Alternate History 🇺🇸 November 2, 1976: President Nelson Rockefeller wins election to full 4-year term and the aftermath

[Sergeant Foley]

UNITED STATES SENATE ELECTION RESULTS: PART II
4 November 1980

*HAWAII: Three-term incumbent United States Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) was easily reelected to a fourth term defeating his Republican opponent, Cooper Brown (R) in a massive landslide victory sweeping all five counties in the Aloha State.
Daniel Inouye (D-incumbent): 224,485 (77.95%)✔ Projected Winner
Cooper Brown (R): 53,068 (18.43%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*IDAHO: US Rep. Steve Symms (R-ID) defeated four-term incumbent United States Senator Frank Church (D-ID), the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was seeking reelection to a fifth term. Political analysts considered the following factors of Church's defeat: the activities of the "Anybody But Church Committee" and the early announcement of national news media networks projecting the 1980 Presidential election in Reagan's favor, so early that Democrats in the Idaho Panhandle chose not to vote at all before polls closed statewide.
Steve Symms (R): 218,701 (49.7%)✔ Projected Winner
Frank Church (D-incumbent): 214,439 (48.8%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*ILLINOIS (OPEN): In the Land of Lincoln, with a record turnout of 73% in all 102 counties, Illinois Secretary of State Alan J. Dixon (D) easily defeated Illinois Lieutenant Governor Dave O'Neal (R) by double digits for the right to succeed outgoing incumbent United States Senator Adali Stevenson, III (D-IL), who chose not to seek reelection to a second full six-year term (Stevenson had won a special election in 1970 and was reelected in 1974) after 10 years in office, Dixon keeps the Senate seat in Democratic hands.
Alan J. Dixon (D): 2,565,302 (56.01%)✔ Projected Winner
Dave O'Neal (R): 1,946,296 (42.50%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*INDIANA: As detailed earlier in the Election Night Coverage, Congressman Dan Quayle (R-IN) defeated three-term incumbent United States Senator Birch Bayh (D-IN): being aided by the landslide victory of Governor Reagan in the presidential election inside the Hoosier State and Lieutenant Governor Orr's landslide victory in the gubernatorial election.
Dan Quayle (R): 1,182,414 (53.8%)✔ Projected Winner
Birch Bayh (D-incumbent): 1,015,922 (46.2%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*IOWA: US Rep. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) defeated incumbent United States Senator John Culver (D-IA) in a very competitive contest inside the Hawkeye State.
Chuck Grassley (R): 683,014 (53.5%)✔ Projected Winner
John Culver (D-incumbent): 581,545 (45.5%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*KANSAS: Two-term incumbent United States Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) was handily reelected to a third term defeating former State Senator John Simpson (D) ; Dole had briefly campaigned unsuccessfully for the 1980 Republican Party presidential nomination before dropping out and focusing on running for reelection to the United States Senate.
Bob Dole (R-incumbent): 598,686 (63.76%)✔ Projected Winner
John Simpson (D): 340,271 (36.24%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*KENTUCKY: Over in the Bluegrass State, incumbent United States Senator Wendell Ford (D-KY) defeated former Kentucky State Auditor Mary Louise Foust (R) in a massive landslide victory.
Wendell Ford (D-incumbent): 720,891 (65.13%)✔ Projected Winner
Mary Louise Foust (R): 386,029 (34.87%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*LOUISIANA: Sixth-term incumbent United States Senator Russell B. Long (D-LA), who has been in the United States Senate since winning a 1948 special election, was easily reelected in the 13 September 1980 Jungle Primary defeating State Rep. Woody Jenkins (D-Baton Rouge) in a field of just five candidates in a landslide victory carrying 61 out of 64 parishes; therefore avoiding a runoff election, which was set for November 4th.
Russell B. Long (D-incumbent): 484,770 (57.64%)✔ Projected Winner
Woody Jenkins (D): 325,992 (38.76%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*MARYLAND: In the Old Line State, two-term incumbent United States Senator Charles Mathias (R-MD), an ally of the late Presidents Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller and outgoing President Linwood Holton, was easily reelected to a third term defeating State Senator Edward T. Conroy (D); Mathias swept all 23 counties including winning Prince Georges' County and the City of Baltimore.
Charles Mathias (R-incumbent): 850,970 (66.17%)✔ Projected Winner
Edward T. Conroy (D): 435,118 (33.83%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*MISSOURI: Two-term incumbent United States Senator Thomas Eagleton (D-MO) defeated Saint Louis County Executive Gene McNary (R), securing a third term in the United States Senate representing the Show Me State.
Thomas Eagleton (D-incumbent): 1,074,859 (52.00%)✔ Projected Winner
Gene McNary (R): 985,399 (47.67%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*NEVADA: Incumbent United States Senator Paul Laxalt (R-NV) defeated former State Senator Mary Gojack (D-Reno) in a landslide victory, securing a second term in the United States Senate.
Paul Laxalt (R-incumbent): 144,224 (58.5%)✔ Projected Winner
Mary Gojack (D): 92,129 (37.4%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*NEW HAMPSHIRE: Former New Hampshire State Attorney General Warren Rudman (R) defeated incumbent United States Senator John Durkin (D-NH), where the Republicans picked up another Senate seat in their goal of reclaiming control of the United States Senate for the first time since 1952.
Warren Rudman (R): 195,559 (52.2%)✔ Projected Winner
John Durkin (D-incumbent): 179,455 (47.8%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*NEW YORK (OPEN): Presiding Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead Al D'Amato (R) defeated four-term incumbent United States Senator Jacob Lavits (R-NY St) in the Republican primary by double digits; Javits then announced he would remain in the race as a candidate for the Liberal Party; the Democrats nominated US Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY St), which the Senate election attracted national attention. In the November general election, D'Amato running on the Conservative Party line, defeated both Holtzman and Javits in a three-way contest: therefore keeping the Senate seat in Republican hands.
Al D'Amato (R): 2,699,652 (44.9%)✔ Projected Winner
Elizabeth Holtzman (D): 2,618,661 (43.5%)
Jacob Javits (L-incumbent): 664,544 (11.1%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*NORTH CAROLINA: Despite the massive landslide reelection victory of North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt (D) in the gubernatorial election and Reagan carrying the Tar Heel State's 13 Electoral Votes in the presidential election, North Carolinians narrowly ousted incumbent United States Senator Robert Morgan (D-NC), who lost to right-wing arch conservative John Porter East (R), making it another key pick-up for Republicans in their goal of taking control of the United States Senate.
John Porter East (R): 898,064 (50.0%)✔ Projected Winner
Robert Morgan (D-incumbent); 887,653 (49.4%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Part III of the 1980 Election Results on the United States Senate.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

UNITED STATES SENATE ELECTIONS: PART III
4 November 1980

*NORTH DAKOTA (OPEN): US Rep. Mark Andrews (R-ND) defeated Kent Johanneson (D-NPL) in the North Dakota US Senate election, replacing outgoing five-term incumbent United States Senator Milton Young (R-ND), who chose not to seek a sixth full term.
Mark Andrews (R); 210,347 (70.29%)✔ Projected Winner
Kent Johanneson (D): 86,658 (28.96%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*OHIO: Coinciding with Reagan's double-digit win carrying the Buckeye State's 25 Electoral Vote in the presidential election, incumbent United States Senator and legendary NASA astronaut John Glenn (D-OH) handily defeated State Rep. Jim Betts (R) by a state record of 1.6 million votes statewide carrying 87 out of 88 counties. Speculation will be swirling that Glenn might be a potential contender for the Presidency in 1984.
John Glenn (D-incumbent); 2,770,786 (68.8%)✔ Projected Winner
Jim Betts (R): 1,137,695 (28.3%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*OKLAHOMA (OPEN): Two-term incumbent United States Senator Henry Bellmon (R-OK) announced he wouldn't be seeking reelection to a third term after 12 years in the United States Senate. State Senator Don Nickles (R) defeated Oklahoma City Mayor Andy Coats (D), making history as the Sooner State's youngest Republican elected to the United States Senate.
Don Nickles (R): 587,252 (53.5%)✔ Projected Winner
Andy Coats (D): 400,230 (44.8%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*OREGON: Two-term incumbent United States Senator Bob Packwood (R-OR) defeated State Senator (and future Oregon Governor) Ted Kulongoski (D), securing his third term in the United States Senate representing the Beaver State for the next six years.
Bob Packwood (R-incumbent): 594,290 (52.1%)✔ Projected Winner
Ted Kulongoski (D): 501,963 (44.0%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*PENNSYLVANIA (OPEN): Two-term incumbent United States Senator Richard Schweiker (R-PA) announced he would retire rather than seek reelection to a third term in the United States Senate after 12 years representing the Keystone State. Former District Attorney of Philadelphia and famed legal counsel for the Warren Commission Arlen Specter (R) defeated former Pittsburgh Mayor Peter Flaherty (D) by 108,000 votes.
Arlen Specter (R): 2,230,404 (50.5%)✔ Projected Winner
Peter Flaherty (D): 2,122,391 (48.0%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*SOUTH CAROLINA: Two-term incumbent United States Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC), who won a special election in 1966 and won reelection in 1968 and again in 1974 to full six-year terms, easily won a third full six-year term (fourth overall) defeating Marshall Mays (R) sweeping all 46 counties in the Palmetto State.
Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (D-incumbent): 612,556 (70.4%)✔ Projected Winner
Marshall Mays (R): 257,946 (29.6%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

