A Rendevous with Destiny: The Election of Barry Goldwater

[Mechaman]

*Note: Like Kal's McGovern Timeline I realize this is not really possible, but please folks don't be killjoys.*

Extremism in Defense of Liberty IS NO VICE!

With those words pundits all around the country immediately called the Goldwater campaign "doomed to defeat", that due to the good economy and Kennedy Legacy that President Lyndon Baines Johnson was assured victory.

However, events that occur within the general election season would greatly change how election night 1964 would turn out.

The first of these was the escalation of the Vietnam War done by the Johnson Administration.  Although the Vietnam War was not unpopular, the American people generally approved of the withdrawal strategy that had been in place by President Kennedy, Johnson's predecessor in the White House.  On July 30th, an "anonymous source" from the Johnson administration's foreign policy meetings leaked information to the public about plans from the administration to "create an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin by which the cause of escalation can be carried out."  Americans were outraged at the revelation that the President had been planning to "willingly propagate the war" and with some pundits saying comparing President Lyndon Johnson's foreign policy regarding Vietnam as "akin to James Polk, who used the lives of American boys to propagate the means by which to annex Texas."
Barry Goldwater, although considered the more hardline of the two on Vietnam, continually campaigned on "getting our boys back home as soon as possible", which in light of the recent revelations of the Johnson Administration helped him win some otherwise unlikely peace votes.

And if that were not enough, Barry Goldwater, despite his "extremism" statement at the convention, mended ways with former Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, calling him "a great President, friend, leader, and most of all a great American".  As a result President Eisenhower lent his endorsement and full support during the election, a move that pressured even some of Goldwater's most bitter rivals within the GOP, including Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York (one of his opponents during the primary season), to go on the campaign trail to actively campaign for Goldwater (including a statement by Rockefeller that he would "stand behind this ticket all the way to election day").  This newfound unity between moderate and conservative Republicans would greatly help Goldwater's chances, with some pundits even proclaiming "with the GOP united behind it's presidential nominee as well as recent controversies surrounding the Johnson Administration's foreign policy, Barry Goldwater might just give the President one hell of an electoral battle come election day."

Also, Goldwater, as a result of the recent disillusionment of the American people over the Johnson Administration's attempt to propagate an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin, was experiencing a sudden groundswell of support amongst conservatives, independents, and even liberals due to what many perceive to be the "peace" candidate effect.  Although Goldwater had supported going as far as using nuclear weapons against North Vietnam, many Americans saw him as the "lesser of evils" and the man "to keep America out of war".  Many Hollywood celebrities would also come out in support of Barry Goldwater, including the likes of John Wayne and a most exceptional 28 minute tv spot by former General Electric spokesman Ronald Reagan.  Reagan's 28 minute spot, dubbed by many as "A Time for Choosing" would be watched by millions of Americans in the evening.  The speech, which was a loud criticism of how liberal policies have devalued the American dollar and brought upon untold levels of taxation on the American people, resonates loudly with the American public.  His speech was so widely acclaimed that many pundits would claim "if any one man should be given credit for the rise of modern day American conservatism it's Ronald Reagan."

To counter the backlash against him due to his Vietnam policies, Johnson tried to portray Goldwater as a racist for voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  To counter this ploy by Johnson, Goldwater's campaign shot the now infamous "Daisy" ad, and ad that showed Barry Goldwater at his campaign headquarters with the camera showing a headquarters that had a cultural diversity of campaign volunteers with "Goldwater" buttons on their lapels.  At the end of the video, a young black woman named Daisy Goodard, while carrying her half white son announces to the camera: "My name is Daisy Goodard and I support Barry Goldwater."  The video of a black woman, with her interracial child, announcing support for the supposedly racist Goldwater, as well as the shots of the very culturally diverse Goldwater for President headquarters, in the words of William Buckley "made Johnson look like a desperate fool."
Even though it didn't put Goldwater anywhere near capturing the black vote, it went miles in gaining support from conservative, moderate, and independent voters who were in favor of desegregation who felt offput by Goldwater's vote against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Feeling energized by his sudden surge in approval, Goldwater would challenge LBJ to a televised debate to be held a few weeks before election, just like Kennedy-Nixon debates held four years prior.  Johnson, feeling that he would be perceived as a coward for rejecting the invitation, accepted.  In mid October the televised debate would finally happen, with the moderator mainly focusing on the foreign policy and economic differences of the opponents.  Throughout the debate many viewers would observe as the solemn looking blunt Johnson would debate the more tactful cheerful Goldwater.  Also unique in this election was a question an audience member asked about gay rights in the military:

Johnson: At this point in time, it is most important to keep troop morale high.  Therefore, I cannot compromise the morale of our troops by allowing amorous feelings to exist.
Goldwater: All I ask of our men and women in uniform is that they be able to shoot straight (audience chuckles).  The only requirement that I ask of these men in uniform, whether they be white, black, straight, gay, is that they be willing to give their lives in the service of this nation.

Although not a very critical issue at the time, Goldwater's humor on the issue would endear him to the gay community.
When polled on the televised debate, a majority of the TV audience felt like Goldwater won the debate, while those listening on radio felt like Johnson had won the debate.  Just like in 1960, it seemed that appearance was important to debate.

