Gary Hart's ritual declaration of presidential candidacy had been foreordained ever since he promised the 1984 Democratic Convention, "This is one Hart you will not leave in San Francisco." But in politics these days, choosing a suitably telegenic backdrop is often as important as the announcement itself. Hart wanted to keep it simple, making the brief statement from the front porch of his log-and-stone house in the Colorado mountains, 25 miles from Denver. His handlers preferred something more dramatic and expansive, with, of course, more room for reporters and TV crews. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the former...
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