Previous primaries make 2023 seem not so strange
As we see ad after ad on TV touting spurious claims by those who would be president (at least in the Republican primary this year when the Democrats have a primary problem), it is interesting to test the claims we hear.
It makes this writer think back on the New Hampshire presidential primaries in which he has had a part, or at least been a close watcher. If you think this year is complex, think back.
1964: Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller were battling for the nomination to face Lyndon Johnson. After a bloody battle in which Goldwater was supported by Union Leader publisher William Loeb, and Rockefeller had the issue of his new wife having a baby, the primary was won on a write-in by Henry Cabot Lodge, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam and 1960 vice presidential nominee. Maybe Biden’s supporters will take encouragement from this.
1968: After getting weary from the war in Vietnam, Democrats are watching Eugene McCarthy’s challenge to President Johnson. On the GOP side, Michigan Gov. George Romney challenges Richard Nixon, only to drop out. In New Hampshire, a group led by UNH professor John Beckett and others urged a write-in for Rockefeller. After a spirited couple of weeks, the Rockefeller effort garners only about 10% of the vote, and Nixon goes on to win. McCarthy comes close, and Johnson announces he will not run. As a college student at UNH, being part of the Rockefeller write-in was heady stuff.
1976: After Nixon resigns, President Gerald Ford is challenged by California Gov. Ronald Reagan and, weakened by the challenge, loses to former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, who makes his mark through hard work in New Hampshire, to overcome the “Jimmy who?” problem.
1980: George H.W. Bush comes into New Hampshire after winning in Iowa, only to be beaten by Reagan after the Nashua “I paid for this microphone, Mr. Green” episode. Reagan goes on to win big, bringing in a Republican Senate, including New Hampshire’s Warren Rudman.
1988: Bush seeks to succeed Reagan, and does, in a rare situation where an incumbent VP wins on his own. Democrats nominate Massachusetts Gov. Mike Dukakis, who is too cerebral to be president, and also cannot ride in a tank well.
1992: Pat Buchanan weakens Bush in a wild primary, while in the Democratic primary, Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas wins, but Bill Clinton, hobbled by scandal, comes in second and declares himself the “comeback kid” and spins his way into history.
2000: George W. Bush comes into New Hampshire from Iowa with a win, only to be defeated by John McCain, who has a memorable victory party in Nashua, with the likes of Warren Rudman, Jim Squires and other GOP notables celebrating McCain’s high point of his campaign. Bush beats Al Gore in the Electoral College after legal battles that last forever, or so it seemed.
2008: McCain wins this time, coming back from almost total oblivion, due to New Hampshire Town Halls, while the Democratic contest sees Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama here, only to lose the nomination to him later. Obama becomes president in an historic victory.
2016: The Democrats wander off to left field, and give the victory to Bernie Sanders of Vermont, while a large GOP field succumbs to the charm (or whatever it was) of Donald Trump, and gives him a plurality victory. Mrs. Clinton is believed to be a sure thing, until she loses the general election to Trump.
2020: New Hampshire ranks Joe Biden low, as Sanders again comes in first in the primary, and rewards incumbent Trump with a victory. After Biden recovers in South Carolina and COVID threatens normal politics, Biden beats Trump in the general election, and chaos follows, as Trump and his supporters, virtually for the first time in history, fail to accept the results of the election, claiming they had won.
Looking back on the anecdotes above, this year does not seem quite as unusual or bizarre, although it is strange enough. The Democrats have decided to skip New Hampshire, but the New Hampshire party is going to mount a write-in for President Biden. That may work, as no other viable candidate is running in the Democratic primary. Republicans, having not learned anything in 2016, again have a large field of varied abilities, but sure to split the field and give Trump a victory, unless they get their act together.
If that happens, then there will be President Biden facing former President Trump, two candidates well over 75. While this writer thinks that choice to be clear, and would never vote for one of the candidates, it seems that Americans believe they could have a better choice, so the question is: Why isn’t there a different set of candidates?
Given the issues facing our nation and the world, everyone should think about where we are, how we got here, and what we can do about it. Our democratic system and the world could depend on it.
Brad Cook is a Manchester attorney. The views expressed in this column are his own. He can be reached at bradfordcook01@gmail.com.
