@Reagaknight,
Reagaknight;26171 wrote:So long as we're doing impossible races, what if he ran against Reagan? Who'd get re elected then?
1992 Clinton 44,909,889 electoral college votes 370
1996 Clinton 47,402,357 electoral college votes 379
1980 Reagan 43,899,248 electoral college votes 297
1984 Reagan 54,455,075 electoral college votes 525
source -
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781450.html
I don't know, how would you tabulate that, do you suppose?
Clinton was much more popular than either of the people
that Reagan ran against, so one can logically conclude that
Reagan's slam of a second term election wouldn't be the same
if Clinton ran against him, and Clinton defeated Bush who
can be argued to have carried all the hardcore Reagan supporters.
Clinton defeated a sitting Republican president (Bush... with direct ties to Reagan) in 1992
Reagan defeated a sitting (unpopular) Democratic president (Carter) in 1980
So, looking at Clinton's mid-term re-election results with Reagan as a challenger:
1996 Clinton 47,402,357 electoral college votes 379
1980 Reagan 43,899,248 electoral college votes 297
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Clinton - and you have to factor in Clinton's popularity as opposed to Carter and conclude
he would have gotten even more votes
looking at Reagan's mid-term re-election results with Clinton as a challenger:
1984 Reagan 54,455,075 electoral college votes 525
1992 Clinton 44,909,889 electoral college votes 370
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Reagan, but you have to factor in Clinton's popularity as opposed to Mondale and conclude
he would have gotten more votes in that contest.
how about exit approval ratings
Clinton - 65%
Reagan - 64%
source -
Historical Presidential Approval Ratings - End Of Term
I don't know. This will have to be up there in the "what if" category.
Clinton is a much better speaker, and intellectually would have run
circles around Reagan in a debate. Reagan wasn't that smart of a guy,
his talent lay more as a symbol and father figure who delegated decisions
to his staff. Clinton is a Rhodes scholar and his own best strategist.