Fear and Loathing in Nixonland (Gameplay Thread)

[Lumine]

Fear and Loathing in Nixonland

A 1972 Political Simulation

Players:

Democratic Party Candidates

Governor George Wallace (D-AL): ChairmanSanchez

Senator Hubert Humphrey (D-MN): KaiserDave

Mayor Sam Yorty (D-CA): Spiral

Mayor John Lindsay (D-NY): Mr. X

Former Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN): FalterinArc

Senator Vance Hartke (D-IN): Carolyn

Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV): Prez_zf

Democratic Party Officeholders

Withdrawn from the race but active, or reserved

Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA): Dkrol

Senator Scoop Jackson (D-WA): OBD

Senator Philip Hart (D-MI): GoTfan

Senator George McGovern (D-SD): Kuumo

Republican Party

NSA Henry Kissinger: S019

Senator James Buckley (C/R-NY): Ishan

White House COS H. R. Haldeman: DevoutCentrist

1972 Democratic Primary Calendar

• Jan. 25 – Iowa Caucus (44 del.)
• Jan. 29 – Arizona Caucus (25 del.)
• Feb. 27 – Mississippi Caucus (25 del.)
• Mar. 7 – New Hampshire Primary (20 del.)
• Mar. 11 – Georgia Caucus (40 del.)
• Mar. 14 - Florida Primary (81 del.)
• Mar. 21 – Illinois Primary (160 del.)
• Mar. 29 – South Carolina Caucus (32 del.)
• Apr. 4 – Wisconsin Primary (67 del.)
• Apr. 17 – Idaho Caucus (17 del.)
• Apr. 20 – Vermont Caucus (12 del.)
• Apr. 25 – Pennsylvania (182 del.) and Massachusetts (102 del.) Primaries
• Apr. 28-30 – Nevada (11 del.) and Kentucky (47 del.) Caucuses
• May 2 – Alabama (37 del.), Indiana (76 del.), Ohio (153 del.) and DC (20 del.) Primaries
• May 4 – Tennessee Primary (49 del.)
• May 5 – Minnesota Caucus (64 del.)
• May 6 – North Carolina Primary (57 del.)
• May 9 – Nebraska (22 del.) and West Virginia Primaries (35 del.)
• May 12 – Wyoming Caucus (11 del.)
• May 13 – Canal Zone (3 del.), Kansas (35 del.) and Louisiana (44 del.) Caucuses
• May 16 – Maryland (53 del.) and Michigan (132 del.) Primaries
• May 19 – Maine (20 del.), Washington (52 del.) and Hawaii (17 del.) Caucus
• May 23 – Missouri Caucus (73 del.), Oregon (34 del.) and Rhode Island (22 del.) Primaries
• May 26 – Alaska (10 del.), Guam (3 del.) and Virgin Islands (3 del.) Caucuses
• Jun. 2 – Connecticut (51 del.) and Oklahoma (39 del.) Caucuses
• Jun. 6 – California (271 del.)*, South Dakota (17 del.), New Jersey (109 del.) and New Mexico 18 del.) Primaries, Virginia Caucus (53 del.)
• Jun. 13 – Texas Caucus (130 del.)
• Jun. 16 – Colorado (36 del.), North Dakota (14 del.), Utah (19 del.), Montana (17 del.), Puerto Rico (7 del.) Caucuses
• Jun. 20 – New York Delegate Primary (305 del.)
• Jun. 24 – Arkansas (27 del.) and Delaware (13 del.) Caucuses
• Jul. 10 to 13 – Democratic National Convention, Miami
• 3016 delegates total, 1509 required for nomination

* For the purposes of simplicity, delegates will be allocated proportionally after a 15% threshold. The only exceptions are the California Primary (winner takes all as in RL) and the New York Delegate Primary (which operated under special rules).

[Lumine]

Stage One

A storm over Nixonland

December 1971 - January 1972

GALLUP POLL: President Nixon's Approval Rating

Approve: 49%
Disapprove: 39%
Undecided: 12%

POLLING RANGE: Democratic Nomination
(regarding potential candidates)

Ted Kennedy: 25-30%
Ed Muskie: 24-29%
Hubert Humphrey: 17-19%
George Wallace: 11-12%
George McGovern: 5-7%
John Lindsay: 5-7%
Eugene McCarthy: 4-6%
Scoop Jackson: 3-5%
Sam Yorty: 2-3%
Philip Hart: 1-2%
Wilbur Mills: 1-2%
Shirley Chisholm: 1-2%
Other: 2-3%

Richard Nixon's 3rd State of the Union, Jan. 1972

Four years from now, America will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founding as a Nation. There are those who say that the old Spirit of '76 is dead--that we no longer have the strength of character, the idealism, the faith in our founding purposes that that spirit represents.

Those who say this do not know America.

We have been undergoing self-doubts and self-criticism. But these are only the other side of our growing sensitivity to the persistence of want in the midst of plenty, of our impatience with the slowness with which age-old ills are being overcome.

If we were indifferent to the shortcomings of our society, or complacent about our institutions, or blind to the lingering inequities--then we would have lost our way.

But the fact that we have those concerns is evidence that our ideals, deep down, are still strong. Indeed, they remind us that what is really best about America is its compassion. They remind us that in the final analysis, America is great not because it is strong, not because it is rich, but because this is a good country.

Let us reject the narrow visions of those who would tell us that we are evil because we are not yet perfect, that we are corrupt because we are not yet pure, that all the sweat and toil and sacrifice that have gone into the building of America were for naught because the building is not yet done.

Let us see that the path we are traveling is wide, with room in it for all of us, and that its direction is toward a better Nation and a more peaceful world.

Excerpt from the Nixon tapes, 1972

"Never forget: the press is the enemy, the press is the enemy. The establishment is the enemy, the professors are the enemy, the professors are the enemy. Write that on a blackboard 100 times."

[Lumine]

Turn Overview

For the purposes of this turn, Democratic players are expected, if that is their plan, to announce their presidential bids for the 1972 primaries, to make the initial case for your campaign, and lay the groundwork for the future contests. You are also expected to make a strategic decision regarding your approach to the primary, as the new primary system remains untested and open for much speculation.

Because of that, candidates will have to decide whether they will contest the primaries, or whether to keep the powder dry and go straight for the DNC (Humphrey 68' style) and/or the caucuses, in which votes will not be recorded. Participation in the primaries will give you visibility or delegates, but it may also leave you bruised. Poor showing in the primaries may also cripple your bid entirely. Next turn, you will be faced with a specific decision surrounding which of the three key early primaries (NH, FL, IL) to enter.

This is expected to run for four days, until Friday midnight.

Player Dilemmas

George Wallace

Despite a close scare in your 1970 primary match with Governor Brewer, it seems your national popularity has been preserved since the 1968' campaign. And yet, as Tom Turnipseed and the rest of your staff laments, the American Independent Party struggles to survive, dragged down by a fair share of what you call "third-party kooks". Thus the stage is set for a key strategic decision: will you run in the Democratic primary, and attempt a hostile takeover of the party?

Hubert Humphrey

Whatever became of Hubert? sang Tom Lehrer once, lamenting your fall from public view. Not anymore. You're back in the Senate - holding McCarthy's seat no less -, and free once again to be the Happy Warrior. To your serious concern, however, the party remains unstable and in need of a unifier if it is to successfully take on Richard Nixon. After two previous campaigns, will third time prove the charm? And if you do, will you bother with the primaries this time?

