An Effective Consensus

[KaiserDave]

Gallup Poll: President Nixon Job Approval January 1964



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 55%
Disapprove: 43%

[KaiserDave]

Folks
Are you for Nixon in 64?
Do you approve of his presidency?

I love feedback!

[We Live in Black and White]

This is fantastic stuff, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the unveiling of Nixon's next opponent.

[America Needs R'hllor]

This is great. I'll reserve judgement for my next election support until the Democratic field is clear!

[KaiserDave]

Campaign 1964

Wikimedia Commons

Barry

Wikimedia Commons

Senator Barry Goldwater as he prepared to take the stage a the DuPont building of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington D.C. He had never been so stressed out, he had always prided himself on principal and consistency. But now taking the biggest step to stand up for those failures had never been more worrying. He was about to stand against every Republican machine, every power broker of the GOP, and the White House itself. But you know, this is what he had to do. For Conservatism, for Arizona, and for America. He swung his head side to side like a dog drying itself off and walked onto the stage to the applause of the assembled AEI members and the cameras of the press clicked and clacked.

Hello folks. Members of the American Enterprise Institute, assembled journalists. Thank you thank you. Now I'm very proud to speak here at the American Enterprise Institute, a group committed to the  ideals critical to the foundation of this nation. Individual liberty, limited government, and free markets. These ideas so important to the bedrock of this great country have never been under more threat since the War. I find that in the Republican Party this is especially true, New York and Washington power brokers claiming to represent good government just spend everyday growing government and practicing nefarious corruption. That's why I find it appropriate that I say here today that I am running for President of the United States as a Republican to restore the soul of this party, and give America a fighting chance.


January 7th: An angry Nixon says to a reporter, "Barry is gonna regret ever getting into politics"

January 8th: Nixon's State of the Union is sidetracked in the media by Goldwater's announcement, his calls for Voting Rights and public works are drowned out

January 20th: Lyndon Johnson says to Washington reporters, "yes I plan on running for President. I intend to win the delegates this time." He does not intend on contending early primaries

January 29th: Henry "Scoop" Jackson announces he's running for President

February 12th: 24th Amendment Finally Ratified, forbidding poll taxes

February 13th: Hubert Humphrey says he's in, "time for a change"

February 14th: Alabama Governor George Wallace, nationally famous for his hardline pro segregation stance (proclaiming "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever") and standing in the schoolhouse door is running for President

February 16th: George Wallace gets big crowds in Arkansas and Mississippi

February 18th: Hubert Humphrey rejects Wallace in a speech to black voters in Gary Indiana, "as I said in '48, we must walk out of the shadow of states rights, and into the bright sunshine of human rights!"

February 20th: Richard Nixon inaugurates his campaign with a big rally in Manchester New Hampshire, "now more than ever we need strong and stable leadership." VP Lodge is also on stage.

February 22th: George Wallace speaks to big crowd in Ohio on populist message "these Republican administrations have been kicking workers in the shin for far too long, time to send a message!", Democratic insiders worried

February 25th: Missouri Senator Stuart Symington jumps in, reportedly at the urging of the Kennedys

February 27th: Senator Goldwater says in Illinois rally, that "it's time to make the party of Robert Taft and Calvin Coolidge conservative again, or else there won't be a dimes worth of difference between us and the Democrats."

February 29th: Barry Goldwater pulls big crowds in Texas, Nixon advisors reportedly worried

March 2nd: Scoop Jackson, Symington, and Humphrey dueling it out in New Hampshire

March 4th: Jimmy Hoffa convicted for jury tampering

March 5th: Nixon campaign reportedly concerned about underperformance in New Hampshire, as Goldwater pulls larger than expected crowds with disaffected conservatives

March 6th: New Hampshire Republican Senator Norris Cotton gives tepid endorsement of Nixon, "he's the best we have at the moment. You should vote for him."

