U.S Presidential Election 1980 (Return of the Kennedys)

Background
In 1980, the American Economy had taken a down turn from the late 70's recovery. Many blamed this on the standing Carter Administration to make things worse the Shah of Iran had been forced into exile by the Iranian Revoultion and 55 American Ambassadors were taken hostage. Jimmy Carter failed to immidiately recover the hostages and grew ever more unpopuliar. The final blow to his reelection chances came when he could not even make a healthcare settlement with his own party.

Legacy
It is seen by many as the most important step of mondern America and the most fragile, Kennedy only won by a 100,000 and then had to put his case to the Supreme Court to secure his victory. Historians often call it the last and the most epic battle between the Right and the Left nearling boling into open confilct. For decades since the death of JFK, America had been in an econmoic and emotional crisces at the hands of Social Change, War and the corrupt scandels of Richrard Nixion. The 1980's and 1990's would go on to be known as the Second New Deal symbolizing a move in the polices of the United States to a European model and a healing from the turmoil of the past. It is a great question of what may have happened had the election gone the other way and is among the most popouliar topic among alt-historians today.

In American Popular Culure- A Cooperate America An Alt History Book by Robert Harris published in 1996 adapted into a HBO Mockumentry in 2006

The Greatest Day  A 20th Century Fox Feature Flim released in 2008 based on the life of Ted Kennedy leading up to the 1980 election.

Elephant and Jackass A Heavy Meatal Song copmposed by The Flying Nag it is considered their first success