The Great Debate - Flashback to 1980

If it's like 1980, that's going to be good news for Donald Trump on the eve of the first presidential debate. I'm Doug Simon, of D S Simon Media. There are lots of signs pointing to a 1980 redo for those of you who are political junkies.First off, then a third party candidate, John Anderson, was strong siphoning votes from President Carter. He finished at 7%. This year there's a strong libertarian and Green Party play that will siphon votes more likely from Hillary. The Democratic candidate not well liked, Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton with her historic levels of negatives from a democratic candidate. The country then perceived as on the wrong track. Most recent poll by Rasmussen says 63% of Americans think we're on the wrong track.There's more. The Republican candidate gained fame as an entertainer. Ronald Reagan in movies, Donald Trump with his reality TV show. The main attack point against the Republican challenger then was that he was a dangerous warmonger. Again the main attack point against Trump is that he's dangerous. Very similar.One important difference which also favors the Trump campaign, is the growing role of public relations versus advertising. In this campaign at the presidential level, it's the first with the candidates spending the most money on advertising are losing, not winning. Hillary's dramatically outspent Donald Trump while he's cut into the lead. And that's something else that was uncommon coming near the debates. Ronald Reagan had narrowed the gap before he overtook President Carter in the debate.Want more? The convention in 1980, just like this year, was held in a rust belt city. Then Detroit, now Cleveland. And the campaign theme for Reagan was "Let's make America great again." It's going to be a tougher task than you might think for Hillary to turn it around and take the lead.