If MLK wasn't killed

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I think his career stalls out in the House of Representatives, but he spends his entire life there and becomes incredibly well-respected, a la John Lewis. There's even the chance he becomes Speaker at some point.

A lot of the universal regard MLK has today is because he was cut down before his time. He would have been more controversial otherwise, especially with his growing anti-war activism and socialist leanings. He would have been a well-regarded civil rights leader no matter what, but he was likely too left-wing for a statewide election, most likely, to say nothing of the Presidency.

MLK was not a socialist.  I watched an interview he did for NBC in the 50s (I mentioned this earlier), and he said that he was never very inspired by Marx when he read his writings in college.

[pbrower2a]

I think his career stalls out in the House of Representatives, but he spends his entire life there and becomes incredibly well-respected, a la John Lewis. There's even the chance he becomes Speaker at some point.

A lot of the universal regard MLK has today is because he was cut down before his time. He would have been more controversial otherwise, especially with his growing anti-war activism and socialist leanings. He would have been a well-regarded civil rights leader no matter what, but he was likely too left-wing for a statewide election, most likely, to say nothing of the Presidency.

1. Anti-war leanings would have become irrelevant after the end of the Vietnam War.

2. Socialist leanings? He would have gladly sold out 'socialism' for equal rights for minorities. Of course he would have aligned himself with Big Labor.

3. If he fit the usual pattern, he would have been at his peak in his fifties -- in the early-to-middle 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was President. Could he have been elected to the US Senate?

4. How would he have dealt with the anti-communist movements of the Soviet Bloc? He was never a friend of the Soviet Union. KGB files on him show that the Soviet government had no use for him but saw much hope in black nationalist groups such as the Black Panthers.   

[Enderman]

Wow, he really quickly bashed you.

[jaichind]

I doubt MLK can make it in electoral politics.  His positions on black Americans, as well as other disadvantaged Americans, should be compensated for historical wrongs would have sunk him.  If Obama held those positions he would not win either.  Also do not forget about all those extramarital liaisons which were all cast aside after his assassination and rise to saint status but would be quite relevent in a mere mortal running for office if and when they came out.

[Enderman]

I doubt MLK can make it in electoral politics.  His positions on black Americans, as well as other disadvantaged Americans, should be compensated for historical wrongs would have sunk him.  If Obama held those positions he would not win either.  Also do not forget about all those extramarital liaisons which were all cast aside after his assassination and rise to saint status but would be quite relevent in a mere mortal running for office if and when they came out.

Okay guys, any other things I should know?

[MATTROSE94]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

[Enderman]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

So, if that stuff leaked to MLK, he would probably endorse Nixon. I really doubt he would endorse Wallace.

[MATTROSE94]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

So, if that stuff leaked to MLK, he would probably endorse Nixon. I really doubt he would endorse Wallace.

I highly doubt that MLK would have endoresd Nixon in 1968 due to Nixon pursuing a "Southern Strategy" in order to appeal to the votes of voters who supported segregation. He might have reluctantly supported Humphrey or not supported anyone in the 1968 election. I am almost certain that MLK would have strongly supported George McGovern in 1972 though and might have even been his running mate if he was more openly involved in politics by then.

[Enderman]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

So, if that stuff leaked to MLK, he would probably endorse Nixon. I really doubt he would endorse Wallace.

I highly doubt that MLK would have endoresd Nixon in 1968 due to Nixon pursuing a "Southern Strategy" in order to appeal to the votes of voters who supported segregation. He might have reluctantly supported Humphrey or not supported anyone in the 1968 election. I am almost certain that MLK would have strongly supported George McGovern in 1972 though and might have even been his running mate if he was more openly involved in politics by then.

Well, in my tl he said that he didn't want to be anybody's running mate. He said he was more Independent than anything politically-wise. Thanks for the info on that!

[MATTROSE94]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

So, if that stuff leaked to MLK, he would probably endorse Nixon. I really doubt he would endorse Wallace.

I highly doubt that MLK would have endoresd Nixon in 1968 due to Nixon pursuing a "Southern Strategy" in order to appeal to the votes of voters who supported segregation. He might have reluctantly supported Humphrey or not supported anyone in the 1968 election. I am almost certain that MLK would have strongly supported George McGovern in 1972 though and might have even been his running mate if he was more openly involved in politics by then.

Well, in my tl he said that he didn't want to be anybody's running mate. He said he was more Independent than anything politically-wise. Thanks for the info on that!

If that were the case, maybe John Anderson would have picked MLK as his running mate instead of former Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey when he ran as an Independent candidate against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980. Or maybe MLK would have ran as an Independent in John Anderson's place.

[Enderman]

well, he was a democrat, but I think he was mainly an independent

No, he wasn't a Democrat.  The Congressional candidates he endorsed were mostly Republicans.  He was neither a Democrat nor a Republican.  I remember watching an old interview he did for NBC in 1957, and he said that both parties were found wanting on civil rights.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

-Martin Luther King Jr., in 1958

I thought that MLK covertly supported LBJ in 1964 against Barry Goldwater, but began to turn against him after the Vietnam War began to heat up around 1966 or 1967. I know that LBJ said some pretty nasty things about him around 1967 though.

So, if that stuff leaked to MLK, he would probably endorse Nixon. I really doubt he would endorse Wallace.

I highly doubt that MLK would have endoresd Nixon in 1968 due to Nixon pursuing a "Southern Strategy" in order to appeal to the votes of voters who supported segregation. He might have reluctantly supported Humphrey or not supported anyone in the 1968 election. I am almost certain that MLK would have strongly supported George McGovern in 1972 though and might have even been his running mate if he was more openly involved in politics by then.

Well, in my tl he said that he didn't want to be anybody's running mate. He said he was more Independent than anything politically-wise. Thanks for the info on that!

If that were the case, maybe John Anderson would have picked MLK as his running mate instead of former Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey when he ran as an Independent candidate against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980. Or maybe MLK would have ran as an Independent in John Anderson's place.

Like Anderson/King, and/or King/Anderson?