Talk Elections

President Lyndon Johnson, who was expected to triumph easily over token opposition in New Hampshire, has instead lost 45%-47% to Eugene McCarthy, the insurgent anti-war Senator from Minnesota. This is a huge victory for Eugene McCarthy, and is a severe blow to President Johnson. There is some good news for the President, in that it was a very narrow victory, but that will do little to check the sky high momentum of Senator McCarthy. President Johnson will have little time to campaign himself between the various crises facing the nation and his own poor health. One has to wonder what Senator Robert Kennedy (who has hitherto denied any interest in the office his brother once held) is thinking at this moment. Will he run himself? Will he endorse McCarthy in order to present a united front against the President, with whom he has an infamous blood feud? Will he stay out of it all together? These next few weeks will be very telling as to who the nominee of the Democratic Party, and potentially the President, will be.

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Senator McCarthy: My Friends, tonight we sent a message to the big city bosses. Tonight we sent a message to President Johnson. Tonight we sent a message to the Democratic Party. Tonight, we sent a message to the world! That message is that there must be Peace in Israel! That message is that we can pursue a peaceful foreign policy! That message is that every citizen is entitled to health care! That message is that every American has a right to adequate housing! And most importantly, that message is that we should commit our energy and muster not to the war in Vietnam, but to the war on Poverty!

This is the message that will carry us to the Presidency, and this is the message that will change America forever! To the volunteers that give countless hours to help our campaign, without whom this victory would not be possible, I cannot thank you enough. My friends, I shall repay your efforts a thousand times over! Goodnight dear friends, and keep fighting the good fight!

http://www.azquotes.com/author/20543-Eugene_McCarthy

I recommend finding a more cerebral tone for future speeches, as McCarthy managed to be decidedly cerebral while shifting towards passionate speech.

By cerebral, do you mean calm? (I tried looking up what a cerebral tone was, but I could not find anything).


Do you mean he started out more calm, then became very passionate at the end of the speech? If so, that is what I was going for with the speech, did it not show through the post?

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When Senator Eugene McCarthy launched his campaign, he did not seek to become President himself, but rather to pressure Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic Party into opposing the Vietnam War. In yesterday's speech, he seems to have changed the goal of his candidacy from changing the President's stance on the war, to becoming President himself. This is a major development in the Democratic field, as now McCarthy does not have to worry about harming Lyndon Johnson's re-election chances, and is free to berate the President to his heart's desire.

Even with all the momentum generated for Senator Eugene McCarthy's campaign after his stunning victory over President Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire primary, there is still something that keeps Senator McCarthy up at night. That something is a potential Robert Kennedy presidential run. Such a run would split the Anti-LBJ vote, and some argue that this split would allow the President to run up the middle and nab the nomination. For his part, Senator Kennedy has not commented on whether he has changed his mind on running since Johnson's loss in New Hampshire.

The following exchange took place between a reporter and Senator Robert Kennedy earlier today:

Reporter: Senator, there is much speculation in the press about you potentially running for President after the President's defeat in the New Hampshire primary. Your thoughts?

Kennedy: Well, the press can speculate if they wish, but my primary concern right now is serving the people of New York in the United States Senate

Reporter: Senator, let me ask you straight up, are you or are you not running for President of the United States?

Kennedy: No Comment

He was always rather intelligent in speech, and his words weren't angry - they were usually rather intellectual, but in such a way that it inspired hope rather than dullness.

Here's a pretty good example:
http://www.speeches-usa.com/Transcripts/eugene_mccarthy-vietnam.html

I see. I'll try, but it might sound a little pretentious at times.

Senator Kennedy: Hello, who is this?

Senator Ted Kennedy: Hello, Brother O Mine.

RFK: Ted? Is everything alright?

Ted Kennedy: Oh yes, everything is quite fine, but I have a very important question to ask you.

RFK: And what would that be?

Ted Kennedy: I'm sure you've read the speculation in the press about you making a run for the
White House.

Ted Kennedy: My question to you is, are you running or not? Don't worry about it leaking to the press, I wouldn't do that, I just want to know, as your brother, on a human level, whether you are running for the Presidency or not.

RFK: Ted, I really have on clue what I will do. Part of my wants to strike while the Iron is hot, and make a run in light of Johnson's recent weakness. But then, I am a man of 42 years, I will have many chances to run for President, and if it comes down to picking between a President McCarthy or a President Johnson, President McCarthy has my support every single time. Really, it all comes down to if McCarthy can defeat Johnson or not. If he can, he has my full support, I would give a great deal to see him elected and I will not enter the race. If he cannot, then I will make the much speculated run for the Presidency. Whether he can defeat the President or not will be revealed in the coming days and weeks. Until such time that I can determine he can or cannot defeat the President, my position remains, "no comment".

In the first 2 Democratic Primaries, the sitting Democratic President now has 2 losses. Eugene McCarthy has triumphed 53-42 over President Lyndon Johnson in the Wisconsin Democratic Primary. This victory further undermines the President, and greatly helps McCarthy in his quest for the Democratic nomination. McCarthy now has even more momentum then he did before, which was already very high coming off his victory in New Hampshire. This loss is a very big worry for the President, because it is now apparent McCarthy's constant attacks on LBJ's Vietnam policy have paid dividends, and the President cannot simply disown a policy he has championed for 3 years, and because of that, McCarthy winning the nomination is now a serious possibility.


It is now clear the President must do something drastic if he wants to stop this bleeding among the Democratic coalition over the War, but what that "something" is is not yet clear.

                 

At a McCarthy rally held in Los Angeles this morning after Senator McCarthy's victory over President Johnson in Wisconsin, Senator Robert Kennedy has stated his "full and complete support" is behind Eugene McCarthy.



At the rally, Senator Kennedy made the following Comments:
Kennedy: In recent weeks, many a journalist has speculated and wondered if I would enter my name into consideration for the office of President of the United States. To these journalists, who may be puzzled as to why I did not throw my hat in the ring, I say that this election is not about me, or Senator McCarthy, or President Johnson. This election is about who will end the bombing in Vietnam, and bring our troops home. And on that issue, I have complete trust in Senator McCarthy to do the right thing! It is for this reason that Senator McCarthy has my full and complete support.

Near the end of the speech, Senator Kennedy promised to do whatever he could to elect McCarthy
Kennedy: I know that the thousands who volunteered to help the campaign of Senator McCarthy have played a very important role in Senator McCarthy's success up til now. My friends, your ranks have been joined. I promise, that I, my family, and my associates will do whatever we can to make President McCarthy a reality!

This is the biggest development in the Democratic primary since McCarthy's victory in New Hampshire. This will almost certainly increase support greatly for McCarthy among Catholics, Ethnic Minorities, and The Poor, making McCarthy an even stronger candidate against the President. Some are even going so far as to bestow the title of front-runner on Senator McCarthy. You can see where those people are coming from, as with each passing day the prospect of a McCarthy nomination looks more and more likely.

 



McCarthy: Could I ask you a question, Senator?

Kennedy: Go ahead.

McCarthy: Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no complaints about you endorsing me, but just out of curiosity, why? You could have run yourself, and I'm sure you are well aware of that, but instead you endorsed me. Why?

Kennedy: I am 42 years old, I have until 1980 if not later to run for the Presidency, but I have only this one cycle to knock off Johnson. The reason why I waited until now to endorse you, is that I wanted to see if you could defeat the President. If I concluded that you could defeat him, as I did, then you would have my full support, and I would do whatever I could to defeat the President. If I concluded that you could not defeat the President, then I would jump in the race and do whatever I could to defeat the President.

McCarthy: So, you viewed getting rid of Johnson as more important then becoming President yourself?

Kennedy: I don't think of it like that. I think that, at this point, if I jumped in, you and I would split the anti-LBJ vote, the President would run up the middle, and we would be back at square one. I endorsed you because I saw your campaign as the best vehicle to defeat President Johnson.

McCarthy: Well it's certainty good to hear that you believe in my campaign.

McCarthy '68!

If you don't mind me asking, do you like the TL so far?

2 days ago, civil rights activist Martin Luther King stopped in Memphis to support black sanitation workers striking against perceived systemic racism and poor working conditions. King give a speech supporting the workers that is being called the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. In the speech he spoke of the 1958 incident when he was stabbed and would have died if he did so much as sneeze and the kind letters he received, as well as laying out what he would not have accomplished had he sneezed.

Near the end of the speech, King addressed the subject of him potentially suffering an early death, saying of it:

"And they were telling me --. Now, it doesn't matter, now. It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."

And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!"


Indeed for years, Mr. King has dealt with death threats wherever he went, but these would be assassins never did succeed and he went on living for a little while longer, and, at least for now with the would be assassins again failing to materalize, he will continue to live a little while longer.

