Nixon's Vice Presidential Choices 1960 & 1968

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Why on earth did Richard Nixon select Henry Cabot Lodge in 1960 as his running mate and Sprio Agnew in 1968? They brought nothing to these tickets. Why did Nixon select Lodge and Agnew? It's not like Lodge and Agnew brought Massachussets and Maryland for them in 1960 and in 1968. Was there anyone else that Nixon could have chosen that would have brought something to the ticket? Discuss.

[Lincoln Republican]

In 1960, Nixon was of the view the Republicans could win by focusing the election on foreign policy, but if the election was focused on domestic policy, that the Democrats would win.

Thus, the selection of Henry Cabot Lodge, former Senator from Massachusetts, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations at the time he was named the Vice Presidential nominee.  Lodge brought, it was believed, considerable foreign policy knowledge and expertise to the ticket.   

In 1960, the best possible running mate for Nixon would have been Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, who in fact was not interested in the Vice Presidential nomination.

However, had Nixon been successful in persuading Rockefeller to join the ticket, Rockefeller's name, strong campaign skills, and particular brand of Republicanism, could quite possibly have been instrumental in swinging the following states into the Nixon column

Pennsylvania, 32 EV, lost by 2.32%
New Jersey, 16 EV, lost by 0.80%
Michigan, 20 EV, lost by 2.01%

These, added to Nixon's 219 EV, would have given him 287 EV, a clear win in the Electoral College.

Possibly, just possibly, Rockefeller could as well have made New York, lost by 5.26%, competitive for the Republican ticket.

A downside to a Rockefeller VP candidacy may have been a potential loss in some of the southern states that Nixon carried, however, I believe that Nixon himself would have had the strength and influence in these southern states to still carry them.  Lodge, after all, was not exactly considered to be a stalwart conservative himself.  Lodge, like Rockefeller, was more to the moderate to liberal wing of the party.

Nixon's Rockefeller choice may have proved in 1960 to have been the perfect counter to Kennedy's Johnson choice.   

[HappyWarrior]

He chose Agnew because he was considered a moderate leader in the Republican party, giving him likeability.

[Lincoln Republican]

In 1968, former Vice President Nixon's first choice for Vice President was his old friend and trusted confidante Robert Finch, Lieutenant Governor of California.  Nixon was at this time a resident of New York, and therefore there would be no problem with the residency issue and the fact that Finch was from California.  Finch turned down the offer, however, and Nixon had to go with someone else.  Finch could have been a capable and effective Vice President, not knowing at the time, of course, that he would later become President.

Other names considered by Nixon for Vice President, Mayor John Lindsay of New York City, Senator Chuck Percy of Illinois, Governor George Romney of Michigan, Senator Richard Hatfield of Oregon, Governor Ronald Reagan of California, Senator John Tower of Texas, Congressman George Bush of Texas, Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee, Congressman Gerald Ford of Michigan, Governor John Volpe of Massachusetts, Governor Spiro Agnew of Maryland.

In the end, Nixon decided to go with someone who was considered at the time as more of a moderate in the party, rather than one of the more liberal possibilities, Lindsay, Percy, Romney, Hatfield.  Agnew would go on, however, to become a champion of the conservative wing of the party.  Nixon was impressed with Agnew's speaking abilities, with his distinguished and handsome looks, and with his oratorical abilities and his presence on the stage and on camera.  Nixon liked the fact, as well, that Agnew was from a border state, not north and not south.  

The presence of Agnew on the ticket very nearly won Maryland for Nixon in 1968, losing by only 1.64% in this Democratic stronghold.

Nixon would later regret his selection of Agnew, and wanted him replaced by Treasury Secretary John Connally as early as 1971.  The plan never took flight, however, and Agnew was again on the ticket in 1972.

Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee, also from a border state, would have been a good selection for Nixon to make.  Although not long on elective political experience in 1968, only having been elected to the Senate in 1966, Baker would have made a bright, young, energetic candidate, certainly not costing Nixon any states he did win, and likely being viewed by the electorate and the public as more credible than was Agnew.  Agnew had only been elected Governor of Maryland in 1966 as well, so he had no more high level elective experience than did Baker in 1968, and the ticket still won the election.  I have no doubt that a ticket of Nixon and Baker would have won the election by at least as large a margin, if not more, especially in the popular vote, as did Nixon and Agnew.

Perhaps Baker could have helped Nixon win Texas in 1968, which was only lost by 1.27%.

So my choice for Nixon in 1968 would have been Howard Baker.

[StateBoiler]

I wonder if Agnew always kicked himself for his misdeeds as Governor. He was thisclose to the Presidency.

