The Party Left Me

[Huey Long is a Republican]

[Sirius_]

Oh I was expected John Kasich indy run. Unless Reagan is symbolic of something else.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Oh I was expected John Kasich indy run. Unless Reagan is symbolic of something else.

No, it's '68 Ronnie Raygun, but there will be a special dem to face him in the general

[Huey Long is a Republican]

From the Documentary "A Better America for All" Reagan '68 (c. 1991)

"When I rejected the idea of running for 1968, it was for a very good reason...both Johnson and Humphrey was very unpopular due to Vietnam and the Democrats were falling apart at the seams because of that. I lost in 1960 though and I wasn't at all interested in running for President again after that. I didn't want to disrespect Ike's legacy due to my very big paranoia at the time. When Reagan joined, however, I knew something...interesting, firery was born within him."

- Former Vice President and White House Chief of Staff Richard Milhouse Nixon (VP: 1953-1961; CoS: 1969-1977)

"Many of us thought that the Nomination was wide open. Hell, I even thought about running again.When Ronnie joined, though, I couldn't...I just couldn't. He was a friend of mine and I respected him too much so just 3 days after he announced his candidacy, I endorsed him. Turns out to be one of the best decisions of my life."

- 1964 Republican Presidential Nominee and Former Secretary of State Barry Goldwater (1969-1977)

Narrator: "In the chaos of the Johnson administration following the death of John F. Kennedy, there were high Republican hopes that year for a big victory against the Democrats in Congress and for the White House. There was a return from 1964, Nelson Rockefeller of New York."

Rockefeller: "What our country needs now, and needs desperately, is a healer -- a man who can pull together the disparate elements, who can find solutions that are within our system and our traditions. I think I can do that."

Narrator: "Former Michigan Governor and Businessman George W. Romney"

Romney: "One was aspires to the Presidency should be confident he can be useful and capable of providing the needed leadership. I decided to fight for and win the Republican nomination and election as President of the United States.  I have made my decision with a great earnestness. I am concerned about America. The size and complexity of our national problems have bred a widespread sense of personal futility. We have begun to see acceptance of irresponsibility as a way of life. There is growing aimlessness and flabbiness in our American society.
 
The evidence is everywhere."

Narrator: "And there was even some speculation that former Vice President Richard M. Nixon would run again. However, an announcement from Nixon himself on December 13th, 1967 changed everything."

Nixon: "I am announcing that I will not run for President this year. I know that many of you are upset by this decision but Pat and I decided that for the time being, we are done with politics. Thank you."

Narrator: "Without Nixon running, the Republican party itself was in shock. Many were upset from this sudden turn of events and some polls even showed the Republicans losing to the Democrats in November. Despite Humphrey, the likely Nominee, and Johnson's unpopularity, Nixon was perceived as a nostalgic figure who could bring back the 50s and without him, many thought the election would be between Moderates, who many republicans didn't want, and an unpopular Vice President. Many Historians agree that it would've been just that had one man not put his hat into the ring on December 26th, 1967"

Reagan: "The last 8 years of Democratic Control have left the United States, our great country, in a very troubled state. For the last 4 years, President Johnson has consistently lied to the American public and he has tried to ruin our country for his own political gain. Many republicans in this race however feel as if being a Moderate will help win the election. No, what this country needs is a push forwards. A push to help the movement of Conservatives, one that is very much needed. Only once the Conservatives lead our party once more can we hope to Make America United Again. Only then can we Make America Strong Again. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time to Make America Great Again. That is why today I am announcing my Candidacy for President of the United States, thank you very much!"

Narrator: "The Six Year Governor of California (after he won the 1962 California Gubernatorial Election) had just entered the race and with this announcement, Politics would be changed forever..."

[Captain Chaos]

So the POD is that Nixon decides not to run for Governor of California in 1962 after Reagan decides to.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

So the POD is that Nixon decides not to run for Governor of California in 1962 after Reagan decides to.

Nixon decides to stay out of Politics period as in running in politics, though he won't refuse to serve his country if asked to join an administration

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Chapter 1: We want Ronnie! We want Ronnie!

"When I joined Ronnie's campaign, He  was determined to win. More than anything, he wanted to win badly. I didn't blame him. He was third in the polls, 20 points behind Rocky and 10 points behind Georgie. He wasn't the favorite to win New Hampshire that's for sure. At the same time, though, he wasn't the favorite to lose. No, that 'honor' belonged to Rhodes. He told me "Lee, I heard you're a mastermind on helping people win. Is that true?" I said yes. He told me "I want you to run the best campaign possible to help me get the Nomination. I smiled and said "I think I can do just that"

- Lee Atwater, political volunteer for the Reagan '68 and '72 Campaigns as well as the Bush '76 Campaign.

New Hampshire Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Rockefeller: 47.89% ✔️
Reagan: 43.10%
Romney: 7.22%
Rhodes: 1.79%

"New Hampshire was tough, something that I didn't really expect. No one expected it would be tough. Everyone thought it would be a very easy and simple win. We overestimated Reagan, however. That was a mistake no one would want to make again. We campaigned hard in Massachusetts while Romney campaigned in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. It was a short of unspoken truce between us. We both needed to stop Reagan so the moderates had a chance in the future. George won Wisconsin without much hassle and I thought he would win Pennsylvania as well, something I think the Reagan campaign both knew and hated, so they attacked him"

- Nelson Rockefeller, Former New York Governor (1959-1973) and 1964 and '68 Republican Presidential Candidate

"When the Reagan campaign attacked my birth identity and questioned if I was truly eligible to run for President, I was angry but it really helped him in Pennsylvania and he won in a Landslide. After his win there, both me and Nelson knew that our best chance to stop him was in Indiana and Nebraska but Ronald's focus on Massachusetts forced Nelson to stay put in the Northeast. He won on April 30th but only barely. After that, we decided to focus on the states we needed to and we hoped that Reagan would be far too unpopular to win in Ohio. But then Rhodes messed everything up."

