Title. I think it’s a given that Rockefeller must defeat Goldwater in ‘64 for the nomination. Probably can achieve this if we avoid Rockefeller’s divorce scandal. However, would that be enough? I have some questions.
1. Does Goldwater get the nomination in ‘68, or does it still go to Nixon as IOTL?
2. Does Reagan run in the primaries in ‘68 as IOTL, or does this butterfly away with no Goldwater ‘64 run?
3. Could Goldwater get elected, even in 1968 and not 1964? Was America ready for a conservative president this early?
4. What PODs or conditions would allow Goldwater to be seriously competitive in 1968?
5. What would a Goldwater presidency in ‘68 look like? Is it basically a Reagan presidency 12 years earlier? How does Vietnam turn out? How much does the economy change? Do Great Society programs still exist?