Sam Yorty

Against all the wailing and whining of the liberal left, "Saigon Sam" remains undefeated as master of Los Angeles. Your other pursuits, however, have been less successful, with a recent failed bid for Governor and a lack of reciprocity from President Nixon after twice endorsing him. And as you see the hippies and the pinkos threatening to take over the party, an idea starts to form in your head. Should you dare to take a step forward and give them something to cry about?

Ted Kennedy

In many ways, your removal as Majority Whip by Senator Byrd's challenge has been a blessing in disguise. You have far more time now to move around in the Senate, and as the primaries approach, the endless speculation on whether you'll step into Jack and Bobby's shoes seems to be everywhere. Should you? Many see the nomination as ripe for the taking, but others fear what may come from a bruising primary. Should you stand and save the party from itself? Or should you keep the powder dry in hopes of being drafted later?

George McGovern

You have surveyed the field, and found it most wanting on anti-war candidates. McCarthy seems sto have lost his fire, and the rest, while open to eventual withdrawal, don't appear to grasp that the war, unnecessarily prolonged by President Nixon, is tearing America's soul apart. It may be the longest of the long shots, but as Gary Hart keeps telling you, you designed the new primary system and know it better than anymore. Is it time for George McGovern to hell America to come home?

Eugene McCarthy

If there's one certain thing in life, is that you'll never be able to forget Chicago in 68'. And neither will you be able to forgive them for bashing the skulls of those kids as they took the nomination away from you. But the road ahead is uncertain after giving up your Senate seat. There are others who wish to lead the anti-war cause now, and they take you as a spent force. But if you could summon the spirit of 68', you could well strike lightning in a bottle twice. And if all else fails, there's always running for a third party...

Philip Hart

The conscience of the Senate, they call you. Few men have a similar reputation for courage and principle, and, though your name is not particularly known to the voters, it could well be that what America hungers for is a man of integrity. After all, you herald from a key primary state, and there are labor connections to be found even in the shadow of Hubert Humphrey. Above all, the party runs the risk of nominating someone who equivocates on Vietnam. Will you run? Or will you focus your efforts elsewhere?

Shirley Chisholm

In many ways, it seems glaringly obvious that the Democratic Party is neither ready for a woman or an African American. And yet, at some point someone will have to take a stand and see if that barrier can be broken one day. After two terms of passionate fight against injustice from the House, and having seen - and suffered - discrimination at every stage, you feel a duty to give a voice to all those who have been left behind. Will you take your case to the Democratic primaries?

Scoop Jackson

Even the suggestion that you may consider running for President has been enough to have the peaceniks crying foul, a sentiment nonetheless tempered by a wave of early enthusiasm in Washington state proper. After twenty years in the Senate, and having a record that not even Nixon could decry as soft, your staff seems to think it's time to move to greener pastures, particularly since the controversy over busing seems to offer a tantalizing opening to speak your mind. Will you set your sights on the White House?

Ed Muskie

Four years after serving as Hubert's running mate, your intense schedule has bear fruit, showing you to be either the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, or at the very least tied with Ted Kennedy himself. This, in turn, raises the tantalizing prospect of being able to rack up establishment support. And yet... such apparent dominance also makes you a prisoner of expectations, particularly in neighboring New Hampshire. Will you run in 72'? And will you go straight for the primaries?

John Lindsay

After two years of agony, you have finally unshackled yourself from the Republican Party, no longer a home - so you feel - to liberal-minded men such as you. This, in turn, has vaulted you into the polls for the Democratic nomination, with hopes that your charisma and good lucks can produce another JFK. The reality, of course, is a bit more mixed, as New York City is not exactly pleased with the current state of affairs. And yet the Democratic nomination beckons, a unique opportunity to bring urban issues to the forefront. Will you run?

Henry Kissinger

For three years the Paris Peace Talks have stalled, making it impossible to end the Vietnam War as Hanoi proves utterly unwilling to give an inch on their demand that South Vietnam President Thieu be removed, among other demands. Alongside President Nixon you have tried almost everything - including a technically illegal invasion of Cambodia -, and the strain is starting to show as Nixon starts to talk of blowing the dykes (an act that would kill hundreds of thousands of civilians) or even of the "big bomb". And yet the grand visit to China awaits, something that cannot be ruined by even the slightest provocation. What will you advise the President regarding Vietnam?

James Buckley

Your first year as a Senator is over, and what a year it has been. You have found a way to work with your Republican colleagues despite technically being elected as a Conservative, quickly becoming something a darling in conservative cycles while still building ties to the White House. But now is decision time. Nixon has angered some of the John Birch types by being soft on China, and there's talk of a potential primary challenge from the right. Should you stand by Nixon and seek to contain right-wing dissent... or should you take the plunge and actually lead the conservative revolt?

H. R. Haldeman

Other than Dr. Kissinger, you may just be the second most powerful man in all of Washington DC by virtue of being "the President's SOB". As the gatekeeper, it's your task - alongside Ehrlichman - to keep the President safe and at ease. And that is no simple task. Even now Nixon rages at the thought of Ted Kennedy running for President or from internal primary challengers, and orders you to "take care of it". You know Colson and Chapin are down for any unsavory stuff, but it's really up to you how CRP/CREEP ought to be used... and how far the Administration is willing to go.

[GoTfan]

The American Conscience
By Phillip A. Hart

Politics is often seen as the pursuit of power no matter the result. An attempt to increase one's own profile to gain headlines or perhaps prepare themselves for a post-political business career. Some even say it is a life chosen by those who care little for the nation the rest of America inhabits.

Maybe this is a reputation we have brought upon ourselves; there is a marked cynicism in our poor and black communities. Indeed, many of these communities view politicians as simply not caring about them; some may argue that politicians only care about them as much as it takes to win their votes. This is an incredibly dangerous mindset that has been allowed to grow and foster.

Our nation has always been at its best when we work with our conscience. Our national conscience, born in that hall in Philadelphia nearly two hundred years ago, has always guided us to stand up for what is right, whether that has been abolishing slavery or defending the world from the tide of fascism. We have always been at our best when we stand by our ideals.

Unfortunately, these ideals have seen abandonment in the name of political expediency. We now face the very real prospect of these ideals being erased from national politics completely, all because it may be better in the short-term to avoid controversial topics in order to win a few more votes.

This pursuit of votes at the expense of our ideals is morally bankrupt. It is not a position that can be defend in any way. Above all, it goes against the American Conscience.

Our Conscience demands that we look out for the less fortunate; those who have been dealt an unfortunate hand by virtue of their birth. It demands that we try to build a better future for everyone in this nation and indeed, the whole world. It demands that stand steadfast in pursuit of those ideals that our Declaration of Independence stated: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

It is our purpose as Americans to ensure that all citizens of our nation can enjoy these unalienable rights. These days, it is a fight that is harder than ever, but it not one that we can simply surrender, for the inevitable conclusion of surrendering our ideals is something that we cannot contemplate.

The American Conscience demands our defence of our ideals.

It is perhaps one that all of us could benefit from listening to.

[DKrol]

Speech by Senator Ted Kennedy
Delivered outside Faneuil Hall, in Boston

My fellow Americans, thank you for joining me here today.

