An Effective Consensus

[OSR stands with Israel]

Go Taft

[KaiserDave]

Campaign 1968

Wikimedia Commons


New Hampshire Primary Results:

Democratic Primary
Eugene McCarthy: 54.34% ✓
George Wallace (i): 44.12

Republican Primary
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.: 20.1% ✓
George Romney: 19.8%
Margaret Chase Smith: 16.5%
Nelson Rockefeller: 15.7%
Robert Taft Jr: 12.2%
Harold Stassen: 8.6%
Hiram Fong: 5.4%


March 13th: President Wallace faces stunning defeat in New Hampshire primary where he is beaten handily by Eugene McCarthy. Wallace vows to fight on, and denounces the "elitist Eugene McCarthy who spits on the American worker." Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. wins New Hampshire primary by an extremely small margin, Lodge (who was heavily favored) ends his campaign and endorses Governor Romney. All other candidates vow to go on.

March 15th: Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater endorse Robert Taft Jr. in bid to save (in Reagan's words) "the Republican wing of the Republican party"

March 17th: Edward Brooke and most liberal Republicans in the house endorse Governor Romney

March 18th: Stock indicators fall off a cliff as economic dam finally gives way as first quarter ends. A combination of violence, high interest rates, instability, and other market factors troubles many as businesses begin to suffer. Poverty is already rising to a tremendous level, especially among Black Americans.

March 19th: George Romney touts business experience and promotes aggressive federal response, stable leadership to avert economic crisis

March 25th: Wallace may be losing primaries, but his men in the party establishment are getting unpledged delegates on side

April 2nd: Governor Romney cruises to victory in Wisconsin Primary, President Wallace edges out Senator McCarthy. Hiram Fong drops out of the race.

April 3rd and 4th: Martin Luther King, as a part of anti poverty campaign delivers "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech in Memphis. The Next Day he is shot by James Earl Ray on hotel deck. He is rushed the hospital, where his condition is grave.

April 5th: Riots break at in Memphis in response to King being shot. President Wallace promises to restore order.

April 6th: President Wallace presents economic recovery plan to Lyndon Johnson and Congressional Democrats. Includes greater social security benefits, easing income taxes on most Americans, reversing earlier budget cuts. Nelson Rockefeller says Wallace is just, "trying to clean up his earlier mistakes."

April 7th: Governor Romney delivers nationally televised speech praying for the health of Dr. King and calling for the aggressive enforcement of civil rights legislation, a Fair Housing Act, a Voting Right's Act, desegregation of suburbs, and anti poverty programs.

April 9th: Dr. King recovers from wounds, speaks to press outside hospital with a call for love and mutual respect. He also praises Governor Romney, and without a full endorsement, says he is a "brave man and a bold leader."

April 13th: President Wallace continues to reduce troop levels in Vietnam and sends unofficial envoy Henry Kissinger to negotiate a settlement, but so far North Vietnam is not interested.

April 23rd: Eugene McCarthy falls short in Pennsylvania primary, loses by 12 to President Wallace. George Romney wins easily, supported by Governor Scranton.

April 30th: Nelson Rockefeller barely edges out George Romney in Massachusetts primary, although he was expected to win by more. Robert Taft Jr. rises to third place in a GOP primary which appears to Romney leading Rockefeller leading Taft. Wallace edges out McCarthy in a squeaker.

May 7th: George Romney wins Indiana, Ohio, and D.C. primaries. Ohio is a close one where he edges out Robert Taft. President Wallace wins similarly, although D.C. goes to Eugene McCarthy.

May 10th: Elements of President Wallace's recovery plan pass Congress, include expansion of social security benefits, but the economy continues to fall, with GDP growth below 1%.

May 14th: Wallace and Romney both win landslides in Nebraska and West Virginia. Harold Stassen, no longer being on the ballot in more races and with barely any delegates effectively leaves the race.

May 28th: Florida and Oregon are won easily by Wallace and Romney. Nelson Rockefeller leaves the race and endorses Governor Romney, making George Romney the likely Republican nominee as undecided delegates line up behind him.

June 4th: California, New Jersey, and South Dakota all go to Romney and Wallace. Eugene McCarthy refuses to end his campaign, pledges not to endorse Wallace.

June 6th: Curtis LeMay leaves Wallace cabinet as his hawkish viewpoint is increasingly sidelined

June 11th: Illinois primary goes to George Romney and George Wallace. Primary period comes to an end as Romney Wallace matchup looks likely.

