Source:Mark Russell PBS– with a political satiric look at campaign 76.

Source:The Daily Times

“From “Mark Russell Looks at Campaign ’76”–clips from Russell’s Dec 1975 special. It begins with a song about politicians sung to the tune of “A Modern Major General” from “The Pirates of Penzance.” This special aired in 1988, and Russell does an introduction, providing some context that will help familiarize you with the political atmosphere of those bygone days. (Hint: Reagan doesn’t win the nomination this year.) I love the delivery of the joke about Terry Stanford (who?!).”

From Mark Russell PBS

The two most important aspects of the 1976 presidential election had to be the Republican primaries between former Governor Ronald Reagan and sitting Republican President Gerald Ford.

President Ford beat Governor Reagan handily in the Republican primaries early on in the winter and spring, sort of like a Super Bowl between the AFC and NFC during the mid and late 1980s, and early 90s. (For the 1 or 2 football fans that read this) And then Reagan makes a Richard Nixon like comeback in the summer of 76 and was able to take the primary season to the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

And then the general election battle in the late summer and fall between former Governor Jimmy Carter and President Gerry Ford, where you have Jimmy Carter running as someone who was no better or worst than the people who vote for him and the people he would serve. (Not exactly a natural inspirer, Jimmy Carter)

Carter ran against a sitting President in Gerry Ford, who was running as someone who wasn’t as crooked as Richard Nixon, who wasn’t as conservative Ronald Reagan, and who wasn’t as boring and ordinary as Jimmy Carter. Getting American voters to think: “If this is the best that America can do for President, we’re in a helluva lot of trouble.”