The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Re: Ford, Reagan, and Carter

John: Good points all. No doubt the stars were much better aligned for Reagan’s election and governing prospects in 1980 than they were in 1976. But what a lot of pain and setbacks to go through to get there - in addition to the lost years from the man’s prime. All in all, though, I suspect you’re right about the timing. The train wreck of the Carter presidency certainly did allow a million flowers to bloom.

About the Author

Paul Beston is associate editor of the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal.

http://spectator.org/blog/2006/12/28/re-ford-reagan-and-carter

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