1980: Ford beats Carter in ‘76...

[MillennialModerate]

After the Watergate scandal, a grateful American people appreciate the honor & class of a guy like Gerald Ford. Because of this he is elected to his first full term in 1976, edging out Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in 1976.

 He runs again for the final time in 1980. He’s seen as a sensible and steady hand for the country but the previous 6 years (especially the past three) have been rough to say the least...

After 12 years of GOP rule in the White House, Democrats turn to a ticket of Ted Kennedy and Lloyd Bentsen......How does this go?

[MillennialModerate]

As he served more than two years of Nixon's remaining term (August 1974 to January 1977), Ford would have been ineligible to run again in 1980 due to the 22nd amendment, had he been reelected in 1976.

Okay then answer it one of two ways:

If ineligible to run in ‘80, how does the 1980 election go with Ted Kennedy/Lloyd Bentsen versus either Dole or Reagan in ‘80

[MillennialModerate]

I don't think Teddy would run in this scenario. If he really wanted to be President, he would've ran in 1976.

I often wonder why he didn’t run in 1976. He either thought Chappiquidick would be too fresh or he was worried after what happened to his brothers.Or he really didn’t want to be President which I kind of find hard to believe when you think about the “next man up” and duty to carry on the legacy which is so prevalent in that family.

If he runs in 1976, he wins in a landslide.

But back to 1980. Why would he run in this scenario? He ran in what was a much harder scenario, unseating the sitting President from his own party.

[MillennialModerate]

I don't think Teddy would run in this scenario. If he really wanted to be President, he would've ran in 1976.

I often wonder why he didn’t run in 1976. He either thought Chappiquidick would be too fresh or he was worried after what happened to his brothers.Or he really didn’t want to be President which I kind of find hard to believe when you think about the “next man up” and duty to carry on the legacy which is so prevalent in that family.

If he runs in 1976, he wins in a landslide.

But back to 1980. Why would he run in this scenario? He ran in what was a much harder scenario, unseating the sitting President from his own party.

He ran because, IRC, there was pressure on him from liberals in the party to do so. When asked in an interview that year why he wanted to be President, he couldn’t give a straight answer. It’s for those reasons that I think he never wanted to be President. I also don’t think he would’ve won two terms if he was ever elected.

I know he fumbled that interview but I find it hard to believe he didn’t WANT to be President. I think he had severe reservations because of what happened to his brothers, I really do.

And would he have won two terms if he was ever elected? I say, most likely. Now dont get me wrong he wasn’t in the same league as JFK or RFK as a politician, as a person, as a leader and in terms of popularity. They were both overwhelmingly popular amongst most Americans, while Ted was only popular to the far left. With that being said, in MOST cases the incumbent President has a huge advantage when running for re-election (exceptions being: When the party has been in the WH for 3 terms already, when a major negative event takes place, a major scandal rocks the party in power OR if the President is EXTREMLY unpopular/incompetent such as Hoover, Carter & of course Trump). Also Teddy had great political instincts and likely would’ve been able to pass a lot of legislation. Lastly, the popularity of the Kennedys and oh yah, the finances of the Kennedy’s)’...