Something Serious Has Happened on Air Force One (a Tl/story by Geon)

The Republican race in the North was fairly close between Rockefeller and Goldwater. When asked who they would want as President, northern Republicans said:

Goldwater: 33%
Rockefeller 40%
Lodge: 8%
Undecided: 19%

Republican poll numbers in the south were in the single digit range for all three candidates with a large percentage 85% in the undecided category.

Finally in an overall poll of voters from both parties, if the election were held today who would be chosen as president the results were ambiguous at best.

Humphrey: 30%
Rockefeller: 25%
Wallace: 20%
Connally: 18%
Goldwater: 5%
Harriman: 1%
Lodge: 1%



The months when the primaries were held in this unusual election year would prove to be pivotal for all the candidates. And events around the nation and the world would also prove equally important as the ripples from the events of November 22, 1963 continued.
I think you're way underestimating Goldwater and overshooting Rockefeller. Sure Rockefeller hasn't had his scandal outbreak yet, but Goldwater was a strong national contender well before the assassination and it's before his nuke comments or vote against the CRA so he should be far higher. Plus Goldwater has significant cross country appeal to a broad base of conservatives with Conscience of a Conservative whereas Rockefeller is more region-locked to the East Coast.
 

Geon

Donor
I think you're way underestimating Goldwater and overshooting Rockefeller. Sure Rockefeller hasn't had his scandal outbreak yet, but Goldwater was a strong national contender well before the assassination and it's before his nuke comments or vote against the CRA so he should be far higher. Plus Goldwater has significant cross country appeal to a broad base of conservatives with Conscience of a Conservative whereas Rockefeller is more region-locked to the East Coast.
That was in OTL. Right now, with both President Kennedy and Vice President Johnson both gone, and the White House under control of a relative unknown, the American public is more cautious and less certain of itself. That is my rationale for these results. Also, bear in mind this is a very early poll, things will change as the year goes on.
 
Remind me - where's Nixon, Stevenson Symington? Harriman was surely too old .
Remember, Nixon's political suicide still occured within this timeline. His "Last Press Conference" is still one of the main political jokes of the era right now, and to be honest... After seeing Kennedy and Johnson get killed, I think he would find himself truly content living in New York with his family, away from national politics as a whole.
 

marktaha

Banned
Remember, Nixon's political suicide still occured within this timeline. His "Last Press Conference" is still one of the main political jokes of the era right now, and to be honest... After seeing Kennedy and Johnson get killed, I think he would find himself truly content living in New York with his family, away from national politics as a whole.
I thought Nixon was Governor of California.
 
In Nixon own words in November 7, 1962.

He became a senior partner in the leading law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander.
In 1964 He repeated again not to take part on President elections, but gave his support to the eventual Republican nominee.
For the 1966 Congressional elections. Nixon campaigned for many Republicans, with success
Nixon received credit for helping the Republicans make major gains that year.
in 1967 Nixon was back in Politic planning to run for President in 1968.
 
In Nixon own words in November 7, 1962.

He became a senior partner in the leading law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander.
In 1964 He repeated again not to take part on President elections, but gave his support to the eventual Republican nominee.
For the 1966 Congressional elections. Nixon campaigned for many Republicans, with success
Nixon received credit for helping the Republicans make major gains that year.
in 1967 Nixon was back in Politic planning to run for President in 1968.
Yeah... He wasn't right that night...

His daughter's recollection of the mood after is just depressing.

161021152306-nixon-conceding-defeat.jpg
 
Chapter Twenty Nine: An Address to the Nation

Geon

Donor
Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Address to the Nation


On the evening of January 23rd, 1964, at 7 p.m. EST, regular television and radio programming was interrupted for a special address by the president of the United States, James McCormack, to the nation.

“Good evening my fellow Americans.

As many of you are aware for the last three years the United States has been aiding the democratic regime in South Vietnam by sending troops to that area to train the South Vietnamese army for the purpose of dealing with both incursions from her neighbor, North Vietnam, and from guerilla attacks by the Viet Cong.

There is more then abundant evidence that the North Vietnamese have been supplying weapons and training to their Viet Cong allies. And these weapons have been shipped into North Vietnam from both the Soviet Union and the Peoples’ Republic of China for the purpose of destabilizing South Vietnam and establishing a communist regime in that nation.

There has been concern in some quarters of this country that we would send more troops to South Vietnam to serve not merely in a training role and yes, in a very limited combat role, but to expand our operations to actively engage in regular combat operations against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army units presently in South Vietnam.

