Hubert Humphrey and the Sparkmen from Alabama
The defeat of the Stevenson/Kennedy ticket in 1956 was generally predicted by the vast majority of the pundits, media, and many in the political arena. The ticket itself carried only the states of Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina; loosing every other state in the rest of the nation. After the embarrassing defeat in 1956, many Democrats were determined to prevent a repeat in 1960, against the most likely Republican candidate, Vice President Richard M. Nixon.
In 1960 many Democratic politicians and officials threw their hats into the ring, including Kennedy, Stevenson, Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri, Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon, Senator George Smathers of Florida, businessman Paul C. Fisher, and Senator John Sparkman of Alabama. Sparkman, the party's Vice Presidential nominee in 1952 had spent the years prior to the election canvassing and gaining the support of the majority of southern and various western delegations. His main rival for these delegations was Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson, initially seen as a strong contender for 1960 was seen to be reluctant to leave his job in Washington, thus proving fatal to any sort of Presidential ambitions that he may have held.
Sparkman while having some name recognition from his 'bid' in 1952 was 'tainted' to an extent due to his signature having been placed on the Southern Manifesto. Sparkman appeared to lack any sort of strength outside of the south, leaving the race to be seen as a fight between Kennedy and Humphrey.
Kennedy won New Hampshire easily and was preparing to repeat this in Wisconsin. The state, which was in 'Humphrey's backyard' was the scene of fierce campaigning between the two; Humphrey' attacks settling on Kennedy's place on the 'embarrassment of '56.' Kennedy fought fiercely despite Humphrey's daunting lead into the polls; gaining ground as the days dwindled down to polling day. Several days before polling the Humphrey campaign received a godsend when Kennedy (a secret sufferer from Addison's Disease) collapsed while campaigning due to not receiving enough steroids to deal with the strain and stress of the campaign (which had occurred before). On polling day the newspapers still had pictures of Senator Kennedy sprawled out of the floor beside a Milwaukee stage. Humphrey carried the state by a narrow margin.
Kennedy still managed to win Illinois with a slender margin, while New Jersey voted overwhelmingly for the Unpledged slate.
Massachusetts and Indiana went for Kennedy, while Pennsylvania went for the Minnesota Senator and Ohio went for her favourite son, Governor Michael DiSalle. Washington D.C. was won by Humphrey while Nebraska was a close victory for Kennedy. In West Virginia, where anti-Catholicism was said to be rife, Sparkman scored a surprising victory over Humphrey and a distantly place Kennedy. Maryland was a slender victory for Sparkman as well; while Oregon went to her favourite son Wayne Morse by a slender margin. Florida was a fight between favourite son & Kennedy ally George Smathers, and Senator Sparkman - Smathers won by a smaller than expected margin. California went for favourite son Governor Pat Brown, while Humphrey won the final primary in South Dakota.
Heading to the convention it was seen to be a close fight between Kennedy and Humphrey, each of whom campaign for the remaining delegates. On the first ballot Kennedy (held on July 13th, the third day of the convention) came close to winning, but was dragged down by good performances by Sparkman and Humphrey. Over the course of the next dozen or so ballots Kennedy's delegate lead fell and was then evaporated behind a surging Humphrey on the 20th ballot; the southern delegates refused to support Humphrey, as did Kennedy delegates. Soon the party bosses, Mayor Daley, union boss George Meany and former New York Secretary of State Carmine DeSapio, were becoming worried at how the convention was becoming a farce in the eyes of many voters. They saw that the only candidate to remain steady was Sparkman. While a southerner who could scare some voters away; he was hardly a Ross Barnett or a Orval Faubus and was rather mellow in comparison. Sparkman himself had been in discussions with the Humphrey campaign at the time, when an offer was made. Sparkman would head a ticket, while Humphrey would be his running mate, and who would have unprecedented say concerning policy of the White House. After a while Sparkman and his team agreed; his tally began to rise rapidly as Humphrey's fell. By the thirtieth ballot Sparkman was nominated by a slender margin in that ballot. Many Kennedy delegates were distraught at this 'crooked deal,' but were pacified when their candidate was allowed to speak, proceeding to give an eloquent endorsement of the ticket (he had been promised a cabinet position of his own choosing - he chose Defence.) Humphrey was nominated on the first Vice Presidential ballot.
The Democratic campaign was aided by the strangely contested Republican convention, though the Rockefeller challenge didn't come too much. Nixon, who nominated Michigan Congressman Gerald Ford as his running mate, saw his campaign plagued by bad luck. Ranging from an offhand joke about his role in the administration by President Eisenhower, which harmed Nixon and undercut his claims of greater involvement in the administration.
Sparkman on the other hand cut a good figure for the foreign policy dominated campaign. Sparkman, a long serving Senate Foreign Relations member, was able to "run circles around Nixon" in the debates, which many considered to be a tie or a slight Sparkman victory (aided by Nixon looking like he had a 'five o'clock shadow' due to not shaving.) Nixon's tendency to campaign in all 50 states, usually in places which he either had no chance or victory, was assured victory, or had little electoral benefit. In comparison Sparkman spent the final days of the campaign in New York, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois.
On election night most important states flipped back and forth between Sparkman and Nixon. Sparkman took an early lead with his near landslide showings in the deep south and victories along the eastern seaboard. New York was too close to call. Florida was called for Sparkman. Virginia was performing better for Nixon than expected. Ohio was too close to call. Michigan had gone for the Republican ticket. Tennessee had swung hard for Sparkman, as had Kentucky. Minnesota had gone for Sparkman and Humphrey. Texas was leaning to Sparkman. Pennsylvania was called for Nixon. Illinois had a good Nixon lead, though Chicago had yet to start counting due to irregularities. New York was called for Sparkman, as was Virginia. New Jersey for Nixon. Ohio fell down in Nixon's favour. The plains regions came in hard for Nixon. Texas was called for Sparkman. California was performing well for Nixon, as the whole of Cascadia was called for him. Delaware for Nixon. Chicago bailed out Sparkman by near landslide margins, though Illinois is still 50:50. Connecticut still unclear, as was Alaska - a predicted Sparkman state (many Nixon's last minute campaigning paid off?) Hawaii voted as expected for Nixon. Connecticut was called for Sparkman; while Illinois was called for Nixon. Alaska was called for Sparkman. Mayor Daley begins a recount in Illinois. Illinois now down to 4,000 votes. Illinois now called for Sparkman. Sparkman is now the President elected of the United States, Vice President Nixon has called him to concede and congratulate him. No recount demanded by Nixon's campaign.
John Sparkman was the 35th President of the United States.