John B. Anderson

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For the American general, see John B. Anderson (United States Army officer).

John B. Anderson
Lynn Morley Martin
Personal details
Born
John Bayard Anderson

(1922-02-15)February 15, 1922
Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 2017(2017-12-03) (aged 95)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
Political partyIndependent (from 1980)
Republican (until 1980)
Spouse
Keke Machakos
​
(m. 1953)​
Children5
Education
Staff Sergeant
Battles/warsWorld War II

John Bayard Anderson (February 15, 1922 – December 3, 2017) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 16th congressional district from 1961 to 1981. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the Chairman of the House Republican Conference from 1969 until 1979. In 1980, he ran an independent campaign for president, receiving 6.6% of the popular vote.

Born in

1980 Republican presidential primaries, introducing his signature campaign proposal of raising the gas tax while cutting social security taxes
.

He established himself as a contender for the nomination in the early primaries, but eventually dropped out of the Republican race, choosing to pursue an independent campaign for president. In the election, he finished third behind Republican nominee Ronald Reagan and Democratic President Jimmy Carter. He won support among Democrats who became disillusioned with Carter, as well as Rockefeller Republicans, independents, liberal intellectuals, and college students. After the election, he resumed his legal career and helped found FairVote, an organization that advocates for electoral reform, including an instant-runoff voting system. He also won a lawsuit against the state of Ohio, Anderson v. Celebrezze, in which the Supreme Court struck down early filing deadlines for independent candidates. Anderson served as a visiting professor at numerous universities and was on the boards of several organizations. He endorsed Green Party candidate Ralph Nader in 2000.

Early life and career

Anderson was born in

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1942, and started law school, but his education was interrupted by World War II.[1] He enlisted in the Army in 1943, and served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Field Artillery in France and Germany until the end of the war, receiving four service stars.[5] After the war, Anderson returned to complete his education, earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1946.[7]

Anderson was admitted to the Illinois bar the same year, and practiced law in Rockford. Soon after, he moved east to attend Harvard Law School, obtaining a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in 1949.[6] While at Harvard, he served on the faculty of Northeastern University School of Law in Boston.[8] In another brief return to Rockford, Anderson practiced at the law firm Large, Reno & Zahm (now Reno & Zahm LLP).[8] Thereafter, Anderson joined the Foreign Service.[1] From 1952 to 1955, he served in Berlin, as the Economic Reporting Officer in the Eastern Affairs Division, as an adviser on the staff of the United States High Commissioner for Germany.[8] At the end of his tour, he left the foreign service and once again returned to the practice of law in Rockford.[9]

Early political career

Official portrait of Anderson in 1965

Soon after his return, Anderson was approached about running for public office. In 1956, Anderson was elected

State's Attorney in Winnebago County, Illinois,[10] first winning a four-person race in the April primary by 1,330 votes and then the general election in November by 11,456 votes.[11] After serving for one term, he was ready to leave that office when the local congressman, 28-year incumbent Leo E. Allen, announced his retirement. Anderson joined the Republican primary for Allen's 16th District seat—the real contest in this then-solidly Republican district based in Rockford and stretching across the state's northwest corner. He won a five-way primary in April (by 5,900 votes) in April and then the general election in November (by 45,000 votes).[12] He served in the United States House of Representatives for ten terms, from 1961 to 1981.[6][10]

Initially, Anderson was among the most conservative members of the Republican caucus. Three times (in 1961, 1963, and 1965) in his early terms as a Congressman, Anderson introduced a constitutional amendment to attempt to "recognize the law and authority of Jesus Christ" over the United States.[13] The bills died quietly, but later came back to haunt Anderson in his presidential candidacy.[14][15] Anderson voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968,[16][17][18][19] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[20][21][22]

Initially supportive of Barry Goldwater's candidacy for president in 1964 and believing Goldwater to be a "honest, sincere man", Anderson realized that most of his ideas would not work on a national scale, and described Lyndon B. Johnson's victory over Goldwater in the 1964 election as a vote for moderation, believing that the Republican Party needed to go in a moderate direction. Other factors such as attending the funerals of Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and James Chaney, as well as the street riots happening in America at that point, led to Anderson shift from the right to the left on social issues, although his fiscal positions largely remained conservative.[1] The riots led Anderson to vote in favor of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968.[23][24][25]

Anderson in 1974

In 1964, he won appointment to a seat on the powerful

Watergate.[8] In 1974, despite his criticism of Nixon, the strong anti-Republican tide in that year's election held him to 55 percent of the vote, what would be the lowest percentage of his career.[6]
Anderson described Nixon as a "man of great duplicity".

