I was assigned the 1980 election of Reagan vs. Carter. The first impression I had was that the ads were pretty mild, especially the attack ads. Most of the pomp and flair of modern day ads is missing. Furthermore, the attack ads stick to criticizing the opponent’s political views not trivial matters such as social status or appearance. Additionally, I found it interesting that the vice-president candidates where essentially missing in action. At the end of some of the ads they are present on the re-election posters, but they never appear in any of the live portions of the ads. I am likely giving the VP position more attention than the average voter in 1980 because of Bush’s future presidency and Mondale’s abject failure of a campaign in 1984.

Seeing the difference some of the the ideas that are associated with which political party in 1980 versus the present day was fascinating. Carter running as the Democrat was a champion of the military and the South. The South has traditionally been carried by the Republican Party since Nixon, however, Carter is the notable exception. Furthermore, the Republican Party is typically associated with large military spending. Obviously those views are not held by everyone in the Republican Party and same can be said with the Democratic Party with the opposite.

My “favorite” ad was the Republican “Kennedy/No more” ad. At the end of the advertisement we see that it was made by the Democrats for Reagan. I find this an interesting contrast with the Republicans for Biden group that emerged during the most recent elections. I had thought that it was a novel idea at the time, but I was clearly wrong. Also, the ad has a Kennedy in it. Being the gullible, brain-washed, all-American that I am of course I am going to like an ad that the Kennedy family is tied to.