The Great American Reset

[Progressive]

Election Night 1992

What was supposed to be an easy win for Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton (D) fell apart on election night. The Comeback Kid came up short. His focus on agrarian populist economic principles landed him strong wins in parts of the Dixie South and Midwest, but the Democrat hemorrhaged independent and moderate voters in the Northeast, ultimately costing him the election.

President Bush was re-elected in 1992 with 275 electoral votes to Clinton's 263 electoral votes.

Shortly after President Bush was re-inaugurated, America's economy took a nosedive. Calling it the Great Recession, economists labeled the early 1990s as the most anxiety-inducing economic period in American history. Particularly vulnerable were young homeowners across the country, especially in growing cities, suburbs, and exurbs. Black and Latino communities were also suffering at a disproportionately high rate, and began to experience severe job losses.

Flash Forward: February 11, 1996

The Eve of the Democratic Iowa Caucuses

Democratic Candidates

Jesse Jackson (D-DC)
Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Bill Clinton (D-AR)
Ed Koch (D-NY)
Al Gore (D-TN)
Joe Biden (D-DE)
Jerry Brown (D-CA)
Mario Cuomo (D-NY)
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Republican Candidates

Dan Quayle (R-AZ)
Bob Dole (R-KS)
Phil Gramm (R-TX)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Steve Forbes (R-NY)

NEXT POST: The Iowa Caucuses results give headaches to both parties.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

No Buchanan ‘96?

[Trans Rights Are Human Rights]

Super Mario (age) 64!

[MAINEiac4434]

PELOSI 96

[America Needs R'hllor]

Brown '96! But I'd be happy with Gore, Cuomo, Biden or Specter, too.

[Cold War Liberal]

Jesse Jackson '96! (I'd also wholeheartedly support Cuomo, Gore, Brown, or Pelosi)

[Progressive]

The Democrats: Shock, Awe, and a Reset

DNC leaders in Washington grew nervous about the tone and tenor of the 1996 primary contest. Having lost tremendous support among moderates, Catholics, and suburbanites in the North, Democrat insiders were pushing the candidacies of Gov. Mario Cuomo (D) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) behind the scenes. Still, the Democratic base had grown anxious with the failing economy and with the perception that the Democratic Party was not serving the best interests of moving America toward a more progressive, equitable land.

Results



Jesse Jackson    19%   [WINNER]
Mario Cuomo     17%
Bill Clinton         16%
Jerry Brown       12%
Joe Biden           11%
Ted Kennedy       10%
Al Gore                7%
Nancy Pelosi         4%
Ed Koch                1%
Uncommitted        3%

Jesse Jackson has done it. The controversial civil rights activist and Baptist minister seized on a desire for economic restructuring in rural Iowa, winning its caucuses, sending a shockwave to the Democratic establishment.

The Republicans: Double Down on the Status Quo

Like the Democrats, Republican insiders too had hoped to push effective, palpable change candidates to the top of the ticket. With an approval rating of just 39%, President George H.W. Bush had effectively sucked the enthusiasm out of the Iowa Republican caucuses. In fact, GOP participation was half that of Democratic participation in 1996.

Results



Bob Dole          39% [WINNER]
Dan Quayle      25%
Arlen Specter   22%
Phil Gramm      10%
Steven Forbes    4%

Next up: Endorsements get ugly; the 1996 New Hampshire primary

[America Needs R'hllor]

Aw, Specter got so close
And can't wait to see how this goes- it's looking great!

[Trans Rights Are Human Rights]

Aw, Cuomo got so close
And can't wait to see how this goes- it's looking great!

[Cold War Liberal]

OH GOD YES PLEASE LET THIS BE JESSE JACKSON DEFEATING DAN QUAYLE

[Progressive]

The Democrats: Granite State Panic

Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi, and Ed Koch all dropped out of the 1996 Democratic primaries following an abysmal showing in Iowa. Pelosi and Koch were dedicated to stopping the rise of Koch's longtime rival, Gov. Mario Cuomo. Pelosi endorsed Jackson, Koch endorsed Kennedy, and Gore endorsed "Cuomo or Kennedy."

Still, Democratic insiders were panicked. Could Jesse Jackson be the nominee? His Iowa Cuacuses win sent pundits and party bosses alike into a panic, but energized black voters and ideological leftists who wanted to see a primary about radical change. The New Hampshire primary results made one thing clear: Jesse Jackson was not going away.

