1976: A New America- Gameply Thread

[justW353]

Ted Kennedy travels to Missouri, campaigning with Senator Joe Biden, Senator Bob Byrd, and Representative Mo Udall.

[Junkie]

The Richardson campaign was quietly happy.  It had previously looked like the entry of Reagan into the campaign would turn the race into a two man contest between Ford and the former California Governor.  Richardson was worried that he would be confined to the old Yankee Republicans of New England.

However, the new polls appeared to show to the Richardson campaign to reveal that Reagan was more a symptom of "anybody but Ford." Richardson had retaken the lead in Delaware and West Virginia.  More interesting was Stassen taking Minnesota and Nebraska from Reagan.  Ford was now up in Florida, while Reagan had taken the lead in Texas and Colorado.

The Richardson campaign believed that this showed that there was opportunity within the midwest and the west coast.  All they needed to do was stay alive long enough for Ford to falter.  Then they to become the alternative to Reagan, and the moderates, remembering Goldwater, would flock to the campaign.

The Richardson campaign attempted to take advantage of their advantage in the early states.  Richardson would attend a fundraiser in New York.  He would then fly to Iowa, where he would campaign with Representative Jim Leach for two days.  He would stop in Minnesota, before heading to Pennsylvania where he campaigned with Hugh Scott.  After that, he campaigned with Henry Cabot Lodge in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine.

[tb78]

Presidential Matchups, June 1975:

Ford Matchups:



Ford vs. Carter:



Ford Vs. Wallace:



Ford vs. Brown:



Ford Vs Kennedy:

[yougo1000]

Gerald Ford announces a 50-state tour during 1976, he attends 5 rallies in California

[tb78]

Presidential Matchups, June 1975:

Reagan Matchups:



Reagan vs. Carter:


Reagan vs. Wallace:



Reagan vs. Brown:



Reagan vs. Kennedy:

[Jayhawker]

Reporter: Governor Wallace, what is your take on the recent maps for the General election?
Wallace: My take? There aren't really any suprises, yet. My campaign has mainly stayed in the South, so it's not suprising that most of our support is coming from the South. But we will be holding a 50 state tour soon, which should hopefully improve my national polling.

[tb78]

Presidential Matchups: June 1975

Elliot Richardson Matchups;



Richardson vs. Carter


Richardson vs. Wallace:



Richardson vs. Brown:



Richardson vs. Kennedy:

[A-Bob]

Reporter: What do you think of the recent match-ups Governor?
Reagan: I think it is a great sign of the strength of our campaign and the will of the people to elect a President with proven, honest, leadership. I'm confident we will win next November.

[Sewer]

Brown announces a tour of Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.

[yougo1000]

Gerald Ford Press Conference

Reporter: How do you feel after the shooting

Ford: Good but sometimes I feel some pain in my hand.

Reporter: What about Vietnam?

Ford: I think we should have a piece treaty this year.

Reporter: What about the rising situation in the middle east

Ford: I have no comment at the time.

Gerald Ford thanks the reporters.

[Lahbas]

Harold Stassen decides to make a tour of the American West, but also concentrates on the Pacific Coast. He also once again makes use of Town Hall meetings.

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"........Roe v Wade? Well..........to be honest........it was outside of the jurisdiction of the courts. I look at the Constitution........and I cannot see any such right to privacy being protected by it. Therefore.......I believe that the issue should be left to the American people.......not to the federal government.......but to the states..........."

- Harold Stassen in Response to a Question on Roe v Wade


".........the Panama Canal belongs to the United States in its entirety........and till the end of time. American citizens paid for its construction........American boys died building it.......and now there are American citizens guarding it. Yes.......the soil USED to be Panamanian. As a result.......we should negotiate a proper settlement with their government. No.......we should....nor under my administration would we ever........consider handing over the canal."

- Harold Stassen in Response to a Question on the Panama Canal


"........nuclear power. I would work to expand our domestic nuclear power program to ensure that the American people.........would no longer be dependent upon the princes of the Middle East.......in order to maintain their daily lives. We cannot any longer be held back by third world countries. If nuclear power is the way forward........then god willing.......that is the direction that America should take......"

- Harold Stassen in Response to a Question on his Energy Policy

[yougo1000]

Gerald Ford announces endorsement of: Nixon, Dole, Rockefeller, Connally. He then goes to California to tell America to move forward

[yougo1000]

[tb78]

We now move on to 1976, and the weeks before the primarys.

[Jayhawker]

Today, Senators Alan MacGregor Cranston of California, Robert Morgan of North Carolina, and Sam Nunn of Georgia all announced their endorsement of George Wallace for President. Along with them was Governors Edwin Edwards of Louisiana, William Waller of Mississippi, and Reubin Askew of Florida. And in a suprise endorsement, former Republican governor Claude K. Kirk Jr. of Florida announced his support for Wallace. At a speech in Florida, Kirk made the following remarks.

For months, now, as I've watched this race develop, no Republican candidate has stood out as someone who could lead this country. That's why I'm turning to Alabama Governor George Wallace. Mr. Wallace has the courage and leadership to stand up for everyday Americans, not Washington elititists. That's why I endorse him for President. Great things will come under a Wallace administration!
- Former Florida Governor Claude K. Kirk Jr.