America is at a precipice, an inflection point. 1972 will be the deciding moment in the course of our nation. Will we continue down the road of conservatism, division, and mediocrity? Or will we turn back to the path of growth, unity, and prosperity? Will we forever align ourselves with Mr. Nixon and his malaise, or will we return to the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt, the Moon Shot of my late brother, and the Great Society of Lyndon Johnson?

Will America do great things? Will America continue to divide our people along racial lines in housing, schooling, and society? Will America continue to pollute our air and our water? Will America continue to look on as citizens die for lack of health care and livable wages while corporate profits soar? These are the questions Americans must ask themselves at the polling booth.

There are some in this country today who want to bring us back. Back to the days when a man could not walk into a lunch counter and be served simply for the color of his skin. Back to the days when a woman could not hold a job outside of the home. Back to the days when an education was something for the elite to have, and the common man to yearn for.

My friends, I tell you today: America cannot go back. And America will not go back.

Today, I am announcing my candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States of America. I will lead America forward - towards a brighter and bolder tomorrow.

My campaign will be built on Four Promises. A clean environment. A fair wage. An honest democracy. Accessible healthcare for every American. I look forward to speaking with you in the union halls, class rooms, factory floors, and public spaces all across the country to spread this message of hope and possibility.

There are some who have urged me not to present myself on the ballots for the American people. Instead, they would have me meet in smoke-filled rooms in the back of social clubs and beg for the support of party bosses.

Any man or woman who cannot stand in front of the American people and say “I’m Ted Kennedy, I’m running for President, and I’d like your vote” should not be running for President! If I am elected President, I will ensure that in 1976 the Democratic Party holds primaries in all 50 states - with bound delegates from each. The Democratic nominee should be selected by the Democratic voters in a democratic manner.

I’m Ted Kennedy, I’m running for President, and I’d like your vote.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.

[Mycool]

Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed

Source

At a Baptist church in Brooklyn

Like many of you, I'm a revolutionary at heart. When I see injustice, I need to act. That's why I became a director of a childcare facility here in New York. That's why I decided to put together a team and become an advocate for children's welfare. That's why I got involved in politics.

I won my first race on the support of women voters. Our community came together and supported me not because I am a woman, but because when they told me about their issues, I not only listened to them, I heard them. It was a coalition of women and Black voters that got us a seat in the State Assembly. Here we were able to expand unemployment benefits and get more kids to college. Some in the media derided these as "women's issues," but these are kitchen table issues that Americans care about. We can use politics to impact people's day to day lives.

That's why I'm here today. I am announcing my run for the Democratic nomination for President. I won't pretend it isn't an uphill battle, just like my first State Assembly race, just like my first race for Congress, and just like every single piece of legislation that we got passed while I've served in those roles. I'm not afraid of a challenge.

I know what challenges we face. I know I will be called the woman candidate or the Black candidate. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am Black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman and equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people and my presence before you symbolizes a new era in American political history.

The truth is, I am not running for women, I'm not running for Black Americans, I'm running to be President for all Americans. But this movement won't happen by itself. We need to stand together and tell the establishment that we need a seat at the table. The new primary system gives us this chance. So in spite of what they might say about my chances, I'm in this race to compete and will be working to get our campaign on the ballot wherever we can.

Now, Shirley, you might ask, why now? America has a big choice to make. It's not just a choice of Democrats versus Republicans, it's a choice about what vision we want to make for our country. Do we want a President who claims fellow Americans are the enemy while we're sending our citizens to war? Or do we want someone who is able to balance getting us out of this mess abroad while taking care of our families? I know which one I want.

We absolutely can end this war. We can expand food stamps to women and children, ensuring no baby goes hungry in this great nation. We can expand funding to childcare, letting more families achieve the American Dream. That's why I'm running for President, and I hope I can get your support.

[KaiserDave]

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey
Sit-Down with TIME

Cut-Down for Conciseness

Hugh Sidey: Senator, you made your return to the Senate earlier this year. How has it been to back in the upper chamber?

Hubert Humphrey: Well it's an immense privilege Hugh, and I'm honored by the confidence the voters in Minnesota showed me and their confidence in me to represent them. I will always be grateful to the voters of my state.

You know Hugh, it's a unique experience, to enter the Senate, to leave the Senate, and then return back to the Senate. Not only am I reconnecting with old colleagues, but I have the chance to mentor a new generation of Democratic leaders. We've welcomed a lot of exciting new leaders into the upper chamber with out strong wins in the recent midterm cycle, Adlai Stevenson and Lawton Chiles come to mind. 1970 was a very important year for our party, and I'm sure 1972 will be even more important.

Hugh Sidey: What makes 1972 so important, in your view?

Hubert Humphrey: I believe this country is at a very important crossroads Hugh. I believe that come November 1972 the voters of this country will have to choose between two starkly defined, different visions for the future. A dark vision of cynicism and division, and a bright future of peace, prosperity, and justice. I sincerely believe that it will be the latter, the vision of the Democratic Party, that will end up on top.

Hugh Sidey: Do you plan on making yourself a candidate for President again?

Hubert Humphrey: I haven't yet decided Hugh, but I've sought the Presidency twice, I've been Vice President, and I believe I am qualified not only to lead this party into a crucial election, but also to lead the country we all love.

The United States needs serious, principled, dedicated leadership for the challenges of the latter 20th century. When the incumbent took office three years ago, he promised us peace in Vietnam, social peace, and prosperity. We've been left with a seemingly endless war, rising crime, and an economy in stagnant condition. The next President will have to willing to aggressively tackle these problems, with a vision, a real positive vision Hugh, instead of cynicism and political gamesmanship.

Hugh Sidey: You sure sound like a candidate Senator.

Hubert Humphrey: (Laughs) Well I'm considering it. I'm definitely considering it.

Hugh Sidey: Well Senator, should you seek the nomination of your party, people are going to have a lot of questions. Especially about the last election.

Hubert Humphrey: Questions I'm certainly ready to answer.

Hugh Sidey: Well then let's talk about it. Simply put, the 1968 Democratic Convention was a violent disaster, it has left a poor taste in the mouth of the voter that lasted to November, and beyond. My question is, what happened, why won't it happen again, and can Democrats be trusted to govern?

Hubert Humphrey: People are right to ask this. There's no two ways about it, it was a travesty, a disgrace, a terrible tragedy. We saw some of the meanest aspects of America, and it certainly damaged the standing of the party, for which I am terribly regretful about.

Hugh Sidey: But Senator, do you take responsibility, or who do you hold responsible? There are very serious concerns here, that you can never lead the party again after Chicago.

Hubert Humphrey: Well Milton Eisenhower's report to the Justice Department was very clear, the violence was instigated by rogue, disorderly individuals in the Chicago P.D. We've known this since December '68, when the report was made public. I believe those individuals should be held responsible, and that furthermore, permits for peaceful demonstrations should have been issued. This is all made very clear in Milton Eisenhower's report, and I place a lot of credibility and respect in him and his impartiality. Noting the lessons of his report, we will never let something like this happen again, that will certainly involve reform in police departments. I regret much about the '68 campaign, perhaps most of all what happened in Chicago, but I do not regret the platform we ran on, a platform of economic opportunity and social justice. That platform is still very relevant.  

