We Want Wilkie!

[True Democrat]

In the spring of 1944, it is known that President Roosevelt is unhappy with Vice President Wallace and he wants to replace him.  At the Democratic convention, he first turns little known Senator Harry Truman from Missouri.  However, the party establishment presses on Truman to not accept, seeing as he "brings nothing to the ticket."  Roosevelt then threatens to decline the nomination if his next pick is not accepted.  In a surprise move, Roosevelt chooses his good friend, personal international representative, and 1940 Republican presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie.  Wilkie, who had reregistered as a Democrat in the summer of 1941, accepts FDR's offer.  At the convention, the delegates want Wallace as the nominee, but the party establishment forces Wilkie through.  Wilkie and FDR orginially wanted to leave the Democrats and run on the newly created Liberal Party ticket, but both eventually realized they needed the Democrats to win.

During the campaign, Wilkie campaigns with Roosevelt all over the country.  However, Wilkie does more behind the scenes work than anything else.  He rallies a number of Wall Street Republicans (who is still friends with from the 1940 election) around FDR, mainly due to the anti-Nazi stance of both Democratic candidates.

However, on October 8, 1944, Wilkie suffers a major heart attack.  Luckily, his secret service immediately rushes him to a hospital where doctors can save him.  After this last in a series of heart attacks, Wilkie decides to stop smoking (very surpsingly) and his health immediately improves.  Although he is bed ridden for the next three weeks, Wilkie does some more campaign right before the election.

On election day, FDR once again comes out victorious, with better than expected numbers.  A number of anti-New Deal Democrats and Republicans support Roosevelt due to Dewey's isolationalism.


Roosevelt/Wilkie: 56.60%, 506 electoral votes
Dewey/Bricker: 42.68%, 25 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

In late 1947, after the end of both the war in Europe and in the Pacific, Roosevelt is found dead in the Oval Office.  Vice President Wilkie is immediately sworn in.  After a period of mourning, Wilkie immediately gets to work.  Although he continues to be an internationalist, he also continues to support the New Deal, which is surprising.  Many see this as a move to win the Democratic nomination in 1948.

For FDR's successor, he was planning on grooming Senator Alben Barkley to be the next Democratic candidate.  FDR had already made his intention clear to have Barkley as his successor, but those plans were cut short due to his death.

The Wilkie campaign is in full swing by February 1948.  Employing many of the same tactics as his 1940 republican nomination race, Wilkie gets the party establishment (mostly conservative Democrats) to support him.  At the Democratic convention, Wilkie just barely pulls past Barkley to beat him on the 5th ballot.  Party insiders are almost requiring Wilkie to choose Barkley for Vice-President.  However, Wilkie refuses, citing Barkley is too liberal on economic issues.  To balance his eastern establishment look, Wilkie chooses little known, 43 year old Democratic Senator Warren G. Magnuson from Washington.  Magnuson had served in the House and had even been active in the military as a representative during World War II.

At the Republican convention, Thomas Dewey is defeated on the third ballot by Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, who is known as "Mr. Republican".  Taft chooses Earl Warren as his Vice Presidential candidate.

At the Democratic convention, South Carolinan Strom Thurmond walks out of the convention due to Wilkie's anti-racist views.  Thurmond forms the States' Rights Party, on which he runs with Fielding Right.

Former Vice President Wallace attempts to run as a third party from the left, but getting nowhere in the polls, he drops out in September.

After both conventions finish, Gallup shows the following poll results:

Wilkie/Magnuson: 49%
Taft/Warren: 42%
Other/Undecided: 9%

Wilkie, who has presided over a peaceful foreign policy and helped the economy easily come out of a small recession, is leading Taft.

During the rest of the campaign, Taft continuely campaigns on a policy of isolationalism, which at this point is extremely unpopular.  Wilkie promises government reform.

The last poll before election day shows the following:
Wilkie/Magnuson: 54%
Taft/Warren: 41%
Other/Undecided: 5%

Although Thurmond threatens victory in the electoral college, Wilkie pullls out a win(though he does cost him Virginia):


Wilkie/Magnuson: 52.15%, 349 electoral votes
Taft/Warren: 43.36%, 144 electoral votes
Thurmond/Wright: 4.01%, 38 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

Throughout his term, Wilkie moves far to the right.  He slowly but surely dismantles much of the New Deal, and with the help of Congressional Republicans he nearly does away with the Tennessee Valley Authority.  Democrats are furious at him.  On the international front, Wilkie stresses his "one world" policy through the United Nations.