March 7th: Jack Kennedy backs Symington in New Hampshire speech

March 8th: Scoop Jackson endorsed by Governor King, gets major boost

March 9th: Senator Humphrey makes unrepentant case for liberalism, "we must commit to the legacy of the greats, Roosevelt, Truman, and the late Estes Kefauver, fight for the people" as NH primary winds down to zero hour

Democratic Candidates
Hubert Humphrey: For Progressive Government
Stuart Symington: Equality and Justice
Henry Jackson: America Strong Again
George Wallace: Send them a Message
Lyndon Johnson: LBJ in '64

Republican Candidates
Richard Nixon: Now more than Ever
Barry Goldwater: A Fighting Chance


Next up....the New Hampshire primaries

[KaiserDave]

Who will win New Hampshire?

Who do you want to win?

I'm very excited

[We Live in Black and White]

Humphrey/Symington. Holy s**t.

[Stm85]

Go Goldwater!

[America Needs R'hllor]

Would vote Humphrey, Symington and Jackson over Nixon\Goldwater. Lean LBJ over Nixon too, depends on their civil rights stances, definitely LBJ over Goldwater. Strongly Nixon and Goldwater over Wallace.

[KaiserDave]

Campaign 1964

Wikimedia Commons

New Hampshire Primary Results

Republican Primary
President Richard Nixon: 68.6% ✓
Senator Barry Goldwater: 30.1%

Democratic Primary
Senator Henry Jackson: 25.9% ✓
Stuart Symington: 24.9%
Hubert Humphrey: 21.9%
George Wallace: 15.4%
Lyndon Johnson (write in): 9.5%

The results rolled on the evening March 10th with great curiosity from all sides. Would Nixon sweep this conservative insurgent aside? Would the Kennedy machine or the local NH politicians win out? Who would be victorious? The results came in quick to the campaigns and on the television. President Nixon was lounging in a Nashua hotel when the results came in on the television. Goldwater was gathered with supporters in Phoenix. When the results came in the Goldwaterites were ecstatic, they cheered happily and chanted in a frenzy. Even moderate, eastern New Hampshire was into Goldwater! There was anger against Nixon from conservatives, and there it was! Nixon was furious, and wanted to crush Goldwater more than over. This primary was not going to end yet.

As for Democrats, the Jackson crowd was stunned! Out of nowhere their Washington Senator was vaulted forth! Governor King really was the trick! Despite the Kennedy's and all their luster being deployed for Senator Symington, they had triumphed! The small margin was irrelevant, as just a month ago they were deemed irrelevant by pundits! Humphrey did well enough for his expectations, New Hampshire was never expected to be great for him. Symington's team was disappointed, but they were hardly out. Wallace continued his meteoric rise, as even cultured north eastern New Hampshire wouldn't reject his message. He was far from winning, but he secured his place as a serious candidate. Lyndon Johnson expected to do better with the write in vote, but he was a convention candidate anyways. He'd be picking up unpledged and uncommitted delegates while everyone else sat in some run down diner in Portsmouth. New Hampshire was over, but the campaign went on.




March 15th: Nixon White House reportedly mobilizing every element of the GOP establishment to crush Goldwater

March 20th: Crazed Marxist Lee Harvey Oswald arrested with two pistols at George Wallace rally in Wisconsin

March 24th: President Nixon meets with Nikita Khrushchev in surprise Zürich meeting, details undisclosed

March 26th: Goldwater says Nixon "capitulated again to Soviet aggression"

March 27th: Senator Jackson questions motives of Zürich meeting

March 30th: George Wallace holds massive MSG rally denounces the "wealthy elite who from their golden thrones look down on the workingman, and they raise his taxes, devalue his wages, send his tax dollars to some faraway land to build some roads in some place they ain't never heard of. They spit on his faith and his culture, and all the while they profit and profit off the poorest of the poor." Counter protestors clash with police.

April 3rd: Barry Goldwater refuses to rule out war with North Vietnam, "if we allow Vietnam to fall to communism, it may very well be the end of freedom in the far east."

April 6th: President Nixon speaks to the nation saying that in meeting with Nikita Khrushchev he secured "a lasting peace" that will never allow "the nightmare of global thermonuclear war" and promised that "the nation will never again face a crisis like in October of '62"

April 7th: Wisconsin Primary shocks nation again, Nixon wins 88% of the vote (Goldwater did not contest the state but got 12% write in), but in a stunner, George Wallace carries Wisconsin, edging out Hubert Humphrey by less than 1,000 votes. Senator Symington in third.

