Here
are two issue pieces, both from presidential nominating campaigns, attempting
to tie a candidate to an issue and ride support for that issue to increased
public attachment. Both are powerful pieces; both are also, once more, from
losing efforts. The effort by Democrat Richard Gephardt to be nominated for
President in 1988 was unsuccessful after an auspicious beginning, but it did
produce the best piece in defense of protectionism in all of postwar campaigning.
Likewise, while the effort by Republican Howard Baker to be nominated for President
in 1980 proved more quickly unsuccessful, it produced a piece that was tougher
on the Iran hostage crisis than either of the eventual nominees, Democrat Jimmy
Carter or Republican Ronald Reagan.