[gorkay]

I question whether Baker was well enough known back in 1968 to be a very good Vice-Presidential candidate. I also doubt that Rockefeller would have accepted the VP nomination in either '60 or '68... not that Nixon was about to offer it to him anyway. The two were not big fans of each other.

[Lincoln Republican]

I question whether Baker was well enough known back in 1968 to be a very good Vice-Presidential candidate. I also doubt that Rockefeller would have accepted the VP nomination in either '60 or '68... not that Nixon was about to offer it to him anyway. The two were not big fans of each other.

In 1968, Agnew was not really known much at all outside Maryland.  Agnew was no more known or experienced than was Baker.   As long as the Vice Presidential nominee is not a drag on the ticket, that is the main criteria.  Baker would certainly not have been a drag on the ticket, quite the contrary, he would have been a fresh face as a balance to Nixon's extensive and storied experience in public life.

True, Rockefeller was not interested in the Vice Presidency in 1960 or 1968.  Nixon did try to get Rockefeller on the ticket in 1960, Rockefeller said no thank you, and in 1968 Nixon did not try to get Rockefeller on the ticket.

[gorkay]

It's true that Agnew wasn't any better-known than Baker in 1968, but I said that Baker wasn't well enough known to be a very good Vice-Presidential candidate. I don't consider Agnew to have been a very good candidate either.

[johnpressman]

I have discussed Nixon's choice of Henry Cabot Lodge for VP in 1960 at length in another thread.   I believe it comes down to either Nixon's  choice of Lodge or his 50 state campaign as the two (reversible) factors as to why he lost in 1960.

In 1960, Nixon had slim pickings for VP.  The GOP was in tatters and there were VERY few viable choices for the second spot.  The only candidates in the running besides Lodge were Rep. Gerald Ford of MI,  Sens. John Sherman Cooper and Thruston Morton of KY, and Rep. Walter Judd of MN.  Rockfeller, with less than two years as Gov. of NY gave  an emphatic "no" to Nixon.  I am intrigued that Sen. Everett Dirksen and Gov. William Stratton of the key state of Illinois were not considered.  Dirksen possibly was too old and Nixon may have wanted to shake the young guy/old guy scenario evidenced by Ike/Nixon.  As for Stratton?  A mystery man despite serving as Governor of one of the largest and most crucial "swing' states.   Lodge did NOTHING for the GOP ticket except cause Nixon embarrassment when he promised to name a "Negro" to the Cabinet!  Either Ford, who could have brought MI and Possibly IL to the ticket if he ran a regional campaign like LBJ did or one of the Kentuckians could have brought in TX, MO and maybe either NC or SC to the GOP also running a regional campaign.  By the way, this also points up the insanity of spreading Nixon's campaign through all 50 states instead of concentrating in the key states up for grabs as all previous and subsequent Presidential campaign have. 

In 1968, the GOP had the opposite dilemma.  There was a surplus of potential VP candidates.  Nixon's problem was that the Conservative wing of the GOP vetoed the liberal candidates (Lindsay, Percy, Hatfield) while the Moderate wing vetoed the conservatives (Tower and  Reagan).  Nixon was left with the "political eunuchs", Baker, Volpe and Agnew and picked Agnew for the aforementioned reasons but also because as a minority (Greek) he might help Nixon in the cities where he was running behind Humphrey.   

[Dr. Cynic]

picked Agnew for the aforementioned reasons but also because as a minority (Greek) he might help Nixon in the cities where he was running behind Humphrey.   

And old Hubert went and picked Ed Muskie who was Polish. Polish voters by far outnumber Greeks. In 68, Muskie carried more than his share, while Agnew less than his.

[WalterMitty]

the biggest problem with lodge was that he was lazy...a big reason why he lost the 1952 senate race.

[HappyWarrior]

the biggest problem with lodge was that he was lazy...a big reason why he lost the 1952 senate race.

So he was the Fred Thompson of the fifties?

[WalterMitty]

the biggest problem with lodge was that he was lazy...a big reason why he lost the 1952 senate race.

So he was the Fred Thompson of the fifties?

probably so, yes.

lodge wasnt an energetic campaigner.  i even read that during the 1960 campaign he insisted that there be an hour set aside every day for his nap.

[CPT MikeyMike]

the biggest problem with lodge was that he was lazy...a big reason why he lost the 1952 senate race.

I don't know if "lazy" was the correct word for Lodge in '52. He was working to get Ike elected instead of working on his senate reelection. He lost focus.

In hindsight, Ike should have picked Lodge to be his running mate instead of Nixon.

[gorkay]

In Arthur Schlesinger's Journals 1952-2000 he states that Nixon offered Rockefeller the vice-presidential nomination in 1960, but that Rockefeller turned it down.