- George Romney, Former Michigan Governor (1963-1971) and Michigan Senator (1971-1996)

Wisconsin Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Romney: 56.71% ✔️
Reagan: 32.18%
Rockefeller: 8.12%
Rhodes: 3.09%



Pennsylvania Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 61.23% ✔️
Romney: 19.16%
Rhodes: 10.23%
Rockefeller: 9.38%



Massachusetts Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Rockefeller: 42.31% ✔️
Reagan: 41.66%
Romney: 12.02%
Rhodes: 4.01%

"I endorsed Reagan for a reason. I knew the tide was turning against both Nelson and Romney. They didn't want to admit but they knew it too. When I dropped out and endorsed Reagan on May 2nd, It was because I realized that Reagan was leading an impossibly large movement and his landslide win in Pennsylvania is proof of that. I remember during a rally that was held in Indiana on May 5th, there was a crowd of over 9,000 chanting "WE WANT RONNIE!!! WE WANT RONNIE!!!" It was like one large scream in my ear and Ronald Reagan was a very charismatic person. Both Romney and Rockefeller couldn't attack him on being a Governor due to them being the same and they couldn't attack Reagan for being an extremist because Ronald would simply deflect that attack and paint them as un-american for not supporting the idea of Making America Great Again. He won Indiana and Ohio in Landslides while Nelson won D.C. on May 7th. That's when I knew I made the right choice"

- James Rhodes, Former Governor of Ohio (1963-1969) and Secretary of Urban Housing and Development (1969-1977)

Indiana Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 59.86% ✔️
Romney: 30.01%
Rockefeller: 10.13%



Ohio Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 63.43% ✔️
Rockefeller: 22.16%
Romney: 14.41%



Washington D.C. Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Rockefeller: 72.34% ✔️
Romney: 23.53%
Reagan: 4.13%

"I saw the results in the Newspaper. To say I was surprised is an understatement. After all, Nelson was the supposed Head of the Party and now he had just as many wins as this young upstart from California, my home state? I was flabbergasted and decided to watch this man at a rally in Nebraska on May 9th. He spoke with so much energy and passion about how much he loved this country and how the last 8 years were a complete and utter mess. That wasn't enough to endorse him though and I decided to meet him the day after. I did just that and and when I asked him why he's running, specifically, I'll never forget what he told me. He said "Dick, The last 8 years have been disastrous for the country. We've had one of the worse President's in recent History for just four years. I was a Democrat for some time but after Kennedy's election, I realized the Party Left Me. It wasn't the party I remembered it was, it was an abomination of its former self. As to why I'm running, well, I believe this land was set aside for us in some godly way, as if some unknown force lifted this land out of the ocean to be a place where anything is possible. I'm fighting for the America that is forever great and will always be great. I hope that answered your question, Dick." I thanked him for his time. And left to ponder. After I told Pat what happened, she told me that I should listen to what my gut says. 3 days later, I endorsed him for President saying that he was the person the country needed in this tough time. He won the Nebraska and West Virginia primaries the day after. I don't think I should have the credit for that, however."

- Richard M. Nixon, Former White House Chief of Staff (1969-1977)

Nebraska Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 52.31% ✔️
Rockefeller: 46.44%
Romney: 1.25%



West Virginia Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 60.19% ✔️
Rockefeller: 30.79%
Romney: 9.02%

"After the string of losses, to say that both the Rockefeller and Romney campaigns were in damage control mode wasn't the beginning of it. Reagan had won 5 Contests, Rockefeller had won 3 and Romney had won 1. Doing the math, it was quite simple that they were desperate and needed at least one win to stop Ronnie, hopefully. Rockefeller campaigned in New Jersey, seeing as Oregon was far too gone for him after the May 7th primaries. Romney needed Florida. He stated himself that if Reagan won Florida, his campaign was finished. Well, the Reagan campaign put pretty much everything into Florida after just 2 days of campaigning in Oregon. Day in, day out, Reagan met with voters, played ads, did rallies, and barnstormed. It was quite simply a giant win for Reagan and just like that, the Republican race was down to two. Rocky and Ronnie were not on the same level. Hell, Rocky knew at that point he couldn't possibly get the Nomination but the least he could do, with the endorsement of George, was try to beat Reagan. It didn't work out."

- Roger Stone, Senior political advisor to Ronald Reagan in the 1968 and 1972 Campaigns.

Oregon Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 78.71% ✔️
Rockefeller: 20.22%
Romney: 1.07%



Florida Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 81.32% ✔️
Romney: 16.42%
Rockefeller: 2.26%

"I just decided to go to a Reagan rally, just to see what all the fuss was about and I saw this man to give a great speech, a very terrific one and I went "That's our next President." I endorsed him on June 3rd but to be honest, he was going to win with or without my endorsement. The Rockefeller campaign needed to win New Jersey to at least have the image of having a chance at the Nomination but he was trailing Ronald by 17 points...17 points. I never thought this was the same guy who was in third only months ago. He, of course, won all three states on June 4th and Rocky dropped out. As he was moving to give his New Jersey Victory Speech, just an hour before Bobby Kennedy was going to give California Victory Speech, and I remember the crowd chanting "WE WANT RONNIE!!! WE WANT RONNIE!!!" over and over again and I saw the smile on Reagan's face as he began walking out to give his speech and I saw a gun rising out of the crowd and I acted on instinct as I jumped on Reagan as the gun went off. I wasn't his security but that night, I seemed like I was. I had a strange feeling in my side. I looked down and saw it was bleeding. Ronald ordered his aides to help me get to the hospital. I didn't know that day would change my life forever."