CBS NEWS PROJECTION:
BREAKING NEWS: CONGRESSMAN JAMES ABDNOR DEFEATS THREE-TERM INCUMBENT SENATOR GEORGE MCGOVERN IN SOUTH DAKOTA US SENATE ELECTION; ANOTHER PICK-UP FOR REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE.

*SOUTH DAKOTA: Three-term incumbent United States Senator George McGovern (D-SD), the Democratic Party presidential nominee in 1972, has been soundly defeated losing to US Rep. James Abdnor (R-SD) in a resounding landslide by double digits. This is very huge because Republicans and conservatives viewed this Senate race as one of the main priorities in their target hit-list of taking control of the United States Senate.
James Abdnor (R): 190,594 (58.2%)✔ Projected Winner
George McGovern (D-incumbent): 129,018 (39.4%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN
COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: PART IV OF RESULTS IN THE UNITED STATE SENATE
UPCOMING INSTALLMENTS:
*US/State Territory Governorships
*Exit Polls
*Personal PoVs
*CBS News projects

 

[Sergeant Foley]

UNITED STATES SENATE ELECTION RESULTS: PART IV
4 November 1980

*UTAH: Incumbent United States Senator Jake Garn (R-UT) easily won reelection in a landslide defeating Dan Berman (D).
Jake Garn (R-incumbent): 437,675 (73.6%)✔Projected Winner
Dan Berman (D): 151,454 (25.5%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*VERMONT: Incumbent United States Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) narrowly wins reelection defeating Stewart Ledbetter (R), securing six more years to represent the Great Mountain State.
Patrick Leahy (D-incumbent): 104,089 (49.8%)✔ Projected Winner
Stewart Ledbetter (R): 101,647 (48.6%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*WASHINGTON: Sixth-term incumbent United States Senator Warren Magnuson (D-WA St), who is the Senate President Pro Tempore has been defeated in his reelection bid for a seventh term, losing to three-term Washington State Attorney General Slade Gorton (R), which all but likely means the Republicans will gain control of the United States Senate as more returns are officially final. This is just becoming more of a nightmare for the Democrats nationwide.
Slade Gorton (R): 936,317 (54.2%)✔ Projected Winner
Warren Magnuson (D-incumbent): 792,052 (45.8%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*WISCONSIN: Three-term incumbent United States Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) was seeking reelection to a fourth term in the United States Senate, but was defeated by former US Rep. Bob Krasten (R-WI), making it another pick-up for Republicans.
Bob Krasten (R): 1,106,311 (50.2%)✔ Projected Winner
Gaylord Nelson (D-incumbent): 1,065,487 (48.3%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

 

[Sergeant Foley]

8:13 PM EST
BREAKING NEWS: CBS NEWS PROJECTS GOVERNOR CAREY WINS GEORGIA (12 ELECTORAL VOTES) AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (3 ELECTORAL VOTES); GOVERNOR REAGAN WINS NEW HAMPSHIRE (4 ELECTORAL VOTES)

Cronkite: "CBS News can project that Governor Hugh Carey has won his first state and that's the State of Georgia, the home state of his running-mate, Georgia Governor George Busbee. Meanwhile, we've confirmed that Governor Reagan has won the State of New Hampshire, which has 4 Electoral Votes and I wait a minute, our CBS News estimate has projected that Governor Carey has won the District of Columbia with 3 Electoral Votes.

Jed Duval is following tonight's results at the New York State Executive Mansion in Albany. Jed?"

Duval: "Uh Walter, they saw this coming of course. Bob Strauss, the campaign chairman as you know, called his staff into his office apparently late this afternoon around four o'clock and told them to act with class tonight, to use some decorum and go out with style apparently alerting people softening them up to the idea that there might be this kind of an evening; they saw it coming last week and as you know the sampling that was taken on a regular basis showed up Wednesday and Thursday and Friday of last week that things were softening for Governor Carey. It showed up on the campaign trail, we saw crowds that told us the same thing roughly that the Cadell polls were telling the Carey campaign senior staff team at about the same time, they sensed it coming back a little bit over the weekend, but then they lost it again. I asked one man in here one of the research why officials here Walter um why this? And he said it was the explosive bombshells about Mrs. Carey's previous marriages and lifestyle back in Greece including the allegations of influence peddling and ponzi-schemes. That the election turned out to be a referendum on Governor Carey's wife, I said wasn't it the debate he said no, Reagan won the debate, but he didn't win it that big. Walter?"

Cronkite: "Thank you. CBS News Election Night Coverage will continue in a moment."

(CBS News Campaign 80 Music is blaring again)

Cronkite: "Back at CBS News election headquarters, where all the indications are by a big sweep for Ronald Reagan toward being the 41st President of the United States, the numbers don't add up yet from all of the states of course all the polls haven't closed yet even across the country, but those are the indicators. And the national vote not quite 10 percent of the vote has been counted so far and Ronald Reagan has 51 percent of the nationwide vote to 43 percent for Hugh Carey and John Anderson, who was at four percent throughout most of the count this evening, has now climbed to that magic number of five he needs to get matching federal funds....."

National Popular Vote: President (9% of the precincts reporting)
Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 4,073,860 (51%): 138 Electoral Votes
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 3,492,636 (43%): 15 Electoral Votes
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-WI): 372,508 (5%): 0 Electoral Votes
​

8:25 PM EST
BREAKING NEWS: CBS NEWS PROJECTS TEXAS (26 ELECTORAL VOTES) GOES TO GOVERNOR REAGAN BY RESOUNDING WIDE MARGIN

​

*Anonymous sources indicate Reagan landslide victory inevitable
*Mood at the Plaza Hotel in New York City is very quiet and shocked silence as some in the crowd begin to cry
*Celebratory excitement over at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles as Reagan supporters are cheering loudly.
Cronkite: "And here is a very important uh count by CBS News estimate that Texas and its 26 Electoral Votes will go to Governor Reagan. Another one of the big ones to Ronald Reagan, it's beginning to look like a Reagan sweep of this country on this election day he's now taken all of the major states which we have been able to estimate so far: Ohio, Texas, Florida, uh Pennsylvania, New Jersey all of those in the Top 10 States as to electoral count and now Texas falls his way. In 1976, then-Alabama Governor George Wallace carried the Lone Star State quite narrowly by just 25,000 votes against then-President Nelson Rockefeller, who carried 45 out of 50 states in his landslide reelection victory that year to a full term; fast forward to 1980, Texas has now officially fallen to Governor Reagan's column, it is very big for him considering this is also the home state of former CIA Director George HW Bush.

The Carey states we're looking are in Blue, the Reagan states in Red on our map we uh have not yet put Texas into the Red column for Governor Reagan yet because CBS has just called it. You see that Governor Carey has only won two states the District of Columbia uh, hardly a state but would like to be one, the District of Columbia has three electoral votes and Georgia, the home state of Governor Busbee. Governor Reagan now has 164 Electoral Votes to 15 Electoral Votes for Governor Carey. Once again, it's beginning to look more likely that the Republicans will keep control of the White House for another four years.

