Challenge: LBJ defeated in 1964

Easy.

Lee Harvey Oswald is not slain by Jack Ruby, identifies LBJ as the leader of a conspiracy to kill JFK. The election of 1964 is between Acting President John McCormack and Nixon, and Nixon wins. :eek:
 
No conspiracies. McCormack wouldn't seek a full term, which leaves us with two Dem choices. One Easterner, one Midwesterner- the same as OTL. :)
 
Easy.

Lee Harvey Oswald is not slain by Jack Ruby, identifies LBJ as the leader of a conspiracy to kill JFK. The election of 1964 is between Acting President John McCormack and Nixon, and Nixon wins. :eek:

Not sure if even that would do it. The Kennedy mystique and nostalgia were so strong the Democrats could have run Aunt Minnie from Mayberry and still win. This needs something that tarnishes Kennedy's memory, not LBJ's.
 
See Amerigo's "Cuban Missile Crisis" TL, except have it be more realistic post-war and have LBJ's ass voted out of office as a result of being the head of an administration whose policies resulted in the deaths of 20 million Americans without taking cancer, radiation sickness, etc. into account.
 
The only believable way Goldwater or McGovern could have been elected president would be to have the incumbent suffer a disabling or fatal heart attack or stroke just weeks before the election.
 
Don't you people remember what Goldwater was all about?

Back in 1964 the warnings were clear! A vote for Goldwater meant riots on campus and in the inner cities, a massive arms race and a bloody war in SE Asia! Do you people really wish those things had taken place?
 
Don't you people remember what Goldwater was all about?

Back in 1964 the warnings were clear! A vote for Goldwater meant riots on campus and in the inner cities, a massive arms race and a bloody war in SE Asia! Do you people really wish those things had taken place?

"I was told that if I voted for Goldwater, we would be at war in six months. I did...and we were."
 
I have a book about this called "Victory in Vietnam".

http://www.amazon.com/Victory-Vietnam-William-Fox-Eckbert/dp/0963998900

LBJ's corrupt practices (dating from his Texas days and later) become public knowledge in the weeks before the 1964 election. Goldwater wins in a squeeker over LBJ.

In Vietnam, when the NVA launches the 1965 offensive Goldwater responds with Linebacker II style air attacks and counterattacks into North Vietnam. The NVA is seriously hurt and a ceasefire is signed with the US and RVN north of the 17th parallel, but well south of Hanoi. Basically a Korea style narrow win.
 
LBJ's corrupt practices (dating from his Texas days and later) become public knowledge in the weeks before the 1964 election. Goldwater wins in a squeeker over LBJ.

If the Democrats (in charge) were to turn on LBJ, they would have to do it early, before he clinched the nomination. As carrier of the JFK legacy and signer of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it would be a very unpopular move. The party leaders would need to have a very strong alternative candidate and at the time, they did not.
 
It would have taken the efforts of Sam Ervin to take down LBJ and as a southerner, I don't think he would have preferred to have RFK or HHH in the white house.
 

Penelope

Banned
The only real way is having a scandal between Monroe and Kennedy be revealed at the height of the election.
 
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