Give Peace A Chance: The Presidency of Eugene McCarthy
- Thread starter The Lethargic Lett
- Start date
Chapter Five - Part Five - Eugene McCarthy For President (If You Love Your Country)
“The greatest honour history can bestow is the title of peacemaker. It is my hope, and, I believe, the hope of all Americans, that Mr. McCarthy will live up to that title.”
“Good morning. This is Walter Cronkite, and the time is 8:00AM. Throughout the night, Gene McCarthy and Richard Nixon have remained deadlocked in both the electoral and popular vote. In the middle of the night, it was reported that Nixon had won in the state of Ohio. Because of this, Nixon must win all the remaining states to become President. If he loses even one of the four remaining states, those being California, Texas, Missouri, and Illinois, it will be thrown to the House of Representatives. McCarthy has only one combination before him to win the election. McCarthy must win California and either Texas, or Illinois, to become President without throwing it to the House of Representatives. California is now essential to a McCarthy victory.
With eighty-eight of the popular vote counted, McCarthy is in the lead in terms of raw numbers, but both Nixon and himself each have around forty-two percent of the popular vote. George Wallace has fifteen percent of the popular vote. We have a situation very similar to the razor-edge finish of 1960, when Nixon lost to John F. Kennedy.
While counting is still incomplete, it is obvious that the Democrats have retained their majority in both the House, and the Senate, with only minor loses. In the House, the Republicans have gained five seats, while in the Senate they have gained four. The Democrats have come somewhat worse for wear in Gubernatorial races, but only slightly.
Among prominent figures to return are Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, and J. William Fulbright.
The election, or re-election, of the ‘Dove’ Democrats has not been a sure thing. Peace candidates such as Wayne Morse, Joe Clark, and Ernest Gruening have lost their ridings, while other peace candidates, such as Tom Eagleton, George McGovern, Harold Hughes, and Fulbright, have either gained or retained their respective ridings.
We have a new development here; the voting computers that were rendered unusable last night in Dallas, Texas have been repaired, and we will soon be getting the final tally from Texas.
There is a palpable tension in both camps. Nixon may have to face the reality of the Presidency barely slipping through his fingers for a second time, while McCarthy’s strong position against the war in Vietnam may well be rejected by the voters in the four remaining states.
In other news, today’s weather will be largely rainy and cloudy on the Eastern Seaboard, with overcast in the South, and a chance of snow in the around the Midwest. The West Coast will remain clear.
Throughout the night, both McCarthy and Nixon remained secluded: McCarthy in his campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, and Nixon in the Waldorf Towers in New York. George Wallace, for his part, held a late night speech refusing to admit defeat. For Vice Presidential candidates, John Connally expressed his hopes that the election would not go to the House, Spiro Agnew was confidant of the of the chances of himself and Mister Nixon, and Colonel Harland Sanders said that the third party had done better than generally expected, as well as extolling the virtues of the American entrepreneurial spirit.
We have what may be our final results coming in: McCarthy has been reported as the winner in California. That leaves it up to either Texas or Illinois. If either of those states fall into the McCarthy column, then he will be the next President of the United States. Nixon’s best case scenario at this time is to throw the election to the House. And now, a quick commercial message.
This just in. We have the final results coming in from Illinois. With the final results released, we can confirm that Eugene McCarthy has won the state of Illinois.
Regardless of how the vote settles in Texas or Missouri, we can confirm that Eugene Joseph McCarthy, age fifty-two of Minnesota, will be the next President of the United States, and that John Bowden Connally Jr, age fifty-one of Texas, will be the next Vice President of the United States.
We'll now go to the breakdown of the votes. As you can see..."
Republicans - 27 Governorships - Gained One
Democrats - 23 Governorships - Lost One
Republicans - 31 Governorships - Gained Five
Democrats - 19 Governorships - Lost Five
President Pro Tempore: Carl Hayden
Senate Democrats - Mike Mansfield - 59 Seats - Lost Four
Senate Republicans - Everett Dirksen - 41 Seats - Gained Four
President Pro Tempore: Carl Hayden
Senate Democrats - Mike Mansfield - 58 Seats - Lost Five
Senate Republicans - Everett Dirksen - 42 Seats - Gained Five
- Excerpt from the concession speech of former Vice President Richard Nixon
“Good morning. This is Walter Cronkite, and the time is 8:00AM. Throughout the night, Gene McCarthy and Richard Nixon have remained deadlocked in both the electoral and popular vote. In the middle of the night, it was reported that Nixon had won in the state of Ohio. Because of this, Nixon must win all the remaining states to become President. If he loses even one of the four remaining states, those being California, Texas, Missouri, and Illinois, it will be thrown to the House of Representatives. McCarthy has only one combination before him to win the election. McCarthy must win California and either Texas, or Illinois, to become President without throwing it to the House of Representatives. California is now essential to a McCarthy victory.
With eighty-eight of the popular vote counted, McCarthy is in the lead in terms of raw numbers, but both Nixon and himself each have around forty-two percent of the popular vote. George Wallace has fifteen percent of the popular vote. We have a situation very similar to the razor-edge finish of 1960, when Nixon lost to John F. Kennedy.
While counting is still incomplete, it is obvious that the Democrats have retained their majority in both the House, and the Senate, with only minor loses. In the House, the Republicans have gained five seats, while in the Senate they have gained four. The Democrats have come somewhat worse for wear in Gubernatorial races, but only slightly.
Among prominent figures to return are Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, and J. William Fulbright.
The election, or re-election, of the ‘Dove’ Democrats has not been a sure thing. Peace candidates such as Wayne Morse, Joe Clark, and Ernest Gruening have lost their ridings, while other peace candidates, such as Tom Eagleton, George McGovern, Harold Hughes, and Fulbright, have either gained or retained their respective ridings.
We have a new development here; the voting computers that were rendered unusable last night in Dallas, Texas have been repaired, and we will soon be getting the final tally from Texas.
There is a palpable tension in both camps. Nixon may have to face the reality of the Presidency barely slipping through his fingers for a second time, while McCarthy’s strong position against the war in Vietnam may well be rejected by the voters in the four remaining states.
In other news, today’s weather will be largely rainy and cloudy on the Eastern Seaboard, with overcast in the South, and a chance of snow in the around the Midwest. The West Coast will remain clear.
