An Effective Consensus

[Stm85]

Go Kemp!

[Continential]

Imagine not supporting Harold Strassen, he should be elected to President and Congress.

[KaiserDave]

Campaign 1984

Wikimedia Commons



February 21st: Kemp triumphs in Iowa as hybrid coalition of party conservatives, moderates, and liberals pulls him over the line. Helms wins by far more than expected as conservative revolution takes the Democratic Party by storm.

February 24th: In Democratic Debate in Concord NH, Tsongas says "we will lose the Party if Helms wins the nomination." Helms fires back, calling Tsongas "incapable of stemming the tide of Republican radicalism."

February 26th: John B. Anderson's lead in New Hampshire shaky as Kemp and....Rockefeller shoot up in the polls.

February 27th: Sargent Shriver and Tsongas battle for New Hampshire while Anderson fights off Kemp and Rockefeller.

February 28th: New Hampshire primary begins. Anderson's once big lead is now within the Margin of Error.

Democratic New Hampshire Primary Results
Paul Tsongas: 33.2%
Sargent Shriver: 23.6%
Jesse Helms: 19.4%
Adlai Stevenson: 13.5%
Lloyd Bentsen: 11.2%

Republican New Hampshire Primary Results
John B. Anderson: 27.1%
Jack Kemp: 25.8%
Rodman Rockefeller: 19.1%
Charles Percy: 17.4%
Jesse Jackson: 4.9%
Alexander Haig: 1.4%
Harold Stassen: .7%


February 29th: Anderson narrowly triumphs over Kemp. Rockefeller in third. Tsongas handily wins New Hampshire. Sargent Shriver drops out and endorses Paul Tsongas. Alexander Haig drops out.

March 2nd: Former President Romney appears with Charles Percy at a Fair Housing Panel. Romney promotes his volunteerism initiatives.

March 4th: Jack Kemp unveils immigration policy, "opening the doors to free markets and free trade." Would make legal immigration much easier.

March 6th: Anderson wins Vermont with ease, Tsongas wins Vermont.

March 8th: Paul Tsongas elaborates on fiscal priorities. Spending caps, privatizations, and deregulation.

March 10th: Helms and Kemp win Wyoming.

March 13th: Rhode Island, Massachusetts go to Tsongas and Anderson. Georgia, Florida, Alabama go to Helms. Georgia and Alabama go to Jackson, Florida to Kemp.

March 14th: Jesse Jackson calls New York "hymietown" in a failed joke.

March 17th: Jackson narrowly loses Michigan to Kemp. Stevenson wins Michigan.

March 20th: Illinois and Minnesota go to Stevenson as he gains momentum. Illinois and Minnesota go to Percy.

March 27th: Kemp and Tsongas win Connecticut.

March 28th: Rodman Rockefeller drops out.

April 3rd: New York goes to Tsongas and Kemp. Wisconsin to Helms and Percy.

April 4th: Helms blasts Kemp for, "opening the doors to foreignizing America."

April 10th: Pennsylvania goes to Kemp and Bentsen. Anderson's campaign drops out due to disappointing performance.

May 1st: Helms wins Tennessee, Tsongas wins D.C.. Kemp wins both as his stunning nomination appears likely.

May 3rd: Kemp's plan for black America includes dramatic tax cuts, incentives, diversity quotas, and aggressive enforcement of civil rights. Helms says "we must be careful not to discriminate against white Americans."

May 5th: Louisiana goes to Kemp and Helms.

May 8th: Maryland, Indiana, North Carolina, and Ohio all go to Helms. Percy wins Ohio while Kemp takes Maryland, Indiana, and North Carolina.  

May 10th: Jack Kemp comes out in favor of ending the grain embargo.

May 15th: Idaho, Nebraska, to Kemp, Oregon to Percy. Helms wins Idaho and Nebraska, Bentsen wins Oregon but drops out to support Tsongas.

May 17th: Liberals fret as despite his social liberalism, Kemp is an avid supporter of supply side tax cuts. Liberals demand a Vice Presidential candidate who supports their views or else they will bolt to a third party Anderson candidacy.

May 27th: President Glenn meets with Gromyko to discuss potential thaw. Helms disagrees.

June 5th: California, New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota goes to Kemp, West Virginia to Percy as Kemp secures the nomination. Helms wins Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia. Tsongas landslides in New Jersey, but only narrowly takes California. Helms, with some conservative Bentsen delegates looks poised to win it all.

June 12th: North Dakota goes to Kemp and Helms.

June 16th: Kemp reportedly picking between Charles Mathias, Charles Percy, and Bob Dole for the Vice Presidency.

June 18th: Democratic party moderates furious but helpless as Helms's Conservative Revolution looks likely to take the Democratic nomination. Some would prefer Kemp.

