Presidential Election TL | 1988

Ferraro '88? Interesting

Despite a growing draft movement Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis (D-MA) refused to enter the Presidential campaign last night in an event in Boston. What many pundits had called Dukakis's announcement speech in the days leading up to the speech Dukakis proclaimed, "I feel that at this time our nation would be best suited by someone other than me as the next Commander-in-Chief and that is why I will not seek nor will I accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States!" The announcement stunned the political establishment. The only announced candidate, Gary Hart, commented on Dukakis's announcement saying, "I wish the Governor all the best in future endeavors." Dukakis's announcement has many in the Democratic party scrambling to find a new candidate. Sights have turned to Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Dale Bumpers (D-AR). Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton has hinted at a 1988 bid saying, "I think the country needs a younger, fresher look heading in to the 90's." Senator Al Gore (D-TN) and Governor Mario Cuomo (D-NY) have also received a lot of attention from the national press. However no one can overlook the possibility of former VP Candidate Gerry Ferraro (D-NY) entering the fight for the nomination. Ferraro is receiving a lot of support from the women in the Democratic Party who expected more from her nomination for Vice President.




Shocking just about every talking head Senator Edward Moore Kennedy (D-MA) followed in the footsteps of his brothers Jack and Bobby by announcing today his intentions to seek the presidency. At a previously-scheduled press conference the Senator concluded by saying, "...and so I've decided to run for President. To continue the legacies of my brothers and begin a new legacy of my own." With that he left the podium. Governor Mario Cuomo (D-NY) is expected to make an announcement in the coming days as well, but many talking heads feel he'll decline entrance in to the race with Ted Kennedy also in the race. "I just don't think you'll see Cuomo enter, but then again I was wrong on both Kennedy and Dukakis," said MSNBC analyst Tom Ritchie. New polling released on the Democratic field has the following results:

Democratic Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Senator Ted Kennedy | 17%
Senator Gary Hart | 15%
Senator Joe Biden* | 11%
Reverend Jesse Jackson* | 9%
Senator Al Gore* | 9%
Governor Mario Cuomo* | 9%
Fmr. Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro* | 8%
Senator Dale Bumpers* | 8%
Governor Bill Clinton* | 7%
Undecided/None of the Above | 14%
* denotes those not yet an official candidate



Kansas Republicans Senator Bob Dole announced in Iowa that he was indeed seeking the U.S. Presidency in the year 1988. Vowing to "protect the interests of all Americans" Dole gained a large amount of applause from the crowd. "The sun is going down in America and I'm gonna fight to push it back up!" he continued in an obvious reference to the "Morning in America" expression used by Reagan/Bush supporters. Vice President George H.W. Bush (R-TX) has yet to announce whether or not he'll be seeking the presidency, but many expect him to as he's the presumptive front runner for the Republican Nomination. Recent polling of likely Republican voters nationwide shows an uphill climb for Senator Bob Dole. Other potential candidates, most notably former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfled (R-IL) and former Senator Paul Laxalt (R-NV) are expected to make up their minds by the end of May. Senator Bob Dole has a busy schedule despite being the only candidate in the race. He'll be in New Hampshire tomorrow as well as South Carolina and then he'll head to Kansas and Iowa the next day. Attached is a copy of a recent poll conducted on likely Republican voters nationwide.

Republican Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Vice President George H.W. Bush* | 31%
Senator Bob Dole | 15%
Fmr. Senator Paul Laxalt* | 12%
Fmr. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld* | 10%
Televangelist Pat Robertson* | 10%
Fmr. Sec. of State Alex Haig* | 4%
Fmr. Governor Harold Stassen* | 2%
Congressman Jack Kemp* | 2%
Governor Pierre S. du Pont* | 1%
Undecided/None of the Above | 13%
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

Standing proud on a stage in front of about 500 people former Congresswoman Gerry Ferraro announced she would indeed seek the Democratic Nomination for President in 1988. "I am running for all those who want more from the government. I am running so that we can do more than shatter the glass ceiling, I am running to make America great again. We've been forgotten and left behind. I think it's about time we changed that!" Geraldine Ferraro is best known for her campaign as the Vice Presidential nominee three years ago. In her convention address she declared, "When I first ran for Congress, all the political experts said a Democrat could not win my home district in Queens. I put my faith in the people and the values that we shared. Together, we proved the political experts wrong." In her announcement speech she again declared, "And while all those political experts out there say that with only 8% in the latest poll we can't win I say only one thing to them: WATCH ME!" At this the crowd went wild and surely Ted Kennedy was a little scared about the intensity Ms. Ferraro demonstrated. Congresswoman Ferraro joins Kennedy and Colorado Senator Gary Hart in the fight to become the Democratic Nominee for President. A lot of the "political experts" Ferraro made a point of refuting claim that her entrance in to the race could prevent New York Governor Mario Cuomo from entering the campaign. Tom Ritchie of MSNBC said this, "It remains uncertain how Ferraro's announcement will effect Mario Cuomo and his decision. I suppose we're going to have to wait a little while longer."