July 4th: Nation celebrates independence day as economic recovery is slow to take effect, riots continue, and despite the President himself's lessening support for the war, said war goes on.

[Trans Rights Are Human Rights]

sh**t. Romney it is.

[We Live in Black and White]

Holy s**t King lived. That's a whole nest of butterflies.

And as King goes, so do I. Rally with Romney!

[America Needs R'hllor]

I'd endorse Chase Smith/McCarthy, and then Romney. Glad King survived!

[KaiserDave]

Gallup Poll: President Wallace Job Approval December 1967



Wikimedia Commons

Approve: 38%
Disapprove: 55%

[Elcaspar]

Well looks like i am gonna be all in with Romney now that McCarthy failed. Also MLK is alive! A joyous occasion indeed.

[We Live in Black and White]

It's highly, highly unlikely, but Romney/Chase Smith is my dream at this point.

[😥]

Great timeline! And George Romney/Hugh Scott 1968!

[KaiserDave]

Republican National Convention: Miami Beach

Wikimedia

George

The convention was united. Romney had a vast majority of delegates and had the endorsement of everyone running. Even Goldwater, everyone wanted to beat the odious and vile George Wallace. President Eisenhower and Nixon had sent their best wishes, and Senator Dirksen and Representative Ford had all spoken for George. Now all that was left was the Vice Presidential nomination. He had won the presidential nomination, and now he had to suggest a Vice Presidential one. There were many on the shortlist for his campaign. Bill Scranton was promoting himself to delegates as a moderate choice that would unite the party and deliver victory, and he was a good pick. But Pennsylvania was not going to be a close state. Hugh Scott was rumored to be interested, but he was just a less effective Scranton. Some were pitching Margaret Chase Smith, but the Lady from Maine was from a state to promised to be among the most Republican on election night. Edward Brooke was also floated, a liberal Republican from Massachusetts, and a black man, everyone agreed that made Romney a bold alternative to Wallace. Though some worried they'd lose all the South. The Taft bloc wanted Taft or Ronald Reagan, but they did not have enough delegates to get either.

George sat with the Michigan delegation, Romney signs everywhere as the Vice Presidential ballot occurred. George ultimately rolled the dice and picked Brooke, George didn't just want to win, he wanted to make history. He could feel the will of God on this one, it had to a great triumph of moral justice over amoral discrimination. The vote was close, Bill Scranton withdrew his name and many of his supporters went to Taft, but by a decent margin Edward Brooke, Senator of Massachusetts was selected.

Republican Party Ticket: George Romney/Edward Brooke

[KaiserDave]

Democratic National Convention: Nashville

Wikimedia


Wallace had won the nomination. Again the southern radicals, and the party machine by this point infested with Wallace's men had dominated the convention. Wallace won on the first ballot with the unanimous support of southern and border state delegates and with strong support from Illinois, Ohio, and the west. McCarthy had put up a good fight, but it wouldn't be enough. His supporters however would never accept George Wallace. Rioting had starting outside the Nashville hall, but the Nashville police did not hesitate to use extreme measures to put it down. Water cannons and tear gas were utilized as the angry Anti-War Anti-Wallace protests raged on. On the convention floor Wallace had considered dumping Campbell, but chose to keep him on. He won renomination. Wallace gave a speech extolling the greatness of the country, and defended his tough stance on law and order, and his stance on the war, and won applause for his Medicare program. But when he called for "state's rights" and called for the the federal government to "leave local schools alone" the walkout began. Liberals walked out, McCarthy, McGovern, Robert and Jack Kennedy to (Humphrey had not even attended, or invited). Booing and jeering was directed at them as they left, but they left. None would support George Wallace, especially not after four years.

McCarthy spoke to the peaceful section of his frothing supporters at the periphery of the rioting and violence, and while he first called for peaceful protest as opposed to rioting, he denounced President Wallace as a "racist and a warmonger" and called for "no self respecting Democrat, a Democrat who voted for Adlai Stevenson, Franklin Roosevelt, no self respecting Democrat can ever vote for this wannabe tyrant!" Nevertheless, Wallace trudged on, committed to scaring this country to vote for him again in November, or else as he said "the violence and disorder will never end."

Democratic Party Ticket: George Wallace/Jack Campbell

[KaiserDave]

The campaign post will be soon, and Wallace has agreed to debate Romney. So there will be that too.

[Elcaspar]

I am all in for Romney/Brooke! Let's get Wallace out of the White House!

[We Live in Black and White]

So Romney's running mate is a direct f**k you to Wallace.

Yes.