Bill Moyers, I think its not too early to talk about what a Reagan presidency might be like."

Moyers: "Well, Walter I was reared to beware the man who draws the moral before the tale is told but what the heck. Uh, what can we expect from a Reagan administration other than Billy Carter's scalp (reference potshot at retiring United States Senator Jimmy Carter (D-GA)'s brother). Well I think you'll see a lot of businessmen being summoned to Washington to run things as Reagan in fact called businessmen to Sacramento when he was governor. The Equal Rights Amendment won't get any boost from the White House and Shirley Huffstedler won't get boosted to the Supreme Court. Indeed, William Reinquist will soon have if there are vacancies some company from other strict constructionists on the Supreme Court. It'll be Donnie and Marie Osmond after dinner entertainment at the White House instead of Charlie Daniels and Waylon Jennings; Environmentalists will have to give back their passes at the Environmental Protection Agency and the energy companies will consolidate their monopoly over the Energy Department; Reagan wants to cut personal income tax rates, how much will depend on Congress but the government will probably take some of that money back you get with its protectionist policies to support the auto industry in the Midwest which is going for Reagan. If Reagan gets his way as President, all of those categorical grants that Congress has been giving for this program and that program would get replaced by block grants that go directly from Congress to State and local governments.

The Moral Majority will arrive in town waving the Ten Commandments instead of the Bill of Rights, watch some of them to show up on the FCC and in the Department of Education if the Department of Education isn't declared a contaminated area. There will be more benefits for veterans and bigger subsidies for the maritime Union which has endorsed Reagan and the Pentagon will get all those arms it wants probably the biggest arms build-up since the Missile Age began: the B-1 bomber more ICBMs, more missile silos, more of what the experts call bullets to stop bullets. There won't be any panning after the Salt Treaty and the Russians won't get any RSVPs for awhile because they've haven't been invited into the United States for nearly six years now.

There is a strong likelihood of an aggressive tilt back toward in South Africa toward the white regime and it'll likely be a continuation of staunchly supporting the military governments of South America, who will have a friend in the White House. In recent years, Presidents Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller and Holton have been staunchly backing several of the following military governments: Paraguay, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, the Argentine Republic just name a few.

If the White House gets it way under Ronald Reagan, all of you out West can drive 70 miles an hour without fear of a ticket. But the real question Walter is whether the conservatives who gave their heart to Reagan a long time ago, will have those hearts broken. He's the first conservative to win the White House in a long time and the question that bedevils the conservatives is will the fortunes of the party now become more important to Ronald Reagan than those conservative principles he's espoused so long, most Presidents move to the middle we've seen in this campaign Ronald Reagan literally change his spots in front of our eyes quoting Franklin Delano Roosevelt and stealing from John Kennedy's tax policies an interesting question now to bewitch the conservatives watching these returns Walter."

BREAKING NEWS: CBS NEWS PROJECTS SOUTH DAKOTA (4 ELECTORAL VOTES), ALABAMA (9 ELECTORAL VOTES) GOES TO GOVERNOR REAGAN!

Cronkite: "Thank you Bill. CBS News estimates now that South Dakota as expected, is going to Ronald Reagan tonight adding its four electoral votes his total making it 168 Electoral Votes. Now we're getting a projection from our CBS News estimates that Governor Reagan has won the State of Alabama and its 9 Electoral Votes, increasing his total to 177 Electoral Votes while Governor Carey only has just 15 Electoral Votes and Congressman Anderson has been stuck at zero."

8:49 PM EST
CBS NEWS BULLETIN: POLLS CLOSED IN NEW YORK STATE; VOTES BEING COUNTED

8:59 PM EST
Cronkite: "We've got 13 percent of the nationwide vote coming in now and Reagan is holding at 51 percent of the vote, while Anderson remains at 5 percent, but that one percent has been taken away from Carey right now because he's dropped from 44 to 43 with 13 percent of the vote counted, our CBS News estimate in Nebraska presidential race is that Ronald Reagan has won the Cornhusker State's 5 Electoral Votes as it was expected no surprise there at all but increases his electoral vote count now to 182 toward the 270 needed to win. A short while ago, Jerry Bowen talked in Los Angeles with Stuart Spencer and a high Reagan campaign advisor and we want to call in Jerry now. Jerry?"

****(Spencer interviewed by Bowen in Los Angeles at the Century Plaza Hotel about the campaign details.)

 

[Sergeant Foley]

9:00 PM EST
BREAKING NEWS:
CBS NEWS BULLETIN: UNCONFIRMED REPORTS CIRCULATING GOVERNOR CAREY HAS CALLED GOVERNOR REAGAN TO CONCEDE THE 1980 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
*Reagan's electoral count getting closer to the magic 270: 265 Electoral Votes after getting long streak of States falling into his column.
*Wisconsin has been projected for Reagan according to local affiliates in the Badger State.
*Political analysts: Reagan is likely going to be the next President.

Cronkite: "I apologize for interrupting Harry, but the CBS News estimate has made an official projection and that is Governor Reagan has won Wisconsin and it's 11 Electoral Votes, giving the former California Governor 265 Electoral Votes because he's only one more state from being officially declared the 41st President of the United States.

The Associated Press is reporting that Governor Carey has indeed called Governor Reagan by telephone to reportedly and I want to advise caution because these are unconfirmed reports from the Associated Press that Governor Carey has called by telephone to conceding the 1980 Presidential election.

(Getting information via earpiece) Ok, I will get to that right now.

We're going to have to go live to the Plaza Hotel in New York City, where Governor Carey has arrived to address his supporters on what will be an official concession speech......"

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) addresses supporters.

National Popular Vote: President (19% of the precincts reporting )
Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 8,291,283 (51%) 265 Electoral Votes
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 7,002,370 (43%) 19 Electoral Votes
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-WI): 877,379 (5%) 0 Electoral Votes
​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) addresses supporters inside the Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York State.

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Carey
10:59 PM EST, Tuesday, November 4, 1980
Plaza Hotel
New York City, New York State

New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) and his wife, New York State First Lady Evangeline Gouletas Carey arriving at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
​

Soon after South Dakota, Alabama, Nebraska, Missouri, New Mexico, Michigan, North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont, Wyoming, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Idaho and Wisconsin were all called for former California Governor Ronald Reagan (R), New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) picked up the phone at around 9:13 PM to speak with Reagan where according to close confidants, it was a gracious phone call and dignified. Upon hanging up the phone, Carey hugged his wife Evangeline and 12 of his 14 children including family members as well as several political allies inside the New York State Executive Mansion in Albany : "Let's address our supporters and show dignity with class," Carey said.

Once the Carey's left the Executive Mansion and drove to the nearest airport, which took the Governor and First Lady of New York State by helicopter that landed at a heliport in the Suburbs; escorted by New York State Troopers and Secret Service agents including accompanied by NYPD police officer motorcyclists, the motorcade drove all the way toward the Plaza Hotel in New York City, where Peter Jennings of ABC News attempted to pepper the Governor with questions: "Are you going to address your supporters Governor Carey?" Carey curtly said, "I'll be making a short statement soon" before security detail nudged Jennings aside.

Inside the ballroom of the Plaza Hotel, it was packed with an estimated 673+ people in attendance, who had assumed it would be a victory. However, the mood was very somber as the reality began to sink in: Democrats are in the wilderness again!

After being introduced by New York State Lieutenant Governor (and likely the 52nd Governor of New York State: more on that in Chapter 12) Mario Cuomo (D), Governor Carey came to the podium to address his supporters.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. The American people have made their choice tonight and I respect their decision. Just about earlier this evening, I spoke with Governor Reagan to offer my congratulations to him and winning the Presidency. I pledged to him that if there was anything he needed, I would be helpful of assistance.

I want everyone here tonight and those watching to give a round of applause for President-elect Ronald Reagan and his family.

(Rounds of applause).

When I began this campaign last year, I have said that regardless of the outcome and circumstances, we should always respect the election results. However, I cannot lie to you how much this doesn't hurt.