An approval poll in December of 1951 shows the following:

Approve: 58%
Disapprove: 37%

Democrats (42% of voters):
Approve: 48%
Disapprove: 50%

Independents (30% of voters):
Approve: 77%
Disapprove: 19%

Republicans (28% of voters):
Approve: 53%
Disapprove: 38%

Democrats are angry at him because of the anti New Deal legislation, many isolationist Republicans don't like Wilkie, but Independents love him.

[True Democrat]

As the 1952 election approached, Wilkie's approval continued to slip among Democrats.  Many analysts wondered if he could even win his party's nominations.  Meanwhile, among Republicans, his approval shot up to 60%.

At the Democratic convention, his main opposition was once again Alben Barkley.  On the first ballot, Wilkie led, but he got support from only 45% of the delegates.  On the second ballot, he lost 40% of his delegates.  By the third ballot, Wilkie knew he could not win the nomination.  Realizing this, he attempted to promote Magnuson, but by the fifth ballot Barkley had secured the nomination, thanks to the party establishment.  For Vice-President, Barkley chooses Massachusetts Democrat Joseph Kennedy.  Kennedy, who had been Ambassador to the United Kingdom, was an avowed isolationist during World War II (mostly due to his anti-semitism).  Recently, Kennedy advocated a policy of anti-communism.  Althoug Kennedy is a Catholic, he is a nice balance to the ticket with Barkley.

At the Republican convention, Taft once again wins the nomination, mainly due to Dwight Eisenhower's decision not to run.  For Vice-President this time, Taft chooses California Senator Richard Nixon.  However, it should be noted that on the first ballot, President Wilkie actually came in fourth place with about 10% of the delegates, though support disappeared in further ballots.

However, once again, the country is not ready for Taft and his isolationist policies.  Throughout the campaign, Barkley hammers Taft.  By election day, Barkley is leading 55-45.  The election is closer than expected, but Barkley's close win in New York (mostly due to friends of Kennedy and a good performance in the city) allows Barkley to win.


Barkley/Kennedy: 52.85%, 303 electoral votes
Taft/Nixon: 46.08%, 228 electoral votes

[Archangel_Mikey]

What about Eisonhower?

[Lincoln Republican]

Good story TD.

Although in 1952 Alben Barkley would have been 75, and I believe Robert Taft and Richard Nixon would have been a very credible ticket at the time.

Taft did die in 1953, however, and had he won, this would have made Nixon President then. 

[True Democrat]

What about Eisonhower?

He chose not to run for the Repubilcan nomination in 1952.

[True Democrat]

After the death of President Barkley on January 3, 1955, while giving a speech at Washington and Lee University, Vice President Kennedy was inaugurated.  With sympathy from Barkley's death and a relatively good economy at home, Kennedy seems unstoppable.

The Republican candidate list includes Taft (for the millionth time), possibly Eisenhower, Warren, Nixon, and Stassen.  After winning most of the primaries, Taft is the frontrunner for the nomination (after Eisenhower once again decided not to run), but party insiders don't want to nominate Taft, because they know he'll lose - again.  Nixon is seen as too young, Warren is not known well enough, and Stassen is a hasbin from 1948.  At the convention, Taft leads the first ballot with 30% of the vote, with the rest mostly going to favorite sons.

Since the ascension of Kennedy to the Presidency, former President Wilkie has openly declared himself a Republican (again) due to Kennedy's anti-Semitism and isolationalism.  At the convention, he gets 71 votes on the first ballot, mostly from rich, internationalist, Wall Street Republicans.  By the third ballot, Taft is leading Wilkie 378-201.  The Republican establishment sees Wilkie as the best chance to beat Taft.  Although it takes 6 ballots, Wilkie eventually defeats Taft bya vote of 551-449 (much like in the 1940 convention).  For Vice President, Wilkie first turns to General Eisenhower, who refuses.  Then, he wants Magnuson, but the Republicans will not allow.  Finally, Wilkie compromises and chooses 1952 Republican VP choice Richard Nixon.  Nixon, who had been elected Governor of California in 1954, was still very much in the public eye and was still considered a youthful candidate to balance Wilkie.

