Tag Archives: President Carter

Election Eves:  A Memory and a Prediction

I remember walking, 36 years ago, through the main gates onto Georgetown University’s campus.  I was a student then, probably carrying too many books.  The day was beautiful—sunny and crisp.  The next day was Election Day.  I could feel, and the press made clear, that voters were deciding late, many out of stoked fears and both grounded concerns (e.g., about economic conditions) and unfounded perceptions (e.g., that the government was doing nothing to free U.S. citizens held hostage in Iran), moving toward what became Ronald Reagan’s victory over President Carter.

This morning I walked through the main gates onto St. John’s University’s campus.  I work there, and I definitely was carrying too many books.  This day is beautiful—sunny and crisp.  Tomorrow is Election Day.  I believe I can feel, and the “press” (now paper plus everything else) is making it clear that a distinct majority of voters is rejecting attempts to stoke fears and voting instead on grounded information and accurate perceptions.

With respect, “Morning in America” was a 1980s slogan that did not describe what happened too much to too many Americans in that decade.

Today is a brighter morning in America, as the past eight years generally have been.  And I look forward to tomorrow’s morning, and even more to Wednesday’s.