Throughout the night, both McCarthy and Nixon remained secluded: McCarthy in his campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, and Nixon in the Waldorf Towers in New York. George Wallace, for his part, held a late night speech refusing to admit defeat. For Vice Presidential candidates, John Connally expressed his hopes that the election would not go to the House, Spiro Agnew was confidant of the of the chances of himself and Mister Nixon, and Colonel Harland Sanders said that the third party had done better than generally expected, as well as extolling the virtues of the American entrepreneurial spirit.
We have what may be our final results coming in: McCarthy has been reported as the winner in California. That leaves it up to either Texas or Illinois. If either of those states fall into the McCarthy column, then he will be the next President of the United States. Nixon’s best case scenario at this time is to throw the election to the House. And now, a quick commercial message.
This just in. We have the final results coming in from Illinois. With the final results released, we can confirm that Eugene McCarthy has won the state of Illinois.
Regardless of how the vote settles in Texas or Missouri, we can confirm that Eugene Joseph McCarthy, age fifty-two of Minnesota, will be the next President of the United States, and that John Bowden Connally Jr, age fifty-one of Texas, will be the next Vice President of the United States.
We'll now go to the breakdown of the votes. As you can see..."
Voter Turnout: 61.2% (Down 0.7%)
Democratic - Eugene McCarthy/John Connally - EV 308 - PV 42.5%
Republican - Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew - EV 174 - PV 42.3%
American Independent - George Wallace/Harland Sanders - EV 56 - PV 15.2%
Democratic - Eugene McCarthy/John Connally - EV 308 - PV 42.5%
Republican - Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew - EV 174 - PV 42.3%
American Independent - George Wallace/Harland Sanders - EV 56 - PV 15.2%
Voter Turnout: 60.9% (Down 1.0%)
Republican - Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew - EV 301 - PV 43.4%
Democratic - Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie - EV 191 - PV 42.7%
American Independent - George Wallace/Curtis LeMay - EV 46 - PV 13.5%
Republican - Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew - EV 301 - PV 43.4%
Democratic - Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie - EV 191 - PV 42.7%
American Independent - George Wallace/Curtis LeMay - EV 46 - PV 13.5%
Republicans - 27 Governorships - Gained One
Democrats - 23 Governorships - Lost One
Republicans - 31 Governorships - Gained Five
Democrats - 19 Governorships - Lost Five
President Pro Tempore: Carl Hayden
Senate Democrats - Mike Mansfield - 59 Seats - Lost Four
Senate Republicans - Everett Dirksen - 41 Seats - Gained Four
President Pro Tempore: Carl Hayden
Senate Democrats - Mike Mansfield - 58 Seats - Lost Five
Senate Republicans - Everett Dirksen - 42 Seats - Gained Five
Speaker of the House: John McCormack
House Democrats - John McCormack - 243 Seats - Lost Five
House Republicans - Gerald Ford - 192 Seats - Gained Five
House Democrats - John McCormack - 243 Seats - Lost Five
House Republicans - Gerald Ford - 192 Seats - Gained Five
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More stats on the Senate and Gubernatorial elections will be added later today, along with the House results.
All I'll say is that 1968 won't be the first time Richard Nixon will swear off politics, and it won't be the last.
Awesome update.
I wonder what will happen to Nixon. I feel maybe he’ll be back as like a representative or some other lowly position. Maybe if he’s around long enough, he could be a pundit on radio like Rush Limbaugh.
I wonder what will happen to Nixon. I feel maybe he’ll be back as like a representative or some other lowly position. Maybe if he’s around long enough, he could be a pundit on radio like Rush Limbaugh.
The Gubernatorial and Senate election data has been added, as well as the House election. The House results are the same as OTL.
With two failed campaigns, Nixon is not going to have any more chances at the big chair. Becoming Senator Nixon of California again is still a possibility. One of California's senate seats is up for election in 1970. The next Gubernatorial election is 1970 as well, but I don't know how well he'd do against an incumbent Ronald Reagan.
Here's a look at the important figures of the first (and possible only) term of Eugene McCarthy. This was originally going to be a part of Chapter Six, but I decided to put it a bit early to give myself more time to work on McCarthy's term.
The McCarthy Cabinet and Staff
The McCarthy Cabinet & Staff
President Eugene McCarthy (MN, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Against all odds, Minnesota Senator Gene McCarthy has ascended to the Presidency. Campaigning on an end to the Vietnam War, moderate civil rights progress, and modest expansion of the Great Society, McCarthy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon. McCarthy is significantly to the left of how he campaigned, and it remains to be seen if he'll attempt to strike a balance, or return to his progressive leanings.
Vice President John Connally (TX, Conservative Democrat, Pro-Vietnam)
Before running for the Vice Presidency on the same ticket as Gene McCarthy, John Connally was the Governor of Texas, and, before that, John Kennedy’s Secretary of the Navy. Previously a protégé of Lyndon B. Johnson, Connally was instrumental in securing the nomination for McCarthy. Although considered a moderate in the South, Connally is a conservative in the grand scheme of things.
Secretary of State J. William Fulbright (AR, Conservative Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Under the Johnson Administration, the Senators who had opposed the Vietnam War were shuffled off to the near-powerless Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Fulbright had served as the Chairman of that committee, and was one of McCarthy’s few allies in the Senate. Although a segregationist, Fulbright is a major proponent of international cooperation and ending the Vietnam War.
Secretary of Treasury Russell Long (LA, Moderate Democrat, Pro-Vietnam)
The son of the famous politician Huey Long, Russell Long is an expert on taxes, and is one of McCarthy’s few personal friends. Long has served as both the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, as well as the Senate Majority Whip. He was a key figure in passing much of the Great Society legislation. A Southern ‘Law and Order’ Democrat, Long tends to side against civil rights legislation, and has often expressed his opinion that the Supreme Court is too soft on crime.
Secretary of Defense David M. Shoup (IN, Moderate Independent, Anti-Vietnam)
A decorated, retired General of the United States Marine Corps, David M. Shoup was one of the most prominent military critics of the Vietnam War. Having previously served most notably as a Joint Chief of Staff in the Kennedy Administration, he has accepted the offer to serve as McCarthy’s Secretary of Defense. Shoup is also a proponent of using as small a military budget as possible without losing efficiency in the armed services.