At the Democratic convention, Kennedy easily wins the nomination, even over the objections of many Southern delegates.  For Vice President, Kennedy knows he must choose a Southerner to balance the ticket.  He picks his main opposition, Georgia Senator Richard Russell Jr.

In the start of the campaign season, Kennedy is far ahead, as expected:
Kennedy/Russell: 54%
Wilkie/Nixon: 36%
Other/Undecided: 10%

Although Kennedy is leading, most Wilkie advisors believe his support is weak and rests solely on sympathy over Barkley.  In early September, Kennedy makes two speeches which contain anti-Semetic comments.  When this reaches the national news, Kennedy is hammered.  His support drops significantly.  Wilkie exploits this weakness, and launches a major campaign focusing on his past experience in foreign policy and Kennedy's lack of experience.

By early October the race is neck and neck:
Kennedy/Russell: 46%
Wilkie/Nixon: 45%
Other/Undecided: 9%

The campaign continues pretty much the same way, with Kennedy watching his words more carefully.  On election day, the final Gallup polls shows the following:
Wilkie/Nixon: 47%
Kennedy/Russell: 46%
Other/Undecided: 7%

As the returns come in, one thing Gallup didn't predict is the choice of "Unpledged Elector" on many Southern ballots.  Southerners, who don't want to vote for a Catholic or a pro-Civil rights Republican, choose Unpledge Elector in many circumstances.  The race is neck and neck until California comes in for Wilkie and gives him the win.  Although Wilkie wins the electoral college, he actually loses the popular vote.  If unpledged electors had not been on the ballot, Kennedy likely would have won both the popular vote and the electoral college.


Wilkie/Nixon: 47.54%, 270 electoral votes
Kennedy/Russell: 49.01%, 224 electoral votes
Unpledged Electors: 2.97%, 37 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

After years of no presidential candidate, the southern conservative wing of the party is making a push to have the nominee, as their last one was before the Civil War (though Davis in 1924 was kind of Southern).  The frontrunner for the Democratic nomination is Russell, but John F. Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson, and a number of others are also competing.  Going into the convention, the primaries are split.  By the fifth ballot, no one has come close to getting the nomination, and the Democrats start to look for a compromise candidate.  The South, who holds the most delegates, makes a deal with the Western/Midwestern wing of the party.  The South will get the presidential candidate, whiel the West will get the Vice President.  Finally, on the 11th ballot, Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright is chosen.  Fulbright is notable for his work to create the United Nations and his early stance against McCarthy.  For Vice President, the Western delegates choose the very young (36) and recently elected Senator Frank Church of Idaho.

At the Republican nomination, Wilkie has a surprisingly easy time, winning on the second ballot.  However, many anti-Wilkie delegates refuse to vote for Nixon.  Eventually, Wilkie realizes that Nixon will not be on the ticket again.  Wilkie attempts to put through a couple of other people as VP, but each one is rejected by the growing anti-Wilkie sentiment.  He finally agrees to let the convention choose the VP.  First, the convention attempts to put through a couple of token isolationist VPs, but Wilkie still has enough power to defeat them.  Finally, they agree on Donald Davidson, a poet and leader of the Southern agrarians.  Davidson, who had been a Democrat until the last 40s, was an avid opponent of the TVA, like Wilkie.

The first poll released after the convention had Wilkie up, but by a smaller margin than expected (the VP infighting took a toll on his campaign):
Wilkie/Davidson: 45%
Fulbright/Church: 39%
Other/Undecided: 16%

Fulbright had the momentum.  When Wilkie's destruction of the TVA bill fell apart in the conference committee in late September, Wilkie's campaign too fell apart.  Fulbright pointed out that Wilkie could not work with Congress effectively.

On October 1st, Gallup released this poll:
Fulbright/Church: 48%
Wilkie/Davidson: 42%
Other/Undecided: 10%

As much as Wilkie tries, he just can't regain the momentum.  Isolationist Republicans, still unhappy with Wilkie, hold their nose and vote for Fulbright.

On election day, Fulbright wins in what is considered a small landslide, even doing well in the Northeast:


Fulbright/Church: 56.42%, 458 electoral votes
Wilkie/Davidson: 42.39%, 79 electoral votes

[kashifsakhan]

Just one little point, Joe Kennedy died fighting in WWII. Also, how old would Wilkie be by the time he would have campaigned against Fulbright?

[True Democrat]

Just one little point, Joe Kennedy died fighting in WWII. Also, how old would Wilkie be by the time he would have campaigned against Fulbright?

