A Nixed Result: a 60s Timeline
- Thread starter Intergallactic
- Start date
Chapter 7: An American Tragedy
Jack was at an all time high in his Presidency during the last few weeks of 1962. Not only was he at record high popularity thanks to his diplomatic solution to the Cuban Missile Crisis, but he also managed to help Congressional Democrats to face off the expected GOP wave that pollsters had been predicting through most of the year. On December 2nd Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson visited the Republic of Vietnam at request of the President, where he met several platoons of US Army Special Forces and Navy Seals and praised their mission and Kennedy's resolve to defend South Vietnam; needless to say this bolstered the President's approval ratings quite a bit.
The one group Kennedy continued to fail to make progress with was African-Americans, still embittered that he had "abandoned" them two years prior now. Remembering Vice President Kerr's request, he got in contact with House Speaker John W. McCormack who was shocked by the news that JFK wished to pursue Civil Rights legislation seeing as he had promised Byrd he would not. Kennedy and McCormack met privately several times before Christmas and McCormack flat out told the President he could not promise enough votes from the Democratic Caucus. As it was the current House Democratic Caucus chairman Francis Walter of Pennsylvania was an open racist who was also chairman of the Pioneer Fund, an organization that openly advocated IQ differences between races. McCormack promised he would see what support he could get and also to keep the President's plan a secret.
During the holiday season Jack finally gave himself a well-needed rest, joining with his family for the holidays. On Christmas Eve First Lady Jackie took viewers on a televised tour of the White House and Jack gave a speech that night wishing all Americans a Merry Christmas. As the year came to a close, the 35th President looked to be in a solid position. Than on January 1st, tragedy struck.
During New Years festivities Jack went to call Vice President Kerr who was in his office working diligently. Kerr had always been a help to Kennedy, who really couldn't see what life as President would look like without Kerr helping to push his legislature through the Senate. Kerr had always held powerful allies, from Johnson to Richard Russell and it was no wonder the Associated Press referred to him as the "Uncontested King of the Senate".
Strangely, Kerr did not pick up the phone when John called him. Immediately he knew something was wrong. Kerr was a working man, and never would he be caught missing the President's calls. He ordered a Secret Service team to Kerr's office and as suspected Kerr was not ignoring Kennedy, he was having a heart attack.
An ambulance rushed Kerr to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. but it was no good. The 37th Vice President of the United States Robert Samuel Kerr passed into his next life at 66 years old. Only two months after receiving the highest award possible for a non-Service member and after only two years as Vice President America lost a giant.
Robert Kerr had been a powerhouse in Oklahoma politics since the 1930s. He served as the first Governor of Oklahoma to be born within the territory of the state, and was one of the twelve considered for FDR's running mate in 1944 when Democrats sought to replace Henry Wallace. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1948 and served until 1960 when he chosen as a compromise Vice President by Kennedy and Byrd. He was buried in Oklahoma city where President Kennedy gave an emotional speech describing how the pair became closer than just political allies, but good friends.
As he gave his eulogy, the President remembered the late Vice President's request thoroughly. He would become a fighter for Civil Rights. He would not allow Byrd to control his Presidency, but how. Against his own wishes, Jack decided to call an old ally to help him out, coincidentally, it was another individual named Robert...
Robert Samuel Kerr, 37th Vice President of the United States
September 11, 1896 – January 1, 1963
The one group Kennedy continued to fail to make progress with was African-Americans, still embittered that he had "abandoned" them two years prior now. Remembering Vice President Kerr's request, he got in contact with House Speaker John W. McCormack who was shocked by the news that JFK wished to pursue Civil Rights legislation seeing as he had promised Byrd he would not. Kennedy and McCormack met privately several times before Christmas and McCormack flat out told the President he could not promise enough votes from the Democratic Caucus. As it was the current House Democratic Caucus chairman Francis Walter of Pennsylvania was an open racist who was also chairman of the Pioneer Fund, an organization that openly advocated IQ differences between races. McCormack promised he would see what support he could get and also to keep the President's plan a secret.
During the holiday season Jack finally gave himself a well-needed rest, joining with his family for the holidays. On Christmas Eve First Lady Jackie took viewers on a televised tour of the White House and Jack gave a speech that night wishing all Americans a Merry Christmas. As the year came to a close, the 35th President looked to be in a solid position. Than on January 1st, tragedy struck.