His spot as the chairman of the House Republican Committee was challenged three times after his election[6] and, when Gerald Ford was defeated in the 1976 presidential campaign, Anderson lost a key ally in Washington.[27] In 1970 and 1972, Anderson had a Democratic challenger in Rockford Professor John E. Devine. In both years, Anderson defeated Devine by a wide margin.[28] In late 1977, a fundamentalist television minister from Rockford, Don Lyon, announced that he would challenge Anderson in the Republican primary.[29] It was a contentious campaign, where Lyon, with his experience before the camera, proved to be a formidable candidate.[30] Lyon raised a great deal of money, won backing from many conservatives in the community and party, and put quite a scare into the Anderson team.[30] Though Anderson was a leader in the House and the campaign commanded national attention, Anderson won the primary by 16% of the vote.[1] Anderson was aided in this campaign by strong newspaper endorsements and crossover support from independents and Democrats.[31]

1980 presidential campaign

See also: 1980 United States presidential election

Early campaign

Anderson (far right) in a League of Women Voters-sponsored presidential forum alongside fellow Republican candidates, March 13, 1980

In 1978, Anderson formed a presidential campaign

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Wisconsin.[8] He won some political support among Republicans, picking up endorsements along the way that helped legitimize him in the race.[35] He began to build support among media elites, who appreciated his articulateness, straightforward manner, moderate positions, and his refusal to walk down the conservative path that all of the other Republicans were traveling.[36]

He often referred to his candidacy as "a campaign of ideas." He supported tax credits for businesses' research-and-development budgets, which he believed would increase American productivity; he also supported increasing funding for research at universities. He supported lowering interest rates, antitrust action, conservation, environmental protection and limit oil companies from absorbing small businesses through legislation. He opposed Ronald Reagan's proposal to cut taxes broadly, which he feared would increase the

USSR, as well as several other positions associated with Republicans, including deregulation of some industries such as natural gas and oil prices, and a balanced budget to be achieved mainly by reductions in government spending.[39][40]

Republican primary

On January 5, 1980, in the Republican candidates' debate in Des Moines, Iowa,[41] unlike the other candidates, Anderson said lowering taxes, increasing defense spending, and balancing the budget were an impossible combination.[35] In a stirring summation,[42] Anderson invoked his father's immigration to the United States and said that Americans would have to make sacrifices "for a better tomorrow."[35] For the next week, Anderson's name and face were all over the national news programs, in newspapers, and in national news magazines.[42] Anderson spent less than $2000 in Iowa, but he finished with 4.3% of the vote.[8] The television networks were covering the event, portraying Anderson to a national audience as a man of character and principle.[43] When the voters in New Hampshire went to the polls, Anderson again exceeded the expectations, finishing fourth with just under 10% of the vote.[43]

Anderson was declared the winner in both Massachusetts and Vermont by the Associated Press,[44][45] but the following morning ended up losing both primaries by a slim margin.[35] In Massachusetts, he lost to George Bush by 0.3% and in Vermont he lost to Reagan by 690 votes.[35] Anderson arrived in Illinois following the New England primaries and had a lead in the state polls,[6] but his Illinois campaign struggled despite endorsements from the state's two largest newspapers. Reagan defeated him, 48% to 37%. Anderson carried Chicago and Rockford, the state's two largest cities at the time, but he lost in the more conservative southern section of the state.[8] The next week, there was a primary in Connecticut, which (while Anderson was on the ballot) his team had chosen not to campaign actively in.[6] He finished third in Connecticut with 22% of the vote, and it seemed to most observers like any other loss, whether Anderson said he was competing or not.[35] Next was Wisconsin, and this was thought to be Anderson's best chance for victory, but he again finished third, winning 27% of the vote.[46]

