Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Popularity Analogy: Reagan vs. Bush

Author:Paul Snively
Posted:9/1/2000; 10:55:08 AM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 8/31/2000
Msg #:20716 (In response to 20664)
Prev/Next:20715 / 20717

Erik L. Neu: After the gulf war, Bush's popularity was stratospheric--I believe well over 80%. So high that many high-profile Democrats (including Al Gore, who had run in '88), prophylactically announced they were not seeking their party's nomination. Yet Bush was defeated in the next election.

This is actually a fairly well-documented geopolitical phenomenon, perhaps even more shockingly characterized by Winston Churchill's popularity during WWII and his subsequent failure to be re-elected. Some of this may just be that what plays well during wartime doesn't play during peacetime. Some of it may also be that wartime causes its leaders to be perceived as having godlike powers of accuracy and rectitude, while peacetime affords the culture the wherewithal to attend to the same leaders' foibles and failures.

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