor Ronnie Thompson (R): 46.7%
Senator George McGovern/Senator Nick Galifianakis (D): 45.2%
Undecided/Other: 8.1%

Gallup tracking poll: September 21-28 (during and after Cuba images released)
Former Governor Ronald Reagan/Governor Ronnie Thompson (R): 52.1%
Senator George McGovern/Senator Nick Galifianakis (D): 43.5%
Undecided/Other: 4.4%

Gallup tracking poll: October 10-17 (after debates)
Former Governor Ronald Reagan/Governor Ronnie Thompson (R): 48.4%
Senator George McGovern/Senator Nick Galifianakis (D): 44.8%
Undecided/Other: 6.8%

[MAINEiac4434]

Was Newt Gingrich elected as a liberal or conservative Republican?

Gingrich is considered a moderate Thompsonite.

[MAINEiac4434]

Wait, did McGovern actually meet with Castro in Cuba?

Not that good at photoshop, man!

It really happened.

[MAINEiac4434]

I don’t know if you guys can tell, but the post-RFK storylines will be less detailed than RFK’s.

[MAINEiac4434]

Did you read the thread that I linked to in my post?

Yes, I did! Thank you! But Chapter 1 is done. I'm not going back and changing anything now.

[MAINEiac4434]

But surely you can agree that these proposals would've occurred, right?

Yes, many of them.

[MAINEiac4434]

Maybe they can be mentioned in a future post in Chapter Two. Like on Reagan's budget proposals?

Sure, I'll keep it in mind!

[MAINEiac4434]

“RFK wasn’t campaigning for McGovern, either. That undercut McGovern’s message of being the continuation of RFK.”

“Some people blame RFK not campaigning for me for my defeat. I dismiss that notion entirely; President Kennedy was busy being the President.”

[MAINEiac4434]

8:00

"Welcome to CBS News's coverage of Election 1976, I'm Barbara Walters with Harry Reasoner and Howard K. Smith. Tonight, we find out the successor of one of the most popular Presidents of the modern era. Robert F. Kennedy will leave office with approvals in the high 70s. But who will succeed him - Senator George McGovern of South Dakota, the steadfast supporter of the President's agenda or former Governor Ronald Reagan, the bulwark defender of the New Right and a die-hard supporter of Barry Goldwater in 1964. Their backgrounds could not be more different; McGovern was a college professor before politics while Reagan was a movie star.

Will the Democrats keep their dominance of the White House? Or will the Republicans get their first President since Dwight Eisenhower? Stay tuned, we have the first results right...now."

"Senator McGovern has won the District of Columbia and its three electoral votes. Governor Reagan has won Florida and its 17 electoral votes - already Reagan has more electoral votes than Nelson Rockefeller received in the 1972 election. The total thus far: Reagan 17, McGovern 3."

8:07
"Reagan has won Georgia, the state that has gone Democratic more times than any other. Reagan chose the first Republican Governor of Georgia since Reconstruction to be his running mate, and it appears to have paid major dividends tonight. Reagan 29, McGovern 3."

"Already the map is interesting, Barbara, Reagan has taken two southern states."

8:41
"It's been awhile since we had a call at the presidential level, but just now we've gotten two states in, both for Reagan: Reagan will take New Hampshire and its 4 electoral votes along with Indiana and its 13. Reagan 46, McGovern 3."

8:47
"Vermont and its 3 electoral votes will go to Reagan."

8:50
"Rhode Island and its 4 electoral votes will go to McGovern. Reagan 49, McGovern 7."

8:53
"Virginia and its 12 electoral votes will go to Reagan. Another southern state in the Republican column, though Virginia has always been friendly territory for the GOP than the rest of the south."

8:54
"Hold everything, we have another projection: Massachusetts and its 14 electoral votes will go to McGovern. Reagan 61, McGovern 21."

8:55
"And another projection, they're really flying in now. Reagan will take another southern state: South Carolina will go to the former California Governor."