"I'm ecstatic to be here in the heartland of America," Robertson began, "to talk about something close to my heart. Ladies and Gentlemen: I am running for President! And I'm sure as hell gonna win!" As the crowd burst in to applause Robertson waved to the audience of about four hundred Americans most of them holding a sign along the lines of 'Robertson 4 Prez, 1988'. Robertson's entrance in to the race heightened fears by Bush Supporters that their candidate, Vice President George HW Bush, won't enter the race for President. One Bush supporter from New Hampshire said, "I'm giving my man until the end of April, after that I'm gonna start looking until I find my new candidate. Robertson's a little right, but Bob might do." If Vice President Bush keeps delaying his entrance in to the campaign it might cost him large amounts of support. Connie Watson with the New York Times said, "If a candidate wants a real chance he needs to be in by the end of August. Even that's a little late. Most voters who are excited about the primaries won't even wait that long to find a candidate!" Pat Robertson pulled 10% in the latest poll released on March 21st. Robertson's campaign manager said that the candidate would stay in Kansas tomorrow as well before leaving for events in Iowa. Bob Dole was also in Kansas today to talk up his campaign. Dole, a resident of Kansas, is expected to win the caucuses which begin February 1st and last until February 7th.



Dale Bumpers, a Democratic Senator from Arkansas, announced he would join Senators Gary Hart and Ted Kennedy in addition to Former Veep Candidate and former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro in seeking the Democratic Nomination for President in 1988. In a March 17th poll Bumpers held 8% of the votes of likely Democratic voters. The Arkansas Senator received a lot of attention with Michael Dukakis, Governor of Massachusetts, announcing he wouldn't seek the nomination. Bumpers for President Campaign Manager Patty Short announced that the Senator, who kicked off his campaign in Little Rock earlier today, would be going to Hawaii tomorrow and California the next day. She assured members of the press that Bumpers was "in it to win it". Patty will be on Meet the Press next Sunday, April 3rd. Speculation continues to grow surrounding Mario Cuomo (D-NY) as well as Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR) and Senator Al Gore (D-TN). As women continue to flock to Geraldine Ferraro's campaign the race remains anyone this early in the game but for Democratic voters it appears they'll have more choices than Republicans this election season.

As a black-and-white photo of Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) appeared on screen the 'Kennedy for President' ad ended. The 30 second ad was called in to question by several news agencies for blatant sexism until Geraldine Ferraro herself stepped in...and then it became a national story. With Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy clearly at fault for the television advertisement apologizing to Ms. Ferraro the campaign looked week. Ferraro pushed forward saying, "The ad was so blatantly sexist that even my husband cringed." An astonishing 55% of people who saw the ad say it went too far and Senator Kennedy's hopes at the Democratic Nomination appear to be slipping, less than a month in to his campaign. With Ferraro and Kennedy fighting it out, the other half of the contenders are staying away from the party in-fighting. Senator and Candidate Dale Bumpers of Arkansas pressed forward at a campaign event in Hawaii calling for "political sanity". "We wonder why so many Americans are disgusted by politics?! Ladies and Gentlemen: I pledge to take the high road," the Senator proclaimed in Honolulu. Meanwhile Senator Gary Hart (D-CO) was in New Hampshire fighting for the state's support. Mario Cuomo delayed his scheduled event in Iowa until April 18th, the even was originally scheduled for April 7th.


For many Democrats they are anxious for official word from New York's governor concerning his entrance in to the race. MSNBC's Tom Ritchie had this to say, "Mario Cuomo is an interesting candidate and has a lot of appeal. If he keeps delaying his inevitable entrance in to the Democratic field, however, he's going to lose a lot of his support, A LOT of his support, especially in New York, to Ms. Ferraro. I don't know if that's a risk Mario is willing to take. He may just pass up any opportunity to enter the race at all. He's definitely the one to watch in the coming days." In a CNN Round Table Discussion Calvin Schott had this to say about Bill Clinton and the possibility of his entrance into the democratic primary battle, "I feel as if Clinton is playing with us. Is he a serious contender? Probably not! He's getting his name enlarged for a 1992 bid, I think it's quite obvious!" However Calvin's comments weren't popular with analyst Brandy Spiker who said this, "Bill Clinton's got the southern charm. Dale Bumper's from the south, but I doubt there are a lot of women who want to be held in his arms. Clinton's got a lot of support in Arkansas and could push Bumpers outta the race."



A new poll released today shows the Republican Primaries are heating up. Vice President George HW Bush is starting to lose ground against Kansas Senator Bob Dole. Dole was polling at 15% in the last poll, 16 points behind Bush. However the new poll shows Dole has quickly gained much-needed ground which could cause Bush to stay out of the race. The newest polls on the Republican side are:

Republican Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Vice President George H.W. Bush* | 28% (-3)
Senator Bob Dole | 21% (+6)
Televangelist Pat Robertson | 12% (+2)
Fmr. Senator Paul Laxalt* | 11% (-1)
Fmr. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld* | 9% (-1)
Fmr. Sec. of State Alex Haig* | 4%
Fmr. Governor Harold Stassen* | 2%
Congressman Jack Kemp* | 2%
Governor Pierre S. du Pont* | 1%
Undecided/None of the Above | 10% (-3)
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

Dole now leads in Hawaii and is only down by 4-points in Michigan. As Bush continues to delay entrance in to the field Dole's numbers continue to rise. Also on the rise is Pat Robertson who is now an official candidate in the race for President. His numbers were up two points from the last poll conducted in March. The Dole Campaign is happy about these numbers but maintains some degree of professionalism. In a morning press gaggle the campaign's spokesperson had this to say about the new numbers, "It shows that Republican's aren't quite satisfied with the Reagan-Bush Agenda. They want something new. Bob Dole has real policies and programs that people aren't ashamed or afraid to support."