- Donald J. Trump, Former Head of the Trump Organization (1968-1975), Mayor of New York City (1975-1983), Governor of New York (1983-1991), New York Senator (1993-2001), and President of the United States (2001-2009)



"I'm all right everyone, I'm all right, don't worry. The guy missed me thanks to a young man named Donald J. Trump. I owe him my life and I want to help him in any way I can in the future. He deserves that. Now, I want to say that I just received a message from Governor Rockefeller and he has just congratulated us on winning all three contests tonight and becoming the Republican Nominee. Just 3 months ago, we were behind both Rockefeller and Romney but now we are the only one left standing. The man who just tried to kill me tonight said one thing tonight, "Dreams can be killed" and while in other countries that's true, in America, DREAMS CAN'T BE KILLED! This was a well needed and well accepted victory and now we are just one step closer to achieving a victory for all of America. After 8 years of failed Democratic rule, it's time for the Republicans to take control and Make America Great Again under bright and inspirational leadership. That's why, in November, I would like each and every one of you to vote for me..."

- Ronald W. Reagan, Former Governor of California (1963-1969) and President of the United States (1969-1977), giving his New Jersey, California, and South Dakota Victory Speech, an hour before Bobby Kennedy would have the exact same thing happen to him.

New Jersey Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 67.82% ✔️
Rockefeller: 32.18%



South Dakota Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 56.71% ✔️
Rockefeller: 42.29%



California Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 91.78% ✔️
Rockefeller: 8.29%

"After the June 4th Primaries, it was over. Illinois was left but they immediately gave 100% of the vote to Ronnie so it was finished. Reagan still had time to prep for the General as the Democrats were still fighting between Bobby and Humphrey for the Nomination. We had won and we were leading Humphrey by 10 points and Kennedy by 7 points in every polls. The man who tried to kill Reagan, Henry Lawson, a disgruntled veteran, just helped Ronald Reagan soar in popularity. As we settled down, we began to search for the right choice for Running Mate. We had won, yes, but we still needed the right person to be co-leader."

- Roy Cohn, Reagan advisor in 1968 and 1972.

Illinois Primary results (R) [Certified by CBS]:

Reagan: 100.00% ✔️

Reagan v Humphrey Polls

Reagan: 48%
Humphrey: 38%
Wallace: 10%
Undecided: 4%

Reagan v Kennedy Polls

Reagan: 46%
Kennedy: 39%
Wallace: 8%
Undecided: 7%



1968 Republican Presidential Primaries

Next Chapter: It's Time for Bobby!

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Some images are too big (specially Wisconsin)

I know but what can I do? I wanted the best and they're the best.

Anyways, thoughts?

[Captain Chaos]

Lee Atwater would have turned 17 in 1968, too young to manage Reagan's campaign for President.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Atwater

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Lee Atwater would have turned 17 in 1968, too young to manage Reagan's campaign for President.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Atwater

I'll have him be an advisor then

[America Needs R'hllor]

Lee Atwater would have turned 17 in 1968, too young to manage Reagan's campaign for President.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Atwater

I'll have him be an advisor then

He's 17, at best he can be a low-level volunteer.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Reagan/Ford 1968

[Cold War Liberal]

Lee Atwater would have turned 17 in 1968, too young to manage Reagan's campaign for President.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Atwater

I'll have him be an advisor then

He's 17, at best he can be a low-level volunteer.

LOLOLOLOL

(Now that I think about it this is also an issue with Camelot Anew too...)

[wxtransit]

Some images are too big (specially Wisconsin)

I know but what can I do? I wanted the best and they're the best.

Anyways, thoughts?

Try doing something like this:

Code:

[img width=X]img url[/img]

Replace x with a number (it's better to use preview to at least have an idea of the size the image will be), the height will adjust itself when you change the width.

Please fix this ^

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Some images are too big (specially Wisconsin)

I know but what can I do? I wanted the best and they're the best.

Anyways, thoughts?

Try doing something like this:

Code:

[img width=X]img url[/img]

Replace x with a number (it's better to use preview to at least have an idea of the size the image will be), the height will adjust itself when you change the width.

Please fix this ^

fixed

[wxtransit]

Some images are too big (specially Wisconsin)

I know but what can I do? I wanted the best and they're the best.

Anyways, thoughts?

Try doing something like this:

Code:

[img width=X]img url[/img]

Replace x with a number (it's better to use preview to at least have an idea of the size the image will be), the height will adjust itself when you change the width.

Please fix this ^

fixed

yay

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Chapter 2: It's Time for Bobby!

"We’re getting some extremely horrifying news here...Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hotel and it-I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot at, but he has not been wounded.Thank god, we couldn't have another Kennedy die."

- CBS News Anchor

"When Kennedy survived Sirhan Sirhan, The State Primaries was over. that much was clear. Gene dropped out after he lost Illinois in a landslide. Johnson, though, didn't want another Kennedy as the Democratic Nominee and he basically forced me to be a challenge against Bobby. I didn't like Bobby anyways so it was my pleasure to fight him for the Nomination. The Kennedies are scum on this party. I thought that the Delegates would choose me, their Vice President, instead of a man trying to create a Family Dynasty in the White House. I underestimated Bobby's popularity."

- Hubert Humprhey, Former Senator (1949-1965) and Vice President (1965-1969)

"I remember the Convention. The First ballot had just happened and Bobby was behind Humphrey by several Delegates. The Second Ballot wasn't much better. Humphrey may have been disliked by many anti-war people but he still had establishment support due to the fact that he was Vice President. Many felt that Bobby was trying to abuse his Brother's name. This wasn't true, however. Bobby was, well, he was his own man. Jack had some Conservative views but Bobby was quite Liberal himself. Back to the point, Bobby was in danger. At it needed was a few more delegates and Humphrey would be the Nominee. Protests in Chicago was going very wild at the time, I remember the chant "Hey Hey LBJ, How many kids did you kill today?" It was simply an attack on both President Johnson and Vice President Humphrey for them being sorta for the War in Vietnam. Bobby walked out and gave a speech. That's what gave him the Nomination, I think."

