JFK butterflied away. RFK runs in 1960

[katchen]

I am in the process of reading a fascinating book that just came out.Lertzman, Richard A & Birnes, William J Dr Feelgood (2013) Skyhorse Publishing New York. It details how Dr. Marc Jacobson may well have altered US history from the time of the Kennedy Nixon debate by injecting JFK with a blood serum laced with methamphetamine, a drug serum that controlled Kennedy's chronic pain and enabled him to function, both in his campaign and as President, though quite likely at the cost of his better judgement, due to the bipolar side effects that methamphetamine is known to cause.
My question is: Has there been a thread recently in which JFK was butterflied away as the Kennedy candidate and RFK ran in 1960 instead? Maybe JFK goes down with PT109. Maybe his health issues come out. Maybe his Addison's Disease gets worse before he runs and he can't even walk. But RFK is the candidate.
Can RFK beat Nixon? Would RFK be a better President?

 

[Lord Grattan]

I am in the process of reading a fascinating book that just came out.Lertzman, Richard A & Birnes, William J Dr Feelgood (2013) Skyhorse Publishing New York. It details how Dr. Marc Jacobson may well have altered US history from the time of the Kennedy Nixon debate by injecting JFK with a blood serum laced with methamphetamine, a drug serum that controlled Kennedy's chronic pain and enabled him to function, both in his campaign and as President, though quite likely at the cost of his better judgement, due to the bipolar side effects that methamphetamine is known to cause.
My question is: Has there been a thread recently in which JFK was butterflied away as the Kennedy candidate and RFK ran in 1960 instead? Maybe JFK goes down with PT109. Maybe his health issues come out. Maybe his Addison's Disease gets worse before he runs and he can't even walk. But RFK is the candidate.
Can RFK beat Nixon? Would RFK be a better President?

Given that at the time of the 1960 election, RFK was not eligible to be President, (though by Inauguration Day, as his 35th birthday was on November 20, 1960, he would be) I seriously doubt he's going to run in '60. Maybe '64 if his father is still alive, or possibly '68, but not 1960. Depending on the butterflies, it could be RMN v. LBJ or who knows who else.

 

[JVM]

Given that at the time of the 1960 election, RFK was not eligible to be President, (though by Inauguration Day, as his 35th birthday was on November 20, 1960, he would be) I seriously doubt he's going to run in '60. Maybe '64 if his father is still alive, or possibly '68, but not 1960. Depending on the butterflies, it could be RMN v. LBJ or who knows who else.

He would be eligible technically - Biden ran for Senate at thirty-four but has the same birthday as RFK, so he could be sworn in - but it's still way too big a leap.

RFK would basically follow the same path as his brother if he'd gone down in WWII, but bide his time in the Senate longer. Butterflies can affect 1960, but let's assume Johnson, Stevenson or Humphrey is nominated and loses to Nixon narrowly. Stevenson is done for by now, but Johnson and Humphrey could battle it out in '64, with the loser becoming a '68 heir apparent. Johnson's run might be weakened by then based on his decline of power in the Senate. Alternatively, RFK could run a campaign aiming for runner-up so he could either become a kingmaker, a potential veep, or just raise his profile for four years later.

 

[Emperor Julian]

RFK would not have been able to be elected to the senate in 1952, as he would only be 28 at the time. He would also not be able to run for the House in 1946, as he would only be 22. He would have to wait for 1950 to run for the House, and 1954 to run for the Senate. Assuming he wins his Senate Seat in 1954 (Saltonstall won OTL by a very narrow margin, so Kennedy may or may not be able to topple him), he would have a single term in before the election. Would he be willing to risk his Senate seat for a run for the presidency which he would not by any means be guaranteed of winning?

 

[burtledog]

1961: A Different World

Though RFK isn't in it, this is a book based on JFK dying on PT 109.

 

[SLCer]

RFK was an introvert who really worked well behind the scenes. He had to be essentially pushed into the role of being JFK's Attorney General. Without a JFK presidential run, I doubt RFK would have any interest in seeking the presidency. It was only after, when he got to the White House, that he really became the figure history remembers.

I even doubt RFK becomes a senator if his brother never becomes president.

 

[Brasidas]

RFK was an introvert who really worked well behind the scenes. He had to be essentially pushed into the role of being JFK's Attorney General. Without a JFK presidential run, I doubt RFK would have any interest in seeking the presidency. It was only after, when he got to the White House, that he really became the figure history remembers.

I even doubt RFK becomes a senator if his brother never becomes president.

With his brothers' deaths or unelectability, Joseph Sr is going to push.

 

[Magniac]

RFK was an introvert who really worked well behind the scenes. He had to be essentially pushed into the role of being JFK's Attorney General. Without a JFK presidential run, I doubt RFK would have any interest in seeking the presidency. It was only after, when he got to the White House, that he really became the figure history remembers.

I even doubt RFK becomes a senator if his brother never becomes president.

I disagree about him being an introvert, and I actually do happen to think he forces himself to run for Jack's senate seat in the event of Senator JFK dying; but otherwise, yes, it's just common sense to assume the WH is totally out of bounds for Bobby if his brother never wins national election.

He doesn't really have the goods to run as an original against the other presidentiable Dems of his generation, I'm afraid.

 

[Mikestone8]

He would be eligible technically - Biden ran for Senate at thirty-four but has the same birthday as RFK, so he could be sworn in - but it's still way too big a leap.

The age limit for the Senate is 30, not 35.

However, RFK would still be eligible in 1960, as the Electoral College does not vote until mid-December, so he would be 35 "at the time of his election".