The Summer of '68 would have been less violent and we had those social solutions for this country and we resolved the underlying tension that leads to dissatisfaction with the status quo. These are the problems of not only police brutality, but also poverty, of persistent racial segregation, of educational inadequacy, and inequality. These problems still face us today, and most of all, the problem of the War in Vietnam, which President Nixon pledged he would end. Three years later, we've fighting a larger war, and the social problems at home engendered by the war remain with us. Crime has gone up, not down, and economic growth has slowed. America shouldn't accept this.

Hugh Sidey: What solutions would you propose?

Hubert Humphrey: Most of all, we need to disentangle ourselves from this increasingly pestilential war. I can say with confidence, that if I had been elected in 1968, we would no longer be in Vietnam. We would have peace. That said, I wish I had been more clear to the American people in 1968 that a Humphrey Presidency would lead to a quick end to the war. So I'll make myself perfectly clear now.

I believe that the tragic sacrifices of our armed forces are increasingly hollow. It is a cruel reality for our soldiers and their families, but I believe it is increasingly obvious. Not to mention the increasingly obvious horribly destructive and violent effect this whole war is having on the long suffering Vietnamese people. I think middle America agrees that this mess, this quagmire, has to end. The only solution is a comprehensive and complete withdrawal of American forces, which I propose to occur concurrent with a fair peace agreement with the North Vietnamese. I would further put an immediate end to any expansions of American involvement in Indochina, before we know it we will be fighting prolonged jungle wars in Laos and Cambodia as well, and we will never get out of it. Quite simply, we need to get out of Vietnam. I don't think the President has a plan to get us out of Vietnam, I think his plan is to stay indefinitely until there is a consistent stream of positive domestic newspaper headlines, which is not a solution. I won't wait for a battlefield victory to paint over the gaping flaws of the fighting, for me, the first steps for withdrawal should begin on January 21st. Come hell or high water, we will be out of Indochina, and it will be happen immediately.

Peace in Vietnam, I believe, will mean more peace at home, and we can start actually putting in the work to build domestic peace and prosperity.

Hugh Sidey: What would that work look like?

Hubert Humphrey: Well, in an ideal sense, we need to build upon the tremendous, historic legacies of the New Deal and the Great Society, to eradicate poverty in this country and truly care for the most vulnerable in our society. To that end, I would propose a variety of programs. We need a full employment program, we need a national healthcare system, we need a national childcare guarantee. We need integration in our schools and suburbs. We need to resolve the deep injustices in the ghettos and Hugh, I'd still like to see Taft-Hartley repealed! I'm very optimistic that we can see this through. If Democrats are united, if we are clear, if we are bold, I believe we will win out. I'm already pushing for this agenda in the Senate, but we will need a Democratic President to make it happen.

Hugh Sidey: Are you concerned about the unity of Democrats?

Hubert Humphrey: Oh certainly Hugh. This is a great party, with a lot of great talent and promising leaders, our party workers are dedicated and hardworking, and our partners in labor and civil rights organizations work hard as well. We owe them much. They deserve a candidate that is as dedicated as they are, who is seriously committed to the labor agenda, the civil rights agenda, the disability rights agenda, the women's rights agenda, a real progressive course. I think the vast majority of candidates reflect this, but there are also many candidates who I think cannot effectively unite our party, who err towards opportunism. My goal is to unite our party, our candidates, our officers, and our supporters, to win 1972.

Hugh Sidey: Do you think you could unite the party?

Hubert Humphrey: Yes I do Hugh.

Philadelphia, January 10, 1972
Snow falls in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park as Hubert Humphrey takes the stage to speak to a large crowd of supporters

"My friends, my fellow Americans, working people of Philadelphia. Welcome to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park here in South Philadelphia. I'm so glad we can come back together today, today, to continue our mission. The mission to make America the best it can be. We here declare that America is not measured by the condition of its political and economic elites, but that America and her government is measured by how it treats those the who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped. Another great man American believed as we do, and that is the man for whom this park is named, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the greatest President we've ever had in this country.

President Roosevelt dedicated his Presidency to the betterment of the conditions of the poor, the elderly, the young, the handicapped. He took office when the condition of these classes had never been more depraved or appalling. He sought change, to bring the shining ideals of compassion and dignity to our halls of government. For this he was called a socialist, for this he was opposed by the entrenched power of concentrated economic and political power, but with the power of the American people, he triumphed! Thanks to him we have public power, public farm supports, social security, deposit insurance, strong and independent labor organizations and more.

Forty years since the great FDR ascended to the office of the Presidency, these problems have reasserted themselves. Thanks to the visionary Great Society of President Johnson, we've made significant progress, but since 1968 it's never been more obvious we have more to do, more progress to make, and more fights to be won. But my friends, we're here because we are not afraid, and we believe in America. We know that we can achieve national health insurance, integration in our schools and suburbs, dignity and safety in our urban areas, clean air and water, and secure the dignity and rights of labor! We are here because we know it can be done.

My friends, that is why I am here today. I know we can achieve this, and I believe I am the man best prepared to get it done. I have been fighting for the equal rights of all people for many years, I have fought for social and economic justice, for compassion, for dignity. That is what I have dedicated my life to. I have been in the Senate, I have been Vice President, I have been in local government. I have seen what it takes to effect change. I know we have fights to wage and fights to win, and I have ready to fight them, with joy, and with enthusiasm, because that is what it is going to take to get it done!

For that reason, I am here to announce that I will seek the Democratic nomination for President, and with your help, we will win!

Today we begin our journey across this country to gain the confidence, belief, and trust of the voters. We will be in parks, in union halls, on factory floors, in town halls and county fairs. We're going to tell people about all the good this country can accomplish when good people come together. The opportunity we can create when we show compassion to our neighbors. That peace at home and abroad is possible, and not just possible, but very necessary for the salvation of our country and of humanity. That work and workers have dignity.

I believe that this campaign is the best hope for those lofty ideals. That's why I'm going to put everything I have into it, and I sincerely hope you all will join me. Thank you Philadelphia and God bless America!

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Copyright: Midwestern State University

Progress Ahead with Ed!

"I have returned to my home state of Maine to announce my decision to seek the office of President of the United States.

I firmly believe that America can once again become a nation of moral leadership. To achieve this, significant changes are necessary. Presently, this is far from the case. Every day, our bombs continue to fall on Indochina, causing countless casualties and claiming many American lives. Parents have witnessed their children not returning or returning permanently injured. What is the justification for this? To defend some land that has no real connection to us?

This is not the America we should be. It is indefensible that people are still dying in a war that is fundamentally wrong—a war that most Americans rejected long ago. Instead, we should address our domestic issues. We were promised an end to the war, and we have been deceived.

Many people are dying due to poverty. They lack access to decent healthcare, live in ghettos or underdeveloped areas. They struggle to make a decent living. And more and more of our wealth is being accumulated, doing nothing to address the present day issues, those of the hungry children, struggling schools, inadequate housing, decaying cities and rural areas, the financial insecurity faced in old age or faced by farmers because of a lack of a decent living and the lack of rural development.

Crime rates are on the rise, indicating a deeper problem within the country. No one wins in this situation. Those tempted to commit crimes do so out of necessity, revealing a broader issue and failure. And while the rising crimes rates mean Americans slowly but surely are losing their acquired freedom, it being narrowed and constricted because we need to protect ourselves from crime.

It's not sufficient to generate trillions of dollars in goods and services each year without adequately safeguarding our environment, protecting the land, air, and water that sustain us. It's not fair to shoulder an ever-increasing tax burden that doesn't translate into better public services, unfairly affecting those who can afford it the least and allowing many to evade their fair share of responsibility.