During New Years festivities Jack went to call Vice President Kerr who was in his office working diligently. Kerr had always been a help to Kennedy, who really couldn't see what life as President would look like without Kerr helping to push his legislature through the Senate. Kerr had always held powerful allies, from Johnson to Richard Russell and it was no wonder the Associated Press referred to him as the "Uncontested King of the Senate".
Strangely, Kerr did not pick up the phone when John called him. Immediately he knew something was wrong. Kerr was a working man, and never would he be caught missing the President's calls. He ordered a Secret Service team to Kerr's office and as suspected Kerr was not ignoring Kennedy, he was having a heart attack.
An ambulance rushed Kerr to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. but it was no good. The 37th Vice President of the United States Robert Samuel Kerr passed into his next life at 66 years old. Only two months after receiving the highest award possible for a non-Service member and after only two years as Vice President America lost a giant.
Robert Kerr had been a powerhouse in Oklahoma politics since the 1930s. He served as the first Governor of Oklahoma to be born within the territory of the state, and was one of the twelve considered for FDR's running mate in 1944 when Democrats sought to replace Henry Wallace. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1948 and served until 1960 when he chosen as a compromise Vice President by Kennedy and Byrd. He was buried in Oklahoma city where President Kennedy gave an emotional speech describing how the pair became closer than just political allies, but good friends.
As he gave his eulogy, the President remembered the late Vice President's request thoroughly. He would become a fighter for Civil Rights. He would not allow Byrd to control his Presidency, but how. Against his own wishes, Jack decided to call an old ally to help him out, coincidentally, it was another individual named Robert...
Robert Samuel Kerr, 37th Vice President of the United States
September 11, 1896 – January 1, 1963
marktaha
Banned
Would all the Democratic electors have obeyed orders to vote for Kerr instead of Symington?
The 25th amendment wasn't passed until 1967, which can be troubling if something were to happen to Kennedy as well.
Hmm maybe as a result of Kerr's death the 25th amendment will be passed earlier?
Probably not, Congress can't predict that Kennedy could be assassinated, and its likely not a concern of theirs. The Vice Presidency has also been left vacant 16 times in our history, prior to 1967 so, i expect that Kennedy will follow that tradition. Even LBJ only had a VP for his second term.
Good news, finals are almost done. After this week I'll be able to contribute to the tl much more often and consistently.
Rivercat893
Banned
Regarding JFK, since he was elected through a tie-breaking vote in the Electoral College and has a different Vice President from the South, this might butterfly away his assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald, and he might live to serve a second term in the White House.
Last edited:
Deleted member 146578
Do you think he will still visit Texas in November ‘63?
Rivercat893
Banned
He might just survive given that his Presidency is slightly different in this universe.
I Honestly still feel like Oswald would at least attempt to take the shot. If we go with the Warren Commission, Oswald had a distinct fondness of Marxism and a hatred of American Society. He also had a lack of impulse control and anger issues, likely some level of mental illness as well. With the bay of pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis still happening, i don't see why Harvey wouldn't take the shot, feeling as if Kennedy was a threat to his favored soviets. If he does succeed, this does set up for some issues however, As VP Kerr is dead, the next in line is the Speaker of the house, McCormack.
Rivercat893
Banned
Then again because of the butterflies caused by a different 1960 election, the assassination could fail and JFK lives.
Chapter 8: The eventful year
After the loss of Vice President Kerr, Kennedy began furiously seeking a way to get a Civil Rights Act through congress. As Speaker McCormack had said, the votes were likely not there with many moderates likely to vote against simply because the President said he wouldn't seek legislation on the topic back in 1960. Kennedy had appointed two new Justices to the Supreme Court, Nicholas Katzenbach and Arthur Goldberg, who were both relatively in favor of Civil Rights. Jack was surprised to hear little public reaction from the Dixiecrats on the issue of the USSC, but seeing as the Supreme Court already consistently voted against them it they likely figured the court was a lost cause.
