Bill Graham’s Fuzzy History
Bill Graham, the trial lawyer running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, has a loose grasp of
Of course, why would a good trial lawyer let the facts keep him from scaring the GOP jury with the Hillary Clinton bogeywoman?
Graham wrote in recent fundraising letter: “Mark my words. Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic nominee for President.”
That’s politically smart for Graham. After all, if John Edwards is the Democratic nominee, Graham would get uncomfortable when his party starts demonizing trial lawyers.
But Graham went on to say this about Hillary:
“…she’s going to be a bigger drag on the Democratic ticket than George McGovern in ’72, Walter Mondale in ’84 or Michael Dukakis in ’88. And those are, not coincidentally, the same years, and the only years, that we have elected a Republican governor.
“Historically, we can expect Hillary Clinton to garner somewhere around 40 percent-45 percent of the vote in
Graham is right that, historically, Democratic presidential candidates get about 40-45 percent of the vote in
In fact, they get almost exactly 42-43 percent. That’s what Dukakis got in 1988, Bill Clinton got in 1992 and 1996, Al Gore got in 2000 and even John Kerry got in 2004.
But Graham is wrong when he says that will “wreak havoc on the Democrats.”
As Jim Hunt and Michael Easley have proven, Democratic gubernatorial candidates can overcome that drag. They did so in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. That’s four elections running, Bill.
Now, Democratic Senate candidates weren’t so lucky. But we’re talking Governor here.
McGovern and Mondale did drag down the Democratic candidates for Governor in 1972 and 1984. But neither one of them got close to even 40 percent.
Democrats might do that poorly if we nominate Dennis Kucinich. But not with Clinton, Edwards or Obama.
Call your next case, Mr. Graham.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.
Bill Graham’s Fuzzy History
Bill Graham, the trial lawyer running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, has a loose grasp of
Of course, why would a good trial lawyer let the facts keep him from scaring the GOP jury with the Hillary Clinton bogeywoman?
Graham wrote in recent fundraising letter: “Mark my words. Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic nominee for President.”
That’s politically smart for Graham. After all, if John Edwards is the Democratic nominee, Graham would get uncomfortable when his party starts demonizing trial lawyers.
But Graham went on to say this about Hillary:
“…she’s going to be a bigger drag on the Democratic ticket than George McGovern in ’72, Walter Mondale in ’84 or Michael Dukakis in ’88. And those are, not coincidentally, the same years, and the only years, that we have elected a Republican governor.
“Historically, we can expect Hillary Clinton to garner somewhere around 40 percent-45 percent of the vote in
Graham is right that, historically, Democratic presidential candidates get about 40-45 percent of the vote in
In fact, they get almost exactly 42-43 percent. That’s what Dukakis got in 1988, Bill Clinton got in 1992 and 1996, Al Gore got in 2000 and even John Kerry got in 2004.
But Graham is wrong when he says that will “wreak havoc on the Democrats.”
As Jim Hunt and Michael Easley have proven, Democratic gubernatorial candidates can overcome that drag. They did so in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. That’s four elections running, Bill.
Now, Democratic Senate candidates weren’t so lucky. But we’re talking Governor here.
McGovern and Mondale did drag down the Democratic candidates for Governor in 1972 and 1984. But neither one of them got close to even 40 percent.
Democrats might do that poorly if we nominate Dennis Kucinich. But not with Clinton, Edwards or Obama.
Call your next case, Mr. Graham.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.