How would you have voted?: United States Presidential Elections

[Alben Barkley]

1904: Roosevelt
1908: Bryan
1912: Wilson
1916: Wilson
1920: Cox
1924: Davis
1928: Smith
1932: Roosevelt
1936: Roosevelt
1940: Roosevelt
1944: Roosevelt
1948: Truman
1952: Stevenson
1956: Stevenson
1960: Kennedy
1964: Johnson
1968: Humphrey
1972: McGovern
1976: Carter
1980: Carter
1984: Mondale
1988: Dukakis
1992: Clinton
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Kerry
2008: Obama
2012: Obama
2016: Clinton
2020: Biden

I guess you could say I’m pretty partisan.

Hardest decisions would have been 1904, 1952, 1956, and 1988.

1904 because while I admire TR he was a bit imperialistic/nationalistic/hawkish for my tastes. But he was a great American and a progressive, so at the end of the day I think I would have come around to him over someone like Parker. Not over Wilson, however, who hit the sweet spot better for me in terms of how much the US should be involved in world affairs, and who was if anything more progressive in other ways as well.

1952 and 1956 because I really admire both Eisenhower and Stevenson as individuals. But ultimately I align more with Stevenson’s beliefs and certainly his party, even at that time, over Eisenhower. Also I am not a fan of the fact that Eisenhower didn’t take a strong enough stance against McCarthy, or that later on he campaigned for Goldwater.

1988 because Dukakis was so weak that it would be difficult to muster any enthusiasm for him, and I admire HW both for his experience and for representing a more sane and moderate wing of the GOP that has basically died out since him. The man certainly knew what he was doing, especially in foreign policy affairs. But he did pander to the religious right even if he wasn’t personally part of it, and he did appoint Clarence Thomas, let Atwater run a pretty low and racist campaign, and he did bring Dubya into the world. So ultimately that’s probably worse than the cringeworthy pictures of Dukakis in a tank.

1988 was the absolute last time I would have even considered voting Republican for one second.

I might have considered Nixon in 1972 without any hindsight whatsoever but honestly, even by then it was clear who “Tricky Dick” was. I don’t think I could have brought myself to vote for him, but I would not have been a huge McGovern fan either. I would have seen the outcome was decided regardless and just voted my conscience for McGovern.

I basically would have been a single-issue voter on prohibition in the 20s, by the way.

[Alben Barkley]

Hardest decisions would have been 1904, 1952, 1956, and 1988.

Which elections would have been the easiest decisions?

I would not have been a huge McGovern fan either

Why

Easiest decisions are easily 2016 and 2020, because Trump is by far the worst thing the Republicans have ever put up as their nominee.

However, basically all the others I didn’t mention would have been pretty easy decisions too. The EASIEST would have been all the elections from 1932 to 1948 plus 1964. FDR, Truman, and LBJ are all top tier. The Clinton elections in the 90s would also have been very easy, especially 1996 — I like HW well enough as I said, but really don’t care for Dole. Clinton is hands down better than both. All the elections since, as the GOP has gotten crazier and crazier, have just made it easier on top of that.

1912 would have been a little tough as I do like both Wilson and TR, but for reasons I explained I ultimately would prefer Wilson.

A small part of me might have been tempted to vote Reagan in 1984, but at the end of the day I don’t think I could do it. Just too right-wing for me, no matter how charismatic he was. 1980 would have been easy: I would have most definitely been loyal to President Carter to the very end. I still personally admire him more than any other president.

I’m not in love with any of the 20s Democrats but again, they were all softer/wetter on prohibition than their Republican opponents and all else equal (as it pretty much was), that would have been enough.

Reason I would not have been a big fan of McGovern is number one I would likely have seen him as a little too far left and out there for my tastes, number two I would have a hard time seeing him as a strong and decisive leader. Really the same reasons the country rejected him, but I like to think I still would have been turned off more by Nixon.