1966 California Governor's Race - Footage from a Public Forum

[Fuzzy Bear]

Reagan seems likeable, while Brown seems almost unreasonably angry.  Now Brown realized he was losing at this point, but guys with that kind of anger always seem to fall short.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Brown made a far worse gaffe than that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_California_gubernatorial_election

Brown made a serious gaffe.[11] He ran a television commercial in which he used a rhetorical question to remind a group of elementary school children that John Wilkes Booth, another actor, had killed Abraham Lincoln.[11] Brown's crude comparison of Reagan to Booth based on their common background as actors—in the state that happens to be home to Hollywood—did not go over well with the California electorate.[11][12] Within 48 hours, Reagan had overtaken Brown in the polls.

[Dan the Roman]

Sometimes incumbents who didn't plan on running a real race, and whose staff didn't plan on one, get really irritable over being challenged. Jim Bunning 2004, George Allen 2006 are both examples. Once the opposition realizes they can be trolled into being nasty they get constantly baited. 

[President Johnson]

Brown made a far worse gaffe than that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_California_gubernatorial_election

Brown made a serious gaffe.[11] He ran a television commercial in which he used a rhetorical question to remind a group of elementary school children that John Wilkes Booth, another actor, had killed Abraham Lincoln.[11] Brown's crude comparison of Reagan to Booth based on their common background as actors—in the state that happens to be home to Hollywood—did not go over well with the California electorate.[11][12] Within 48 hours, Reagan had overtaken Brown in the polls.

I definitely agree this was a terrible gaffe and inapproriate comparison. Reagan in his speech also seemed more likable and charismatic than Brown. And I'm saying this despite being no fan of him, though Governor Reagan overall was better than President Reagan.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Brown made a far worse gaffe than that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_California_gubernatorial_election

Brown made a serious gaffe.[11] He ran a television commercial in which he used a rhetorical question to remind a group of elementary school children that John Wilkes Booth, another actor, had killed Abraham Lincoln.[11] Brown's crude comparison of Reagan to Booth based on their common background as actors—in the state that happens to be home to Hollywood—did not go over well with the California electorate.[11][12] Within 48 hours, Reagan had overtaken Brown in the polls.

I definitely agree this was a terrible gaffe and inapproriate comparison. Reagan in his speech also seemed more likable and charismatic than Brown. And I'm saying this despite being no fan of him, though Governor Reagan overall was better than President Reagan.

Reagan prior to 1978 was actually not a supply sider . In 1976 he actually rejected Laffer and Kemp’s tax proposals but post 1976 Friedman had far more influence over his economic team than he did before which is why you see Reagan become more of a supply sider too .

Reagan also showed here that even in 1966 he was definitely more pragmatic than 1964 Goldwater was .

[Fuzzy Bear]

Brown made a far worse gaffe than that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_California_gubernatorial_election

Brown made a serious gaffe.[11] He ran a television commercial in which he used a rhetorical question to remind a group of elementary school children that John Wilkes Booth, another actor, had killed Abraham Lincoln.[11] Brown's crude comparison of Reagan to Booth based on their common background as actors—in the state that happens to be home to Hollywood—did not go over well with the California electorate.[11][12] Within 48 hours, Reagan had overtaken Brown in the polls.

I definitely agree this was a terrible gaffe and inapproriate comparison. Reagan in his speech also seemed more likable and charismatic than Brown. And I'm saying this despite being no fan of him, though Governor Reagan overall was better than President Reagan.

Reagan prior to 1978 was actually not a supply sider . In 1976 he actually rejected Laffer and Kemp’s tax proposals but post 1976 Friedman had far more influence over his economic team than he did before which is why you see Reagan become more of a supply sider too .

Reagan also showed here that even in 1966 he was definitely more pragmatic than 1964 Goldwater was .

On the stump, Goldwater came off as a snarling and angry guy.  He was much nicer in real life, but he developed a "scary" image in 1964, as much as his aggressive and irritable persona during that campaign as his policy proposals.  Reagan was unfailingly sunny, optimistic, and friendly, while maintaining a movement conservative posture. 

As much as conservatives (especially "movement" conservatives) loved Barry Goldwater, his thumping defeat caused conservatives to realize that they needed to find a way to elect a conservative candidate that didn't scare people.  Step 1 was adopting a safer conservative posture by nominating Richard Nixon in 1968.  Step 2 was prepping Ronald Reagan to run for President in 1976.  That plan was derailed with Nixon's resignation and Ford being eligible to run as President for a 4 year term in 1976, but Reagan almost beat him, and was the presumptive favorite for 1980 literally all the way up to his inauguration.

Whatever you think about Ronald Reagan, he was likeable.  I liked him even though I never voted for him; indeed, I LIKED him better than Carter or Mondale (and I've voted for both of them).  That's something Joe Biden needs to think about; the fact that NOBODY likes him.  A huge swath of America hates Trump's guts, but a decent swath of America LOVE him.  Nobody likes Biden.  Nobody.