But the worst was yet to come for the Johnson Campaign, as just a week before the election, one of the biggest bombshell's in presidential election history happened:

A former FBI agent by the name of Richard Giordiano appeared before the press and revealed that "for the previous two years, I under the orders of the former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, as well as President Lyndon Johnson himself, have been wiretapping the Civil Rights activist and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and other prominent political figures.  I apologize to the American people for all the secrecy and lies that I have helped propagate as a result."  This revelation, that Robert Kennedy had ordered the bugging of Martin Luther King Jr. and others, caused a great uproar among the American public.  Almost overnight it seemed that the somewhat comfortable lead that President Johnson once enjoyed over Barry Goldwater was now neck in neck, with New York Senate challenger Robert Kennedy going from a slight lead to falling 10% behind his opponent Kenneth Keating.  It seemed as though the outbreak of controversy had destroyed the "Return to the Days of Camelot" and would make the presidential election much closer than what many pundits thought it would be just 4 months before.

"I'll be damned if I lose to that Jew son of a bitch"-Lyndon Johnson, while drinking with his advisors the night before the election.

In the days leading up to election day, Johnson would refuse to apologize to the American people for the wiretapping incident, claiming "it's a load of bull, I am not a snitch!  It's all that honery son of a gun mister lawyer boy Attorney General Bobbie Kennedy's fault!  I am innocent!  That son of a bitch thinks that just because he's a Kennedy that he's invincible? That he can get away with anything and let the blame fall on us? Well he's wrong!"  This sudden angry outburst by the President, in which he angrily defended his innocence before the press and defamed Robert Kennedy, would end up costing both him and RFK dearly.

Come election day, despite the controversies surrounding the Johnson Administration, liberals around the country were still hoping for a Johnson victory.

Election Day 1964:

Barry M. Goldwater (AZ)/William E. Miller (NY) Republican Party 49.8% pv 272 electoral votes
Lyndon Baines Johnson (TX)/Hubert Horatio Humprey (MN) 49.5% pv 266 electoral votes
Others: .7 pv

The election results, which resulted in the shocking defeat of LBJ, would end up being one of the closest election results in American history.  When all the votes were tallied up, Barry Goldwater beat Lyndon Baines Johnson by a little over 200,000 votes.  Wanting to avoid any further controversy, Lyndon Johnson would refuse calls from fellow Democrats to call for an investigation into possible election fraud, saying "that is not what Barry would do if the shoe was on the other foot."  In a rare scene, Lyndon Johnson would concede defeat at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas:

"Defeat has never really been easy for me.  I have always prided myself on being the best at what I do, the best at all of life's accomplishments.  However, in this election season I have discovered that I, like any other man, are but mortal.  It is with the greatest humility that I hereby concede defeat to Barry Goldwater, the next president elect of these United States."

(cont.)

[Mechaman]

Also, as a result of the recent revelations into the wiretapping of Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy would end up losing in a landslide to incumbent New York Senator Kenneth Keating.  It had seemed the glory of "Camelot" had seemed to fade away with the recent news of the wiretapping happening under the watch of the Kennedy brothers.

The last two months of LBJ's tenure in office would prove uneventful, as further probing into the wiretapping of Martin Luther King Jr. would prove inconclusive as to LBJ's role.  Eventually, no evidence would be found that linked LBJ to the wiretapping, clearing his name and repairing his image amongst the American people.  However, for the rest of his life, LBJ would become a very bitter man, taking a life of alcohol and smoking to take away the pain he felt at losing the 1964 election due to the actions of a rogue FBI agent and Robert Kennedy.  The relationship between him and the Kennedys would forever be shattered after his disparaging remarks about Bobby Kennedy during the election, and to this day the Kennedy family and the Johnson family do not talk.

History does not have fond memories of losers, and losers like Lyndon Johnson seem to suffer the worst.  The successor to the Kennedy Legacy, it would seem that in later years he more than anyone else would regret the Kennedy Legacy.

As shocking as the defeat of Lyndon Johnson was, so to was the election of Barry Goldwater.  The self-proclaimed "Mr. Conservative", just months ago was predicted as having a longshot at becoming president pulled off one of the biggest electoral upsets of all time.  The question on everybody's mind was: What next?


Barry Goldwater, president-elect of the United States of America

[Mechaman]

Wouldn't the election look more like this ? (I gave to Goldwater all the closest Johnson states until he had an EV majority)

It could, but considering how different the campaign season turned out I figured the results state by state would be considerably different.  For example, with Eisenhower and other moderate GOP members campaigning for him, I see traditionally Republican states like Vermont and Maine staying loyal instead of overwhelmingly turning towards Johnson in response to the GOP becoming the party of the South.  In the campaign Goldwater's libertarian stance on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is more understood (and accepted) by normal GOP voters.  That isn't to say every GOP member voted Goldwater though, as you can see it cost him in states like Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
And some states, like Tennessee and Kentucky, I just wanted to have a surprising result

[Mechaman]

The Lone Kennedy:


Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy recovering from his severe back injury