Before I go on, I'd just like to know, how many people would like to see this timeline go on?

I totally would.

Its Excellent. There isn't alot of timelines that use Eugene McCarthy in it and especially not alot where he becomes president. Please go on.

Johnson: Humphrey, there is something I must tell you. If that son of a b**** McCarthy wins Pennsylvania, and it looks like there is a real chance of that happening, I will drop out. Should that happen, it is your duty to enter the race. On my part I will do whatever I can to make sure you and not that f***** win the nomination. This does not mean I will not contest Pennsylvania, but it does mean you should be on "standby" if you know what I mean. You understand?

Humphrey: Yes, Mr. President

Ahead of the Pennsylvania primary on April 23rd, Eugene McCarthy held a rally in Philadelphia where he slammed Lyndon Johnson saying that he had strayed from he vision of Democrats like Adlai Stevenson and John F. Kennedy and said that his message was not only a message of fear, but a message of fear of fear.


Specifically, he said this
McCarthy: Those of us who are gathered here tonight are not advocating peace at any price. We are willing to pay a high price for peace-- for an honorable, rational, and political solution to this war, a solution which wills enhance our world position, which will permit us to give the necessary attention to our other commitments abroad, both military and nonmilitary, and leave us with both human and physical resources and with moral energy to deal effectively with the pressing domestic problems of the United States itself.
I see little evidence that the administration has set any limits on the price which it will pay for a military victory which becomes less and less sure and more hollow and empty in promise.
The scriptural promise of the good life is one in which the old men see visions and the young men dream dreams. In the context of this war and all of its implications, the young men of America do not dream dreams, but many live in the nightmare of moral anxiety, of concern and great apprehension; and the old men, instead of visions which they can offer to the young, are projecting, in the language of the secretary of state, a specter of one billion Chinese threatening the peace and safety of the world-- a frightening and intimidating future.
The message from the administration today is a message of apprehension a message of fear, yes-- even a message of fear of fear.
This is not the real spirit of America. I do not believe that it is. This is a time to test the mood and spirit:
To offer in place of doubt-- trust.
In place of expediency-- right judgment.
In place of ghettos, let us have neighborhoods and communities.
In place of incredibility-- integrity.
In place of murmuring, let us have clear speech; let us again hear America singing.
In place of disunity, let us have dedication of purpose.
In place of near despair let us have hope.
This is the promise of greatness which was seated for us by Adlai Stevenson and which was brought to form and positive action in the words and actions of John Kennedy
Let us pick up again these lost strands and weave them again into the fabric of America.

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President Johnson, despite his poor health held a rally in Pittsburgh yesterday. At this rally, he gave a speech boasting of his accomplishments like the Civil Rights Act, The Voting Rights act, Medicare, Student Loans and Medicaid, and the whole of the Great Society. He said he would continue to push for the Great Society, specifically saying that "The Great Society is Great. But the Great society must be kept Great, and is I, not McCarthy or Nixon who is capable of doing that".

Just when you thought Johnson couldn't sink any lower, he does. McCarthy has won the Pennsylvania Democratic primary 61-37. It's hard to put into words how bad this primary has gone for the President. I'm struggling just trying to imagine a comparable situation from history. Look, let's be real here, you already know Johnson is struggling. The Question now is, will he Drop out in favor of someone who will push for policies identical to the ones he himself has pushed? Or will he stay in the race, being the stubborn individual he is? Only time can tell.

Johnson: The hell do you mean you won't enter the race?

Humphrey: Mr. President, I told you 3 years ago that we should keep Vietnam from escalating. I told you it would turn into the Korean War all over again. I told you that it was completely within in your ability to stop this mess before it started. I told you it would damage the public's trust in your Presidency. I told you your party would turn against you. But you didn't listen to me, did you? And now, we see that I am vindicated. Mr. President, you didn't listen to me then, and I see no good reason to listen to you now. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go.

Go Johnson!!! Does another Establishment candidate decide to enter?

You'll have to wait and see.

Also, a Republican from Tennessee supporting Lyndon Johnson? That's something you don't see everyday.

President Johnson collapsed at a rally in Albany yesterday, and was immediately rushed to hospital. Doctors say he is in serious condition. For the time being, Vice President Humphrey has taken the role of Acting President.

From a hospital bed at St. Peters Hospital in Albany, New York, President Johnson announced he was no longer a candidate for re-election. He said that "On the advice of the helpful medical staff here at St. Peters Hospital, and on the advice of my wife, I have decided to withdraw myself as a candidate for re-election as President. I will continue to defend the great society, and I will continue to serve as President until my term expires on January 20th of next year".

With no other major candidate in the race on the ballot, Eugene McCarthy has, as expected, won the Massachusetts Democratic Primary easily, taking the state 97-3.

Blair Clark: Oh god Johnson dropped out, oh dear lord this is terrible.

McCarthy: What are you talking about? We just unseated a sitting President, how on earth is that a bad thing?

Clark: Don't you remember? When Kennedy endorsed us, he did it because he thought we were the best campaign to defeat Johnson. And so long as Johnson was in the race, he had an incentive not to jump in the race. But that incentive is gone now, which means he could jump in the race and not have to worry about splitting the anti-LBJ vote, and should he do that, because he opposes the war. we will have a much harder time attacking Kennedy then we did attacking Johnson.

McCarthy: By God you're right! Well, is there anything we can do about this, to make sure Kennedy doesn't jump in?

Clark: Nothing that guarantees he'll stay out, but, should he show any interest in running, we could try offering him a cabinet post and support in the next primary. But our best shot of keeping Kennedy out of the race, is A) Hoping Kennedy doesn't notice this change in incentive structure and hoping no one close to him notices and then notifies him or B) Hoping Another establishment candidate jumps in, therefore he will have an incentive to not run for fear of splitting the anti-Proto LBJ vote.

McCarthy: I notice that both of these options are completely out of our own control.

Clark: Indeed they are, but it's not like we have any better choices.

Vice President Humphrey was questioned by a journalist  yesterday about whether he has any plans to run for President following the President's withdrawal. He responded in the Negative, saying "I have absolutely no interest in running for President".

At a Rally held in Chicago, Senator Eugene McCarthy pledged to "win the final struggle against poverty", and said that poverty can only be won through a constant struggle, rather then a war.

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McCarthy: John Kennedy set free the spirit of America. The honest optimism was released. Quiet courage and civility became the mark of American government, and new programs of promise and of dedication were presented: the Peace Corps, the Alliance for Progress, the promise of equal rights for all Americans-- and not just the promise but the beginning of the achievement of that promise.
All the world looked to the United States with new hope, for here was youth and confidence and an openness to the future. Here was a country not being held by the dead hand of the past, nor frightened by the violent hand of the future which was grasping at the world.
This was the spirit of 1963.
What is the spirit of 1968? What is the mood of America and of the world toward America today?
It is a joyless spirit-- a mood of frustration, of anxiety, of uncertainty.
In place of the enthusiasm of the Peace Corps among the young people of America, we have protests and demonstrations.
In place of the enthusiasm of the Alliance for Progress, we have distrust and disappointment.
Instead of the language of promise and of hope, we have in politics today a new vocabulary in which the critical word is "war": war on poverty, war on ignorance, war on crime, war on pollution. Poverty ignorance, crime and pollution can be defeated not through warfare. They can be defeated only through constant and daily struggle. They can be defeated by the American community coming together to provide adequate healthcare and housing to all. Only through these means can the poverty, ignorance, crime and pollution be ended once and for all. Should I be elected, my administration shall commit it's total energy to eliminating these social ills, including winning the final struggle against poverty.

Eugene McCarthy has won the state of Indiana 57-43 over favorite son Governor Roger D. Branigin, while in Ohio, favorite son Senator Stephen Young was the only candidate on the ballot and took the state 99-1.

Since the beginning of the Democratic primaries, Senator Eugene McCarthy has, through a series of convincing wins, acquired an aura of invincibility, and his victory in Indiana did nothing to disturb that aura.  


The big question of the Democratic primary now is, can a McCarthy nomination be stopped?
The Nebraska Democratic primary (where Senator McCarthy is expected to win easily) is in 4 days. Should there be an upset there, then the odds of a McCarthy nomination will diminish greatly but that likely won't happen. The real test comes on May 28th, when Oregon and Florida vote. McCarthy is heavily favored in Oregon, but in Florida he is locked in a very tight race with favorite son Senator George Smathers. Should Smathers win Florida, then there is still a chance for a anti-McCarthy candidate to take the nomination at the convention. But, should McCarthy win Florida, and follow it up with expected wins in the remaining states of California, New Jersey, South Dakota, and Illinois, then the a McCarthy nomination is all but guaranteed. So, on May 28th, keep an eye on Florida, for it could determine the next Democratic nominee.