Independent campaign

A campaign button for Anderson's independent campaign

The Republican platform failed to endorse the

Gallup poll.[51]

However, in the summer of 1980, he had an overseas campaign tour to show his foreign policy credentials and it took a drubbing on national television. The major parties, particularly the Republicans, basked in the spotlight of their national conventions where Anderson was left out of the coverage.[49] Anderson made an appearance with Ted Kennedy and it, too, was a huge error.[35] By the third week of August he was in the 13–15% range in the polls.[52] A critical issue for Anderson was appearing in the fall presidential debates after the League of Women Voters invited him to appear due to popular interest in his candidacy, although he was only polling 12% at that time.[53] In late August, he named Patrick Lucey, the former two-term Democratic Governor of Wisconsin and Ambassador to Mexico as his running mate.[49] Late in August, Anderson released a 317-page comprehensive platform, under the banner of the National Unity Party,[54] that was very well received. In early September, a court challenge to Federal Election Campaign Act was successful and Anderson qualified for post-election public funding.[55] Also, Anderson submitted his petitions for his fifty-first ballot.[55] Then, the League ruled that the polls showed that he had met the qualification threshold and said he would appear in the debates.[56]

Fall campaign

Anderson speaking to students at the University of Michigan, September 3, 1980

Carter said that he would not appear on stage with Anderson, and sat out the debate, which hurt the President in the eyes of voters.[55] Reagan and Anderson had a debate in Baltimore on September 21, 1980.[49][57] Anderson did well, and polls showed he won a modest debate victory over Reagan, but Reagan, who had been portrayed by Carter throughout the campaign as something of a warmonger, was seen as a reasonable candidate who carried himself well in the debate.[55] The debate was Anderson's big opportunity as he needed a break-out performance, but what he got was a modest victory.[49] In the following weeks, Anderson slowly faded out of the picture with his support dropping from 16% to 10–12% in the first half of October.[1] By the end of the month, Reagan debated Carter alone, but CNN attempted to let Anderson participate in the 2nd debate by tape delay. Daniel Schorr asked Anderson the questions from the Carter-Reagan debate,[58] and then CNN interspersed Anderson's live answers with tape delayed responses from Carter and Reagan.[59][60][61]

Anderson's support continued to fade down to 5%, although rose up to 8% just before election day.[1] Although Reagan would win a sizable victory, the polls showed the two major party candidates closer (Gallup's final poll was 47–44–8[62] going into the election and it was clear that many would-be Anderson supporters had been pulled away by Carter and Reagan.[35] In the end, Anderson finished with 6.6% of the vote.[63] Most of Anderson's support came from those Liberal Republicans who were suspicious of, or even hostile to, Reagan's conservative record.[55] Many prominent intellectuals, including All in the Family creator Norman Lear, and the editors of the liberal magazine The New Republic, also endorsed the Anderson campaign.[55] Cartoonist Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury ran several strips sympathetic to the Anderson campaign.[64] Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, actor Paul Newman and historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. were also reported to be Anderson supporters.[65]

Although the Carter campaign feared Anderson could be a

Robert La Follette's 17 percent in 1924, Wallace, and Ross Perot's 19 percent and 8 percent in 1992 and 1996, respectively).[69] He pursued Ohio's refusal to provide ballot access to the U.S. Supreme Court and won 5–4 in Anderson v. Celebrezze. His inability to make headway against the de facto two-party system as an independent in that election would later lead him to become an advocate for instant-runoff voting, helping to found FairVote in 1992.[6][55]

Later career

Anderson speaking at a rally, 1999

By the end of the campaign, much of Anderson's support came from college students.