There will be some hours, days, weeks and months to analyze and ask ourselves what happened to cause this outcome tonight including whatever we missed. It isn't the time nor the place right now in doing that. Right now, the biggest task ahead is congratulating President-elect Reagan, to thank him for an extraordinary well-run campaign and to let him know that the prayers and encouragement of all Americans in all 51 States are with him and his family as he looks ahead toward a gigantic monumental task."
COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Louisiana (10 Electoral Votes) clinches the Presidency for Reagan
Upcoming Installments:
*More States being called
*Celebration in Los Angeles at the Century Plaza Hotel.
*Victory speech by President-elect Ronald Reagan

 

[Sergeant Foley]

11:25 PM EST

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR RONALD WILSON REAGAN (R) ELECTED 41ST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

​

Cronkite: "I apologize Bill and Jerry, but we have an official CBS News projection. The time is 11:25 in the evening and the CBS News Decision Desk has projected that Louisiana and its 10 Electoral Votes will go to Ronald Reagan, giving him 275 Electoral Votes and therefore making him the 41st President of the United States.

Ronald Wilson Reagan, the former Hollywood movie star, radio broadcaster, soldier in the United States Army Air Forces Reserves during World War II, President of the Screen Actors Guild and 33rd Governor of California, who previously unsuccessfully sought the Presidency in two attempts in 1968 and 1976 before finally achieving the Republican Party presidential nomination on the third attempt this year, has finally accomplished his lofty goal: becoming the 41st President of the United States according to our CBS News estimate and also from the Decision Desk.

When President-elect Reagan takes office on January 20, 1981, he will be the oldest person ever elected to the Presidency at the age of 69. Here's a biographical sketch of the incoming President by Ed Bradley..."

Bradley: Well known to most Americans as an actor who had performed in more than 50 movies and appeared as host in two television series, Ronald Reagan had turned into politics in the 1960s as a staunch conservative Republican after switching from the Democratic Party in 1962.

Soon afterwards, Reagan made the biggest speech of his life on October 27, 1964 which marked a watershed moment in his life while campaigning for United States Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, the party's presidential candidate that year. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions for Goldwater's campaign poured in from conservatives who were impressed by Reagan's good-humored, anecdotal style in attacking big government and high taxes. As a result of this speech, Reagan's nationally watched speech convinced wealthy California conservatives that he had potential as a political candidate.

In 1966, Reagan campaigned for the California Governor's Mansion against the two-term incumbent Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr., who was seeking a third term. During that campaign, Brown made a big political mistake of underestimating Reagan, when the Brown campaign ran a political advertisement which reminded voters that John Wilkes Booth was an overrated actor, who killed then-President Abraham Lincoln on 14 April 1865.

Sensing that voters had grown tired of career politicians, Reagan turned his lack of political experience to an advantage by describing himself as a "citizen-politician". He also welcomed fellow performers Andy Devine, Edgar Bergen and Chuck Connors during campaign appearances. On Election Night In November 1966, Reagan easily trounced Brown in a massive landslide victory by nearly a million votes and was sworn into office as the 33rd Governor of California on January 2, 1967 and was easily reelected in 1970 defeating then-Assembly Speaker Jesse M. Unruh. He chose not to seek reelection to a third term in 1974 and was succeeded as Governor by Democratic California Secretary of State Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr., on January 6, 1975.

During his time in Sacramento, Reagan faced a hostile Democratic-controlled State Legislature, who had majorities in both the State Assembly and State Senate. Compromises were needed to obtain passage of any part of his legislative proposals. Consequently, it's very difficult to asses whether Reagan or the California State Legislature had been responsible for successes and failures. Despite campaigning to reducing the size of state government, Reagan discovered that the Pat Brown administration had run up massive debts of $194 million because there wasn't no withholding provisions in the state income tax. He called for new taxes and the legislature obliged.

Because of inflation, revenues soared higher than anticipated. Substantial amounts of the revenue surplue were rebated to taxpayers. But by the time Reagan left the Governorship the state treasury was in sound shape, with a surplus of more than half a billion dollars. Reagan's welfare reforms cut thousands from the state's relief rolls. And despite his campaign pledges to reducing the large number of state employees, these numbers grew by more than 40,000: a point which was brought up by his Democratic opponent in this year's presidential election, New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey with television advertisements criticizing Reagan's record on the cost of state government.

Almost immediately upon becoming governor, Reagan was being recruited by his staunchest supporters to seeking the Republican Party presidential nomination in 1968. Instead of officially declaring his candidacy, Reagan waited until the Republican National Convention was in session in August before announcing his availability for the nomination. It was too late and Nixon won the nomination and the Presidency that year. Reagan and his supporters reconciled themselves waiting until 1976 for another chance.

Events between 1973-1975 altered the course of American history: because neither Reagan nor anyone else could predict the massive onrush of events.

It began with the resignation of Spiro Agnew as Vice President on October 10, 1973 due to accepting bribes, income tax violations. While many political observers assumed a beleaguered President Nixon would tap Reagan for the Vice Presidency, Reagan rejected it immediately. The Vice Presidency went to then-Republican House Minority Leader Gerald Ford of Michigan, who would ascend to the Presidency upon Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974. Ford would nominate former New York State Governor Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, who served four terms as the 49th Governor of New York State from January 1, 1959 until his resignation on December 18, 1973, to serve as the 41st Vice President of the United States and was finally confirmed and sworn into office following four months of congressional hearings.

The assassination of President Ford on September 5, 1975 in Sacramento, California resulted in the ascension of Rockefeller as the 39th President of the United States. Despite Rockefeller's popularity and accomplishments in office, Reagan launched a second campaign for the Presidency in 1976 by challenging him for the Republican Party presidential nomination that year and won several primaries.....only to get crushed by Rockefeller everywhere else. Rockefeller went on to win a massive landslide victory in November 1976 with 67% of the nationwide vote, 470 Electoral Votes by carrying 45 out of 50 States against the reviled Democratic Party presidential nominee, then-Alabama Governor George Corley Wallace. It was assumed that Reagan's White House dreams were over for good due to the abolishment of the 22nd Amendment, which President Rockefeller signed into law because everyone assumed Rockefeller was destined to become the longest-serving President of the United States with 13 years by January 20, 1989....

Once again, events altered the course of history.

On January 26, 1979, President Rockefeller died from a sudden heart attack and Linwood Holton ascended to the Presidency as the 40th President, finishing out the remainder of Rockefeller's term. In the Summer of 1979, both President Holton and Vice President Edward W. Brooke, III both dropped political bombshells respectively by announcing their retirements from politics.

Reagan immediately jumped at the opportunity of getting the White House and the rest is history tonight. Walter, back to you."

Cronkite: "Thank you very much Ed for that long detailed and very important report. Here's the latest from Louisiana, which clinched the 1980 Presidential election in Governor Reagan's favor."

President: Louisiana: 10 Electoral Votes (47% of the precincts reporting)
Reagan (R): 313,077 (51%)✔
Carey (D): 293,544 (47%)
Anderson (I): 10, 478 (2%)

National Popular Vote: President (50% of the precincts reporting)

Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 23,914,329 (52%)✔
297 Electoral Votes
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 18,536,829 (40%)
35 Electoral Votes
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-WI): 2,526,437 (6%)
0 Electoral Votes
​

UPCOMING INSTALLMENTS IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC:
*More States being called in the 1980 Presidential election.
*Results in the US State/Territory Governorships.
*Victory speech by President-elect Ronald Reagan at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
*The Aftermath: Full in-depth analysis.
*Exit Polls.
*The Transition
*Personal PoV's
*National Personal PoV's.
*International PoV's.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: CBS NEWS PROJECTS GOVERNOR REAGAN WINS OREGON (6 ELECTORAL VOTES)

Cronkite: "According to our CBS News estimate, another state for Governor Reagan. Oregon has fallen into his uh long list of states he's won tonight that was another one even the Republicans had thought maybe the Democrats would take tonight, well they didn't. Reagan has made a clean sweep now of all the Western States that we have been able to count so far everything west of the Mississippi except Minnesota has gone for Governor Reagn on our account. Ah let's get an update now uh from Bill Plante at the Century Plaza Hotel on what's happened to Governor Reagan? We thought we'd be down there amongst you by now Bill."

