1956: nixon dumped.

[Boris]

I honestly don't think it would've made a whole lot of difference in 1960 Winfield, assuming that the Democrats nominated John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

Nixon stressed foreign policy during his 1960 campaign as the incumbent Vice President. And I believe voters would've seen Nixon's strength as foreign policy regardless. But once again, as we enter the television age of politics, JFK is simply more charismatic and looks better on TV than Nixon.

Same result. Nixon loses one of the closest elections in history.

[Boris]

Another interesting aspect of your scenario, Winfield, is that if Nixon were to run for President as Secretary of State, he would've revived the old tradition of the Secretary of State being first in line for the presidential nomination. Nixon was really the person who transformed the Vice Presidency and pretty much made it the defacto position to capture the nomination after the incumbent President had finished.

Without Nixon's two terms as VP, it's quite possible that the Vice Presidency wouldn't be the same position that it is today.