On election night 1964, Edward Kennedy was very concerned.  What had seemed like a walk in the park for the Democrats just months ago had now become a tossup election.  But at the moment he didn't find himself pondering over the fate of Lyndon B. Johnson, but rather that of his brother, Robert Kennedy, who was running for the Senate seat from New York.  Ted was in shock over what he had heard, he refused to believe that his brothers would engage in the activities that former FBI agent Richard Giordiano accused them of.  Even when all the evidence pointed to towards them being guilty, he still refused to believe it.  In fact, when questioned by a reporter about the matter, Ted became enraged and told the reporter to "get the hell out of my sight."  The accusations, as well as his own health problems, caused Ted Kennedy great stress.
His own senate race turned out to be very successful, as the tv announced that he won by a 3-1 margin over his Republican opponent.  Despite his victory, he felt little need to celebrate, for as his victory was announced his brother Bobby was trailing his opponent Kenneth Keating by more than 10% and Goldwater was neck in neck with LBJ even in the early hours.
By the end of the night, after the results came in of Kenneth Keating retaining his senate seat 62%-38% against Bobby, much worse than what Ted thought it would be.  As he read the results on screen, Ted Kennedy cried.  It was the most bittersweet moment of his life, he had just won in one of the biggest landslides in Massachusetts history and his brother had lost in a landslide election to his Republican opponent.  After four years of Camelot, he was now all alone.  Jack was dead, victim of an anti-social wackjob, and now Bobby had become one of the most demonized politicians in American history while that son of a bitch Johnson would likely get off scotfree.
So yes, maybe Ted would become a bitter man, but hell would hath no fury like a brother scorn.  It was up to him to restore the Kennedy name, the Lone Kennedy on Capitol Hill.  If LBJ wins, he'll do everything he can to make sure that the Texas son of a bitch gets what he rightfully deserves: jail time.  If Goldwater wins, he will filibuster that son of a bitch until he accepts moderation as a virtue.
Either way, he refused to be taken down, to become an empty voice, he would be like a lion in the senate.
And so began the maturity of the Liberal Lion of the Senate.

[Mechaman]

Always wanted to see a Goldwater White House; excellent work!

Did the closeness of the contest have any effect on the Congressional races?

Republicans gain some seats, which I will cover soon.

[Mechaman]

Hey is this TL still alive Mech?

Yes.
I'm just a little busy with school work, getting a job, and a few other things that involve having a life at the moment.  For me writing timelines require an assload of research and tons of creative writing, so chances you won't see an update until I have a lot of free time which will probably be in a month's time (which is why "America that Never Was" has been inactive for so long).
Sorry for the wait.

[Mechaman]

Finally!  An update is up.
I actually finished this one 2 months ago, but I forgot to upload it.
I might (time permitting my other What-if and Alternate History timelines) just have another update up soon about Goldwater's first term in office.

1964 Congress Results:

Due to Goldwater's victory the Republicans gained a number of seats in the House and Senate.  However, they still failed to gain majority in either chamber and Goldwater would still have to contend with moderate Republicans to get his agenda passed.  However, conservative Democrats would prove to be invaluable allies in the coming years.

US House:

Democratic Party: 224 Seats
Republican Party: 214

Of Note:
Washington District 5: Afrer a tough campaign, Republican incumbent Walt Horan wins re-election over Democratic challenger Tom Foley.  The 35 year old Democratic challenger, despite a Republican wave year, had put up a very tough fight against the veteran Republican congressman.  Some pundits speculate that the young Mr. Foley might make a return to the political scene, possibly even running for the US Senate or the governorship.........

US Senate:

Although by many accounts a "blowout election", the Republicans were still in the minority.  Of note:

