1968 Presidential ElectionHubert H. Humphrey/Edmund S. Muskie (D): 272 EV, 42.9% of the PV (31,428,739)Richard M. Nixon/Spiro T. Agnew (R): 220 EV, 43.2% of the PV (31,631,907)George C. Wallace/Curtis E. LeMay (AI): 46 EV, 13.5% of the PV (9,906,473)Others (Socialist, Prohibition, etc): 0 EV, 0.3% of the PV (244,756)In one of the closest Presidential Elections in American History, Vice President Hubert Horatio Humphrey is elected 37th President of the United States defeating the Republican nominee former Vice President Richard Milhous Nixon. Despite losing the Popular Vote to Nixon, Vice President Humphrey is able to pull of narrow victories in four key battleground states: Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey and Missouri to have a narrow majority in the Electoral College of 272. Similar to the aftermath of the 1960 Presidential Election, Nixon decides not to risk a recount of the votes citing a risk of a constitutional crisis.
On January 20, 1969, Vice President Humphrey succeeds outgoing President Johnson as he is sworn in as 37th President of the United States by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Earl Warren in Washington, DC. In his inaugural address watched and heard by millions of Americans, President Humphrey stresses the need for American withdrawl from the ongoing conflict in Vietnam, even a possible peace treaty between both North and South Vietnam. Humphrey also hints at a continuation of President Johnson's "Great Society" programs, initiated in 1965.
President Humphrey's first term proves to be rather mediocre. On the foreign front, National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger helps to negotiate a fragile peace between North and South Vietnam in June 1969, which later earned Kissinger the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, the treaty itself would be denounced by many conservatives due to numerous reasons. Firstly, the Treaty of Paris, as many had come to know it by would see many North Vietnamese soldiers remain in South Vietnam. Secondly, the Treaty of Paris would allow communist participation in the President Thieu's South Vietnamese Government and thirdly, the Treaty would force Thieu's Government to recognise North Vietnam. Despite numerous concessions to the North Vietnamese, the Humphrey Administration's concessions to the North Vietnamese would allow the safe return of every American POW to the United States.
On the domestic front, President Humphrey is able to meet some economic success when the Democratic dominated Congress passes President Humphrey's Full Employment Act, which would create full employment for every American over the age of sixteen and would set up a permanent system of public jobs to meet that goal. With recent successes in both the foreign and domestic fronts, the Democrats are able to make big gains in the 1970 Congressional Elections, increasing their majorities in both Houses of Congress'.
Despite President Humphrey's successes in both the foreign and domestic fronts, President Humphrey's tireless work in both fields begins to come undone in 1971. In late April of 1971, less than two years after the successful negotiation of the Treaty of Paris, North Vietnam invades South Vietnam and by June 1971 successfully annexes the entire country. Shortly after the North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam, both the unemployment rate and inflation rate takes a drastic increase despite the successful passage of the Full Employment Act passed in 1970.
To salvage his disastrous year, President Humphrey makes history in 1971 when he becomes the first President to visit both China and the Soviet Union, where he negotiates arm limitation treaties with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow and officially recognises China during discussions with both Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong.
Taking advantage of the numerous crises occurring to the Humphrey Administration, both Senator Henry 'Scoop' Jackson of Washington and Governor George C. Wallace of Alabama announce their candidacies for the 1972 Democratic Nomination in November and December 1971 respectively. Both Senator Jackson and Governor Wallace heavily criticise the President's handling of foreign policy throughout his time in the White House, most importantly his handling of the War in Vietnam.
Despite this, President Humphrey successfully wins the 1972 Democratic Nomination. However, President Humphrey is left damaged by both Jackson and Wallace's candidacies, losing much needed support amongst blue collar workers and support in the South. Come to the Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, President Humphrey is nominated on the first ballot with Senator Jackson coming in a close second and Governor Wallace coming in a distant third. Unlike President Humphrey, incumbent Vice President of the United States Edmund Muskie of Maine is nominated by acclamation.
Whilst on the Republican side, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the conservative Governor of California wins the 1972 Republican Nomination after defeating the liberal Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller in a bitter primary contest. At the Republican National Convention, also in Miami Beach, Florida, Governor Reagan is nominated on the first ballot, with Governor Rockefeller coming in a distant second. Governor Reagan surprisingly selects Congressman Rogers Morton of Maryland to appease to liberals and moderates.
Upon the conclusion of both Republican and Democratic Conventions, President Humphrey despite a disastrous 1971 narrowly leads Governor Reagan in most opinion polls, with many voters citing approval of his handling of both foreign and domestic policy. How would the American public vote in 1972 is anyone's guess.
How would this 1972 Presidential Election turn out if these were the tickets?
RepublicanGovernor Ronald W. Reagan of California
Congressman Rogers C.B. Morton of Maryland
DemocraticPresident Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota
Vice President Edmund S. Muskie of Maine
Discuss with maps. And thanks Garrison for the idea
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