Hart and Soul

[GoTfan]

"He changed our idea of America . . . that we really could be a kinder nation. Standing up for our ideals at home and defending them abroad."- Joe Biden, 42nd President of the United States



"He spent his life in service to this country, whether it was defending us against the tide of fascism or as a President of infallible integrity. I am honoured to be carrying his legacy today."- Barack Obama, 46th President of the United States



"We might not have been in the same party, but I always respected him. He went out of his way to make you feel welcome, and his fundamental honesty is rare in Washington." -George H. W. Bush, 40th President of the United States



"He . . . he was one of my closest friends. He showed us what we should all aspire to be. A man of unimpeachable integrity, completely honest, and always warm. We are more the poorer without him"- Daniel Inouye, 38th President of the United States



Hart and Soul: The Presidency of Philip Aloysius Hart

[GM Team Member WB]

TNO?

[GoTfan]

TNO?

Not quite. Certain things will come from there, but this is firmly set in our reality.

[Duke of York]

What a great opening. Please continue this.

[GoTfan]

Part 1: The Unlikely Candidate

Chapter 1: Before the Convention


Robert F. Kennedy's assassination threatened to break the Democratic Party into pieces

The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy ripped apart the Democratic Party. His candidacy that had inspired millions with the revival of the 'Kennedy Magic' had been brought to an end the same way his brother's crusade had: at the barrel of an assassin's gun. Suddenly, the party's left wing was left without a champion. Some said McCarthy should automatically get the backing of the Kennedy delegates; he was after all, the closest in policy to Kennedy. Others would go to Humphrey, or perhaps George McGovern if he were to run.

However, as McGovern and Ted Kennedy, along with Birch Bayh sat together in the weeks leading to the convention, they had to have someone who could beat Humphrey. McCarthy was suggested of course, but he and Bobby had never gotten along, and his name was discarded. Ted and George both suggested each other, but both turned it down for their own reasons.

That was when Bayh hit on an idea.

Almost without thinking, he picked up the phone, hoping that the man on the other end would answer. After a few minutes of convincing (which took all of the Indiana Senator's persuasive acumen), he returned to the other Senators. "Gentlemen . . .  I may have our solution."

"Who, Birch?" Ted asked.

"Just make sure you're watching Cronkite for the next few nights."

July 9, 1968
Detroit, Michigan

"I am tonight declaring my candidacy for President to carry forward the ideals that Robert Kennedy gave his life for."-Sen. Hart, with his wife Janey at a small gathering of supporters.

Hart's announcement sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. Days later, with the Convention getting closer and closer, Ted Kennedy, George McGovern and Cesar Chavez all endorsed the Michigan Senator. Soon after, on the 18th, Birch Bayh announced his endorsement. Instantly, Humphrey's grip on the nomination had weakened. Kennedy's delegates had their man, and Humphrey's supporters became reluctant to attack Hart.

A unique strength Hart brought was that he was universally liked and respected by his fellow Senators. Even those who remained fervently opposed to his policy stances had nothing but respect for his war record and stands on principle. He was called 'The Conscience of the Senate' for a reason.

In addition to the Kennedy delegates, others shifted to support Hart as well. The Michigan delegation swung to their favourite son almost immediately, and he began to draw favourable statements from McCarthy as well. Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye endorsed him soon after.

Hart began to pick up support from unions as well. Walter Reuther announced his endorsement in late July, and the UAW itself followed at the beginning of August. The Hart train was beginning to pick up steam, particularly as he began to lay out concrete policy issues, laying out plans to tackle urban issues and safely withdraw from Vietnam.

All this left McCarthy with an issue to ponder: was Hart becoming better positioned than him to the rest of the country?

[Fubart Solman]

Eagerly awaiting the next update! Honestly not that familiar with Hart, but a very solid start!

[GoTfan]

Eagerly awaiting the next update! Honestly not that familiar with Hart, but a very solid start!

That's likely because the man was humble to a fault. He would probably hate the idea that I'm even writing this, to be honest.

[GoTfan]

Chapter 2: The Nomination



Hubert Humphrey at a meeting of the Hart campaign. Despite his natural unhappiness about losing the nomination, Humphrey simply couldn't allow Nixon into the Oval Office.

As the date of the Convention drew near, Humphrey was able to sense the momentum shifting. Again, in what would be a recurring problem for Hart's opponents, the man had the respect of just about everyone and the hatred of no one in politics. His humility made him difficult to attack, and even if Humphrey had the mind to come at Hart from the right on the Vietnam War, the man's war record made it almost impossible to tag him as a coward.

Labour was divided between Hart and Humphrey, though increasingly, many felt that the winds were shifting, especially under the more progressive unions. Hart also won endorsements from other figures; Bayard Rustin in particular was outspoken in his support of the Michigan Senator. Support also came from Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, who recalled his time recuperating with Hart in the Percy James Army Hospital after their war wounds.

Again, this made Hart difficult to attack.

However, momentum needed to shift significantly for there to be any major change in the race for the nomination. And then, barely two weeks before the convention, it happened

"I want to thank all my supporters, but today, I will be withdrawing from the race for President, and endorsing a true fighter our our values, Senator Philip Hart!

McCarthy's endorsement had shaken up the race completely. Suddenly, Hart seemed better positioned than even Humphrey to take on Nixon in the fall. It was like a snowball; and Hart was picking up more and more speed as he rolled downhill. The political bosses started getting nervous about Humphrey; even Chicago Mayor Daley was beginning to get cold feet, and went on record saying that Hart would be a terrific candidate.