Montana: Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield barely survives re-election by only a 5 point margin.  With heavy Republican resources going into the state as well as the unfavorable Democratic climate he was a vulnerable target, however he was lucky enough that his Republican opponent Alex Blewett wasn't the most energetic campaigner.
Texas: Top liberal Democrat Ralph Yarborough is defeated by political newcomer George HW Bush, the son of former Connecticut Senator Prescott Bush 54%-46%.  The margin of defeat would be credited to a few things a) the liberal Yarborough attacking Bush as a "right wing extremist", b) Bush attacking Yarborough's voting record, calling him "too liberal for Texas", c) the political climate going against the Democrats due to revelations about Vietnam as well as the bugging of Martin Luther King Jr., and d) the press reporting on a now infamous comment by Yarborough about George HW Bush: "Poor George, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth."  Bush's victory would mean that Texas would have two Republican senators, the first such occurrence since Reconstruction.
Nevada: Even before the start of the General Election many pundits were already predicting that Democratic incumbent Howard W. Cannon would have a hell of a battle to retain his Senate seat.  What was a close race in July soon became a losing battle for Cannon as early as early September, when polls revealed that Nevada Lieutenant Governor Paul Laxalt held a fifteen point lead on him.  Despite the heavy odds against him, Senator Cannon put up a campaign battle that many pundits would compare to Harry Truman in 1948.  Cannon would campaign vigorously for re-election, traveling throughout Nevada himself to try to get more votes.  On the night before the election the polls showed that Laxalt held a five point lead over Cannon.  The next day, Laxalt would defeat Cannon by a 2 point margin, much less than what many predicted he would win by.  Laxalt would later comment "If I had been just a little more cocky, I might've lost the whole thing."
Washington: Despite his strong support for further military intervention in Vietnam, Senator Henry Scoop Jackson would win re-election in a landslide.  Some would say that the reason for Jackson's strong performance in a year when a lot of his colleagues were thrown out of office was due to broad appeal to New Deal liberals and interventionists in both parties.  After the election he would public state "I will support the president-elect in his foreign policy".  Later on those words would prove to be very damning to Jackson.
Tennessee (Special Election): In a special election for the successor to the late Estes Kefauver, Republican Howard Baker Jr. would be elected capitalizing on the success of Goldwater.  Due to the circumstances of the election he would be sworn in on November 4th, 1964, giving the Republicans an extra member in the current Congress.  However, the effects would soon be cancelled out.........
Oklahoma: In a race many would call "the upset of the decade", liberal Oklahoma Democrat state senator Fred R. Harris would defeat the favored Republican candidate, the legendary Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson by a mere 105 votes.  It was so shocking that when Walter Cronkite got the results on-air he spent 30 seconds looking at the results before regaining his composure:
"Okay...........for those of you watching.........this report I just got.......in all of my years of.......analyzing elections I can say......without bias........this is perhaps the most shocking results I've had to read............I have here in my hand........the results......of the Oklahoma special election........for the successor to the seat of the late Robert Kerr........the winner of this race will.......once these votes have been.......verified........be sworn into the US Senate......representing the state of Oklahoma.  According to this report.......that I hold in my hand.......the winner of this race..........by only around one hundred votes........Oklahoma State Senator Fred R. Harris.............a liberal Democrat.
The next day, the votes would be verified by the US Electoral Committee and Fred Harris would be sworn into the US Senate on the evening of November 4th, 1964.  His addition to the current Congress would help counteract the addition of Howard Baker to the current Congress.  With the addition of Harris, the Democrats would get bolder in the last months of 1964........
Minnesota:  In one of the nation's most intense Congressional races, Senator Eugene McCarthy would lose re-election by a three point margin.  McCarthy was actually favored to win re-election until his opponent businessman Whitney Wheelock started putting out very hard hitting attack ads about McCarthy's connection with Marxist revolutionary Che Guevarra.  In 1964 McCarthy had visited with Guevarra about fixing relations between the US and Cuba, at the time McCarthy's campaign didn't think the meeting was a big deal because it could be spun as "negotiating".  However, the image of an American politician meeting with an avowed Marxist revolutionary was not pretty at all to an American people who were wary of Communists.  Some would call Wheelock's campaign "McCarthyist" however the damage was already done.  The slogan "McCarthy: Soft on Marxists" would be damning.  The result was an end to the career of Eugene McCarthy.  Many a political historian has pondered how different history would be if the enigmatic poet of a senator had survived 1964........
Wisconsin: In yet another tragic defeat, liberal Democratic Senator William Proxmire would also suffer defeat at the hands of the Republican tide against challenger Wilbur N. Renk.  Proxmire had become Senator after winning a special election to succeed the infamous Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy.  His defeat came courtesy of his open feuding with President Lyndon Johnson, after publicly criticizing the president's Vietnam policy.  In retaliation Johnson ordered that no DNC funds go to Proxmire's re-election campaign, taking a huge chunk of his campaign funds he planned on using.  With the incumbent president and party leadership refusing to support him, as well as a tide against Democratic incumbents, Proxmire would start campaigning as a "Progressive Independent", rallying against the current administration as well as the Republicans.  However, it would be for naught, as his campaign went bankrupt a week before the election and his Republican challenger, who enjoyed party backing, was able to hit him hard for the last week without recourse.  The results would be a crushing 12 point margin defeat.  After his defeat, Proxmire would leave the Democratic Party out of spite, registering as an Independent in 1965.
Michigan: Although the climate favored Republicans, incumbent Phillip Hart would win re-election with 62% of the vote due to the voters perceiving his challenger Elly M. Petersen as "dead boring and uninspiring".
Ohio: Incumbent Stephen M. Young would lose re-election to Republican Robert A. Taft Jr., a member of the influential Taft family.  As a "dye in the wool" conservative, Taft would benefit greatly from the Republican wave of 1964, winning election with 56.82% of the vote campaigning on a platform of fiscally responsible government.  His campaign would be very unique, as he campaigned on a non-interventionist foreign policy and immediate withdrawal of all US troops and advisors from Vietnam immediately.  Though this position put him in hot water with hawkish Republicans, the party leadership still sent resources his way.  His election into COngress would help rejuvenate the dying "paleoconservative" movement.
Florida: Incumbent Spessard Holland loses re-election to moderate Republican Claude R. Kirk.  His election would be one of a few where a moderate Republican would win election over a conservative Southern Democrat.
Virginia: Incumbent Harry F. Byrd wins re-election in a landslide.  Ironically, the conservative wave of 1964 would end up helping him more than it did his Republican opponent Richard A. May.
West Virginia: Robert Byrd wins re-election by landslide margins.  Unlike many fellow Democrats he would actually benefit from the so-called "conservative wave" due to his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that made him popular amongst his West Virginia constituency.

Composition:

Democratic Party: 56 seats
Republican Party: 44 seats

[Mechaman]

Not so fast Barry........



