Obama’s Precursors
by practicalspactical
Dark horse alternative-machine young-vote liberals.
1960:
John F. Kennedy *- Beat Johnson, Humphrey. Johnson made VP. Kennedy wins general.
1968:
Eugene McCarthy. Robert Kennedy.
Kennedy assassinated. VP Humphrey received nomination. Lost.
1972:
George McGovern (1972).
Pulls upset win over Muskie & establishment. Loses momentum after convention with VP debacle, “amnesty, abortion, and acid.” Loses to Nixon in general.
1976:
Jimmy Carter *
Beats open field using new nominating rules. Beats Ford in general.
1984:
Gary Hart. Loses to former VP Mondale. “Where’s the beef?” Hart worked for McGovern in ’72. Mondale loses to Reagan.
1988:
Gary Hart. Frontrunner, till stupid sex scandal. Jessie Jackson runs strong second place. Governor Dukakis of Mass. wins primary. Loses to Bush in General on Willie Horton, proto-swift-boating, and riding around in a tank.
1992:
Bill Clinton * (1992). Howard Dean (2004). Barack Obama * (2008).