Numbers on the Democratic side show that Ted Kennedy has lost his "front runner" status among the field of Democrats. Gary Hart (D-CO has once again taken command of the pack with Kennedy running second and Geraldine Ferraro running a surprising third.

Democratic Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Senator Gary Hart | 15%
Senator Ted Kennedy | 12% (-5%)
Fmr. Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro | 12% (+4)
Senator Dale Bumpers | 10% (+2)
Reverend Jesse Jackson* | 9%
Senator Al Gore* | 9%
Governor Mario Cuomo* | 9%
Senator Joe Biden* | 7% (-4%)
Governor Bill Clinton* | 7%
Undecided/None of the Above | 10% (-5%)
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

The polling numbers look positive for Senator Dale Bumpers from Arkansas who saw a 2-point rise. Many people had felt his campaign would fail to pick up support. Geraldine Ferraro has continued to shock political experts across the nation. She took a four point boost in the polls, likely from women voters who are coming out in larger numbers than expected. Senator Kennedy, has failed to avoid a fall after a sexist campaign commercial hurt his campaign tremendously, but MSNBC's Tom Ritchie argues that Kennedy's numbers will bottom out once the immediate reaction to the campaign ad dies down. "Furthermore," he argues, "Ferraro's numbers will also take a fall once the hype about the campaign dwindles. She shouldn't be too confident."


On the other hand, Colorado Senator Gary Hart should be very scared. Not only have his numbers maintained throughout the duration of the campaign so far, rumors are beginning to grow about infidelity in the marriage of Gary and Lee Hart. The rumors say that Hart has been seeing various women throughout the course of his marriage, but no evidence has been produced. "If Gary Hart wants to win this time he's going to have to keep his fly zipped and keep what's in his pants to himself and Lee," said CNN's Marsha Goodman. While the rumors remain rumors it remains unseen whether or not any facts will be produced. Unfortunately for Senator Hart if the rumors turn out to be true he may indeed lose the campaign, a campaign he was just about guaranteed yesterday. "He's got a three point lead," MSNBC's Tom Ritchie explained, "on a candidate who's only going up. Gerry Ferraro will lead to Gary Hart's demise and she won't think twice about it." Senator Hart went on the CBS Evening News to deny rumors of infidelity in his marriage, but questions surrounding his marriage were scarce in the twenty-minute interview. Most of the questions helped Hart (such as defeating the Reagan Agenda and his positions on various issues). Whether or not the scandal hurts Hart remains to be seen (if there's a scandal at all...)

Interesting stuff. Wonder who's gonna get the nominations.

historybuff said:

Interesting stuff. Wonder who's gonna get the nominations.

Click to expand...

glad you're interested next update is forthcoming

Surprising a lot of people Mario Cuomo (D-NY) announced he would be staying out of the race for President in 1988. "Now is not my time. America deserves someone better. I do not feel that I could adequately serve as President of the United States come January 20, 1989." Governor Cuomo's announcement was surprising but has allowed Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) to let out a sigh of relief. Cuomo's refusal to enter is a good sign for Ferraro's chances in the New York primary, but also gives her the unique opportunity to sweep Italian-American votes in the primary. The Ferraro Campaign's official response was, "While we wish that the Governor could join us in the debate on what's best for America, we admire his willingness to do what he feels is best." Mario Cuomo's announcement he won't be entering the race is a sigh of relief to many people in the Democratic campaign, but now all eyes are turned to George HW Bush. The Vice President himself has yet to announce whether or not he'll be a candidate for President to fulfill President Reagan's legacy. With eyes turned from Cuomo to Bush intensity in the Presidential campaign has begun to reach it's climax. With many Bush supporters questioning why he's yet to enter the campaign some are beginning to shift towards Bob Dole (R-KS).


Republican Candidate Bob Dole has asked CNN to host a debate on May 10, 1987 for the announced Republican Candidates at that time. Senator Dole was joined by Televangelist Pat Buchanan (R-VA), the only other candidate in the race so far. CNN ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD INDEED HOLD A DEBATE FOR THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ON MAY 10TH The rules will not be set until May 2nd. In order to qualify for the debate candidates must have announced by May 1st and have at least 5% in the polls. CNN ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD HOLD A DEBATE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES ON MAY 9TH. Qualification for the debate will be the same as for the Republican debate. The location of the Republican Debate shall be at Kansas State University. Democrats shall have their debate at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts. Bob Dole and Pat Robertson have been invited and accepted. The only Democrat to accept an invitation so far is Senator Gary Hart (D-CO). Other invited candidates are: Former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro, Senator Ted Kennedy, and Senator Dale Bumpers. NBC's Tom Ritchie had this to say on the potential debates, "When it comes to the Republican field Senator Dole has it locked up if it remains him and Robertson. Honestly the ONLY way Bob Dole won't receive a huge bump from that convention is if another candidate or two at least enters the campaign. When it comes to the Democrats it's up to Ferraro to prove her legitimacy as a candidate. If she can prove she's solid on policy she can take a lead in the polls. Senator Hart will have to deal with questions of infidelity which leaves Kennedy and Bumpers to be the only ones with lower expectations. You want low expectations going in to a debate."




