AHC: Weakest Possible Nixon in '72
- Thread starter JVM
- Start date
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I am thinking scandals. tThe Agnew scandal is the easiest. I read that the investigation began in 1971. YYou could also have his 1968 sabotage of the Paris Peace Talks become public. I don't know how to get Watergate to be a major story in 1972. yYou could also have Arthur Bremer be arested for shoplifting and resist arrest, George Wallace takes away Nixon's general election support. I could see him easily carrying Missippi and Alabama but with enough disgust over the scandals he could sweep the South.
I've been told the '68 peace talks were somewhat public knowledge by '72, but I've heard different things from different sources. As for Agnew, I've been trying to research that but it's borderline impossible to find any information before his resignation.
I suppose that is one way to prevent Nixon from winning re-election.
in 1971, Nixon ordered the burglary of the Brookings institute in order to get incriminating documents, i believe they were relating to the 1968 peace talks. What if the burglary happened, and they were caught in mid 1971? Then It would have damaged the president. Another option would be if Nixon's encouragement of the Jordanian, and iranian weapons shipments to Pakistan became public knowledge. The two together would really have weakened him. Who knows? maybe it would have given Ted Kennedy the motivation to jump in.
Interesting ideas, I hadn't heard of the latter issue at all. As for Ted Kennedy, there was no chance of him entering '72, even with his prowess at the polls. He was very concerned with being around as the family patriarch and holding things together, especially with so many young fatherless children leftover.
In July 1970, Nixon gives the go-ahead to the Huston Plan, which would greatly expand the scope of surveillance of anti-war protesters and other dissidents. A number of measures are concededly illegal.
A copy of the plan (one version of which called for detaining protesters in camps in the West) is leaked to the press, possibly by someone close to J. Edgar Hoover, who opposed some of the measures.
When Congress returns from its summer recess, a Senate committee led by Sam Ervin opens an investigation of alleged White House abuses of power.
The president's approval ratings, which had been in the 50s for much of the year, fall sharply.
In the 1970 election, Democrats pick up two seats in the Senate and 21 seats in the House. (One notable Republican casualty is Jack Kemp, who narrowly loses an open-seat race in Buffalo.)
A copy of the plan (one version of which called for detaining protesters in camps in the West) is leaked to the press, possibly by someone close to J. Edgar Hoover, who opposed some of the measures.
When Congress returns from its summer recess, a Senate committee led by Sam Ervin opens an investigation of alleged White House abuses of power.
The president's approval ratings, which had been in the 50s for much of the year, fall sharply.
In the 1970 election, Democrats pick up two seats in the Senate and 21 seats in the House. (One notable Republican casualty is Jack Kemp, who narrowly loses an open-seat race in Buffalo.)
John Fredrick Parker
Donor
Back when I attempted an "MLK lives" TL, I was looking to go in this direction.