Time for yet another "What if Kennedy hadn't been assassinated"-thread. I hope that this one will prove to be just as entertaining and interesting to read as the others. In any case, here goes...
On the 20st of November 1963 local police in Dallas, TX arrest Communist functionary Lee Harvey Oswald on suspicion of plotting to kill President John F. Kennedy just two days before his visit to the city. The plot makes newspaper headlines and overshadows the President's visit to Dallas, but the majority of coverage concentrates on the relief felt and the possible consequences had Oswald not been arrested.
Throughout 1964 President Kennedy pushes the Civil Rights bill, much to the chagrin of Southern Democrats like George Wallace, who threatens to challenge Kennedy’s candidacy during the primaries. Much concentration is also paid on a Republican senator from Arizona named Barry Goldwater, who hesitatingly decided to run for the Presidency in spite of his close friendship with the President. In a telephone conversation with Kennedy, Goldwater asserts that he hopes their frienship will survive a possible election campaign, to which Kennedy responds in kind.
With the Republican primary season underway, the race is on between established New York Govenor Nelson Rockefeller, William Scranton (the Govenor of Pennsylvania) and aforementioned Senator Goldwater.
The Democratic CampaignWhile rumours persist that Kennedy would drop Johnson and pick either Senator Stuart Symington (his erstwhile rival for the 1960 nomination) or Govenor Terry Sanford as his running mate, President Kennedy has an urgent meeting with his brother and Attorney General Robert to discuss the matter. RFK and LBJ are widely known to be hostile to each other, yet Robert surprisingly asserts that his brother should stick with Johnson, simply because of the potential divisions that could be caused by ditching him.
“You know these Texans have a temper, John. LBJ would never forgive you. Heck, he’d probably even run as an independent. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
JFK takes his brother's advice on board. One day he summons Vice President Johnson into the oval office to discuss the 1964 election. Johnson is expecting the worst. His own PA had told him he’d have to clear his office for Sanford in November. What President Kennedy tells him, however, is music to his ears:
“Lyndon, we've had a lot of struggle over the civil rights bill. But you've done what a Vice President should do - you've stuck by me through thick and thin the last four years. In fact, I was heavily surprised by your loyalty throughout. I see no reason to let go of you and I want to reassure you that you will also be my choice for the Vice Presidency this year. ”
JFK confirms during a speech in New York that LBJ would be his Vice Presidential candidate for the second time running.
Also, to Kennedy's relief, George Wallace does not challenge the President. President Kennedy therefore goes unchallenged for the Democratic nomination in 1964.
The Republican CampaignWith conservative Republicans fuming over the possibility of a Civil Rights Act, Goldwater tries to play to the gallery in a speech where he makes his intentions very clear; no Civil Right Bill, a more confrontational policy towards Russia, and no concessions to the Rockefeller Republicans. Rockefeller's divorce also is an issue in this campaign, as it offended many on the conservative wing of the Party. The race seems on for a Goldwater v Rockefeller race.
Goldwater has the momentum early on. However, with President Kennedy enduring a relatively low popularity rating due to the controversy over the Civil Rights Bill, not to mention incessant rumours of his constant womanising and philandering and ill health, Republicans realise that they have a real chance to win the election. Ultimately, they don't see any reason to bring the proverbial lamb to the slaughter (Goldwater is still widely seen as unelectable), and pick Rockefeller, a move which does bring some controversy. Even an endorsement from Richard Nixon doesn't seem to help Goldwater's campaign. The final nail in the coffin for Goldwater occurs when William Scranton drops out of the race and publicly endorses Rockefeller, urging all his supports to do the same.
In a jubilant convention, Rockefeller accepts the nomination, picking Scranton as his running mate. Goldwater's supports talk of a backroom deal between Rockefeller and Scranton.
In the course of the campaign, Kennedy's supposed ill health and womanising become more and more of an issue. While Rockefeller refuses to make any public accusations of Presidential ill behaviour (mainly due to his own personal issues), his PR team do all the dirty work for him, leaking memos to the press by the by. Eventually, the Presidential race is no longer a question of issues but of personalities. This runs contrary to widely held expections that the election would concentrate on Russia and Civil Rights (mostly because both sides agree on these issues, but only marginally).
On election night, Rockefeller narrowly defeats Kennedy.
1964Nelson Rockefeller/William Scranton -- 286 EV
John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson -- 250 EV
Barry Goldwater 2 EV*
*Goldwater wins two write-in votes in Alabama and South Carolina respectively.
On November 4 1964 the nation wakes up to President-elect Nelson Rockefeller. However, the personal nature of the election left a bitter taste in the mouth. Furthermore, the race between Goldwater and Rockefeller suggested internal divisions within the Republican Party. The next four years would not be easy for President Rockefeller...