- George McGovern, Former South Dakota Senator (1963-1969) and Secretary of State (1977-1981)

"My Fellow Americans...My Fellow Democrats. I know you are angry about what is currently happening. However, the feelings of the party and the future of the country must be put first. Even if I am not Nominated during the Convention, that does not mean that our future is forever gone. We will continue to have the chance to vote and that's what I want all of you to do, with or without me on the ballot in November. Vote for the future of our party. Vote for the United States. Vote how you feel, not how others feel. This is what I have been running on and what my Brother's Dream is. And remember, the question that we all must answer when you are in the voting booth in November, think not what your country can do for you but think what you can do for your country."

- Robert "Bobby" F. Kennedy, Senator of New York (1965-1977) and Attorney General (1977-1981) calming the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

"What happened after Bobby gave his speech was stunning. The protests ended and Bobby had won the 3rd Ballot in a landslide victory. It probably was just because the party realized that a Kennedy could return the Nation onto the path it had lost in 1963 when Jack died. Bobby walked up on stage and accepted the Nomination on the third ballot. Of course, he held off his third speech for the final day of the convention. His choice for Vice President was crucial."

- Birch Bayh, Indiana Senator (1963-1969) and Secretary of Labor (1977-1981)

"My fellow Americans. It is with tremendous pride and optimism that I accept your nomination as Vice President of the United States!"

- Buford Ellington, Former Director of the Office of Emergency Planning (1965-1966) and Governor of Tennessee (1967-1975); 1968 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee

"I was the one who suggested that Bobby choose Buford. We had the entire Northeast and all of the Midwest, well we thought much of the Midwest. Regan's running mate made Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois battleground but we didn't think that at the time. But the south was the key to winning. Reagan was leading in most Southern States and that could stop any chance of the winning on Election Night and going to the House, something we couldn't risk. Buford had some connections to the south and thus he could help us win it against Reagan. We thought it would be easy and simple. That was a large miscalculation on my part and a big mistake for everyone."

- Ted Kennedy, Former Senator of Massachusetts (1962-1977) and President of the United States (1977-1981)

Next Chapter: Ronnie's VP and The Battle between Two Giants

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Some images are too big (specially Wisconsin)

I know but what can I do? I wanted the best and they're the best.

Anyways, thoughts?

Try doing something like this:

Code:

[img width=X]img url[/img]

Replace x with a number (it's better to use preview to at least have an idea of the size the image will be), the height will adjust itself when you change the width.

Please fix this ^

fixed

yay

General thoughts thus far?

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Chapter 3: Ronnie's VP and The Battle between Two Giants

"Once we reached the Convention, we needed a Vice Presidential choice. It had to be someone who was moderate due to Reagan's conservatism but they also had to well in the Midwest, so we could kick the Democrats in an area they thought they had locked down. Rockefeller and Romney were two choices but they were crossed off the list quickly. Too much bad blood during the primaries."

- Roy Cohn, Reagan advisor in 1968 and 1972.



"We had 4 other choices. First was Senator Percy of Illinois but his views on Vietnam was off putting and Reagan's war message was too much for Percy and him to agree on. Next was Mayor of New York City John V. Lindsay. It seemed like the perfect choice. He voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and he was quite Moderate but there was one Problem. Bobby Kennedy, the most likely choice for the Democrats, was from New York as well. Reagan wanted someone who was from a Midwestern state so he could use that to win the Election. So, Lindsay was crossed off the list. That left us with two choices."

- Richard M. Nixon, Former Vice President (1953-1961) and White House Chief of Staff (1969-1977)

"I was with Reagan when he was choosing his running mate and when I arrived from a business meeting, I saw there was 2 choices left. A Senator from New Jersey and a Representative from Michigan. Both were great choices. The Senator was quite the Moderate and had Midwest appeal but his position on Vietnam was a no go. So, the Representative was the only one remaining. He was the best choice I ever have seen and would, with Reagan, make one of the best choices ever. He served in the Navy for 4 years, was a converted Internationalist, he wanted the war to end successfully and questioned the Johnson administration's handling of the war. Finally he was the moderate that Reagan needed to balance the ticket and gave him the opportunity to win in the Midwest. Reagan pointed to him and I remember him saying "I want him." and thus it was decided."

- Donald J. Trump, Former Head of the Trump Organization (1968-1975), Mayor of New York City (1975-1983), Governor of New York (1983-1991), New York Senator (1993-2001), and President of the United States (2001-2009)

"My fellow Republicans and my Fellow Americans, it is with the upmost honor and respect that I accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States!"

- Gerald Ford, Former Representative of Michigan's 5th Congressional District (1949-1969), Vice President (1969-1977), and President of the United States (1981-1989) accepting the nomination for Vice President at the 1968 Republican National Convention.

"The first thing Reagan did after the Convention was that he went to California and the rest of the West Coast. After the Democratic Convention, he realized what Kennedy was trying to do and targeted Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. He knew that the Midwest would be key."

"Bobby knew that the East Coast was secure for him. Which coastal state in the North would vote for a radical like Reagan. Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, however, those states were crucial. Bobby knew that the South would be needed too. The race was all about the Midwest and the South. Most important of all was Michigan. Michigan, Michigan, Michigan. If he won Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa, he would win. Of course, he wanted Florida, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, and North Carolina too.So he decided to do something."

