alternatehistory.com
Bad Blood (part I)
By mid-1975, the race for the White House was on full speed. The Democratic Party seemed divided. A division not seen since the struggles of 1970, when the southern democrats fought to block every piece of legislation Kennedy tried to pass. This was in fact the culmination of years of ideological transformation for the party. The Liberal road the party had followed for the last decade had caused rifts between the North and the South that would simply prove too great. RFK had succeeded in mending the cracks in the party machine in the early 1970’s. Enough to ensure support for his reelection and to stomp any filibustering attitudes Dixiecrats might have held against the more liberal stance of the Party. Now, however, Kennedy was leaving the picture, and the fight for the Party Throne was starting up as brutally as 1968.
Morale was not on the side of the Democrats, that’s for sure. Stagflation had brought the economy down in a massive scale, with the gas crash and the tension between both the U.S. and the Soviet Union considerably elevated. The democrats were going to fight an uphill battle against the Republican nominee (whoever that was going to be).
First, there was Vice-President George McGovern, the heir-presumptive to RFK’s legacy. His candidacy had been naturally expected, and when he announced it in June, there were no big surprises. His views and stances had always been close to Kennedy’s, and his support for the president had proven of great importance in the last two elections. It was no surprise then that RFK would give considerable support to McGovern in return, supporting his election in a way few presidents did when they were near the end of their turn. A continuation of His legacy, of Universal Healthcare, and investment on education, infrastructure, and scientific endeavors, this was the Democratic Party Kennedy wanted to push forward. And for that, he supported McGovern.
His choice was not unanimous however, as the southern faction of the party now showed interests in reclaiming its political machine. there were no longer the Dixiecrats and die-hard segregationists here, those had gone over to the AIP long ago. These were, nonetheless, much more conservative Democrats when it came to social changes. This was not always the case, as the Kennedy’s education reform had been largely supported by the south. They felt, however, that the Liberal northern faction had controlled the party for too long, and it was time for a change. And no man better personified that desire then Harry Byrd Jr.
A living and breathing son of the South, the Virginian was a veteran politician, and heir to his father’s massive legacy on the state, the Byrd Organization. In fact, he shared many similarities with president Kennedy. They both hailed from longstanding political dynasties, both very charismatic figures, and both highly popular in their respective regions.
Byrd had left the Democratic Party in 1970, faced with a transforming political landscape. Yet he continued to stay closely connected to the party. His landmark election for Senator as an Independent marked how popular he was with his constituents, and his fierce criticism of the Kennedy administration only ended when the latter invited him to be part of his cabinet, in a compromise move. Now Secretary of commerce, Byrd’s criticism of the administration grew towards the election, and in May 1975, he became the first democrat to announce his candidacy. Promising a return to moderation and stability when contrasted by the radical changes of the last 8 years, Byrd support on the south quickly grew.
Finally came the Third figure. One no one had really been expecting to throw his hat on the race. Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, famed Liberal and extremely influential figure on the party, announced he would run on September 1975. This late announcement shocked many, among then the President, who felt it was a clear betrayal of the administration plan moving forward. Muskie had been Humphrey’s presumptive choice for VP in 1968, and his name had been floated around considerably in 1972. In the latter, however, he chose to support the president and his policies.
Naming the growing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union as the main reason for his campaign, Muskie pledged to seek to end the hostilities, and to stop nuclear proliferation. As Secretary of State, Muskie was very experienced with International negotiations, and the last few years had proven quite troublesome for him, as he was openly critical of the Kennedy end to Detente. His candidacy, though disruptive to many, proved to be very attractive to the left of the party, and many Americans that yearned for a more hopeful and peaceful time.
Though all three of them knew the Election would prove to be a battlefield, none could have foreseen the events that would turn 1976 into one of the most historical elections in the history of the United States.
History of the Democratic Party, from Jackson to Clinton, Michael A. Cormack
………………………….
One Year anniversary in THREE DAYS!!!
I was planning on having the election in the aniversary, but the time table won't allow it, but I promise you guys this: The Election is going to be REALLY fun.
