Blue Smoke and Mirrors: How Reagan Won and Why Carter Lost the Election of 1980

by Jack W. Germond, Jules Witcover

A detailed look at the 1980 election between President Jimmy Carter and former California Governor Ronald Reagan.

Genres: Politics, American History, History

337 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1981

About the author

Jack Germond was a famous political columnist. He was most well known for his work at The Baltimore Sun, but he was involved in everything from newspapers to television. For a while, he regularly appeared on The McLaughlin Group.

Reviews

[Vincent Solomeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandwiched between Theodore White and Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, Jack W. Germond and Jules Witcover researched and wrote full length books chronicling the late twentieth century presidential campaigns. In "Blue Smoke and Mirrors," the duo take us behind the scenes in the 1980 presidential campaign. Beginning with the caucus and primary season, the book chronicles Ronald Reagan's rise to the top of the Republican field and President Carter's battle with Senator Ted Kennedy for the Democratic nomination.

For those interested in campaign history, it's a great read. The accounts of George H.W. Bush's collapse following his surprise Iowa caucus victory, former President Gerald R. Ford almost joining Reagan's ticket as Vice President, and the struggles of the Carter campaign to run a race for re-election against the backdrop of the Iranian hostage crisis.

One note: there does seem to be an anti-Carter bias throughout the narrative. I have read Jules Witcover before and found him an objective journalist and author. Perhaps Mr. Germond was more conservative or perhaps everyone had an anti-Carter bias by the close of 1980.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following Theodore Whites publication of "The Making of the President" about the 1960 presidential election there has been a rush to produce THE BOOK about every presidential election in modern history. In this case this book stops short of being the definitive account but offers a valid and good synopsis. It's main problem is a lack of detail in some areas that would have enhanced the overall delivery and explanation of domestic issues and the mood of the country. Without a doubt it you want an overview of the main problems Cater had in running and the advantages Reagan enjoyed you will get them out of here. The one shining star and why I rate the book a four instead of a three comes from the coverage of Cater vs. Kennedy and how Ted Kennedy's entry into the race doomed him from the start. Kennedy was disorganized and tried the backdoor way of running a campaign by pretending that he was not running. For those interested in electoral politics this is a great book and for those interested in US political history it is an average book.

[Douglas Graney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best of the Witcover/Germond books. Interesting summary of the 1980 election.