I Will Not Quit, I Will Not Hide

January of 1968 was not looking well for President Johnson. As the Vietnam War stalled abroad and racial riots intensified at home, his approval ratings sunk. Meanwhile, he found himself challenged in the Democratic primaries by Senator Eugene McCarthy.

So would the battle begin in the New Hampshire primary. While Johnson was confident that the contests itself was effectively meaningless, he understood the need to stop McCarthy from garnering legitimacy or momentum, requiring for him a decisive victory.

While in 1960 Johnson was known to avoid campaigning, and no contests were held at all in 1964, the President broke his earlier precedence and flew to Manchester on March 3rd, promising to "earn" his Party's nomination.

With the assistance of local Party leaders, he held multiple rallies a day, intending to catch up with McCarthy's active profile and charismatic approach. One time in Nashua, the two candidates happened to be giving speeches barely a block away from each other, and were forced to shout sometimes to be heard over one another's supporters.

On March 12th, the local Democrats went to vote. Both McCarthy and Johnson amplified their respective bases, a Johnson/Humphrey button saying "Why Quit When You're Ahead?"

Finally, the results were in: 53 percent for Johnson, 44 percent for McCarthy, 3 percent uncommitted. It was not as high as Johnson would have hoped, but it was enough to secure him the foothold he desired. Now it was onto Wisconsin, and the Johnson campaign deserved their higher hopes.
 
But Nixon would win by a bigger margin and have bigger coattails than OTL, which could really have effects on his presidency.

Most likely. But I do feel that if Nixon does what he did regarding the Paris Peace Accords, LBJ would react far more harshly, seeing as he has more of a stake in it.
 
Most likely. But I do feel that if Nixon does what he did regarding the Paris Peace Accords, LBJ would react far more harshly, seeing as he has more of a stake in it.

But how? Would he reveal it and unleash criticisms for bugging Nixon's plane?

Or would he tell Nixon in a strongly worded letter not to do it and cite all the charges he could charge him for?
 
But how? Would he reveal it and unleash criticisms for bugging Nixon's plane?

Or would he tell Nixon in a strongly worded letter not to do it and cite all the charges he could charge him for?

I honestly don't know. But knowing Johnson he won't take losing lying down.
 
What I'm interested in seeing is what Nixon does if he doesn't win the nomination in '68.

One of the dominating aspects of Nixon's character was his tenacity, determination, and his unshakeable urge to prove/redeem himself.

Would Nixon have mounted another return to politics in the '70s or '80s, had he lost in '68?
 
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