The country is heading in the wrong direction, and most of us sense it. Optimism is fading. Change is imperative. I believe I can be that change. Therefore, I announce my candidacy for the office of President of the United States and humbly ask for your support.

Thank you and may God bless America"

[Lumine]

Primary Overview (Jan - Mar)

Outside from caucuses (low-profile affairs), in which you will decide whether to contest or not at the turns in where they come up, primaries will give your campaign the most visibility... and they may also sink them due to poor results. From this turn to the next one (so no rush), you will face a key early strategic decision on whether to participate in all of the three major early contests, whether to choose only one or two of them, or whether to skip them entirely:

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY - Catapulted to increasing relevance after McCarthy's heroic quest against President Johnson in 68', the New Hamsphire Primary - in almost uniformly white and middle class territory -  is short on delegates, but heavy in publicity. Due to the presence of several potential New Englander contenders, outsiders are not expected to prevail, but should they do so or defeat expectations, it could be a key source of momentum. Just beware: a poor showing on New Hampshire could quickly impact other contests, and you won't get out of the state with tons of pledged delegates.

FLORIDA PRIMARY - In the starkest possible contrast to NH, Florida boasts astounding diversity: 15% elderly population, 15% African American, strong separate constituencies of Cubans, Jews, defense-mined voters, union voters, the young, and Deep Southerners in the Panhandle. There is also a bigger prize of 80 delegates, but unlike NH, Florida is far far more expensive to compete in and to travel across. Like few other states, Florida will test your ability to appeal to different constituencies or to consolidate a single powerful bloc, and signal whether you can compete for some those groups nationwide. It could also sink you... or drag others with you by purposely splitting the vote.

ILLINOIS PRIMARY - On the surface, Illinois appears to be a great catch due to its sheer scale of delegates (160), as well as sufficient ethnic variety - including key Democratic constituencies - in Chicago countered by a more conservative rural periphery. Alas, one Richard J. Daley, Mayor of Chicago, stands atop the Windy City as its powerful King. And Daley has made it clear he will run his own slate of "uncommitted" delegates, fully intending to go to the DNC in Miami and play Kingmaker. Thus, running in the Illinois Primary could mean antagonizing Daley, a key powerbroker in the Democratic Party. But of course, brave men and women could always test whether Daley is a strong as he looks...

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Speech by Mayor John Lindsay
Delivered in front of a Manhattan draft board building in New York City

My fellow Americans, thank you for joining me here today.

Today we find ourselves in the midst of a war so ill-conceived that we now find ourselves facing great moral questions in every area of American society.  How many more of our boys, the best and bravest young men our nation has to offer, must die for the pride, stubbornness, and mistakes of President Nixon and President Johnson?  How many more American tax dollars will be wasted overseas in Vietnam when our our own poor and tired - the migrant worker picking oranges in Florida, the janitor in Los Angles, the black line cook in Birmingham - can't afford decent housing or medical care because they were forgotten by the Nixon economy?  How can our government defend freedom abroad when our President continues to turn a blind eye to the struggle for equal rights being waged in the south today by our own huddled masses yearning to be free?  

I don't have to tell you how President Nixon would answer these questions.  His record speaks for itself.  Indeed, if we judge the past four years by how America's most vulnerable have faired, then the past four years have been a truly dismal failure.  It was my earnest hope that after surveying the Democratic field, I would be able to support a bold voice with the moral leadership to take up cause of righteousness while still having what it takes to defeat President Nixon.  Sadly, no such candidate emerged and so it is with a heavy heart that I announce my candidacy for President of the United States!

I have tremendous respect for Vice President Humphrey, Senator Muskie, and Senator Kennedy's accomplishments in the Senate, but none of these men can credibly claim to be moral leaders on Vietnam. Senator Kennedy may say he opposes the war now, but this is the same Senator Kennedy who supported increasing our military presence in Vietnam from 23,000 to 175,000 troops and who publicly denounced the courageous young men and women who took to the streets to demand an end to the Vietnam War.  It has been asked "whatever happened to Hubert?"  I'll tell you what happened: he decided he wanted to be President so badly that he refused to speak out against sending our young men overseas to die for a mistake.  Senator Muskie ran on the LBJ ticket with Vice President Humphrey.  They may have been intimidated by President Johnson, but I'm not!  In New York, we believe a man should put his money where his mouth is, so that's what I'll do.  I call upon my fellow Democratic candidates now claiming to oppose the War in Vietnam to join me today in pledging to reject President Johnson's endorsement should they receive it.  Priority number one in a Lindsay administration will be to end this senseless war and bring our boys back home to their families!  I would also ask that my fellow candidates join me in committing to the issuance of a blanket pardon for all of our young men forced to flee to Canada to evade the draft.

But I'm not here to talk about President Nixon or the fact that every Senator running for the Democratic nomination voted for the Gulf of Tonkin resolution.  I'm here to share a brighter vision for an American future.  The money being wasted in Vietnam will instead be redirected to winning the War on Poverty and strengthening our social safety net, including an overall of the Department of Veteran's Affairs.  So many of our young men are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for to defend their country only to come home to poor healthcare, few job opportunities, and no resources to help them adjust to the changes that took place while they were overseas.  This is unconscionable!

As President, I pledge to you that I will always support the struggle for equal rights.  A government that lacks the moral courage to defend its own citizens' right to vote against Ku Klux Klan terrorists can't possibly hope to effectively defend our nation's security from the Soviet threat.  In the past, I've proven - perhaps to a fault - that I'm not afraid to tell our union friends when I think they're wrong, but I also promise that my door will always be open to labor.  If elected, I will not choose some captain of industry for Secretary of Labor.  Instead, I commit that I will nominate a union leader.  Like I said, in New York, we put our money where our mouth is.  And when I say that I will have the back of the poor and the working class, I include migrant workers in that category.  For too long, these men and women - some of our poorest and most vulnerable - have toiled in unconscionable conditions for illegally low wages.  I will also work with Congress to pass an Equal Rights Amendment, preserve and protect the environment, lower the Social Security retirement age, expand access to affordable housing and healthcare, and impose tougher sanctions on the Communist Castro regime in Cuba.  

Thank you and I hope to earn your vote over the coming months!

[DKrol]

Statement from the Kennedy Campaign

Today, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) announced his intention to compete in the New Hampshire and Florida primary contests. Senator Kennedy will not stand in the Illinois primary contest and instead encourages his supporters to cast their votes for Mayor Daley’s slate of delegates.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Statement from the Muskie Campaign

Edmund Muskie (D-ME) announces the intention to compete in the New Hampshire and Illinois primary contests. Senator Muskie will not stand in the Florida primary contest, instead encouraging his supporters to cast their votes for Mayor Lindsay.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Statement from the Wallace Campaign.

Governor Wallace has decided to enter his name into the Florida and Wisconsin primaries to demonstrate his strength as a national candidate who can compete in all corners of the country for the Democratic nomination. The Governor will release a formal schedule of events in the coming days that will outline his travels and agenda as the 1972 campaign gets underway. The Wallace campaign will also actively participate in the Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina caucuses in March as well, and will build the necessary organization over the coming weeks to achieve our objectives in these contests.

