1968 Timeline

[feeblepizza]

This is a new timeline coming soon to this thread.

[SirNick]

Is it going to be like a GPORTER timeline? Nixon beats Humphrey, in '72 Nixon beats McGovern and then resigns in '74 --then Ford is defeated by Carter...

[feeblepizza]

Is it going to be like a GPORTER timeline? Nixon beats Humphrey, in '72 Nixon beats McGovern and then resigns in '74 --then Ford is defeated by Carter...

No. It'll be much more original.

[GPORTER]

Is it going to be like a GPORTER timeline? Nixon beats Humphrey, in '72 Nixon beats McGovern and then resigns in '74 --then Ford is defeated by Carter...

For the record, that summary is not entirely true.

1972 and on timeline election quick summary:

1972-Nixon defeats Humphrey
1976-Carter defeats Ford
1980-Carter defeats Reagan
1984-Mondale defeats Bush
1988-Connally defeats Bentsen
1992-Gore defeats Connally
1996-Gephardt defeats Wilson
2000-Bush defeats Gephardt
2004-Bush defeats Lincoln
2008-Kennedy defeats Ridge
2012-Kennedy defeats Huckabee
2016-Romney defeats Warner
2020-Gore defeats Romney

[feeblepizza]

Conversation between Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy - March 13
Johnson: Come on, Bobby, just do it.
Kennedy: I can't!
Johnson: Of course you can! You know damn well Jack would have, in the interest of party unity. And look, if I win this year I'll give Ted a cabinet spot and give you a head start in '72. Hell, I'll give you the second spot if you want. So what do you say?
Kennedy: That does sound appealing, Mr. President, but-
Johnson: Glad you feel that way! Now get back to me in a coupla days with your official statement, alright?
Kennedy: Alright...

March 16, 1968
Senator Robert Kennedy makes a speech which most believe will mark the start of his presidential campaign:
"My fellow Americans, I have reviewed my options this election year and I believe that it would be best for me to stay out of the presidential election. In this hectic year, what Democrats need most is a united party. Therefore, I am endorsing President Johnson's reelection campaign and urge my supporters to give him another term as your Commander-in-Chief. Thank you, and God bless."

The announcement was a major surprise, but a good sign for President Johnson. More to come...

[tb78]

Good to see a 68 tl, continue

[feeblepizza]

Democratic Primaries

Wisconsin
McCarthy - 56%
Johnson - 41%

Pennsylvania
McCarthy - 71%
Johnson - 15%

Massachusetts
McCarthy - 49%
Johnson - 31%

District of Columbia
Unpledged - 100%

Indiana
Johnson - 42%
McCarthy - 37%


McCarthy
Johnson

President Johnson's campaign saw a revival after a close victory in the crucial Indiana primary. More to come...

[feeblepizza]

Democratic Primaries (cont.)

Ohio
Young - 100%

Nebraska
Johnson - 58%
McCarthy - 31%

West Virginia
Unpledged - 100%

Florida
Smathers - 46%
McCarthy - 29%

Oregon
Johnson - 50%
McCarthy - 44%


McCarthy
Johnson
Smathers
Young

After losing a crucial primary in the antiwar state of Oregon, Gene McCarthy has been damaged. He announces that if he can win California, he will stay in the race.

McCarthy presenting a peace sign as he proclaims: "California or bust!"

[CathKhan]

Great! I'd love to see this play out to modern day. After a Republican victory in 68, Bobby 76!

[feeblepizza]

Just for the record, LBJ's approval ratings were in the 40s and 50s in the summer of 1968, so my results are plausible. Anyway...

Democratic Primaries (cont.)

California
Johnson - 46%
McCarthy - 42%

New Jersey
McCarthy - 36%
Johnson - 35%

South Dakota
Johnson - 80%
McCarthy - 20%


Johnson
McCarthy
Smathers
Young

Despite polls indicating the exact opposite, Johnson won in California and came extremely close in New Jersey. McCarthy conceded the race, telling his supporters to stay home during the Illinois primary. "I am now putting my campaign in the hands of my supporters at the Chicago convention," he stated, hoping to woo unpledged delegates from West Virginia and D.C.

President Johnson telling enthusiastic post-New Dealers that "the Great Society will push on."

[GPORTER]

Yeah the vice presidency might be the only way that Johnson could keep Bobby out of the 1968 campaign.