In a patriotic event in Ames yesterday Donald Rumsfeld (R-IL) announced he would indeed seek the Republican nomination for President, challenging candidates Dole and Robertson. Rumsfeld is a foreign policy hawk with large amounts of experience and despite being a "dark horse" in the race, Rumsfeld is polling fairly well for having little name recognition. Polling at 9% in the last poll the former Secretary of Defense has a lot of ground to make up if he hopes to rival Senator Bob Dole for the Republican nomination. "It isn't enough to hear ideas," Rumsfeld began, "we need to hear those ideas from people who know what they're talking about." Rumsfeld's entrance into the race achieved an invitation to the Debate on May 10th at Kansas State University. Fortunately for the former Secretary of Defense, he's going to have a stage so that people who don't know a lot about him can join in. CNN has been advertising the debate a lot in the past few days to try to gain high viewership numbers.


Capitalizing on her ability to campaign more than her opponents because of lack of a current political office, Geraldine Ferraro was in Lansing, Michigan where she said this, "President Reagan has left us behind. We need a President who tells us how to move forward, not tell us what we did wrong. We need a President who defends human rights. We need a President who fights for you. Ladies and Gentlemen: join me!" The speech was made in front of an audience of about 1,000 people. Ferraro is, by far, attracting larger audiences than any of her current competitors, making her the one to watch. However now that Senator Al Gore (D-TN) is in the race she's not the most attractive candidate. Gore's youth is on his side and he has the stamina to keep fighting. Al Gore has joined Geraldine Ferraro and Gary Hart in accepting an invitation to appear on May 9th for a debate at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. Senators Kennedy and Bumpers have yet to decline or accept the invitation. CNN Analyst Michelle Cartwright had this to say about the Democratic and Republican fields: "It seems like Gerry Ferraro and Gary Hart are leading the pack as Ted Kennedy keeps dropping the ball. Kennedy needs to use the debate to pull ahead from the pack. Senators Gore and Bumpers bring interesting perspectives and it'll be great to see what they bring to the stage. Ferraro made a name for herself in 1984 when she said, 'I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude to teach ME about foreign policy!' The line won her the respect of a lot of people, she could prove tough to match. For the Republicans, Rumsfeld is shaking things up and he brings a lot of experience and substance to the debate. I look forward to watching these primary debates, but if Bush isn't there he's missing out."

This looks interesting so far...

The last batch of polls, released on April 14, are horribly out of date...ALREADY! With Mario Cuomo out of the race, Al Gore and Donald Rumsfeld in, and Gerry Ferraro with a new wave of attack ads on her opponents, all proving her point effectively it appears that these new polls are a far more accurate depiction of the current races. First the Republican nominees:

Republican Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Vice President George H.W. Bush* | 23% (-5%)
Senator Bob Dole | 22% (+1%)
Fmr. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld | 13% (+4%)
Televangelist Pat Robertson | 13% (+1%)
Fmr. Senator Paul Laxalt* | 10% (-1%)
Fmr. Sec. of State Alex Haig* | 3% (-1%)
Fmr. Governor Harold Stassen* | 2%
Congressman Jack Kemp* | 2%
Governor Pierre S. du Pont* | 1%
Undecided/None of the Above | 11% (+1%)
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

The polls are encouraging for Donald Rumsfeld (R-IL) who saw a surge of support. Rumsfeld recently announced his campaign and aired a well-detailed campaign newspaper advertisement about his extensive foreign policy experience. Rumsfeld's advertisement was very well-received and boosted him several points in the polls. Senator Dole and Televangelist Robertson also saw their numbers rise, but not to the extent of the former Secretary of Defense. A total of 7 points were lost among candidates who've yet to enter the campaign. Vice President George H.W. Bush has continued to lose ground because of his continually delayed announcement. Former Bush supporter Terrence Watson said this, "Bush, well I can't wait for him all day. I'm looking forward to Rumsfeld. Volunteered for his campaign today." Clearly Bush's supporters aren't completely loyal and if he wants to win the nomination he has to enter soon, especially before the deadline for the first debate (May 1st). Political Analyst Roger Hark commented on Bush's uncertainty saying, "At this point Bush might as well stay out. He can't win anymore his supporters have left or they're looking for alternatives. Truth of the matter is Bush has got a very little chance at the Republican nomination anymore and it's sad. A little more than a month ago he was over 30% in the polls and held a 16 point lead on Bob Dole. Today he has 23% and that's a 1 point lead on Senator Dole. His support is falling, and fast."


In other news Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton announced he'd decided whether or not to enter by the end of June and by then the first of what we expect to be two or three debates will have ended. However the poll numbers show Gerry Ferraro and Al Gore surging.

Democratic Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Fmr. Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro | 15% (+3%)
Senator Al Gore | 14% (+5%)
Senator Ted Kennedy | 14% (+2%)
Senator Gary Hart | 13% (-2%)
Senator Dale Bumpers | 11% (+1%)
Governor Bill Clinton* | 8% (+1%)
Reverend Jesse Jackson* | 8% (-1%)
Senator Joe Biden* | 7%
Undecided/None of the Above | 10%
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

Gary Hart (D-CO) has seen his numbers steadily fall. Unfortunately for the Senate rumors about infidelity continue to grow, louder than before, and continue to be a threat to his campaign. Many fear that Hart won't be able to maintain legitimacy in the race by the end of the debate, which raises his expectations. He'll have to do astonishingly well to stay even in the polls and it seems that Senator Hart's chances at the nomination are continuing to dwindle, surely unsettling news for the Senator. In other news Dale Bumpers accepted an invitation to the May 9th Debate, as did Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts. The campaigning is continue to increase across the nation. At a stop in Michigan Senator Al Gore called out Ted Kennedy, demanding answers to the Chappaquiddick Incident that will forever haunt Senator Kennedy. Gore's attacks on his opponents have continued. A recent radio ad in Iowa and New Hampshire claims that Gerry Ferraro is "weak" and "inexperienced". Meanwhile Republicans have stayed above attacking each other. Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) has refused to attack Robertson or Rumsfeld, signing a pledge to his supporters.