Bad Blood (part I)
By mid-1975, the race for the White House was on full speed. The Democratic Party seemed divided. A division not seen since the struggles of 1970, when the southern democrats fought to block every piece of legislation Kennedy tried to pass. This was in fact the culmination of years of ideological transformation for the party. The Liberal road the party had followed for the last decade had caused rifts between the North and the South that would simply prove too great. RFK had succeeded in mending the cracks in the party machine in the early 1970’s. Enough to ensure support for his reelection and to stomp any filibustering attitudes Dixiecrats might have held against the more liberal stance of the Party. Now, however, Kennedy was leaving the picture, and the fight for the Party Throne was starting up as brutally as 1968.
Morale was not on the side of the Democrats, that’s for sure. Stagflation had brought the economy down in a massive scale, with the gas crash and the tension between both the U.S. and the Soviet Union considerably elevated. The democrats were going to fight an uphill battle against the Republican nominee (whoever that was going to be).
First, there was Vice-President George McGovern, the heir-presumptive to RFK’s legacy. His candidacy had been naturally expected, and when he announced it in June, there were no big surprises. His views and stances had always been close to Kennedy’s, and his support for the president had proven of great importance in the last two elections. It was no surprise then that RFK would give considerable support to McGovern in return, supporting his election in a way few presidents did when they were near the end of their turn. A continuation of His legacy, of Universal Healthcare, and investment on education, infrastructure, and scientific endeavors, this was the Democratic Party Kennedy wanted to push forward. And for that, he supported McGovern.
His choice was not unanimous however, as the southern faction of the party now showed interests in reclaiming its political machine. there were no longer the Dixiecrats and die-hard segregationists here, those had gone over to the AIP long ago. These were, nonetheless, much more conservative Democrats when it came to social changes. This was not always the case, as the Kennedy’s education reform had been largely supported by the south. They felt, however, that the Liberal northern faction had controlled the party for too long, and it was time for a change. And no man better personified that desire then Harry Byrd Jr.
A living and breathing son of the South, the Virginian was a veteran politician, and heir to his father’s massive legacy on the state, the Byrd Organization. In fact, he shared many similarities with president Kennedy. They both hailed from longstanding political dynasties, both very charismatic figures, and both highly popular in their respective regions.
Byrd had left the Democratic Party in 1970, faced with a transforming political landscape. Yet he continued to stay closely connected to the party. His landmark election for Senator as an Independent marked how popular he was with his constituents, and his fierce criticism of the Kennedy administration only ended when the latter invited him to be part of his cabinet, in a compromise move. Now Secretary of commerce, Byrd’s criticism of the administration grew towards the election, and in May 1975, he became the first democrat to announce his candidacy. Promising a return to moderation and stability when contrasted by the radical changes of the last 8 years, Byrd support on the south quickly grew.
Finally came the Third figure. One no one had really been expecting to throw his hat on the race. Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, famed Liberal and extremely influential figure on the party, announced he would run on September 1975. This late announcement shocked many, among then the President, who felt it was a clear betrayal of the administration plan moving forward. Muskie had been Humphrey’s presumptive choice for VP in 1968, and his name had been floated around considerably in 1972. In the latter, however, he chose to support the president and his policies.
Naming the growing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union as the main reason for his campaign, Muskie pledged to seek to end the hostilities, and to stop nuclear proliferation. As Secretary of State, Muskie was very experienced with International negotiations, and the last few years had proven quite troublesome for him, as he was openly critical of the Kennedy end to Detente. His candidacy, though disruptive to many, proved to be very attractive to the left of the party, and many Americans that yearned for a more hopeful and peaceful time.
Though all three of them knew the Election would prove to be a battlefield, none could have foreseen the events that would turn 1976 into one of the most historical elections in the history of the United States.
History of the Democratic Party, from Jackson to Clinton, Michael A. Cormack
………………………….
One Year anniversary in THREE DAYS!!!
I was planning on having the election in the aniversary, but the time table won't allow it, but I promise you guys this: The Election is going to be REALLY fun.