The New Frontier (A Different Path, Chapter 1)

[Cold War Liberal]

The personal lives of politicians do matter, in my opinion, as an example of personal integrity and the willingness to abide by even the simplest of agreements between human beings. To remove personality from government is to render it an entirely amoral function—which has disturbing implications.

Generally, yes, but in an election between two serial adulterers and a virulent racist, there isn't much choice. The people who care are either holding their noses and voting for whoever they agree with most, or not voting at all.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The personal lives of politicians do matter, in my opinion, as an example of personal integrity and the willingness to abide by even the simplest of agreements between human beings. To remove personality from government is to render it an entirely amoral function—which has disturbing implications.

Generally, yes, but in an election between two serial adulterers and a virulent racist, there isn't much choice. The people who care are either holding their noses and voting for whoever they agree with most, or not voting at all.

Oh yeah, sure. I’m rooting for my preferred serial adulterer.

[Cold War Liberal]

October 17, 1964
Vice Presidential Debate Highlights

“No matter which of you wins the Vice Presidency in November. That means that in just 4 months, one of you will be one heartbeat away from the nuclear codes. What do you feel makes one qualified to hold the office you both are competing to hold? Congressman Udall, you go first.”

“Thank you, Howard. When you’re Vice President, you’ve gotta be prepared to be President at any given moment. I don’t think I’d have to worry much about President Kennedy dying of natural causes since he’s so young and healthy, but still, you’ve gotta be prepared for anything. You’ve gotta be prepared, knowledgeable, and you’ve gotta know Washington too. Oh, and tax evasion is a big no-no too."

“Senator Smith, your take?”

“I believe that the Vice Presidency is perhaps the second most important job in the world, behind the Presidency itself. Many Vice Presidents, whether through ascension or election, have gone on to become President themselves. Take, for instance, the case of Harry S Truman. He was elected Vice President in 1944 and was President three months later. He had to deal with the war and with the tough decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. So one must be qualified for the Presidency to be qualified for the Vice Presidency, as I believe both of us here tonight are. I obviously believe I am much more qualified than Congressman Udall, but he could do the job if he was required to.”


“Senator Smith, your nomination was historic. You are the first woman ever nominated for any spot on a major party’s Presidential ticket. Some raised objections. How do you respond to those who say that a woman is not qualified to be Vice President, let alone President?”

“Well, Howard, I say that those who say that are ignorant of the facts of the matter. I am not just a female candidate for Vice President, I am a sitting United States Senator of a decade and a half. I believe that I am just as qualified as any other Senator with my record, though I happen to be a woman. There is nothing about being a woman that makes me inherently less qualified for the job.”


“Three days ago, the Soviet Communist Party seems to have forced Premier and Secretary Nikita Khrushchev out of power. What do you each think this means for US-Soviet relations? We’ll start with Congressman Udall.”

“Khrushchev was a terrible leader and it’s wonderful that he’s now unemployed. Hopefully, Brezhnev will be less stubborn than Khrushchev, more willing to do what is right for the benefit of his people, and more willing to work with the President, whomever he may be come January 20th.”

“I too am glad that Khrushchev is out of power. Now, my hope is that either the political system in the Soviet Union becomes unstable with him gone, or reforms away from Communism are enacted, or both, so that the Union will peacefully dissolve. For as long as the Soviets remain Communist, however, we must keep them in check.”

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Looks like the plan is to have Udall come off as a lightweight.

[Cold War Liberal]

Looks like the plan is to have Udall come off as a lightweight.

He has a naturally self-depreciating sense of humor (he was apparently once said to be "too funny to be President") which he's trying to suppress a little to appear serious. It leads to a little awkwardness. Also Smith is more poised.

[Cold War Liberal]

October 21, 1964
Nelson

“...and with Khrushchev gone, I hope that the entire Soviet Union is thrown into instability and dies a painful death.”

“With all due respect, Governor, our problem is with the government and ideology of the Soviet Union, not the average Soviet citizen. If the USSR ‘dies a painful death,’ its people suffer, which is not what America’s aim should be. It is my hope that they will realize that Communism is not the way, and that they should enact capitalist reforms…”

Nelson frowned. He’d possibly just made a gaffe in the second Presidential debate, though he doubted making a statement which could be construed as wishing death upon the Soviet people would hurt him too much with certain parts of the electorate. That’s not what he meant, and he was pretty sure Jack knew that, but the President hit him on it anyway. It fit into the absurd Democratic narrative of Rocky, the heartless war hawk. Nelson supposed the President was getting desperate, since he could never get more than 5 points ahead of Nelson in the polls these days.

Whatever. This was the last question in a boring debate. Tax policy, civil rights (again), housing legislation, Vietnam (also again), and the USSR and Khrushchev’s ousting had been the topics. As usual, both Nelson and Jack were in agreement in many cases, and in cases where they differed, they only did so slightly.