[America Needs R'hllor]

I am all in for Romney/Brooke! Let's get Wallace out of the White House!

[OSR stands with Israel]

Go Romney

[KaiserDave]

Polling Map (Gallup)


George Romney/Edward Brooke: 53.1%/370
George Wallace/Jack Campbell: 46.1%/168

[We Live in Black and White]

Please, based Romneyslide.

[KaiserDave]

1968 Presidential Debate on ABC News

Welcome to ABC News and tonight we're hosting the 1968 presidential debate, I'm Robin McNeil and

I'm Peter Jennings. In a moment we will welcome the candidates, President George Corley Wallace, and Governor George Wilcken Romney. There were be no clapping, except at the end, and right now.

We now welcome President George Wallace, and Governor George Romney.

(Candidates enter to applause)


Mr. President, the economy has done quite badly in recent months, many economists predict that we are headed to a recession by 1969, if reelected what will you do to relieve this?

George Wallace: Well first of all Peter I'm skeptical of the predictions by these so called experts, they are too often from these seats of power at coastal universities overrun by anarchists and treasonous Marxists. They have made no secret of their contempt for me and the common man of America, and I welcome their hatred. But as for the economy, I commit fully to relieving the stresses felt by everyday Americans. First off the last thing we should do is manipulate the value of the dollar, and undermine the liberty and property of average Americans. I commit to property, the gold standard, and natural interest rates. I have also made a variety of proposals, to increase social security benefits, which has passed, and I have proposed tax cuts for the poorest among us and the middle class. I am committed to investing in Americans, and I have no doubt that we will emerge from our current difficulties stronger than before.

George Romney: I have a different view than the President. The first thing I'll do is reinvigorate our public services, over the past four years our public services have either been cut badly or been turned over to Governors who aren't interested in maintaining those services, especially for poor and Black Americans. As Governor of Michigan I tried to do more, I not kept those services I running, I reduced poverty and employed more. As President I'll do the same, I'll declare war on poverty, and make sure that Americans can get ahead and stay ahead in this difficult economy by easing the tax burden and pushing for an aggressive government response. I'll also importantly end the war in Vietnam, it's going nowhere, and I'll move America away from the gold standard. But we also have to be clear on why this crisis has occurred. I think the President's approach to the economy has been erratic and dangerous. You have to have a cohesive economic policy. He's reluctant to cut taxes while supporting draconian interest rates. President Wallace claims to be President for the workingman but he's the one who cut those social services in the first place that he now wants to rebuild, he tore apart the workers compensations and business regulations, and not to mention how he has taken a hatchet to the poor and struggling working Black Americans on every front, housing, employment, and not to mention how he's given southern governors a blank cheque to beat down Black Americans in their homes and on the streets. For President Wallace, it seems like some Americans aren't worth it.

George Wallace: I want American workers to hear this loud and clear. What Governor Romney is promoting here is the debasing of your wages, and the transition to a fiat currency system that will ultimately make the money in your pocket worth a tiny fraction of what it is now. Under Governor Romney you will need to be piling up cash just to pay your bills, and he won't hesitate to bring in more immigrants from Asia and Mexico who will work for a fraction of what Americans would. I will ignore the baseless accusations from Governor Romney that are not based in fact, so many people have tried to stop me with them and they have failed every single time.



Governor, you've made ending the war in Vietnam a big priority of your campaign. Why is that so important?

George Romney: Ending the war in Vietnam is the moral imperative of our time. We are getting body bags every single day and we get no closer to winning this war. We have to start asking ourselves, why? Why are we in Vietnam? Is it still worth it? Obviously we want to fight communism, but is this the right place, the right plan? President Wallace told us for four years that victory was just one more bombing raid away, and thousands of bombs and thousands of soldiers later we are no closer to victory. In fact we are losing, losing badly. Not to mention the fact we're killing millions of Vietnamese in these bombing raids, many of whom are not combatants nor even communists. Many of them are God-Fearing Christian men and women, and none of them deserve to do in a war that shouldn't have happened. As President I will bring the troops home, stop the bombing, and negotiate a peace in Vietnam. For President Wallace, let's be clear, there is no end in sight for this war.

George Wallace: It's just not true. It's not true. We cannot give in to communism at home or abroad, I want to ask every American who they trust to resist the outright Soviet communism rising amongst our youths and amongst Negro radicals in this country.

George Romney: It's always with the Negroes Mr. President isn't it?

George Wallace: I have spoken with many leading Negro leaders and they agree there is a rising, dangerous radicalism. Black Panthers are walking through the streets of America with military grade weapons, and if we don't do anything about it there will be blood in the streets.

