Donald Trump, George Wallace And The Ghost Of Contested Conventions Past

Caption

Campaign poster for George Wallace's 1972 presidential campaign.

Think that this year’s presidential contest is the wildest this country’s ever seen? Well, think again.

Today on “Political Rewind,” we talk with Joseph Crespino, the Jimmy Carter professor of American and Southern History at Emory University. Crespino shares stories about previous campaigns in American history that have strong parallels to today’s race, including George Wallace’s bids to win the White House, the contested GOP nomination of 1976, pitting Ronald Reagan against Gerald Ford, and the 1924 Democratic convention, which went for 103 ballots before a nominee was selected.

Then, we look at Donald Trump’s bad week: his comments about punishing women who seek an abortion…his remarks that leave open the possibility he’d use nuclear weapons in regions of the world in conflict and more. Can he survive this latest uproar as he has all the others?

And we look at the tightening contest between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. She may have the lion’s share of delegates, but he is hot in pursuit in Wisconsin, which holds its primary next Tuesday.

Panelists:

Jim Galloway – AJC Political writer

Todd Rehm – Republican blogger

Buddy Darden – former Democratic congressman from Cobb County