Nelson, his usual antsy self, couldn’t wait until election day. Regardless of whether he won or lost, at least it would be over. The suspense was killing him. The fact that it might just come down to the wire didn’t help things.

13 more days, and it’ll all be over. 13 days.

“...and that concludes the second Presidential debate. Make sure to go out and vote on November 3rd, and..."

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

AND?!

Unless that wasn't a cliffhanger.....

[Cold War Liberal]

AND?!

Unless that wasn't a cliffhanger.....

Lmao it's just the standard stuff moderators say at the end of debates. E.g. "thanks to so and so for sponsoring," or "thanks to Whatever University for hosting the debate," etc.

I find writing standard debate transcripts tedious, and I don't even really read them in other TLs, so I try to make the debate formats unconventional to keep it interesting

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Honestly surprised at how blatant these candidates are being. I would have expected something more along the lines of “we hope that the next leadership will be more committed to the process of building a sustainable peace...” or something to that effect. My impression has been that the official line on the Soviet Union until the death of detente had been some sort of “peaceful coexistence,” albeit with the hope that our rival would be contained—if need be—rolled back.

[Cold War Liberal]

Honestly surprised at how blatant these candidates are being. I would have expected something more along the lines of “we hope that the next leadership will be more committed to the process of building a sustainable peace...” or something to that effect. My impression has been that the official line on the Soviet Union until the death of detente had been some sort of “peaceful coexistence,” albeit with the hope that our rival would be contained—if need be—rolled back.

Jack and Rocky are, at this point, trying to be different, since a large swath of the public views them as ideologically similar on major issues. Nelson's also moved a little to the right (or, in the case of that "gaffe," more than a little to the right) in order to try to bring a little party unity, since there are some Goldwater voters who aren't Faubus voters.

Also detente is something Nixon started circa '69. We're only two years removed from when Khrushchev almost caused the end of human civilization by refusing to back down over Cuba until the very last minute.

I'm moving a little faster than usual because, like Nelson, I'm excited for election night. Anyway, polls:

October 23, 1964
Gallup Poll
President Kennedy Approval Rating
Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 45%
Not sure: 4%
Didn’t answer: 1%
Who won the Vice Presidential Debate?
Margaret Smith: 36%
Morris Udall: 32%
Tie: 26%
Not sure/Didn’t watch: 4%
Didn’t answer: 2%
Who won the second Presidential debate?
John Kennedy: 54%
Nelson Rockefeller: 42%
Tie: 3%
Not sure/Didn’t watch: 1%
Didn’t answer: 0%
General Election

President John F. Kennedy/Congressman Morris Udall: 42%, 191 Electoral Votes
Governor Nelson Rockefeller/Senator Margaret Chase Smith: 37%, 95 Electoral Votes
Governor Orval Faubus/Governor George Wallace: 18%, 45 Electoral Votes
Undecided/Tossup: 3%, 207 Electoral Votes

[Cold War Liberal]

October 21 - November 3, 1964
Final Days of the Campaign

Having regained a decent lead over Governor Rockefeller, the Kennedy campaign felt more confident about the election as it came to a close. The President spent most of his time in New York, Ohio, California, and Illinois, ignoring the South and most of the West.

Nelson Rockefeller concentrated his time, money, and energy attempting to hold the West for the GOP, and also spent some time in the Manufacturing Belt. He figured that while he probably couldn’t win, he could at least make it close.

Orval Faubus campaigned across Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia in the last two weeks of the campaign. He wanted to make as big a mark as possible, and while he didn’t expect to win any states outside the Deep South, there was no harm in trying.

On October 27th, President Kennedy held a televised address to the nation on the topic of Vietnam. He announced that due to skyrocketing costs in Vietnam, he would enact an “adviser freeze.” No new American military advisers would be sent to Vietnam unless an equal number were being taken out. He also announced that he was assigning Gen. William Westmoreland to oversee American operations in Vietnam.

On October 30th, the trial of former Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson ended. The jury did not find enough evidence to convict Johnson of tax evasion. Johnson proclaimed himself “vindicated,” though Gallup later found that 57% of the public felt that he was guilty.

[MillennialModerate]

Being a moderate, always  liked Rockefeller. Normally would root for a respectable showing but in this case: hoping for a massive landslide. Like to see JFK at least hold on to SOME of the “reliable solid south”. If he does and has a great second term I believe the OTL conversion to a Republican south can be avoided.

[Cold War Liberal]

November 2, 1964
Gallup Poll

President Kennedy Approval Rating
Approve: 52%
Disapprove: 44%
Not Sure: 3%
Didn’t Answer: 1%
General Election

President John F. Kennedy/Congressman Morris Udall: 42%, 148 Electoral Votes
Governor Nelson Rockefeller/Senator Margaret Chase Smith: 38%, 101 Electoral Votes
Governor Orval Faubus/Governor George Wallace: 17%, 45 Electoral Votes
Undecided/Tossup: 3%, 244 Electoral Votes

Final poll of 1964. Election night starts later tonight or tomorrow.

