In 1955/56 Joe Kennedy tried to convince LBJ to seek the Democratic Nomination, a campaign which he would support financially and w/ backroom deals, if Johnson would choose JFK as a running mate. Joe figured Johnson could do well without winning, which would bolster JFK's chances at the nomination in 1960. What would have happened if Johnson, not Adlai Stevenson, faced Eisenhower in '56? I assume they would've done far better but could they have one?
WI: Johnson/Kennedy in '56
- Thread starter NickCT
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The Democrats could have run Jesus Christ in 1956 and they still would have lost. Johnson will do better than Stevenson, but not by much. His strength in the south will allow him to hold on to his home state of Texas, Tennessee (which Eisenhower won by less than a point in OTL) and maybe Kentucky or West Virginia if he's lucky. The problem that the Democrats face is that Eisenhower's landslide was so uniform across the country. There were only 5 states that were within 10 points (Tennessee, Minnesota, West Virginia, Washington, and Kentucky). So even if Johnson does significantly better in the popular vote (which I think he would), the electoral vote doesn't shift all that much.
There's no way they could have won; Eisenhower was nearly unbeatable (even after two heart attacks and a bout of stomach disorder). If Ike wants the Presidency, he's got it. Should he decide not to run, however, that would throw the entire thing open.
Another problem is Johnson, himself. LBJ did make an effort to get the nomination in '56, but it was a late affair, and not a well run run (a pattern that would be repeated in the first months of the '60 campaign). In '56, part of the problem is simply that Johnson wanted to be President, and I don't think he saw any real chance of winning in '56; and there was no way in hell he was going to sacrifice his ambitions to help some young, snobbish blueblood (it didn't help that LBJ formed a very negative option of JFK when they served together in the Senate; finding the young man to be little more than a playboy who'd daddy had bought him a Senate seat).
Now, assuming the stars align: Ike decides not to run, and an the Republicans nominate Richard Nixon (or, if you really want to screw it up, someone like Bill Knowland. Nixon's power within the party was not strong at this time, and there were efforts to get to drop him from the VP spot as it was. Getting his arch-enemy, Bill Knowland, to run in 56 wouldn't be that far out of the question). This throws the electin right open, and the Democrats now feel they have a real chance.
Even if LBJ decides to run in this case, he's going to have some real problems. First of all, he is going to need the support of Liberals to win, and, in 1956, Johnson had done almost nothing to be able to win them over (his Civil Rights bill wouldn't be passed for another year, and even that barely made a dent in his reputation as a Southern Conservative). Secondly, is Johnson's own personality. He is someone who wanted the Presidency so bad, that he often 'locked-up' when making the run due to the fact that he was terrified of failing at his life's ambition.
Truthfully, in the case of a No-Ike in '56 timeline, I think that Estes Kaufver would be the most likely Democratic nominee. Kaufver might well choose Kennedy, mind you, and might actually stand a chance of winning.
Probably the biggest changes are down the road, if it's Johnson/Kennedy in '56 then Kennedy is probably the front runner and still the Democratic candidate in '60 and who is chooses is big because it probably wont be Johnson and who ever it is, assuming Kennedy still wins in '60 which I think he does, is going to become President in '63 and shape the mid to late '60's and our involvement in Vietnam.
this was really what I wanted to see happen because I agree Johnson would've still lost. Does Kennedy choose Stymington or Scoop Jackson or perhaps someone else even?
actually you're quite correct. If Johnson isn't on the ticket then Texas probably isn't in play and Kennedy probably doesn't visit the state so it wouldn't happen, or wouldn't happen in the same way.
Duh! A commie pinko radical like that? Sheesh, he'd probably be lynched if he ever ran.
True, or he could have tried somewhere else, I believe that Oswald had planned a couple of attempts on other officials at other places, its possible he makes an attempt on Kennedy somewhere else and is successful or fail.
Or you could just say that the CIA/Castro/the MOB/ect just make their attempt somewhere else