April 10th: Hubert Humphrey refuses to leave the race saying, "we cannot and will not bow down to the dark forces of bigotry and deception."

April 11th: Nixon commits 3,000 more "military advisors" to South Vietnam with helicopter compliment

April 12th: Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. says "if we allow the dark forces of hatred and division to take the highest office in the land we will lose a decade of struggle." He urges black voters to stop the Governor of Alabama

April 13th: Nixon White House continues to pitch immigration reform plan to end quotas despite conservative anger

April 14th: Illinois primary surprises again, Nixon defeats Goldwater 63/37 as Goldwater's movement chugs on, in the Democratic primary Symington edges out Humphrey and Wallace 29/27/25 with Jackson in fourth as his New Hampshire momentum slows

April 15th: President Nixon and Premier Khrushchev announce simultaneously that production of nuclear weapons materials will be cut back

April 16th: Barry Goldwater criticizes Nixon for "weakness on communism" and also says at Texas roundtable that he'd "push to repeal the Civil Rights of 1960, return those powers to the states"

April 20th: Senator Jackson pins campaign to strong New Jersey performance

April 21st: Henry Jackson wins New Jersey primary narrowly over George Wallace 26/23 with Symington in third, Nixon defeats Goldwater 64/36

April 22nd: Southern Democratic establishment reportedly corralling southern delegates behind Wallace

April 24th: Anti-War Protest in New York gathers thousands against involvement in Vietnam

April 25th: Senator Jackson calls on President Nixon to expand war to North Vietnam, "we cannot bow to communism in East like we did in China."

April 28th: Massachusetts Primary goes to Symington with the support of the Kennedy family, winning over 40% of the vote, Nixon defeats Goldwater 73/25

May 2nd: LBJ's write in campaign wins the Texas primary, though much of the states delegates were already committed to him, Wallace in second (45/30), Goldwater shocks Republican insiders and almost defeats President Nixon here, losing 55/44

May 5th: George Wallace shocks the nation, wins both Indiana and Ohio primaries by almost double digits, D.C. goes to Humphrey, Nixon carries every contest, but only wins Indiana by a 56/40 margin

May 12th: George Wallace edges out Humphrey in West Virginia, loses narrowly to Symington in Nebraska, Nixon carries the day winning Nebraska by 68/30 and West Virginia 75/23

May 15th: Nixon easily wins Oregon 72/35, but Goldwater refuses to leave the race, Jackson wins the Oregon primary over Wallace 65/32, as Symington and Humphrey take their names off the ballot in that state

May 19th: George Wallace wins the Maryland primary over Symington, Symington, Humphrey, and Jackson take their names off the coming Florida and California primary in favor of George Smathers and and Pat Brown respectively as a part of the new "Stop Wallace" movement

May 20th: Congress narrowly passes Immigration and Nationality Act of 1964, ending the racial and ethnic quota systems for immigration and opening the country up to a new wave of immigration. Conservatives furious.

May 22nd: In Florida Wallace says, "apparently Congress can't get the message that workingmen are already being ripped off, now they want to bring in thousands of foreigners to rip em off more!"

May 26th: George Wallace stuns Democratic Party by defeating George Smathers in Florida primary by a 54/45 margin, a Wallace nomination looks increasingly possible, Nixon again humbled as he only defeats Goldwater by a 55/43 margin

June 2nd: Pat Brown holds of George Wallace in California winning handily 61/36, but Wallace has great momentum going into the convention. Nixon finally deals crippling blow to Goldwater, winning California primary 64% to 34%.

June 5th: Bobby Baker report breaks in full detailing lengthy details of bribery and even sexual extortion on the part of key LBJ aide and suspicious financial dealing on the part of the Senate Majority Leader. Johnson's support amongst undecided delegates falls. Johnson refuses to withdraw his name from contention.

June 6th: Governor Wallace says on National TV, that "I will be the nominee of my party, and I will sock Nixon in the jaw in November."

