1956 Presidential Primaries (Politics, Politics Never Changes)

[Bigby]

The Reagan administration was celebrated by Democratic Party bosses as a return to normalcy. Though the Republicans barely held onto Congress, fears of perpetual Republican dominance were curbed. In contrast to the division and catastrophe of Humphrey's 1948 Presidential run, Reagan won the 1952 in a landslide. The postwar prosperity that began in Taft's administration has continued during the Reagan Presidency, allowing Reagan to enjoy a similarly high approval rating. Unlike the more reclusive Taft, Reagan has been very active in the public stage politically and socially. President Reagan has become a socially conservative symbol. In his own words, he fights for "American values, American desires, and all around moral decency." Many celebrities of both parties have visited Reagan and his new wife Nancy, whether they be singers, journalists, or actors. Though some Republicans and Northern Democrats criticize Reagan for "spending too much time in the spotlight," Reagan has maintained a very solid attendance record. The new 50's culture that has emerged from the postwar recovery reflects desire for security and normalcy, something which Reagan personally and as President endorses. This sets him apart from many Northern Democrats, angering a small number even, though it has made him popular with Southerners and white ethnics. Though a Protestant, Reagan has extended a hand to the Catholic community and other denominations, saying that "Christians of all kinds share the same values at the end of the day, and we're all Americans, so that only makes it truer." Reagan has made progressive strides of culture in terms of extending the definition of who the average American is, but his social views are still largely conservative, prioritizing American values, whether they formed in the 50's or have always been around, rather than liberal.

President Reagan has passed economic reforms, some of which that have overturned Taft's deregulations, though the orthodox New Dealers are not entirely pleased. Reagan managed to convince Congress to minimize new tax cuts. Saltonstall's Income and Corporate Tax Cut Act of 1954 originally cut income and corporate tax down by 10%, but Reagan vetoed that version. A version that only cut them by 5% (to 65% and 40% respectively), however, did get passed, with an amendment that placed minor tariffs on foreign goods. The President has named his brother Neil Reagan as the Secretary of Commerce and Labor as a way to set out his own independent thought of economics. Largely, it combines elements of Keynesian thought, "concerns of the middle class," and "soft economic nationalism." Reagan has stated his support for "programs that focus on giving the disadvantaged the equality of opportunity rather than equality of results. The government should and will only provide an extra 'oomph' for those who need it." Reagan has called for continued support of farm subsidies and tariffs. He has called for school vouchers and more federal grants in education, but has argued that "the federal government should leave control of the schools to state and local governments and not try to dictate standards and policy." Though he will pass the Interstate Highway Act of 1953, Reagan has stated his belief that the government should give aid to states struggling with infrastructure, but to not directly intervene in infrastructure; "let the states do what is their responsibility." Reagan has opposed legislation to fund private art exhibits and other personal works, considering "those things to be private matters financially just as they are intellectually." Instead, he would rather "divert such funds into the safety net for when it is needed." In general, Reagan is "an advocate for helping the worker succeed and stay afloat, but not at the expense of creating bureaus that dictate decisions and take cherished freedom away." He has also kept his promise to defend Social Security and the TVA, vetoing any legislation aiming to cut these programs back.

Reagan has been a consistent foreign policy hawk during the first four years of his office. His choices of Former Congressman Scoop Jackson of Washington for Defense Secretary and Dean Rusk of Georgia for Secretary of State have only reinforced the hawkish stance of the Reagan administration. He aided the British with CIA muscle in the 1953 coup against Iran to install a Western-friendly Shahdom. In Cuba, Generalissimo Eulogio Cantillo has enjoyed the same amount of support as Fulgencio Batista after his disappearance. Reagan has become personally invested in Cuba, citing that "backhome defense is of utmost importance." Reagan has continued military presence in the newly unified Korea, and though he is discontent with the Kim dynasty receiving exile in China, he has not further antagonized the People's Republic. When General Secretary Molotov formed the "Warsaw Pact" in 1955, Reagan denounced the Soviet Union as "the evil empire which seeks to subjugate mankind and take away its inherent and cherished liberties." Reagan has announced opposition to communism in general, looking at the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China equally unfavorably. Israel has remained close to the United States, with Reagan being just as supportive of the Jewish state as Taft was. Most of NATO is fond of Reagan, though the French are mildly displeased with Reagan's disapproval of handing the entirety of Indochina over to Ho Chin Minh in 1954. The Indochinese Government has made a coalition between communists, liberals, conservatives, and nationalists, and will hold a national election in 1956, but Reagan has already voiced his skepticism.