Wilkie would have been 68, so not too old, especially compared to Barkley.

As for Joe Kennedy, I'm talking about the father of the Kennedy brothers.  The one that was the ambassador to England and a Hitle appeaser.

[True Democrat]

At the 1964 Democratic convention, many northeastern and midwestern delegates attempt to get a civil rights plank kept onto the platform, but Fulbright now has absolute control of the party.  He removes the plank that was orginally added by Wilkie delegates in 1948.  Many delegates attempt to put up either Hubert Humphrey of Robert Kennedy against Fulbright, but Fulbright easily wins on the first ballot.  For Vice President, Church is convinced to stay on the ticket after first not wanting to run with Fulbright again.  After the nomination of Fulbright, most pro-civil rights delegates walk out of the convention.

Going into the Republican convention, there is no clear favorite from the primaries, which were mostly won by famous sons.  Richard Nixon is the frontrunner (but not by much), however, he is seen as a loser candidate, participating in a losing presidential campaign.  Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona and Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York are also mentioned as possbilities.  After leading the first ballot, Nixon quickly loses momentum and is gone from contention by the third ballot.  The delegates mostly find Goldwater too conservative, while Rockefeller has some attraction.  In end, the strongly pro-civil rights wing of the party wins out and nominates perennial candidate Harold Stassen.  Stassen, who had not held office since he was Governor of Minnesota in 1943, had recently become a strong critic of the Fulbright administration for its anti-civil rights views.  While the Republican convention was going on, the pro-civil rights Democrats who had walked out of the Democratic convention were holding their own convention in Boston.  They officially called themselves "Liberty Democrats."  After the nomination of Stassen at the Republican convention, balloting at the Liberty Democratic convention was put on hold.  By the next day a deal was made between the two parties.  The Liberty Democrats woudl agree to nominate Stassen, as long as a Democrat was selected for Vice President.  Stassen agreed and nominated Hubert Humphrey.  Although both men were from Minnesota, Stassen's official residence was now in Pennsylvania, so both men were constitutionally eligible.  The next day, the Liberty Democrats nominated the same ticket.  In many Northern states, Stassen appeared on the ballot as a fusion of the Republican-Liberty Democrat ticket in order to convince more Democrats to jump ship.

After all three conventions finished, Gallup released its first poll:
Fulbright/Church: 51%
Stassen/Humphrey: 36%
Undecided/Other: 13%

The poll finds that even though many Americans disagree with Fulbright on civil rights, they like him personally, and they find his view on international relations in line with the majority of the population.  Furthermore, Church's liberalism keeps many Democrats loyal to Fulbright.

Although Stassen runs mainly on civil rights, even getting the endorsement of Martin Luther King Jr. However, he is seen as not modern enough, as his prime was running for the 1948 Republican nomination.

Stassen narrows Fulbright's lead by mid-October, but not by much:
Fulbright/Church: 48%
Stassen/Humphrey: 42%
Undecided/Other: 10%

For the rest of the campaign, Fulbright continues to focus on foreign policy, and by election day he is leading most polls 53-47.  When the results come in, Fulbright wins an expected victory, though his votes in the northeast are sharply reduced from 1960.  He does win many traditionally Republican states like Kansas due to Stassen's very liberal views.


Fulbright/Church: 54.01%, 376 electoral votes
Stassen/Humphrey: 45.02%, 162 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

In the 1968 Democratic primaries, Vice President Church wins almost every single primary, however, President Fulbright doesn't support Church at the convention.  Fulbright, wishing to keep a liberal northern Democrat from the nomination, decides to support Alabama Governor George Wallace, who finished second in most of the primaries and won most of the Southern ones.  Fulbright even convinces labor to support Wallace, and on the first ballot, Wallace pulls out a surprising win.  For Vice President, Wallace first offers Church the chance to serve again (no two term amendment was ever passed), but Churhc refuses.  Wallace then goes to moderate Texan Lyndon Johnson.  Johnson, who hasn't taken a strong position for or against civil rights, is a good choice to attempt to mend the Democratic party.  The Liberty Democrats once again attend the Democratic convention, and once again walk out.

