LBJ: 4 more years

WI the McCarthy campaign had fizzled out and Johnson had not dropped out in 1968, but instead secured the Democratic nomination and subsequently won the election?

Also, since he died on January 22, 1973 in OTL and the stress of a 3rd term would probably shorten his life, could he have picked someone other than Humphrey as his running mate? Maybe even Kennedy if he felt he really had to?
 
WI the McCarthy campaign had fizzled out and Johnson had not dropped out in 1968, but instead secured the Democratic nomination and subsequently won the election?

Also, since he died on January 22, 1973 in OTL and the stress of a 3rd term would probably shorten his life, could he have picked someone other than Humphrey as his running mate? Maybe even Kennedy if he felt he really had to?

Depends how he wins I guess. Is he able to wind down the war early? Is Nixon still his aponent?
Still, I think any Johnson win in 68 is likely to be narrow and in 70, the GOP will make significant gains in the midterms, making his time even more dificult, perhaps shortenning LBJ's life.
On the other hand, didn't LBJ go in to self-distruction moad as soon as he left the WH, which probably didn't help him prolong his life. If he's still president he probably doesn't do that, so is it really a sure thing that he dies during his second term?
I personally think the odds are in favour of HHH remaining VP, chances are it won't be RFK anyway. If RFK doesn't primary Johnson, ther'll be no need to ask him to be Veep. Would RFK even accept a VP nomination from Johnson? Could there be an outside chance that an Alie of RFK's (or someone ideologically closer to Kenedy) ends up as Johnson's running mate instead, to unify the party?
 
Is he able to wind down the war early?

I think without the McCarthy challenge of OTL that is unlikely. The Paris talks may not even begin before the election, and if they do they won't produce an agreement in time.

Is Nixon still his aponent?
Does who he defeat have any effect on his 3rd term?

On the other hand, didn't LBJ go in to self-distruction moad as soon as he left the WH, which probably didn't help him prolong his life. If he's still president he probably doesn't do that, so is it really a sure thing that he dies during his second term?
His health did figure into his OTL decision not to run according to Wikipedia.

If RFK doesn't primary Johnson, ther'll be no need to ask him to be Veep.
There's party unity, which would be fragile even without a McCarthy challenge. He can't pick McCarthy or Wallace or anyone from their factions because he disagrees with them too much, but if my understanding is correct and Bobby was somewhere between LBJ and McCarthy then he would be the best pick (not necessarily a good one, just the least bad) for keeping the Democratic Party together. And having him as VP might give him some peace from that direction during his 3rd term. Against this is obviously LBJ's antipathy towards the Kennedys (though, again according to Wikipedia, by this point he didn't like Humphrey either) and the hell that HH can raise if he's uncooperative.

Would RFK even accept a VP nomination from Johnson?
It would make him the confirmed heir apparent, which is a big plus. (Johnson was born in 1908, so I don't think Kennedy would expect his death.) On the downside, it would tie his future to what is currently a very troubled presidency. It's a great offer if Johnson doesn't screw up his 3rd term and a terrible one if he does, so I guess it depends on whether or not Bobby took all-or-nothing risks. The best thing to do IMO would be to put forward terms for agreement, but I'm not sure what they'd be.

Could there be an outside chance that an Alie of RFK's (or someone ideologically closer to Kenedy) ends up as Johnson's running mate instead, to unify the party?
Obviously, but I don't know who his allies where in '68.
 
I we him working to continue the Great Society. Which would mean some of things Nixon did like the EPA and OSHA. He would have withdrawn US forces from Vietnam. Johnson was a workaholic so Ithink he lives out his full term.
 
LBJ also gets to appoint three ( I don't think Fortas resigns) Supreme CourtJ Justices. Row vs Wade is more sweeping itmohht guarntee abortion on demand.
 
The reason LBJ dropped out is because he knew he would lose in the general. He would easily be nominated. Again, 75% of the delegates are boss-controlled, and the primaries' 25% are technically free agents after the first ballot. Hell would freeze over before LBJ would offer or RFK would accept the vice presidency.
 
The reason LBJ dropped out is because he knew he would lose in the general.

He knew he would lose, or he wasn't certain he could win?

Of course by his own standards the two things are probably one and the same, it's just if that's the case I don't think history gives any credence to his Machiavellian calculations.
 
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