Public Campaign and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and was of counsel to the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Greenberg & Lieberman, LLC.[72]

He was the first executive director of the Council for the National Interest, founded in 1989 by former Congressmen Paul Findley (R-IL) and Pete McCloskey (R-CA) to promote American interests in the Middle East.[73][74] In the 2000 U.S. presidential election, he was briefly considered as possible candidate for the Reform Party nomination, but instead endorsed Ralph Nader, who was nominated by the Green Party.[75] In January 2008, Anderson indicated strong support for the candidacy of a fellow Illinoisan, Democratic contender Barack Obama.[76] In 2012, he played a role in the creation of the Justice Party, a progressive, social-democratic party organized to support the candidacy of former Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson (no relation) for the 2012 U.S. presidential election.[77][78] On August 6, 2014, he endorsed the campaign for the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA), one of only six persons who served in the United States Congress ever to do so.[79]

Death

Anderson died in Washington, D.C., on December 3, 2017, at the age of 95.[6] He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on June 22, 2018.[80]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Weaver Jr, Warren (August 26, 1980). "Anderson Chooses Lucey for his Ticket; Praises Ex-Wisconsin Governor as Qualified for the White House Seeking Broader Support Anderson Picks Lucey, Ex-Governor of Wisconsin, as Running Mate Matter of Prominence Sees Effect on Congressmen Gives Carter 'No Chance'". The New York Times. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
  2. ^ Axelrod, David (March 6, 1980). "Wife a prime mover in the primary campaign". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  3. ^ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Index to Politicians: Anderson, J". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  4. ^ Mason 2011, p. 8.
  5. ^ a b "The Living Room Candidate". www.livingroomcandidate.org.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Clymer, Adam (December 4, 2017). "John Anderson, Who Ran Against Reagan and Carter in 1980, Is Dead at 95". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "Anderson, John Bayard". Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Illinois Republican John B. Anderson, third-party candidate for President in 1980, Dies at 95". Chicago Tribune. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  9. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 9–10.
  10. ^ a b Burnett, Sara (December 4, 2017). "Ex-Illinois Rep. John Anderson, who ran for president, dies". AP News. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  11. ISSN 0190-8286
    . Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 10–14.
  13. ^ "Debate Transcript". Commission on Presidential Debates. Retrieved February 17, 2008.
  14. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 14–15.
  15. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 234–235.
  16. ^ "House – February 10, 1964" (PDF). Congressional Record. 110 (2). U.S. Government Printing Office: 2804–2805. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  17. ^ "House – July 2, 1964" (PDF). Congressional Record. 110 (12). U.S. Government Printing Office: 15897. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  18. ^ "House – August 16, 1967" (PDF). Congressional Record. 113 (17). U.S. Government Printing Office: 22778. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  19. ^ "House – April 10, 1968" (PDF). Congressional Record. 114 (8). U.S. Government Printing Office: 9621. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  20. ^ "House – August 27, 1962" (PDF). Congressional Record. 108 (13). U.S. Government Printing Office: 17670. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  21. ^ "House – July 9, 1965" (PDF). Congressional Record. 111 (12). U.S. Government Printing Office: 16285–16286. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  22. ^ "House – August 3, 1965" (PDF). Congressional Record. 111 (14). U.S. Government Printing Office: 19201. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  23. ^ a b No Holding Back: The 1980 John B. Anderson Presidential Campaign
  24. ^ "To Agree to Conference Report on S. 3497, The Housing … – House Vote #405 – Jul 26, 1968". GovTrack.us.
  25. ^ "John B. Anderson: 12 Years On the Road to Discovery". The Washington Post.
  26. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 16–21.
  27. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 24–27.
  28. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Devine". politicalgraveyard.com.
  29. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 30–35.
  30. ^ a b Ira Teinowitz, "Anderson–Lyon Race is Top Attraction", Rockford Morning Star, February 26, 1978.
  31. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 28–36.
  32. ^ Campaign Jon Moore, ed., The Campaign for President: 1980 in Retrospect (Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1981), p. 5