However, with just two months before the new Congress were to be sworn in, President Johnson and the liberal controlled Congress would not dare waste a single second to push through major legislation, namely the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to get rid of discriminatory voting practices responsible for the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the Deep South.  President Johnson had discussed such a bill with Senate leader Mike Mansfield and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. going through Congress after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 hopefully in 1965, however President Johnson's surprise defeat at the hands of Senator Goldwater would have to speed up such plans.  So on November 5th, 1964, two days after the election, President Johnson would appear before Congress with a rushed version of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 before Congress.  Time was of great importance, since what the President thought would be an easy Act to pass just a few months before might go down in flames in two months if Goldwater had enough Dixiecrat and conservative/libertarian Republican votes to water down the Act.  Although Barry Goldwater was no racist, it would come as no surprise to Johnson if he and his fellow conservative libertarian allies opposed the Voting Rights Act of 1964 on grounds that it could possibly lead to "forcing every man to go through the Judiciary just to move polling places or even hiring practices".  In other words, while the Act would likely pass even in the conservative controlled 89th US Congress, it would be a greatly watered down version of the bill that might be as effectless as the 1957 Civil Rights Act, becoming ineffective in both it's scope and it's enforcement.
Furthermore, passing such an act in little time could give a future boost to liberal Democrats, especially amongst minorities who would then see the Democrats as the party of Civil Rights.  A victory with such legislation in such a time would be as much of a moral victory as a legislative victory for the Democrats.
After his proposition to the Congress, he urged that Congress "waste as little time in the passing of this act of the utmost importance."  Not surprisingly, a token number of conservative Democrats and Republicans spoke out against the vote, citing the fear of possible "racial gerrymandering" that would result from such an act.  However, what President Johnson didn't expect was the "nay" vote from Minnesota Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy, who though an advocate for Civil Rights agreed with Barry Goldwater on the possibility of "this act, good in intent it may be, has the possibility of further separating American men and women of all races and creeds through the guise of gerrymander."


Senator Eugene McCarthy, the surprise "nay" vote.

Thanks to efforts by Senate Leader Mike Mansfield to speed up discussion on the bill, the Voting Rights Act of 1964 managed to pass the House on December 17th, 1964 with 308 votes in favor and 115 votes against and 12 "absent" votes.  The next day it would pass the US Senate with 68 "aye" votes, 31 "nay" votes, and 1 "absent" vote (US Senator Albert Gore Sr. of Tennessee).  President Johnson would have the last laugh over Barry Goldwater.



Partisan Breakdown:

House:

Democrats: 172-78-8
Republicans: 136-37-4

Senate:

Democrats: 39-26-1
Republicans: 29-5

[Mechaman]

The Inauguration of President Barry Goldwater:


” Our Republican cause is not to level out the world or make its people conform in computer-regimented sameness. Our Republican cause is to free our people and light the way for liberty throughout the world. Ours is a very human cause for very humane goals. This party, its good people, and its unquestionable devotion to freedom will not fulfill the purposes of this campaign which we launch here now until our cause has won the day, inspired the world, and shown the way to a tomorrow worthy of all our yesteryears.”
-Barry Goldwater
On January 20, 1965 US Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren swore in Barry Goldwater as the 37th President of the United States of America.  A few of the keypoints of Goldwater’s Inaugural Address:
•   The level of taxation is excessive and burdensome.  The Kennedy Administration should be applauded for lowering income taxes on the uppermost income earners down to 70%, however 70% is still excessive and unnecessary and shall be cut even further along with federal government spending.
•   Our Healthcare system is in a crisis and millions of elderly Americans can not afford healthcare.  The problem isn’t that there is no “safety net” for elder Americans, the problem is excessive taxation and regulation of doctors.  Lower taxes and get bureaucracy out of the medical industry to make healthcare cheaper and more efficient.
•   Make no mistake: WE ARE AT WAR IN  SOUTHEAST ASIA.  Previous administrations didn’t tell the American people this, we are telling them now.  We will win the war in Vietnam quickly using any and all methods at our disposal.
•   No war shall be waged without the explicit approval of Congress, NO EXCEPTIONS.
•   The draft is a grievous threat to the liberty of all able body men.  The American army should have professionals who excel at the art of combat, not an institution of modern day slavery.
•   All who are willing and able to join, of their own volition, the United States Armed Services regardless of sex, race, orientation, socioeconomic background should be allowed as long as they meet the physical requirements.
•   There needs to be a private alternative to Social Security.
•   The recently passed Voting Rights Act of 1965 goes too far and needs to be reformed lest the Congressional system becomes corrupted by racial gerrymandering.

Goldwater’s Inaugural Address would catch many Americans off guard who didn’t expect such an assertive outline of what he planned on doing once in office.  In the words of Richard Nixon "most presidents offer pretty words, Goldwater however provided specific policy outlines with no vague rhetoric."

[Mechaman]

UPDATE:

First off, after the last few weeks I've come to the conclusion that hantheguitarman is the biggest Goldwater nerd here, so I dedicate this TL to him.

Second, I have updated the election map on the first page to have the percentages that Goldwater and Johnson had per state in the election.  Since Goldwater focuses less on state's rights in the election I made him do less well in Mississippi (he gets 68% of the vote in this TL, I believe 20% less than he did IRL).  Someday I might (as well as for my other timelines) make a post showing how well each candidate did in each state.