Hubert

Wikimedia Commons

Hubert knew he could never support George Wallace in good conscience. He was a demagogue, a racist, and a liar. Not only was he an avowed segregationist, but he went around telling workers he was for them while at the the same time being Governor of the one of the worst Right to Work states in the country. No Hubert had resolved that much, he was not supporting Wallace in the general election. But it looked increasingly likely that he'd be the nominee. Hubert gave his delegates a very simple instruction, oppose George Wallace. Support anyone not named George C. Wallace, even if that man was a dark house outta left field like Adlai Stevenson or even Jack Kennedy. But if Wallace did get the nomination? What then? Hubert had never been more concerned for the future of liberals in the Democratic Party, and for the future of the United States.

[KaiserDave]

Gallup Poll: President Nixon Job Approval July 1964



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 42%

[America Needs R'hllor]

#NeverWallace

[KaiserDave]

#NeverWallace

If he wins the nom do you support Nixon?

[America Needs R'hllor]

#NeverWallace

If he wins the nom do you support Nixon?

Yep, 100%

[KaiserDave]

Republican National Convention: Daly City

Wikimedia


Barry Goldwater was not on the front and center of the Republican National Convention. In fact he had never felt more isolated at the party he called home. Every proposal he had made to the party platform, every speaker he had asked the Nixon Campaign to consider, and every time he'd try to raise his voice he'd been silenced or out maneuvered. Richard Nixon was clearly furious with him, and wanted to remove him not just from the 1964 campaign but from Republican politics. Hiram Fong, Margaret Chase Smith, Governor George Romney, and Nelson Rockefeller had all delivered strong defenses of the Nixon administration and Senator Dirksen gave a speech that many conservatives were impressed by. But Goldwater wasn't going to allow this to happen. He had been giving a brief speaking time very soon, and he had already met with his most committed supporters and many of his delegates. Many had agreed with the plan he adopted. He was committed to going through with it before Nixon's speech. At the moment Vice President Lodge was getting applause for his strong defense of the Nixon years and defense of moderate, sensible Republican governance. Goldwater bided his time...


Now he was waiting in the wings to get on stage. The band was playing the Stars and Stripes forever, Nixon signs were everywhere and folks had never felt more confident. If the Democrats were nominating George Wallace, perhaps 16 years of Republican dominance was possible! Goldwater was gestured to and he took the stage. There was a mixed spread of boos and jeers, as well as some clapping and cheers. But Goldwater anticipated more jeers for what he was about to say. He thanked the convention hosts, the party, and the delegates. He proceed into the reasoning for why he ran, a defense of small government, a strong national defense, and free markets. He then acknowledged that he had lost, and that the Party had chosen Nixon. But here is when he lit the hall on fire.

"I refuse to compromise on these ideals. These are the ideals that built this country from overseas tyranny, and built a nation of liberty, economic prosperity, and individual self determination. That on the open plain of the west, one man could make a Kingdom for himself and his family based on his own merits. This is the America I believe in, this is the America that our founders, great men like James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington believed in. But every day we see that America slipping through our fingers. In the 20th century every single administration-Republican and Democrat-has grown the size of government. Today the small government ideas we once treasured in this party, championed by Calvin Coolidge, Robert Taft, these ideas have fallen by the wayside. The Republican Party has not only embraced the New Deal, they have gone further. This is a betrayal of our party's values and of our nation's values. I dearly hope we will not abandon these values in the long term, but in 1964 it appears we have. We are embracing the intellectual spirit of liberal Democrats, not of our founding fathers. Our platform grows government and will raise taxes, not shrink government and cut taxes. Our party is abandoning the conservative creed. I can't support it, and for that reason I cannot support our nominee. I tell you fellow Republicans," the jeering was reaching a fever pitch. "I say to you fellow Republicans, extremism in defense of liberty is no vice and I must emphasize strongly, moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue. So for that reason I will not support our nominee, for the first time in my life I will not be voting for the Republican and will write in a distinguished conservative. Thank you.”

The boos intensified to an extreme volume as Goldwater left the stage and security had to hold back angry delegates and Barry left the hall with his delegates who agreed to go with him. The Goldwaterites had walked out.

Republican Party Ticket: Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.

[We Live in Black and White]

So...a Goldwater Republican walkout, and what seems to be the prototypical phase of a Humphrey indie bid.

Yes. All of yes I can muster.

[Elcaspar]

So...a Goldwater Republican walkout, and what seems to be the prototypical phase of a Humphrey indie bid.