Plante: "Walter, we're expecting Governor Reagan at about 20-25 minutes but we know earlier you saw some pictures of Governor Reagan in his suite, some of us were up there then and I can tell you that he is absolutely overjoyed. He's talking on the telephone to people around the country, we heard him say to Governor William Clements of Texas said I feel just great this is just unbelievable isn't it and it's claimed that only Ronald Reagan but also Nancy Reagan feels that way she told us that she was relieved she also that she'd be happy to get some sleep. Reagan's pollster Richard Worthland now projects that they'll probably get more than 400 Electoral Votes. They had some about 390 as you heard earlier before I think now it'll go over the 400 mark. The Governor has been working on his speech, the one that he'll give down here when he comes in....."

*(Cronkite interrupting Plantte)
BREAKING NEWS ALERT: CBS NEWS PROJECTS GOVERNOR REAGAN WINS CALIFORNIA (45 ELECTORAL VOTES)
California (45 Electoral Votes): President
Reagan (R): 53%✔
Carey (D): 37%
Anderson (I): 10%
Cronkite: "Uh, Bill, Bill. Let me uh let me interrupt you, California according to our CBS News estimate has gone for Ronald Reagan. I don't think anybody really expected otherwise even Governor Carey didn't even bother any campaign appearances there despite earlier plans, but that state is in the Reagan column and that puts his column now and that puts his electoral count up there 348 now, go ahead Bill."

*(Crowd cheering inside the ballroom of the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California)
Plante: "Walter, the electoral count now at 348 and still climbing is pretty much what the Reagan campaign strategists expected. We were telling you that up in his suite Governor Reagan was calling people around the country such as President Linwood Holton, Vice President Edward W. Brooke, III, both of whom respectively called in offering their congratulations. We know that Governor Reagan talked to Senator Paul Laxalt of Nevada, his close friend and the nominal manager of his campaign, they're very close. He talked to Governor Jim Rhodes of Ohio, somebody who's been with him frequently on the campaign trail, making all of those courtesy calls that you know a politician would make either in defeat or victory. We learned a little bit too of what Governor Reagan talked to President Holton about it, he described it as a very, very nice offer from the outgoing President to aid in the transition. He said he had accepted that because he wanted a smooth transition as well; so it's quite plain that they are absolutely delighted and we expect to see them down here Walter very shortly."

Cronkite: "Bill. Have you heard anything about who will head up his transition team, we heard it might be James Baker, who came to him somewhat reluctantly from the George Bush campaign."

Plante: "Walter. We understand that that decision has not been made yet it was due to be made at a noon lunch of the senior staff today, it wasn't made we're not quite sure why but we expect it will be made tomorrow. Names that come up include that of Jim Baker as you mentioned, Ed Meese, who was the Governor's Chief of Staff and who will certainly have some major role in a Reagan administration and of course there's Michael Deaver, who is very close, the Governor's closest personal aide (crowd cheering loudly). We'll hear that tomorrow I think."

Cronkite: "Bill. We also had a report that was carried on Reuters tonight that Bill Casey the campaign chief had said that Richard Allen as of tonight, is back on the Reagan staff. Is there anything of significance of that?"

Plante: "Well it wasn't clear to us whether he was going to stay off the staff or not. They were fairly frank in admitting that they didn't want that as a problem in the last few days of the campaign they didn't want that to be ammunition for the Carey campaign, so Mr. Allen voluntarily took himself off and of course if he hadn't done it voluntarily they would've done it for him.

Ah, he is back, he's wearing his staff pin and uh, we expect that he will be part of the transition team. His specialty you know, is foreign affairs."

Cronkite: "Thank you very much Bill. We'll be talking more with you later on tonight uh certainly and we'll be waiting to hear from Ronald Reagan when he appears uh there with his victory statement to his supporters at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. CBS News election coverage will continue in a moment."

*(CBS News: Campaign 80 Music blaring out loudly)

National Popular Vote: President (57% of the precincts reporting)

Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 37,373,773 (56.25%) ✔
348 Electoral Votes
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 25,013,025 (37.25%)
35 Electoral Votes
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-WI): 5,313,325 (6.29%)
0 Electoral Votes
​

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC:
*President-elect Reagan's victory speech from the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
*More States being called.
*Election results from the US State/Territory Governorships as Campaign 80 continues.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

The Gipper
Tuesday, November 4, 1980
Century Plaza Hotel Ballroom
Los Angeles, California

Governor Reagan: "Thank you very much. Thank you. You know, here we are (the crowd continuing to cheer). This is (the crowd interrupts by cheering).

Well, we're all here but one now, and he was here but they just took him off stage. It's way past his bedtime.

But let me---let me just say first---let me just say first of all, this has been, well there's never been a more humbling moment in my life. I would've been---not only humbled by the extent of what has happened tonight. Even if it had been the cliffhanger that all of us, I think, were expecting, it would have been the same way; but just to have had the support of the people of this country. I consider the trust that you have placed in me sacred, and I give you my sacred oath that I will do my utmost to justify your faith.

Earlier---Earlier this evening, I spoke on the phone with Governor Carey. He called. John Anderson called. And I have spoken with President Holton and Vice President Brooke this evening and President Holton personally pledged the utmost in cooperation in the transition that will take place in these coming months. I offered him my own cooperation. He graciously said that he wanted this to be the---
(President-elect Reagan interrupted by a large impromptu cake display of the Electoral Map which almost falls on the floor and on everyone else LOL).

When that-----When that began to slide, I thought the world was going out just as I was getting in (laughter from the crowd).

But anyway, as I say the President was the most gracious about this.

And now, all across America there are some people that I owe a great debt of thanks to. There they are: They're meeting in our national headquarters in Arlington, Virginia: the national committee people, the dedicated professionals who've made the campaign run. And in every state, in the counties, the cities and the precincts, to all of them who worked so tirelessly, literally hundreds of thousands of volunteers, and I've seen them at work throughout the country on this campaign, I just owe them an immeasurable debt of thanks.

To George and Barbara Bush, our running mates down in Texas, no one has worked harder than they have. We only crossed paths a few times on this campaign and had to go out of our way to do it because their schedule was so heavy. And I can tell you, that we're going to have a true partnership and a true friendship in the White House.

And now, as I said before, my family. I'm so grateful to them, for the love, for their support, and for the hard work, because some of them were out on the campaign trail easily as much as Nancy and I were.

And speaking of Nancy, she's going to have a new title in a couple of months. And it isn't really new because she's been the first lady in my life for a long time. Now, we'll share that a little bit in the future.

You know, Abe Lincoln, the day after his election to the presidency, gathered in his office the newsmen who had been covering his campaign. And he said to them, "Well boys, you're troubles are over now; mine have just begun." I think he---I know what he meant. Lincoln may have been concerned in the troubled times in which he became president but I don't think he was afraid. He was ready to confront the problems and the troubles of a still youthful country, determined to seize the historic opportunity to change things.

And I am not frightened by what lies ahead and I don't believe the American people are frightened by what lies ahead. Together---Together we're going to do what has to be done. We're going to put America back to work again. You know, there--- I aim to try and tap that great American spirit that opened up this completely undeveloped continent from coast to coast and made it a great nation, survived several wars, survived a Great Depression, and we'll survive the problems that we face right now.

When I---When I accepted your nomination for President, I hesitatingly---but---I asked for your prayers at that moment. I won't ask them for this in particular moment (sic) but I will just say I would be very happy to have them in the days ahead. And....all I can say to all of you is thank you. And thank you for more than just George Bush and myself; thank you, because if the trend continues, we may very well control one house of the Congress in a quarter of a century. We have already picked up some Governorships and Bill Brock told me on the phone just a few minutes ago that it looks like, in a number of states, we have turned a number of the state legislatures around and so for the first time, they are a majority for us. You did it.

I have one message that I have to give before I leave. I've been upstairs on the phone, trying to get a hold of two celebrations, two parties that are going on, one in Tampico, Illinois, where I was born, and one in Dixon, Illinois, where I grew up. I've got two hometowns. And finally, we managed to get the radio station in that area and they told us they would broadcast my message to the two parties that are going on, so to all of them, thank you too, back there in the home town. Thank you all, thanks very much."

