1964-1972: With the TV Debates

[Mr. Smith]

What if there were Presidential debates in between the Kennedy-Nixon showdown and the Carter-Ford debates?

If there are any changes, discuss with maps.

Personally I don't see too much, except:

1964:  Arizona either voting with either even more fervor for the native-son, or joining the LBJ wagon like it should've...all depended on how badly Goldwater goes off.

1968: Humphrey does well enough to sway the states of Missouri, Oregon, Ohio, and New Jersey and ensure Nixon's last press conference is 1968.

1972: McGovern either regains Minnesota, South Dakota, and Rhode Island or becomes the first 50-state loser...depending on how badly he goes off or many zingers Nixon gets out.

[Jerseyrules]

1964: Johnson was a hothead in the late 60's, but I'm not sure he would've been worse than Goldwater.  Neither man was a truly gifted one-on-one debater.  Goldwater seems a bit more charismatic but him being seen on an equal footing with Johnson might get him over the 40% watermark, maybe he does well enough to win a few more southern states (FL was pretty close) and maybe Nebraska.  Nothing stops a Johnson landslide though

1968: Tricky Dick wouldn't make the same mistakes he did in 1960.  He'd make sure to be better prepared, well-rested, and not sweaty going into 1968.  Makeup, etc.  He also lost a good bit of ground in the polls for not debating Humphrey, and in a debate scenario I don't think the Happy Warrior had the fire to beat Nixon.  But Wallace being included in the debates would screw with things a lot - if he does well he could take enough southern votes from Nixon to put Humphrey over the top in MO and perhaps Wallace wins TN, SC, and/or NC.

1972: Once again, I feel like Tricky Dick has the edge.  He'd be able to paint McGovern as a cut-and-run peacenick yet still appear aloof.  McGovern was alright in the debate between him and Buckley in the 90's, but I don't think he'd do well enough to win more than 40 electoral votes.  So not enough to really change the outcome of the election, though Watergate-like tactics would be employed a LOT more with the Nixon's paranoia towards facing another presidential debate

[Indy Texas]

1968: Tricky Dick wouldn't make the same mistakes he did in 1960.  He'd make sure to be better prepared, well-rested, and not sweaty going into 1968.  Makeup, etc.  He also lost a good bit of ground in the polls for not debating Humphrey, and in a debate scenario I don't think the Happy Warrior had the fire to beat Nixon.  But Wallace being included in the debates would screw with things a lot - if he does well he could take enough southern votes from Nixon to put Humphrey over the top in MO and perhaps Wallace wins TN, SC, and/or NC.

I can see a Nixon/Humphrey/Wallace debate being hilariously bad.

Nixon, paranoid due to bad memories of the 1960 debate, would have someone slip something in Humphrey's water glass to sabotage his performance by giving him severe gastrointestinal pain. Nixon himself would show up with makeup an inch thick and an over the top tan, wearing a suit that's actually very elegant and well-made but looks awkward as hell on him. Wallace will shock the censors by throwing the N-bomb. Humphrey will evacuate his bowels and awkwardly waddle off stage while the audience sits in silent horror. Nixon will win by default, even as he bores the audience to death talking about the need for a China pivot to exploit the Sino-Soviet Split to our strategic advantage.

[CapoteMonster]

Nixon would definitely have won ant 72 debate. He was spying on the DNC.

[Maxwell]

1964 - Besides a gaffe or two, Goldwater does well, but the gaffe is well-reported. He maybe hits 40%, but beyond that, he's still Goldwater.

1968 - Nixon, dealing with low expectations, I suspect would rise to the occasion, giving Humphrey a surprise. Though it would probably be a toss-up considering Humphrey is way behind at this point, and would need a game changer.

1972 - Though I can imagine Nixon being so far ahead that he rests on his laurels, the fact is he was so paranoid that Watergate happened, so he'd probably perform similarly to 1968, which means he would be inline or slightly below expectations. Not sure of McGovern's skill as a debater, so this may be more of a toss-up, but Mcgovern would be looking for opening here.