About Connections: Love it or hate it, history is a map. Those who hate history think it irrelevant; many who love history think it escapism. In truth, history is the clearest road map to how we got here: America in the twenty-first century.
When the Reagan Republicans walked into the White House, it is reputed, the Carter democrats said, “Here come the adults.” No more: at the most recent debates even the Republicans sounded more like junior high schoolers at recess.
They called them the Happy Hour debates ostensibly because they started at 5 p.m. However, one columnist described the participants as looking like “a police lineup after a bachelor party.” They sounded like the stool-sitters at the bar prepared with a line and a quip, falling into impassioned squabbles about nothing much.
If you watched, you might have regretted it; you might have thought American politics had sunk to a new low. Fear not. We have always been capable of such nonsense in the political arena. Both parties (and a few Independents) have distinguished themselves in a race to the bottom.
1960: In an effort to assert his masculinity, Richard Nixon eschewed make up before going on in the first televised debate. He lost – what he said was lost— because he looked pale and sickly. Politics changed forever.
1976: Gerald Ford said, “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.” A startled moderator tried to help the candidate out by repeating the question. Ford iterated, “No captive nations.”
1976: Ford was not the only one who got it wrong. There were technical difficulties and the result was 4 minutes of silence as the candidates mouthed words unheard by the public and then stood awkwardly with nothing to do and nowhere to go.
1980: The consummate debater Ronald Reagan dismissed the President of the United States with the line, “there you go again.” And delivered the death blow to Carter’s reelection campaign by turning to the camera and asking the American public, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago.”
1984: President Reagan was 73. Defusing age as a viable issue, in his opening statement, Reagan said, “I will not exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth.”
1988: Governor Dukakis, who opposed the death penalty, was asked if his wife were raped and murdered would he change his position. He said no to the questioner and the American public said no to him.
1988: In the Vice Presidential debate Dan Quayle, defending his inexperience, said he had the same experience as John Kennedy. Lloyd Bensen said, “Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.”
1992: Papa Bush could not answer a question about how the downturn in the economy had affected him personally — for good reason – it hadn’t. He earned the title of most out-of-touch politician.
1992: Ross Perot’s Vice Presidential pick Admiral James Stockdale, in his opening statement, asked, “Who am I? Why am I here?” They are still laughing.
2000: A much taller Al Gore left his podium, moved to George Bush’s side, and towered over him. He looked like a bully.
2004: Not having learned he cannot intimidate George Bush, Gore asserted “we are going it alone in Iraq” Bush bore up well delivering the list of nations in Iraq with us. Gore signed and rolled his eyes and lost again.
2008: McCain, indicating Barack Obama, called him “that one.” Not quite “boy” or “nigger” but too close for comfort.
The further we go back in history, are the debates less silly? Sadly no.
Donald Trump said he did not have time for political correctness and then called our leaders stupid. Well okay, but Trump didn’t sound much smarter.
Rand Paul said Trump buys and sells politicians “of either stripe” Meaning what? It is okay to buy and sell politicians if you stick to one party?
John Kasick said Trump was successful because people are “fed up.” OK, so when fed up we identify with rude, crude and socially unacceptable? Maybe
Then there was the moment: The candidates were asked if they had received word from God. Each answered in his or her own way according to their religious beliefs. I wanted the follow up question: given how contentious and petty American politics have become, if any did receive word from God, what was it God said?