The Wallace campaign will not engage in the New Hampshire primary, and will encourage those New Hampshire voters inclined to support the Wallace campaign to instead cast their support behind Mayor Yorty, in order to send a message to Senators Kennedy, Humphrey, McGovern, Hart, and the other politocrats and liberals who for too long have dominated the Democratic Party in spite of the southern roots and base of the party.

[Mycool]

Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed

Statement from the Chisholm Campaign

We intend to run a national campaign, however, we have to be lean and strategic. We will be skipping the New Hampshire primary and instead focusing on Florida and Illinois. Florida and Illinois will show we can build a coalition in this Democratic Party based on those who have been long underserved, the poor, women, and Black and Latino voters.

[KaiserDave]

Statement from the Humphrey Campaign

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) will be filing for the Wisconsin and Florida primaries, to demonstrate his ability as a candidate to perform strongly across all sections of the manifold New Deal Democratic majority. Senator Humphrey further urges harmony amongst all Democratic candidates to ensure victory in November.

[Kuumo]

Statement from the McGovern Campaign

Senator George McGovern (D-SD) announces his intention to contest the New Hampshire, Florida, and Wisconsin primaries to get out his message early and showcase his support among the grassroots of the party.

[Lumine]

CURRENT PRIMARY BALLOTS
-Not including Wisconsin yet, but declared bids are noted

New Hampshire
-Ted Kennedy
-Ed Muskie
-George McGovern
-John Lindsay
-Sam Yorty
-Philip Hart

Florida
-Ted Kennedy
-Shirley Chisholm
-George Wallace
-Hubert Humphrey
-George McGovern
-John Lindsay
-Sam Yorty
-Philip Hart

Illinois
-Shirley Chisholm
-Ed Muskie
-Eugene McCarthy
-Sam Yorty
-Uncommitted Slate (Daley)

Potential candidates yet to declare a run:
-Scoop Jackson

[DKrol]

Wikimedia Commons

Senator Ted Kennedy Sit Down Interview in Manchester, New Hampshire
With John Chancellor, for NBC News

Chancellor: Senator Kennedy, thank you for your time today.

Kennedy: Thank you, John, my pleasure.

Chancellor: Why are you running for President, Senator?

Kennedy: I am running for President because I believe America's best days are ahead of us, if we have the right leadership. There have been great men to serve as President, John, who have all moved us forward down the same path. Franklin Roosevelt, Jack Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson - all men with bold visions for America, working us towards a better and brighter tomorrow. I believe in my heart that I can further us toward that cause, while Mr. Nixon cannot.

Chancellor: You're widely seen as the front runner in the Democratic contest, but you've not had the best time over the last five or six years, the last decade really. You were removed as Senate Whip by your own Democratic colleagues in 1971, just a few years after winning it. Some have alleged you're only in the Senate because of your last name. Many of your personal relationships are strained. And, of course, there's Mary Jo Kopechne and Chappaquiddick.

Kennedy: That night was a horrible tragedy, as I've said. I acted recklessly and, overcome with grief and horror, made choices I now regret. It was very late, and very dark, and I was scared. I tried to dive down to the car, to see if I could get her out. I couldn't. I just couldn't. And I think about it, every day. It haunts me, John, it haunts me. But let me be very clear - there have been inquests and grand juries that have looked into Chappaquiddick and my actions and no criminal wrongdoing has ever been credibly alleged in the accident or her death. I pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the accident and took responsibility, serving a suspended sentence and having my driving privileges suspended. I made a mistake in leaving the scene of the accident and not reporting it immediately, that was wrong, I've apologized.

Chancellor: Did you have a private relationship with Mary Jo Kopechne?

Kennedy: I did not.

Chancellor: Categorically?

Kennedy: Categorically. She was a dedicated Kennedy Campaign secretary and a devotee of Robert Kennedy. The purpose of the party that night, as anyone who was there can attest, was to give the campaign girls a sense of normalcy after the horrors we all went through with Robert's murder. They were shaken and upset, like members of the family, and we were all trying to get through it as best we could.

Chancellor: When you launched your campaign, you laid out four promises to the American people. What are those four promises?

Kennedy: The Four Promises are a clean environment, a fair wage, an honest democracy, and accessible healthcare for every American. Those are the four basic tenants of my platform, four promises that every American should be able to count on.

We need to reign in the pollution of our lakes, streams, and oceans by large corporations and empower the EPA to hold polluters accountable. I will work with the Congress to pass a clean drinking water act to ensure that all Americans can count on safe, clean, drinkable water when they turn on the tap.

We need to raise the minimum wage. The minimum wage today is $1.60 per hour for non-farm work. That is not enough for a family to live off of with dignity. I am proposing empowering the Treasury to create an annual indexing system to raise the minimum wage over time to ensure that an American working on the minimum wage can have a home without a voucher and dinner without food stamps. We also need to ensure that a woman earns the same wage as a man for similar work.

We need to cut out the smokey backroom deals from our democracy. For too long party bosses have held too much power - cutting out or muting the voices of the American people. That a man can walk into a convention hall and be proclaimed the nominee of a major party, over the screams of the average American, without ever facing those voters at the ballot box is a disgrace to the ideals of our founding. If I am elected, I will ensure that - at least for the Democrats - our nominee in 1976, hopefully myself seeking re-election, will be chosen by delegates bound to honor a national primary vote.

We need to ensure every American can see a doctor when they're sick. Too many Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities, suffer through their lives because they don't have healthcare and cannot afford to see a doctor. I am proposing the establishment of a national health insurance plan, AmeriCare, where every single American can walk into any physician's office and be seen without a co-pay.

Chancellor: That's a rather bold plan, Senator. How will you finance it?

Kennedy: AmeriCare will be fully funded by a combination of a payroll tax, paid equally by the employer and the employee, and an increased income tax on annual incomes over $1,000,000. We are at a crisis, John, where people in Georgia and Tennessee, Iowa and Missouri, even here in New Hampshire, are dying from preventable disease because they cannot afford to see a doctor. We need to end that, and we can end that.

Chancellor: Thank you for your time, Senator Kennedy.

[Left Wing]

Wikimedia Commons

Eugene McCarthy bristled. Four years ago he put his political life on the line fighting for what was right when no one else would. He had implored others to take on the role of challenging President Johnson and his war, but no one heeded the call. Only through the grit and determination of his supporters was he able to nearly outright win the New Hampshire primary and in so doing, force Lyndon Johnson into an early retirement. But with all that followed, the Kennedy campaign, the assassinations, the tumultuous summer, he had been swept aside and when the time was just right, the nomination was stolen from him, no-from the people, by a band of thugs.

He thought about what happened next. Under Humphrey's toeing the line the Democratic Party had lost. One of the most vile and dishonest men McCarthy had ever known sat in the Oval Office. After all the consequences of what happened in Chicago, they would have to see that the Democratic Party must go down a different path. It had to listen to its voters again. And if it didn't, McCarthy would make them one way or another.

He had taken a seat back from the Senate. While many viewed this as a misstep, this gave McCarthy one key advantage: time. Without having to deal with the squabbling in Washington, he could serve as a full time candidate, reaching new voters every day, a privilege his competitors would most certainly not have. As a cold midwestern winter arrived, McCarthy set his sights one city: Chicago. Here he would make his stand, on the sight of the battlegrounds of four years ago. He wouldn't let the voters forget how he stood alone or let any usurpers take his place. He prepared his announcement at a public event at Grant Park, the sight of the bloodshed.