[Mr. Smith]

So how does this play out for Pierre Salinger?

[Vespucci]

Gonna guess that Faubus overperforms. Also, why wasn't he at the debates? He's polling at 17%.

[Cold War Liberal]

So how does this play out for Pierre Salinger?

You'll see! I'll do the results of individual Senate and Gubernatorial elections, and a general look at House composition (I don't have time to do all 435 races, lol) every presidential and midterm year, and off-year elections for governor (forgot 1963, nothing changed)

Gonna guess that Faubus overperforms. Also, why wasn't he at the debates? He's polling at 17%.

Not only did the Commission on Presidential Debates not exist until 1987, that 15% rule wasn't implemented until 2000. ABC sent out the invites, and Faubus was not invited.

[MillennialModerate]

So how does this play out for Pierre Salinger?

You'll see! I'll do the results of individual Senate and Gubernatorial elections, and a general look at House composition (I don't have time to do all 435 races, lol) every presidential and midterm year, and off-year elections for governor (forgot 1963, nothing changed)

Gonna guess that Faubus overperforms. Also, why wasn't he at the debates? He's polling at 17%.

Not only did the Commission on Presidential Debates not exist until 1987, that 15% rule wasn't implemented until 2000. ABC sent out the invites, and Faubus was not invited.

Interesting in this TL that ABC controlled the debates in every way considering at the time they were a distant third nationally and in virtually every Top 50 TV market in the country. Factor in the star power and big name recognition of Cronkite at CBS and Huntley/Brinkley at NBC and it’s even more shocking.

On Faubus not getting invites, that likely just furthered the narrative of the “Coastal elites” and the “Establishment” trying to “rig” things against the “average man” aka southerner.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

So how does this play out for Pierre Salinger?

You'll see! I'll do the results of individual Senate and Gubernatorial elections, and a general look at House composition (I don't have time to do all 435 races, lol) every presidential and midterm year, and off-year elections for governor (forgot 1963, nothing changed)

Gonna guess that Faubus overperforms. Also, why wasn't he at the debates? He's polling at 17%.

Not only did the Commission on Presidential Debates not exist until 1987, that 15% rule wasn't implemented until 2000. ABC sent out the invites, and Faubus was not invited.

Interesting in this TL that ABC controlled the debates in every way considering at the time they were a distant third nationally and in virtually every Top 50 TV market in the country. Factor in the star power and big name recognition of Cronkite at CBS and Huntley/Brinkley at NBC and it’s even more shocking.

On Faubus not getting invites, that likely just furthered the narrative of the “Coastal elites” and the “Establishment” trying to “rig” things against the “average man” aka southerner.

Makes sense to me - if ABC wants a breakout moment, continuing the tradition of debates (which only occurred in 1960 and then again after 1976), this would be the way to do it.

[Cold War Liberal]

Makes sense to me - if ABC wants a breakout moment, continuing the tradition of debates (which only occurred in 1960 and then again after 1976), this would be the way to do it.

Bingo!

[Cold War Liberal]

November 3, 1964
6:00 PM

"Direct from CBS News election headquarters in New York, this is the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite."

“Good evening, from our CBS election headquarters in New York, from which we are originating this CBS Evening News program. Across this nation of ours it appears that the populous has gone to the polls in record numbers. Perhaps more than 65 million of us have trooped to our polling places today and cast our ballots for the Presidency of the United States. President Kennedy has been favored to win reelection according to recent polling, but there’s always the chance of an upset. It’s 6 PM on the East Coast, and the first polls have just closed in the states of Indiana and Kentucky. Too few votes have actually been counted to make any kind of projection, but out of the ballots that have been casted, Rockefeller leads in Indiana, and Kennedy leads in Kentucky.”

“Rockefeller has lead narrowly in polls in Indiana for a week or so now, but it could conceivably still go to Kennedy if the President has a good night. Kentucky is a state that is usually Democratic, but a good showing from Governor Orval Faubus could throw it to Rockefeller, as Faubus is not likely to actually win the state.”

7:00 PM

“Polls have now closed in the states of Vermont, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. All of those, along with Indiana and Kentucky, are too close to call at this time. Something of note is that American Conservative Party nominee Orval Faubus is doing very well in South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, though it is much too early to tell how well."

7:30 PM

“Polls in Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina, and we can make the first calls of the night. CBS is ready to call the state of Kentucky for President Kennedy. He has a nearly 8 point lead right now. Additionally, President Kennedy will take West Virginia and its 7 electoral votes. The other states are currently too close to call.”