8:57
"We have a major projection right now, Reagan has won New Jersey. I repeat, Reagan has carried New Jersey. This is a state that Kennedy won both times, but is a pure bellwether. Bobby Kennedy carried it, Johnson carried it, Jack Kennedy carried it, Eisenhower carried it. The last candidate to win without New Jersey was Harry Truman in 1948. A huge victory for Reagan, and a state I think the McGovern people were counting on. Reagan 86, McGovern 21."

[MAINEiac4434]

9:01
"We're just past the 9:00 hour and polls have closed throughout the midwest and the rest of the South including Texas, but we have another projection for an 8:00 state and it's a doozy. Ohio and its 25 electoral votes will go to Ronald Reagan. This is looking to be a very good evening for the Reagan camp and a bad one if you're a McGovern fan, another bellwether state goes to the GOP candidate. Reagan 111, McGovern 21."

9:04
"Maryland and its 10 electoral votes will go to McGovern. We should point out it was at this time CBS and the other networks called the presidency for Robert Kennedy four years ago. Its clearly a much closer race tonight."

9:12
"More good news for McGovern: Pennsylvania and its 27 electoral votes will go to the South Dakota Senator. This is the biggest state we've called thus far, but it does have a bit of a Democratic lean and McGovern may have wanted this in his column sooner than quarter past nine. Reagan 111, McGovern 58."

9:19
"Another big win for McGovern: Michigan and its 21 electoral votes will go to George McGovern. Another state with a tangible Democratic lean, two of the three biggest states we've called have now gone to McGovern, but he still trails 111-79."

9:21
"Delaware and its 3 electoral votes will go to Governor Reagan."

9:33
"Nebraska, rock-solid Republican territory, stays that way, its 5 electoral votes going to Reagan. Reagan 119, McGovern 79."

9:45
"Kansas and its 7 electoral votes will go to Governor Reagan."

9:47
"North Carolina, the homestate of McGovern's running mate Nick Galifianakis, will go to the South Dakota Senator. Reagan 126, McGovern 92."

9:50
"Alabama has gone Republican again. Reagan wins Alabama. Reagan 135-McGovern 92."

9:53
"Kentucky has gone to Reagan. Considered a lean Democratic state in most years, Reagan has managed to flip the state. Reagan 144, McGovern 92."

9:54
"Mississippi has gone Republican again. The new south emerges, one where the Republican Party is dominating. Reagan 151, McGovern 92."

9:55
"Another projection: Louisiana has gone to Reagan. Reagan 161 McGovern 92."

"Astonishing...I think adding a conservative southerner to the ticket in the form of Ronnie Thompson is helping Reagan a tremendous amount in the South."

"I think Thompson helps, but I think fundamentally southerners want socially conservative, traditional values, and the Democrats are not offering that, especially in the form of George McGovern, who of course visited Cuba last year. Remember, very few Southern States gave Kennedy a majority in 1972, he only won those because Goldwater and Rockefeller split the right-wing vote."

"Well, we're seeing a new Solid South, one with a dominant Republican Party."

9:55
"North Dakota, the more conservative of the two Dakotas, has gone to Reagan."

[MAINEiac4434]

9:58
"Reagan will carry Oklahoma, to no real surprise. Reagan 172, less than 100 electoral votes away from winning this election, McGovern 92."

10:00
"Polls have closed in the west, and we project one state: Idaho will go to Reagan."

10:03
"We have a projection to make; McGovern will carry West Virginia. Solid Democratic territory, usually, the fact that it's taken so long for McGovern to be called the victor here - over two hours - should be cause for great concern in the McGovern camp. Reagan 176, McGovern 96."

10:08
"Connecticut and its 8 electoral votes have gone to Reagan. This is a Democratic leaning state - it's gone Democratic in each of the last four elections - but one that Republicans have always thought was within reach. Tonight, Reagan has reach the Nutmeg State. Reagan 184, McGovern 98."

10:12
"Reagan will carry Arkansas."

10:19
"Minnesota and its 10 electoral votes will go to McGovern. Reagan 190, McGovern 108."

10:25
"Reagan has won Tennessee and its 10 electoral votes. Reagan 200, McGovern 108."