[Mechaman]

COMING SOON!

Another long needed update!

[Mechaman]

The Cabinet of Barry Goldwater:

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The cabinet of Barry Goldwater would (not surprisingly) run the gamut of American conservatism.  Some of his choices would evoke great controversy and end up failing confirmation by the US Senate:
Vice President: William E. Miller (Republican-New York) (not subject to Senate Confirmation, just put here to make the list look cooler )

An unabashed conservative Catholic (and the first one nominated on a Republican Presidential ticket as well as the first Catholic Vice President), William E. Miller was well known for his outspokenness, making Goldwater look “tactful” in comparison.  Some liberals would even go as far as calling Goldwater and Miller “Good Cop, Bad Cop” with Miller being the “Bad Cop”.  However, with Miller as Vice President the administration would become more and more popular amongst Catholics, which would inevitably cause William E. Miller to become “a true pain in the ass” to Democrats (who used to have Catholics, especially Irish Catholics, as a solid voting bloc).
Secretary of State: Richard M. Nixon (Republican-California)

Goldwater’s choice for Secretary of State would be former Vice President Richard “Tricky Dick” Nixon of California.  According to many historians this would be “by far” Goldwater’s least controversial pick.  In fact, the only person who would be cautious about Nixon as Secretary of State would be Nixon himself.  In Nixon’s memoirs he recalls:

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Secretary of Treasury: Milton Friedman (Independent-California)

An avowed supporter of laissez-faire economics, Milton Friedman would encounter strong resistance from liberals in the US Senate upon his nomination by Goldwater.  Of note was a quote from the California economist where he voices “support for experimenting anarcho capitalistic systems in third world nations and the overthrow of communistic/statist governments to advance such goals”.  Friedman would decry the statements, calling them “blown out of proportion”.  However, due to great reduction of liberal power in Senate he would be confirmed by a vote of 62-35-3
Secretary of Defense: William F. Buckley (Republican-New York)
.
For the position of Secretary of Defense moderate/liberal Republicans approached Goldwater and tried to appeal that incumbent Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara stay on as Secretary.  Goldwater would refuse, justifying the unpopularity of the Johnson Cabinet due to the revelations that Robert Kennedy carried out wiretapping on Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.  Therefore, Goldwater confided with Vice President elect Miller as to who he thought would make a good Secretary.  Miller's advice:

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So after listening to his VP's advice about how sex appeal and religious identification can go a long way in winning over certain demographics for the next election, Goldwater took his advice and announced his pick before the US Senate.  Surprisingly Buckley would not face much opposition during the confirmation vote, winning the nomination 72-26-2.  Many would say that the reason why Buckley was passed through the Senate was because of a "Forgiveness Vote": that a majority of liberals and moderates approved of him (and Southern Democrats didn't) because he renounced his support of segregation in the South after hearing about the tactics used by white supremacists.
Attorney General: Roy Cohn (Republican-New York)
Goldwater’s first pick for Attorney General was Roy Cohn, who became famous during the Army-McCarthy Hearings for his aggressive tactics against suspected American “Communists and Insurgents”.  Due to the controversial nature of the hearings, as well as Cohn’s participation in gathering questionable evidence his nomination faced a lot of opposition from not just liberals, but also a few conservatives who voiced concern that “such a man might hold himself above constitutional grounds.”  After much deliberation, Goldwater dropped Cohn’s name from the list.
 William Rehnquist (Republican-Arizona)

Goldwater’s second choice for Attorney General would be William Rehnquist, an Arizona lawyer who was a legal advisor to Goldwater’s campaign.  Controversial among his views was his statement that “based on a strict interpretation of Constitutional law, I would have to declare decisions like Plessy vs. Ferguson to be right.”  Like Goldwater himself liberals would rally against Rehnquist, claiming that while he might not be racist he would work into racist hands by “being blinded by strict constitutionalism.  However, a few liberal Democrats and moderate Republicans were convinced that Rehnquist would be a fair enforcer of current Civil Rights Laws, even if he disagreed with them on principle.  He would pass confirmation with a vote of 56-38-2


Whoa what's that?  An update!?

[Mechaman]

Is this ever going to extend beyon three pages?

Yes.
In fact for your annoying bitching I promise an update before November.

EDIT: Something came up, sorry for the delay.

[Mechaman]

I would like to say this to Cathcon:

I'm sorry if I may have seemed a little rough earlier with the whole "due to your bitching" comment.  Don't worry you didn't rile me up or anything, that is just how I talk (seriously ask any of the vets here how vulgar I am on a daily basis).  Thanks for your input, it has proved invaluable in the process of writing this timeline.  William Buckley would be very valuable in a Goldwater presidency.  Thank you.

[Mechaman]

I'll just handle future Cabinet positions on a later date.........

