Friday, March 18, 2016

1964-2016





FLASH BACK/FLASH FORWARD/FLUSH

This old campaign ad from the 1964 election hits a little too close to home.
Made by LBJ’s campaign, a remorseful Republican wishes he would’ve attended and fought at the national convention.


[...] As I wrote in today’s edition of Morning Insurrection, I’m bored of the false choices and increasingly annoyed with the insistence that I must support _____ candidate or the republic will surely perish. I am not compelled to vote for any remaining candidate simply because they’ve managed to survive the island thus far. Votes are not entitlements, they must be earned.

I respect the opinions of many of my fellow bloggers who make well thought out cases for rallying behind candidate X, but I must dissent. I cannot stand Trump, and will under no circumstance vote for him now or ever — I’ve never been shy in admitting as much. Nor do I feel pressed into false choices that say I must support Cruz or we’re stuck with Hillary. These are not yet provable realities; they’re campaign gimmicks.

This whole cycle is far from over. There is no clear winner, not even Trump (who doesn’t win majorities). Like Professor Jacobson, I’m looking forward to the convention this year. It might be our last, best chance, or it might be 1964 all over again. [Full]
Me? I supported Barry Goldwater, but was in the Army when there was zero mention of casting ballots. Four years later I channel switched back and forth to watch simultaneous showcases, on different networks, by Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon.  Newly married, I took this very seriously. In the end, my vote was decided by one sequence. 

Humphrey was asked about his stance on something, and answered that he was for it.  A bit later I was over to Nixon, where former University of Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson was hosting.  Of a sudden, Bud broke in, saying that Hubert had just announced on his show that he was against it.  A blatant lie. It was thus that I voted for a Democrat presidential nominee for the first and last time.  So I understand how that anonymous confessor could have been such an idiot.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In the wake of the JFK assassination there was not a man alive who would have beaten whoever the dems put up. Just as the first time around there was no one the reps could have run against Barry O with a snowball's chance in hell of beating him.

But in the aftermath of both elections the GOP has shown their true character and intent, in the first instance by blaming conservatism and Goldwater for the loss and fighting against it for the past 50 years, and in the second instance by again fighting against conservatism rather than progressivism and running a POS like Romney the Squish...

The intent and goal of the GOP has never been the good of the country or the citizens. It has always and ever was to keep the good-old-boys in their positions of power with a seat at the table and their hand in the piggy bank.

And it is so today. Not gonna fix the culture OR the government by voting our way out of it. And don't run that "but the Supreme Court appointments!". How's that working out for you? John Roberts, call your masters...

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