- Ted Kennedy, Former Senator of Massachusetts (1962-1977) and President of the United States (1977-1981)

"The Hope Express. Bobby thought he could win against Reagan from bringing on a message of hope. The [expletive] didn't know Ronnie wasn't like Nixon or Rockefeller but campaigned like he was. Ronnie's counter was very effective."

- Lee Atwater, political volunteer for the Reagan '68 and '72 Campaigns as well as the Bush '76 Campaign.

"I was serving as an advisor to Ronnie at the time. Hell, I was the one who suggested the Faith Express as a counter to the Hope Express. Both did well but the Faith Express focused on Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Tennessee. Those four states were what Ronnie needed to win in order to be elected President. People lined in the hundreds and even thousands to see Reagan as he visited small towns that hadn't seen a Presidential candidate since McKinley. Bobby did the same but since he was more spread out in his campaign, He lost much of the Midwest to Ronnie."

- Rudy Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York City (1983-1991), Governor of New York (1993-2001), Secretary of State (2001-2009)

"I think it was Buford's mistake why the Hope Express was eclipsed by the Faith Express. I campaigned for Eugene before I campaigned for Bobby and I can tell you one thing: The Hope Express only worked in Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey. Those were states Reagan put surprisingly little effort in. No Reagan put a lot of Focus in the Midwest and Tennessee. Bobby wanted to go to the Midwest more than ever but Buford kept convincing him that once the South was secure, the Midwest would easily go to Bobby. Any Momentum that the hope Express had petered out within a week and I knew from there onwards, no matter what Buford said, we lost the Election."

- Bill Clinton, Former Governor of Arkansas (1979-1981; 1983-1987; 1991-1993), Senator of Arkansas (1993-2005), and Secretary of Agriculture (2005-2009)

"People got to meet and know the real Ronald Reagan. Not the extremist the Newspaper and Media painted that he was. It certainly helped us consolidate Michigan and gain Ohio and Indiana."

- Gerald Ford, Former Representative of Michigan's 5th Congressional District (1949-1969), Vice President (1969-1977), and President of the United States (1981-1989)

Polls before Hope Express and Faith Express

September 2nd, 1968 Gallup Poll *

Sen.Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY): 42%
Gov. Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA): 40%
Gentleman George C. Wallace (I-AL): 12%
Undecided: 6%

*Hope Express ends on September 9th while Faith Express ends on September 12th

September 13th, 1968 Gallup Poll

Gov. Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA): 44% (+4)
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY): 40% ( -2)
Gentleman George C. Wallace (I-AL): 14% (+2)

"Of course, Wallace was a major problem. Texas was a deadlock between him and Ronnie and Ronnie was losing ground in South Carolina to Wallace quickly. Reagan decided he would spend two weeks campaigning in Texas to help him. Bobby didn't capitalize and the [expletive] moron campaigned in Florida instead of Ohio because his running mate convinced him too as a good idea. [expletive] moron."

- Lee Atwater, political volunteer for the Reagan '68 and '72 Campaigns as well as the Bush '76 Campaign.

Next Chapter: We Meet Again (Bobby v Ronnie Round II: Electric Boogaloo)

[Cold War Liberal]

Part I: Los Angeles and the Aftermath

“We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Kennedy has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot--I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God.”

Chapter 2: It's Time for Bobby!

"We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot-I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God."

- CBS News Anchor

One of these things is not exactly like the other

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Part I: Los Angeles and the Aftermath

“We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Kennedy has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot--I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God.”

Chapter 2: It's Time for Bobby!

"We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot-I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God."

- CBS News Anchor

One of these things is not exactly like the other

I have listened to the report of Kennedy dying and adjusted accordingly and the image is of course the best I could find but any correlation between my TL and yours is completely by coincidence. Is there a chance that stuff like this can overlap? Yes, but I didn't read your TL (considering my hatred for the Kennedies IRL) so it's by coincidence.

Anyways, thoughts on the TL?

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Chapter 3: We Meet Again (Bobby v Ronnie Round II: Electric Boogaloo)

"Reagan was brilliant. Heck, an amazing mastermind. He went to Dallas, Texas. He wanted to paint Bobby into a corner and he knew just that. Dallas was very significant for many reasons, mostly because of Jack's death being there just 5 years ago. He went to Dallas and held a rally and in that Rally, he gave a speech. That speech forced Bobby's hand. Bobby's hand made him lose the election *chuckles*"

- Roger Stone, Senior political advisor to Ronald Reagan in the 1968 and 1972 Campaigns.

"I noticed that Bobby Kennedy has not once come down here in Texas to campaign like I have. The reason? He and the President can't stand one another. I think that is rather petty of a thing to not campaign in a state. I want to ask...is Bobby a coward? Is he too scared to confront the very place where his brother was killed? If so, is he too scared to challenge me to a debate? Dallas, I think we all know the answer."

- Ronald Reagan, 1968 Republican Presidential Nominee durin a rally in Dallas, Texas, September 29th, 1968

"I told Robert to not go to Texas. I told him to not go to Dallas. I warned him he was falling into a trap. I said to him "Bobby, don't you remember 1967? Reagan whooped you real good! You can't have this happen again!" and he snapped at me. He yelled "I DON'T CARE, BUFORD! He disrespected my brother and I can't let that stand!" I prayed that when he went to Texas he wouldn't accept the challenge for the Debate...he did."

- Buford Ellington, 1968 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee

"Governor Reagan is calling me a coward! He says that I am afraid of facing the people of Texas and challenging him to a debate. Well, I am not scared of coming to Texas and I'm not afraid of challenging him either. Governor Reagan, I accept your challenge, if to teach you a lesson about real respect."

- Robert "Bobby" F. Kennedy, 1968 Democratic Presidential Nominee responding to the attack by Reagan days later, October 9th, 1968.

