Actor Kevin Spacey says Donald Trump’s presidential campaign reminds him of George Wallace’s 1968 presidential campaign.
“I think there are many parallels that we could make to the 1968 race. George Wallace ran a very similar kind of campaign,” Spacey told CNN Thursday.
“[Wallace] did exactly the same sorts of things,” Spacey continued. “Attacked journalists, attacked integrity of other candidates, used racism, insulted people, there were fights at his rallies.”
“You sort of go, ‘Oh, yeah. We’ve seen this before,'” Spacey continued.
Wallace was the longtime governor of Alabama in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. Originally a liberal, like some say Trump was, Wallace became a national champion of segregation as a means of achieving power. He famously said, “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!”
He eventually repudiated his segregationist beliefs, and sought forgiveness of his state’s black population, and was put back in the Alabama governor’s mansion several times.
His 1968 run was a third party run grounded in populism. Wallace was also a fierce advocate of the working class, and labor-friendly policies. He sought the presidency twice thereafter, and ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in 1972 and 1976.
Spacey is a lifelong Democrat and friend of the Clinton family. He plays Southern politician President Frank Underwood on the popular show “House of Cards.”
“You know, at least the good news about our country is no matter how crazy it gets, and how much fun we, and how insane it looks, we generally get it right in the end,” Spacey said.