Senator Eugene McCarthy has easily won the Nebraska Democratic primary 78-19, with the only opposition coming from write-ins.

Announcer: This is a CBS News special report on the Oregon and Florida primaries. Here is Walter Cronkite.


Cronkite: Good evening. At 6:30 PM on the east coast, the polls have just closed in the Florida and Oregon Presidential primaries and a special CBS News survey of voters leaving the polling places indicates that Senator Eugene McCarthy has a big lead in Oregon with almost 80% of the vote. He has no opposition in Oregon and currently holds 77% of the vote. In Florida, there is a neck and neck battle between Senator McCarthy and Senator Smathers, with both of them just below 50%. Now, to the Campaign HQ's of McCarthy and Smathers. First, we cut to Roger Mudd, who is at McCarthy campaign headquarters. Roger, what's the mood like over there?

Mudd: The people here are feeling a whole lot of cautious optimism after you announced that McCarthy had a big lead in Oregon, they're happy about that, but of course they know that the important race is happening in Florida, and there are some nerves in the room about the fact that it is a very tight race there, it could go either way, and a lot of people are worried that it won't go McCarthy's way. It's a much different mood from 2 weeks ago when everyone was cheering on McCarthy's landslide in Nebraska, that's for sure.

Cronkite: Now to David Dick at Smathers headquarters. What's the mood like over there David?

Dick: I will say a lot of people here feel a mood of excitement, they have heard the news of a very tight race in Florida, but they feel the home state advantage will be enough for Senator Smathers to carry Florida. Back to you, Walter

Cronkite: We'll be back very soon, but first, a word from our sponsors.

Cronkite: We have a call to make. CBS Evening News projects that Senator McCarthy will win the Oregon Presidential primaries. CBS Projects that when all the votes are counted, the results will be 78% for McCarthy, and 21% of the vote will go to write ins. That is no surprise, Senator McCarthy was expected to triumph easily and he has. I would like to go back to Roger Mudd at McCarthy campaign headquarters. Roger, how is the mood at McCarthy headquarters?

Mudd: Well the crowd does feel a lot better then a few minutes ago, there is some cheering going on, but they are still worried about Florida, they know that's the big fish in the pond.

Damn, I actually meant McCarthy 😂😂😂 and I'm more of a Libertarian so that's why it even makes less sense now 😂 But amazing TL!!!!

McCarthy!!!

Thank you so much.

Cronkite: We have a major call to make. CBS Evening News projects that Senator Eugene McCarthy will win the state of Flordia's Presidential primaries. We project that when all the votes are counted, Senator McCarthy will win 49-48 over Senator Smathers. And like that, McCarthy has all but secured the Democratic Nomination for President. I would like to go, once again to Roger Mudd at McCarthy campaign headquarters. Roger, what's the mood like over there?

Mudd: The people here are euphoric, they were worried about potentially losing Florida, they have not lost Florida and they are celebrating a hard fought victory. And Remember Walter, a lot of these people, when they first started supporting McCarthy, they thought it was impossible for McCarthy himself to get the nomination, and now they stand on the verge of doing just that.

Eugene McCarthy greatly increased his already great odds of winning the Democratic nomination yesterday by winning the States of Oregon 78-21 and Florida 49-48. Should McCarthy follow up these wins with wins in the last four states of California, South Dakota, New Jersey and Illinois, (he is favored in all 4 of those states) then a McCarthy nomination becomes, in my view, an inevitability.

Ted Kennedy: I'm sure you're well aware that you can run now without having to worry about splitting the Anti-LBJ vote, so why don't you run?

RFK: Well yes, I could run, but how? It's too late to get onto any ballots, and I don't have any favorite sons who will stand in for me. Besides, I was hoping to get a cabinet post, and I don't think McCarthy will name to a high position should I enter the race after endorsing him.

Eugene McCarthy, who by now has surely won himself the Democratic nomination, yesterday won the primaries in California, New Jersey and South Dakota. He won California 63-36 over favorite son Thomas Lynch, New Jersey 79-15, and South Dakota 66-33. The importance of these wins cannot be overstated, because with these wins, as much as they despise him, the "establishment" of the party will most likely not attempt to steal the nomination because they are well aware that if they do, the party will suffer a massive split the likes of which have not been seen in American politics seen since the Whig party dissolved over the slavery issue.

Little known Senator Henry Jackson (D-WA), nicknamed Scoop Jackson, has entered his name into contention for the Democratic nomination. In his announcement speech, he said "America needs new leadership, but frankly, the options our great nation has right now I feel, are not adequate. This is why I am announcing today, that I am running for President. This administration, despite it's success on the domestic front, has not done enough to contain the communist threat. We need to win in Vietnam. We simply cannot allow Communism to spread even an inch further. And contrary to popular belief, the War in Vietnam is not only a necessary war, it is a just war, a noble chapter in our struggle against the red menace. The war in Vietnam is not only winnable, it will be won under a Scoop Jackson administration. Under a Scoop Jackson administration, protecting unions and the environment will be at the top of the agenda. Under a Scoop Jackson administration, Americans could sleep safe tight at night not having to worry about being excessive healthcare costs, about exploitation in the work place, or the threat to freedom we call Communism " He has said he would compete as a write in candidate in the Illinois primary, and even if he loses in Illinois, that he would take it to Chicago and try to win the nomination at the convention.

Senator Scoop Jackson announced that he was running President yesterday because, in his view, "America needs new leadership". He sat down and talked to us about his policy views, his views on the other candidates in the race for President and his plan for America.

Reporter: First, I would like to thank you for being with us.

Jackson: You're very welcome.

Reporter: A lot of people, including Senator McCarthy are saying that electing you is effectively 4 more years of Lyndon Johnson, that are for business as usual and that you offer no new direction for America. What do you say to these people?

Jackson: I have nothing to say to these people other than that they are very badly mistaken. Should I be elected, I will take a completely different view on our foreign policy, and the Vietnam conflict in particular. You see, President Johnson was timid, when he entered the war, he didn't really believe in it, he fought the war simply because he was wary of being attacked by the Republicans for being soft on Communism. But, I completely believe in this war, and I would do whatever it takes to win in Vietnam.

Reporter: Does that mean you would increase troop deployment if General Westmoreland asked for it?

Jackson: Absolutely.

Reporter: So, in March, when General Westmoreland requested for 206,000 more troops, had you been in Lyndon Johnson's shoes, you would've granted that request?

Jackson: Absolutely.

Reporter: But Americans think sending troops to Vietnam was a mistake by a 51-38 margin. With public opinion being the way it is, how can you argue for more troops?

Jackson: The reason public opinion is against the war in Vietnam, is because they have been led to believe the war is unwinnable. That could not be further from the truth. As I said yesterday, this war is winnable, and it will won under a Scoop Jackson administration.

Reporter: But Senator, a lot of people oppose the war on Moral grounds, they see things like the My Lai massacre, and they say "We shouldn't be involved in Vietnam, why did we enter anyway? Who cares what happens in Vietnam.". What do you say to these people?

Jackson: If we don't commit to fighting Communism in Vietnam, then where? Thailand? India? Cambodia? Bangladesh? Indonesia? Burma? Where do we draw the line? I'll tell you where, we draw it at stopping Communism from spreading even an inch further, and under a President Scoop Jackson, the United States will commit it's total energy to stopping the spread of Communism by any means necessary, and if that means increasing troops numbers in Vietnam, then so be it.

When Senator Henry Jackson talked to the Chicago Tribune yesterday, he was presented with an opportunity. He had a chance to make a good first impression among Democratic primary voters. He promptly took this opportunity, threw it into the ocean and instead left a first impression that he was something like a cross between Joseph McCarthy and William Westmoreland. Such an impression is, obviously, a very bad impression to leave. Post Interview polling has Eugene McCarthy in the high 80's in Illinois. If Senator McCarthy's nomination was not secure after his victories on June 4th, it is now.

Despite initially being competitive in the state, Senator Scoop Jackson's poll numbers dropped like a rock after his interview with the Chicago Tribune, and he has lost the state 81-19 to Eugene McCarthy.

Richard J. Daley: Mr. President, I need to know something.

LBJ: And what would that be?

Daley: You've read in the press that a McCarthy nomination is "inevitable"?

LBJ: Unfortunately.

Daley: So what's the memo? How do we deal with McCarthy?

LBJ: McCarthy will win the Nomination at the convention. After that, he is on his own.

Daley: But Mr. President, he spent the entire primary season attacking you, and now you give him your support?

LBJ: Who said anything about supporting him? He'll win the nomination, I'll give an endorsement through gritted teeth, then I won't move a muscle to help him. You understand?

