George Bush v Lloyd Bentsen 1988

[J. J.]

Who would the VP be?

[jokerman]

Bentsen wins with 318 EC votes to 220.

I think Bush might have narrowly won Texas, but that's neither here nor there really. I doubt Kentucky would've voted Dem, even for someone like Bentsen.

With, say, Clinton on the downticket he would have.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Bentsen had beaten Bush in Texas for the Senate in 1970, 53%-46%.  Bentsen could have won Texas narrowly, I feel, because he represented it in the Senate for 22 years and won by large margins in the 1980s.  Dukakis only lost it 55%-43% a better showing than either Gore or Kerry; Bentsen was clearly the reason.  He was a moderate, experienced, pro-business Democrat who was acceptable to liberals because he supported abortion.  Age might have been a factor but people had elected Reagan twice.  I agree that Bush in 1988 was effectively winning Reagan's 'third term' but  think Bentsen could have beaten him: definitely a toss-up race.  Bentsen would carry Pennsylvania and Maryland and make the South and Border states closer like Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana.  He might even have carried Montana or South Dakota which were close enough for Dukakis that year.  He could also have carried California.

[J. J.]

The VP would make a big difference.

Even if Bush loses Texas, he still could win the election easily.

[Boris]

Bush/Quayle vs. Bentsen/Clinton

Bentsen gets the 17 point boost Dukakis got after the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in July 1988. Bentsen's choice of VP, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, is intially criticized for providing a lack of balance to the ticket (both are southern New Democrats) and ignoring the Jesse Jackson wing of the party. Additionally, several allegations come up against Clinton for sexual harrassment and accusations of affairs. Clinton goes on TV sometime in August of 1988 and does an interview with [whoever the big news person was back then] and somewhat rehabilitates his image.

Attention is drawn away from Clinton in late August with the Republican National Convention in New Orleans and the nomination of Sen. Dan Quayle for Vice President. Despite a successful convention, there is heavy criticism of Quayle, both from the right and left. Nevertheless, a poll released on September 1, 1988 shows that Bush has closed the gap within six points, and trails Bentsen by a 48-42 margin.

The Bush team goes after Bentsen's voting record and tears it up, accusing him of being a closet liberal and voting to raise taxes [insert a ludcrious number here] times. Bush also questions Bentsen's ability to stand up to the Soviet Union. Bentsen throws Bush's accusations right back at him and continues to campaign across the nation.

By the time of the first Presidential Debate, the polls show a 47-44 race, with Bentsen leading. Both debates are seen as draws and neither candidate gains much ground. However, in the VP debate, Governor Clinton's charisma overwhelms Senator Quayle's oratorial skills and scores a clear victory.

The campaign intensifies and goes even negative during the final stretch, but neither side is able to put much of a dent in each other. Bentsen wins the popular vote by a 51-48 margin and the electoral vote 278-260.

Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are the key swing states. Bush barely takes Texas and Ohio by 50-49 margins. He also racks up a five point margin in New Jersey. Bentsen wins Pennsylvania by four percentage points, but has a 40,000 vote victory in Michigan to give him the election.

[Dr. Cynic]

Well, I believe Bentsen would've held on to the twenty-something point lead. I believe Bentsen had a more dignified look than Dukakis did, and would be thus more acceptable as a leader. There would be no "snoopy" moment, but alas, the world would be robbed of the most famous debate comeback of all time.

I can't really speak for any state in particular, except for my own. Dukakis actually came within a hair of winning Pennsylvania. He won Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) and he won in Philadelphia. He won in my old hometown of Monongahela. He came very close, and I think Bentsen would've won PA, because of such statistical facts.