Nelson A. Rockefeller President in 1960.

[lounge60]

In 1956 Eisenhower choose Nelson A. Rockefeller as Vicepresident ,after the dimission of Richard M. Nixon ,accused of accepting illegal contributions.In November 1960 Rockefeller defeats Kennedy,and becomes the 35th President of United States.

[Wendell]

He won't be inaugurated until 1961. Who is his VP, Barry Goldwater, perhaps?>

[lounge60]

Originally Posted by Wendell

He won't be inaugurated until 1961. Who is his VP, Barry Goldwater, perhaps?>

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Rocky was an "repubblican-liberal".

[lounge60]

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by lounge60

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. Rocky was an "repubblican-liberal".

Barry Goldwater would provide balance, both in ideology and geography.

[lounge60]

Goldwater was too much right right wing for Rockefeller.Once called the Eisenhower administration "a dime store new deal".

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by lounge60

Goldwater was too much right right wing for Rockefeller.Once called the Eisenhower administration "a dime store new deal".

In some ways, that was a fair description. Besides, having Goldwater in the Vice Presidency will keep him out of the Senate most of the time.

[reformer]

After a farily popular Eisenhower Goldwater would seem too radical and probably loose votes. Its probably to early for the north to sweep the south, so Lodge is probably a better choice.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by reformer

After a farily popular Eisenhower Goldwater would seem too radical and probably loose votes. Its probably to early for the north to sweep the south, so Lodge is probably a better choice.

New York and Massachusetts are not going to win an election that late in history. If you don't want Goldwater, then pick someone else from out west.

[nnone]

If Nelson was the President: These are the things I think very possible

Black Civil Rights becomes a Republican issue; Dixie continues to be the core of the Democratic Solid South. Remember Rockefeller was a northern liberal, the Southerners are Democrats and the 60s is the decade this issue comes to the forefront. Rockefeller passes a modest civil rights bill, but orders federal troops to protect black students and voters.

The Bay of Pigs is done right with the full US backing. I am going to guess that Castro is overthrown. Although even a much larger effort by the US could fail. Therefore there is no Cuban Missile Crisis.

Although the draft continues, Vietnam never becomes the focus of a major US effort.

Rockefeller is re-elected although social legislation is passed; there is none of the massive wealth transfers or social engineering of the Great Society.

Despite, compared to Our Timeline, Rockefeller being quite successful, he is seen as a below average President by most non-black Americans.

His 2 terms are best remembered for the pork barrel spending. He proves an indifferent administrator. His second term is beset with Scandal. His efforts in the Middle East to secure a lasting Arab-Israeli peace end in failure. Fellow Republicans accuse him of being soft on Communism. Despite focusing on a domestic agenda, besides pork spending, he has difficulty passing his agenda through the Democratic Congress.

A Midwestern democrat who is not Muskie wins the Presidency in 1968 against a Western Republican, (who is not as extreme as Goldwater) despite California going strongly Republican. There is no Republican/Democratic Realignment. The Post War national consensus holds.

[lounge60]

And about Vietnam and space race?

[Wendell]

Maybe it's Reagan that the GOP runs in 1968?

[luakel]

Originally Posted by lounge60

And about Vietnam and space race?

Vietnam would probably be pretty quiet, I think that in the scenario above South Vietnam might fall in 1966 or so. Space Race might go the same, don't see how Rocky would speed it up/slow it down, though moon exploration might be delayed.

Originally Posted by Wendell

Maybe it's Reagan that the GOP runs in 1968?

He'd lose.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by luakel

Vietnam would probably be pretty quiet, I think that in the scenario above South Vietnam might fall in 1966 or so. Space Race might go the same, don't see how Rocky would speed it up/slow it down, though moon exploration might be delayed.

He'd lose.

Which would qualify him for nnone's proposal.

[luakel]

Originally Posted by Wendell

Which would qualify him for nnone's proposal.

Hmm... maybe RFK is the Democrat (yeah, he's not midwestern, but Daddy Kennedy would still want one of his boys in office)?

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by luakel

Hmm... maybe RFK is the Democrat (yeah, he's not midwestern, but Daddy Kennedy would still want one of his boys in office)?

I was thinking Mo Udall from Arizona, or even Humphrey from Minnesota...

[luakel]

Originally Posted by Wendell

I was thinking Mo Udall from Arizona, or even Humphrey from Minnesota...

Why not an RFK/Humphrey ticket? It appeals to both the Midwest and New England.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by luakel

Why not an RFK/Humphrey ticket? It appeals to both the Midwest and New England.

That it would. Although, it leaves the South unrepresented...

[luakel]

Originally Posted by Wendell

That it would. Although, it leaves the South unrepresented...

The South will vote Democrat anyway.

[Wendell]

Originally Posted by luakel

The South will vote Democrat anyway.

Point taken.