[Jayhawker]

Governor George Wallace makes several stops in Iowa, a leadoff state. He touts his record as Governor and his experience.

My friends, this nation needs an experienced leader who will be able to make the tough decisions a President will have to make every day. I am that experienced leader. As President, we will not pardon anyone simply because they are a friend. Those who commit a crime must...I repeat must pay the price! And they will under a Wallace administration!

[Sewer]

[A-Bob]

Reagan spends the week campaigning in Iowa. Reagan talks about his plan to create jobs through decrease in business, corporate taxes as well as fighting inflation with less government spending and the creating of more American jobs.

[Sewer]

Brown announces his energy plan.

[Junkie]

The Richardson campaign was pretty happy at the numbers.  It was true that Richardson fared the worst of the three Republicans against both Carter and Wallace, but that did not matter as all three Republicans beat the two Southern Democrats.  In the case of Wallace, soundly so.  Ford and Reagan appeared to do better due to some strength in the south.  Probably because of southern democrats not happy with Richardson's history of aggressive support of civil rights.

In the case of Brown and Kennedy, the more likely Democratic candidates in Richardson opinion, it was more interesting.  Ford lost badly to both.  Most importantly he put at risk Republican seats in the west, midwest, and New England.  Reagan appeared able to beat Brown and barely lose to Kennedy.  Reagan put the areas at risk as Ford.  Reagan was only in the running due to winning California.  If he lost there, it would be a rout.

Richardson believed that his poll numbers offered the best hope for the party.  Brown was barely up in California.  If Richardson could win there, he would beat Brown by a larger margin than Reagan.  He did worse against Kennedy, but kept Republican numbers up in several areas of worry.  He also believed than in a one on one match up, his experience would swamp Kennedy.

Richardson began a new strategy.  He would continue to campaign on his reputation as an ethical politician beyond repute and being the only candidate with the experience required for the job.  Additionally, he would continue to call for civil service and campaign reform, as well as a balanced budget and strong yet reasoned foreign policy.

He would campaign in Hawaii, Oregon, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Maine.  A lot of his attention would be in New Hampshire and Iowa.

However, in addition to these campaign stops, he would spend a lot of time with the party leaders.  Richardson would point out that Reagan would put too many Republican seats at risk.  At the same time, Richardson would say that Ford did not appear cut out for the job.  On the one hand, he attacked Nixon, while at the same time seeking his endorsement.  In terms of foreign policy, he seemed to believe that an abandonment of allies would lead to a peace treaty.  The pictures of helicopters taking people off the embassy roof were proof of that.

The message the campaign pushed was clear: Richardson was the only experienced and reasonable Republican in the race.

[Lahbas]

Harold Stassen maked a tour of the Northeast and the Midwest, using his new, revolutionary Town Hall format.

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".........we need universal healthcare of some sort. Medicare and Medicaid have failed us in that regard.......and we need reform NOW. If that means repealing Medicare and Medicaid....and starting from scratch.......than so be it. If it means expanding the scope and mission of both......than so be it. However......we cannot continue to have a more expensive.........yet less beneficial health system than those in Europe. I will work with both aisles of Congress to achieve this goal.......and I promise that it will cost less.....not more.....than it currently does......"

- Harold Stassen on Health Care Reform


".....well of course we need to worry about the Soviet Union.......why shouldn't we worry about the Soviet Union? We should continue to try and contain them.......but we should not use the Vietnam method pursued under Johnson and Tricky Dick. No.....I will not use American boys to try and contain communism. We should support Pro-American Democracies around the globe.......whether through arms or foreign aid.......and possibly train their military against Soviet-backed guerrilla forces. At the same time......we should build an Alliance of Democracies.....somewhat like NATO.......but with an expanded scope and mission......"

- Harold Stassen on Foreign Policy


"........would Elliot Richardson be in my cabinet? Sure......why not? Heck.......I might even make him the Vice President if he so much as mentions the idea to me..........."

- Harold Stassen Responding to a General Question

[A-Bob]

Reagan calls Harold Stassen

[yougo1000]

Gerald Ford in California:

"...We need to move ahead and not make the past make us look bad, Gerald Ford for President"

[Junkie]

While campaigning in New Hampshire with Henry Cabot Lodge, Richardson attacks Ford different positions on Nixon.  Richardson asks, do you remeber when Ford campaigned against Nixon:

Gerald Ford travels to NYC where he talks about he was furious at Nixon doing the things he did

Apparently that all changed once Nixon endorsed Ford.  Now Ford is saying:

Gerald Ford in California:

"...We need to move ahead and not make the past make us look bad, Gerald Ford for President"

Henry Cabot Lodge says, "with Richardson, you will have a President with integrity, not someone who changes their opinion based upon who endorses them."

[tb78]

Iowa caucus 1976- Pre Polling:

Republican-

Ford-31%
Reagan-30%
Richardson- 29%
Stassen- 10%



Ford- Red
Reagan-Blue
Richardson- Green
Stassen-Brown
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Apologize for the map, it's homemade.