George Romney: Mr. President, there is blood in the streets. There is blood in the Streets of Atlanta, of New York, I've seen it in Detroit. It's the Wallace policy of military occupation of the United States that is causing all this madness. I can't for the life of me figure out why you say you're the best man to end the violence in the streets when you've told Governors in the south that's it's okay to kill Negroes in the streets, they the White House will tolerate murder and bloodshed. Four more years of President Wallace means four more years of terror in the streets, if I'm elected I'll restore justice and peace to this great country. We can move in the 70s with pride, with love, and with respect of fellow man. And Mr. President, the question was on Vietnam. What is your plan for Vietnam? I know you're trying to scare Americans into thinking that only you can lead us, but what is your plan?

George Wallace: I was going to get to that. But I must say it is terrifying to hear Governor Romney attack our law enforcement and their efforts to restore peace. In 1964 I promised that I would never bow to the malcontents and agitators trying to destroy good order in this country. I will not bow to them when they go on to college campuses and declare their support for the enemy in Vietnam, I will now bow to them when they declare that America is an evil nation, and I will not bow to them when they riot in Chicago and Atlanta and try and destroy good order. Governor Romney just told you he will.

But Mr. President, what is your plan for the war in Vietnam?

George Wallace: I will not surrender, and I will not give in to the communists at home or abroad. Now if I see after 100 days that the strategy cannot win, as you can see I've limited our new deployments to adjust to the changing nature of the war to allow for the Paris talks to evolve. I've limited new bombing, but I will not surrender. We will not leave Vietnam until we know that communism will not govern the entire country. Governor Romney will surrender to communism at home and abroad, I never will.

George Romney: Mr. President 100 days? You've been president for three and three fourths years, you've had plenty of chances to change the plan and now you only change it after how painfully obvious it is how much of a mistake you've made. That's your plan on the economy and in Vietnam, make big mistakes, and try and take credit for fixing it when every realizes how bad you messed up. We can do better, and I pray that in November we will.


Governor Romney, you've accused President Wallace's administration of being both morally and politically corrupted. Care to explain?

George Romney: I said that and I meant it. First, this administration is filled with corruption. Not only did President Wallace make a corrupt bargain with Democratic Party bosses to fill the government with their cronies to get the nomination in 1964, but he's sold out key positions to other people who got them there. Nelson Bunker Hunt, our Secretary of State, he bankrolled the primary campaign in 1964, he got a nice job in return. Secretary Hunt, who is a member of the John Birch Society, who thinks Ike Eisenhower is a communist agent. The Republican Party stands for good government, never have I sold out my values and my sincerely held beliefs to any special interest. My and Senator Brooke will be a trusted and competent team in the White House, we will never sell out. Morally speaking what more can be said? We have police beating peaceful protestors bloody and burning them to death, Klansmen marching through Washington, Negro Americans being herded into poor and run down communities and then blamed for those conditions? President Wallace has been a great President for the hate groups and the far, far right wing elements of this country, he has not been a great President for those now unemployed, or for Negro Americans. And he has never been the President for the workingman.

George Wallace: It is ironic that Governor Romney claims to represent good government when it's his party and his campaign that has sold out to those who seek to undermine this country. The Ivy League Professors, the rich white liberals, and the big bankers, every single one has lined up by George Romney. He's their man, I am not their man. They despise me and they have tried to remove me from office every single day of my administration. I welcome their hatred and I stand against them. George Romney is a puppet of these men, and I serve nobody but the American people.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I dont think Wallace would win NM , OK, or MO

[We Live in Black and White]

I dont think Wallace would win NM , OK, or MO

Probably just a home turf boost from VP Campbell in NM's case, while OK and MO were still notoriously racist around 1968.

[S019]

Hoping for a Romney win, also interested to see how the debate ends up impacting the race.

[KaiserDave]

I dont think Wallace would win NM , OK, or MO

Probably just a home turf boost from VP Campbell in NM's case, while OK and MO were still notoriously racist around 1968.

Exactly
Brooke being picked was a terrible choice for southern states

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Wallace is a really interesting general election major party nominee. Usually when I think of him, I wanna think of his AIP campaign.

[KaiserDave]

Wallace is a really interesting general election major party nominee. Usually when I think of him, I wanna honk of his AIP campaign.

Yeah, but he also did quite well in the 1972 Democratic Primary. It was definitely possible for him to a be a Dem nominee in the right circumstances.