Daley: Yes Mr. President.

Eugene McCarthy seems likely to pick Terry Sanford, George Smathers, Stuart Symington, or Ramsey Clark - Kennedy allies who will win over former Truman, Kefauver, Stevenson, Brown, and Kennedy supporters. Of those, I suppose I'd prefer Symington.

I don't think McCarthy would pick Smathers considering he just ran against him in Florida, and McCarthy was known to hold grudges.

Please Give A Warm Welcome to the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States, Senator Eugene McCarthy!

Ladies and Gentlemen. Fellow Americans. Fellow Democrats. Delegates to the Convention.

When I launched my campaign for the Presidency on November 30th of last year, I didn't do it for lust for power. I did it for one reason and one reason only, and that reason was so the immoral, unjust, illegal and unpopular War in Vietnam be brought to end. I was under no illusions, I knew full well that pressuring President Johnson into taking the moral stance on the war was all I my campaign was capable of, and that claiming the title of Democratic Nomination for President was out of my reach. Yet today, I stand here with holding that very title. It was not through sheer luck that I gained this title, nor was it through some brilliance of my person. It was, along with other factors, through the hard work, determination and smarts of the many volunteers who gave their time to send a message that they had had enough, and the time to end the War in Vietnam was now. To these volunteers, I want to say that I am forever grateful for your service, and without you, I would be standing here as Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, rather then Democratic Nominee for President of the United States Eugene McCarthy.

When it comes to the many issues of this election, the foremost is this: Who will bring our troops home and reach a peace in Vietnam?
Richard Nixon (or shall I say the "New Nixon"?) wants you to believe it is he who will do this, but you mustn't be fooled. Richard Nixon is a man who established himself on the national stage as a Cold War Warrior. Richard Nixon is a man who was always up for a fight, always up for using American muscle where it wasn't needed, yet this same Richard Nixon wants us to believe that he will go against everything he has stood for his entire career and bring our troops home? I think not. It is simply one of Tricky Dick's many Tricks, and I know the American people will not fall for it.

And when confronted with his record of Warmongering, Richard Nixon deflects, and says "You must vote for me because I am "Tough on Crime" and Senator McCarthy is not". No Mr. Nixon, I am tough on crime, I am tough on the causes of crime, what you are is tough on criminals, tough on people. What you are doing is taking Christopher from Suburban Detriot, putting him in an environment where he is exposed to hardened criminals and thereby turning this boy into such a hardened criminal himself. That, Mr. Nixon, is no way to reduce crime. What I am doing is taking Christopher from Suburban Detriot, making sure he stays away from hardened street criminals, turning him into a hard working and honest American, and making sure he and every American live a prosperous, happy and secure life.

On the unfortunate subject of Poverty in America I must say that there is much more then the acceptable level (which is to say, none). President Johnson, despite his failing on the foreign front, has done admirable work on this issue and I shall keep in place his policies against poverty, and indeed expand them. I will work with the United States Congress to make sure that every American, no matter their Age, Gender, Race, or Income, will have access to quality housing, healthcare and education. I will call this "The Struggle against Poverty".

If I could bring back the topic if my campaign, I want to say this: With all the respect I do have for the many volunteers who gave their time to my campaign, there was another factor in getting me this far. It was not simply my volunteers who got me here or who won me victories in every state primary where I was on the ballot. There was also a poplar current, a wind pushing me over the finishing line. And not just any wind, but the Winds of Change. Only this wind, along with your support, will carry me over the finishing line in November.

Despite the Problems with America, I still have tremendous faith in America's spirit, and great hope in it's future, and it is with this hope that I accept your nomination for President of the United States!

My Fellow Americans, Thank You, Thank You very much, and See You in November!

Blair Clark: Very Nice Speech, that was very captivating

Eugene McCarthy: Thank you, it's very nice to hear that from a campaign manager.

Clark: You're very welcome. Now, you've got yourself the nomination, and we must now pick ourselves a Vice President. I suggest we start by writing up a short list and then choosing fro-

McCarthy: That won't be necessary. I've known who I was going to pick ever since Jackson gave that interview to the Chicago Tribune.

Clark: And who is that?

Eugene McCarthy announced earlier today at the Democratic National Convention that his running mate for the General Election will be Former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford.


Because McCarthy did not signal his choices for Vice President prior to the Convention, most observers were completely in the dark as to who McCarthy will pick, and were unsure what McCarthy was looking for in a Vice President. With this pick, it seems that McCarthy was going for regional and religious balance (Sanford, a Southern Protestant balances well with McCarthy, a Northern Catholic, though the two agree on most political issues) as well as Party unity (Sanford was a very close ally of Former President John F. Kennedy and is a close friend of Vice President Hubert Humphrey). Whether this pick will help or hurt McCarthy's campaign will be determined in the coming weeks and months.
So there we have it. The General Election will be contested between the tickets of McCarthy/Sanford, Nixon/Agnew and Wallace/LeMay.

Does anyone still care about this? There haven't been too many comments and I have to assume that is because no one is interested. I do like writing this TL, but I don't want to write a TL that nobody reads.

I really like it! Please continue

I find that comments aren't a good gauge of interest. Plenty of well-established timelines have had dry spells in the comments.

I, for one, am hugely interested.

When the Democratic National Convention began 4 days ago, there was fear among party leaders that the Convention would be a disaster, that the party would undergo a massive split and Senator McCarthy would alienate large segments of the general populace, and that there would be violent confrontations between McCarthy supporters and Chicago police. Contrary to these fears, there was no massive split in the Party, in fact the party is probably more unified coming out of the convention then it was going into it. And far from alienating large segments of the public, McCarthy's acceptance speech was very well received and has given his campaign legitimacy in the eyes of most Americans, and bumped him up in the polls several points. Now, there was violence on the streets, but no more then what typically happens when a large crowd gathers in a small space, and certainly not enough to damage McCarty's general election prospects.

It's great to hear that you like the TL, but you should leave a comment some time.

When Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau attracted roaring crowds and packed stadiums after being sworn in earlier this year, his popularity was given the moniker of "Trudeaumania". If so, then let Eugene McCarthy's current popularity be called "McCarthymania". Everywhere the Senator goes, cheering crowds and packed stadiums follow, and the latest Gallup Poll has him up 45-38-15 over Richard Nixon and George Wallace. He even remarked to a particularity loud rally crowd in Madison Square Garden yesterday that "Keep up this noise and I will be America's first deaf President".

Of course, there is every possibility that this spat of popularity is nothing but a typical convention bounce, and that this article will look silly in 2 months time, but for the time being, Eugene McCarthy is one happy camper.

At a Milwaukee press conference yesterday, Senator Eugene McCarthy said that he would withdraw American troops from Vietnam as "One of my Very First Acts in Office". He also said that he would reach a peace agreement by July 1969, or, as McCarthy put "I will Reach a Peace Agreement in my first 6 Months in Office". Admittedly, McCarthy being a dove is not a shocking revelation, but it is interesting to see how Richard Nixon will respond.

The Presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon and Eugene McCarthy have agreed to hold a Presidential Debate. The details thus far have been sparse, all we know right now is that the Debate will be held in St. Louis, Missouri on October 17th, and that George Wallace will not be attending. Still, this is a major development in the campaign, and in a race as tight as this one, the debate will go a long way to determining who the next President will be.

Great updates. Curious to see what happens in the debate.

Great to see you like them! Next Update should be up soon.

Why is America in it's current crises? Why are Americans being sent to die on distant battlefields? Why do we hear sirens in the night? Why do Americans live in fear of crime? All of these things are the Democratic Party's doing. While America was descending into it's current state, the Democratic Party held the Presidency. The Democratic Party held the House. The Democratic Party held the Senate. It is the Democratic Party that got us into our current mess, and caused all these problems. And what is Senator McCarthy's solution to these problems the Democrats created? Electing another Democrat! He thinks the solution is more of the problem! America needs new leadership! McCarthy is more of the same, he was LBJ's lapdog in the Senate, and he wants the American people to believe that he will bring change? I think not, Senator McCarthy. Look folks, the truth is this, electing McCarthy is almost identical to giving Lyndon Johnson another Presidential term, and believe you me, he's done enough damage in one term. Only I can provide America with the leadership it needs to restore law and order to it's cities streets, and to win in Vietnam, and that is why you must elect me to be the next President come November.

Interested to see what McCarthy's opening statement will be.