In a shocking turn of events Vice President George H.W. Bush has yet to announce a presidential campaign, denying him an invitation to the Republican Party Debate to be held at Kansas State University. Unfortunately for Bush supporters and the Vice President himself he will not be seen on the television sets of millions of Americans. CNN has made an aggressive push to get Americans to tune in to the debates. The Democrat's debate will be on May 9th and the Republicans will be on Tuesday, May 10th. People are beginning to seriously question whether or not Bush will enter the race for president. New polling numbers show this:

Do you feel Vice President Bush will run for President? (National)
No | 51%
Yes | 42%
Unsure | 7%

With a majority of Americans believing he won't run for Vice President, Republicans are beginning to look for alternatives. The three-person debate set to unfold on the stage at Kansas State University will undoubtedly be something many people tune in to because, with many people feeling Bush won't enter, Americans are trying to find a new presumptive nominee for the Republican Party. NBC's Tom Ritchie commented on the Republican race, "With Bush out Rumsfeld has a lot to gain with people concerned about foreign policy. If the race begins to focus on that issue he'll cruise to success." New hypothetical polling was also released:

Who would you elect as President?

Generic Democrat | 45%
Generic Republican | 44%
Undecided | 11%

Geraldine Ferraro | 47%
Bob Dole | 43%
Undecided | 10%

Geraldine Ferraro | 48%
Donald Rumsfeld | 47%
Undecided | 5%

Geraldine Ferraro | 54%
Pat Robertson | 32%
Undecided | 14%

Gary Hart | 41%
Bob Dole | 50%
Undecided | 9%

Gary Hart | 43%
Donald Rumsfeld | 42%
Undecided | 15%

Gary Hart | 49%
Pat Robertson | 42%
Undecided | 9%

Ted Kennedy | 51%
Bob Dole | 47%
Undecided | 2%

Ted Kennedy | 50%
Donald Rumsfeld | 40%
Undecided | 10%

Ted Kennedy | 57%
Pat Robertson | 33%
Undecided | 10%

With the debate nearing Geraldine Ferraro has joined Democrats Al Gore and Ted Kennedy in beginning a loose schedule of debate preparations. Pat Robertson has begun serious debate preparation as well.

No clue who I'd vote for here.

This is very interesting. I cant wait to see if this will cause Bush jr. to not run.

Senator Dale Bumpers (D-AR) will be on the stage with fellow Democrats on May 9th. It is up to him to distinguish himself from the pack and make a nationwide name for himself. NBC's Tom Ritchie said this, "Dale Bumpers is known, but not very well and most of his "national support" isn't national. Of that 11% I'm sure most of that comes from Arkansas and states surrounding Arkansas. Unfortunately for the Senator he's got to climb a mountain while everyone else is hiking up a hill!" Expectations are fairly low for Dale Bumpers which could allow him to steal the show. However a lot of people are looking forward for a fight between Geraldine Ferraro and Ted Kennedy who continue to attack each other on the trail. Furthermore there's always that scandal involving Gary Hart that has sunk his candidacy. Photographs were taken of a mysterious women leaving Hart's home and office on the night of May 1st. There are also reports that he spent the night with that same woman on a boat known as "Monkey Business". It'll be interesting if one of the Democratic candidates bring's up Gary Hart's infidelity. Staying out of the headlines, really, is Tennessee's Senator Al Gore who's kept from making any eye-catching statements which, of course, is a good thing for him.


Republican Presidential Candidate Pat Robertson (R-VA has had a hard time getting in all the papers, but on the stage the night of May 10th he'll be put next to Senator Bob Dole and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Robertson will appear equal and if he can connect with the evangelical Christians of the party, which he'll undoubtedly do, he could receive a large bump from these polls. Many Republicans are waiting for word George Bush to enter, which has prevented their field from growing. With three candidates in the Republican battle and five in the Democrat's fight, expect more people to be watching the Democratic debate. Rumors are swirling, however, that Jesse Jackson will announce his candidacy in the days after the debate. Meanwhile Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) announced he wouldn't be seeking the Democratic nomination for president. We're still waiting on word from Bill Clinton (D-AR) to know what he's doing, but with Dale Bumpers in the race from Arkansas and Al Gore stealing a lot of votes from Clinton it appears that Clinton will have to stay out of this one, maybe trying in 1992. New polls from Iowa are in, first the Democratic side:

Democratic Primary Poll (Iowa)
Fmr. Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro | 15%
Senator Al Gore | 15%
Senator Ted Kennedy | 15%
Reverend Jesse Jackson* | 13%
Senator Gary Hart | 9%
Senator Dale Bumpers | 7%
Governor Bill Clinton* | 6%
Undecided/None of the Above | 20%
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

And now the Republicans:

Republican Primary Poll (Iowa)
Senator Bob Dole | 22%
Televangelist Pat Robertson | 21%
Vice President George H.W. Bush* | 18%
Fmr. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld | 18%
Fmr. Senator Paul Laxalt* | 3%
Fmr. Sec. of State Alex Haig* | 3%
Fmr. Governor Harold Stassen* | 2%
Congressman Jack Kemp* | 2%
Governor Pierre S. du Pont* | 1%
Undecided/None of the Above | 10%
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

This is a map of the Republican Polls. The state is colored according to the winner in the latest poll. George Bush is red, Donald Rumsfeld is green, Bob Dole is yellow and Pat Robertson is purple.