10:29
"It's beginning to look like a suburban swimming pool out there...Utah, a solid Republican state at the Presidential level at least has gone to Reagan."

10:30
"Reagan will carry Maine, becoming the first Republican to carry the state since Richard Nixon...the first time. We actually can only call three of the four electoral votes from the state, Maine splits them by congressional district, and Maine's more liberal first district remains too close to call."

10:32
"We can finally call New York. McGovern will carry the Empire State, though Reagan will be buoyed by the good result there in a pretty safe Democratic state. Reagan 207, McGovern 149."

[MAINEiac4434]

10:37
"Maine's 1st district will go to Reagan."

10:39
"Wyoming will go to Reagan. Safe Republican territory, it was one of two states to go to Rockefeller in 1972."

10:40
"We have a major projection to make: Reagan will carry Texas. I repeat, Ronald Reagan has won Texas. A major victory tonight, now Reagan only needs his home state of California to win the election. Reagan 237, McGovern 149."

10:41
"Arizona will go to Ronald Reagan."

10:45
"We have a major projection to make: Ronald Reagan will carry Illinois, and is now just one electoral vote away from winning the Presidency. McGovern needs to run the table in order to force this election to the House of Representatives, and from the current numbers it does not look like he'll be able to do that. Reagan 269, McGovern 149."

10:47
"McGovern will carry his home state of South Dakota. Reagan 269, McGovern 153."

10:50
"It is 10 minutes to eleven, and we can call the Presidency.

"Ronald Wilson Reagan has been elected the 38th President of the United States.

"By carrying Montana and its 4 electoral votes, Reagan is now at 273 electoral votes, three over the minimum of 270."

"A lurch to the right, I think, especially compared to Robert Kennedy, especially with Ronnie Thompson becoming the Vice President elect."

"Reagan has said he will seek to cut spending and taxes and have a more 'active' foreign policy. He's skeptical of the National Health Administration, so we'll see who he wants to install as National Health Administrator."

10:53
"Reagan will carry New Mexico."

10:54
"Iowa will go to the President-elect."

10:56
"Colorado has gone to Reagan. The electoral college totals now stand at 292 to 153."

[MAINEiac4434]

11:48
"It's been awhile since we've had a projection at the Presidential level, but with 95% of precincts reporting, we can say Reagan is the apparent winner in Wisconsin."

11:51
"Oregon becomes our first Pacific Coast state to be called, going for Reagan. Reagan 309, McGovern 153."

11:55
"Nevada will go to Reagan."

12:04
"In an unsurprising turn of events, California's 45 electoral votes will go to its former governor Ronald Reagan. Reagan is now at 357 electoral votes, while McGovern is on 153."

12:08
"Chin up McGovern supporters: he now has another state west of the Mississippi. McGovern will carry Washington and its 9 electoral votes. Reagan 357, McGovern 162."

1:09
"For those of you still up, we finally have a winner in Missouri: George McGovern will carry the Show-Me State's 12 electoral votes, bringing him up to 174."

2:39
"Alaska will go to Reagan."

3:04
"Hawaii will go to Reagan, and so concludes our coverage of the Bicentennial Election. The Republican ticket of Ronald Wilson Reagan and Ronald John Thompson has won with 364 electoral votes over the Democratic ticket of George Stanley McGovern and Nicholas Stratis Galifianakis, who had 174 electoral votes. Ronald Reagan received more than 40 million votes."

[MAINEiac4434]

