The George Wallace Presidency

[Barnes]

I'll start this with the '68 election.

[Barnes]

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I want to do this. I'll have to think it over. Suggestions are welcome!

[hcallega]

I would say start with 1972. Here is my proposal for how you could do it in a realistic way.

1-Obviously Wallace not getting shot in Laurel, Maryland would help.

2-He would need to compete in more primaries as well.

3-I would propose the the Canuck letter does not get realised and it becomes a battle between Wallace and Muskie for the nomination with Wallace winning narrowly.

4-He would then need to win the GE by sweeping the south and winning in the rustbelt.

[Barnes]

Thanks, very good idea!

[Historico]

I actually think 1968 would be more interesting...If wallace would have ran better in the Industrial States and the midwest, focusing on Working-Class Populisim rather than the last hurrah for the Segregationists, he could have won. Id say do the through research and see which one you would one you would want to do...

George Wallace/Curtis LeMay: 276 Electoral Votes
Hubert H. Humphrey/Edmund Muskie: 216 Electoral Votes
Richard M. Nixon/Spiro Agnew: 46 Electoral Votes

[Barnes]

Great map. Poor "Tricky Dick"!

[hcallega]

1968 would be more interesting, but much harder than 1972.

[Barnes]

In 1972, Nixon convinced Wallace to run in the Democratic Primaries, instead of as a 3rd party. So maybe it could have him running as a 3rd party again, but as Historico said "focusing on Working-Class Populisim rather than the last hurrah for the Segregationists".

[Historico]

In 1972, Nixon convinced Wallace to run in the Democratic Primaries, instead of as a 3rd party. So maybe it could have him running as a 3rd party again, but as Historico said "focusing on Working-Class Populisim rather than the last hurrah for the Segregationists".

I still think 1968 Race would be easier...number one being the White Backlash against the growiing Black Power had relativley been squelched by 1972, thanks to Nixon's policies. That's what Shirley Chisholm was able to do a decent job in the 1972 Primaries that year. I think without a major push with someone on making Watergate "THE" Campaign issue, The Democrats are going to loose against the incumbent.

In 1968 Some Democrats feared Wallace's appeal to blue-collar workers and union members would hurt Humphrey in Northern states like Ohio, New Jersey, and Michigan. Wallace ran a "law and order" campaign similar to Nixon's.

Wallace considered Happy Chandler, the former baseball commissioner and Governor of Kentucky, as his running mate in his 1968 campaign for the Presidency as a third party candidate; as one of Wallace's aides put it, "We have all the nuts in the country, we could get some decent people – you working one side of the street and he working the other side." Wallace invited Chandler, but when the press published the prospect, Wallace's supporters objected: Chandler had supported the hiring of Jackie Robinson by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I personally think Happy would have been a great choice, instead of "Bomb them to the Stone Age" LeMay, his moderate view on Civil Rights would soften Wallace's deemed Uber-Segregationists feel. Former Esienhower Agriculture Secretary Ezra T. Bensen would have helped him become more competetive in the Midwest. former Esienhower Defense Secretary Robert B. Anderson of Texas, could have brought in Texoma, while bolstering his foriegn policy credentials. But what he really needs is a Law and Order Industrial State Conservate...Jim Rhodes of Ohio, Alfred Driscoll of New Jersey etc.

So out of LeMay,Chandler, Bensen, Anderson, Rhodes, and Driscoll...For the best running mate to fit Wallace's working class populisim, and to appeal to Republican voters across party lines...I think Jim Rhodes would have been a fantastic choice for such an Anti-hippie ticket. Getting Wallace to win is the easy part, because people even in '68(Rightfully so) Just did not trick Richard Nixon. Humphrey will probably do better ITTL atleast electorally, but change was in the air.

[Barnes]

Thank you so much for the great suggestions, Historico.

[Historico]

So what did you decide your POD is going to be Roy?

[Barnes]

I've decided on 1968, I'm writing a timeline on my computer now, I'll start posting it soon. 

[Barnes]

Here's the beginning of the timeline:

February 1968: George Wallace launches a Presidential campaign, under the newly created American Independent Party.  He promises a return “The Old ways of Law and Order”. He supports a moderate Civil Rights program. He also supports an end to the War in Vietnam, and the immediate institution of  tariffs on foreign made goods, so that American companies can keep jobs in America.

February 29, 1968 Poll 
Nixon   42%
Johnson   36%
Wallace   15%
Unsure   7%

Wallace is very happy with these numbers and begins a sweeping tour of the Midwest, attacking the Administration on “Forgetting about the Farmers who feed them”.

March 1968: While the Democratic Nomination becomes more violent, Wallace attacks the Democrats as “Disillusioned” and “Broken”. On the Republican side Wallace attacked Nixon as being “Desperate” for the Nomination. He said of both parties, that he was the only candidate who was new in the Presidential race.

March 15, 1968 Poll
Nixon   40%
Johnson   32%
Wallace   22%
Unsure   6%

Wallace capitalized on these impressive poll numbers, and started calling himself the next Teddy Roosevelt and Bull-Moose Party. 

On March 31, Johnson announces that he’s dropping out of the race. The Democrats now have no clear favorite, which hurts their poll numbers.