“We will be back with our coverage of Election Night 1964 shortly…”

[Cold War Liberal]

November 3, 1964
8:00 PM

“Welcome back to CBS News special coverage of Election Night 1964. A large number of states to the east of the Mississippi river have just closed their polls, along with a handful to the west. Right off the bat, we can call Alabama for Orval Faubus; Connecticut for President Kennedy; the District of Columbia for the President; Kansas for Governor Rockefeller, his first win of the night; Massachusetts for President Kennedy; Michigan for President Kennedy; Mississippi for Governor Faubus; Oklahoma for Nelson Rockefeller; and Rhode Island for John Kennedy. The other states are currently too close to call at this time. Here’s the current map.”

“President Kennedy has won 66 electoral votes, Governor Faubus has won 17, and Governor Rockefeller has won 15.”

8:30 PM

“Voters in Arkansas are now finished voting, and the result isn’t even close: Orval Faubus will win his home state convincingly. He’s leading President Kennedy by over 20 points at the moment, and we do not expect that lead to diminish. We can also make three other state calls. First, President Kennedy will take the state of Maryland. It is the least culturally ‘Southern’ of the region known as the American South; while Faubus is doing well there, it will not be enough to take it away from Kennedy. Second, unfortunately for Governor Rockefeller, the selection of Senator Smith was not enough to give her homestate to the New York Republican, as President Kennedy will carry Maine. It’s not all bad for Rocky, though, as significant vote splitting has lead to Rockefeller taking the state of Florida, a state all three candidates had a shot it. Rockefeller has pulled out a win by about 4 points currently.”

“This leaves Kennedy with 80 electoral votes, Rockefeller with 29, and Faubus with 23. We will take a short break and be back shortly with poll closings in a number of new states.”

[Cold War Liberal]

November 3, 1964
9:00 PM

“Welcome back to Election Night 1964 on CBS. I’m Walter Cronkite, and the time is 9 PM here in New York, where polls have just closed. Polls have also closed in several other states, mostly in the West. We can call a few of them: Louisiana has gone handily to Orval Faubus; Nebraska has gone to Nelson Rockefeller; both Dakotas have gone for the New York Governor; and Wyoming has voted for Rockefeller. Additionally, and curiously, we can project that Orval Faubus has taken the state of Virginia in an upset. The former seat of the Confederacy has gone for a virulent segregationist tonight.”

9:23 PM

“CBS is prepared to make several more calls. We can project Minnesota for the President of the United States. Minnesota is considered a more liberal state, though it’s closer than usual due to Nelson Rockefeller being the Republican nominee. We can also project Wisconsin for President Kennedy. Also, breaking with years of tradition, the state of Vermont will vote for a Democrat. Vermont has voted for a Republican since the beginning of the party in 1856, even voting for Alf Landon against FDR in 1936. And yet, President Kennedy has narrowly won that state tonight. Polls showed it would be close, and it was. An interesting break from tradi - wait, we are getting another call: Orval Faubus will very narrowly carry the state of Georgia and its 12 electoral votes. Georgia was another state that all three candidates had a shot in, and they chose Faubus.”

“President Kennedy now has 105 electoral votes, Orval Faubus has won 57, and Governor Rockefeller has 45. It’s still anyone’s game but Kennedy has a clear lead, especially since Faubus has little appeal outside the South.”

9:47 PM

“There are several more states that CBS is confident enough to project. Arizona, home state to Barry Goldwater and Morris Udall, has gone to Nelson Rockefeller. Faubus had an unusually large amount of support there, but it appears to have pulled from Republicans and Democrats about equally, leading to a Rockefeller victory. The Democrats have, however, made inroads in the West, as they will take the state of Colorado. Finally, Kennedy will take the state of New Hampshire. Rockefeller and Kennedy are both from New England, which seems to have somewhat nullified the effect of any ‘home region’ advantage either of them may pos - wait, we’re getting a major call. It appears as though President Kennedy has carried the state of Ohio and its 26 electoral votes. That’s a major blow to the Rockefeller campaign, as the New York Governor particularly needed a state in the Manufacturing Belt to win, and now his options are more limited and his path to victory narrower.”

“We’ll be back soon with results from the states that close at 10 PM.”

[MillennialModerate]

Very confident JFK gets it done in this TL but for the sake of ‘68 and beyond I hope he holds on to at least one of the Southern states..... speaking of the future of this timeline, this is very well written and I find myself refreshing the page constantly looking to read the latest update! Very curious about how much legislation he gets passed on civil rights and what became the great society in OTL. Curious what happens with Vietnam, curious what happens with the Soviets, curious what happens with RFK & Teddy .. and to a lesser degree Pierre Salinger and Sargent Shriver and way way in the future, JFK Jr.

So so so so much to look forward too. Please keep this going!

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

Jesus, Virginia!

[America Needs R'hllor]

Jesus, Virginia!