Results



Mario Cuomo      25.4%  [WINNER]
Ted Kennedy       25%
Jesse Jackson      21%
Bill Clinton           16%
Jerry Brown          8%
Joe Biden               4%
Uncommitted        ~rest~

The Republicans: Deflated

Low turnout. No message. That's all there was to say. Could a unique, swing-state Republican turn things around?

Results

Arlen Specter       35%  [WINNER]
Dan Quayle          26%
Bob Dole              23%
Phil Gramm          10%
Steve Forbes          6%

UP NEXT: The stock market crashes ahead of the Delaware primaries. Stay tuned!

[America Needs R'hllor]

Yay Specter! Also yay Cuomo, I hope Kennedy drops out and endorses him.

[WestVegeta]

ARLEN '96

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Bill no

[Progressive]

Ahead of the Delaware primary, a series of Stock Market shocks sent the financial world into chaos. Nearing record lows, the Stock Market halted trading on the eve of the Delaware nominating contest. Layoff at major companies began, including new "dot com" Internet-based companies, who began to hemorrhage capital and staff. Making matters worse, dozens of banks across the country were being accused of not lending to black folks, young folks, and other groups deemed "risky investments," in a memo obtained by a hacker who was fired from America Online (AOL) in the dot com economic downturn. Social unrest was brewing across the country.

The Democrats: It's Really Happening

Saddled by anxiety and unrest among black voters and base liberals, Delaware was fertile ground for a primary day upheaval. Polls leading to the Delaware contest showed a tied up race: Mario Cuomo held a slight edge over Jesse Jackson and Ted Kennedy. But in New York, at Cuomo headquarters, strategists grew antsy. Jesse Jackson received the endorsement of Bill Clinton, in hopes of reviving Clinton's standing among Democratic activists, and Jackson touted Clinton, Pelosi, and other Delaware leaders across Delaware. Meanwhile, Joe Biden, the favorite son of Delaware, remained mum, but cast his vote on primary day.

Results



Jesse Jackson    50%  [WINNER]
Mario Cuomo     31% 
Ted Kennedy      19%

The Republicans: A Rare Moment of Glee

Despite the economic turmoil coming to a head across the country, Republicans began to exhale. Jesse Jackson was emerging as the Democratic frontrunner, and the GOP thought that it could create a public-facing political leadership ticket led by moderate, inclusive Republicans.

Results



Arlen Specter 43%  [WINNER]
Bob Dole        29%
Dan Quayle    25%
Phil Gramm     3%

NEXT TIME: The Tuesday Feb. 27, 1996 western primaries: Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota. Phil Gramm and Dan Quayle have dropped out of the GOP race; Kennedy stays in for the Dems.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Easily Specter >>> Jackson. But I doubt that's what the timeline is about

[Progressive]

The Reset Heads West

Despite failing to win a primary yet in the 1996 Democratic contests, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) vowed to stay in the race. "Frankly, our party and our country deserve better than Jesse Jackson and Cuomo. We have dozens of contests left to go, and I intend to stay in this race."

The Democrats: Bracing for a Long Road Ahead

Is Kennedy trying to kill Cuomo? On the day of the first big western races, Gov. Cuomo (D-NY) launched into a tirade at Ted Kennedy, calling him a "hateful Catholic."

Results

ARIZONA

Mario Cuomo    40%  [WINNER]
Ted Kennedy     29%
Jesse Jackson   29%

NORTH DAKOTA

Jesse Jackson     46%   [WINNER]
Mario Cuomo      31%  
Ted Kennedy       22%

SOUTH DAKOTA

Jesse Jackson      39%   [WINNER]
Mario Cuomo       37%  
Ted Kennedy        24%

The Republicans: Can the Base Accept Arlen?

After a string of wins for Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), agitated, conservative Republicans, including many in the Evangelical community began to rally around Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS).

Results

ARIZONA

Bob Dole          55%  [WINNER]
Arlen Specter    43%

NORTH DAKOTA

Bob Dole           66%  [WINNER]
Arlen Specter     33%

SOUTH DAKOTA

Bob Dole           57%  [WINNER]
Arlen Specter    42%

NEXT: The South Carolina primary resets the race.

[Cold War Liberal]

Jes-se! Jes-se! Jes-se!

[Trans Rights Are Human Rights]

Still holding out hope for Super Mario, but I'd be happy with Jackson, too.