April 1, 1968 Poll
Nixon   41%
Dem.   32%
Wallace   25%
Unsure   3%

[hcallega]

I'm calling Gene McCarthy as the Democratic nominee. Blue-Collar Voters would flood to Wallace.

[Barnes]

Next update: Wallace's VP pick! In about ten minutes!

[Barnes]

April 1968: Hubert Humphrey becomes the replacement for Johnson in many people’s eyes, but McCarthy and Kennedy both have very good chances at the nomination.

On April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in assassinated in Memphis. Robert F. Kennedy gives his famous speech in Indianapolis. In a speech in Atlanta, Wallace said “While I might have disagreed with some of Dr. King’s ideas, he was a great man, and I challenge any man to say that his death was necessary for the country.” Many King supporters begin to listen to Wallace more, and think that he isn’t a super-segregationist.

April 10, 1968 Poll
Nixon   38%
Dem.   33%
Wallace   27%
Unsure   2%

In every poll Wallace is rising slowly but surely, and many political operatives begin to flock to his campaign.  Wallace begins to speak in support of Integration more, and calls for all Americans to “Just Get Along”. Wallace’s support in the black community has risen from 1% to 10%. But because of his policies, he starts  loosing support in parts of the south, but makes gain in Union communities, and the Midwest.

May 1968: Robert Kennedy begins to win big in the primaries, and the August Convention in Chicago looks like it will be very divided.

On May 11, in a rally in Dallas, Wallace announces, Ohio Governor, James A. Rhodes, as his choice for Vice President. This comes as a shock to many, but Rhodes was a Fiscal Conservative, and was vehemently opposed to the Hippie and Counter-Culture movements. Rhodes was also  at odds with the Republican Party for allowing Nixon a “fourth chance to try and prove his usefulness” The new Wallace-Rhodes ticket begins a ten-day swing through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan to appeal to Union workers.

May 15, 1968 Poll
Nixon   35%
Dem.   33%
Wallace   27%
Unsure   5%

[Historico]

Hmm...Im not sure such a turn around effort on Civil Rights would be a good thing for Wallace's Candidacy. The South up untill this point has shown time and time again that they would disown even a favorite sun(See Johnson's numbers in the South in '64), if they felt betrayed on the issue of Civil Rights. More often than out, he will tamper down the more Segregationist rhethoric when in the industrial states and the midwest, focusing on Anti-busing rather than more harsher terms. But everything else seems pretty good, and remember that the more Nixonesque in 1968 the better

[Barnes]

Hmm...Im not sure such a turn around effort on Civil Rights would be a good thing for Wallace's Candidacy. The South up untill this point has shown time and time again that they would disown even a favorite sun(See Johnson's numbers in the South in '64), if they felt betrayed on the issue of Civil Rights. More often than out, he will tamper down the more Segregationist rhethoric when in the industrial states and the midwest, focusing on Anti-busing rather than more harsher terms. But everything else seems pretty good, and remember that the more Nixonesque in 1968 the better

Thanks! You have been very helpful in this timeline! And eventually, Wallace's new position on Civil Right will come back to haunt him, but remember the first time he ran for Governor of Alabama in 1958, he was a moderate and was even endorsed by the NAACP. And later, he again reversed back to supporting Civil Rights. He would do anything to get elected!   

[Historico]

Thanks! You have been very helpful in this timeline! And eventually, Wallace's new position on Civil Right will come back to haunt him, but remember the first time he ran for Governor of Alabama in 1958, he was a moderate and was even endorsed by the NAACP. And later, he again reversed back to supporting Civil Rights. He would do anything to get elected!   
[/quote]

Yeah...It does seem so, I mean look how quickly he changed colors to run in the Democratic Primaries in 1972, and he still came pretty damn close from taking the nomination away from McGovern. Anyways, I am eagerly awaiting TTL's next installment...Keep it comming

[Barnes]

Comments anyone?

[Barnes]

June 1968: At the beginning of June, Wallace’s reformed ideas on Segregation begin to haunt him. He begins loosing traction in the Deep South.  And then on June 6, tragedy strikes the campaign, when Robert F. Kennedy is killed shortly after winning the California primary. The county is in shock once again. Wallace, who was loathed by Kennedy, says in a speech the next day, “Our country needs help. Nineteen sixty-eight has not been a good year for America, but on January 20th, 1969, when I take the oath of office, America will begin the healing process!”

On the Democratic side, Hubert Humphrey is fighting Gene McCarthy. Both have an even number of delegates, and McCarthy says he’ll take his campaign to the Convention and to November. Many are beginning to worry he might launch a third party candidacy, creating a three-way spilt in the party.

June 17, 1968 Poll
Nixon   33%
Dem.   29%
Wallace   28%
Unsure   10%

These new poll numbers are very shocking, Wallace is behind any Democrat by just one point,  and Nixon only has a four point lead. It looks like the 10% undecided are the people who are going to decided this election.

[Historico]

I can't believe Im actually rooting for George Wallace...This is scary lol, Maybe a last minute debate could seal the deal for Wallace in such a tight election...Keep it comming

[War on Want]

This is as close as Wallace could come to the presidency and this is with McCarthy as the nominee:

[Historico]

So when can we expect the next installment Barnes?

[Barnes]

So when can we expect the next installment Barnes?

Sorry about lagging in updates, probabbly the next one will be Sunday Night or Monday Morning/Afternoon. Thanks for the interest!