This is a map of the Democratic Polls. The state is colored according to the winner in the most recent poll. Dale Bumpers is orange, Al Gore is light blue, Gerry Ferraro is pink, Gray is a tie. Gary Hart is maroon, and Ted Kennedy is brown.

Geez, the Republicans need more candidates.
Maybe if George H W Bush doesn't run, he could be the next Secretary of State.

historybuff said:

Geez, the Republicans need more candidates.
Maybe if George H W Bush doesn't run, he could be the next Secretary of State.

Click to expand...

it'll all be post-debate (being written now)

The Democratic Debate that went from 7:00 - 8:30 earlier tonight was not one that should've been missed. With MSNBC's Tom Ritchie moderating all five of the major candidates were in attendance. Senator Dale Bumpers, Senator Al Gore, Senator Gary Hart, Senator Ted Kennedy, and former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro. When each candidate had the ability to make a 30-second opening statement Senator Ted Kennedy had no problem attacking Geraldine Ferraro, questioning her husband's credibility in front of a record-breaking 27 million viewers across the nation. Ferraro did, however, shoot back saying, "There may be a few questions regarding my husband's personal finances but there are far more questions surrounding the night of July 18, 1969 on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts if you ask me and almost every American out there." The line drew large applause from Ferraro supporters and "undecideds" in the audience while Kennedy supporters booed the Congresswoman. Eventually Kennedy went on to say, "My position and statements are clear and I resent, Geraldine, the fact that you would bring up the death of an innocent woman in a political debate." Ferraro was quick to shoot back, "It's your record, not mine." The debate continued to get heated between Ferraro and Kennedy as Senator Gary Hart was forced to answer questions about infidelity in his marriage. Tom Ritchie asked Senator Hart, "Senator a great deal has been made about infidelity in your marriage. Are you ready to respond to these allegations? Specifically the unconfirmed reports that you have been seeing a young model named Donna Rice?" Hart responded, "I don't speak about rumors and allegations from unnamed sources." However Ritchie would not let go, "Senator with all due respect you're running for President and I don't think that answer cuts it." Hart, clearly off his game, responded, "Well I suppose it's going to have to isn't it, Tom." The comment drew boos from the audience.

Senators Al Gore and Dale Bumpers staid above any heated moments and clearly presented their responses to the issues. When it came to closing statements, however, Geraldine Ferraro (who had the last word of the candidates) closed her statement by saying, "Ladies and Gentlemen we deserve a hell of a lot better than we're getting. My positions on the issues are clear and I will work for all Americans, that's why the Democratic Party chose me to be the Vice Presidential Nominee three years ago, an honor that I'll never forget. We need a President who holds him or herself to higher standards, we need a President who'll defend human rights, we need a President who follows the fifth commandment, and we need a President who'll fight for all the people of America. Thank you and God Bless." While her closing grew thunderous applause from the auditorium at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum it also drew boos from Kennedy supporters. As Ferraro was exiting one Kennedy supporter, Ralph Cantor, threw a brick through her limousine's back window shattering the glass and injuring her husband, John Zaccaro. Mr. Cantor was charged with attempted murder and Ferraro's secret service protection was increased. Senator Ted Kennedy did respond saying he, "abhorred the actions of the individual in question." and that he hoped he'd be brought to justice.


Upon the debate's conclusion a poll was taken in the audience on who they felt had the best performance. 24% said Dale Bumpers, 22% said Al Gore, 18% said Geraldine Ferraro, 15% said Ted Kennedy, 11% said Gary Hart, and 10% were undecided A poll taken of 15,000 people nationwide who watched the debate had very different results. 25% said Geraldine Ferraro, 21% said Ted Kennedy, 20% said Dale Bumpers, 16% said Al Gore, 9% said Gary Hart, and 9% were undecided Apparently the Ferraro-Kennedy exchanges throughout the night were more entertaining at home than in person. It remains to be seen who'll get the biggest bump from the debate but for now all eyes are turned towards the Republican debate tomorrow night where Senator Bob Dole (R-KS), Pat Robertson (R-VA), and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (R-IL) will fight for the big bump on the Republican side.



