1988 - Roberston v. Jackson

[Citizen James]

Harkening back to the first presidential election I voted in, I remember what I considered a nightmare scenerio - Pat Robertson Vs. Jessie Jackson.

Having scored a suprisingly strong second in the Iowa cacuses, and despite a disappointing showing in New Hampshire, the religious right rallies around one of their own once the southern primaries heat up - Roberson picks up victory after victory in the old south, and pulls out just enough votes in the midwestern and mountan states to gain control of the nomination.

Meanwhile, stubbornly working to "keep hope alive" Dukkakis stumbles midway through the primaries and Jackson capitalizes on a series of awkward photo ops and misstatements by the leading candidate.

From here, who are the two reverends likely to pick as running mates, and how is the campaign likely to run?

[Lincoln Republican]

Both candidates have difficulty in finding a prominent elected member of their party who will agree to run with them for Vice President.

Finally, Alfonse D'Amato, conservative Republican Senator of New York, agrees to run on the ticket with Pat Robertson, and Democratic Senator Ernest Hollings of South Carolina, from the south, but a strong advocate of civil rights, agrees to run on the ticket with Jesse Jackson.

Neither Vice Presidential candidate is successful in delivering their home states to their ticket, but both help among the parties bases.

Robertson is able to work out a very narrow win, as Jackson is unable to make any headway in the south.

Robertson/D'Amato          270   49%
Jackson/Hollings              268   48%
Others                                  0     3%

[Dr. Cynic]

If I had to vote for either of them, Robertson is a right-wing maniacal wingnut, and Jackson is a dangerous, seemingly unstable demagogue.

Id've gone ape-sh**t.

[afleitch]

I would have supported Jackson, despite the rhetoric

[Speed of Sound]

While not a big fan of Jackson, hes an alright guy in my book, so I guess Ill go with him.

the campaign would have been ugly and filled with attack ads all over the place.

[Dr. Cynic]

I'd probably have gone Jackson too. He scares me less than Robertson.

[Erc]

I raised this matchup in an earlier thread, maybe 6 months ago, but I forget what the consensus was.


Maybe national suicide?

[George W. Hobbes]

Robertson, as it was before he really started going completely off his rocker.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Jesse Jackson all the way!