June 20th: Senator Helms picks Montana Democrat John Melcher as his running mate. Observers believe the moderate Montanan is an uninspiring choice.

June 21st: Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. says "I am not an enthusiastic capitalist like Representative Kemp, but he cares about equality, and his defeat of the odious Senator Helms will be good for preserving the progress we've made."

June 22nd: Helms slams Kemp for "opening the doors for drugs in our schools" as Kemp provides skepticism of 40 year prison sentences for possession

[😥]

I don't like both candidates. Hope Anderson will launch third-party candidacy

[S019]

Tepidly backing Kemp, but more because Helms is absolutely awful than Kemp being good. I’m expecting a liberal third party though, given both candidates are conservatives.

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Please God let there be a liberal candidate. Also, God dammit Jackson.

[KaiserDave]

I’ve mapped out every president for the next 30 years or so

For our forum liberals, it will be tough for a while, but your patience will be rewarded in a big big way

For conservatives, sit back.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I’ve mapped out every president for the next 30 years or so

For our forum liberals, it will be tough for a while, but your patience will be rewarded in a big big way

For conservatives, sit back.

Well its only fair liberals have to go through what forum conservatives have gone through the first 21 pages in this TL

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

I don't like both candidates. Hope Anderson will launch third-party candidacy

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

That said, at least it's not Helms/Cheney.

[KaiserDave]

Democratic National Convention: Indianapolis



Bobby

Wikimedia


Robert Kennedy was not attending the 1984 Democratic National Convention. The Democratic Party gathering in Indianapolis did not resemble the one 24 years ago, not in the slightest. Then the Dixiecrats, the conservatives were but gadflies, and now conservatives from every region dominated the party. John Glenn, sure he was no bleeding heart liberal like himself, but Helms....Helms was an arch-conservative in every way. After two ballots he had taken the nomination. Tsongas, Stevenson, and Bentsen had all not endorsed, perhaps they anticipated disaster. The platform Helms drew up was right wing on every issue with less moderate restraints than expected. Pat Buchanan had his hands in all of it. Robert Taft would be proud indeed of where the Old Right had gotten itself. Gold standards, lack of engagement in global humanitarianism, austerity. It was George Wallace all over again without any vestige of economic populism. The conservatives swamping the party from all directions loved it, fortunately it appeared just about everyone else hated it. Kemp was riding high in early polls. Bobby leaned back in the beach chair on the Cape Cod bay and turned on the radio. He adjusted the dial and listened as Helm's voiced scratched over the airwaves.

....Democrats, patriots, Americans today we plant our flag in our soil, fought for and won by American blood and declare we will not sell out America. Not to the international banks, not to the international committees, not to the university elite, to nobody and never!

Cheers screamed through the radio as Bobby stared out into the distance.

Democratic Party Ticket: Jesse Helms/John Melcher

[KaiserDave]

Republican National Convention: Dallas

Wikimedia


Jack Kemp had done much to assuage liberals in the party. Aside from the language around sweeping supply side tax cuts to "unleash the American dream like never before" party liberals essentially wrote the social issues language, though Kemp had gotten delegates to finesse the abortion issue to stake out a moderate position. Kemp had also reached out on economic issues, the platform was striking in its commitment to wipe out poverty and raise up the poor, the emphasis was just on tax incentives, private-public partnerships and enterprise zones rather than direct government investment. The platform was also strong in its commitment to diversity, affirmative action, and civil rights.

Then the cherry on top, Charlies Mathias in the number two spot. Skeptical liberals finally got one board, they were extremely wary of supply side economics, but Charlie was a guy they knew they could trust, and with the odious Helms revolution taking over the Democratic Party they had no choice. Kemp in his nomination speech styled himself a "progressive conservative, a liberal reformist" but someone who most of all wished to see "the power of free markets and equal opportunity let every American live out their full God given potential." He brought the convention to its feet when he declared in comparison to the Helm's convention that, "in the huddle, there's no time for discrimination, for prejudice, and folks there is no time for prejudice in the White House!" But it wasn't just Jack who did, President Romney, Vice President Brooke, and then Senator Bayh all declared that in this time of trial, the nation could not afford to elect Jesse Helms and that Jack French Kemp was the man for the job.

For better or worse, it was Kemp.

Republican Party Ticket: Jack Kemp/Charles Mathias

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

I'm voting for Mathias's running mate.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Hopefully Kemp returns the two parties to their rightful place

[😥]

We need third party candidate in 1984 and Al Gore in 1988

[KaiserDave]

Hopefully Kemp returns the two parties to their rightful place

A bit late :/

[President Biden Democrat]

There are not great candidates this election season. I assume that Kemp will win given 8 years of Glenn and many probably want a change. I'd support Kemp in this election, but not necessarily in 1988 depending on the Democratic candidate.

