IS AMERICAN POLITICS MERELY A SPORT OR IS IT DEADLY?

By Edwin Cooney

A mere fortnight ago, the 2024 presidential campaign appeared to be almost a cinch in favor of a former president who'd just barely escaped assassination. Today, it's possible that a part Black, part Asian woman currently serving as our Vice President is slowly but inevitably surging forward towards her historic glory! Vice President Kamala Harris is little known to most Americans, but you can be sure that former President Trump will attempt to identify her to the people according to his personal interests just as she will attempt to do it to him.

Between 1960 and 1988, most presidential and vice presidential candidates had much in common: economic depression, World War II and the dawning of the atomic age, the cold war, together with all of the hopes and fears of each situation. Hence, they generally faced their realities within the mores of mid Twentieth Century American practicality and good sense.

Beginning in 1992, presidential candidate President George H. W. Bush and Arkansas Governor William Jefferson Clinton served differently. President Bush, a hero of WW II, had served proudly in war. Young Clinton altogether avoided serving in his generation's Vietnam conflict.

Presidential campaigns have differing moods and even flavors. Throughout the fifties and into the sixties, presidential campaigns with all their contentions and sharp edges were pretty conventional affairs. Beginning in 1968, assassinations and angry demonstrations took center stage.

In 2004, John Kerry, who had served in that very war and regretted his service, was made to appear unpatriotic in comparison to the sitting president, George W. Bush, who hadn't served at all during the Vietnam War.

In 2008, we finally elected a Black man who told America that “yes, we can" pass an affordable Health Care Act, while his administration would successfully pursue Osama bin Laden.

As a spectator sport, American presidential politics invites comparative Trivial Pursuit questions. For example:

Who was the most obscure vice presidential candidate during this period? My choice would be Idaho Senator Glen H. Taylor who was former Vice President Henry A. Wallace’s Progressive Party Vice Presidential running mate. You might pick Bill Miller, Senator Goldwater's 1964 vice presidential candidate, or Sarah Palin, the Alaska mom and politician, who could “see Russia” from her Alaskan front porch. Perhaps you might choose Geraldine Ferraro, Walter Mondale's 1984 pick, who was the first female vice presidential candidate.

Richard Nixon's name was on five national tickets three times for president and twice for vice president under Ike.

The year 2024 marks the third time Donald Trump has been the Republican candidate. Although he was elected president in 2016, he actually lost by more than 3,000,000 votes in 2016. In 2020, he lost the presidency by 8,000,000 votes. It's my guess that it will take the electoral college to give him another term in 2024. (For a listing of presidential and vice presidential candidates since 1948, see James DeGregario's Complete Book of Presidents although it only goes up to 1997.)

The ultimate question remains: how much does it matter whether we vote in 2024? No one, certainly not I, can answer that question. One thing is for sure: if you only suspect things might be better if you bother to vote, you damn well better do it!

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY