Hail to Humphrey

[International Brotherhood of Bernard]

This is my first feeble attempt at a TL, please be gentle

Point of Diversion:
-Hubert Humphrey promises an end to bombing of North Vietnam on September 23, a week earlier than OTL
-On the Saturday before the election, an anonymous Johnson administration official (their exact identity is still unknown) leaks to the press knowledge that Richard Nixon had sabotaged peace talks with North Vietnam by promising South Vietnam a better deal under a Nixon administration, throwing the final days of the campaign into chaos and likely costing Richard Nixon critical support when he needed it most

Results: Decision 1968

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (D-MN)/Senator Ed Muskie (D-ME) - 43.9% Popular Vote - 275 Electoral Votes
Former Vice President Richard Nixon (R-CA)/Governor Spiro Agnew (R-MD) - 42.0% Popular Vote - 218 Electoral Votes
Former Governor George Wallace (AIP-AL)/Former General Curtis LeMay (AIP-CA) - 13.7% Popular Vote - 45 Electoral Votes

Hubert Humphrey prevails by a narrow 1.9% popular vote margin but with less than 44% of the total popular vote, with a big chunk of votes going to segregationist George Wallace. The election is very nearly thrown to the House, but extremely narrow wins in 4 critical swing states (Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio, plus Alaska for just a little bit of elbow room) just barely put him over the 270 electoral vote threshold to become President-elect of the United States. Richard Nixon, having been just barely denied victory once again, declares he is finished with politics (for realsies this time). This is seen as a massive blow to the Republican Party, which despite the troubles facing the incumbent party (race riots, an unpopular war, a slowing economy, and the defection of much of its base, just to name a few) could not muster up a victory, though many chalked it up to the backfiring of Nixon's actions regarding Vietnam. Nonetheless, Richard Nixon would be consigned to the dustbin of history, and under the leadership of President-elect Humphrey a new era in American History was about to dawn.

[Brewer]

Excited!

[NeverAgain]

President HHH!

[SingingAnalyst]

The implications are: (1) the southern strategy failed; (2) playing on people's racial fears failed as an unabashed civil rights supporter is elected despite turmoil at home and war abroad.

The results are I think an early exit from Vietnam, saving thousands of lives, and a continued strong labor movement.

Say what you will about Macomb County, MI and its "Reagan Democrats", but if Macomb County had had its way HHH would have been elected.

[SingingAnalyst]

BTW Khristie Kreme, great job with the map and explanation!

[KingSweden]

Cool! Please continue.

[SingingAnalyst]

Aware of being elected with less than 44% of the PV and all his "major opposition" on the right, HHH lays out a cautious, conservative, yet ambitious first 100 days. He withrdraws from Vietnam more quickly than Nixon did, and the peace deal (the one Nixon tried to sabotage) becomes a reality, winning HHH and Tho Nobel Peace Prizes for 1969 (Tho accepts). Youth and campus unrest continue, though less severe than in real life, and the women's movement takes off as in real life. Many states, particularly those with GOP governors, relax their abortion laws and abortion never becomes a partisan issue as it is today. Rockefeller runs against HHH in 1972. After 12 D years many voters feel it is time for a change. The Dem plank makes no mention of abortion; the GOP plank specifically supports expanded abortion rights. Maps? Go! Here's mine:

Rockefeller/Reagan 493 EV / 56%
Humphrey/Muskie 45 EV / 42%
Roe v. Wade is decided 1/22/73 as in real life.

[swky_0rn]

Reagan is always running against Humphrey in 72 in timelines where H.H.H  defeated Nixon