With little in terms of congressional support, Jack decided to call someone he hadn't spoken to in over two years: his brother. Robert Kennedy had been traveling the nation for the last two and a half years speaking in favor of de-segregation and marching with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Bobby was initially reluctant to assist his brother when he first called, seeing as he had already once gone back on the topic of Civil Rights. However the younger Kennedy eventually caved and met with Jack in the Oval Office.
Robert's first suggestion had been using executive orders to bypass congress to enforce Brown but seeing as Jack would not be going back on his word but also overruling congress they concluded it would likely result in impeachment. With most other options exhausted the pair decided the best way that Jack could get around his promise to Byrd was to win re-election in 1964 with a party plank on Civil Rights, something that could potentially result in a Third Party segregationist run or even a walk out of the Southern Wing in favor of the GOP if they nominated someone like Senator Goldwater, who ironically was a friend of Jack's since his time in the Senate.
The two Kennedy brothers continued to meet repeatedly through early 1963, with some White House staffers joking calling Bobby "Acting Vice President Kennedy".
Meanwhile, the Republican Party themselves was preparing for the 1964 election, with none other than New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller himself leading the polls. After former Vice President and current California governor Nixon announced he didn't wish to enter the race Rockefeller had been considered the frontrunner. There was no denying Rocky wanted the office, and with President Kennedy stalling on Civil Rights he saw the opportunity. He would run on his own platform of de-segregation, calling out Kennedy as "unable to stand up to racists". He figured himself to be the first Republican in a while to flip the black vote and potentially sweep the entire country outside the south.
New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller was considered on of Kennedy's main challengers
While the New Yorker felt his own ego, Kennedy's personal friend and Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, who had won a vice presidential electoral college vote in 1960 from Oklahoma, also was eyeing up the race. He saw an opening amongst those who were opponents of government spending and overreach, especially in response to Kennedy's New Frontier programs. Some small government advocates even pointed out that Kennedy had passed almost as much government spending programs as FDR did in four terms in just two years. Nevertheless Goldwater saw himself as the man to defeat Kennedy, not the New Yorker who Goldwater personally despised.
However it wasn't just Republicans eyeing the Presidency. From his own party Jack considered several potential primary challengers, with both Minnesotans Humphrey and McCarthy posing a challenge from the left and the newly sworn in governor of Alabama George Wallace to his extreme right. Wallace had been swept into office on the racially charged slogan of "Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, and Segregation Forever!" Kennedy could see him easily becoming a threat, whether in a primary or in third party run if Jack announced his Civil Rights plank.
On March 21st the two brothers had a small disagreement when US Attorney General Byron White ordered the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary to remain open another five years, with Robert stating "I would've closed it." However the pair got over it quick as they saw more pressing matters ahead.
April 12th saw the arrest of several Civil Rights leaders including Martin Luther King, Ralph Abernathy and Fred Shuttlesworth in Birmingham for failing to "show a permit for protest". Robert traveled to meet Dr. King in prison, a risky move that almost had Jack pull out his hair when he heard of it. Dr. King would write letters while imprisoned stating that individuals have a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws and use direct action to seek change as opposed to waiting for the courts. The President was thankful to not be mentioned in the Reverend's open letter, likely thanks to Robert stepping in. He was sure Senator Byrd was probably fairly unhappy on the Senate floor the next day but nothing ever came of it.
Kennedy was also facing issues in South Vietnam, as mounting Buddhist protests threatened the government of Catholic Ngô Đình Diệm. The situation took a turn for the worst as nine Buddhist protesters were shot dead by Army of the Republic of Vietnam soldiers in the city of Hue not far from the border. Jack knew it would only turn more support in favor of the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong as they were more commonly known, with Diệm attempting to blame the massacre on them which fooled no one.
The issue of Catholic bias in the Diệm government was not a new issue. Villages that had been armed to protect against VC attacks had weapons given solely to the Catholics, a blatant insult to a country that was over 70% Buddhist. NCOs of the ARVN could expect to not be promoted if they did not convert to the faith of Rome. On May 7th Diệm signed into law a provision to prohibit the display of any religious flags, a law targeted at Buddhists just in time for Phật Đản, or the birthday of Gautama Buddha. Military and police forces tore down thousands of flags across South Vietnam leading up the holiday, causing thousands to take to the streets in protest. The whole endeavor was embarrassing for the President, as the Viet Cong were able to use the connection of the Catholic Diệm and the Catholic Kennedy to bolster their anti-capitalist and anti-American message.
