Kennedy vs Reagan

[Ben.]

Say Carter gets dumped by the Dems in favour of Teddy Kennedy and Teddy goes up against Ronnie… how would he do, how would the race shape up, who would be his VP and who would you vote for?

[Ben.]

I think it would have been tough... Ronnie was a good campaigner... you saw Teddy in his prime!? wow!...

[Ben.]

Do ya reckon somone like Lloyd Bentsen would have been Teddy's VP or perhaps somone else... addmitedly Bentsen had only been a senator scince 1972 so may be not....  

[Ben.]

My God WTF are you people talking about?  Reagan v. "Chapaquidick"(sp) Ted?  Reagan in an EVEN-BIGGER landslide.

It would be tough but the Dems would have a "new wind in their sails"... Kennedy would really help the Dems compared to Carter... It would not be an even bigger landslide... I would say a Reagan win of say 3-6%... not becuase of Kennedy but because of the state of the econamy and general disatisfaction with the Democrats....  

[Ben.]

Kennedy would have been a stonger candidate than Carter.

Certainly!!!

[Ben.]

Not that different.  Look at the landslide of '72 between a moderate Reublican and a liberal Democrat.  Only a Dem centrist or one who portrays himself as a centrist has a real shot at the White House.

I dont think Kennedy v Reagan is moderate GOP v Liberal Dems.... Reagan was pretty radically conservative for the late 1970's, and paradoxically Kennedy was more moderate... dont get me wrong Reagan was a decent guy... but in 1980 Kennedy v Reagan is more like generic liberal democrat v conservative republican... in other  words very polarised and in the end very close IMHO....