If you watched the Democratic Debate and felt it was too slow you fell asleep during the Republican debate. Bob Dole failed to surpass expectations. Donald Rumsfeld demonstrated his amazing grasp of knowledge on foreign policy, but it was Pat Robertson who shined in the debate earlier this evening. Surprising most viewers with his surprisingly good grasp of the issues, Robertson will likely see the biggest bump from the debate. Twenty-four million Americans tuned in to watch the debate which was held at Kansas State University. A poll taken of the audience on who they felt was the winner was taken and 38% said Pat Robertson won, 32% said Rumsfeld, and 29% said Dole, and 1% was undecided. When asked of 15,000 viewers at home 33% said Robertson, 33% said Dole, and 32% said Rumsfeld with 2% undecided. Unfortunately for Robertson not many people are paying much attention to the debate because more people care about whether or not Vice President Bush will enter the race for President, he scheduled a press conference for May 15th which we assume will answer most of the questions surrounding whether or not he'll run for president. If he doesn't we expect a lot more candidates to pile in to the race days after Bush's announcement and if he does those same candidates will likely be endorsing the Vice President.

Meanwhile Reverend Jesse Jackson entered the Presidential race on the Democratic side. Few are sure if Jackson will do as strong as he did in the 1984 Campaign, but many African-American voters are running to support Jackson. Geraldine Ferraro welcome Jackson in to the campaign and said she was happy that "more ideas and proposals would be brought to the Democrat's this year." While we're still months away from the first primaries and caucuses this race is getting more and more intense as the days pass. Former Senator Paul Laxalt will be announcing whether or not he'll get in the race on May 16th while Governor Pierre S. du Pont will make an announcement on the 17th. With Jackson's entrance in to the race it leaves one Democrat undecided Bill Clinton (D-AR) is the only formidable candidate yet to announce whether or not he'll get in the race himself. There are still many Republicans who've yet to make an announcement, especially if George Bush decides to stay out.



Vice President of the United States George Herbert Walker Bush ruled out any entrance in to the 1988 Presidential Race. At a press conference he said, "I will not seek nor will I accept the Republican Party's nomination as President of the United States. I cannot afford, in this hour of need, to excuse myself from the duties of being Vice President. I cannot, at this time, afford to spend my days campaigning when there is work to be done." With George Bush out Republicans are scrambling to find someone to support. Paul Laxalt will announce his decision tomorrow, Governor du Pont the day after, and it is rumored that Senator Orrin Hatch will make an announcement on the 19th. The announcement came as a surprise even though Bush had been delaying an official statement for quite some time. NBC's Tom Ritchie commented on Bush's refusal to enter, "Much like Mario Cuomo and Michael Dukakis, George Bush shocked us all today. Republicans are going to have to find a candidate quickly if they want any shot of winning this race."

President Ronald Reagan had no comment on Vice President Bush's announcement. However Senator Bob Dole had this to say, "While I looked forward to a great campaign with Vice President Bush I admire his ability to make the best decision for the country." Donald Rumsfeld and Pat Robertson made comments along similar lines. Most of the Bush supporters don't feel betrayed by Bush, but they're upset they'll have to look for another candidate. Supporter Nickie Gamble of Iowa said this, "Well maybe George'll be Vice President again, I mean, it could happen...right?" With many Bush supporters upset and confused Pat Robertson campaigned hard in Kansas, urging Evangelical Christians to support his campaign for President. Democrats, however, took another tone when addressing Bush's announcement. Front runner Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) commented, "I'm glad to see that come January 20, 1989 the Reagan-Bush regime will come to an end!" At a campaign stop in Baltimore Senator Kennedy addressed Bush's announcement in his speech, "And so we've see that Georgie is gonna stay out of this campaign. It's good to see that, for once in his career, he's putting country first. As your President I'll ALWAYS put country first!" Senators Gore, Hart, and Bumpers made no specific comments on Bush while Jesse Jackson said he had "looked forward" to a general election campaign with Bush.


After serving just over two years as Governor of Missouri in addition to eight years as Missouri's Attorney General and one year as State Auditor, Republican John Ashcroft announced that he'd be running for President of the United States. At what many assumed would be the kickoff to his reelection as Governor John Ashcroft declared, "And so, my fellow Americans, I've decided to run for President of the United States and I'm running to win." Ashcroft made his announcement on the 18th, the third in a four-day marathon of announcements. On the 16th Paul Laxalt entered the race and on the seventeenth Governor Pierre S. du Pont announced he would not run. Also on the 17th Congressman Jack Kemp entered the race. The 18th was, of course, Ashcroft day, and on the 19th Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah entered the race. Increasing the Republican field from 3 to 7. NBC's Tom Ritchie was greatly surprised by announcements from Senator Hatch and Governor Ashcroft. "No one did any polling on these two and their names aren't well-known. It'll be tough if they want to try and win crucial primaries." Senator Bob Dole welcomed Laxalt, Kemp, Ashcroft, and Hatch in to the race for President calling all of them "qualified and respectable men". Robertson and Rumsfeld made similar comments. When the next batch of polling is released in the coming days many people will be looking forward to knowing how these new batch of candidates do.

7 to 5 now. This just keeps getting more interesting.

Looks interesting, though I haven't read all of it. Are you doing this in the bawlexus91 style by chance? Also, a Rumsfeld Presidency would definitely be interesting, especially given his relationship with Cheney (good) and George HW Bush (bad). Dole would be interesting as well, though not nearly the same amount. I always wondered what a Gary Hart Presidency might look like.

Cathcon1 said:

Looks interesting, though I haven't read all of it. Are you doing this in the bawlexus91 style by chance? Also, a Rumsfeld Presidency would definitely be interesting, especially given his relationship with Cheney (good) and George HW Bush (bad). Dole would be interesting as well, though not nearly the same amount. I always wondered what a Gary Hart Presidency might look like.

