RateItAll: The Opinion Network

No one, including Hart could have come close to Reagan in the 1984 election.

Reagan held a fairly consistent lead throughout the '84 elections. Its incredible how sometimes political parties don't run the strongest candidate they have available. Polls taken during the Democratic primary showed Mondale with weak general election numbers, but a strong lead in the primary. Gary Hart would have give them their best shot that year, with polls showing him running ten points higher than Mondale. Why would the Democrats nominate someone they knew would almost certainly lose? The downside of choosing presidential nominees through primaries is that special interests that are relegated to the ideological fringes have excessive power in determining outcomes. But this isn't good for the overall electoral success of any party, not to mention the country. 50% of Americans don't vote because the candidates aren't appealing, or interesting or creative. I don't think we've had an election between two truly solid candidates since 1960. That also happens to be one of the last elections before the primary system became a strong aspect of American electoral politics. In any event, Mondale would have faced an uphill battle. The economy was booming, Reagan's foreign policy was popular, and people just liked the guy more. Mondale was an earnest guy, but just didn't run on the right issues to cut the lead Reagan had amassed early on.

If anyone was surprised by this, please hot-foot it over to the Hunnic Capital to see me as I have lots of BARGAINS to sell to you--cheap!

Surprising that the American people couldn't see through the hype.

Reaganomics put a spike through the heart of the misery index by driving down inflation, interest rates and unemployment simultaneously. The hostages in Iran were released the day Reagan took office and the Soviet Union was being confronted at every turn. Americans felt good about being Americans again. Yet Mondale promised to raise taxes and implement failed liberal policies that we had just recovered from. Reagan's approval rating was about 56% at the time of the election. No surprise whatsoever.

Worst Dem candidate in 20 years -- is the current one.

i can't stand joan rivers, but she came up with the funniest line of the campaign; she referred to the ticket as fritz and tits, and said if they got elected there would be three boobs in the white house.

No surprise here. Mondale's campaign was one of the worst in history, and Reagan's flaws were not then evident.

Hardly surprising. Reagan was immensely popular, and Mondale ran a terrible campaign. What kind of serious candidate for President tells the people, I'm going to raise your taxes? One of the easiest victories for an incumbent president in history.

This did not surprise me at all.What did surprise me was that the democrats couldn't field a better candidate than this.

What is there to say? Mondale ran on a platform that promised higher taxes, weaker military, appeasement and apology to the Soviet Union and a female Vice-President that the country decided was too liberal to stomach. And the people spoke loud and clear. Reagan's best line was, I understand my opponent is considering using age as a campaign issue. I promise not to use his youth and inexperience against him. Or something to that effect. Even Mondale howled during the debate.