President Kennedy did not believe this to be a wise course of action. And I must totally agree. But if sending more troops to Vietnam is not acceptable neither is it acceptable that we should allow that nation to fall to communist tyranny.

Accordingly, earlier today a letter was presented to the North Vietnamese diplomatic delegation in Sweden to be delivered to the government in Hanoi. That letter states that as of midnight tonight Easter Standard time a naval quarantine will go into effect for the nation of North Vietnam. Even as I speak, a naval task force is moving in to effectively blockade North Vietnam ports. As of midnight tonight, all vessels entering a zone 30 miles off the North Vietnamese coast will be stopped and searched for any contraband.

This contraband shall include any military weapons and ammunition. Let me be clear, food and medical supplies shall – for now – be allowed through the blockade. But all military or military related hardware will not be. Those ships carrying such hardware will be ordered to return to their ports of origin.

I call upon the government of North Vietnam to reconsider its policies toward its southern neighbor. And I call upon that nation to publicly cease all support of the guerilla Viet Cong in the south. Failure to do so will result even stiffer penalties for the North Vietnamese should they persist in their actions.

As my predecessor President Kennedy acted decisively to deal with the threat of Soviet missiles in Cuba so now, I am acting decisively to end communist aggression in Vietnam. Our policy in Vietnam and elsewhere shall be simple as we send a message to both Hanoi, and their masters in Moscow and Beijing. That message shall be – not one more step.

Let no one doubt our resolve here. And in this time, let us remember our brave sailors and airmen as they fulfill their duties.

God Bless these United States! Thank you and good night!”
 
i guarantee the Red Line between Washington D.C. and Moscow become very hot
And in China Mao Zedong will order that Project 596 is tested so fast as possible !
 
How will a navel blockade stop shipments of weapons from China and USSR beyond?

Seems like it might slow things down, but hardly stop anything.
 
How will a navel blockade stop shipments of weapons from China and USSR beyond?

Seems like it might slow things down, but hardly stop anything.
Allot stuff was transported by Ship to Vietnam like cannons, Aircraft and other Heavy military equipment.
The rest by Railway form USSR over China
but i afraid that Vietnam part of that Railway got soon visits by allot B-52...
 

marathag

Banned
How will a navel blockade stop shipments of weapons from China and USSR beyond?

Seems like it might slow things down, but hardly stop anything.
The short time in effect in 1972 showed the effects of closing off the N Vietnamese ports.
Problem with the RR links thru Chian, was the poor relationship between Red China and the USSR.
With North Vietnam a Soviet Client, meant whatever went over Chinese rails, was subject to a 'Tax' of the best being skimmed off before the cars even reached the Border
 

Geon

Donor
@Geon is Bobby Kennedy running for Senate in '64? If not maybe Gore Vidal will run and maybe even win?
Just to drop this. If it hasn't been made clear yet. Bobby is taking a sabbatical from politics at least for the next few years. Pressure from his wife after Dallas and a number of other factors have made him decide it's time to spend more time with family.
 
How will a navel blockade stop shipments of weapons from China and USSR beyond?

Seems like it might slow things down, but hardly stop anything.

China was NOT in fact "supplying" much to Vietnam as the majority of Vietnamese did not trust China as it had always had historical "claims" to Vietnamese territory. Most of the 'aid' came by sea from Russia NOT through China. The Sino-Soviet split was pretty bitter at this point. China will in fact 'benefit' (though this is unlikely clear to those in the US at this point) from the cutting of Russian direct aid as they will now be the main arbitrator of what Vietnam gets and how it's used.

McCormack does not know it but he's just thrown a major monkey wrench in Soviet plans and given the Chinese a huge boost. (Also I'm surprised he didn't know Kennedy was all for sending in more troops as was Johnson)

Randy
 
Just to drop this. If it hasn't been made clear yet. Bobby is taking a sabbatical from politics at least for the next few years. Pressure from his wife after Dallas and a number of other factors have made him decide it's time to spend more time with family.
I kinda was only asking to question to find out what becomes of Gore Vidal or the 1964 New York Senate seat. I know that it was already mentioned that Bobby was taking a political sabbatical but I just wanted to know for sure he was out of the running.
 
what is Project 596 ?

in our time line China detonated it first atomic bomb on 16 October 1964
LBJ was informed in summer 1964 by CIA who proposed a Strategic bombing of research center that build that bomb
He refused outright the proposal

I wonder what the President in 1964 will take for actions in that matter...
 
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