[feeblepizza]

August 26-29, 1968: Democratic National Convention; Chicago, Illinois

In June, McCarthy had resigned his campaign primarily to losses in Oregon and California. He suffered another loss, in Illinois, at the end of the month. Johnson was easily re-nominated, taking 1,918.25 delegates to McCarthy's 601 (87.5 delegates either abstained or voted for a scattering of other candidates). After the top of the ticket was filled, the vice-presidential balloting began.

Vice-President Hubert Humphrey voluntarily abstained from running for reelection to the vice-presidency. The Convention instead selected Robert Kennedy, with 1,946 delegates voting for him (the rest abstained or voting for a scattering of candidates, including 3 for McCarthy).

The major news of the Democratic Convention was protests from radical antiwar activists who had originally supported McCarthy. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Chair of the Convention, gave permission to the Chicago PD to use force against the protesters. This resulted in a violent scene which many believed would damage Democratic fortunes in the fall.

Left to right: President Lyndon Johnson (nominee), First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, Robert Kennedy (vice-presidential nominee), Ethel Shakel Kennedy

Please comment

[feeblepizza]

The general election was a heated contest. Richard Nixon, who lost to John Kennedy in 1960, was on guard because, as he told an aid in private, he "would be damned if [he] lost to a ticket with one of those damned Kennedys on it again." Another anti-Nixon factor was the candidacy of former Alabama Governor George Wallace as the American Independent Party nominee. Wallace spoiled Nixon's "southern strategy," which targeted predominately Democratic voters opposed to Johnson's and Kennedy's support for civil rights. The conservative vote was thus split in the South.

Johnson and Wallace participated in one debate in September. Nixon refused to attend, remembering his sweaty performance in 1960. Johnson looked tired and haggard, while Wallace looked young and charismatic. While Johnson gained ground on civil rights and the economy, Wallace's "go-all-in-or-quit" policy on Vietnam struck a chord with many Americans. While originally considered a good thing for Nixon, Wallace's support in the South became even larger.

In the week before the election, President Johnson called a full halt to the bombing of North Vietnam. This was called the "Halloween Peace." In addition, McCarthy finally endorsed Johnson and persuaded many members of the peace movement to vote for Democratic. Seeing a threat, Nixon sent Henry Kissinger to attempt to sabotage peace negotiations in Paris, and Johnson attacked him for dishonesty. However, there were no legal repercussions from Nixon's actions.

Pres. Lyndon Johnson (D-TX)/Sen. Robert Kennedy (D-MA) - 43.2%, 272
Frmr. Vice-Pres. Richard Nixon (R-CA)/Gov. Spiro Agnew (R-MD) - 43.1%, 221
Frmr. Gov. George Wallace (D-AL)/Ret. Gen. Curtis LeMay (I-CA)- 13.5%, 45

A rare photo of a distraught Richard Nixon reacting to his second general election loss.

President Johnson's reelection victory, called well after the clock struck midnight, has topped off a great year, politically, for LBJ: first, he upset antiwar Senator Gene McCarthy in the California primary despite a ten-point deficit in the polls, and now he defeats Richard Nixon despite all polls before the Halloween Peace was declared indicating the opposite. One can say that the 1968 presidential election will probably replace the 1948 election (during which incumbent Democrat Harry Truman defeated Republican challenger Thomas Dewey despite polls indicating the opposite would occur) as the biggest political upset in U.S. history.

And so the second full term of Lyndon Johnson began....

More to come soon! Please comment

[CathKhan]

Any senate differemces?

[feeblepizza]

Any senate differemces?

Democrats win in OH, OK, OR, and PA, making a 61-39 Democratic majority.

[feeblepizza]

Second (Full) Term of Lyndon Johnson

President Johnson's first act in office was to make Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), brother of Vice-President Robert Kennedy, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare due to his and his brothers' commitments to those areas. In the Senate, Kennedy was replaced by Republican Elliot Richardson. He also shocked many by appointing Gene McCarthy Secretary of State after Dean Rusk's retirement. Many thought that the McCarthy appointment was an olive branch to the antiwar elements of the Democratic Party.