Results of the 1976 United States Presidential Election
Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Ronald John Thompson (R-GA): 364 Electoral Votes, 40,948,112, 52.06% of the vote
George Stanley McGovern (D-SD)/Nicholas Stratis Galifianakis (D-NC): 174 Electoral Votes, 36,609,512, 46.55% of the vote
Eugene Joseph McCarthy (WI-MN)/Various: 0 Electoral Votes, 340,460, 0.43% of the vote
Roger Lea MacBride (Libertarian-VT)/David Peter Bergland (L-CA): 0 Electoral Votes, 172,557, 0.22% of the vote
Lester Garfield Maddox (American Independent-GA)/William David Dyke (AI-WI): 0 Electoral Votes, 170,274, 0.22% of the vote
Thomas Jefferson Anderson (American-TX)/Rufus Shackleford (AP-PA): 0 Electoral Votes, 158,271, 0.20% of the vote
Peter Miguel Camejo Guanche (Socialist Workers-CA)/Willie Mae Reid (SW-IL): 0 Electoral Votes, 90,986, 0.12% of the vote
Gus Hall (Communist-NY)/Jarvis Tyner (C-NY): 0 Electoral Votes, 58,709, 0.07% of the popular vote
Margaret Wright (People's-NY)/Dr. Benjamin McLane Spock (PP-VT): 0 Electoral Votes, 49,013, 0.06% of the popular vote
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche (US Labor-NY)/Ronald Wayne Evans (USL-IL): 0 Electoral Votes, 40,043, 0.05% of the popular vote
Benjamin Calvin Bubar, Jr. (Prohibition-ME)/Earl Farwell Dodge, Jr. (P-CO): 0 Electoral Votes, 15,932, 0.02% of the vote

[MAINEiac4434]

"This is the Today Show, November 3, 1976, the day after the election."

"And now for the results in the United States Senate:

In Arizona, incumbent Republican Paul Fannin retired and was replaced by Democrat Dennis DeConcini.

In California, incumbent Democrat John V. Tunney was defeated in the primary by Agriculture Secretary Cesar Chavez, and Cesar Chavez wins the general election.

In Connecticut, incumbent Republican Lowell Weicker won reelection.

In Delaware, incumbent Republican Bill Roth won reelection.

In Florida, incumbent Democrat Lawton Chiles won reelection.

In Hawaii, incumbent Republican Hiram Fong retired, and his seat was won by Democrat Spark Matsunaga.

In Indiana, incumbent Republican Richard Roudebush retired, and the seat was retained by the Republicans with Richard Lugar.

In Maine, incumbent Democrat George Mitchell has won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Maryland, incumbent Democrat Joseph Tydings retired and his seat was retained for the Democrats with Paul Sarbanes.

In Massachusetts, incumbent Democrat Ted Kennedy wins reelection overwhelmingly.

In Michigan, incumbent Democrat Phil Hart retired and his seat was retained by the Democrats with Donald Riegle.

In Minnesota, incumbent Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey has won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Mississippi, incumbent Democrat John C. Stennis wins reelection unopposed.

In Missouri, incumbent Democrat Stuart Symington retired, and his seat was won by Republican John Danforth.

In Montana, incumbent Democrat Mike Mansfield retired, and his seat was retained by Democrat John Melcher.

In Nebraska, incumbent Democrat Frank B. Morrison retired, and his seat was retained by Democrat Edward Zorinsky.

In Nevada, incumbent Democrat Howard Cannon was reelected.

In New Jersey, incumbent Democrat Harrison Williams was reelected.

In New Mexico, incumbent Democrat Joseph Montoya was narrowly reelected.

In New York, incumbent Republican Charles Goodell was defeated by Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

In North Dakota, incumbent Democrat Quentin Burdick won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Ohio, incumbent Democrat Howard Metzenbaum won reelection.

In Pennsylvania, incumbent Republican Hugh Scott retired, and his seat was retained by H. John Heinz III.

In Rhode Island, incumbent Democrat John O. Pastore retired and his seat was won by Republican John Chafee.

In Tennessee, incumbent Democrat Al Gore retired, and his seat was retained by Jim Sasser.

In Texas, incumbent Democrat Lloyd Bentsen won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Utah, incumbent Democrat Frank Moss was defeated by Republican Orrin Hatch.

In Vermont, incumbent Republican Robert Stafford has won reelection.

In Virginia, incumbent Independent Harry Byrd has won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Washington, incumbent Democrat Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson has won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Wisconsin, incumbent Democrat William Proxmire has won reelection overwhelmingly.

In Wyoming, incumbent Democrat Gale McGee was defeated by Republican Malcolm Wallop.