Yes. All of yes I can muster.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Fantastic work!

[UWS]

What do the polls look like in a Nixon vs Wallace match-up?

[😥]

Great TL! Very interesting

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Great TL! Very interesting

It’s nice seeing some more Cold War era stuff.

[KaiserDave]

The support is awesome and motivating! Given all the time I have, I plan to go all the way to present day!

[KaiserDave]

Democratic National Convention: Atlantic City

Wikimedia


The portraits of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman hung over the convention hall at the Atlantic City Convention Center. These were icons of liberalism, but the convention was not embracing that legacy. A reactionary social conservative from the deep south was apparently on his way to win the nomination. At least that was how it appeared so far. Johnson delegates put off recent scandals involving him had moved to Wallace, many were from the south. Many undecided delegates were also moving to the Alabama governor, as he possessed the delegate lead. Pat Brown's California delegates went to Henry Jackson, who began to emerge as the strongest anti-Wallace candidate, but though the first and second ballot were deadlocked, it appeared the dam would break on the third.

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey was in his hotel room when he got the call, the third ballot had been counted and the convention had voted for Wallace. The southern conservatives had never been so excited, they had successfully launched a takeover of the Democratic Party. Hubert sat down and his head leaned back onto the chair. He almost wanted to cry. The party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt...reduced to this. Most of the convention got along with the result and got behind Wallace, he wasn't the best but he wasn't unprecedented. He sounded at times more like William Jennings Bryan than a Klansman. But then again...the Klan would be thrilled about this. Henry Jackson, Stuart Symington, Lyndon Johnson, even the Kennedy brothers all gave lukewarm endorsements of the "nominee of my party." Hubert would make no such gesture to that great swindler George Wallace.

A few hours later George Wallace gave his speech. He called out the elitist cliques that he claimed ran the country, the great concentrations of wealth gained by manipulations of money rather than hard work, the glories of the simple America, affordable homes with green frontyards and peaceful neighborhoods. Where "faith and tradition" was respected, and "the rights of states and communities to live as they please, including on who goes to their schools and diners." That line disgusted Humphrey and other liberals who's jeers were audible. But Wallace gained greatest applause for his lines on why he was a Democrat.

"I'm from Alabama, my Mother had to sell our farmland to pay the mortgage. I know, I see the struggle of poor and working Americans every day. Not everyone is born into a high-rise in New York or Los Angeles, not everyone is born rich with a fleet of cars and a silver spoon. There's the party of the New York power brokers and the big businesses, then there's the party of my folk, of our folks, that's the Democratic Party, and I am proud to be in that party!"

With that the majority of the party was united, though the mainstream Democrat was not enthusiastic. The Wallace campaign couldn't decide who they wanted for Vice President, and it took longer than they'd hope which allowed more moderate Democrats to get a hand on the pick. The shortlist came down to Alaska Governor Bill Egan, former MLB Commissioner and Kentucky Governor Happy Chandler, and New Mexico Governor Jack M. Campbell. Egan and Campbell were mainstream, competent moderate governors, Chandler had more baggage. He had approved the integration of the MLB (which may be good or bad for some voters), integrated the Kentucky schools (again, good or bad), but also a strong fiscal conservative and disciple of Harry Byrd (good and bad for different voters). Ultimately the Wallace team and leading Democrats agreed it would not expand the appeal of the ticket from the south, and ultimately when Egan declined. Campbell was the pick. Western Democrats were pleased the pick, and mainstream Dems were thrilled that a southern conservative like Faubus or even Thurmond was not the pick.

But Humphrey was not deterred or impressed, he was determined to go forth with his plan. He had just phoned the New York Times and now spoke to his staff. "Go, tell the Minnesota delegation." The convention was concluding as the rumor spread through the convention hall. The Happy Warrior was in. Two tickets came out of the convention.

Democratic Party Ticket: George Wallace/Jack Campbell
People's Democratic Party Ticket: Hubert Humphrey/Harold Hughes*

*Progressive Iowa Governor

[OSR stands with Israel]

So will it be a 4 way election

[KaiserDave]

So will it be a 4 way election

Goldwater has not announced an independent bid, he just refused to endorse Nixon