As reported by the New York Times, one month ago Senator Eugene McCarthy had a comfortable lead over Richard Nixon, with Gallup having him up 8 points over Richard Nixon. However, over the course of September, McCarthy's once comfortable lead has turned into a dogfight of a Presidential race. Gallup's latest poll, released yesterday has McCarthy holding only a very narrow 43-40-15 lead over Richard Nixon, down from a 45-38-15 lead from a month ago. There are many reasons for this, but the main reason is that Richard Nixon run a quite good campaign in September, and has been on message (as can be seen in his speech in Columbus from a few days ago), whereas Senator McCarthy, despite not running a bad campaign by any means, has been a bit lackluster on the campaign trail. Still, McCarthy is still in the lead, and the debate will provide a good chance for him to retake his once dominant lead in the polls.

Hugely interesting. I will be staying tuned for future updates.

Throughout his career, there was nothing Richard Nixon wouldn't say if it got him more votes. In the 1950's, when, dare I say it, "McCarthyism" was at it's peak, Richard Nixon was always there to defend Senator Joe. It was only after the Joe was exposed as the fraud he was, and when Richard Nixon deemed it better for his electoral prospects that he spoke out against Joe McCarthy. In 1954, when the nation was in a panic after the French withdrawal from Vietnam, Richard Nixon said "What is to be done? For one, the problem is not one of materials and wasn't four months ago. More men are needed and the question is where to get them. The United States as a leader of the free world cannot afford further retreat in Asia, the Administration must face up to the situation and dispatch forces." So you can see, Richard Nixon was not only a supporter of sending troops to Vietnam (until he determined he could get more votes by changing his view, that is) he gave birth to the idea. And now, this same Richard Nixon wants us to believe he will bring our troops home, after himself coming up with the idea to send him there? I think not. The only reason Richard Nixon says he will bring the troops home is because he has seen the political winds, but he doesn't believe it for a second. The truth of the matter is, Richard Nixon is a war hawk, who will not bring our troops home, all he is doing when he says he wishes to bring the troops home is living up to his title of "Tricky Dick".

Thank you so much for the kind words.

Who are their running mates?

McCarthy picked Former North Carolina Governor and top JFK ally Terry Sanford.
Nixon picked Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew.
Wallace picked former General Curtis Lemay.

With less then 24 hours until the debate, the latest Gallup polling gives Senator McCarthy a 5 point lead over Richard Nixon and George Wallace, with McCarthy holding 44 percent of the vote, Nixon holding 39 percent and Wallace holding 15 percent. This means that heading into the debate, both candidates have big opportunities ahead of them. McCarthy's opportunity is that should he win this debate, and should he win it solidly he could potentially pull away from Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon's opportunity is that if he can win this debate by a solid margin he could turn this contest into a real dogfight, like 1960 all over again but with him as the winner. Which of the 2 candidates will grab their opportunity and which will throw it into the river can only be known after the debate concludes, and many millions of Americans will be keenly watching tomorrow evening, including us here at the Times.

Good Evening. I am Howard K. Smith. Tonight I come to you from St. Louis, Missouri, and I bring to you a very special occasion: A Presidential Debate between the Democratic Nominee Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota and Republican Nominee Former Vice President Richard Nixon of California. Governor George Wallace will not be attending. Both candidates will make an opening statement outlining their vision and plan for America. By the luck of the draw, Richard Nixon will speak first. Mr. Vice President?

Thank you Howard. When we look at the state of our country, we see Americans afraid to walk at night. We see Americans dying on distant battlefields. We see Americans of different races hating each other. It was not through sheer bad luck that this happened. It was 8 years of complete Democratic control of government that gave us these things. Electing another Democrat will not solve these problems anymore then hiring a criminal as the police chief will solve the crime problem. I will solve these problems. Senator McCarthy is blind to threat posed to this nation by Communism. He wishes to cut and run from Vietnam and simply let the Communists have their way. This is a terrible, terrible idea. We cannot allow the Communists to win in Vietnam. We have sent many soldiers to Vietnam, and people have died there, we cannot simply declare that all their hard work and all the sacrifices they made were in vain. I will not let the Communists win. We must bring our soldiers home, that much is true, but we must do it with peace and honor. I will turn the fight against the Viet Cong over to our allies in the South Vietnamese government, and I will use America's money, global power and influence (but not American soldiers) to make sure we win in Vietnam. I will restore law and order to our streets, so that good Americans will not have to worry when they walk with their children at night. My opponent has nothing but flowery rhetoric on this issue. I have policies. And that is this election in a nutshell, a man with a plan, against a man with words. And that is also why you should elect me to be your next President.


And your opening statement, Senator McCarthy?

I've run into a bit of a problem. My Laptop isn't working which means I have to get it fixed, which means I won't be able to update this TL for a while.

The issue with my laptop was a really small one and I have it back now. The next update to this TL should be up in a few hours.

Through all the strife this nation this nation has gone through these past few years, and through all the emotions that have run high, people tend to forget one very important thing: America is still one country, one community. God knows America has it's problems, but I believe America is more then capable of solving these issues, and of improving the lives of it's citizens. If I didn't believe that, I would have never ran for President. America might be fighting an unconstitutional war now, but that doesn't mean America cannot change. There might be poverty today, but that does not mean America cannot eradicate ghettos tomorrow. But these things cannot simply happen on their own. They must be fought for, and whichever President wishes to achieve these things must fight tooth and nail to make them a reality. I will be that President. But will Richard Nixon? I think not. Richard Nixon will not fight to eliminate ghettos, or to ensure each America will have access to quality healthcare, and this, my fellow Americans, is why you should elect me to be your next President.

This next question will be asked of both candidates, one after the other. With that in mind, Senator McCarthy, what can you say to the millions of Americans watching this debate to convince them that you have what it takes to tackle the problems that America is currently facing?


Well Howard, there is a lot of ways I could answer that question, but one sticks out in particular. The American people can count on me to always make the right decision, no matter how unpopular the right decision is. In my 10 years of service in the United State Senate, I was a staunch supporter of Civil Rights and the struggle against racism, and I strongly supported the War on Poverty which lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. And of course, even when a majority of Americans were misled into supporting the Vietnam War and when no one would have blamed me for supporting the war, I was strongly against it. Indeed I was so against I was willing look past partisanship to criticize my own party's President. In fact, I was so against it I ran against my own party's President in the primaries, even if I thought I couldn't win just to achieve the change I thought was necessary for the good of my country. I am not afraid of tough decisions, because it is in those moments the leaders are separated from the power hungry, and I have the utmost confidence that I am in the former category. My opponent on the other hand.... Well let's just say he is so afraid of tough decisions that he hasn't released one iota of information as to how he plans to bring our troops home with "peace and honor" despite that being one of the pillars of his campaign, simply because he doesn't have plan.


Vice President Nixon, you have one minute to respond to Senator McCarthy's criticisms.


It is absolutely false that I have not released information on how I plan to bring our troops home. I have said, clearly and consistently, that my plan for winning the Vietnam War consists of turning over the fight against the Viet Cong to our allies in the South Vietnamese government so that we are not risking the lives of good Americans, and then using America's influence, wealth and smarts to assure Communist defeat. Senator McCarthy would know that I had a plan to win the war if he had listened to my opening statement.


And now Vice President Nixon, I ask you the same question I asked Senator McCarthy. What can you say to the people watching this debate to convince them that you have what it takes to tackle the problems we as a country face?


America is in chaos. Cities are burning. People hate each other. The poor decision making by the Democratic Party came from their lack of experience. I said in 1960 that the President, whoever they may be must have experience, or they will make bad decisions. Suffice to say, 8 years later, I am vindicated. We cannot repeat the mistake of 1960 in 1968, by electing another inexperienced Senator with employs empty rhetoric and lacks any accomplishments. And that's another thing. For all of Senator McCarthy's talk about how he has a good record of making the right call in tough situations, what has he got to show for it? What has he accomplished? Has he balanced one budget or improved the life of even one citizen? I think not. In fact, I guarantee you that Senator McCarthy has not accomplished one thing I have not. And in the end, America does not need a President who requires on the job training, it needs a President who will create jobs. And between me an my opponent, only one of us has the experience needed to govern this country effectively, and it isn't my opponent.

Ah f***. I pressed post instead of preview, so what you see above is not the next update but only part of the next update. Using the power of the modify button I will properly update this TL very soon.

Just Delete it. We will pretend like we never saw it.

Alright, the post was edited and the real update is up.

Senator McCarthy, you have one minute to rebut Vice President Nixon's claims, should you choose to do so.


I will gladly rebut Mr. Nixon's claims. First, if Richard Nixon thinks I have not improved the life of one American, then I can introduce him to many Negro's in the south who now can now live in dignity, or many American soldiers and Vietnamese Civilians who know that peace is on the way who would disagree. Second, Richard Nixon alleges that I have not accomplished one thing, but this is not true. In fact, I can think of one major accomplishment I have under my belt, that Richard Nixon has not even come close to achieving. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Richard Nixon has never defeated a sitting President in a primary.

can you release state by state polling?