Though the early 50's have been mostly peaceful, the Reagan administration has had to wade through two significant issues: the AFL and CIO and Civil Rights legislation. After a failed assault by Puerto Rican nationalists on Capitol Hill in March, the nation was ravaged by bombings in June. Explosives were planted in the offices of President Reagan, Vice President Kefauver, Joseph Martin, House Minority Leader Sam Rayburn, Dean Rusk, Scoop Jackson, and McCarran. The assailants killed McCarran, Martin, and Rayburn. The offices of Rusk and Jackson were damaged by the explosions, but the two were not in their offices and were thus unscathed. All of the other bombings were discovered afterwards and were successfully prevented. Later that month, damning evidence pointed towards high and mid ranking members of the union groups AFL and CIO. Despite the protests of those on the firm left, the evidence was too concrete, and HUAC once again became busy prosecuting those found to be involved. Attorney General Abraham Ribicoff has alienated former liberal allies by agreeing with the hearings, pointing to the evidence supplied as constitutional grounds. Senator McCarthy's career restarted, as did his fame, becoming the center of attention once more after jumping onto the AFL and CIO hearings. Meanwhile, against the wishes of his Southern allies, President Reagan passed the School Integration of Act of 1954. It was then upheld in the pivotal case of Brown v. Board of Education unanimously, with Chief Justice Ellis Arnall and Associate Justice Kingsley Taft being the most vocal critics of school segregation. In 1955, Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat for a white man has sparked a bus boycott in Selma. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. of Georgia has become quickly famous in his efforts to support Parks and the boycott at large. Though Reagan is firmly in his own Reaganite wing, which many Southern Democrats, both new and old, have joined, he has joined Northern Democrats and Republicans in support of Dr. King. Though most Southerners support Reagan on every other issue, and many liberals are uncertain of Reagan's economic views, Reagan is defying the usual setup by receiving liberal support and Southern disapproval when it comes to his support for integration.

It is now January of 1956, and Reagan is running for reelection. He enjoys high approval ratings in the low 60's, with a robust economy and many new allies in the House and Senate. However, he wants to avoid the same fate he gave to Taft: being ousted despite being a popular incumbent. Since he is the incumbent with enough party support, he can comfortably coast by the primary season and focus on the general election. President Reagan has already begun his charismatic style of campaigning once again, citing his high approvals, excellent handling of the economy and foreign policy, and moderate views as rationale to vote for him regardless of who the Republicans nominate. Intraparty opposition is limited to Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who is running solely because of Reagan's support for integration, and Senator John Sparkman of Alabama, who is opposing integration while also acting as a liberal crusader against Reagan on economics. Sparkman has called for more direct federal involvement and control of the economy and programs, in blatant defiance to Reagan's ideology. The Republicans are running four candidates. Conservative Senator William F. Knowland of California is running as the conservative standard bearer, promising to revive the Taft administration "with genuine foreign policy this time." A bitter rival of Knowland, Fmr. Lt. Governor Goodwin Knight, also from California, is running as a standard Northern moderate, wanting to make "a fine line between ensuring freedom and going off the deep end." Fmr. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles of New York is running as a foreign policy hawk, not commenting much on integration or the economy. Finally, Congressman Christian Herter of Massachusetts is running as a moderate liberal like Knight, but has generated controversy due to being born in Paris, France. His parents were both American citizens, but debate over the legitimacy of his citizenship has already ignited. Senator McCarthy, though popular, has declined a run due to his role in the ongoing investigations of the AFL and CIO. Likewise, Douglas MacArthur is sitting this election out after becoming Governor of Arkansas. The Republicans must choose between two conservatives and two moderates, though they have a variety to choose from at least.

I just wrote a lot, and don't expect that much all the time. But I got on a roll without realizing how much I was writing, and I have nothing due tonight, so I decided to give y'all a treat. Again, normally the text will be much smaller. You have 24 hours to vote, and I will do my best to make time to announce official tickets Wednesday night. The main election will likely be posted Thursday or Friday, as I will be busy during Tuesday and Wednesday; these two days will be the brunt of my work for finals. I will go ahead and make this post so everyone can begin their voting while I make the 1954 Senate and House results.

[PPT Spiral]

William F. Knowland/Everett Dirksen

[NeverAgain]

Reagan over racists.