[America Needs R'hllor]

I'd become an independent, probably, but still support the Republican ticket- soley because the Democrats nominated Helms. I'd probably endorse Glenn over Kemp tbh. But with Helms- yeah, maybe a good third party in safe states, but wouldn't risk a Helms Presidency.

[Stm85]

Kemp is the best candidate in this TL so far and I’d be very happy to support his ticket. I’d be back in the GOP coalition this election regardless since the Dems’ nominee is a bigot but it’s very nice to finally see someone champion both fiscal conservatism and civil rights.

[KaiserDave]

Polling Map (Gallup)


Jack Kemp/Charles Mathias: 52.8%/398
Jesse Helms/John Melcher: 45.2%/140
Eugene McCarthy/Richard Walton: 1.1%/0

Gallup Poll: President Glenn Job Approval August 1984



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 45%

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

What is McCarthy’s platform? I’m still leaning Kemp, but I’m curious about McCarthy.

[KaiserDave]

What is McCarthy’s platform? I’m still leaning Kemp, but I’m curious about McCarthy.

Basically a home for disgruntled lefties

[😥]

I don't like McCarthy very much, but GO, MCCARTHY!

[KaiserDave]

1984 Presidential Debate on ABC News





Wikimedia Commons

Welcome to ABC News and tonight I will have the honor of moderating the 1984 presidential debate, I'm Barbara Walters and I'll be moderating this debate. In a moment we will welcome the candidates, U.S. fallen apart ovRepresentative from New York Jack French Kemp and Senator Jesse Alexander Helms. There were be no clapping, except at the end, and right now. We now welcome Representative Kemp, and Senator Helms....

(Candidates enter to applause)


Representative Kemp you've made tax cuts an important part of your campaign, why?

Kemp: Because I believe that's what's gonna get us out of this recession. I believe that dramatically rewriting the tax code is gonna allow millions of Americans to be happier, healthier, and more productive. We can't tweak with a tax credit here or a regulation there, what we need to is draw up a whole new tax code that puts taxpayers before bureaucracy, and growth before political football. My plan reduces the corporate tax rate to 35%, and reduce the average middle class tax rate to 13% a full 6% reduction, and create thousands of enterprise zones across the country, with many targeted for black Americans to achieve a prosperity they have unfortunately been denied for decades. My plan will not allow create millions of new jobs, but it will change this country for the better.

Helms: I'm very concerned by what I just heard, we're talking about a racialized tax policy that will lead us to a cycle of endless debt, our deficit will skyrocket and our currency will collapse. My opponent will dig a hole into the ground, a hole of endless debt and inflation. I see things very differently, we need sound money and sound budgets. It's a timeless story of prosperity, when America's currency is backed by gold, and when we live within our means we see unprecedented levels of prosperity. I support a gold standard, balanced budgets, and limited spending. That's how we get America moving, my opponent prefers radical social and economic experimentation.

Kemp: We had a balanced budget in 1980 Senator. We're not gonna change this country, turn it around unless we change our tax code, you're almost religious devotion to the surplus-

Helms: We didn't have a gold standard, we didn't have it until George Romney in his self perceived wisdom thought it wise to destroy it and now we have a meaningless dollar and destroyed economy.

Kemp: Here's the record, George Romney oversaw unprecedented prosperity, and we can have prosperity again if we defeat Senator Helm's Washington machine and rewrite our tax code for the middle class and small businesses.


Senator Helms, you've made your campaign about restoring America, what do you believe America is losing?

Helms: We're losing our country, we're losing our values, we're losing what makes us American. As I've toured this country from  coast to coast, from Lewiston Maine to Olympia Washington, in the heartland of Ohio, Indiana, there's a feeling that we're losing our country. The intellectual elite, the slimy new Hollywood elite, the big banks, they're taking away with makes us American with every new "social justice" or "civil rights" law. They're complicit in a Bolshevik conspiracy to undermine this nation, and it makes the wages in the pocket of every American weaker and it makes every property and home susceptible to government takeover. I am running to stop this.

Kemp: I am shocked by what I'm hearing, and I think it makes something clear that we've seen throughout this campaign. Jesse Helms is running a cheap knockoff of the Wallace presidency, a presidency that on every level was a disaster. He's running on division, on taking our current economic woes and using it as a cudgel against people who don't meet his narrow definition of America, I am running on prosperity, on free markets and free people, and I am running for a broad, expansive, great America. My opponent doesn't agree.

Helms: I think when push comes to shove Americans know best, that your tax and city experiments are a failure in the making. We will get urban squalor, crime, and massive debt. I will stand against this.

Kemp: When I hear this it's no surprise that the President has offered tepid support at best for your campaign. I am running on a platform for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, you are running for a few people.


Congressman Kemp where do you stand on President Glenn's healthcare policy?