Instead of holding two separate conventions, the Republicans and Liberty Democrats hold a unity convention to make it easier to nominate a unified ticket.  The Republicans, the larger of the two parties, demand that they be given the top of the ticket.  The Democrats insist on a normal balloting procedure.  However, the Republicans unite on the first ballot and once again choose Harold Stassen to be the candidate.  Since the 1964 election, Stassen had been elected Governor of Pennsylvania where he put forward his "Equality Agenda", which gained nationwide attention.  For Vice President, Humphrey is a favorite of the Democrats, but the Republicans insist on someone new to give life to offset Stassen at the top.  John F. Kennedy, the Senator from Massachusetts and son of former President Joseph Kennedy, is offered the VP spot.  Kennedy had not yet declared an allegiance to either Democratic party, and he refuses.  Many delegates want to ask Kennedy's brother, Robert, but they decide against it.  Vice President Church is also mentioned as a possibility, but he refuses before he is even asked.   The convention is deadlocked on a candidate.  Finally the Chairman delays the Vice Presidential pick until the next day.  Overnight, Stassen makes a call to South Dakota Senator George McGovern.  McGovern, a major supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, is also known for his opposition to possible US non-peacekeeping involvement in the conflict in Vietnam.  The convention accepts McGovern the next day, to the protest of many conservative Republicans.

The first Gallup poll shows the following:
Stassen/McGovern: 45%
Wallace/Johnson: 43%
Undecided/Other: 12%

Stassen is expected to be over 50%, but a rocky convention has kept him low in the polls, while Wallace has kept his mouth shut on civil rights.  Many conservative Republicans attempt to organize a third party under Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, but they cannot organize fast enough and decide to nominally support Stassen.  Stassen goes on an advertising blitz highlighting his record as Governor of both Minnesota and Pennsylvania.  He also challenges Wallace to a debate.

After much refusing, Wallace finally agrees to the first televised presidential debate in American history.  The debate, held two week before the election, is a huge win for Stassen on civil rights and international policy, but Wallace clearly wins on all other domestic policy, where Stassen finds it hard to distinguish himself.  Pre and post debate polls show the following:

Pre Debate:
Stassen/McGovern: 46%
Wallace/Johnson: 45%
Undecided/Other: 9%

Post Debate:
Stassen/McGovern: 49%
Wallace/Johnson: 44%
Undecided/Other: 7%

Because civil rights and Vietnam are the biggets issues in the campaign, Stassen's number jump after the debate.  For the rest of the campaign, the polling holds steady and Stassen wins a close, but solid victory on election day.  Wallace does continue Fulbright's trend in the traditionally Republican midwest because of Stassen's conservatism.  Wallace also does well in many labor states.


Stassen/McGovern: 51.90%, 307 electoral votes
Wallace/Johnson: 47.56%, 231 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

At the 1972 Republican-Liberty Democrat Unity convention, President Stassen once again wins the nomination easily on the first ballot.  McGovern, again over the objections of conservative Republicans, is renominated for Vice President.  Since the beginning of the Stassen administration, with control of the Senate and House, pro civil rights politicians have passed a number of voting rights acts, including an amendment banning poll taxes.  On the international front, Stassen has kept the United States out of Vietnam, besides sending advisors to the South Vietnamese, who are on the verge of losing.  Stassen has sent Vice President McGovern on a special mission to attempt to negotiate a peace treaty in Paris.  In other parts of his domestic agenda, Stassen has been more conservative than expected, especially when dealing with price and wage controls.

At the Democratic convention, the party leaders know that whoever goes up against Stassen will most likely lose (as Stassen has been enjoying consistent 60% approval).  Although the platform is kept as anti civil rights, the Democrats nominate a pro civil rights Democrat, one of the few who hasn't joined the Liberty Democrat wing of the party.  The Democrats nominate Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, the son of former President Joseph Kennedy.  To appease the Southern wing of the party, Kennedy picks Georgia Governor Lester Maddox for Vice President.

As expected, Stassen leads in the first poll:
Stassen/McGovern: 56%
Kennedy/Maddox: 32%
Other/Undecided: 12%

The charismatic Kennedy has some problems in the South, as his father had, because of his Roman Catholicism.  Unlike in 1956, the option of Unpledged Elector is not put on the ballot, causing many Southerners to stay home.  Turnout in the South is not expected to decrease however, as large numbers of African-Americans will be voting for the first time.