The Saigon regime hurt itself further in the eyes of Kennedy and the world when it rained down tear gas on Buddhists in the middle of prayer in Hue on June 3rd. The U.S. Embassy in Saigon warned the South Vietnamese government against further actions, and that the United States would not continue support for the Diệm regime if this continued. Ambassador Frederick Nolting warned Vietnamese State Secretary Nguyễn Đình Thuận that Saigon must condemn the gassing and apologize publicly to the Vietnamese Buddhist community
The last straw came on August 21st, when the ARVN raided hundreds of Buddhist pagodas across the country. Ngô Đình Nhu, Diệm's own brother, commanded the ARVN Special Forces unit responsible for the crackdown, arresting thousands of monks and vandalizing pagodas across the nation. .
Jack met with State Secretary Fulbright and Defense Secretary McNamara on May 14th to begin planning a way to remove Diệm from power and withdraw the roughly 20,000 US advisors from Vietnam. Secretary McNamara was personally against a withdrawal, but the President didn't see any practical way to win a ground war against the NLF, rather seeking a diplomatic option.
Things continued to heat up on the domestic front as well. On June 11th, two African-American students, James Hood and Viviane Malone, attempted to enter the University of Alabama but were stopped by governor George Wallace who stood in the doorway to block their entrance. Robert tried to convince Jack that now was the time to take action, but the President was convinced that if he pushed now on Civil Rights he would lose the support of congress.
Governor Wallace stands in front of the University of Alabama
Eventually Governor Wallace stepped aside when confronted by Deputy Attorney General Ramsey Clark and Brigadier General Henry Graham of the Alabama National Guard. Jack felt personally guilty he had not taken action, but he still felt that it would’ve been premature and only created more opposition in Congress.
Wallace gave a speech to his supporters after the incident, sarcastically thanking the President for not getting involved. He stated that “His silence is the greatest gift our cause can get.”
Robert threatened to walk again after John failed to do anything, but the older Kennedy continued to promise his brother that it was for the best of the upcoming Civil Rights Act that he stay silent.
The very next day the House of Representatives narrowly passed a motion to boost funding to the Area Redevelopment Administration, which likely would’ve failed without the help of several southern Democrats.
The Soviet Union capitalized on the event, stating that capitalism was the cause of racism and Kennedy was complicit in it for his own monetary benefit.
The calls for action by the President got louder and louder throughout the summer and hit their peak on August 28th when over 200,000 people protested in Washington D.C. during the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. Civil Rights leader Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. gave the closing address, stating the now famous words “I had a dream”.
Jack was hard pressed to ignore the demands for justice now. However as liberals in congress demanded action alongside Dr. King the FBI became more suspicious, deciding to increase their COINTELPRO operations against the SCLC.
The backlash however, was intense. On September 15th White Supremacist terrorists attacked 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four young African-American girls.
The cause of segregation was losing popularity in America. Robert confronted his brother that day and told him it was time to take action. Civil Rights could not wait any longer. Jack decided that he would officially announce he had thrown off the Dixiecrats in November after he traveled to Texas. Texas had narrowly gone to Nixon in 1960, but with the popular newly elected governor John Connally he was certain he could win it in 64. Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson had been a helpful ally of Kennedy’s in the Senate, and his endorsement would likely also boost the President’s campaign in the state. He also wanted to help smooth over tensions between Liberal Democrats Ralph Yarborough and Don Yarborough, (Unrelated) and governor Connally who was considered a Conservative Democrat.
Jack promised Robert he would give an address to the nation when he returned home and begin the push for the CRA in Congress.
On November 14th, Kennedy gave his final address before the trip. He stated “However dark the land looks now, I think that 'westward look, the land is bright,' and I think that next summer it may be” The Dixiecrats were suspicious, and thought that maybe he had finally given them the slip through his words. African-Americas simultaneously began to grow hopeful, thinking that perhaps he had finally come around. Of course he had, but the nation would have to wait til he returned from Texas...