Attorney General Wayne Morse (OR, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
One of the only two Senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Wayne Morse is a hero of the anti-war movement. An attorney by trade and previously a Republican, Morse was a minor candidate in the Democratic Primary of 1960, and was briefly supported by Gene McCarthy.
Postmaster General Joseph S. Clark Jr. (PA, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
The former Mayor of Philadelphia, Joseph Clark Jr. is one of the most progressive politicians in America. On election night, he lost his Senate seat to the Republican candidate Richard Schweiker, but was picked up by the new McCarthy administration to serve as Postmaster General. There is talk of removing the position of Postmaster General from the Cabinet, so Clark may not last long as a Cabinet member.
Secretary of the Interior Ernest Gruening (AK, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
The only other Senator to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Ernest Gruening is one of the most prominent voices in the anti-war movement. Gruening ran (and lost) as an Independent for Senator of Alaska on election night following his defeat in the Democratic primary for his Senate seat, as he was considered too opposed to the Vietnam War to be electable. Ironically, his anti-war credentials have earned him a Cabinet position instead. Gruening was integral to Alaskan statehood, and remains very popular there.
Secretary of Agriculture Fred R. Harris (OK, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
A liberal Senator from an increasingly conservative state, Harris is considered an up-and-comer in the Democratic Party. A firm supporter of the Great Society, Harris was appointed by Johnson to the National Advisory Commision on Civil Disorders, where he became increasingly concerned with the plight of inner city African Americans. One of Humphrey's campaign managers, Harris aligned with McCarthy after the Convention. He has Presidential aspirations of his own, and a Cabinet position may be a good first step.
Secretary of Commerce Albert Gore Sr. (TN, Moderate Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Although formerly in favour of military interventionism and the Vietnam War, Albert Gore slowly turned against the United States’ military escapades. A supporter of the Great Society, Gore is something of a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to legislation. A relative moderate on social issues, Gore did not sign the Southern Manifesto in favour of maintaining racial segregation, but has voted both for and against civil rights laws.
Secretary of Labor Ralph Yarborough (TX, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
One of Congress’ leading Progressive Democrats, Yarborough is a Southern populist who has consistently supported civil rights laws, environmental laws, the Great Society, the War on Poverty, and opposition to the Vietnam War. Known as “Smilin’ Ralph,” he had originally backed Robert Kennedy, but had been one of the delegates to shift to McCarthy. He previously had a bitter rivalry with John Connally, but they have recently reconciled.
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Harold Hughes (IA, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
The Governor of Iowa, Hughes was the man who gave the nominating speech for Eugene McCarthy at the Democratic Convention. A former alcoholic, Hughes has been a champion against narcotic and alcohol addiction. Some consider him Presidential material, but Hughes seems more interested in his new capabilities as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Walter Mondale (MN, Moderate Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
McCarthy’s fellow Senator from Minnesota, Mondale remained quiet during the battle between Humphrey and McCarthy, not wanting to play favourites (though he privately preferred Humphrey, and worked for his campaign). Mondale considered declining a Cabinet position, but Humphrey talked him into it. Mondale is generally considered a moderate on economic and foreign policy issues yet a supporter of civil rights. Mondale had up until recently supported the Vietnam War, but reversed his position after McCarthy’s victory. His prominent support for fair housing and non-discriminatory spending has landed him the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Secretary of Transportation Claude Brinegar (CA, Conservative Independent, Pro-Vietnam)
An economic analyst and oil executive, Brinegar stands out compared to the rest of McCarthy’s cabinet. Environmentalists have complained especially on Brinegar’s appointment, claiming that the new McCarthy Administration is “too soft on big oil” with several prominent members of the Cabinet (including the Vice President, Secretary of Treasury, and the President himself) having ties to the oil industry.
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Supreme Allied Commander Europe Matthew Ridgway (PA, Moderate Independent, Anti-Vietnam)
Ridgway previously served as a General in the Second World War and the Korean War, as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) under Truman and Eisenhower, and as Chief of Staff of the United States Army under Eisenhower. Along with Shoup and Gavin, Ridgway is one of the most prominent military opponents of the Vietnam War.
Chief of Staff of the United States Army Harold Keith Johnson (ND, Moderate Independent, Anti-Vietnam)
Harold Keith Johnson served as the US Army Chief of Staff for most of the Johnson Administration. Initially a supporter of a full reserve mobilization to fight in South Vietnam, Harold Johnson eventually became more skeptical of the likelihood of success in the Vietnam War, but never openly opposed it. He has been allowed to keep his position as Chief of Staff as a sign of military continuity, but only on the condition that he works to prepare the army for withdrawal from Vietnam.
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation J. Edgar Hoover (DC, Conservative Republican, Pro-Vietnam)
J. Edgar Hoover is one of the most powerful men in Washington, having served as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation since the Coolidge Administration of the 1920s. Although a publicly popular figure, behind the scenes, Hoover is the ringleader of large scale domestic spying, illegal wiretapping, and all sorts of 'below-board' government activities. No President yet has attempted to remove Hoover for fear of "reprisal," and McCarthy isn't about to try, despite his dim view of America's security agencies.
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency James M. Gavin (NY, Progressive Independent, Anti-Vietnam)
A Lieutenant General during the Second World War, “Jumpin’ Jim” was famous for taking part in the combat jumps of the paratroopers under his command. He worked to desegregate the military, being called one of the most colour-blind generals of the war. Gavin was brought out of retirement by John Kennedy to serve as Ambassador to France, and had been approached by the Dump Johnson Movement to run as a candidate before they settled on McCarthy. Now, he serves as head of the CIA, in McCarthy's attempts to reign in the agency.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations George Ball (NY, Moderate Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
The only prominent member of the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations who was opposed to the Vietnam War, George Ball is also the only member of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to retain an important position in the McCarthy administration.
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First Lady Abigail McCarthy
Although not entirely politically inclined, Abigail McCarthy played a large part in her husband’s campaign, especially when it came to women’s and Catholic groups, and distribution of campaign materials. A personal friend of Coretta Scott King, Abigail is a strong supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. Abigail goes into the White House with her husband and four teenage children: Mary, Margaret, Ellen, and Michael.