Vietnam: The Final Chapter

During the election season Barry Goldwater promised the American people that his first priority as President would be to "get our boys home as soon as possible."  At the behest of his Secretary of Defense, William Buckley, Goldwater appeared before Congress to ask for a repeal of the draft and to greenlight "Operation Hanoi", one of the largest scale operations in military history.  He would face opposition from many who questioned how repealing the draft in the middle of military operations in Vietnam could help the US.  Goldwater would respond:

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Goldwater's push for the repeal of the draft would pay off with the GI Freedom of Choice Act passing with a narrow majority in both chambers.  In the next few months many thousands of men would be sent back home from Vietnam, allowed to continue their lives before being drafted.
With the repeal of the draft Goldwater would propose his grand scheme, "Operation Hanoi" on national tv.  With a force of about 400,000 men (all voluntary recruits) the US army would move from defensive positions in South Vietnam and make a forced march towards Hanoi.  In front of the troop advance massive aerial bombardments and armored vehicle divisions would strike.  In effect a modern version of the infamous blitzkreig.  Goldwater's plan raised a lot of skepticism, with skeptics wondering how with 200,000 fewer troops that Johnson planned on using how such a plan could be possible considering the guerrilla tactics of the Vietcong.  Other skeptics wondered how this plan would be possible without considerable loss of life to Vietnamese citizens due to the so-called "carpet bombing" that would take place.  Goldwater would address those skeptics, claiming that with experienced manpower a lot less resources would be used in ultimately ending the war with fewer Vietnamese civilian losses otherwise.  Despite initial strong resistance to his plan Congress would after a month and a half approve his "Operation Hanoi".

Operation Hanoi:


In July 1965, the first of the troop waves would arrive in South Vietnam to being the push up north.  The first goal of the new US forces would be to take control of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail, the trail by which the North Vietnamese supplied the Viet Cong.  It would prove to be difficult, as American forces would have to go through Cambodia and Laos to secure the trail.  Cambodia would prove to be compliant, however some of the Laos military were a bit uncooperative.  After some coaxing the American forces would be allowed to enter the zone and take the trail.  Defense Secretary Buckley, when questioned as to why the US doesn't just simply bomb the trail would comment:

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The US ground forces would encounter stiff guerrilla resistance along the Infiltration Trail.  Buckley's strategy was that without the benefit of the Infiltration Trail other routes to South Vietnam would prove fruitless for Northern and Viet Cong forces.  The effects of this strategy would be felt in October 1965.........

[Mechaman]

Bumping this up so I remember to update it sometime this weekend (after I'm finished crying over the inevitably bad test grade I got in Advanced Federal Taxation because I couldn't study more than one day in advance).

[Mechaman]

An Exclusive Television Interview with Defense Secretary William L. Buckley, Jr.
September 12th, 1965:


Kronkite: Good evening.  Tonight we have a very special exclusive interview with the Secretary of Defense of the Goldwater Administration William Buckley of New York.  Great to have you here Mr. Secretary.
Buckley: Great to be on TV Walter.
Kronkite: Now you are considered to be one of the leading conservative intellectuals in this country.  How much would you say that your previous discussions have lent towards the overall strategy in Vietnam?
Buckley: A lot actually.  The previous strategy of sending over "advisors" and then eventually drafting unmotivated troops to fight in the war was very foolhardy.  Numbers mean very little if the numbers are lazy numbers I say.  It's all about espirit de corp, the morale of the troops.  The men in armed forces that go over there should be men of high training and high motivation, their occupation should be that of men of war, not men of science, not men of philosophy, not men of art......unless the art, the philosophy, the science of which they participate in is that of the art of war.
Kronkite: How do you respond to critics, many of these your more liberal counterparts, that you are a warmonger, imperialist, or fascist?
Buckley: I say those people are very misguided and too quick to judge in light of the post World War II world.  Hitler was a great threat to the stability of the civilized world, something we and our European allies ignored into it was too late.  All because of this misguided notion of isolationism: that America is best served by keeping it's nose out of the business of the world even though this world itself is a collective organism of civilization: what happens in one place affects everywhere else.
Kronkite: But surely such thinking can lead to dangerous consequences, no?
Buckley: Well of course we shouldn't bomb every place under the sun, America isn't the World's Policeman.  But surely we should at least keep the pressure on threatening states like the Soviet Union, whose military power and technological advancement along with the dangers of the Communist Agenda pose a threat to free liberal democracies around the world.  This has been the thought process behind every presidential administration since Truman in regards to foreign affairs.  I am not suggesting any thing more than what has been done in the past, just more of a show of force to get the war over and done with as soon as possible instead of being caught in a boondoggle that could last for years.
Kronkite: But what of all these people who say why don't we just send the troops home and let the Vietnamese handle their own problems?
Buckley: A very naive and dare I say dumb idea?  The North and the Chinese have the Viet Cong's back, without our help the Southern government is as good as red.  This Red Scourge isn't something to be taken lightly, if we let up for one moment we will have flipped the scales in their favor.  I and the other members of this administration will not let that happen.  Say what you want about our economic, fiscal, or social agenda but this administration will not leave the White House in 1969 or 1973 with a Communist Northern Vietnamese state still in power and an emboldened Communist Threat from China, Russia, Cuba or any other Marxist Republic.
Kronkite: But doesn't this go against traditional conservative mantra of non-interventionism?
Buckley: Traditional conservatism did not have the threat of international communism.  The situation has changed greatly now to the point that if we don't prevent the dominos from falling where they may the results could be disaster.

