The Great Race of '68

[NHI]

Gallup General Election Poll: October 31,1968

Kennedy: 42%

Rockefeller: 39%

Wallace: 14%

[AelroseB]

Continue.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

You can't just post a few pictures and like three words and call it a timeline.

[Captain Chaos]

I would not be surprised if this is the end of the TL.

[NHI]

Kennedy Accepts the Democratic Nomination

After a tumultuous primary process that saw the fall of an incumbent President, and the anti-war movement take hold of the Democratic Primary. Through the chaos Bobby Kennedy emerged as the Democrat's standard bear and being the heir to Camelot the nomination was his for the taking. In his acceptance speech the New York Senator he echoed much of the rhetorical flourishes that won his late brother the White House, while addressing the great divisions in the country -- but pledging that they are permanent.

"A revolution is coming. One which can be peaceful. A peaceful restoration of all that is right and just in this country of ours. Now it will not come if we stand complacent, if we ignore the challenges around us. This peaceful revolution will come if we want it. If we work together. If we enter a new era of community, embrace new forms of justice and pledge to each other our sacred honor -- for the cause is just, this cause is right and it can be won, but we as Americans must be up to the task and I believe in the final analysis we will be."

A Rockefeller for President

The Republican Primary had been long and divisive. Richard Nixon passed on a second bid for for the White House, opening up the race. Michigan Governor George Romney became the frontrunner and looked poised to win the nomination, but a verbal misstep involving a remark about being 'brainwashed' ended his bid for the nomination. Nelson Rockefeller, who suffered a defeat at the hands of Barry Goldwater and conservatives in 1964, emerged as the leader of the moderate Republicans and seemed to rally much of the Nixon vote, while conservatives rallied to newly elected California Governor Ronald Reagan.

Reagan became Rockefeller's chief rival, eventually scoring an important victory in the California Primary, but moderates refusing to allow the party to fall down the rabbit hole -- that led them to the worst electoral disaster in a generation; rallied around Rockefeller and the New York Republican became the Republican nominee amid great tensions and divisions in the party.

Reagan cordially endorsed Rockefeller, but did not campaign with the Governor and passed over the chance to be considered for the Vice Presidency. In an strong move of defiance Rockefeller passed over conservative alternatives, instead selecting Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew as his running mate.

The election was meant to be an uphill battle for Rockefeller, running against Kennedy, but the proverbial middle finger to the Republican base hurt him more than any Democrat -- as many voters flocked from his camp to George Wallace.

[Jerseyrules]

Interesting.  Wallace would probably do pretty well in this TL with conservative defections from both parties.  I wonder what the debates would look like...

Looks great so far!

[NHI]

Kennedy Pulling Away

"A new day is on the horizon. We need to have the courage to want it to reach for it." The latest rounds of polls put Kennedy up with 43 percent of the vote compared to Rockefeller's 34 percent.

Wallace Sees Numbers Approve

"There is not a dime's worth of distance between the Democrats and Republicans.."

Rockefeller Hangs On

"This campaign is not D.O.A. as some in the press have suggested. We are still fighting and are going to compete in every state for every rational vote!"

Kennedy: 116

Rockefeller: 55

Wallace: 53

[NHI]

Kennedy vs. Rockefeller and Rockefeller

"I believe in the future of the United States. I do not believe as my opponent, Mister -- Governor Rockefeller we've become a country void of law and order. The bigger issue here is social upheaval and unrest in the country, which is something Governor Rockefeller neglects to mention or even propose to address, and to the question of what is the great cause of unrest in this country is the Vietnam War."

"Our country is plagued by unprecedented lawlessness and Senator Kennedy seems to be oblivious to that fact. Perhaps if he spent more time governing and less time pontificating he'd know that."

"Here is the general problem. Both political parties are oblivious. They are two sides of the same coin, appealing to interest groups here and there and forgetting about the people. If maybe Senator Kennedy and Governor Rockefeller left the Empire State, then maybe they'd hear the concerns of real, everyday Americans."

Gallup Tracking Poll: Kennedy +7

Robert Kennedy: 42%

Nelson Rockfeller: 35%

George Wallce: 16%

Undecided: 7%