President Ronald Reagan gives a thumbs-up to supporters at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles as he celebrates his re-election, Nov. 6, 1984, with first lady Nancy Reagan at his side. Reagan's win over Walter Mondale, 525 to 13 in the electoral vote and 59 percent to 41 percent in popular votes, was unquestionably a landslide election. (AP Photo/File)

President Ronald Reagan gives a thumbs-up to supporters at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles as he celebrates his re-election, Nov. 6, 1984, with first lady Nancy Reagan at his side. Reagan's win over Walter Mondale, 525 to 13 in the electoral vote and 59 percent to 41 percent in popular votes, was unquestionably a landslide election. (AP Photo/File)

In this July 19, 1984 black-and-white file photo, Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale and his running mate Geraldine Ferraro wave from podium at conclusion of the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. In background are Mondale's children, from left: Eleanor, Ted, and William. For all its spectacle and optimism, the Democratic convention is haunted. Ghosts of elections past are walking the Pepsi Center's corridors this week, greeting old friends, even holding a luncheon. Years ago they won the prize that Barack Obama will claim on Thursday. But their names and deeds are dusty artifacts to young Americans, and to many older voters, they conjure up campaign debacles that helped Republicans paint the Democratic Party as too liberal, wimpy and egg-headed. (AP Photo, File)