As for 1992, it would be Bill Clinton in my book, not Jerry Brown. A governor from a small state came out of nowhere to knock the Republican noise machine down with a breath of fresh air.
As for 1976, it would be Jimmy Carter in my book, not Jerry Brown. A relatively obscure farmer, 1-term governor also came out nowhere to win the big prize.
As for the common thread between Bill and Jimmy? Winning!
Brown raised money in unusual ways (1-800 number). Dean raised money in unusual ways (the internet).
Brown was expected to come in last out of all the candidates, but eventually came in second to Clinton. Dean was expected to come in next-t-last out of all the candidates, but ended up coming in second to Kerry.
Brown was known for going after the other Democrats just as hard as he went after Bush. Dean was known for going after other Democrats just as hard as he went after Bush.
Brown ran far to the left of how he governed. Dean ran far to the left of how he governed.
Clinton was 1992's versions of John Kerry: the insider who was supposed to win, was threatened by a hard-hitting, liberal outsider, and eventually won anyway.
How is the governor of a large state like California, and the son of a former governor, an outsider?
Brown couldn't even win his own state. The only reason he finished 2nd is because everybody else had the good sense get out when it became apparent that Clinton was going to be the nominee. Brown just hung around.
As for Brown, he was an ex-governor, another similarity with Dean. He hadn't been governor since 1982. And I really can't think of a candidate from the past twenty years, with the possible exception of Jesse Jackson, who was as much of an outsider as Brown was in 1992.
Read this speech and tell me that the speaker was an "insider." Key phrases include "bought-and-paid-for politicians" and "the Incumbent Party up in Washington."
Also, he won the Maine caucus a week after the New Hampshire primary and the Colorado primary a week after that, when everyone else was still in the race.
Hell, even Bush did. Does this make him an outsider?
Look, I like Jerry Brown, and I do think he had good points during the 1992 campaign.
But if he was an outsider, it was only because he couldn't win higher office besides governor. He lost the presidency twice and the US Senate in 1982 to a fairly mediocre Pete Wilson.
Winning does matter.