In the beginning of October, a final poll is taken before the first of two presidential debates:
Stassen/McGovern: 59%
Kennedy/Maddox: 33%
Other/Undecided: 8%

The first debate, focusing on international policy, is surprisingly a win for Kennedy.  Kennedy focuses on a call to action for Americans to defend freedom around the world from the Soviet Union.  Polls show Kennedy being the winner by a margin of 70-30.  The second debate, on domestic policy, is a draw.  On questions of civil rights, Stassen can easily defend his position, while Kennedy has trouble distinguishing himself from the Democratic party.  Polls show Stassen the winner by a margin of 55-45.  Meanwhile, the one Vice Presidential debate shows the public how McGovern and Maddox both represent the extremes of American politics.  McGovern slips out of character at one point, and actually goes against Stassen on economic policy, while Maddox attempts to defend his call to vote against the Poll Tax Amendment.  Most polls show that the two candidates just about tied.

A post debate poll is taken:
Stassen/McGovern: 52%
Kennedy/Maddox: 42%
Other/Undecided: 6%

Kennedy has narrowed the margin from 26% to 10%.  Many Democrats see him as having a fighting chance.  For the last half month of the campaign, Stassen focuses on his civil rights policy.  Final polls show him leading 55-45.

As election day returns come in, Kennedy does very well in the Northeast, while Stassen picks up a number of votes in the South due to increased African-American turnout and decreased white turnout.  He even wins Virginia.   Kennedy does do fairly well among African-Americans, getting an estimated 20%.  Stassen wins easily, increasing his margin from four years earlier, but Kennedy is still seen has running a good race.


Stassen/McGovern: 55.47%, 378 electoral votes
Kennedy/Maddox: 44.22%, 160 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

Is anyone reading this?

If they are, I'll continue, so here's 1976:

By the end of 1975, Stassen, who is 68, is expected to retire.  The union of the Liberty Democrats and Republicans is seen as in doubt as no one but Stassen can continue the union.  In the early Republican primaries, California Governor Ronald Reagan, former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and Kansas Senator Bob Dole are the best contenders.  However, neither comes out as the outstanding winner of the primaries.  However, on July 4, 1976, President Stassen makes an announcement that he will seek a third term for President.  As most of the delegates are tied to the primary winners on the first round, Stassen will not be able to capture the nomination until the third round.  At the convention, Reagan comes very close to beating Stassen, who does not win the nomination until the third round.  Before the convention begins, Vice President McGovern publicly announces he will not run with Stassen and instead is choosing to seek the nomination of the Liberty Democrats.  Finally, the conservative Republicans see their chance to balance Stassen on the ticket.  Furthermore, Stassen allows the convention to pick the Vice Presidential nominee, as he no longer has much clout in the party.  Reagan is an early choice, but he quickly refuses the nomination.  The establishment puts forward longtime Illinois representative Phil Crane as the Vice Presidential nominee.  He is easily accepted by the convention.

At the Liberty Democrat convention, held in San Francisco, Stassen is easily rejected as the nominee on the first ballot.  Vice President McGovern is the leading nominee going into the convention, but his extremely liberal views will nto sit well with the American people.  Instead, the convention turns to Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York, brother of candidate John Kennedy  and son of former President Joseph Kennedy.  Kennedy accepts the nomination, which puts his brother in an awkward spot, as he was a leading contender once again for the Democratic nomination.  RFK's other brother Ted is offered as a Vice Presidential nominee, but party insiders do not want to pick someone too close to RFK.  Vice President McGovern is also offered the chance to continue being Vice President, but he instead opts to run for Senate in South Dakota.  The young, energetic Governor of California, Jerry Brown, is finally given the VP spot.

At the Democratic convention, the delegates are at a loss when JFK removes his name from contention due to his brother running for President.  Lester Maddox is now seen as the frontrunner.  Another Georgian, Jimmy Carter, has also been mentioned as a possibility.  When the convention deadlocks, they choose former Vice President Warren G. Magnuson, currently a Senator from the state of Washington.  Magnuson, who was Vice President under Wendell Wilkie from 1949-1953, is 71 years old and is seen as a party elder.  For Vice President, West Virginia Governor John D. Rockefeller IV is chosen.  Rockefeller, who was elected Governor at 35, is now 39 and is seen as the youth as the party, to offset Magnuson.

Gallup releases its first poll after the Demcratic convention:
Magnuson/Rockefeller: 31%
Stassen/Crane: 30%
Kennedy/Brown: 27%
Other/Undecided: 12%

Two things are surprising about this poll.  First, Magnuson is in the lead, beating Stassen who who has 65% approvals.  Second, Kennedy is actually competing as a candidate.

