Reagan Rehash

The Divine Ms. M:

In these past 2 weeks, watching the Sarah Pygmalion hysteria, I have had several depressing flashbacks to elections past.

Flashback 1: I keep seeing Jon Lovitz portraying Michael Dukakis on SNL, saying to the camera, "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy."

Flashback 2: Helping Fairfield, CT Dems on Election Day 1988.
Democrats consistently lost a lot of races in that area and that night was no different. Virtually all Dem candidates one could vote for in that jurisdiction--including President of the U.S.--lost that night. I will never forget the sad results trickling in to the local Dem HQ. The mood inside was quiet and somber, as they watched their entire slate lose.

Flashback 3: Election Night 1984.
I was in college and sat on the phone all night with Dem friends, bitching about the returns with disbelief that the electorate could re-elect that condescending stupid old bobblehead, Reagan.

Flashback 4: I remember Reagan's "Morning in America" schmaltz and how everyone--even seemingly intelligent people--seemed to eat it up. He came to Fairfield in the early '80s to speak at the town green. My university went into lockdown so he could land his helicopter on the field hockey field. I felt like I was the only person on campus who did not turn out for a glimpse of the jerk. I still can't believe how many people were snowed by him.