By the time the Convention arrived, the battle lines were clearly drawn. Progressives, youth and liberal unions were supportive of Hart, while what south delegates who remained supported Humphrey, along with most of the party establishment and the bosses also stuck behind him despite their wavering.

Ultimately though, Humphrey knew that if the Convention went to a second ballot, he was sunk. Momentum was on Hart's side, and once the ball was rolling, it was difficult to stop. For once in his life, the Happy Warrior disappeared, replaced by a pessimism that Humphrey was unused to, and it proved justified.

Philip A. Hart was nominated on the second ballot.

The search for a running mate was easy. There was only one man that he wanted on the ticket with him, though the man likely would've refused if it had been anyone else asking.

The 1968 Democratic ticket

For President: Sen. Philip Hart (D-MI)


For Vice President: Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)

[Duke of York]

I am loving this so far. I was wondering how Inouye played into this.

[GoTfan]

I am loving this so far. I was wondering how Inouye played into this.

Inouye was considered for Vice President by Humphrey in our world. Johnson himself urged Humphrey to select him. However, the final voice was between Ed Muskie or Fred Harris, and he chose Muskie.

Inouye knew he was under consideration, but supposedly would have likely declined because he was content as a Senator. Here, Hart is able to make a personal appeal to him based on their time together in a wartime hospital.

This selection will become very important later on.

[Duke of York]

I really hope this is continued soon.

[GoTfan]

I really hope this is continued soon.

It's coming. Just a bit busy elsewhere.

[GoTfan]

Chapter 3: The Campaign, Part 1



"We'd been preparing to face Humphrey or McCarthy, but not Hart . . . every single one of our plans had to be tossed out the window and rewritten. When Inouye came on that made it even tougher, then of course George Wallace had to be George Wallace and throw a wrench into the whole damn thing . . . -Pat Buchanan, 2006 interview

Hart's nomination and then his selection of Inouye as running mate had thrown a massive wrech into the works of the Republican Party. Nixon had been sure he'd be going up against Kennedy after the California primary, and after that, had been preparing to go against Humphrey. Instead, Hart had delivered what was effectively a one-two punch of two war heroes on a single ticket; never something easy to argue against.

A lot of it was also hampered by Nixon's own attitude. Despite his own abrasive manner, Nixon liked and respected Hart for his integrity and wartime service. All this made attempts by the Nixon campaign to attack Hart very difficult. Spiro Agnew made a handful of attacks, but Agnew had a problem of coming off as too aggressive in the attacks, which had the effect of making him look like a schoolyard bully attempting to beat up on the nicest kid in the class.

George Wallace entering the campaign didn't make things easier for Nixon either, though it also complicated Hart's path to victory. Without the Solid South, Hart had to recalibrate his path to victory.

Wihtout the South, our road to victory became what would be the Democratic template for victory to this day . . . Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio. It was a plan that we still follow today-Joe Biden, 1987 interview

Hart doubled down on his core strength in the industrial Midwest. Stops in Michigan's nearby states went up, and the campaign's spending increased there as well. Much of the advertising revolved around Hart's affable personality, attempting to portray him as a kindly figure who would heal the tensions in the country. Even Inouye, despite occupying the tole of the traditional 'attack dog', remained focused on, as it was called, 'The Battle for the Soul of the Nation'.

Even with all this aside, the race was still relatively close. Nixon, in response to Hart's extensive campaigning in the Midwest, doubled down on his law and order rhetoric, which Hart himself noted with some alarm was rather effective. The two candidates were neck and neck the whole way.

Humphrey introducing Hart at a rally in New York City. Hart was slightly nervous about New York possibly going to Nixon, and gave significant attention to the state

An attempts at putting together a debate between the two candidates fell apart quickly. Hart wanted the debate, and so did most of the Democratic Party. For the first time in his life, Hart raised his voice, and demanded a debate with Nixon. Nixon knew how badly the debates had affected his campaign eight years ago, and declined repeated requests.

George Wallace attempted to challenge Hart to a debate, but the Senator shut down the Governor quickly. "I will never give a platform to a man who's views are the opposite of what this nation is built upon." He said during an interview with Drew Pearson. "George Wallace is running on fear. Fear of the Negro, fear of uplifting others. I will have no part in debating such horrific ideas."

Hart's campaign was bolstered more and more as civil rights groups and unions finished lining up behind him. Walter Reuther hit the trail across the Midwest, stumping for Hart on organised labour issues and emphasising the Michigan Senator's backing for them. Civil rights leaders like Bayard Rustin and Roy Wilkins campaigned extensively in black communities across the north and west, while Cesar Chavez, reassured by former Kennedy campaign aides' support of Hart, campaigned across the southwest, particularly among the Hispanic community.

It was to be a three way race then. Hart, Nixon, and Wallace. Three men with very different visions for the country. Hart's optimism clashed with Nixon's hard-bitten pragmatism and Wallace's fearmongering. For a time, Nixon had a large lead, but working-class Democrats had gradually started coming home, along with New Left progressives, African Americans and Hispanics. The more people saw of the humble Hart, the more they liked him.

So Nixon turned to his bag of dirty tricks as the campaign entered its late stages.

[Fubart Solman]

Glad to see this continue! Can’t wait to see things backfire in Nixon’s face.