National Popular Vote: President (73% of the Precincts reporting)

Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 43,913,923 (57.13%)✔
453 Electoral Votes (including Puerto Rico)
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 28,000,125 (35.59%)
90 Electoral Votes (including District of Columbia)
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-WI): 5,719,783 (7.25%)
0 Electoral Votes
​

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10:
Upcoming Installments on the following:
*Results on the US State/Territory Governorships.
*Assessing the Carnage of Election Night
*Transition: Holton to Reagan
*Infighting among the Democrats
*Exit Polls
*Personal PoV's: International

 

[Sergeant Foley]

ELECTION RESULTS: US STATE/TERRITORY GOVERNORSHIPS (PART I)
Tuesday, November 4, 1980

*ARKANSAS: Inside the Natural State, it was a three-way split between the two major political parties: Democrats won the US Senate election with United States Senator Dale Bumpers (D-AR) winning reelection with 59% of the statewide vote. However, Republicans won Arkansas for the third consecutive election in a row when President-elect Ronald Reagan narrowly won Arkansas and their 6 Electoral Votes by 0.6 percent. Plus to top it off, Republicans scored a major upset victory in the gubernatorial race with Frarnk Durward White (R) knocking off incumbent Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton (D), who came into office as the youngest person elected to the Arkansas Governorship at 32 in 1978. Sources state Clinton will likely seek a rematch in 1982.
Frank Durward White (R): 435,684 (51.93%)✔
Bill Clinton (D-incumbent): 403,241 (48.07%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*DELAWARE: Incumbent Delaware Governor Pete du Pont (R), IV won reelection defeating William Gordy (D) William Gordy (D) in a massive landslide victory. du Pont made history becoming the first Delaware Governor since J. Caleb Boggs (R) to win reelection.
Peter du Pont, IV (R-incumbent): 159,004 (70.66%)✔
William Gordy (D): 64,217 (28.54%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*INDIANA (OPEN): The campaign to succeed outgoing Indiana Governor Otis Bowen (R) was a typical snoozefest with Indiana Lieutenant Governor Robert D. Orr (R) trouncing John A. Hillenbrand, II (D) in a resounding blowout victory, extending Republican control of the Governor's Residence for another four more years.
Robert D. Orr (R): 1,257,383 (57.7%)✔
John A. Hillenbrand, II (D): 913,116 (41.9%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*MISSOURI: Over in the Show Me State, former Missouri Governor Kit Bond (R) avenged his 1976 defeat knocking off incumbent Missouri Governor Joseph Teasdale (D) during their rematch. This was the second consecutive election cycle that featured the two Governors battling for the Governor's Mansion.
Kit Bond (R): 1,098,950 (52.6%)✔
Joseph Teasdale (D-incumbent): 981,884 (47.0%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*MONTANA: Montana Governor Thomas Lee Judge (D) comfortably defeated State Rep. Jack Ramirez (R), the Minority Leader of the Montana House of Representatives by double digits keeping the Governor's Residence for another four more years in Democratic control. Judge will take office for a third full term on 5 January 1981, making him the longest-serving Montana Governor with 12 years in office.
Thomas Lee Judge (D): 239,574 (57.37%)✔
Jack Ramirez (R): 160,892 (40.63%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10: Part II of the election results from the US State/Territory Governorships

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"453 Electoral Votes? And 57 percent of the nationwide vote in a resounding blowout victory for Reagan? What in the absolute FUCK? This is the third consecutive ass-whooping that Republicans gave us: Nixon in 1972 winning 49 out of 50 States over McGovern. The less said about that election, the better.

But then Watergate Scandal exploded and Nixon resigning in disgrace less than two years later, you would've thought that the Democratic Party would have a good shot at the White House by ramping up the backlash against Ford, who gave Nixon that stupid pardon. Democrats dominated the 1974 Midterms and it was widely assumed Ford was going to lose reelection badly.

Then September 5, 1975 happened when that freakshow Squeaky Fromme shot and killed Ford, which resulted in the ascension of Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller to the Presidency. I knew then we were fucked in 1976, which pretty much confirmed my suspicions once we nominated George Mother Fucking Corley Wallace, Jr., the arch-segregationist Alabama Governor as the Democratic Party presidential nominee.....

Long story short, Rockefeller won 45 out of 50 States on November 2, 1976 with 67 percent of the nationwide vote including garnering 61 million votes, a record that remained in place at the time. Plus following the 1978 Midterms, it was assumed Rockefeller was destined to become the longest-serving President with 13 years by January 20, 1989 (due to the abolishment of the 22nd Amendment) by winning second and third full terms in 1980 and again in 1984.

Then Rockefeller upped and kicked the bucket from a sudden heart attack on January 26, 1979. Linwood Holton ascended to the Presidency upon Rockefeller's death to finish out Rocky's term. Once President Holton and Vice President Brooke both announced their retirements from the political stage, Democrats thought 1980 was their chance to end 12 years of Republican control of the White House......

We had the perfect candidate in New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey as the Democratic Party presidential nominee plus his blunt-talking, honest approach to economic, domestic and foreign policy priorities. The polling surveys had a very close race between Carey and Reagan....

All of a sudden, the scheming manipulation hit-job attack on Governor Carey and his family happened courtesy of that dumbass tabloid magazine calling themselves "legitimate newspaper" The Informer leaked damaging stories about New York State First Lady Evangeline Gouletas Carey including her personal life.

From that point on, we never got back on track as we watched helplessly as Ronald Wilson Reagan won in a resounding blowout victory carrying 45 out of 51 States on Election Night: November 4, 1980.

We held onto control of the US House of Representatives, but lost 35 House seats, reducing our majority. It'll be difficult for Speaker O'Neill in keeping his caucus together because you're going to see several conservative House Democrats bolting to support Reagan's agenda and conservative priorities.

We also lost the United States Senate for Christ's sake: losing 12 US Senate seats: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin, giving Reagan more opportunities to legislate including appointing lots of judges especially the US Supreme Court, which should scare the shit out of us because this has major ramifications going forward.

God help us because Democrats need a fucking miracle in the 1982 Midterms."
-Anonymous Source
Top Secret Private Diary
Somewhere in San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"The votes were still being counted, but it appears that Governor Reagan will get somewhere between 57-59 percent of the nationwide vote, slightly falling short of achieving that magic 60 percent.

Winning 45 out of 51 States: WOW! Nobody saw this resounding blowout victory coming at all. I mean nobody saw it coming at all.

I have to think this morning, the day after the elections, Republicans have more peps in their step with super positive energy including the change to making their mark on the Judiciary which with the incoming Republican majority of the United States Senate, will give Reagan plenty of opportunities for appointing conservative judges to the US Supreme Court and federal judicial courts.

The Democratic Party had gotten smacked around last night all over this country including losing several Governorships and state legislatures, so it'll be intriguing to see how the 1982 Midterms will be shaking out because I have to think they'll be forced to defend more US Senate seats in two years."
-Excerpt from Campaign 80: How the Gipper Got His Groove Back by winning the Presidency

 

[Sergeant Foley]

ELECTION RESULTS OF US STATE/TERRITORY GOVERNORSHIPS
(PART II)
Tuesday, November 4, 1980

*NEW HAMPSHIRE: Incumbent New Hampshire Governor Hugh Gallen (D) defeated former New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson, Jr., (R) very easily by double digits in their rematch, keeping Bridges House in Democratic control for the next two years.
Hugh Gallen (D-incumbent): 226,436 (58.96%)✔
Meldrim Thomson, Jr., (R): 156,178 (40.67%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*NORTH CAROLINA: Over inside the Tar Heel State, popular incumbent North Carolina Governor James Baxter "Jim" Hunt, Jr., (D) handily trounced State Senator I. Beverly Lake (R) by a resounding landslide victory making history as the first North Carolina Governor succeeding himself to back-to-back four year terms; Hunt also carried 91 out of 100 counties.
James Baxter "Jim" Hunt, Jr., (D-incumbent): 1,143,145 (61.88%)✔
I. Beverly Lake (R): 691,449 (37.43%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*NORTH DAKOTA: North Dakota State Attorney General Allen I. Olson (R) knocked off incumbent North Dakota Governor Arthur A. Link (D), flipping control of the Governor's Residence to the Republicans.
Allen I. Olson (R): 162,230 (53.61%)✔
Arthur A. Link (D-incumbent): 140,391 (46.39%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*RHODE ISLAND: Incumbent Rhode Island Governor J. Joseph Garrahy (D) handily crushed Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci (R) in a massive landslide securing a third two-year term sweeping all five counties in the Ocean State.
J. Joseph Garrahy (D-incumbent): 299,174 (73.71%)✔
Buddy Cianci (R): 106,729 (26.29%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*AMERICAN SAMOA: Incumbent American Samoan Governor Peter Tali Coleman (R) overwhelmingly won reelection virtually unopposed, securing a second term in the Governor's Mansion.
Peter Tali Coleman (R): 5,373 (100.00%)✔
REPUBLICAN HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Part III of the Election Night Coverage for Campaign 80.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