[Bigby]

US SENATE AND HOUSE RESULTS, 1954:

Republicans: 52 (No Change)
Democrats: 44 (No Change)

Senate Majority Leader: Leverett Saltsonstall (R - MA)
Senate Minority Leader: Guy M. Gillette (D - IA)

US House:

Democrats: 230 (+10)
Republicans: 215 (-10)

Speaker of House: Carl Albert (D - OK)
House Majority Leader: Charles B. Deane (D - NC)
House Minority Leader: Charles A. Halleck (R - IN)

1954 US Senate Special Election Results:

California (R GAIN) - Replacement R, Senator-Elect R
Nebraska (R HOLD)
Nevada (D HOLD) - Replacement R, Senator-Elect D
New Hampshire (R HOLD)
North Carolina (D HOLD)

Reagan and the Democrats hoped to score huge victories in the House and Senate. However, the AFL and CIO Bombings electrified the pro-incumbent mood of the nation to an extreme. Many Senators on both sides campaigned on a scare that voting for their opponent would only cause more chaos and disrupt the peace of the time period that was left intact. Not only that, but most of the states holding elections were in regions locked into the current political alignment, with the South firmly Democratic and the Northeast and West firmly Republican. Democrats made gains in Michigan and Oregon, but lost  the Montana seat and were unable to prevent the ascension of conservative Republican Donald L. Jackson to Reagan's former seat. However, many Democrats replacing retired incumbents were either open to Reaganite thinking or were less inherently hostile to it. The biggest upset of the cycle was the defeat of Senate Minority Leader Lyndon Baines Johnson of Texas. Though the Senator had barely been a Senator for four years, the position of Democrat leader in the Senate was thrust onto him by outgoing Minority Leader Ernest McFarland. Johnson and Reagan, to put it bluntly, despised each other; Johnson was a New Dealer opposed to Reaganite economics. John Tower, who remained a Democrat after flirting with joining the GOP, ran for Johnson's seat after becoming invigorated by Reagan during the 1952 election. Johnson won the primary by a few hundred votes, prompting Tower to run as an independent. Tower won the general election with 40% of the vote, pledging himself as a Democrat. Iowa Senator Guy Gillette, an enthusiastic Reaganite, quickly become Minority Leader. Only ten seats flipped to the Democrats in the House, but it was sufficient to give the Democrats the Speakership. John McCormack of Massachusetts would have become Speaker, but when Reagan nominated him to the Supreme Court, that position quickly went to new Majority Leader Carl Albert of Oklahoma. Charles Halleck, who succeeded the late Joseph Martin, began to plot to regain a Republican majority in the House to gain a full term as Speaker.

(Also, how the Hell is Thurmond currently leading?! What madness have I allowed?)

[Orthogonian Society Treasurer]

Knowland.

[SATW]

Knowland.

[Zioneer]

And Thurmond is still leading the Democrats...

[Bigby]

And Thurmond is still leading the Democrats...

It's now a tie between Thurmond and Reagan, but Sparkman has one vote. So close...

[/]

Come on, Thurmond!

[Maxwell]

Christian Herter/William Knowland

Either way we need to stop Conservadem and pretty big disappointment Ronald Reagan!

[JackV982]

Re-elect Ronnie!

[Intell]

Knight.

[Mr. Smith]

The Mormon lefty of course, far better novelty than Reagan.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Reagan

[Zioneer]

The Mormon lefty of course, far better novelty than Reagan.

Let's see, that's Goodwin Knight, right? Dangit, I voted for Reagan too quickly before remembering the Mormon lefty. Hope he shows up in another election.

[tmthforu94]

The Mormon lefty of course, far better novelty than Reagan.

Let's see, that's Goodwin Knight, right? Dangit, I voted for Reagan too quickly before remembering the Mormon lefty. Hope he shows up in another election.

Same - regretting my vote now!

[Maxwell]

It looks like the Republican side seems rather tied up, so we'll be able to get a chance to vote in the run-off.

[Bigby]

It looks like the Republican side seems rather tied up, so we'll be able to get a chance to vote in the run-off.

It seems so!

[MATTROSE94]

Re-elect Ronnie!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

A three-way tie! What fun!