The Buckley Interview, which showed a very blunt intellectual Buckley outright addressing the critics of the administrations war plans, would be very highly received amongst many Americans.  A new internationalist conservative movement would begin to take form..........

[Mechaman]

Can you post the entire cabinet?

I'll do that sometime in the next two weeks.
I don't know what it is with this TL I just keep getting dead ended when it comes to coming up with ideas.

[Mechaman]

Barry Goldwater and the Voting Rights Act of 1964:



One of President Goldwater's biggest challenges coming into office was how to deal with the recently passed Voting Rights Act of 1964.  The VRA 1964 was originally intended to have been brought up in 1965.  The defeat of President Lyndon Johnson, which many thought was highly unlikely in the middle of 1964, changed all of that.  With only two months left in office and a still strong pro-civil rights majority coalition of liberal non-southern Democrats and moderate liberal Republicans President Johnson and his allies in the US Congress pushed forward the Voting Rights Act two days after election night.  Over the next two weeks the Johnson alliance would work around the clock to ram the legislation through Congress to get it into law before January 3rd when the new Congress (with reduced liberal influence) would be sworn in.  Johnson saw a two part goal to getting the VRA 1964 passed before the New Year's Eve 1964:

1) Getting the Act passed before the new US Congress is sworn in would make for a much stronger Voting Rights Act as opposed to a watered down "in name only" version that would pass under the next Congress due to a stronger conservative presence.  Although a significant faction (the Southern Democrats) of LBJ's own party opposed the Civil Rights movement, he also had the support of a great deal of the Republican Party that was traditionally pro-civil rights.  Even some conservatives (like Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen) would be more willing to get most of the Republican Party behind LBJ's Voting Rights Act.
2) If the Act is signed by Johnson before Barry Goldwater is sworn in as President it'll drove the son of a bitch crazy.  Though Barry Goldwater is no racist he and other conservative Republicans would object to the perception of federal government "overreach" in regards to local and state election laws.  If the VRA is put off too long Goldwater and his allies, both conservative Republicans in his own party and Southern Democrats, would try to find ways to deafen federal intrusion into state voting laws.  In other words, the Voting Rights Act's main purpose of correcting perceived abuses of voting laws would be great weakened.  If the Act is signed into law under the Johnson Administration, however, it would likely give the federal government the power it needs to regulate the abuses inherent in some states.

Under the last two months of Johnson the VRA 1964 was passed, and along with the Vietnam boondoggle Johnson left a huge laundry list for Barry Goldwater to handle.

After consulting with some of his cabinet members Goldwater concluded that the VRA 1964, though it was a pain in his ass, would have to wait until America was finished with the War in Vietnam.  Although Barry Goldwater hinted at someday dealing with the VRA 1964 in his first year in office he rarely addressed the issue at all and instead focused on military issues like ending the draft and increasing troop levels in Vietnam.  Some say that the focus on Vietnam was due to the influence of Defense Secretary William L. Buckley, a former CIA member and well known "cold warrior conservative" who designed a war strategy which would "give the US it's biggest military victory since the end of World War II" by October or November 1966, just in time for the first Congressional midterms.

The Goldwater Administration, to the chagrin of it's many opponents, had learned how to play political hardball.  There were a few problems standing in the Administrations way......however:

1) So far American ground forces in Vietnam have had the luxury of only battling revolutionary Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces.  So far most of the outside support given the Viet Cong and the north Vietnamese has been through Soviet weaponry and Chinese combat "advisors".  There would be no telling just how the two communist powers of China and the Soviet Union would react to the all out American troop surge taking place.  Would China send in a massive army like it did in the Korean War to even the odds?  Would the Soviets, threatened by Goldwater's suggestion to use nuclear weapons in Vietnam, follow suit and use their own nuclear weapons against South Vietnam?  Or would Mutually Assured Destruction keep the two bigger communist powers at bay in the Vietnam conflict.

The other, though less frightening problem was this man:



Next up: A Pain in the Ass.

[Mechaman]

Edward Kennedy.......asshole:



Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the younger brother of late President John F. Kennedy and disgraced from US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, would become a thorn in the side of the Goldwater Administration.  While the Goldwater Administration seemed bent on dealing away with the Vietnam Conflict, Senator Kennedy would regularly bring up other policies, like the debate over taxes, medical treatment for elderly Americans, and Civil Rights issue up before the Senate and would filibuster a number of bills concerning Vietnam (namely a few that dealt with troop increases) and go on rants about how the medical treatment of elders in the nation was in shambles.
During one such exchange Senator Kennedy would blast the Goldwater Administration's "blatant ignorance" of domestic issues in favor of foreign so that "a forced victory in Vietnam" would lead to a rise in approval to help the Republicans in the midterm elections in 1966.

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Privately, for the Senator's efforts to curb the White House agenda, President Goldwater would regularly refer to Edward Kennedy as "Senator Asshole".  The more that Kennedy brought up issues like healthcare, taxes, and spending, issues that Goldwater would address later, the more damaging it would be to the administration.  But Goldwater, though he felt that his stances on those issues was right, knew they would be unpopular.  Thus he would have to maximize "warfare publicity" of American military victories to build support for domestic initiatives at home.