In fact, he had some important democratic impulses, if we're to assess his character's politics. He represented an important component of the greatest progressive coalition this country has even seen: for the New Deal. Sure, one that got perverted and coopted by Nixon/Reagan.

And I suppose the discussion might seem silly, since it's a fictional character, but I think Norman Lear made Archie Bunker a mixed bag on purpose.

Archie said his family supported FDR, but "that was for two terms. But that was it. We didn't know the guy was going to hold on to the job like a pope!" He drew a line between FDR and the "new liberals" of the 70s like Bella Abzug. There were plenty of people that were OK with the old left but not the new. I think that it still is a relevant topic for progressive-minded people today. Could or should that old alliance be reconstructed in some modern day fashion? Is labor still central or not?

I think most New Deal Democrats felt left behind by the liberal lurch of the party on social issues. While FDR was certainly one of our more liberal presidents, social issues didn't define his presidency - instead, it was economic problems. The New Left, which came out of the 70s, both embraced a great deal of the FDR economic agenda, but also pushed a bit further to the left of the country on social issues. So, guys like Archie, were left behind.

McGovern, of course, provided the backdrop to much of this, as did, like you said, other new liberals. White ethnics, who sympathized with FDR, abandoned the Democratic Party in the 70s and 80s and I could see Archie as being that prototype.

probably wouldn't have used her as an example. But I agree that Archie would have been one of those blue collar dems who switched over for Reagan and never came back

I think Maude was channeling her to some extent in an episode where she was pissing him off.

Abzug.

The new alliance seems to be more centered on social issues. I see anti-union posts here on DU all the time. Makes me throw up a little inside. Even the moderators do not enforce it and allow anti-labor posts (definitely against the party platform) to stand.

Great victories have been won in the liberation of women, civil rights for black people and other non-Euro people, lesbian and gay equality. It should not be enough to have the right position on those issues. We need to demand an abiding partisanship on behalf of labor.

and twisted logic as many from the Gungeon.

But I really couldn't see him going as far off the deep end as today's teabaggers have done.

His thinking was backwards. He also slowly evolved a bit over time - thanks to Edith.

One of my favorite shows....ever.

Where did you find it?

Which I hardly ever watch, oddly enough.

I don't know if I get it or not, but I will most definitely check.

It seems to mostly show old TV shows.

antenna and converter box, it's a substation of one of the other networks.

I remember an episode when he and Mike got locked into a storage room at the bar and got drunk during the night, and got into an argument about each others attitudes.

Talking about Archie growing up:

Mike: The kids all made fun of you, huh?
Archie: Yeah, they all made fun of me. Except for this one little black kid named Winston.
Mike: A black kid liked you?
Archie: No, the black kid beat the hell out of me.
Mike: Why? He must have had a reason.
Archie: Well he said that I said he was a "nigger".
Mike: Did you?
Archie: Sure. That's what all them people were called in them days. Everybody we knew called them people niggers. It's all my old man called 'em there. What the hell was I supposed to do? I didn't know what to call them. I couldn't call him a Wop. I couldn't call him Wop, 'cause Wop is what we called the Dagos.

And later about his father:

Mike Stivic: Did you ever think that possibly your father just might be wrong?
Archie Bunker: My old man? Don't be stupid. My old man? Let me tell you, he was never wrong about nothing.
Mike Stivic: Yes he was, Arch. My old man used to call people the same things as your old man. But I knew he was wrong. So is your old man.
Archie Bunker: Don't tell me my father was wrong. Let me tell you something, a father who made you is wrong? A father, the breadwinner of the house there? The man who goes out and busts his butt to keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back you call him wrong? Father, that's the man that comes home, bringing you candy. Father is the first guy to throw a baseball to you. And take you for walks in the park holding you by the hand? My father held me by the hand, hey, my father had a hand on him though I tell you. He busted that hand once, and he busted the other on me to teach me to do good. My father, he shoved my in a closet for seven hours to teach me to do good, 'cause he loved me. Don't be looking at me. Let me tell you something, you're supposed to love your father 'cause your father loves you. How can any man who loves you tell you anything that's wrong?

At least from the excerpts you provided.

I don't think you will find that level of honesty in today's shows.

because Mike is just gobsmacked. He's like "Oh my God (that I don't believe in) Archie suffered child abuse. Part of the reason Archie could not think his father was wrong - he was afraid of him.

What else?

But some pointed out that the public saw him as the hero.

As proof, note that NO ONE on that show called Mike Stivic "Meathead" except Archie.

And everyone remembers it from Archie's point of view.

Even as a kid, I understood that Archie wasn't the hero of the show.

Edith never said that.

Gloria always called him Michael.

All his friends called him Mike.

But the only name anyone can think of is "Meathead".

I think Cosby was right.

The show was called All in the Family, but it could have been called Archie Bunker's Place, oh wait..........

When they took in the little girl, and especially after Edith died.
I agree with others here, Archie's character was far too nuanced to say he was a tea party type. More of a Nixon Republican, who thought (like my folks did then) that the GOP would be the best party to keep those dirty hippies and rabble rousers away from his orderly way of life.

I also think Archie voted for Jimmy Carter in 1976. He probably voted for Reagan in 1980 and maybe 1984, but likely died before the 1988 election.

Archie went to a protest to bring back Mike and got arrested during a riot ...

I know, too funny!!!!

was adapted from an original British sit com called 'Till Death us to Part'? It was aired in the 60's.

Many US programs have been copied from British programs, such as The Office in more recent times.

Here's a short clip of Till Death us do Part.

It was originally called "Justice For All" (Archie's last name was Justice)

Alf was one of the most repellent individuals in television history. The humor was not very good, either.

All that family seemed to do was sit on the couch. Not to mention the daughter and son-in-law were way old for the parts.

The show gave Norman Lear an idea for an Americanized version, but the two shows are as different as they can be.

If people are masochistic enough to want to view Till Death Do Us Part, quite a few episodes are on YouTube.

You see the point is, it was popular in the UK and Norman Lear got the idea for All in the family, from it.

In the clip I showed above, please note, not one arse is planted in the couch. In fact old edgy Alf is having some sort of elderly bloke punch-up in the street.

Most of the "action" takes place in the living room, if you can call it that because the set is claustrophobic, and much of the discussion takes place on the couch.

You don't have to tell me about Norman Lear; after all, I was around then and watched every single episode of AITF when it first ran. I also have the entire series on DVD. However, AITF is NOT a clone of the UK show; in fact, they are completely different.

More so during the Archie Bunker's Place years.

He hired Latin-American immigrants.

And he kissed Sammy Davis Jr. in one episode.

"Archie Bunker's Place" was not a good show, but Archie had "grown." He still was a conservative but he was shown to have become more enlightened on some issues.

Sammy Davis kissed Archie. Probably my favorite episode of them all.

years later, on "Archie Bunker's Place," Archie kissed Sammy.

That was later in the series.

Gloria also worked and supported Mike when he was going to college and grad school.

Give Fox and Rush 6 months with Mr. Bunker, and he would be just as rabid as the rest of them. They specialize in playing off of people's fears and prejudices. My Uncle fell prey to those bastards, went from a good union man to a repub donating, union-hating maniac.

And Mike and Gloria and Maude would be watching Rachel and Lawrence.