With little in terms of congressional support, Jack decided to call someone he hadn't spoken to in over two years: his brother. Robert Kennedy had been traveling the nation for the last two and a half years speaking in favor of de-segregation and marching with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Bobby was initially reluctant to assist his brother when he first called, seeing as he had already once gone back on the topic of Civil Rights. However the younger Kennedy eventually caved and met with Jack in the Oval Office.
Robert's first suggestion had been using executive orders to bypass congress to enforce Brown but seeing as Jack would not be going back on his word but also overruling congress they concluded it would likely result in impeachment. With most other options exhausted the pair decided the best way that Jack could get around his promise to Byrd was to win re-election in 1964 with a party plank on Civil Rights, something that could potentially result in a Third Party segregationist run or even a walk out of the Southern Wing in favor of the GOP if they nominated someone like Senator Goldwater, who ironically was a friend of Jack's since his time in the Senate.
The two Kennedy brothers continued to meet repeatedly through early 1963, with some White House staffers joking calling Bobby "Acting Vice President Kennedy".
Meanwhile, the Republican Party themselves was preparing for the 1964 election, with none other than New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller himself leading the polls. After former Vice President and current California governor Nixon announced he didn't wish to enter the race Rockefeller had been considered the frontrunner. There was no denying Rocky wanted the office, and with President Kennedy stalling on Civil Rights he saw the opportunity. He would run on his own platform of de-segregation, calling out Kennedy as "unable to stand up to racists". He figured himself to be the first Republican in a while to flip the black vote and potentially sweep the entire country outside the south.
New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller was considered on of Kennedy's main challengers
While the New Yorker felt his own ego, Kennedy's personal friend and Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, who had won a vice presidential electoral college vote in 1960 from Oklahoma, also was eyeing up the race. He saw an opening amongst those who were opponents of government spending and overreach, especially in response to Kennedy's New Frontier programs. Some small government advocates even pointed out that Kennedy had passed almost as much government spending programs as FDR did in four terms in just two years. Nevertheless Goldwater saw himself as the man to defeat Kennedy, not the New Yorker who Goldwater personally despised.
However it wasn't just Republicans eyeing the Presidency. From his own party Jack considered several potential primary challengers, with both Minnesotans Humphrey and McCarthy posing a challenge from the left and the newly sworn in governor of Alabama George Wallace to his extreme right. Wallace had been swept into office on the racially charged slogan of "Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, and Segregation Forever!" Kennedy could see him easily becoming a threat, whether in a primary or in third party run if Jack announced his Civil Rights plank.
On March 21st the two brothers had a small disagreement when US Attorney General Byron White ordered the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary to remain open another five years, with Robert stating "I would've closed it." However the pair got over it quick as they saw more pressing matters ahead.
April 12th saw the arrest of several Civil Rights leaders including Martin Luther King, Ralph Abernathy and Fred Shuttlesworth in Birmingham for failing to "show a permit for protest". Robert traveled to meet Dr. King in prison, a risky move that almost had Jack pull out his hair when he heard of it. Dr. King would write letters while imprisoned stating that individuals have a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws and use direct action to seek change as opposed to waiting for the courts. The President was thankful to not be mentioned in the Reverend's open letter, likely thanks to Robert stepping in. He was sure Senator Byrd was probably fairly unhappy on the Senate floor the next day but nothing ever came of it.
Kennedy was also facing issues in South Vietnam, as mounting Buddhist protests threatened the government of Catholic Ngô Đình Diệm. The situation took a turn for the worst as nine Buddhist protesters were shot dead by Army of the Republic of Vietnam soldiers in the city of Hue not far from the border. Jack knew it would only turn more support in favor of the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong as they were more commonly known, with Diệm attempting to blame the massacre on them which fooled no one.
The issue of Catholic bias in the Diệm government was not a new issue. Villages that had been armed to protect against VC attacks had weapons given solely to the Catholics, a blatant insult to a country that was over 70% Buddhist. NCOs of the ARVN could expect to not be promoted if they did not convert to the faith of Rome. On May 7th Diệm signed into law a provision to prohibit the display of any religious flags, a law targeted at Buddhists just in time for Phật Đản, or the birthday of Gautama Buddha. Military and police forces tore down thousands of flags across South Vietnam leading up the holiday, causing thousands to take to the streets in protest. The whole endeavor was embarrassing for the President, as the Viet Cong were able to use the connection of the Catholic Diệm and the Catholic Kennedy to bolster their anti-capitalist and anti-American message.
