Failed Candidates: Fav (D) vs. Fav (R)

[Rob]

The forum's favorite losers, pitted in one final battle. Michael Dukakis defeated William Jennings Bryan in the Democratic runoff with 24 votes (57%) to Bryan's 18 votes (43%). On the Republican side, bearded idealist John Frémont dispatched mustachioed thug Thomas Dewey by the slimmest of margins: 18 votes (51%) to 17 votes (49%).

[Dan the Roman]

Really hard choice. Dukakis was pretty bad, but as Fremont's performance in the Civil War showed, the man was unbalanced. You would have had a Civil War earlier with a radical republican in office who was loathed by half the north as well as 100% of the South.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Dukakis of course.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     John C. Frémont, co-leader of the Bear Flag Revolt.

[The Mikado]

Really difficult choice.  Dukakis is considerable closer to me both chronologically and politically (at least, he has opinions on more relevant issues: he isn't even dead yet!).  Frémont, on the other hand, was a really amazing figure and fought for a just cause that most Americans at the time were afraid to speak on: "Free Land, Free Men, Free Labor — Frémont!"

I'll go with Dukakis because I think he'd be better prepared to handle the challenges of the 21st century, but I really want to vote for the other candidate.