Wikimedia Commons

Friends, thank you for joining me today. It was four years ago that in this very city, I stood and spoke against the most unjust war our country has plunged itself into. I said then that it seemed the only message the current administration had for the American people was one of fear. One that divided the people through violence, through intimidation and through deception. And it was that same politics of fear that led to the injustice we saw at the Democratic National Convention and all over this city, including in the very park we stand in now. This politics of fear, a politics that sees the voters of this country as merely pawns to serve the whims of the powerful.

But despite this injustice, we saw that the people have the power to stand against this kind of anti-democratic, elitist politics. In New Hampshire, we delivered a crippling blow to the administration, forcing the President to stand down. I beamed as I saw the faces of young people, some of which got "Clean for Gene" as they would say crowd laughs, who had been inspired by the causes we fought for to get involved in our political process. Every citizen who realizes the power they hold in our democracy brings us one step closer to breaking the hold of those who control the levers of the political process.

But now, four years later, we find ourself under another administration which seeks to instill fear in the hearts of Americans. One that promised to end the war, but has instead expanded it. And one that has caused a culture of lies and corruption to take hold in Washington. When I stepped back from the Senate, it was because I saw how many of our members of Congress have followed the lead of the current administration. This can not, should not and will not continue. It's time to return our democracy to the people. To stand up for the values this nation was built on. And to do this we will need a candidate who is ready to speak truth to power against the strongest adversity. I've been there, I've reckoned with those forces, and I'm asking that you once again lend me your hands in this mission. And it is for this reason that I officially announce my candidacy for President of the United States

McCarthy '72: Democracy for the People

[Left Wing]

Official Statement from McCarthy Campaign:

Wikimedia Commons

Senator McCarthy intends to contest the Illinois and Wisconsin Primaries, two states in which he was victorious four years ago. All resources at the present moment will be focused on advertisement and get-out-the-vote efforts in Illinois, while additional resources will be put into laying the groundwork to achieving ballot access in Wisconsin. The Senator will complete a tour of all regions of the state, meeting voters in-person and listening to their concerns. We will also be urging support of a slate of anti-war unpledged electors in Iowa, in tandem with the Lindsay and McGovern campaigns.

To the voters of New Hampshire, we appreciate your support four years ago, but to stop this war we need to be strategic about where our resources are best spent. We urge you to cast your ballots for Mayor John Lindsay, someone you can trust to fight for the Democratic Party to support an immediate end to the war in Vietnam.

[PPT Spiral]

Sam Yorty 1972: The Beginnings

Addressing a bustling crowd with media and journalists on standby, Mayor Sam Yorty provided the following remarks in his native Los Angeles to formally announce his presidential campaign:

Fellow Americans across this nation,

The time to be complacent is no longer. After long consideration and plenty of prayer, I stand before you today as a candidate for President of the United States. Over the course of this campaign, you will be getting the pure and unadulterated Sam Yorty. There will be no sacrifice of my principles, nor of the truth. This is what you deserve in a President.

Make no mistake, folks: We have all been witness to the desecration of America through years of poor leadership. What have we seen in recent times alone? Our international standing has been weakened, ever more imperiled in the fight against communism from Vietnam and beyond. Our domestic standing has been hollowed out, across multiple fronts. President Nixon, the man that the Silent Majority entrusted to resolve the worst of the Sixties, has turned his back on the nation and condoned its decline. Inflation has soared while the national debt explodes, and our homes have been left poorer while our streets have been left vulnerable to thugs and terrorists.

Our problems go well beyond one man, however. The stranglehold of America has much to be owed to two distinct and powerful groups. On the one hand, we have the entrenched Washington class: ever shifting in their views and promises, yet never ones to take personal accountability for the damage they leave behind. On the other, we have the rising radical movement in our very Democratic Party: those who actively seek total anarchy at home and universal retreat around the world. President Yorty will always speak truth to power, and if it means stepping on the toes of the socialists, delinquents, and craven power-hungry, so be it!

I come from humble beginnings, born in Nebraska to two God-fearing parents with immigrant roots. It was later on in my upbringing that I made my way to call California home, where I have eventually received the honor and privilege to serve as Mayor of Los Angeles. No matter where you may lie on the political spectrum, even my toughest critics acknowledge that Los Angeles is booming. Under my watch as Mayor, we have paved an expansive freeway system, cleaned up the streets from waste and pollution, and created a new dawn of commerce and culture as one of the nation's landmark destinations. We did all this and more while overcoming the special interests long holding the city back. Now, I intend to bring this most resolute of leadership into the White House to make the Los Angeles Miracle go nationwide!

As a candidate for President, I stand proudly and firmly as a moderate Democrat just as I have always been. The American people deserve prudent, responsible management of our defense and finances alike, never bending to the will of the extremists who may seek to hold us hostage. A Yorty administration will protect your pocketbooks and your very dignity in work, as a lifetime champion of the labor movement. We will put a halt to the mass social experiments that the far-left demand of my fellow presidential hopefuls and finally restore reason in Washington. Our men and women in service across all walks of life will be cherished for their sacrifices, from the civil servants to the police officers to our military.

Though our challenges are many, I have no doubt in the ability of America to persevere and usher in a new age. To be your warrior for change as the next President would be an incredible honor, and I pledge every waking moment of mine to be vested in the betterment of these United States! Together, we shall barnstorm these primaries, overcome the odds, and prove once more that every vote—and every voice—can be the kingmaker in our democracy!

Thank you all, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!

[PPT Spiral]

Here's Johnny!

Though considered a wide longshot and generally polling in the low single digits at the forefront of the presidential primaries, Sam Yorty did have some advantages unique to him that could perhaps lend a hand. To name one, his longtime stature as Mayor of Los Angeles allowed him the access to earn some friendly media. Look no further than the years-long repertoire Yorty has built up as a fairly frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, giving the nation an opening taste of this political character from L.A. Now in his largest role yet as a presidential candidate, Mayor Yorty would take the Burbank swing to a whole new level as he makes his first Tonight Show appearance since announcing:


CARSON: You may know our next guest to pop by the studio from time to time. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Los Angeles Mayor, and now presidential candidate, Sam Yorty!

[Yorty enters in delight]

CARSON: Pleasure to have you back here, Mr. Mayor! It's been a little while.

YORTY: It most certainly has, but I'm quite pleased to be back here as well, Johnny.

CARSON: Let's get down to some basics right away. To those who may slightly recognize you but don't really know you, or for those who have no idea who Sam Yorty is, why are you running for President in 1972 and why do you believe you would be the best qualified candidate?

YORTY: Well, Johnny, I liken this presidential campaign to a call to service. I have seen the country that we all love become more and more engulfed to the forces of terror and cynicism. Our threats are growing ever larger. This is not to just speak of the Communist threat from the Soviet machine when we consider geopolitics, but also of malignant forces within our homefront. Radicals, some of them quite violent, have been unshackled by opportunism as we continue to suffer from the unrest that has plagued the past decade. President Nixon, whom I have been more than willing as a Democrat to give him a chance, has not lived up to quell this as he should and has in fact left working people in greater pain. I worry that much of our political class is falling prey to a naïve state on these affairs.