White House Chief of Staff Blair Clark (NY, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
McCarthy’s campaign manager, Clark had previously been a staunch supporter of the Kennedy family, but switched over to McCarthy when Bobby Kennedy refused to run in the New Hampshire Primary. Clark corralled McCarthy through the primaries and the campaign, and pulled strings at the convention to make sure the balloting went smoothly.
White House Senior Advisor Curtis Gans (NY, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Along with Lowenstein, Gans was one of the original founders of the Dump Johnson movement. Although less actively involved as Lowenstein and Miller, Gans still provided support to the McCarthy campaign throughout 1967 and 1968. Lowenstein has since had a falling out with McCarthy over the direction of the campaign and having John Connally in the Vice Presidential slot, and remains in the House of Representatives.
White House Deputy Advisor Midge Miller (WI, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Although she came a little later than Lowenstein and Gans, Midge Miller was one of the leaders of the Dump Johnson Movement. Although not as well known, she has been equally instrumental, serving as the nebulous McCarthy’s “handler” during and after the campaign.
White House Deputy Advisor Marty Peretz (NY, Moderate Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
A behind-the-scenes benefactor of the McCarthy campaign, Peretz is a Harvard lecturer who has begun to get involved in journalism. He has shown interest in purchasing The New Republic political magazine.
White House Press Secretary Seymour Hersh (IL, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
A Chicago journalist, Hersh came on as McCarthy’s campaign press secretary. Hersh had covered the Vietnam War extensively before the election. Since his appointment to White House Press Secretary, he has transferred his journalistic research on Vietnam to American war correspondent and journalist I.F. Stone.
Chief Speechwriter Jeremy Larner (IN, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
An author, college professor, and journalist, Larner was McCarthy’s chief speechwriter throughout the campaign in both the Democratic Primaries, the Democratic Convention, and the general election. He also worked with Harold Hughes and Julian Bond to write the nominating and seconding speeches for McCarthy at the Democratic Convention.
Director of the National Economic Council J. Howard Marshall (PA, Moderate Independent, Pro-Vietnam)
An oilman by trade, J. Howard Marshall has a long history of working with McCarthy, acting as a financial backer when McCarthy was running for Representative and Senator, in exchange for McCarthy supporting an oil pipeline that would go through his riding in Minnesota.
National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski (NY, Moderate Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
A supporter of realism when it comes to foreign policy, Brzezinski has been accused by both the right and left wing as being soft on Communism and being an unabashed American imperialist respectively. Brzezinski is the counterpart of Republican foreign policy expert Henry Kissinger.
President of Young Democrats of America Sam Brown (IO, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
Sam Brown had served as the youth organizer for McCarthy’s primary campaign, and was the main organizing force of the New Hampshire primary. Brown has since been upgraded to a similar position as the President of the youth branch of the Democratic Party.
UAW President Walter Reuther (MI, Progressive Democrat, Anti-Vietnam)
The longtime President of the United Automobile Workers union, Reuther has long been involved in supporting New Deal and Great Society, and had also come out against the Vietnam War. Although Reuther didn't overtly support McCarthy during the primaries or convention, he was a firm supporter of McCarthy's in the general election, and was a source of legitimacy among union members, who remained skeptical of the man who defeated Hubert Humphrey. In the White House, Reuther is an advisor on labour issues for McCarthy, but remains UAW President.
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markus meecham
Banned
Seems like there's not going to be much research in alternative sources of energy for the next four years.
Chapter Six - A Change Is Gonna Come
“We will take our corrugated steel/out of the land of thatched huts./We will take our tanks/out of the land of the water buffalo./We will take our napalm and flamethrowers/out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches. We will take our helicopters/out of the land of colored birds and butterflies./We will give back your villages and fields/your small and willing women./We will leave you your small joys/and smaller troubles. We will trust you to your gods,/some blind, some many-handed.”
No one was particularly happy, except for the hippies.
With the election over, Lyndon Johnson entered his lame duck Presidency. As was tradition, McCarthy met with Johnson and was given a briefing on the state of affairs of the Union. It was naturally a tense meeting considering that McCarthy’s whole reason for running for President was to get rid of Johnson.
McCarthy and Johnson never reconciled after the 1964 Vice Presidential debacle. The 1968 post-election briefing would be the last time they ever spoke.
McCarthy was informed of the scope of American military operations in Southeast Asia, being told that bombing hadn’t been limited to Vietnam, but had spilled over into neighbouring Cambodia and Laos as well. As for the War on Poverty, Johnson had been struggling more and more with the conservative members of Congress to keep it afloat. The first signs of anti-welfarism were developing in America, and Johnson had had to negotiate tooth and nail to prevent his programs from being gutted in his final budget.
Impressively, despite rising inflation and the massive spending needed to sustain both the Vietnam War and the War on Poverty, Johnson left office with an over three billion dollar budget surplus for that fiscal year.
Johnson didn’t exactly have high hopes for the McCarthy Presidency. Although McCarthy would technically preside over ‘losing’ Vietnam, in his heart of hearts, the President knew that it would forever be known as ‘Mr. Johnson’s War.’ On top of that, Johnson didn’t trust McCarthy’s capabilities to manipulate Congress to pass or sustain any meaningful domestic policy. The fact that Johnson’s protégé, John Connally, was Vice President-Elect only put salt in the wound. Johnson skipped the orientation meeting with him. He left that job to Hubert Humphrey.
Although he would never admit it, Johnson would’ve preferred it if Nixon had won.
Nixon would have preferred it too.
Having failed to become President by less than one percent for the second time in his career, Richard Nixon all but deflated. He planned to go on a well deserved vacation with his family following the inauguration, and declared his intent to swear off of politics for good. Many believed him.
But of course, this hadn’t been the first time Richard Nixon had sworn off politics for good…
Richard Nixon, while leaving for the Caribbean, does his signature 'victory' pose.
In the meantime, McCarthy began to write up his intended cabinet appointments. Flush with his victory, McCarthy gave preferential treatment to those who had been opposed to the Vietnam War, but was mindful enough to appoint a sizeable number of Southerners. As Connally was fond to remind him, McCarthy wouldn’t have gotten the nomination (and the election may well have been thrown to the House) without Southern support.