"I smiled and laughed my [double expletive] off. He had fallen for the trap and now Ronnie could finish him off. [expletive] idiot, I thought to myself."

- Lee Atwater

"Bobby got angry...he didn't think straight...when I saw what happened, I shook my head. I knew my brother could get upset if Jack was ever mentioned. I do when he is, but Bobby should've stayed calm and not challenged him to the debate. It still happened though and we had no choice but to agree to the debate."

- Ted Kennedy

"We argued day in and day out with the Kennedy campaign for the best place, time, and day for the debate. Finally, we found a place. Springfield University in Springfield, Illinois on October 22nd, 1968, just 2 weeks before Election Night. The winner in that debate would be able to have their victory fresh in the minds of voters on Election Night."

- Roger Stone

"I helped Bobby prepare for the debate. After all,  had some conservative views like Reagan did. The problem was that Reagan was such a charismatic and smart personality that he was able to deflect anything and it's hard to be pretend to be someone like that because you can't get a grasp on their personality."

- Bill Clinton

"I faced Jack Kennedy. The 1960 Debate was masterminded by Robert Kennedy. I knew Bobby's tricks firsthand and I was the best person to help Reagan destroy Bobby in the Debate. Every Night until then, we would practice and practice. Sometimes, I forgot that I was pretending to debate him and I would accidentally let a Jack slip here and there. Ronald didn't mind though and instead he continued on doing the debate. I almost forgot that this was the rookie that crushed Bobby a year prior. I knew the election was in the bag."

- Richard M. Nixon

"In hindsight, challenging Reagan wasn't the best idea I ever had."

- Robert F. Kennedy

"I was chosen to moderate the debate and I think I did well."

"Good evening Springfield, Illinois. Tonight, we have a very unique program for you: the first Presidential debate since 1960. Tonight, the Democratic candidate Robert Francis Kennedy, the Senator from New York and Attorney General under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, squares off against the Republican candidate Ronald W. Reagan, Governor for California for five years as of right now. Tonight, two candidates, two contrasting ideologies, two different backstories, and two different ideas for America's future battle for your vote."

"Senator, you're idea of raising taxes is insane. When you raise taxes on the rich, you scare the rich away, which keeps businesses away, which keeps jobs away, which keeps people unemployed, which is overall bad for the Economy. When you cut taxes, however, everything works out-"

"Governor, I know what I'm doing. Raising taxes on the rich will help the Economy for the time being. It has worked thus far and it will continue to work."

"Senator, I have been Governor for 5 years by now. 5 years. in 1964, My state passed the California Tax Reform Act and with that as law, Taxes were lowered. The Lower class only had to pay 22% taxes, the middle classes only had to pay 24% taxes, and the upper classes only had to pay 26% taxes. As a result, job growth in my state sped up to the point where the rate of unemployment is currently the lowest in the country at 1.2%. Tax Cuts, if done right, will work, Senator."

"Bobby stammered but he couldn't respond. Reagan's experience and his proof was rock solid. It was clear from that point onward that he had it in the bag and this election was going to be ours. I was the one who made sure the tax argument got into Reagan's answer and he was able to nail it very well."

- Donald J. Trump

"Governor, am I not wrong to say that you support the War in Vietnam?"

"Yes I am. A feverant supporter of it, in fact."

"Governor, may I ask why? Why do you support a war in which thousands of our citizens are dying and we still have yet to win? Why do you-"

"Allow me to stop you right there, Senator. I know you're planning on painting me as some sort of War Hawk and psychopath that's want to see Children die. I am not nor have I ever been. What I am, however, is a firm believer that we need to stop Communism in any part of the world where there is war between them and the forces of Democracy. I will launch an invasion of North Vietnam once I am President. This will make them have to go to the negotiating table and they will be one thing, united under Democracy. Before you bring up Korea to use as an excuse for possible Chinese intervention if we invade North Vietnam, I want to remind you that the People's Republic of China and the USSR are having a little problem between one another right now and they are both focusing on each other. Also, know that both the North Vietnamese Army and the Vietcong have been extremely weakened after their failed offensive. One invasion and the war ends with Vietnam united under Democracy. It will be a better outcome than you ever suggest."

"I remember how I felt in that moment while watching the television. Ronald had made Kennedy seem like a weakling and had made Kennedy look small compared to his ideas. I thought that this would sink us but it didn't. It really didn't"

"Governor, there are some who state that you are far too old to be President and that you won't always be at your best when you are in the oval office. I'm sure Senator Kennedy knows that some nights Jack Kennedy stayed up without any sleep at all during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Are you able to do the same?"

"I want to make this perfectly clear: I will not make my opponent's youth and inexperience an issue in this campaign."

*audience, moderator, and Bobby laughs*

"I cringed. I knew Bobby lost the debate after that. The race was over after Bobby laughed."

"The debate was the best [expletive] thing that happened. Ronnie proved how much of a Lion he was to Bobby and Bobby suffered for that. Everyone agreed that Bobby lost. It was 1967 all over again."

- Lee Atwater

"After the debate, my last hope was to just campaign in the states that I still had a chance at winning."

"The day after the debate, there was a poll that came out that showed Bobby only 3 points ahead of Reagan in his home state of New York. New York! Reagan thought he had it in the bag after that but we underestimated the Kennedy campaign enough."

"the Campaign went into overtime and hit every state possible. New York, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland. Hell, we even attempted a swing at Washington, though Reagan smacked that hope away quickly. By Election Night, we were even leading in Tennessee though we were behind 1 point Nationally. It was our biggest hope to win the Presidency then and there."

