1980 Presidential Election: Four More Years? (GAME THREAD)

[Kingpoleon]

REPUBLICAN:

Gerald Ford: Using his high profile, Ford runs on much the same platform of 1976. However, Ford is quick to point out how suddenly the economy boomed under him while the economy is doing iffy at best under Jimmy Carter. Running on honesty and a history of fixing the problem by working with the other side, Ford's inclusive message is easily able to bring in a wide coalition. If he can effectively hold it for the primary and bring it all to bear at the RNC, he would have a wide range of likely voters.

[Kingpoleon]

Former President Gerald Ford Announces Bid: "It is from your ranks I come, and on your side I stand!"

GERALD FORD: OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE

My fellow Americans, I am before you today as one of you. I had a normal life during my youth. As a young man, I was a football player and navy man. As a football player, I was best friends with one Willis Ward - a young black man. He experienced racism firsthand and publicly when Georgia Tech refused to play a game against us if he played. I was going to quit when the university agreed to not let him play until he personally asked me to play the game.

He went on to score all twelve of our points in the games besides that one. In many places, women and blacks have to work ten times as hard as any white man to get ahead. Jimmy Carter can't understand this. He's taken so many positions on the Equal Rights Amendment that no one can attack him for supporting or opposing it. Let me be clear: I support women, and I support the rights of every minority.

I've served twenty-four years as a Representative. Just sixteen years in, I became House Minority Leader. After eight years of that, I became Vice President for a year and then President for two and a half years. Jimmy Carter has eight years as Governor and many more as a peanut farmer besides. I don't think he would have had a chance if Nixon had not committed the un-American Watergate, spying on the Democrats.

I have the experience, knowledge, and background to be President again. You, the general public, are the people who know this. I am for the people, and I am of the people. You are the people who pay your taxes and obey the laws! It is from your ranks I come, and on your side I stand! In the big tent of myself and my supporters and my party, we have room for many people. However, nowhere in the big tent of Party of Lincoln is there room for bigotry of any kind!

I ask for your support as I run for President one more time, to be limited to one more term. I recognize that America is not whole and is not unified. However, I believe that we cannot win unless we do unite America. We may win an election against Jimmy Carter through division. We may win that battle. However, by dividing, we will not have won the war for America's heart and America's soul.

It's like John Kennedy said - 'Let every nation know, whether it wishes us good or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.' In the same vein, let every man, woman, and child know that I will not hesitate, that I will not falter, and that I will not fail - in my fight for the rights of every American, in my fight for America's heart, America's mind, and America's soul. God bless all of you, and God bless America!

[Kingpoleon]

Gerald Ford files for all available primaries and caucuses.

[Kingpoleon]

Fmr. President Gerald Ford's wife is now suffering an organ shutdown. Her liver was being replaced, as it had been found to be ruined by her alcoholism and addiction to pills. Her body has rejected the new liver, and therefore the Former President is withdrawing from the race. Within six months she will either have recovered or died, but the Former President will not continue to run for President during this time of grief. He therefore suspends his campaign.

[Kingpoleon]

BTW, Betty Ford isn't dead. She is near-death I suppose basing on what Kingpoleon said

It's a possibility. I don't have time for this game right now, but I could easily be Ford for someone's running-mate in a month or so.