When the inauguration did come, it was the counterculture event of the year. Peace protesters didn’t have anything to protest for a change, and many came out to support ‘their guy’ as he became President of the United States. McCarthy was never particularly comfortable with the zeal of his young supporters, but they would always be "his kids." Dozens of bands showed up, and unauthorized gatherings filled the parks of Washington D.C, much to the consternation of J. Edgar Hoover and other national security bigwigs. McCarthy made sure special treatment was given to the celebrities who had helped fundraise during his primary campaign, namely the actors Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, Tony Randall, Joan Woodward, the musical duo Simon and Garfunkel, and plenty of others [1].
As Gene headed to the steps of the Capitol, he was joined by his wife, Abigail McCarthy. Although never particularly interested in politics, Abigail had been instrumental in the early days of the McCarthy campaign by organizing neighbourhood women’s and Catholic clubs to support her husband’s campaign in New Hampshire. In fact, Abigail personally wrote and mailed most of the campaign materials in New Hampshire during the primary. The McCarthys would also be joined by their four teenage children, Mary, Margaret, Ellen, and Michael.
Eugene Joseph McCarthy was sworn in on January 20th, 1969, by Chief Justice Earl Warren. Warren, an old nemesis of Richard Nixon, was suitably delighted as a liberal was sworn in while Nixon was forced to look on. It was made all the sweeter by the fact that it would be one of Warren’s final acts as Chief Justice before retiring, safe in the knowledge that a another liberal would take his place on the court.
The Inauguration of Eugene McCarthy, January 20th, 1969.
Clocking in at just under four thousand words, Gene McCarthy gave the longest inaugural address since Calvin Coolidge in 1925. Going in depth on such topics as the Vietnam War, equality before the law, national unity, the state of world peace, and what America could learn from the fall of the Roman Republic, McCarthy certainly didn’t leave the audience wanting for details.
And with that, Eugene McCarthy was President of the United States, and the world would be forever changed.
In other news, Robert Kennedy woke up.
“Who won?”
[1] There were a lot of celebrities who supported McCarthy, including but not limited to: Lee Remick, Lauren Bacall, Dick Van Dyke, Larry Blyden, Myrna Loy, and Garry Moore, as well as and the playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon on top of the others named.
- A poem by Eugene McCarthy
No one was particularly happy, except for the hippies.
With the election over, Lyndon Johnson entered his lame duck Presidency. As was tradition, McCarthy met with Johnson and was given a briefing on the state of affairs of the Union. It was naturally a tense meeting considering that McCarthy’s whole reason for running for President was to get rid of Johnson.
McCarthy and Johnson never reconciled after the 1964 Vice Presidential debacle. The 1968 post-election briefing would be the last time they ever spoke.
McCarthy was informed of the scope of American military operations in Southeast Asia, being told that bombing hadn’t been limited to Vietnam, but had spilled over into neighbouring Cambodia and Laos as well. As for the War on Poverty, Johnson had been struggling more and more with the conservative members of Congress to keep it afloat. The first signs of anti-welfarism were developing in America, and Johnson had had to negotiate tooth and nail to prevent his programs from being gutted in his final budget.
Impressively, despite rising inflation and the massive spending needed to sustain both the Vietnam War and the War on Poverty, Johnson left office with an over three billion dollar budget surplus for that fiscal year.
Johnson didn’t exactly have high hopes for the McCarthy Presidency. Although McCarthy would technically preside over ‘losing’ Vietnam, in his heart of hearts, the President knew that it would forever be known as ‘Mr. Johnson’s War.’ On top of that, Johnson didn’t trust McCarthy’s capabilities to manipulate Congress to pass or sustain any meaningful domestic policy. The fact that Johnson’s protégé, John Connally, was Vice President-Elect only put salt in the wound. Johnson skipped the orientation meeting with him. He left that job to Hubert Humphrey.
Although he would never admit it, Johnson would’ve preferred it if Nixon had won.
Nixon would have preferred it too.
Having failed to become President by less than one percent for the second time in his career, Richard Nixon all but deflated. He planned to go on a well deserved vacation with his family following the inauguration, and declared his intent to swear off of politics for good. Many believed him.
But of course, this hadn’t been the first time Richard Nixon had sworn off politics for good…
Richard Nixon, while leaving for the Caribbean, does his signature 'victory' pose.
In the meantime, McCarthy began to write up his intended cabinet appointments. Flush with his victory, McCarthy gave preferential treatment to those who had been opposed to the Vietnam War, but was mindful enough to appoint a sizeable number of Southerners. As Connally was fond to remind him, McCarthy wouldn’t have gotten the nomination (and the election may well have been thrown to the House) without Southern support.
When the inauguration did come, it was the counterculture event of the year. Peace protesters didn’t have anything to protest for a change, and many came out to support ‘their guy’ as he became President of the United States. McCarthy was never particularly comfortable with the zeal of his young supporters, but they would always be "his kids." Dozens of bands showed up, and unauthorized gatherings filled the parks of Washington D.C, much to the consternation of J. Edgar Hoover and other national security bigwigs. McCarthy made sure special treatment was given to the celebrities who had helped fundraise during his primary campaign, namely the actors Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, Tony Randall, Joan Woodward, the musical duo Simon and Garfunkel, and plenty of others [1].
As Gene headed to the steps of the Capitol, he was joined by his wife, Abigail McCarthy. Although never particularly interested in politics, Abigail had been instrumental in the early days of the McCarthy campaign by organizing neighbourhood women’s and Catholic clubs to support her husband’s campaign in New Hampshire. In fact, Abigail personally wrote and mailed most of the campaign materials in New Hampshire during the primary. The McCarthys would also be joined by their four teenage children, Mary, Margaret, Ellen, and Michael.
Eugene Joseph McCarthy was sworn in on January 20th, 1969, by Chief Justice Earl Warren. Warren, an old nemesis of Richard Nixon, was suitably delighted as a liberal was sworn in while Nixon was forced to look on. It was made all the sweeter by the fact that it would be one of Warren’s final acts as Chief Justice before retiring, safe in the knowledge that a another liberal would take his place on the court.
The Inauguration of Eugene McCarthy, January 20th, 1969.
Clocking in at just under four thousand words, Gene McCarthy gave the longest inaugural address since Calvin Coolidge in 1925. Going in depth on such topics as the Vietnam War, equality before the law, national unity, the state of world peace, and what America could learn from the fall of the Roman Republic, McCarthy certainly didn’t leave the audience wanting for details.