- Buford Ellington

October 22nd 1968 Gallup Polls:

Gov. Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA): 49% (+5)
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY): 37% ( -3)
Gentleman George C. Wallace (I-AL): 10% (-4)
Undecided: 4%

November 5th 1968 Gallup Polls:

Gov. Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA): 42% (-7)
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY): 41% ( +4)
Gentleman George C. Wallace (I-AL): 16% (+6)
Undecided: 1%

"I think we were all shocked about how quickly Bobby cam back. His campaign came back like a phoenix after the debate. It stunned us all. Reagan decided that he would hold 5 final rallies before the Polls closed on Election Day. First, he went to Michigan, then Ohio, then Illinois, then Texas, then Tennessee. Tennessee was the clincher."

- Roger Stone

"If we didn't win Tennessee, the House would decide the President and the Democrats controlled that. That meant that if we lot Tennessee, there goes our chances at winning. Reagan went to three cities: Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga. He said in Chattanooga "I need you to help us win tonight! This election is the tightest it has ever been tonight and Tennessee could decide it all! Chattanooga, you could be the deciding factor here tonight so be sure to get out and vote for whoever you feel is best!" and I know what he meant. I campaigned in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois for him. Finally, we retired our campaign in Los Angeles for the Night. Reagan and Bobby's supporters now had to make the choice about who they wanted. It was very close."

- Gerald Ford

Next Chapter: Election Night, '68, Camelot Reborn or Reaganlution 12 Years Early?

[America Needs R'hllor]

Part I: Los Angeles and the Aftermath

“We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Kennedy has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot--I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God.”

Chapter 2: It's Time for Bobby!

"We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot-I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God."

- CBS News Anchor

One of these things is not exactly like the other

I have listened to the report of Kennedy dying and adjusted accordingly and the image is of course the best I could find but any correlation between my TL and yours is completely by coincidence. Is there a chance that stuff like this can overlap? Yes, but I didn't read your TL (considering my hatred for the Kennedies IRL) so it's by coincidence.

Anyways, thoughts on the TL?

I mean, I'm sorry, but this is exactly the same text. It can't be a coincidence, especially considering the fact that I do recall your using parts of UWS's TL in the past. Frankly, this is intellectual dishonesty, it would've been better to just admit it (still not really good though, plagiarism is bad).

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Part I: Los Angeles and the Aftermath

“We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Kennedy has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot--I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God.”

Chapter 2: It's Time for Bobby!

"We’re getting some extremely disturbing news here...Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York has reportedly been shot at the Ambassador Hot-I’m sorry, the Senator is apparently unharmed, and the assailant has been pacified. Senator Kennedy has been shot AT, but he has not been wounded, thank God."

- CBS News Anchor

One of these things is not exactly like the other

I have listened to the report of Kennedy dying and adjusted accordingly and the image is of course the best I could find but any correlation between my TL and yours is completely by coincidence. Is there a chance that stuff like this can overlap? Yes, but I didn't read your TL (considering my hatred for the Kennedies IRL) so it's by coincidence.

Anyways, thoughts on the TL?

I mean, I'm sorry, but this is exactly the same text. It can't be a coincidence, especially considering the fact that I do recall your using parts of UWS's TL in the past. Frankly, this is intellectual dishonesty, it would've been better to just admit it (still not really good though, plagiarism is bad).

Well, I didn't know it was the same text. I looked at his TL, read it, saw how similar it looked, and now I've changed it accordingly. I do apologize for thoughts of plagiarism and I shall be more careful with how I write specific scenes from here forth

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Chapter 4: Election Night, '68, Camelot Reborn or Reaganlution 12 Years Early? Pt I

6:30

Cronkite: "Welcome everyone to Election Night 1968 coverage on CBS. I'm your host Walter Cronkite. Tonight, we have California Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan facing off against New York Senator Robert Kennedy and Gentleman of Alabama George Wallace for the Presidency of the United States. With a little under 2% of the Nation's precincts counting in the popular Vote, Robert Kennedy is leading with 41% of the vote to Reagan's 40% and Wallace's 20%. That's a very tiny sample of the Nation's voting of course and most of the polls are still open in the United States. Here at CBS News, we estimate now, on the basis of our sample precincts, in the state of Kentucky, that that state will go to Ronald Reagan and now we can estimate that in Alabama, as expected, George Wallace will win that state. He will get no less than 58% and perhaps as high as 68% of the vote in his native state as expected. That puts Wallace in these early hours of what may be a very long night into an early lead for the Electoral vote and of course that's the name of the game. Wallace has his 10 Electoral Votes now according to our CBS news estimate from Alabama, Reagan has his 9 Electoral Votes from Kentucky. Kennedy is leading according to our CBS news estimate for the 14 Electoral Votes in Florida and Wallace is leading for the 12 Electoral Votes of Georgia. Now it takes 270 Electoral Votes to win. Of course, when the Electoral College meets, the electors, each in their separate state capitals, on December the 16th. 270 Electoral Votes being a clear majority of the total number of Electors in Each State as you know being the total of members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate for that State. If no Candidate gets a clear majority of the 270 on December 16th, then the matter goes to the House of Representatives, the new House, when it meets next January 3rd, actually getting to count the Electoral Vote on January the 6th. At that point, each state's delegation will have 1 vote for the Presidency."

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 0/41%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 9/40%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 10/21%

Stone: "It was the Early votes and we really couldn't care about them. No, we were concerned about the 8 PM polls closing. There were some very key states at that time that we really needed to win."