Click to expand...

while bawlexus91 was my inspiration and i took the format from him the actual substance is far different. i'm sure u remember, in his campaign, reagan sought a third term...none of that is in here and in his campaign he had cuomo running, etc. the plots are completely different but i did take the format

A friend of Donna Rice anonymously told the Miami Herald that Donna had indeed been seeing Senator Gary Hart and even provided a photo she'd allegedly taken. The photo clearly shows Senator Hart with Donna Rice. When the story broke two days ago the media had no idea how to react, but Senator Hart did. Gary Hart was the first person to enter the race and early yesterday he became the first person to exit the race. Hart thanked his supporters and the Democratic field just got shook up some more. With Senator Kennedy and Congresswoman Ferraro going up against Reverend Jesse Jackson and Senators Dale Bumpers and Al Gore, the race has just gotten more interesting. Al Gore joined Jesse Jackson and Ted Kennedy in condemning the actions of Senator Hart. Garldine Ferraro and Dale Bumpers have yet to make a formal statement. With Hart out of the race the new polling numbers are in:

Democratic Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Fmr. Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro | 19% (+4%)
Senator Al Gore | 17% (+3%)
Senator Ted Kennedy | 17% (+3%)
Senator Dale Bumpers | 14% (+3%)
Reverend Jesse Jackson | 12% (+4%)
Governor Bill Clinton* | 8%
Undecided/None of the Above | 13% (+3%)
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

Former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro continues to rise in the polls and it seems that, for her numbers, the sky is truly the limit. A CNN round table discussion had CNN's Nicolas Hammerstein arguing that, "Ferraro's momentum is going to die down, I think the one we need to be talking about is Reverend Jesse Jackson. His numbers took the same jump that Ferraro's did and I think the one to pay attention to is Jackson. Bumpers is going to have to knock him out in order to hold on to his numbers. I think that if Bill Clinton decides not to run most of his supporters will flock to Jackson, which makes him the front runner." CNN's Veronica Duhamel disagreed however, "I think you have to watch Al Gore in this campaign, Nic. In the first poll we saw he was at 9%, he's almost doubled since then! People like his youth and charisma. Senator Gore could be our next President and it wouldn't surprise me one bit." Discussion continued, but almost all the participants int he round table discussion agreed that Ted Kennedy would have to step it up a notch or two if he wants a chance at the nomination. The discussion also talked about the new Republican numbers:

Republican Primary Poll (Nationwide)
Senator Bob Dole | 23% (+1%)
Televangelist Pat Robertson | 20% (+7%)
Fmr. Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld | 18% (+5%)
Fmr. Senator Paul Laxalt | 10%
Senator Orrin Hatch | 6% (+6%)
Governor John Ashcroft | 4% (+4%)
Fmr. Sec. of State Alex Haig* | 3%
Congressman Jack Kemp | 3% (+1%)
Fmr. Governor Harold Stassen* | 2%
Undecided/None of the Above | 12% (+1%)
* denotes those not yet an official candidate

A 5-point surge for Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was well-received by the Rumsfeld campaign. In fact, his campaign released a statement on the new numbers calling them "optimistic" and "proof the American people get our message". The truth is Rumsfeld is a force to be reckon with when it comes to foreign policy experience. Bob Dole did however see a small rise in his poll numbers. The biggest debate bump goes to Pat Robertson who had a 7-point surge among Republican voters, mostly Evangelical Christians. Also something to note, this is the first poll with Senator Orrin Hatch and Governor John Ashcroft. They have fairly promising numbers for the very beginning of their campaigns, but they're going to have to steal votes away from Dole, Robertson, and Rumsfeld if they have any hopes of taking the nomination. On the same round table discussion CNN's Nicolas Hammerstein predicted that the Republican nomination would go to Donald Rumsfeld if "trends continue".



The campaign of Geraldine Ferraro just got some great talking points. Former Democratic Nominee for President and former Vice President Walter Mondale endorsed Geraldine Ferraro at a campaign rally in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Geraldine Ferraro," Mondale began, "is the only sensible solution to the problems facing the United States!" Mondale went to Ferraro's defense on several of the attacks made by Senator Kennedy. "I wonder if her opponents in this race call her unqualified because she's unqualified or because she's beating them in the polls! These men are going to have to learn what it feels like to be beaten by a woman!" Mondale said to roaring applause. The Mondale endorsement marks the first of what is sure to be a series of high-profile endorsements in the coming days, weeks, and months of the campaign. NBC's Tom Ritchie analyzed the endorsement, "Well, Mondale's endorsement was the one everyone wanted to get. Second is obviously going to be Governor Clinton should he decide to stay out of the race. People will also vie for the endorsement of Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neil. Very shortly endorsements are going to become more and more desired among the candidates, I'm actually surprised to see it was Walter Mondale who broke the ice." The endorsement is bound to have positive effects for Geraldine Ferraro as Mondale has supposedly agreed to do a large amount of surrogate campaigning for her. CNN's Nicolas Hammerstein summed it all up, "I guess this proves that Ferraro's pick wasn't political."

Republicans will, of course, be fighting for the endorsements of President Reagan and Vice President Bush, should they decide to endorse. Other coveted Republican endorsements will be Governor du Pont, Former Senate Leader Howard Baker, in addition to various senators and governors from across the nation. Republicans will also be chasing after former President Gerald Ford's endorsement, if he decides he'll endorse a candidate.