Kemp: I think the individual mandate system doesn't work. It may have gotten broader coverage but we're not seeing those cost reductions. Furthermore it's based in a philosophy that doesn't work, we cannot subsidize and tax our way to prosperity, we have to let market forces expand coverage and reduce costs. I would roll back the program, and focus on patient rights, and let markets offer the best possible healthcare coverage. My opponent I would like to say has hardly built a healthcare policy, whereas my campaign is supported by numerous experts and physicians.

Helms: That's patently false, my campaign is committed to healthcare. Just not federal regulation, I say let states do what they will, in fact I think that philosophy can be expanded to much of what I believe. States and localities know better than central governments and New York elites, you and yours know better than Jack Kemp or Birch Bayh or whoever it is.

Jack Kemp: You know what that is folks, that's political speak for I don't have a plan, let's blame the other side. I don't run like that, I'm running on solutions.


Post Debate Poll: Who performed better?
Jack Kemp: 59%
Jesse Helms: 35%
Neither/Unsure: 6%

[KaiserDave]

1984 Vice Presidential Debate on NBC News





Wikimedia Commons

Welcome to the Philadelphia Civic Center in to the Vice Presidential debate. I'm Sander Vanocur, correspondent for NBC news and I'll be hosting this Vice Presidential debate. In a moment we will welcome the candidates, Senator Charles McCurdy Mathias of Maryland and Senator John David Melcher of Montana. There were be no clapping, except at the end, and right now. We now welcome Senator Melcher, and Senator Mathias....

(Candidates enter to applause)


Senator Melcher, you and Senator Helms have promised to make abortion a thing of the past, how do you plan to do this?

Melcher: We have to start by overturning the disastrous decision of Roe v. Wade. This was a decision made by liberals in coats, and it was an activist, unconstitutional decision. It opens the door to endless abortion on demand, and that's just not a position most Americans hold. A Helms Administration will appoint justices who respect the law, who respect God, and who respect the views and thoughts of the vast majority of the American people, as opposed to small groups of university intellectuals who do not have our best interests at heart.

Mathias: What year is it Sander? Because I feel the same as I did watching Wallace debate Romney. And I think that's the choice Americans face again this year. We have solutions and strong American leadership with Jack Kemp, or endless culture wars and division with Jesse Helms. When it comes to abortion, Jack Kemp is pro life, and I'm more pro choice, but I think we will appoint judges who will try to make abortion as rare as possible, with safe alternatives for women while letting women in desperate circumstances access those services. With Jesse Helms and John Melcher it will be endless culture wars for as long as the eye can see.

Melcher: That's the sound of a Washington politician I hear, with one foot on each side, dancing to the tune of whoever he's talking to. It's a dang shame, and you know when Jesse Helms is taking it's exactly what he thinks, not this liberal double talk.


Senator Mathias, Representative Kemp has championed massive tax cuts for every bracket, including cutting the top marginal tax rate by almost 20%. How can you justify this given your past opposition to supply side economics?

Charles Mathias: It's no secret that I'm not a conservative on taxes, but Jack Kemp is trying to invest in our economy, he's trying to put more money in the hands of Americans, and he's trying to get the government involved in making prosperity happen by rolling government back, as opposed to Senator Helms who likes where we are now apparently.

Senator you said supply side tax cuts were in an 1978 interview, "bad, selfish, and incoherent economics." How do you keep that consistent?

Charles Mathias: I suppose we can dig up all the old interviews we like, but the choice is between solutions with Jack Kemp and recession with Jesse Helms.

John Melcher: I barely understood that Charlie, but what I did understand was more political double talk. I suppose we'll never really know where you stand.


Senator Melcher, Senator Mathias and Congressman Kemp have accused your campaign of pandering to racists for their votes, how do you respond?

John Melcher: Well it's not true, it's blatantly false. I detest racism, I detest prejudice. I support the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the Voting Rights Act of 1969. Senator Helms-

Charles Mathias: Opposed both completely.

John Melcher: He merely questions the benefits of government diversity quotas, and of racially biased programs for employment and education. That's not racist, it's not racist to oppose communist groups like the Black Panthers. That's not racist at all. And our campaign is entirely opposed to racists, people like David Duke can go find another campaign to support, or leave this country entirely.

Charles Mathias: I agree that John may not be prejudiced, I don't know what's in Jesse's head, but he's affiliated with the worst elements of bigots in this country. Jesse may not like the Klan, but the Klan sure likes Jesse. And we better be worried if Jesse wins who he's gonna bring into the White House. At this time of crisis American can't afford four more years of George Wallace, for more years of chaos, four more years of division.



Post Debate Poll: Who performed better?
Charles Mathias: 47%
John Melcher: 44%
Neither/Unsure: 9%