  33. ^ "From back in the pack John Anderson begins to move (July 29, 1979)". Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  34. ^ CBS Evening News, December 10, 1979; NBC Nightly News, December 13, 1979.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h "John B. Anderson, fiery third-party candidate in 1980 presidential race, dies at 95". The Washington Post. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  36. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 53–119.
  37. ^ "John Anderson for President 1980 Campaign Brochure". www.4president.org.
  38. ISBN 978-0313245350
  39. ^ Shapiro, Walter (February 1980). "John Anderson: The Nice Guy Syndrome". The Atlantic.
  40. ^ "John Anderson: the independent and issues" – via Christian Science Monitor.
  41. ^ "Republican Debate, Iowa 1980". YouTube. January 5, 1980. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  42. ^ a b Mason 2011, pp. 120–127.
  43. ^ a b Mason 2011, pp. 133–156.
  44. ^ CBS Evening News, western edition, March 4, 1980; MacPherson, "Wow! Said John Anderson", March 6, 1980.
  45. ^ Bisnow 1983, p. 146.
  46. ^ Mason 2011, p. 238.
  47. ^ Republican Party Platform of 1980 Archived December 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, July 15, 1980. The American Presidency Project
  48. ^ John Anderson for President 1980 Campaign Brochure, www.4president.org
  49. ^ a b c d e f g "John Anderson, former congressman and 1980 presidential candidate, dies at 95". CBS News. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  50. ^ Mason 2011, p. 264.
  51. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 264–308.
  52. ^ "With Kennedy Aid, Carter Cuts Reagan Lead in Poll". The New York Times. August 19, 1980.
  53. ^ "Open Up the Debates: Green Party's Jill Stein Accuses Democrats & GOP of Rigging Debate Rules". Democracy Now!. August 18, 2016.
  54. ^ Mason 2011, p. 352.
  55. ^ a b c d e f g "John Anderson, Independent Who Ran for President, Dies at 95". Bloomberg. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  56. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 332–369.
  57. ^ "1980 Presidential Candidate Debate: Governor Ronald Reagan and Congressman John Anderson – 9/21/80". YouTube. September 21, 1980. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  58. ^ "Carter/Reagan/Anderson Debate". YouTube. October 28, 1980. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  59. ^ "Anderson to debate, too, via cable-TV network". Christian Science Monitor. October 27, 1980. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  60. ISBN 978-0231541503
    . Retrieved January 5, 2019 – via Google Books.
  61. ^ "A Carter 'Flip-Flop' is Seen by Anderson; Responding to 2 Debaters' Views, He Says on Cable TV That Tax Cuts Are 'Irresponsible' Carter's Earlier Position Repeating Charges of Past Service in World War II". The New York Times. October 29, 1980. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  62. ^ "Election Polls – Accuracy Record in Presidential Elections". Gallup. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015.)
  63. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 366–408.
  64. ^ "Doonesbury's Timeline: 1980s". Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  65. ^ Feinman, Ronald L. (March 5, 2017). "The Last Serious, Qualified Third-Party Candidate for President Was … ?". History News Network. George Washington University. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  66. ^ Kornacki, Steve (April 4, 2011). "The myths that just won't die". Salon.
  67. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 409.
  68. ^ Mason 2011, pp. 529.
  69. ISBN 978-0872897694
    .
  70. ^ "Waldo Family Lecture Series Digital Collection". Old Dominion University. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  71. ^ Anderson To Endorse Mondale; The Washington Post, David S. Broder, August 28, 1984
  72. ^ "Washington DC Lawyer – Washington Attorney – Patent Lawyer". Aplegal.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  73. ^ Wa Aza, Ayoon (November 14, 2010). "How Pro-Israeli Lobbies Destroy U.S. Interests" (Dar Al Hayat, International ed.). Archived from the original on May 18, 2013.
  74. ^ Hanely, Delinda C. (January 1, 2010). "CNI Cruises into a New Decade". Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013.
  75. ^ "Presidency 2000: Ralph Nader of Connecticut, Green Party Presidential Nominee". Politics1. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009.
  76. ^ "Campaign digest". The Seattle Times. January 7, 2008. p. A5.
  77. ^ Robert, Gehrke (November 29, 2011). "Rocky Anderson returns – this time shooting for nation's top office". Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City: Kearns-Tribune LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  78. ^ Romboy, Dennis (November 30, 2011). "Rocky Anderson forms Justice Party, plans to run for president". Deseret News. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  79. ^ "Overview » Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly". UNPA. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  80. ^ Robbins, Jeff (June 26, 2018). "Congressman and candidate John B. Anderson an honorable man who spoke his mind". Boston Herald. Retrieved June 26, 2018.

Sources

External links

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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 16th congressional district

1961–1981 		Succeeded by
Lynn Morley Martin
Party political offices
Preceded by
Chair of the House Republican Conference

1969–1979 		Succeeded by
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