I Have Never Been A Quitter: The Impeachment of Richard Nixon

[Bulldoggus]

TBH, I don't think a Reagan administration is as likely TTL. I think a Blue Collar, Nixonite Republican faction that supports Welfarism, Corporatism, Hawkishness, and Social Conservatism will be stronger, given that Nixon slinking off with a pardon was really the worst outcome for that faction. Here are some prominent members of that who could end up beating Ford and Reagan.

• Bob Dole
• Rogers Morton
• Spiro Agnew
• John Connally
• Edward Gurney
• Carl Curtis
• John Volpe
• Warren Burger (This is a little more of a stretch)

 

[Wallet]

This timeline is one of my favorites on this website. It's also the most chilling realistic. Good jobs. Props!

I do believe that who ever the Democrats nominate would win in a landslide. Reagan was considered more extreme in 1976 OTL. It would balance out on Udall's liberalism. Since Nixon is even more toxic ATL nationally, running on Nixon's legacy would be really bad.

I really don't think blacks would abandon Udall because of his religion. The Civil Rights Act is still recent memory and Reagan used a lot of dog whistle tactics like "anti busing" or "anti affirmative action" or "welfare queens" that a lot of people interpreted as anti black.

I think Ted Kennedy would run and possibly win. After the disaster of Nixon, the Kennedy name would be stronger despite his fallings

 

[Bulldoggus]

This timeline is one of my favorites on this website. It's also the most chilling realistic. Good jobs. Props!

I do believe that who ever the Democrats nominate would win in a landslide. Reagan was considered more extreme in 1976 OTL. It would balance out on Udall's liberalism. Since Nixon is even more toxic ATL nationally, running on Nixon's legacy would be really bad.

I really don't think blacks would abandon Udall because of his religion. The Civil Rights Act is still recent memory and Reagan used a lot of dog whistle tactics like "anti busing" or "anti affirmative action" or "welfare queens" that a lot of people interpreted as anti black.

I think Ted Kennedy would run and possibly win. After the disaster of Nixon, the Kennedy name would be stronger despite his fallings

I also think the Nixonites in the party would be emboldened, and would beat both Ford and Reagan.

 

[Wallet]

TBH, I don't think a Reagan administration is as likely TTL. I think a Blue Collar, Nixonite Republican faction that supports Welfarism, Corporatism, Hawkishness, and Social Conservatism will be stronger, given that Nixon slinking off with a pardon was really the worst outcome for that faction. Here are some prominent members of that who could end up beating Ford and Reagan.

• Bob Dole
• Rogers Morton
• Spiro Agnew
• John Connally
• Edward Gurney
• Carl Curtis
• John Volpe
• Warren Burger (This is a little more of a stretch)

Spiro Agnew? Nixon's VP who resigned because corruption? OTL he lived the rest of his life in disgrace. ATL had the Watergate scandal end the worst possible way. Anyone associated with Nixon or corruption in general will be toxic. Agnew would be the worst possible canidate and would lost ALL 50 STATES

 

[Bulldoggus]

Spiro Agnew? Nixon's VP who resigned because corruption? OTL he lived the rest of his life in disgrace. ATL had the Watergate scandal end the worst possible way. Anyone associated with Nixon or corruption in general will be toxic. Agnew would be the worst possible canidate and would lost ALL 50 STATES

Not for Nixon's faction. At least 30% think he was stabbed in the back, and that can be built on. Agnew would lose, but he'd carry a few states. He's the weakest candidate on this list though.

 

[arrowiv]

I am still amazed even today there was no Second Joe McCarthy Red Scare following the fall of Saigon. I guess the American people were not in the mood for it except perhaps Reagan or even Goldwater. Had such a scare happened, we would have seen quite a purge or blacklisting in American entertainment and politics. I do see Kissinger and even Jane Fonda blacklisted or purged Maybe John Lennon is also deported back to England and you can also kiss goodbye McCartney's Wings Over America tour in 1976.

 

[CountDVB]

Oh god, that's going to mess things up for Reagan isn't it. I guess we can forget about a Reagan decade starting in 1976. Wonder who'll win in 1980 election now.

Yup, pretty much. Not only that, but '76 is said to be a poisoned chalice regarding on who would be presidency. The fact that Nixon avoided going to jail despite being guilty would probably haunt the Republicans and coupled with the various failures that Reagan would go through not unlike Carter did in 76, this sets up for a Democratic decade in the 80s. Maybe Udall could try again in the 1980s and take Carter as VP or a different role within the presidency.

 

[Md139115]

I am still amazed even today there was no Second Joe McCarthy Red Scare following the fall of Saigon. I guess the American people were not in the mood for it except perhaps Reagan or even Goldwater. Had such a scare happened, we would have seen quite a purge or blacklisting in American entertainment and politics. I do see Kissinger and even Jane Fonda blacklisted or purged Maybe John Lennon is also deported back to England and you can also kiss goodbye McCartney's Wings Over America tour in 1976.

Technically, it would be a Third Red Scare, don't forget the one in 1919.

 

[trajen777]

It was excellent however the drunk part got a little to asb for me

 

[arrowiv]

Technically, it would be a Third Red Scare, don't forget the one in 1919.

I see now, thanks . Any other potential side effects from a third scare in 1975-76?

 

[Space Oddity]

It was excellent however the drunk part got a little to asb for me

That was what he actually did. Nixon was very much a stress drinker. Which explains so, so much.

 

[Knightmare]

I am still amazed even today there was no Second Joe McCarthy Red Scare following the fall of Saigon.