After the first of two presidential debates, focusing on domestic policy, Kennedy is declared the winner.  Magnuson is seen as too old, while Stassen is seen as an insider.  Kennedy wins 65-20-15 (Kennedy-Stassen-Magnuson).  Kennedy then surges in the polls:

Kennedy/Brown: 33%
Magnuson/Rockefeller: 29%
Stassen/Crane: 29%
Other/Undecided: 9%

After the second debate, focusing on international policy, Stassen is declared the winner by a margin of 50-30-20 (Stassen-Magnuson-Kennedy).  The polls stay about the same:

Kennedy/Brown: 32%
Magnuson/Rockefeller: 30%
Stassen/Crane: 28%
Other/Undecided: 10%

For the rest of the campaign, Stassen runs on his record of a successful economy and peace abroad, while his poll numbers begin to rise.  Magnuson runs on his experience as a Democratic legislator.  Meanwhile, Kennedy attempts to make his support for civil rights the main issue for the  campaign, but he falters as the other two candidates also supported civil rights.  Furthermore, the Liberty Democrats have not built up a grassroots structure, as they have simply joined the Republicans in the last couple elections.  By the mid-October, Kennedy is falling behind:

Stassen/Crane: 38%
Magnuson/Rockefeller: 33%
Kennedy/Brown: 20%
Other/Undecided: 9%

By election, the final polls show Stassen leading Magnuson 42-36-16.  However, many believe that neither candidate will win a majority of electoral votes.

As the returns come in, Stassen shocks the nation by receiving a majority of the electoral votes, while Kennedy does very badly.  As for the African-American vote, the Democrats gained, and the vote was split 45-30-25 (Stassen-Kennedy-Magnuson).


Stassen/Crane: 44.72%, 315 electoral votes
Magnuson/Rockefeller: 36.21%, 202 electoral votes
Kennedy/Brown: 17.53%, 21 electoral votes

[Lincoln Republican]

I have been reading every installment.

Very interesting work.

[jokerman]

I have been reading every installment.

Very interesting work.

[True Democrat]

Many analysts are unsure whether Stassen will seek a fourth term of not.  However, on November 21, 1979, President Stassen announces he will not seek the Republican nomination or a fourth term again.  For the Republican nomination, the now conservative party insiders support Vice President Crane.  However, Stassen and the moderate wing of the party oppose the nomination of Crane.  Stassen instead decides to support Texas Senator George H. W. Bush.  Bush, who made a breakthrough by winning in a Democratic Southern state in 1976, is a solid moderate.  Stassen's clout in the party has greatly decreased though.  Crane wins almost every primary and easily caputures the nomination on the first ballot.  Although Crane first wants to choose California Representative John Schmitz, he backs down and picks Bush.

The Democratic nomination is much closer.  Magnuson is too old to run, and while John F. Kennedy is the frontrunner, his family is seen as disloyal to the party because of RFK in 1976.  With the return of most Liberty Democrats to the party, the chance of a Southern candidate is much lower.  Furthermore, the party changes the platform to be mildly in favor of civil rights.  Although Kennedy wins about half the primaries and leads the first ballot, he quickly loses momentum.  Instead, the party turns to Arizona Representative Mo Udall.  Although Udall's Mormonism will be a liability, he is strongly liberal and all wings of the party respect him.  The convention chooses the young Governor of North Carolina, James B. Hunt Jr.  This ticket is seen as the strongest Democratic ticket in years.

Although most Liberty Democrats had returned, not all had, including former Vice President McGovern, who is the only one to seek the nomination.  He easily wins it and chooses little known New York Representative Charlie Rangel, one of the other few notable Liberty Democrats left.  Rangel is the first African-American to appear on a major party ticket.

