The Metaphor of Political Loss

Abe: There are these almost metaphorical moments in the course of somebody's political losing political effort. Dukakis in the tank is one. Jimmy Carter in 1979 getting attacked by a feral rabbit while he was in a boat on a lake near his house in Georgia. HW Bush vomiting on the vomiting at a state dinner and having a vasevago moment and having a terrible thing happen at a state Dinner in Japan. These are all presidential ones that you can find literally hundreds of examples.