And with that, Eugene McCarthy was President of the United States, and the world would be forever changed.
In other news, Robert Kennedy woke up.
“Who won?”
- Robert Kennedy, 1969
[1] There were a lot of celebrities who supported McCarthy, including but not limited to: Lee Remick, Lauren Bacall, Dick Van Dyke, Larry Blyden, Myrna Loy, and Garry Moore, as well as and the playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon on top of the others named.
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With the Election of 1968 over, there's not nearly as many applicable videos to use that seem TTL, so pictures will be becoming more prominent. Also, this chapter's a bit shorter than average; their length will pick up once we get into the meat of McCarthy's term.
Thanks for the ongoing support everyone! The beginning of McCarthy's term in office will be coming out tomorrow.
Chapter Seven - Leaving On A Jet Plane
“But the United States did not keep its word. Is an American’s word reliable these days?”
The McCarthy Presidency began with a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
How auspicious.
While the nascent administration dragged its heels, Congress took the initiative. Henry M. Jackson, the Democratic Senator for Washington, put forward the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which would standardize government environmental practices by requiring federal agencies to make environmental reports, and would also establish a “President’s Council on Environmental Quality.” In turn, the Clean Water Act (CWA) was proposed by Edmund Muskie, the Democratic Senator for Maine. President McCarthy would sign the NEPA into law, but would later veto the CWA when it arrived on his desk, citing its high expenses and the detriments it would bring to heavy industry. Congress disagreed, and would go on to override his veto, with the Act eventually coming into law in 1972. McCarthy would largely ignore the advice of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality throughout his term, and proposed plans to create a unified environmental agency were mothballed, as the President moved on to other headline catching issues [1].
Speaking of headlines, throughout late February and March of 1969, the newspapers were plastered with reports on Bobby Kennedy’s release from hospital following several surgeries, a coma, and muscle atrophy rehabilitation. Leaving the hospital while propped up on either side by his wife, Ethel, and his brother, Ted, Bobby Kennedy was eased into a car and relocated to the Kennedy family compound in Massachusetts for further recovery. It was unlikely that he would ever walk unassisted again.
Robert Kennedy at the Kennedy Family Compound in Massachusetts, 1969.
In public, McCarthy made sure that everyone knew that he had phoned Kennedy, and openly proclaimed his willingness to have him as an adviser to finally bury the hatchet. In private, McCarthy still held reservations over the Kennedys, and most White House staffers were smart enough to make sure McCarthy was out of earshot before they made the common joke that Robert Kennedy would be the second wheelchair-bound President, and just as good as the first one.
Of course, not everyone was so careful to constantly keep an eye open for the President when making jokes at his – and his infamously fragile ego's – expense. One lawyer who had just started working in the Justice Department who didn’t make sure McCarthy was out of earshot was ‘promoted’ to oversee all the legal paperwork of the oil spill cleanup in California. That new up-and-comer William Rehnquist never really forgave McCarthy for that.
But it wasn’t oil spills or Bobby Kennedy that held McCarthy’s interest, but the Vietnam War.
Despite what many assumed from his campaign, Gene McCarthy never said the words “immediate withdrawal” while running for President. What McCarthy did say was “gradual withdrawal,” “negotiations,” and “immediate bombing halt,” and that’s what he went about doing. Bombing was stopped in Vietnam, as well as in the ‘secret wars’ in Laos and Cambodia, and McCarthy announced an official end to the draft, but didn’t go so far as to pardon draft dodgers [2]. Secretary of State Fulbright went to Paris to oversee negotiations with the North Vietnamese. After giving an earful to the South Vietnamese over the fact that they had been arguing with the Northerners for months over what type of table to negotiate at (the South demanded rectangular, while the North would only come to the table if it was circular), Fulbright got to work. As was the new White House policy, Fulbright was aiming to end hostilities, hold free and fair elections in South Vietnam (in which the Viet Cong could participate), and follow it up with a reunification referendum. In exchange, the North would recognize the South as a legitimate government until the referendum, relinquish their control of occupied territory in South Vietnam, and recognize the ceasefire in good faith. South Vietnam knew which way the wind was blowing, and was purposefully unhelpful and intransigent throughout the whole negotiation process. Although things were looking significantly more promising than under Johnson, it would still take time to negotiate an end to the war, and McCarthy had to spend the better part of the year wrangling public opinion and keeping Congress cooperative.
Secretary of State William Fulbright (left) with Attorney General Wayne Morse (right).
In the meantime, with McCarthy in the White House, he went about stacking the deck in favour of anti-war politicians; especially anti-war politicians who had supported him over Bobby Kennedy during the primaries. In the House of Representatives, McCarthy threw his support behind Representative Mo Udall’s challenge to John McCormack for the mantle of Speaker of the House. The pro-war McCormack suddenly found himself without many friends in the McCarthy era, and Udall took over as Speaker as of 1969 [3]. In the Senate, Richard Russell Jr. was in line to become the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as was the tradition of the oldest serving member of the ruling party to be appointed to the position. Russell had been politically neutral on the Vietnam War; this wasn't good enough for McCarthy, who wanted someone with more commitment to ‘the cause.’ McCarthy heavily considered breaking tradition and trying to push through Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield as President Pro Tempore, but after a loud argument with Vice President Connally, and many of the Southern cabinet members threatening to resign, McCarthy relented, and Russell became President Pro Tempore without incident.
In the Judicial sphere, Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren began his retirement, and McCarthy got to choose his replacement. McCarthy’s first (and only) choice was Associate Justice William O. Douglas. Douglas had been the only vocal critic of the Vietnam War on the Supreme Court, to the extent that some would say he had been breaching his judicial impartiality. Appointed by Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, he was known as competent, if nothing else. Douglas had been one of the names in consideration for the Vice Presidency during Roosevelt’s last term, and was also approached with the position by Truman in 1948, but he turned it down for want of not being, “the number two man to a number two man.” Since then, he operated as a liberal member of the court, and served as the resident maverick. Douglas was sworn in as Chief Justice in 1969, and his position on the Court as Associate Justice was filled by Cyrus Vance: a West Virginian who had served in numerous roles in the Defense Department under Kennedy and Johnson, but who had resigned after opposition to expanding the US’ role in Vietnam. A Southern moderate opposed to the Vietnam War, Vance was acceptable to all parties, and was sworn in without a hitch [4].
