The Moderate Republican

Pericles

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It was 1964. President Johnson had just won a landslide victory against Barry Goldwater. Nelson Rockefeller had gone to bed early the previous night and had a deep sleep, knowing quite well what the result would be. Waking up, he drank a sip of coffee and read the news. Rocky wasn't quite sure how to react, partly he wanted to be sad for the loss his party suffered and partly he wanted to smile now that those damn conservatives had been punished for their extremism. As a matter of fact, he just felt empty. Then Happy walked by and glimpsed the paper. "Looks like you're a shoo-in for 1968." Rockefeller smiled and had another gulp of coffee" Yes, I think 1968 will be my year." But I need to secure my position early, he thought.
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The Battle of Three Titans​
George Romney sat down in his seat. He had plans, but he knew that he needed the backing of the Eastern Establishment under Rockefeller to succeed. The thing was however, Rockefeller didn't seem interested in working towards his gain. He picked up the phone and called Governor Rockefeller. " Hello George, " Rockefeller said " I was just planning on calling you as a matter of fact." George Romney felt his presidential ambitions get flushed down the toilet. " I would love to help Governor."​
On November 22, 1967, Nelson Rockefeller formally entered the race, before Nixon did. Both candidates had sizable campaign organisations, with Rockefeller offices established in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Illinois and other important primary states. A Gallup poll in mid-1967 showed Nixon with 40%, followed by Rockefeller with 24%. Rockefeller campaigned on 'an end to the war in Vietnam' and for amending Johnson's Great Society programs and making them more efficient. Rockefeller gained the support of anti-war Republicans, and much of his rhetoric became similar to the Democrat anti-war candidate, Eugene McCarthy.​
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Like McCarthy, Rockefeller put up a strong showing in New Hampshire, Rockefeller won a resounding victory in the important New Hampshire primary on March 12, winning 65% of the vote.​
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"Damnit!" Nixon snarled " I will not be defeated!" Pat Buchanan wasn't sure what he was seeing at that moment, animal anger or inner steel. " Sir, I'll add more conservative appeal in your next speeches." "Pat," Nixon growled" We need to win moderates to have any hope of defeating Johnson." " Yes sir, but we need to focus on our current priorities." "If you do that Pat," Nixon replied angrily " you'll give Johnson my head on a silver platter! You'll turn me into the next Barry Goldwater!"​
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Nixon won a victory in Wisconsin on April 12, though that was to be expected. "Nelson," Romney said" We're leading in the polls in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The Democrats are in disarray. If we win the nomination, the Democrats have sliced their own heads off for us." Rockefeller smiled but a nagging voice in the back of his head said remember Tom Dewey 20 years ago.​
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Rockefeller did indeed win Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, while Nixon won Indiana. On the same day as Nixon's Indiana victory, favourite son Governor James Rhodes won his home state of Ohio(though he was the only one on the ballot) and Nixon won DC.​
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Governor Reagan read the news. As he saw smoke from the window, the article said 10 KILLED IN LATEST RIOTS. America needed a saviour. Nixon and Rockefeller were just fanning the flames.​
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Reagan entered the race. Despite his entry, Nixon won victories in Nebraska and Oregon. However in Reagan's home-state of California, he was the only one on the ballot. Reagan raced ahead in the popular vote. But the news was dominated by something else:​
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RFK SHOT AT BY ASSASSIN, RUSHED TO HOSPITAL​
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RFK survived and won the New York primary. However, Vice-President Hubert Humphrey would win the Democratic nomination nonetheless. RFK refused to be Humphrey's VP and Edmund Muskie of Maine was picked instead.​
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The Republican primaries wrapped up relatively unnoticed with Rockefeller victories in New Jersey and Illinois and a Nixon victory in South Dakota.​
Total popular vote​

Reagan had won only 1 primary, Rhodes had also won 1 primary, Rockefeller had won 4 primaries and Nixon had won 6 primaries.​
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Rockefeller and Nixon had the most delegates and were the frontrunners. On the campaign trail, Rockefeller continued to attack Nixon and hoped to win despite conservative animosity to him. Rockefeller called Nixon " a man of old politics" and said he" had"great natural capacity not to do the right thing, especially under pressure." Nixon refused to join in the attacks. Rockefeller also boasted a poll showing him doing the best against Humphrey and rode on his electability.​
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Rockefeller and Nixon competed for the delegates of favourite sons. Howard Baker of Tennessee, with 28 delegates, and Charles Percy of Illinois, with 58 delegates, endorsed Rockefeller, while Senator John Tower of Texas handed his 40 delegates to Nixon. Clifford Case of New Jersey handed his 22 delegates to Rockefeller, as did Winthrop Rockefeller who gave Nelson 18 delegates and Hiram Fong who gave him 14. Reports surfaced that Nixon had 583 delegates and Rockefeller had 467 delegates. Reagan had approximately 200 delegates, which could prove crucial to whoever wanted to win. The question loomed: who would be the Republican nominee?​
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The results of the 1968 Republican primaries
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Red for Rockefeller, Green for Nixon, Blue for Reagan, Yellow for Rhodes and Grey for No primary/ unpledged delegates.

The convention in Miami was coming...​
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This is my latest TL about a Nelson Rockefeller presidency. I would like to credit this post by Electric Monk for it sowed the seeds of the idea that started this TL:



Electric Monk said:
The most likely POD is twofold: Rockefeller declares early and campaigns hard.

Reagan announces his open candidacy in, uh, May? (If I recall correctly) In front of the Southern association he was at. Let's say he does this because Rockefeller goes early.