ELECTION RESULTS OF US STATE/TERRITORY GOVERNORSHIPS
(PART III)
Tuesday, November 4, 1980

*UTAH: Incumbent Utah Governor Scott Matheson (D) defeated former Utah Republican Party chairman Bob Wright (R) by double digits in the Beehive State, keeping the Utah Governor's Mansion in Democratic control.
Scott Matheson (D-incumbent): 330,974 (55.16%)✔
Bob Wright (R): 266,578 (44.43%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*VERMONT: Incumbent Vermont Governor Richard Snelling (R) easily defeated three-term Vermont State Attorney General M. Jerome Diamond (D) in a landslide victory securing a third two-year term in the Green Mountain State and keeping the Governorship in Republican hands.
Richard Snelling (R-incumbent): 123,229 (58.7%)✔
M. Jerome Diamond (D): 76,826 (36.6%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*WASHINGTON (OPEN): Politics inside the Evergreen State turned upside down when flamboyant and controversial incumbent Washington Governor Dixy Lee Ray (D) was defeated in the Blanket gubernatorial primary by State Senator Jim McDermott (D). It caused a backlash among several key sectors of the Washington Democratic Party, which resulted in longtime incumbent United States Senator Warren Magnusson (D-WA St) losing reelection to three-term Washington State Attorney General Slade Gorton (R) in the US Senate election; King County Executive John Spellman (R) won the Governorship defeating McDermott quite resoundingly.
John Spellman (R): 981,083 (56.7%)✔
Jim McDermott (D): 749,813 (43.3%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*WEST VIRGINIA: Over in the Mountain State, incumbent West Virginia Governor Jay Rockefeller (D), the nephew of the late President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller and the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller (R), avenged his 1972 defeat by winning reelection against former West Virginia Governor Arch Moore, Jr., (R) securing another four years in the West Virginia Governor's Mansion. Political observers inside the Mountaineer State including nationally strongly expect Governor Rockefeller to become a key national player in four years either for the Presidency or the United States Senate in 1984.
Jay Rockefeller (D-incumbent): 401,863 (54.15%)✔
Arch Moore, Jr., (R): 337,240 (45.44%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*PUERTO RICO: In the Free Associated State, incumbent Puerto Rico Governor Carlos Romero Barcelo (PNP/D) narrowly edged out former Puerto Rico Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon (PPD/D) by less than 0.19 percent. The New Progressive Party (PNP) received a plurality of the votes inside the Puerto House of Representatives, but the Popular Democratic Party won majority of the seats in the lower chamber and also won a majority of seats in the Puerto Rico State Senate; turnout was 88.30%, an all-time high for the 51st State of the Union. Political observers strongly expect another rematch between both Governors in 1984.
Carlos Romero Barcelo (PNP/D-incumbent): 759,926 (47.22%)✔
Rafael Hernandez Colon (PPD/D): 756,889 (47.03%)
NEW PROGRESSIVE PARTY HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC:
*Aftermath of Reagan's landslide victory.
*Democrats at a political cross-roads.
*Realignment of American politics
*The Transition: Holton to Reagan.
*Personal PoVs: International

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Aftermath of the Ass-Whooping!
3:07 PM CST, Wednesday, November 5, 1980

"The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt from the ground-up and needs to stop alienating Middle America if they want to be successful in future elections. Otherwise, at the rate the other side is pushing, we might NOT see the White House ever again probably around the mid 2030s, maybe when our great-grandkids are grown up."
------United States Senator Mark Wells White, Jr., (D-TX)
Audio recording: 5 November 1980
​

Once all of the votes were finished counting, the Democrats woke up in the early morning hours of 5 November 1980 and analyzed the results in all 51 States: they kept control of the US House of Representatives, but lost 35 seats which reduced their majority in the lower chamber; it's one thing to lose the fourth consecutive presidential election in a row, but Democrats lost 12 Senate seats in the United States Senate: Republicans now had the majority in the United States Senate which made United States Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) as the incoming Majority Leader, while outgoing Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV) was being downgraded to being Minority Leader which meant President-elect Ronald Wilson Reagan was likely going to appoint lots of conservatives to the judiciary including naming conservatives to the US Supreme Court.

This seemed an odd question for the Republicans, who were celebrating winning a fourth consecutive term keeping the White House for another four years and possibly beyond: one of these elections resulted in a 49-state landslide, then another election with a 45-state landslide and once again, winning 45 out of 51 States including winning the 51st State: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Republicans managed to survive the backlash from Watergate and Nixon's resignation on 9 August 1974, which resulted in the ascension of Gerald Rudolph Ford as the 38th President, who briefly enjoyed high approval ratings before his controversial pardon of his deeply reviled predecessor less than a month later and the strong backlash against Ford soon afterwards. Despite getting shellacked in the 1974 Midterms when Democrats won pretty much everywhere across America, there was some solace among Republicans that it wasn't that bad like 1964. Then suddenly the assassination of President Ford happened in Sacramento, California on 5 September 1975 and the ascension of Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller as the 39th President of the United States. Rockefeller turned out to be pretty popular among all sectors of the country and his administration generated lots and lots of achievements and accomplishments from domestic policy, economic policy, national defense, foreign policy and international affairs especially with the Good Neighbor Policy. Presidential historians viewed Rockefeller as one of the best Presidents in the Top 5; his approval ratings ranged somewhere between the high 60s and low 80s which ultimately was at 83% before his sudden death of a heart attack on 26 January 1979.

Linwood Holton ascended to the Presidency as the nation's 40th Chief Executive and finished out the remainder of Rockefeller's term and continued the majority of his policies while mixing several key policies with his own such as coordinating with zero-based budgeting and finding bipartisan ways of preventing government shutdowns. Despite the presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller and Holton: the Republicans never controlled both houses of Congress within the period of 12 years (1969-1981).

Survey research and post-election polling revealed that Americans were aware Reagan was going to move the country into a more conservative direction and were obviously apparently wiling to give him and conservatism a chance in order to avoid a potential chaotic four-year presidency of Carey (more on him next).

Upon the fallout of the Reagan Revolution landslide, the infighting among Democrats began almost immediately, which was likely to escalate throughout the lame duck period: close associates of New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) demanded to know why other big-name Democrats hadn't been more diligent about getting out on the campaign trail and campaigning for the Carey/Busbee ticket. Asked why was he distancing himself from the National Democrats during the 1980 presidential campaign, United States Senator (and likely future 45th President) Mark Wells White, Jr., (D-TX) testily replied that he "had a day job to do in the United States Senate." Several moderate and conservative Democrats too, placed the blame on Carey for some bizzare mistakes on the campaign trail: Failure to respond to the ponzi scheme allegations that engulfed his second wife, New York State First Lady Evangeline Gouletas Carey when the Informer exposed damaging information about her personal life. What was also an irritant was the Carey campaign's failure to campaign harder in the South (which would've saved some down-ballot Democrats especially in the United States Senate in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina for example);

Following his landslide defeat, Carey finished out his second term as New York State's 51st Governor and announced he wouldn't be seeking reelection to a third term in 1982 which opened the door for New York State Lieutenant Governor (and future US Federal District Court of Appeals Judge) Mario Cuomo (D), who was successful in winning the Governorship, succeeding Carey on 1 January 1983 as the Empire State's 52nd Governor serving 12 consecutive years, winning reelection in 1986 and again in 1990 before losing reelection during a bid for a fourth term in the 1994 Republican Revolution landslide. As for Carey, he announced he was Pro-Life and supported anti-abortion leaders in signing the "A New American Compact: Caring About Women, Caring for the Unborn." He would also work as counsel for the law firm Shea and Gould including continuing practicing law at the Harris Beach law firm; Describing his second marriage as a "complete failure", he and Gouletas later divorced in 1989 after 10 chaotic years of marriage. Carey died on 7 August 2011 at the age of 92 surrounded by his family at his summer residence in Shelter Island, New York State, and was buried with full military honors at the Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery in Dering Harbor, New York State, next to his first wife, Helen Owen Carey and three of their 14 children: Peter G. Carey, Hugh L. Carey, Jr., and Paul Robert Carey.