[MAINEiac4434]

I am confused as to how McGovern won swing state Missouri (and to a lesser extent PA) while losing by that much.

Midwestern populism combined with an active campaign structure there.

Also, a weird quirk in the simulation software I use.

[MAINEiac4434]

And now for the gubernatorial races around the country.

In Arkansas, incumbent Democrat David Pryor was reelected overwhelmingly.

In Delaware, incumbent Republican Russell W. Peterson lost renomination but the Governor's mansion was held by the Republicans in the form of Pete Du Pont.

In Illinois, incumbent Republican Richard Ogilvie has retired, and the Governor's mansion was held by the Republicans with James Thompson.

In Indiana, incumbent Democrat Matthew Empson Walsh was reelected.

In Missouri, incumbent Republican Kit Bond was narrowly defeated by Democrat Joseph Teasdale, a gain for the Democrats.

In Montana, incumbent Democrat Thomas Lee Judge was reelected.

In New Hampshire, incumbent Republican Meldrim Thompson won reelection.

In North Carolina, incumbent Republican James Holshouser - the first Republican governor of North Carolina in over a century - was defeated. Democrat Jim Hunt won the Governor's mansion.

In North Dakota, incumbent Democrat Arthur Link was narrowly reelected.

In Rhode Island, incumbent Democrat Philip Noel retired and was succeeded by fellow Democrat John Garrahy.

In Utah, incumbent Democrat Calvin Rampton retired and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Scott Matheson.

In Vermont, incumbent Democrat Thomas Salmon was defeated by Republican Richard Snelling.

In Washington, incumbent Republican Daniel Evans retired and was succeeded by Democrat Dixy Lee Ray, the first female governor of Washington.

In West Virginia, incumbent Democrat Jay Rockefeller was reelected overwhelmingly.

[MAINEiac4434]

I am confused as to how McGovern won swing state Missouri (and to a lesser extent PA) while losing by that much.

Midwestern populism combined with an active campaign structure there.

Also, a weird quirk in the simulation software I use.

President Elect '88?

Yup!

[MAINEiac4434]

The Reagan Administration

President: Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)
Vice President: Ronnie Thompson (R-GA)
Secretary of State: George HW Bush (R-TX)
Secretary of the Treasury: Don Regan (R-MA)
Secretary of Defense: Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME)
Attorney General: James L. Buckley (R-NY)
Secretary of Labor: George Wallace (D-AL)
Secretary of the Interior: Calvin Rampton (D-UT)
Secretary of Agriculture: John R. Block (R-IL)
Secretary of Commerce: Raul Hector Castro (D-NM)
Secretary of Public Welfare: William F. Buckley (R-NY)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Jack Kemp (R-NY)
Secretary of Transportation: Drew Lewis (R-PA)
Secretary of Education: Terrel Bell (R-ID)
National Health Administrator: Richard S. Schweiker (R-PA)
Chief of Staff: John Sears
Press Secretary: James Brady
Senior Advisor: Lee Atwater, Jeane Kirkpatrick

Schweiker is replaced in the Senate by Robert NC Nix (D).

[MAINEiac4434]

John Sears as Chief of Staff. That's bad news for Reagan. And both Buckley brothers are in the cabinet. Interesting.

Yeah, it’s fairly obvious this is all going to blow up in Reagan’s face, isn’t it?

[MAINEiac4434]

Not to mention George Wallace as Secretary of Labor.

"Black people aren't allowed to unionize!"

lol

But this is after Wallace renounced racism.

[MAINEiac4434]

Part II: Stagflation, South Africa and the Court

"What President Reagan and Prime Minister Fraser just did was a disgrace. Supporting the undemocratic South African regime weakens American interests worldwide and at home. Make no mistake, this isn't about communism, this is about exploiting the abundant natural resources of South Africa. We desire South Africa's friendship, but not on terms where they're holding political prisoners and denying rights to the native people. Not on these terms!"
-Speech from former President Robert F. Kennedy at Harvard University protest against Reagan's South African announcement, March 13, 1977.