With an early announcement Reagan can seize most of the South, with Thurmond holding only a couple states for Nixon (instead of the South as a whole IOTL).

Equally Rockefeller follows a mix of his "electibility" argument of OTL but puts up a strong ground game (for instance, IOTL, Nixon stole half of NJ from the Rockefeller supporting governor) and campaigns openly.


We roll into Miami and Nixon can't win on the first ballot: his Southern and Western support floods to Reagan; his Northern support to Rockefeller.

Deadlock. The base doesn't like Rockefeller, but equally they fear Reagan is just Goldwater redux. Rockefeller talks with Reagan, neither concedes.

Rockefeller moves first: he announces BLANK (conservative, Senator) as his running mate and cracks the Midwestern delegates open.


The party leadership, such as it is, goes to Nixon who holds a fairly large block of delegates. Nixon isn't in this to lose, although he knows he has without a first ballot victory, and decides that beating the Democrats is worth something. Nixon's delegates are instructed to go for Rockefeller and about 2/3s actually do.


Rockefeller is over the top.
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Electric Monk said:
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And yes, RFK survives;)​
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Octosteel

Nelson Rockefeller has always been a big what if for me. We've seen the Cold War being dealt by a more centrist, anti-Communist hard liner (Nixon) and a very conservative Moral Majority type (Reagan) but I've kinda wondered what a moderate liberal Republican would as far as dealing with pleasing both parties and also the Soviet Union and China. Would people classify Carter as a moderate type? I wonder if Rockefeller will be more like him as President. The Soviet Union will certainly try to pull more shit than they would guys like Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, or Reagan.
 

Octosteel

Oh and RFK lives? I hope you're not buying into Oliver Stone's theory on the RFK assassination being committed to make sure Nixon wins 1968, are you?
 

Pericles

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The convention had come around. Rockefeller stood in the cheering crowd, who were waving signs for him. Nixon still had the lead but he didn't have the needed 667 delegates to win. Rockefeller had it planned out, when the convention deadlocks he would chew at Nixon's mid-western delegates. George Romney stood at Rockefeller's side. " Alabama for Nixon!" "New Jersey for Rockefeller!" "California for a true conservative, Ronald Wilson Reagan!"​
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At the end of the first ballot, Nixon felt empty. He knew now he would probably lose. His only hope was to gain Rockefeller's north-eastern delegates. Nixon picked up the phone. "Strom?" "Yes Dick, I have something to tell you.." "Yes, I know. Keep as many as you can." "I'll try "Thurmond replied. "Damnit! You'll do more than try! I'm the only Republican who can win who's not a goddamn liberal!" Nixon listened as the other side beeped.​
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Rockefeller smiled. Reagan was coming over to him. Rockefeller whispered to Romney "Ignore him. Walk away and pretend you didn't see him." As Rockefeller turned back, Reagan waved to Rockefeller and said" Nelson! I need to talk to you!" "Yes Governor?" "I was wondering if you would consider forming a stop-Nixon movement." "Oh definitely!" Rockefeller replied. "Come with me." Reagan said.​
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Rockefeller said " I would be happy to join our delegates. But of course, I'd expect to be at the head of the ticket." "I was thinking the other way round as a matter of fact." Rockefeller crossed his arms and said "No deal." Reagan frowned and got up. "I knew you couldn't be trusted." Reagan walked out of the hotel room.​
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The second ballot also deadlocked. The southern delegates had gone to Reagan and the northern delegates were securely in Rockefeller's hands. Rockefeller was making an announcement to the delegates. "If nominated, I shall picked Governor James Rhodes as my Vice-President. Governor Rhodes is a dedicated patriot, strong in the face of enemies home and abroad." Soon after, Rhodes pledged his 55 delegates to Rockefeller, who now had 522 delegates. Kansas Senator Frank Carlson announced soon after that his 20 delegates were going to Rockefeller. More delegates rushed to Rockefeller and he soon had 582 delegates, while Nixon only had 393 delegates and Reagan had nearly 300 delegates.​
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Nixon shook hands with Rockefeller. "Before the next ballot Rocky, we need to unite the party. I'm going to withdraw and order my delegates to go to you." "Thank you Richard." As Nixon got on stage he thought at least Reagan isn't gonna be nominated.​
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With Nixon's delegates, Rockefeller won a crushing 970 delegate victory on the third ballot. In shifts, Rockefeller got 1204 votes. Rhodes was nominated for Vice-President with 1101 votes. Reagan and Nixon endorsed the Rockefeller/Rhodes ticket.​
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Meanwhile at the Democratic convention...​
9k=
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According to Time magazine, "The old Democratic coalition was disintegrating, with untold numbers of blue-collar workers responding to Wallace's blandishments, Negroes threatening to sit out the election, liberals disaffected over the Vietnam War, the South lost. The war chest was almost empty, and the party's machinery, neglected by Lyndon Johnson, creaked in disrepair."​
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George Wallace was running as an independent, stealing the South and working-class voters. After the chaos of the convention riots and the Democratic base chanting "Hey Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?" Humphrey's chances looked hopeless. Only in October did McCarthy and RFK endorse Humphrey/Muskie. In the polls, Rockefeller had 48%, Wallace had 20% and Humphrey had a mere 24%. It would be a long crawl for Hubert Horatio Humphrey.​
 
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Statesman

The picture below the elephant and above the hippie crowd is broken (for me at least) but overall I'm liking how this is shaping up... Especially with Bobby around still...
 

Octosteel

Is it possible to have a more powerful Wallace since Humphrey is just falling on his ass? Or was Wallace only going to be able to get a few of the southern states, no matter what?
 
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