Oh... I bet that helps McCarthy with the powerful Shivercats and liberals in Texas, as both were staunchly against LBJ.

The Texas Liberals opposed LBJ? I was under the impression most Texas liberals liked LBJ, like Ralph Yarborough for example.

Not really - Johnson was unpopular in Texas, even hurting Kennedy there when he was put on the ticket. His allies, such as Connally, were mostly conservative, but even still the divide between them and the Shivercrats was factional as well as on civil rights.

Right before the election there will be a pre-election breakdown with a state-by-state breakdown.

Who's them?

Vice President Nixon, this question goes out to you. In recent weeks, Senator McCarthy has attacked you, with a good amount of success, for a statement you made in 1954 where you allegedly supported American involvement in Vietnam saying that this statement, along with the fact you started your career as a staunch anti-communist, is evidence that your opposition to President Johnson's Vietnam policy is simply a political calculation, and that you will not withdraw American soldiers from Vietnam. What do you say in response to this?


Let me clear something up. Supporting American involvement in Vietnam is not the same as supporting putting American's in harms way. We can support the fight against the Viet Cong while opposing putting boots on the ground, as I do. Second, people must understand, I did say we could potentially put troops on the ground in Vietnam, but I said we should avoid that if all possible, and that we should exhaust all other options before putting Americans in harms way. President Johnson did not exhaust all options before putting Americans in harms way, so comparing my statement to President Johnson's Vietnam policy is highly misleading. Third, I am frankly offended that Senator McCarthy believes that my concern for the well being of Americans is insincere. To anyone watching this debate, I can assure you that yes, I really do care about the well being of Americans. And Lastly, if my opponent is so concerned with purity, and thinks that anyone who ever supported American intervention in Vietnam is insincere in their opposition to President Johnson's Vietnam policy and will not withdraw American troops from Vietnam, then I would like to introduce him to one Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota. This Senator, after voting for the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and strongly supporting the President's agenda, sensed the political winds and began to criticize the same President he had supported his whole career. Clearly, this Senator is simply pulling America's collective leg, and if, purely hypothetically, he became President, he would obviously not withdraw our troops from Vietnam.

America has, in recent times, suffered an unfortunate epidemic of crime and rioting, and voters list public safety as one of the most important issues in this election. Vice President Nixon, you have made restoring law and order to the cities one of your top priorities should you be elected President. What is your plan to bring about this restoration?


I have a detailed plan to reduce crime in our cities. My plan to restore law and order to America will consist of appointing an attorney general who will uphold the law, reforming our broken courts so that criminals will be quickly sentenced, fully supporting the FBI and other Federal Agencies who fight crime, a nationwide campaign against drug trafficking, enacting legislation to keep guns out of the hands of criminals while respecting the right to bare arms, and increasing research into what causes crime so we as a nation can deal with this problem.

Frankly, Nixon is winning right now :P Great debate!

Senator McCarthy, you have consistently said that Vice President Nixon's plan to reduce crime will only increase the amount of violent criminals. Why do you think this, and what is your plan to reduce crime?


I think Richard Nixon's plan will increase crime because it will harden petty criminals. If you took someone who had got into a fist fight, and you put him a prison where he is surrounded by mobsters, then this person will learn the ins and outs of the mob, and you have effectively created another mobster. Multiply this person on a national level, and you see my problem with Richard Nixon's plan. As for my own plan, I will fight the disease, not the symptom. I will eliminate poverty so that no one is ever drawn into unorganized or organized crime.

The first Gallup polls since the Presidential debate have been released, and evidently, Nixon had a good performance, and this performance has improved his Presidential Prospects. Where as the last Gallup poll before the election had McCarthy ahead by 5 points, the latest Gallup poll had McCarthy and Nixon tied with 43% each, and gave Wallace 15% of the vote. The same poll stated that 69% of people said Nixon won the debate, 21% said McCarthy won the debate, and 10% said they didn't know.

Vice President Hubert Humphrey appeared on stage with Eugene McCarthy in Pennsylvania yesterday. He gave a speech supporting McCarthy and addressed the the labor movement, who are very fond of the Vice President but a bit anxious about Senator McCarthy, and told them they have nothing to be afraid of, and that by not enthusiastically voting for McCarthy, they would be doing a disservice to men like Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Adlai Stevenson. An Excerpt of the speech can be seen below.


"I am aware that for reasons I cannot comprehend, some of my friends in the labor movement are nervous about the prospect of a President McCarthy. They are rather worried about the behavior of some of his followers, and the radicalism of some of his speeches. I want to assure you, that you have absolutely nothing to fear, in fact not only do you have nothing to fear, you have much to look forward to under the McCarthy administration. President McCarthy will protect workers rights, he will provide quality healthcare and housing, he will fight racism, and he will end poverty, once, and for all! I would like to go back to the concerns I raised a few moments ago. It is true that there are elements of radicalism in some of the speeches my good friend gives. But you must know, there is nothing wrong with that, because after all, moderation in the pursuit of equality is no virtue."

I skipped ahead to right before the election. My apologies if you really wanted to see the rest of the campaign, but I really want to get the election over with so I can start writing about the actual Presidency of Eugene McCarthy.
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With the election less then 24 hours away, and with McCarthy and Nixon locked in a tight race (Yesterday's Gallup Poll had the 2 men tied with 42% each), both men visited crucial swing states last night. Specifically, Eugene McCarthy visited California, where he restated his promise to eliminate poverty and to negotiate a peace in Vietnam within six months of taking office, and Richard Nixon visited Wisconsin, where he restated his promise to bring law and order to the streets of the cities, and to withdraw form Vietnam with "Peace and Honor".

With the first election polls closing in a few hours, we can say the election is a tossup, Senator McCarthy and Vice President Nixon both have paths to victory, as can be seen below in our pre-election predections map:




Kentucky is not a tossup, however, it is indicative of nation trends in a separate way. If George Wallace wins Kentucky, or even comes within a few points, then that's your heads up that the Governor of Alabama is in for a good night, and that the election will almost definitely be thrown to the house. If Wallace wins Kentucky, it's not impossible for him to sweep the south, giving him 145 Electoral Votes, which might even be enough to finish 2nd if either Senator McCarthy or Vice President Nixon severely under perform. Also, in the event that McCarthy wins Kentucky, that's the first sign we are on our way to a McCarthy blowout.


These states are grouped together because they are on this list for similar reasons. Namely, that they are indicators as to whether not the union vote has by and large stuck by Senator McCarthy or not. If it has not, then any chance of Senator McCarthy winning go out the window.


Richard Nixon's campaign emphasizing law and order was designed specifically to appeal to states like New Jersey, where a large percentage of the population lives in suburbs. If he doesn't win New Jersey by several points, it's evidence that he won't be winning places like Alaska, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Missouri or Ohio, and it is almost impossible for him to be elected President without winning those states.


And of course, who could forget these states, Senator McCarthy and Vice President Nixon didn't campaign so heavily in these states for nothing, for they are what will decide the election, they will decide who the next President will be, and they are states you should watch this evening.

This is looking great!

Thanks for the kind words. The Next update should be up soon.

Good Evening. Tonight, America will elect a new president, a new leader to lead us into the New Frontier of the 1970's. On the one hand, you have Senator Eugene McCarthy, who shocked not just the nation but the world when he unseated a sitting President in a Presidential primary, and true to his anti-war credentials, he has promised to reach a Vietnam peace agreement within six months of taking office. On the other hand, you have Former Vice President Richard Nixon, a fixture of the political scene for nearly 2 decades, who won his party's nomination with ease. He has promised to win with "peace and honor" in Vietnam and to restore law and order to the city streets. And of course, you have Governor George Wallace, who is running not to win, but to throw the election to the house. Whatever happens, the next President will be a stark contrast to the current administration. Before we begin, I would like to thank you for choosing CBS News. The first polls will close momentarily, in the states of Vermont, Indiana and Kentucky.

Polls have just closed in Indiana, Vermont, and Kentucky, and CBS News is ready to make the first call of the evening. We can project that Richard Nixon will win Vermont and it's 3 Electoral Votes. Vermont is a historically very Republican state, voting Republican in every election from 1856 to 1960, even in 1912 when the Republican party was split and William Howard Taft only won 8 Electoral votes, Vermont stayed loyal to it's Republican roots. However in 1964 that changed and Vermont voted for Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater in a landslide. It returns to it's roots tonight. This leaves Richard Nixon leading with 3 Electoral votes, and Eugene McCarthy and George Wallace tied with 0 each. We can also Project that incumbent Republican Senator George Aiken from Vermont will win re-election. This leaves the Party Standings in the Senate as 40 Democrats and 27 Republicans.