8:00

Cronkite: "And now, time for some more calls now that more polls are closing across the East Coast. In Massachusetts, home to Bobby's brother Ted and his other brother and former President John Kennedy, Bobby Wins. In his home state of New York, Bobby wins handedly despite there being some concern that Bobby would lose. In the states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and in the District of Columbia, Senator Robert F. Kennedy will win. In the state of Indiana, Governor Reagan wins from sample polls and in the state of Georgia, George Wallace easily wins. There had been some hopes from the Kennedy Campaign to have Indiana be competitive but Reagan's rallies earlier today in Indiana may have really helped him. Bobby is now at 83 Electoral Votes to Reagan and Wallace's 22 Electoral Votes and Bobby is currently leading in the states of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and he barely leads in Florida. In South Carolina, Wallace hold a 3 point lead that is sure to expand over Reagan due to Bobby's rally in Columbia two days ago. In the states of Ohio and Michigan, however, Reagan is doing well as he leads Bobby by 6 points in Ohio and by 9 points in Michigan, home of his running mate, Representative and House Minority Leader Gerald Ford. Bobby is still leading in the Popular vote with 45% to Reagan's 42% and Wallace's 14%"

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 83/45%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 22/42%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 22/14%

Bayh: "We were all quiet. We had a 61 Electoral Vote lead over Reagan but we needed that continue. It really did sting us greatly to lose Indiana just like that but we hoped to win in the entire East Coast except South Carolina and Georgia so Reagan would be losing the South. That's what we needed and at 8:15, More states were called for both us, Reagan, and Wallace. It made me think that we could actually win."

8:15

Cronkite: "At 8:15 PM, CBS has more states to announce the winners for. In the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, Senator Kennedy wins and takes 59 Electoral Votes from these crucial victories, bringing him up to 142 Electoral Votes. In the State of Michigan, with great ease, Governor Reagan is projected to win, giving him 21 Electoral Votes and brining him up to 43 Electoral Votes. Finally, in South Carolina, Wallace wins after the vote splitting between Reagan and RFK gives Wallace a 12 point lead, bringing Wallace up to 30 Electoral Votes. Ohio, Virginia, Florida, West Virginia, and North Carolina still need to be called and they are all pretty close except in West Virginia, which is solid Democratic territory and Ohio, which is very Republican with Reagan leading by 7 points as of right now. Bobby leads in the Popular vote with 44% to Reagan's 43% and Wallace's 12%"

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 142/44%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 43/43%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 30/12%

Trump: "It was crazy. We won Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky with ease and we were winning greatly in Ohio though it took a while for the Media to call it and we were losing the East Coast but we all expected that. The East Coast was not Reagan territory. It was definitely Kennedy territory. What we needed was the states in the West to be called so we could begin to catch up. That was our best chance."

8:50

Cronkite: "It's 8:50 PM and we can project two states. In Ohio, with a 12 point lead, Governor Reagan wins its 26 Electoral Votes with great ease. There had been hopes from the Kennedy campaign to win this state but it didn't work out. In the solidly Democratic State of West Virginia, Senator Kennedy captures its 7 Electoral Votes. The California Governor is now at 69 Electoral Votes while the New York Senator is now at 149 Electoral Votes. Interesting thing to note is that Ronald Reagan is now leading the Popular Vote with 42.3% of the vote going towards him while Kennedy is getting 42.2% and Wallace is getting 15.4% of the vote. Now this race is really heating up"

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 149/43.2%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 69/42.3%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 30/15.4%

Ted: "Everyone knew that the states that were coming up really favored Reagan, except the Deep South, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. We hoped to win the last 5 because then we would need one final state with 14 Electoral Votes and Bobby's hopes was on a combination of Hawaii and Colorado, which we focused heavily on. We didn't know how solid the west was for Reagan."

9:05 PM

Cronkite: "It's 9:05 PM and we have some new projections to give. For the Governor of California, this will be great news. Ronald Reagan will win the states of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota giving him 40 Electoral Votes and bringing his total to 109 Electoral Votes. For First Gentleman Wallace of Alabama, he wins in the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi with ease. He had thought he had a chance in Missouri but Reagan was too strong in that state as he leads by exactly 20 points and over 5,000 votes. Reagan is still leading the Popular Vote with 44.6% to RFK's 43.9% and Wallace is at 11.4%. The States of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, and Texas too close to be projected as of right now but Reagan is leading in the last 4 as he leads in Illinois by 5 points, in Iowa by 7 points, in Tennessee by 2 points, and in Texas by a single point. It's suspected that it will get closer tonight as more votes come in but the Reagan campaign must be extremely pleased right now."

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 149/43.9%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 109/44.6%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 53/11.4%

Atwater: "We were ecstatic about the results. Was it a bit too early to be celebrating? Maybe, but we were leading in Iowa and Illinois by big margins and only Tennessee and Texas we had a chance of losing. Of course, Bobby was able to balance things out and keep his lead ever higher with his next three wins only 40 minutes later."

9:45

Cronkite: "Welcome back everyone and we have some really big calls right now at 9:45 PM.In the state of Virginia, usually Republican leaning, Senator Kennedy wins but only barely and thus he gains its 12 Electoral Votes. He also wins in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, giving him 34 Electoral Votes and keeping him in the lead with 183 Electoral Votes, though Reagan easily wins Iowa, giving him 118 Electoral Votes. Kennedy is leading in Illinois, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida now and Wallace is leading in Texas. If these states are captured by them tonight, we could see no one reach 270 and instead the House decides who wins."

Senator Robert Francis Kennedy (D-NY)/Governor Earl Buford Ellington (D-TN): 183/44.53%
Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan (R-CA)/Representative Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (R-MI): 118/44.54%
First Gentleman George Corely Wallace Jr. (I-AL)/Former United States Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis Emerson LeMay (I-OH): 53/10.92%

Bobby: "We were all holding our breath. I knew that this race would come down to Tennessee. My lead in Illinois was falling every second and Texas was extremely close between Reagan and Wallace, with Reagan having a slight chance of winning. My team crunched the numbers. If we won Illinois, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida, we would be at 251 Electoral Votes and if Wallace won Texas, no one would reach 270 and the House would decide the President. That was my best hope at winning and I needed to win."