The Saigon regime hurt itself further in the eyes of Kennedy and the world when it rained down tear gas on Buddhists in the middle of prayer in Hue on June 3rd. The U.S. Embassy in Saigon warned the South Vietnamese government against further actions, and that the United States would not continue support for the Diệm regime if this continued. Ambassador Frederick Nolting warned Vietnamese State Secretary Nguyễn Đình Thuận that Saigon must condemn the gassing and apologize publicly to the Vietnamese Buddhist community
The last straw came on August 21st, when the ARVN raided hundreds of Buddhist pagodas across the country. Ngô Đình Nhu, Diệm's own brother, commanded the ARVN Special Forces unit responsible for the crackdown, arresting thousands of monks and vandalizing pagodas across the nation. .
Jack met with State Secretary Fulbright and Defense Secretary McNamara on May 14th to begin planning a way to remove Diệm from power and withdraw the roughly 20,000 US advisors from Vietnam. Secretary McNamara was personally against a withdrawal, but the President didn't see any practical way to win a ground war against the NLF, rather seeking a diplomatic option.
Things continued to heat up on the domestic front as well. On June 11th, two African-American students, James Hood and Viviane Malone, attempted to enter the University of Alabama but were stopped by governor George Wallace who stood in the doorway to block their entrance. Robert tried to convince Jack that now was the time to take action, but the President was convinced that if he pushed now on Civil Rights he would lose the support of congress.
Governor Wallace stands in front of the University of Alabama
Eventually Governor Wallace stepped aside when confronted by Deputy Attorney General Ramsey Clark and Brigadier General Henry Graham of the Alabama National Guard. Jack felt personally guilty he had not taken action, but he still felt that it would’ve been premature and only created more opposition in Congress.
Wallace gave a speech to his supporters after the incident, sarcastically thanking the President for not getting involved. He stated that “His silence is the greatest gift our cause can get.”
Robert threatened to walk again after John failed to do anything, but the older Kennedy continued to promise his brother that it was for the best of the upcoming Civil Rights Act that he stay silent.
The very next day the House of Representatives narrowly passed a motion to boost funding to the Area Redevelopment Administration, which likely would’ve failed without the help of several southern Democrats.
The Soviet Union capitalized on the event, stating that capitalism was the cause of racism and Kennedy was complicit in it for his own monetary benefit.
The calls for action by the President got louder and louder throughout the summer and hit their peak on August 28th when over 200,000 people protested in Washington D.C. during the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. Civil Rights leader Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. gave the closing address, stating the now famous words “I had a dream”.
Jack was hard pressed to ignore the demands for justice now. However as liberals in congress demanded action alongside Dr. King the FBI became more suspicious, deciding to increase their COINTELPRO operations against the SCLC.
The backlash however, was intense. On September 15th White Supremacist terrorists attacked 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four young African-American girls.
The cause of segregation was losing popularity in America. Robert confronted his brother that day and told him it was time to take action. Civil Rights could not wait any longer. Jack decided that he would officially announce he had thrown off the Dixiecrats in November after he traveled to Texas. Texas had narrowly gone to Nixon in 1960, but with the popular newly elected governor John Connally he was certain he could win it in 64. Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson had been a helpful ally of Kennedy’s in the Senate, and his endorsement would likely also boost the President’s campaign in the state. He also wanted to help smooth over tensions between Liberal Democrats Ralph Yarborough and Don Yarborough, (Unrelated) and governor Connally who was considered a Conservative Democrat.
Jack promised Robert he would give an address to the nation when he returned home and begin the push for the CRA in Congress.
On November 14th, Kennedy gave his final address before the trip. He stated “However dark the land looks now, I think that 'westward look, the land is bright,' and I think that next summer it may be” The Dixiecrats were suspicious, and thought that maybe he had finally given them the slip through his words. African-Americas simultaneously began to grow hopeful, thinking that perhaps he had finally come around. Of course he had, but the nation would have to wait til he returned from Texas...