Associate Justice Abe Fortas, a Johnson loyalist who had been forced to resign from the court earlier that year, was replaced by Edmund Muskie, the Senator for Maine, and a personal friend of President McCarthy [5]. Even though McCarthy and Muskie had their differences over environmental protection, the two remained close friends, and Muskie was also nominated to the Supreme Court without much trouble.
The Warren Court. Chief Justice Earl Warren is in the middle of the bottom row. His successor as Chief Justice, William Douglas, is to his immediate left.
But by far and away the greatest American achievement of 1969 had nothing to do with McCarthy:
The Moon Landing.
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first man in human history to walk on the Moon, followed shortly after by Neil Armstrong [6], while the third man on the mission, Michael Collins, remained in orbit. Aldrin’s first words once stepping on the Moon were, “Beautiful view. I can see why they call it the Sea of Tranquillity.” When Armstrong came down twenty minutes later, he said, “That’s quite the leap we took.” Although some complained in retrospect of the plainness of Aldrin’s first words, others, such as Edmund Hillary, the man who climbed Mount Everest, defended it, saying it was, “perfectly human [7].”
Buzz Aldrin: The First Man on the Moon.
In his famous phone call with the astronauts, McCarthy carried on the conversation for several minutes longer then was scheduled. Eventually, Chief of Staff Blair Clark faked an emergency to get the President off the phone, so that the TV stations could return to their coverage of the Moon Landing. McCarthy later met with the astronauts in person as they went on their Across America Tour.
As far as honeymoon periods go for Presidents, McCarthy had a long one. Bobby Kennedy’s recovery, the beginning of genuine negotiations with North Vietnam, and the success of the Moon Landing had sustained McCarthy’s popularity, and brought a sense of returned optimism to the United States, despite the lack of any major legislation, and early quarrels with Congress and his cabinet.
But the American people would soon learn that they weren’t out of the chaos of the 1960s yet, when the information that President McCarthy needed to end support for the Vietnam War quite literally landed in his lap, given to him by none other than White House Press Secretary Seymour Hersh.
“This is just the kind of thing we needed to happen so that everyone could know it was happening.”
[1] Nixon’s veto of the Clean Water Act was also overruled, but unlike McCarthy, he went through with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
[2] Nixon didn’t end the draft until 1973. Draft dodgers weren’t pardoned until 1977 by Jimmy Carter. It remains to be seen when draft dodgers will be pardoned (if ever) ITTL.
[3] IOTL, McCormack successfully fended off Udall’s challenge.
[4] IOTL, William Douglas remained on the court until his forced retirement due to a stroke in 1975 and was succeeded by John Paul Stevens. Cyrus Vance was Jimmy Carter’s Secretary of State.
[5] IOTL, Abe Fortas was succeeded by Harry Blackmum. Edmund Muskie was Hubert Humphrey’s Vice Presidential candidate, and coincidentally, also Jimmy Carter’s Secretary of State.
[6] In the original schedule plan for the Moon Landing, Buzz Aldrin, as the capsule pilot, would’ve been the first man on the Moon. The plan was later revised so that the mission commander, Neil Armstrong would be the first on the Moon. It seems the original plan stuck this time around.
[7] IOTL, Edmund Hillary complained that “One Small Step for a Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind” was too poetic, and wasn’t something ‘natural’ to say.
- President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Theiu on the negotiations with North Vietnam
The McCarthy Presidency began with a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
How auspicious.
While the nascent administration dragged its heels, Congress took the initiative. Henry M. Jackson, the Democratic Senator for Washington, put forward the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which would standardize government environmental practices by requiring federal agencies to make environmental reports, and would also establish a “President’s Council on Environmental Quality.” In turn, the Clean Water Act (CWA) was proposed by Edmund Muskie, the Democratic Senator for Maine. President McCarthy would sign the NEPA into law, but would later veto the CWA when it arrived on his desk, citing its high expenses and the detriments it would bring to heavy industry. Congress disagreed, and would go on to override his veto, with the Act eventually coming into law in 1972. McCarthy would largely ignore the advice of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality throughout his term, and proposed plans to create a unified environmental agency were mothballed, as the President moved on to other headline catching issues [1].
Speaking of headlines, throughout late February and March of 1969, the newspapers were plastered with reports on Bobby Kennedy’s release from hospital following several surgeries, a coma, and muscle atrophy rehabilitation. Leaving the hospital while propped up on either side by his wife, Ethel, and his brother, Ted, Bobby Kennedy was eased into a car and relocated to the Kennedy family compound in Massachusetts for further recovery. It was unlikely that he would ever walk unassisted again.
Robert Kennedy at the Kennedy Family Compound in Massachusetts, 1969.
In public, McCarthy made sure that everyone knew that he had phoned Kennedy, and openly proclaimed his willingness to have him as an adviser to finally bury the hatchet. In private, McCarthy still held reservations over the Kennedys, and most White House staffers were smart enough to make sure McCarthy was out of earshot before they made the common joke that Robert Kennedy would be the second wheelchair-bound President, and just as good as the first one.
Of course, not everyone was so careful to constantly keep an eye open for the President when making jokes at his – and his infamously fragile ego's – expense. One lawyer who had just started working in the Justice Department who didn’t make sure McCarthy was out of earshot was ‘promoted’ to oversee all the legal paperwork of the oil spill cleanup in California. That new up-and-comer William Rehnquist never really forgave McCarthy for that.
But it wasn’t oil spills or Bobby Kennedy that held McCarthy’s interest, but the Vietnam War.