Eh, US probably figured if nothing else, we gave a damn good thrashing and well, we also saw what happened with the Red Scare, IE a whole lot of nada.

 

[Nightingale]

I may think that Jimmy Carter may win in 1980, being so close to winning the nomination in 1976, just as Romney in 2012 as the second placer in 2008. And then a Democratic decade ensues onwards.

 

[CountDVB]

I may think that Jimmy Carter may win in 1980, being so close to winning the nomination in 1976, just as Romney in 2012 as the second placer in 2008. And then a Democratic decade ensues onwards.

Well, either him or Ted Kennedy. It would all depend. I remember reading somewhere that he would've made a better Secretary of State. OTL Carter's former speechwriter Jimmy Fallows has opined that Carter's administration suffered from his lack of vision and an overreliance on yes-men apparently. Maybe Ted could offer Jimmy the role of Secretary of State so he could fully shine with his humanitarian work while Ted would continie the Kennedy legacy.

 

[dartingfog]

Given how much worse Nixon made things I have a feeling pardoning Nixon will sink Reagan like it sunk Ford.

Oh god, that's going to mess things up for Reagan isn't it. I guess we can forget about a Reagan decade starting in 1976. Wonder who'll win in 1980 election now.

I actually think a pardon wouldn't sink Reagan, for two reasons. For one thing, when Ford pardoned Nixon, it looked like a quid pro quo. To many people, it looked like there was a deal made behind the scenes in which Ford would become President on the condition he would pardon Nixon. That's not the case here. Here, Reagan can more convincingly say that he is pardoning Nixon out of the spirit of national healing. Secondly, four years is a long time (twice as long as the time between Ford's pardon and the '76 election) and the electorate's memory is rather short. Much like Carter, the bigger problem that Reagan will face is how he will handle the economy.

I think Regan would have been better served to allow Nixon to be sentenced then commute the sentence. The conviction still stands, but Nixon doesn't serve any time

Hmm...That's a good idea. But I think it would be seen as being effectively the same thing by the public.

 

[dartingfog]

1976 was going to be murder on him without it. With a Nixon pardon hanging over him?

One and done.

@dartingfog --have the Democrats remained in control of both chambers of Congress?

Yes, given the overwhelming majority they had in both houses (both OTL and ATL). In OTL, the 1976 Congressional elections were notable for the lack of change in the number of seats each party had. There will of course be differences from OTL, especially given the butterflies from the 1974 midterms. And Mo Udall's seat in Arizona will of course go to someone else.

 

[dartingfog]

This timeline is one of my favorites on this website. It's also the most chilling realistic. Good jobs. Props!

I do believe that who ever the Democrats nominate would win in a landslide. Reagan was considered more extreme in 1976 OTL. It would balance out on Udall's liberalism. Since Nixon is even more toxic ATL nationally, running on Nixon's legacy would be really bad.

I really don't think blacks would abandon Udall because of his religion. The Civil Rights Act is still recent memory and Reagan used a lot of dog whistle tactics like "anti busing" or "anti affirmative action" or "welfare queens" that a lot of people interpreted as anti black.

I think Ted Kennedy would run and possibly win. After the disaster of Nixon, the Kennedy name would be stronger despite his fallings

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

As for Reagan's extremeness, I don't think it would hurt him as badly as Ford's connection to Nixon hurt his election chances in OTL 1976. As Governor of California, Reagan was an outsider, so he could give Republican voters a way to vote Republican without the taint of Watergate on their conscience. Regarding Black voters, while I don't think they would vote for Reagan, they might be less likely to turn out to vote for Udall than for Carter OTL (particularly important for Ohio and Mississippi, which have sizeable Black populations).

I am still amazed even today there was no Second Joe McCarthy Red Scare following the fall of Saigon. I guess the American people were not in the mood for it except perhaps Reagan or even Goldwater. Had such a scare happened, we would have seen quite a purge or blacklisting in American entertainment and politics. I do see Kissinger and even Jane Fonda blacklisted or purged Maybe John Lennon is also deported back to England and you can also kiss goodbye McCartney's Wings Over America tour in 1976.

Interesting idea. There's still time for that, if I ever do a sequel (but don't hold your breath!).

 

[wikipipes]

Shame about South Vietnam. By the way, was there any plans drawn up to halt the NVA offensive?

 

[TimTurner]

Such a great timeline!

Man, Reagan's administration would have definitely been interesting here.
(edit: grammar)

 

[CountDVB]

I actually think a pardon wouldn't sink Reagan, for two reasons. For one thing, when Ford pardoned Nixon, it looked like a quid pro quo. To many people, it looked like there was a deal made behind the scenes in which Ford would become President on the condition he would pardon Nixon. That's not the case here. Here, Reagan can more convincingly say that he is pardoning Nixon out of the spirit of national healing. Secondly, four years is a long time (twice as long as the time between Ford's pardon and the '76 election) and the electorate's memory is rather short. Much like Carter, the bigger problem that Reagan will face is how he will handle the economy.

Well, the economy wasn't doing well at the time and his economic policies would've made the thing worse so rather than Carter, he'll be the one getting shafted by this, though given the control of House and Senate by Dems,he probably wouldn't get too much done anyway. Though with someone like Udall or Kennedy as president in 1980s with House and Senate for Dems, they could get alot of good stuff get done. Single payer unviersal healthcare for starts (three bills were around in 1970 for example) and some other benefits. The Dems could've averted having the Neolibs taking over the party (though I figure they might instead move over to the Republicans instead, combining neolib techniques with nosalgia. Both being socially progressive, but with different stances on the economy.)