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).