The peace negotiations in Paris continued until July 13, 1969, when an agreement had been reached after ten months of meetings. Johnson agreed that the U.S. would withdrawl slowly from North Vietnam if they were allowed to keep permenant bases and military advisers in the South. The date for withdrawl of combat troops was 1975. As a result of the agreement, President Johnson's approval rating rose to 55%.

The 1970 midterms showed good results for Democrats. They kept Senate seats in MD and TN and gained seats in NY and PA, making a 56-44 majority. They also kept the House by their usual wide margin.

Americans mourned when their President died on October 3, 1971 of a heart attack at the age of 63. It was the second presidential death in as many administrations. On that day, Robert Kennedy became President of the United States, a job that Lyndon Johnson kept him from seeking in the previous election.

America's second Kennedy to be inaugurated as President.

[tb78]

RFK is the president now? YES!

[feeblepizza]

First Term of Robert Kennedy

President Kennedy made no changes to President Johnson's Cabinet, respecting the fact that he was serving a term that was meant to belong to his deceased predecessor. He did, however, choose Senator Fred Harris (D-OK) as his Vice-President. Harris was confirmed easily.

Vice-President Fred R. Harris

The first major act in President Kennedy's term was to initiate a new plan for Vietnam. He ordered a small tax increase to pay for nonmilitary aid to Vietnam. The aid would go to education, health care, and infrastructure improvements and would continue after the last combat troops had been withdrawn from the country. The plan, called the Vietnamese Renovation Program (VRP) passed Congress easily in January of 1972 with support coming even from antiwar officials.

In February, President Kennedy announced that he would run for reelection. In the Democratic Party, he faced a challenge from Governor George Wallace (D-AL). The Republican candidates were Governor Spiro Agnew (R-MD), Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA), Congressman John Ashbrook (R-OH), Congressman Pete McCloskey (R-CA), and Senator Howard Baker (R-TN). 1972 was expected to be a very interesting election year............

[CathKhan]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

[feeblepizza]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

Oh sh!t, I completely forgot that Harris was Kennedy's VP in the Westman TL. I'll tell him.

[CathKhan]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

Oh sh!t, I completely forgot that Harris was Kennedy's VP in the Westman TL. I'll tell him.

I'm not sure about that, but Mech for some reason is a huge Harris fan.

[feeblepizza]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

Oh sh!t, I completely forgot that Harris was Kennedy's VP in the Westman TL. I'll tell him.

I'm not sure about that, but Mech for some reason is a huge Harris fan.

I'm pretty sure that it was Harris....or maybe Reagan....now that I think of it, probably Reagan. Dammit, now the PM I sent him will make me look like an idiot.

[CathKhan]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

Oh sh!t, I completely forgot that Harris was Kennedy's VP in the Westman TL. I'll tell him.

I'm not sure about that, but Mech for some reason is a huge Harris fan.

I'm pretty sure that it was Harris....or maybe Reagan....now that I think of it, probably Reagan. Dammit, now the PM I sent him will make me look like an idiot.

Whoever RFK's first VP was, was replaced by Reagan in that timeline. Harris right now is a candidate for the 1984 Democratic nomination.

Don't worry, just send him a new one.

[feeblepizza]

Awesome!

By the way, you might want to tell Mechaman about Fred Harris becoming VP.

Oh sh!t, I completely forgot that Harris was Kennedy's VP in the Westman TL. I'll tell him.

I'm not sure about that, but Mech for some reason is a huge Harris fan.

I'm pretty sure that it was Harris....or maybe Reagan....now that I think of it, probably Reagan. Dammit, now the PM I sent him will make me look like an idiot.

Whoever RFK's first VP was, was replaced by Reagan in that timeline. Harris right now is a candidate for the 1984 Democratic nomination.

Don't worry, just send him a new one.

Kennedy's first VP was a Republican because the election was sent the Democratic House and the Republican Senate. Anyway, I don't feel like sending him a new PM. Not that important

[feeblepizza]

Democratic Primaries

Iowa
Kennedy - 64%
Wallace - 0%

New Hampshire
Kennedy - 83%
Wallace - 0%

Florida
Kennedy - 57%
Wallace - 42%

Illinois
Kennedy - 100%

Wisconsin
Kennedy - 78%
Wallace - 22%

Massachusetts
Kennedy - 88%
Wallace - 7%


Kennedy

President Kennedy has won every contest so far. However, the big shocker of the race is still to come.

Update coming soon. Please comment