An Unholy Ticket

OK, I'm thinking of using this scenario in Resurrection City. Tell me what you think.

In August 1968, the Mayor puts HHH in over RFK. Like Hillary, he is offered the Veep slot. Like her, he initially refuses. When he is promised a cabinet seat and one ally, he accepts. The conditions are that he will be anointed in 1976 if winning. RFK reluctantly accepts. Now Nixon narrowly leads HHH, but it goes to the House. Dixie and the GOP elect Nixon, but the Senate narrowly votes for RFK as VP, with HHH breaking the tie as Senate President. Now this could be very *interesting*. How badly would this taint RFK's '76 chances? I can see a decent working relationship here. There's some common ground on civil rights, but little else.
 
Well he could be outvoted. Let's say Hughes does it. Daley wanted RFK as the nominee, but not every delegate is under his thumb. Let's say the South goes up in arms, but will accept him as VP only. It's very plausible for RFK not to be the nominee. I'd say 50-50 to slight edge for him in OTL. The numbers I've seen vary widely, from 561-393-250ish to 350 each and roughly 1000 (75% of the magic number, 1313) for HHH. It's impossible to be sure because three or four men can turn those numbers around very quickly. If HHH squeaks in on the first ballot, they can't undo it. Not without a floor fight that makes OTL look like a picnic. But how would VP RFK work in a Nixon WH?
 
Here's a map.

genusmap.php


(R) Richard M. Nixon/Spiro T. Agnew: 258 ECV, 45.6% PV
(D) Hubert H. Humphrey/Robert F. Kennedy: 203 ECV,39.7% PV

(I) George C. Wallace/Curtis E. Lemay: 77 ECV, 15.7% PV
 
I'm assuming you know how the South felt about RFK. 1964 poll: 33% of SoDems quit if he joins. Their loathing made LBJ look like his best friend. Some (many I should say) agreed with Hoover's deputy Clyde Tolson that: "Some Southern patriot will..." do what happened in OTL. How would the veepship work out though?
 
What do you think of the idea? I find it interesting, but want to know how this would affect 1976. How would this work out between the two?
 
It is a very interesting scenario, and with the right POD it could easily happen. Obviously the POD is not going to be when Daley chooses which candidate he's going to support, so you can ignore this comment:

Daley wouldnt have picked Humphrey over Bobby.
 
No, the POD in Resurrection City is January 1962, where Nixon runs for his old Senate seat, not the Govship. Both RFK and Nixon declare just before Xmas '67.
 
As we know, Nixon ignored his Cabinet, using an "inner Cabinet" composed of Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Kissinger, Moynihan, as well as Finch and Shultz to a degree. I think that RFK can fit into the domestic policy wing fairly well. Especially considering Moynihan campaigned for JFK in '60 and occasionally gave RFK some speech advice in OTL. The problem is being independent, one of the reasons he declined in 1964. If he works too well with Nixon, even though they agree on China and healthcare, his '76 chances are shot. After 1973 he'd have to stay out of public life for three years, because there's no point in running for an office you'll have to vacate in a year. By then he'll be more qualified than any Democrat or Republican in 1976.
 
Top