To many, Lyndon Johnson was the presumptive nominee for the Democratic nomination for President; the only other candidate in the running was Alabama Governor George Wallace, and he was running only to make known his platform and issues. Therefore, the 1964 Democratic Party Convention was presumed to be a simple affair, a rubber stamp. Therefore, when Lyndon Johnson was approached by the Democratic National Committee about giving Jacqueline Kennedy a speaking slot before the delegates were to vote for him, he grew nervous; however, it was only for a moment. He gave them the go ahead and went ahead with his business.
After giving her speech at the Convention in Atlantic City, there were surprises to be had. Some saw that Jackie managed to tug at her heartstrings; others claim it was more in memory of her husband Jack. Whatever the reason, it was a surprise for Johnson, and for Jackie herself, when she was nominated as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. Only after her own attempts failed to dissuade the delegates did she accept. Lyndon Johnson was (ironically) nominated by the delegates to once again stand as Vice President. It is no proper to make the comments he made that night public.
In regards to the campaign, there is not much to say. Goldwater got CRUSHED. And when I mean crushed, he lost every single state except Alabama and Mississippi, which were only carried because George Wallace removed her from the ballot (though that did not prevent her from receiving a large percentage of write-in votes). Despite many claiming that being the First Lady did not make her capable of being President of the United States, that did not prevent sixty eight percent of the voters from choosing her. However, Jackie’s administration did not prove to be as popular……..
Edit: This is not orginally my idea. Someone wrote a TL about this, but I only remember it vaguely. Basically Jackie gets nominated, but she decided in the middle of the race that she does not want the Presidency. Therefore Johnson still ends up running.