Despite what many assumed from his campaign, Gene McCarthy never said the words “immediate withdrawal” while running for President. What McCarthy did say was “gradual withdrawal,” “negotiations,” and “immediate bombing halt,” and that’s what he went about doing. Bombing was stopped in Vietnam, as well as in the ‘secret wars’ in Laos and Cambodia, and McCarthy announced an official end to the draft, but didn’t go so far as to pardon draft dodgers [2]. Secretary of State Fulbright went to Paris to oversee negotiations with the North Vietnamese. After giving an earful to the South Vietnamese over the fact that they had been arguing with the Northerners for months over what type of table to negotiate at (the South demanded rectangular, while the North would only come to the table if it was circular), Fulbright got to work. As was the new White House policy, Fulbright was aiming to end hostilities, hold free and fair elections in South Vietnam (in which the Viet Cong could participate), and follow it up with a reunification referendum. In exchange, the North would recognize the South as a legitimate government until the referendum, relinquish their control of occupied territory in South Vietnam, and recognize the ceasefire in good faith. South Vietnam knew which way the wind was blowing, and was purposefully unhelpful and intransigent throughout the whole negotiation process. Although things were looking significantly more promising than under Johnson, it would still take time to negotiate an end to the war, and McCarthy had to spend the better part of the year wrangling public opinion and keeping Congress cooperative.
Secretary of State William Fulbright (left) with Attorney General Wayne Morse (right).
In the meantime, with McCarthy in the White House, he went about stacking the deck in favour of anti-war politicians; especially anti-war politicians who had supported him over Bobby Kennedy during the primaries. In the House of Representatives, McCarthy threw his support behind Representative Mo Udall’s challenge to John McCormack for the mantle of Speaker of the House. The pro-war McCormack suddenly found himself without many friends in the McCarthy era, and Udall took over as Speaker as of 1969 [3]. In the Senate, Richard Russell Jr. was in line to become the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as was the tradition of the oldest serving member of the ruling party to be appointed to the position. Russell had been politically neutral on the Vietnam War; this wasn't good enough for McCarthy, who wanted someone with more commitment to ‘the cause.’ McCarthy heavily considered breaking tradition and trying to push through Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield as President Pro Tempore, but after a loud argument with Vice President Connally, and many of the Southern cabinet members threatening to resign, McCarthy relented, and Russell became President Pro Tempore without incident.
In the Judicial sphere, Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren began his retirement, and McCarthy got to choose his replacement. McCarthy’s first (and only) choice was Associate Justice William O. Douglas. Douglas had been the only vocal critic of the Vietnam War on the Supreme Court, to the extent that some would say he had been breaching his judicial impartiality. Appointed by Franklin Roosevelt in 1939, he was known as competent, if nothing else. Douglas had been one of the names in consideration for the Vice Presidency during Roosevelt’s last term, and was also approached with the position by Truman in 1948, but he turned it down for want of not being, “the number two man to a number two man.” Since then, he operated as a liberal member of the court, and served as the resident maverick. Douglas was sworn in as Chief Justice in 1969, and his position on the Court as Associate Justice was filled by Cyrus Vance: a West Virginian who had served in numerous roles in the Defense Department under Kennedy and Johnson, but who had resigned after opposition to expanding the US’ role in Vietnam. A Southern moderate opposed to the Vietnam War, Vance was acceptable to all parties, and was sworn in without a hitch [4].
Associate Justice Abe Fortas, a Johnson loyalist who had been forced to resign from the court earlier that year, was replaced by Edmund Muskie, the Senator for Maine, and a personal friend of President McCarthy [5]. Even though McCarthy and Muskie had their differences over environmental protection, the two remained close friends, and Muskie was also nominated to the Supreme Court without much trouble.
The Warren Court. Chief Justice Earl Warren is in the middle of the bottom row. His successor as Chief Justice, William Douglas, is to his immediate left.
But by far and away the greatest American achievement of 1969 had nothing to do with McCarthy:
The Moon Landing.
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first man in human history to walk on the Moon, followed shortly after by Neil Armstrong [6], while the third man on the mission, Michael Collins, remained in orbit. Aldrin’s first words once stepping on the Moon were, “Beautiful view. I can see why they call it the Sea of Tranquillity.” When Armstrong came down twenty minutes later, he said, “That’s quite the leap we took.” Although some complained in retrospect of the plainness of Aldrin’s first words, others, such as Edmund Hillary, the man who climbed Mount Everest, defended it, saying it was, “perfectly human [7].”
Buzz Aldrin: The First Man on the Moon.
In his famous phone call with the astronauts, McCarthy carried on the conversation for several minutes longer then was scheduled. Eventually, Chief of Staff Blair Clark faked an emergency to get the President off the phone, so that the TV stations could return to their coverage of the Moon Landing. McCarthy later met with the astronauts in person as they went on their Across America Tour.
As far as honeymoon periods go for Presidents, McCarthy had a long one. Bobby Kennedy’s recovery, the beginning of genuine negotiations with North Vietnam, and the success of the Moon Landing had sustained McCarthy’s popularity, and brought a sense of returned optimism to the United States, despite the lack of any major legislation, and early quarrels with Congress and his cabinet.
But the American people would soon learn that they weren’t out of the chaos of the 1960s yet, when the information that President McCarthy needed to end support for the Vietnam War quite literally landed in his lap, given to him by none other than White House Press Secretary Seymour Hersh.
“This is just the kind of thing we needed to happen so that everyone could know it was happening.”
- President Eugene McCarthy on the My Lai Massacre
[1] Nixon’s veto of the Clean Water Act was also overruled, but unlike McCarthy, he went through with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
[2] Nixon didn’t end the draft until 1973. Draft dodgers weren’t pardoned until 1977 by Jimmy Carter. It remains to be seen when draft dodgers will be pardoned (if ever) ITTL.
[3] IOTL, McCormack successfully fended off Udall’s challenge.
[4] IOTL, William Douglas remained on the court until his forced retirement due to a stroke in 1975 and was succeeded by John Paul Stevens. Cyrus Vance was Jimmy Carter’s Secretary of State.
[5] IOTL, Abe Fortas was succeeded by Harry Blackmum. Edmund Muskie was Hubert Humphrey’s Vice Presidential candidate, and coincidentally, also Jimmy Carter’s Secretary of State.
[6] In the original schedule plan for the Moon Landing, Buzz Aldrin, as the capsule pilot, would’ve been the first man on the Moon. The plan was later revised so that the mission commander, Neil Armstrong would be the first on the Moon. It seems the original plan stuck this time around.
[7] IOTL, Edmund Hillary complained that “One Small Step for a Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind” was too poetic, and wasn’t something ‘natural’ to say.
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What an update! McCarthy is having a good presidency so far. I hope against hope it stays that way. But I love this update.