During one of my earliest political campaigns in 1940, I was very vocal and adamant on the need to directly confront Adolf Hitler and put an end to Nazi madness over Europe and the world. Despite the enormous political pressure then to go the opposite direction and look the other way, I was unafraid to speak up in the name of decency and justice. Just as then, I will never hesitate to stand up and speak up now for what is right. My time governing Los Angeles has demonstrated an ability to lead from strength and enact a transformative agenda, truly making our city into a new metropolis better off than ever before. I believe that I can offer with this campaign a grand opportunity for the American people to reclaim our pride and dignity that have been compromised by Washington. What I preach is a middle-of-the-road government, one actually responsive to the middle and working classes, not merely lapdogs beholden to big money or those professional activists.

CARSON: There have been many candidates who have come and gone, perished by the political machines of their rivals or of the nomination process itself. What say you, Mayor, for your own fate when you consider much of the polling out there?

YORTY: I have never been one to shirk from a challenge, and I will say that many rivals have counted me out in the past. This primary process will sort itself out as I face the judgment of the voters. To any perpetual critics and skeptics of mine, all I can say is: Watch me, and watch America. *grins*

[. . .]

CARSON: I'd like to take this moment to end our conversation tonight with, perhaps, some more levity. Many have anointed you with various monikers depending how much they like or dislike you: Mayor Sam, Saigon Sam, and so on. Much of America may not yet recognize you the way I do for your expert skills at the banjo. Hence my personal nickname for you: Banjo Sam. *laughter and applause*

YORTY: Is this an invitation to perform, Johnny? *laughs*

CARSON: The floor is all yours, Mayor.


In similar fashion to this appearance with Johnny Carson, Mayor Yorty would make the rounds on a bold media tour—perhaps revolutionary in scope for these times—in the first stage of the campaign. Utilizing the full scope of his L.A. connections, a groundswell of publicity and 'free advertising' would accompany the normal operations of the campaign. Banjo Sam, in all of his folksy ways, would begin to chart a campaign like no other.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Official Statement from the Lindsay Campaign:

Mayor Lindsay intends to contest the New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Florida primaries.  Because this movement is and must be greater than any one man, we will be urging our supporters in Iowa to back a joint anti-Vietnam War slate of unpledged delegates organized in tandem with the McCarthy and McGovern campaigns.  Similarly, we encourage all Illinois voters inclined to support Mayor Lindsay to cast their votes for Senator McCarthy.  

[DKrol]

Wikimedia Commons

Senator Ted Kennedy Delivers a Speech on Global Affairs
Delivered in Coral Gables, Florida at the University of Miami

Thank you for being here tonight. It's so pleasant to see so many welcoming faces for a campaign so young.

Those of you who are enrolled at the university today have seen precious few years of your lives without war. Even those of you who are a bit older, between the Second World War, Korea, and Vietnam, have sparsely known a world at peace. Although each of these wars were justified to varying degrees, it cannot be ignored the detrimental impact they've had on America's livelihood. Every boy who gets sent to a foreign field to die is a man who didn't have the opportunity to start a family, buy a home, found a business. Children without fathers, mothers without sons, wives without husbands. We've lost entire generations to the horrors of war, in their cumulative impacts.

The present war in Vietnam has become unmanageable. Too many boys are dying to capture hills and fields that will do little to advance the cause of peace and bring an end to the war. As I have said before, the United States must commit now to a two-fold strategy of securing a negotiated peace between the Vietnamese people while also rooting out corruption from the South Vietnamese government. It is my belief that there is no ability to win the war in Vietnam - we must focus our efforts on negotiating a dignified peace that ends the bloodshed and allows the people of Vietnam to rebuild while, at the same time, helping refugees secure safe passage and the hope of a better tomorrow.

We must also ensure that we do not quickly become sucked in to the next Vietnam. The cycle of war must end. We must allow our young people to see themselves as doctors, lawyers, mechanics, engineers, and, even, Presidents, rather than just soldiers, sailors, and air men.

There are two great challenges on the horizon across the globe.

In Ireland, we face the Vietnamization of that conflict. The Irish clamor for freedom and unity of the Irish people, while the British resist and suppress those voices. Irish men and women are being jailed without trial, their rights voided by a government in London that does not acknowledge their universal rights to self determination. This must end. But the IRA must also end their campaign of terror, and Irish Americans must not lend the IRA funds to purchase guns and bombs. We all must instead dedicate our full efforts to peace. As President, I will lead a peace delegation to Belfast and use the bully pulpit to bring Mr. Heath and Mr. Lynch to the table - before the conflict expands further and more discord is sown. Every man who is killed makes peace that much harder to attain.

We also face the rising threat of the Soviet Union and the spread of Communism. The United States of America and the Soviet Union are the two greatest military powers to ever exist on the face of this Earth. We each hold in our arsenals enough weapons, nuclear and otherwise, to end human life across the globe. This is an awesome burden that the occupants of both the Oval Office and the Kremlin must recognize and acknowledge. We must also ensure open lines of communication between the two great powers, to ensure that no minor action is misunderstood and events are not escalated out of proportion. The President must be willing and able to look Mr. Brezhnev in the eye and speak without reservation, but with mutual respect. Mr. Brezhnev must know he's speaking to a President with the support of the American people.

As Americans we must always ensure that our President is a man of honor, integrity, experience, and decency, who we can trust to abide by the international norms and the laws of international conflict. On this front, Mr. Nixon has failed. Mr. Nixon's invasion of Cambodia is, unequivocally, a violation of that. We need to restore honor and dignity to the Oval Office and we have the opportunity to do that in 1972. If you want to beat a Nixon at the ballot box, you need a Kennedy.

As I close, I would like to address the young people in this room. Some of my fellow candidates have maligned the youth of today as too radical, too quick to question, too ignitable to protest. I dismiss those concerns. As Robert Kennedy said four years ago, "If our colleges and universities do not breed men who riot, who rebel, who attack life with all the youthful vision and vigor, then there is something wrong with our colleges. The more riots that come out of our college campuses the better the world for tomorrow." Our colleges and universities are the breeding ground for the leaders of tomorrow. If we expect, and in some cases use force to ensure, our college students to accept the standards of today as the standards of tomorrow, we face the end of our great American experiment. We should support our young people as they debate, reflect, and engage with the big issues of our time.

I'm Ted Kennedy, I'm running for President, and I'd like your vote.

Thank you all very much.

[DKrol]

Talking Points for the Kennedy Campaign
Distributed to Surrogates

• If you want to beat a Nixon at the ballot box, you need a Kennedy.
• Senator Kennedy has laid out the most comprehensive policy platform of any candidate.
• The Four Promises are the next evolution of the New Deal and Great Society.
• Every American should be able to count on a clean environment, a fair wage, an honest democracy, and accessible healthcare.
• Senator Kennedy's AmeriCare will be the Great Equalizer across society, ensuring everyone has an equal shot at living a healthy, active life.
• Ending the War in Vietnam can only be done through a negotiated peace with dignity. President Nixon's mismanagement of the War has made a battlefield victory impossible.
• Senator Kennedy regrets the events of Chappaquiddick and has acknowledged his faults that night, including serving a sentence and losing his driving privileges.
• No criminal charges have ever been recommended against Senator Kennedy, despite numerous inquires and grand jury investigations.
• The people of Massachusetts overwhelmingly re-elected Senator Kennedy in 1970, after the Chappaquiddick incident.
• Senator Kennedy has been honest and transparent with the American people, fighting against backroom deals and presenting himself in as many primary contests as possible. It is up to the American people to choose their next President.