[Bigby]

(Okay everyone, voting is closed, and Reagan has won the Democratic primary despite the Thurmond surge. New Deal heads are going to roll soon is all I will say. The Republican race will be decided by a brokered convention, which will last one day and will be posted either tomorrow or Friday, whenever I have time. I am currently working on a term paper, and I have 2 finals during the day tomorrow, so I will be as fast as I can. Please bear with me.)

[Bigby]

The 1956 Primaries ended in controversy on the Democratic side and an oddly tame brokered convention on the Republican side. Reagan survived Thurmond's primary challenge, though new information leaked to the press would give his intraparty rivals much heartache...

Thurmond did receive a noticeable amount of Southern support, but everyone was shocked to see him performing well among New Dealers, especially in the Great Lakes region. Though Reagan had become the labor champion, Thurmond took Sparkman's combination of segregation support and New Deal support to boost his own numbers. The left-wing of the Democratic Party quickly reacted to stop their own for voting for Thurmond, and eventually, contained the damage. Reagan won in an eventual landslide after an initially bloody primary where Thurmond led at certain points. Not only has Reagan beaten back dissenters in the primary, but his New Deal rivals have a tarnished reputation in the country, allowing the Reaganite wing of the Democrats to grow further. Though Strom Thurmond actively campaigned against Reagan's support for integration, he has declined a third party run. A sweating and shaking Thurmond, when questioned about it, said that "personal issues are beckoning for my attention at the moment; I cannot comment further."

Most of the Republican candidates kept their campaigns entirely void of attacks on the other candidates, leading to the brokered convention currently facing them. Goodwin Knight got personal with William Knowland. However, Senator Knowland quickly retaliated back with witty, calm responses. Lt. Governor Knight looked brash and envious in response, quickly sinking his campaign. The moderate Christian Herter has been friendly to Knowland and Dulles despite ideological differences, even criticizing Knight for his "whiny behavior." Knowland, Herter, and Dulles continue to be cordial with each other. In the words of Senator Knowland, "with the whole Thurmond issue the Democrats are facing, a Republican win no matter what is a win for America." Herter added, "I still want the nomination, but I would support Knowland or Dulles wholeheartedly against the madhouse of segregation the supposedly liberal Democrats are allowing to fester." Unlike the 1952 Democratic Brokered Convention, the aura is of a relaxed country club rather than a metaphorical bloodbath.

After Thurmond's collapse, the New Deal camp was further tarnished when it was revealed that two prominent New Dealers, Fmr. Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson and Governor Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., sent money and aid to the Thurmond campaign to use the Senator to oust Reagan and regain control for the New Deal faction of the Democrats. Kennedy's reputation, which has already fallen due to his poor performance as Governor in Massachusetts, has been entirely tarnished. Senator John F. Kennedy, a Reaganite Democrat, even went as far as to announce his disgust. "Why would my father support a racist lunatic? Reagan is just as good as Roosevelt or Truman, yet he is playing dirty in some mad dream of ideological purity." Though many Southerners supported Thurmond despite preferring Reaganite economics, they quickly returned to the Reagan camp to avoid their own careers from being tainted. Northern Democrats are experiencing a backlash from Reaganites. The Democratic Party's name brand has been violated in full view of the American public, and the two most prominent New Dealers, Johnson and Kennedy, have lost the love of even their most ardent allies.

"It pained me to learn that my New Dealer friends aided Thurmond's racial campaign simply because we disagree on economic policy. I have worked with liberal Democrats to pass school integration, yet they aid an enemy of progress. It is taking every cell in my body to forgive the likes of Governor Kennedy."

"The negros and the conservatives may have won the battle, but they won't win the war. We will one day reclaim the Democrats for the working man against conservative intrusion! Reagan and his whore Republican wife won't dismantle the New Deal, and they won't give the negro race any more rights while I am around! I am ... invested in dealing with a personal matter, so sadly I cannot run third party, but mark my words, Mr. President, your dall will come, and I will be the harbinger of your pain."

"My party is mad if they think the likes of Dulles and Knowland can beat Reagan, even after half of the Democratic Party has turned out to be a bunch of hypocrites! And Congressman Herter... I hope you rot in Hell for not showing this country what bastards our enemies are! Moderate my ass! You claim not to be a far-right loon, but you've been brown-nosing Knowland the entire time to conspire against me! I could have led the Republicans to the White House, but no, you gave it to the wackos! Well guess what, I hope Reagan wins all 48 states just to show you sons of bitches the what-for! I'm going back to California, and I guess the world has to burn first for you ers to see the light!"

The Republican Convention is coming up ASAP...