We can project that Indiana will be won Richard Nixon. Indiana is also a historically very Republican state, having voted Republican in all but 6 elections since 1860, one of them being 1964. This gives Richard Nixon an additional 13 Electoral Votes. The electoral standings are now Richard Nixon leading with 16 Electoral Votes, and Eugene McCarthy and George Wallace tied with zero.




We have a call to make. We can project that Richard Nixon will win the state of Kentucky. George Wallace is expected to get less then 20% of the vote in Kentucky, and that is important because the thought was that if Wallace won Kentucky or got anywhere close, that he would be in for a very good night, possibly sweeping the south. As it turns out, he has not won Kentucky, or come anywhere close. This is not a good sign for George Wallace, but you don't want to count your chickens before they hatch, and it's still very possible for Governor Wallace to achieve his goal of throwing the election to the house.




We can project that Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana will win re-election. The Republicans looked at this seat as a potential pickup opportunity, but it didn't come to pass, and the Democrats have held the seat.




We have a Senate call to make. In Kentucky, the incumbent Republican Thurston Morton retired, seemingly out of nowhere, and we can project that the Democratic Nominee Kathrine Peden will pick up the seat for the Democrats.

It's 8 O'Clock on the east coast, and polls have just closed in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. We can project that the the Democrats will hold the Senate seats in Georgia and South Carolina. This leaves the Party standings in the Senate as 44 Democrats and 27 Republicans.




We have two calls to make. George Wallace will carry Georgia and it's 12 Electoral Votes, and Richard Nixon will win Virginia and it's 12 Electoral Votes. This leaves Richard Nixon in first place with 37 Electoral Votes, Governor Wallace second with 12, and Senator McCarthy, who has yet to win a state, last.




In Florida, incumbent Senator George Smathers retired to run for President, and the Republican Nominee Edward Gurney has won the seat for the Republicans, and he's won by quite a big margin too, right now he is leading by 9 points, in the end he may end up winning by over 10 points. He will be the first Republican Senator from Florida since 1879, back when Rutherford B. Hayes was president.




NBC News projects that Florida and it's 14 Electoral Votes will go to Richard Nixon. He's crossed the 50 vote barrier, now he has 51 Electoral Votes to George Wallace's 12 and Eugene McCarthy's 0.




We have good news for those in the George Wallace camp, George Wallace will win South Carolina. This was one of the states that George Wallace absolutely had to carry if he wanted to throw the election to the house, along with Tennessee and North Carolina, and he has carried South Carolina. It remains to be seen if he will carry Tennessee and North Carolina.

It's 8:30 on the east coast, and polls have just closed in West Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina. We can project that in North Carolina, incumbent Democratic Senator Sam Ervin will be re-elected to another term. That leaves the party standings in the Senate as 45 Democrats and 27 Republicans.




We can project that Eugene McCarthy will win the Democratic stronghold of West Virginia. This is the first state that Eugene McCarthy has won, and it grants him his first 7 electoral votes on the board. 




We have a important projection to make. Richard Nixon will carry North Carolina. As I said earlier, North Carolina was a state George Wallace absolutely had to carry if he wanted to throw the election to the house. Now that Nixon has carried the state, it's very unlikely the election will be thrown to the house, even if Wallace wins Tennessee.

this was already my favorite tl, but it is just so much better with the senate calls!

PS-why did katherine peden do better in this tl then in rl?(kentucky dem senate candidate)

Polls have just closed in 19 states, and we have some projections to make. Richard Nixon will win the states of New Hampshire, Maine, Oklahoma, Kansas and South Dakota, Eugene McCarthy will win the states of Massachusetts, D.C. and Rhode Island, and George Wallace will win his home state of Alabama and the neighboring state of Mississippi. We cannot yet project a winner in Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Texas, Michigan or Connecticut. So let's see where that leaves the candidates. Richard Nixon still leads the pack with 91 Electoral Votes, George Wallace is second with 37 Electoral Votes, and Eugene McCarthy is third with 28 Electoral Votes. We can also project that the Republicans will win the Senate races in New Hampshire and Kansas, and the Democrats will win in Alabama, Connecticut, and South Dakota. That leaves the Democrats with 48 Senate Seats and the Republicans with 29.

Democrats all over the Country are doing better then they did in OTL, and Katherine Peden is no exception. Also, if you don't mind me asking, what is it you like about this TL? Feedback is always appreciated.

i really like how you do the debate scripts, and TBH, a lot of the reason is just i like eugene mccarthy. Other things, your writing is nice.

We have a very big call to make. Polls have just closed in Arkansas, and though we cannot project a winner in the Presidential race as of yet, we can project that, in the Senate race, incumbent Democrat James Fulbright will win re-election to a fifth term, which means the Democrats will maintain control of the Senate. The Democrats have held a majority in the Senate since 1954, and they will maintain their majority until at least 1970. Majority Leader Mike Mansfield will keep his title until at least January 3rd, 1971. I will repeat again the statement I said a few seconds ago, the Democrats have maintained control of the senate




George Wallace will carry the state of Arkansas and it's 6 Electoral Votes. He now has 43 Electoral Votes, and is third in the Presidential race, behind Eugene McCarthy who has 96 Electoral Votes, and Richard Nixon, who has 122 Electoral Votes.




Richard Nixon will win the State of Texas, worth 25 Electoral Votes. That brings him up to 147 Electoral Votes, 47 Electoral Votes ahead of Eugene McCarthy, who has 96, and 103 Votes ahead of George Wallace, who has 43.




In Oklahoma, we are saying that the incumbent Democrat Mike Monroney has won re-election to a fourth term. This brings the Democrats up to 52 seats in the Senate.

The Democrats will hold the Pennsylvania Senate Seat. The incumbent Joseph Clark has a poor reputation among the Italian community in Pennsylvania, and the Republicans really thought they could win this seat, but a strong performance in Western Pennsylvania along with some of Eugene McCarthy's coattails has saved Senator Clark.

Polls have just closed in 10 states, and we have quite a few projections to make. We are projecting that in the Presidential race, Richard Nixon will win the States of Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and North Dakota, that Eugene McCarthy will carry his home state of Minnesota as well as the State of New York, and that George Wallace will carry Louisiana. This brings Richard Nixon up to 174 Electoral Votes, Eugene McCarthy up to 149, and George Wallace up to 53. In the Senate, the Democrats will win Louisiana and Wisconsin, and the Republicans will win in New York, North Dakota, Arizona, and Colorado. That changes the standings in the Senate to 55 Democrats and 34 Republicans.






We have a major projection to make. Eugene McCarthy will win the crucial swing state of Ohio. No Republican has ever won the Presidency while losing Ohio. This means, that for the first time this evening, Eugene McCarthy is in the lead, holding a 175-174-53 lead over Richard Nixon and George Wallace. Richard Nixon put a lot of effort into winning Ohio, and it has not paid off. Is Richard Nixon going to be the first Republican to win while losing Ohio? We shall see.

It's 11:00 on the East Coast, and polls have just closed in 5 states. We are calling the states of Montana, Idaho and Utah for Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon has retaken the lead from Eugene McCarthy, and is now leading with 186 Electoral Votes, to McCarthy's 175, and Wallace's 53. We are also saying the Democrats will win the Idaho and Nevada Senate races, and the Republicans will win the Utah Senate race






Richard Nixon will win the State of Iowa and it's 9 Electoral Votes. He now has 195 Electoral Votes, and holds a 20 Electoral Vote lead over Senator McCarthy.




Nevada and it's 3 Electoral Votes will vote for Richard Nixon. He's on something of a run here, he's won 5 states in a row.




We have a very big projection to make, and it's good news for McCarthy supporters. Illinois and it's 26 Electoral Votes will go to Eugene McCarthy. I repeat, Illinois will vote for McCarthy. With this call, Eugene McCarthy is in spitting distance of the Presidency. He is the first candidate to break the 200 vote threshold. He now leads Richard Nixon and George Wallace 201-198-53.




We can project a Senate race. In Iowa, the incumbent Republican Bourke Hickenlooper retired, and the Democrat Harold Hughes has won the election to replace him.



It is now midnight on the east coast, and the first precincts from the West Coast are starting to report, and we have projections to make. Eugene McCarthy will win Hawaii, pushing him to 205 Electoral Votes. In Washington, the incumbent Democratic Senator Warren Magnuson has won re-election overwhelmingly; by a 2-1 margin. In Hawaii the incumbent Democrat has easily won re-election with over 80% of the vote.

In Oregon, incumbent Republican turned Democrat Senator Wayne Morse has won re-election to a fifth term. He angered a lot of Oregon Democrats when he endorsed Republican Mark Hatfield over Democrat Robert Duncan in 1966, and he very nearly lost in the primary to the same Robert Duncan who ran against him this year, but he ended up winning by 3 points, and now he has won election to another term by a similar margin.