The Democrats needed to do some soul-searching and with the 1982 Midterms coming around the corner, they were going to need it considering they would be defending some US Senate seats and Governorships.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908-January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1975 until his death in 1979. He previously served as the 41st Vice President of the United States from 1974 to 1975. Following the assassination of President Gerald Ford, he became the 39th President of the United States, the first New Yorker to hold the Presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Rockefeller would win in a massive resounding landslide to a full four-year term in his own right in 1976, defeating Alabama Governor George Wallace with the largest number of popular votes (61 million) and garnered 67 percent of the nationwide votes as well as 470 Electoral Votes carrying 45 out of 50 states. Having signed legislation, The Stability in American Government Act of 1978, which repealed the 22nd Amendment, Rockefeller would have been eligible for second and third full terms in 1980 and 1984 had he lived according to historians, but died before he would launch a reelection campaign and would be succeeded by fellow Republican Vice President Linwood Holton of Virginia.

A member of the Republican Party and wealthy Rockefeller family, he previously served as the 49th Governor of New York from 1959 to 1973, for four terms totaling 14 years. He also served as the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs for Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman (1944-1945) including stints as Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1954). The son of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller as well as the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the co-founder of Standard Oil, Rockefeller was also a noted art collector and served as the administrator for the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, New York City, New York State.

Rockefeller's record as President is rated as excellent and viewed by historians as one of the nation's Top Five Greatest Presidents. Among his accomplishments was the Good Neighbor Policy, which made fostering and having bilateral relations with many countries in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia: the Rockefeller administration also staunchly supported military dictatorships in Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, the Argentine Republic. During his presidency, Rockefeller's most controversial choice was implementing Operation Condor which gave South American military governments the green-light in exterminating any opposition against their regimes. In mid-September 1975, he dismantled the Detente Policy with China and the Soviet Union upon ascending to the Presidency and maintained close diplomatic relations with the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, Iran, France, United Kingdom, Spain among plenty of countless countries. Rockefeller made history in 1978, becoming the first American President to make official state visits to Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria and Liberia. Unlike his predecessors, Rockefeller took a strong stance against white minority rule in Rhodesia and South Africa, where Daniel J. Evans, Rockefeller's ambassador to the United Nations, led successful efforts in the United Nations passing Resolution 418, which placed arms embargo on the South African government. Key parts of the Rockefeller Foreign Policy Doctrine: Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which resulted in peace between the two neighboring nations; Rockefeller successfully negotiated the Torrijos-Rockefeller Treaties, which transferred the Panama Canal to the Panamanians. Rockefeller and General Omar Torrijos, the Commander of the Panamanian National Guard signed the treaties in a televised ceremony at the Pan American Union Building on September 7, 1977. His administration also established the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Education. Under his administration, Rockefeller appointed a large number of women, Hispanics, African Americans and other minorities; initiated affirmative action programs for women and minorities in the federal government; and signed legislation that resulted in the admittance of women into the United States Military Services Academies.

Rockefeller died suddenly while working in his office at Rockefeller Center on January 26, 1979. As of this day, there's more unsolved mysteries regarding the details of his death, which have never been resolved. Following State Funeral services in Washington, DC and Albany, New York State on February 6, 1979, he was originally buried at the Rockefeller Family Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York State on the grounds of the Rockefeller family mansion, but sometime in the Spring of 1983, he was exhumed and entombed at the Nelson Rockefeller Presidential Museum in Albany, New York State.

Nelson Rockefeller

39th President of the United States
In office
September 5, 1975-January 26, 1979
Vice President None (Sep-Oct 1975)
Linwood Holton (Oct 1975-1979)
Preceded by Gerald Ford
Succeeded by Linwood Holton
41st Vice President of the United States
In office
December 19, 1974-September 5, 1975
President Gerald Ford
Preceded by Gerald Ford
Succeeded by Linwood Holton
49th Governor of New York
In office
January 1, 1959-December 18, 1973
Lieutenant Malcolm Wilson
Preceded by W. Averell Harriman
Succeeded by Malcolm Wilson
1st Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
In office
June 11, 1953-December 22, 1954
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Herold Christian Hunt
1st Assistant Secretary of State forAmerican Republic Affairs
In office
December 20, 1944-August 17, 1945
President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1944-45)Harry Truman (1945)
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Spruille Braden
Personal details*
Born Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
July 8, 1908
Bar Harbor, Maine, US
Died January 26, 1979 (aged 70)
Rockefeller Center
Manhattan, New York City, New York, US
Resting place Nelson Rockefeller Presidential Museum
Albany, New York, US
Political party Republican
Spouses Mary Todhunter Clark (m. 1930; div. 1962)
Margaretta Large Fitler(m. 1963)
Children 7, including Rodman, Steven, Michael, and Mark
Parents John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,Abby Aldrich
Relatives Rockefeller family
Education Darmouth College (AB)​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Secret operation and the cover-up
5:25 PM CST, Friday, November 7, 1980
Somewhere inside Los Pinos
On the Suburbs of Mexico City, Mexico
​

The situation regarding the health of Mexican First Lady Fernanda Arizmendi was rapidly deteriorating fast.

Doctors had to create a make-shift operating theatre inside a back room of Los Pinos (Residence of the Mexican President); the security for this secret operation was so tight that an armed guard overlooked the proceedings. Dr. Jefferson Banacek of Seattle, Washington had been asked by Mexican President General Oscar Robles to "perform this secret operation" on his dying wife, who had suffered recent setbacks. Depending on whom you ask, Banacek first performed lobotomy on several prisoners at Oscar's request. Clearly, he obviously wanted his wife to survive the secret operation.

Following his examination of Fernanda for the first time in February 1980, Dr. Banacek performed the controversial lobotomy on her in secrecy and flew back to Seattle; Oscar adamantly refused to tell his wife the truth about her illness and fainting episodes. However, upon returning to Mexico in July 1980, Banacek performed extensive surgery because the cervical cancer had spread to the adjacent pelvic organs and he stayed until Fernanda was stable.

The Mexican military government declined to disclosed details or even the nature of Fernanda's illness. Conflicting press reports gave contradicting views on whether or not she had cancer. Following his overwhelming landslide victory for a historic third term Oscar continued to keep the cover-up going while Fernanda was recuperating from surgery, she resumed limited political activities and even attended in what was her final attendance of the Independence Day festivities from the National Palace in September 1980.

But when the severe abdominal pain returned in mid-October 1980, Mexican doctors confirmed, again without ever telling Fernanda on Oscar's strict orders, that the cervical cancer had returned with striking rapidity.

Although the cancer had shrank temporarily with additional chemotherapy treatments, the pain aggressively returned in early November 1980. Again, under Oscar's orders, Fernanda was told she had a routine operation which included removal of the uterus that would correct the bleeding.

In the final months of her life, Fernanda's last months on Earth were especially tragic. The once beautiful former beauty pageant contestant, bejewilded powerhouse of Mexico, was in constant, agonising pain and had withered away to just 73 pounds. 73 pounds! In order to manage her pain, she underwent a final secret operation, where she was lobotomized again by Dr. Banacek, who remained until she fully recovered from the secret operation.

Oscar, on the other hand, found the casket to place Fernanda in when the inevitable time comes; Dr. Banacek informed him that his wife would have less than eight months to live. "Thank you very much for everything Dr. Banacek," Oscar told him and personally wrote a check for construction of the medical center in Seattle, Washington.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
November 21, 1980: President-elect Ronald Reagan arrives in Washington, DC to meet with outgoing President Linwood Holton

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

During the weekend: I'll be working on the following Installments of Chapter 10:
*Personal PoV's (Fall 1980)
*The Transition begins: Holton to Reagan
*National and International Headlines (Fall 1980)