The first poll shows McGovern far behind (barely reaching Kennedy's number in the last election), while the Democratic ticket is barely leading:
Udall/Hunt: 40%
Crane/Bush: 37%
McGovern/Rangel: 15%
Other/Undecided: 8%

After the first debate, focusing on domestic policy and is won by Udall, McGovern continues to drop:

Udall/Hunt: 45%
Crane/Bush: 41%
McGovern/Rangel: 9%
Other/Undecided: 8%

Because of McGovern's low polls numbers, he is actually excluded from the second debate.  Focusing on foreign policy, most analysts call it a tie.  Post debate polls show the following:

Udall/Hunt: 51%
Crane/Bush: 42%
McGovern/Rangel: 4%
Other/Undecided: 3%

With Udall over 50%, victory is within sight.  Furthermore, Republican fatigue after three terms of Stassen helps Udall.  On election, Udall does very well out west, winning even Utah (which leans slightly to the Republicans on the state level), while Crane finds new found support in the South.  McGovern does better than predicted in the South with African-American support from Rangel.  In the Northeast, McGovern takes most of his votes away from Udall (unlike in 1976 when RFK took away from Stassen), costing Udall many states.  As for home states, Udall and Hunt both win their home states, while Crane and Bush both lose them by narrow margins.  McGovern even gets below 5%.


Udall/Hunt: 54.25%, 329 electoral votes
Crane/Bush: 39.37%, 209 electoral votes
McGovern/Rangel: 4.79%, 0 electoral votes

[True Democrat]

List of all the Presidents and Vice Presidents:

Presidents:
Franklin Roosevelt (D): March 4, 1933 - November 15, 1947
     defeated Herbert Hoover (R) in 1932
     defeated Alf Landon (R) in 1936
     defeated Wendell Wilkie (R) in 1940
     defeated Thomas Dewey (R) in 1944
Wendell Wilkie (D): November 15, 1947 - January 20, 1953
     defeated Robert Taft (R) and Strom Thurmond (SR) in 1948
Alben Barkley (D): January 20, 1953 - January 3, 1955
     defeated Robert Taft (R) in 1952 (defeated Wilkie in nomination)
Joseph Kennedy (D): January 3, 1955 - January 20, 1957
Wendell Wilkie (R): January 20, 1957 - January 20, 1961
     defeated Joseph Kennedy (D) in 1956
J. William Fulbright (D): January 20, 1961 - January 20, 1969
     defeated Wendell Wilkie (R) in 1960
     defeated Harold Stassen (R) in 1964
Harold Stassen (R): January 20, 1969 - January 20, 1981
     defeated George Wallace (D) in 1968
     defeated John Kennedy (D) in 1972
     defeated Warren Magnuson (D) and Robert Kennedy (LD) in 1976
Mo Udall (D): January 20, 1981 -
     defeated Phil Crane (R) and George McGovern (LD) in 1980

Vice Presidents:
Henry Wallace (D): January 20, 1941 - January 20, 1945
     defeated Charles McNary (R) in 1940
Wendell Wilkie (D): January 20, 1945 - November 15, 1947
     defeated John Bricker (R) in 1944
Vacant: November 15, 1947 - January 20, 1949
Warren Magnuson (D): January 20, 1949 - January 20, 1953
     defeated Earl Warren (R) and Fielding Wright (SR) in 1948
Joseph Kennedy (D): January 20, 1953 - January 3, 1955
     defeated Richard Nixon (R) 1952
Vacant: January 3, 1955 - January 20, 1957
Richard Nixon (R): January 20, 1957 - January 20, 1961
     defeated Richard Russell (D) in 1956
Frank Church (D): January 20, 1961 - January 20, 1969
     defeated Donald Davidson (R) in 1960
     defeated Hubert Humphrey (LD) in 1964
George McGovern (LD): January 20, 1969 - January 20, 1977
     defeated Lyndon Johnson (D) in 1968
     defeated Lester Maddox (D) in 1972
Phil Crane (R): January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981
     defeated John Rockefeller (D) and Jerry Brown (LD) in 1976
James Hunt (D): January 20, 1981 -
     defeated George Bush (R) and Charlie Rangel (LD) in 1980

[CPT MikeyMike]

TD - Nice work but I need to know something (and perhaps other can help out too)....

Why is there such a likeing to Stassen? I've seen this by so many people on the forum and I dont get it. This guy was a political joke for years. He was no longer legit by 1952.

Anyhow, great story. I look foward to seeing the rest of it.

[True Democrat]

TD - Nice work but I need to know something (and perhaps other can help out too)....

Why is there such a likeing to Stassen? I've seen this by so many people on the forum and I dont get it. This guy was a political joke for years. He was no longer legit by 1952.

Anyhow, great story. I look foward to seeing the rest of it.

Well in this timeline he got newly found respect in the early 60s by being one of the most vocal supporters of civil rights.