We have an extremely important projection to make. Wisconsin and it's 12 Electoral Votes will go to Eugene McCarthy. To those who aren't very quick in math, this means that no matter what happens in the remaining states, Richard Nixon will fall short of 270. If McCarthy wins California and Oregon, he is the next President. If McCarthy wins California and Missouri, he is the next President. If McCarthy wins California and Alaska, then he wins 269 Electoral Votes, falling just one electoral vote short of being elected, and the election would be thrown to the house. Whatever happens, CBS News will be here to cover it, and we hope that you will be with us.

That's gonna be it for today, I need to get to sleep. I'll leave you with this: To the people who like this TL, (and I know you exist), what is it you like about this TL? And if you don't mind me asking, What was your favorite part of the TL, and what do you think I could improve on? Feedback is always appreciated.

I think the debate was written a bit oddly, and I think Eugene McCarthy isn't quite as radical as you portrayed him. He even endorsed Reagan in 1980.

I think that was more because he really didn't like Jimmy Carter then because he was a moderate.

i stated most of the reason, but the details are a nice touch

Details like what?

Sure, but his opposition to Southern Democrats - conservatives like Helms and Thurmond, and moderate conservatives like Jimmy Carter and Albert Gore Sr. - mark him better than being extremely radical on most issues. IIRC, he supported the basic income as a replacement to most welfare, but I don't think he suggested a UBI. Or maybe it was some negative income tax. Not so much radical as maverick-y.

Great TL, curious about the rest of the results! My favorite part is probably election night, it's very well-written.

(If you could leave a comment stating whether you can make out all the politicians and quotes in my signature, I'd greatly appreciate it)

You've probably wondering where I've been, and why I haven't updated this TL in a while. The answer is that I felt quite ill over the past week, and so neglected to update this TL. However, I've been feeling a lot better over the past few days (I've actually been meaning to update this since Friday), and so regular updates will start being posted again. And even though it may be hard to get as immersed in this TL as you were when I last updated, try your best alright? With that said, let us continue.

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It is now 1 AM on the east coast, and the first results are coming in from Alaska. And with that, polls have closed in every single state. The election is now simply a waiting game, to see which candidate will win what state, and to see whether Senator McCarthy will reach 270 Electoral Votes. CBS News will be right here, covering all the action as it happens.

We can say that Missouri and it's 12 Electoral Votes will vote for Eugene McCarthy. Let's see where that leaves the candidates. Senator McCarthy stills leads, now with 238 Electoral Votes. Richard Nixon has 198 Electoral Votes and trails Senator McCarthy by 40, and George Wallace is in third with 53. This means that the election comes down to California. Should Senator McCarthy win California, he will win a majority of Electoral Votes, and he will be our next President, even if he loses Alaska and Oregon. Should Richard Nixon win California, George Wallace will achieve his goal of denying any candidate a majority in the Electoral College, and the House will pick the next President.




For the last time this evening, we can project a Senate Race. The Democrats will win the Senate election in Alaska. This race may be the most intriguing Senate race in the whole country. Like a few other races around the country, the incumbent Senator, Democrat Ernest Gruening ran for re-election only to lose in his party's primary. Unlike the other races where this occurred, he refused to concede and launched a write-in campaign to win a third term. However, that has not been successful and he has lost in the general election to Mike Gravel, the same man who beat him the Democratic primary.




We can project that Richard Nixon will carry the state of Alaska and it's 3 Electoral Votes. This brings him up to over 200 Electoral Votes; he now has 201 to Senator McCarthy's 238 and Governor Wallace's 53.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we can call the Presidency. CBS News projects that Senator Eugene McCarthy will be elected President of the United States because we can project that Eugene McCarthy will carry the battleground state of California and it's 40 Electoral Votes, pushing him above the 270 Electoral Votes needed to win the Presidency. President-Elect McCarthy will be the 2nd Catholic President, after President John F. Kennedy, and he will be the first President from Minnesota. And, I think, he will be one of the most Liberal Presidents this country has or will ever have. He and Vice President-Elect Sanford will take office on January 20th, with Democratic majorities in both Chambers of Congress to help them get their agenda passed. One has to wonder how the Republicans will respond to losing 3 elections in a row come 1972. Will they nominate a Conservative, someone like Ronald Reagan maybe? Or will they nominate a moderate, someone in the mold of George Romney or Nelson Rockefeller? Only time can tell.

Final Results:

Damn. Look at all of those majority's. Think of the progressive agenda that could come from that.

Remember a lot of those Democrats are quite Conservative.

I understand but the more democrats there are in the congress, the more likely the chance that progressive policy's could get passed (because by this time the Democrats are clearly the more economically left party). And with 63 democrats in the senate that chance is great.

THE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Good afternoon, everyone. As I take office, our nation is engaged in needless wars, and the Communists are still no where close to defeat. Many of our alliances are frayed, and America’s standing in the world has suffered.

Over the next four years, we will begin a new era of American leadership. We will end the War in Vietnam, put the world on the path to peace, and we will use America's might only when absolutely necessary, so that the horrors of the Vietnam War will never be seen again. We will strengthen our alliances, form new coalitions to meet global challenges; and stand up for human dignity, from North Africa to the Middle East to Burma. We will, of course, face great challenges. But, I can say with confidence that my Administration will tackle these challenges, and in Four Years Time, we will make America safer, stronger, and more respected in the world then it is today.

Of course, I cannot do this alone. I will need a State Department that shares my vision of a transformation in the way we conduct ourselves internationally; and one of the most important people in this whole transformation will be our Secretary of State. It is for this reason, that I am immensely excited to nominate for the position of Secretary of State a man who shares my values of peace and international cooperation. A man who, having lost a brother in war, understands that we must use military force only when it is absolutely necessary. And a man who will go down in history as one of the greatest Secretary's of State in American history. My friends, I am proud to announce today that I am nominating for the position of Secretary of State, the distinguished Senator from New York, Robert Francis Kennedy.

How would you prefer I unveil McCarthy's cabinet, with an infobox, or with a stylized list (an example can be seen below)?

F*** it, I'll do both. First the list:

And the Infobox:

Party Standing in the Senate as McCarthy is Sworn in:

59 Democrats - 41 Republicans

The Four Republican gain since the election have come from 4 appointment to fill vacancies in previously Democratic seats. Specifically, the appointment of Charles Goodell to succeed Robert Kennedy in New York, the appointment of Al Quie to succeed Eugene McCarthy in Minnesota, the appointment of Hamer Budge to succeed Frank Church in Idaho, and the appointment of Ted Stevens to succeed Bob Bartlett in Alaska. Party standings in the House have not changed since election day.

Louis Lefkowitz or Barry Goodman would be good replacements for Javits. If you want a big name, Kermit Roosevelt Jr., Henry Kissinger, and Archibald Roosevelt Jr. would be good nominees.

Praise the heavens, I just figured out how to make maps appear in Infoboxes. So I give you the new and improved infoboxes:

Ah sh**t, I forgot to appoint someone to Javits's seat.

how do you make the maps?

this is great

With the https://uselectionatlas.org/TOOLS/evcalc.php Button

I meant add the maps to a wikibox

A) You make a wikipedia account
B) You upload the map you are trying to put into a wikibox to wikimedia
C) You then link this picture the way you would any other picture from wikimedia

As one of his first acts in office, President McCarthy yesterday signed an executive order which granted a blanket pardon to all Vietnam Draft Dodgers. This amnesty is a complete and unconditional amnesty, meaning that military deserters and convicted civilian protesters who engaged in acts of violence will be eligible for the pardon.

The move is already receiving criticism from some Conservatives, who feel that, to quote California Governor Ronald Reagan, the action "demeans and insults the sacrifice made by American men and women in service of their country in Vietnam" and that it "sends the message that lawlessness and disorder will be tolerated in McCarthy's America".

The reaction from the individual draft dodgers themselves has been varied. Those who have not attained citizenship of a foreign country are eager to return to their homeland. Those who have established roots abroad (mainly in Canada) are excited they can once again visit their homeland, but do not intend to return to America. Such a Draft Dodger was interviewed by the Canadian CBC and had this to say about President McCarthy's Action and how it affects him:


Interviewer: You're a Canadian Citizen now, so you don't plan on returning, but how does the Amnesty affect you?

Draft Dodger: The Amnesty means that I'll be able to travel freely in the United States, go to Hawaii, see the Grand Canyon, all the wonderful things that there are to do in the United States, and also it means that I'll be able to share with my children the cultural heritage of my birthplace.

I swear this is the final infobox

Enjoying the TL.