Nixon Wins 1960

No debate, or Nixon wears makeup. He wins a close one. I think Bay of Pigs might go better. Civil rights legislation and the bulk of the Great Society would be delayed. Nixon would be a better President than he was in 1968, he would be less bitter and parnoid. The Cuban Missile Crisis would be butterflied, Krishchev saw Kennedy as a naive youngster who could be pushed around, he had no such illusions about the experienced Nixon. I think Nixon would win a second term in 1964 over LBJ or Humphrey(or some other person-Symington?) because things would be going well. Not sure about 1968, there are so many butterflies to consider, but I'm pretty sure whoever wins would be a Democrat. Huge butterflies.
 
Nixon would be a better President than he was in 1968, he would be less bitter and parnoid.

Less bitter maybe, but Nixon was always one for paranoia and playing dirty tricks. Look no further than his senate race in 1950 against Helen Gahagan Douglas and all of the red-baiting. 1960 certainly made him more paranoid, but he was always going to be Tricky Dick.
 
No debate, or Nixon wears makeup. He wins a close one. I think Bay of Pigs might go better. Civil rights legislation and the bulk of the Great Society would be delayed. Nixon would be a better President than he was in 1968, he would be less bitter and parnoid. The Cuban Missile Crisis would be butterflied, Krishchev saw Kennedy as a naive youngster who could be pushed around, he had no such illusions about the experienced Nixon. I think Nixon would win a second term in 1964 over LBJ or Humphrey(or some other person-Symington?) because things would be going well. Not sure about 1968, there are so many butterflies to consider, but I'm pretty sure whoever wins would be a Democrat. Huge butterflies.

Let's just say that Nixon is better prepared for the debate (doesn't campaign that day, doesn't hurt knee again, etc.) and wore makeup, getting the better of Kennedy in the first debate like he did OTL in the later debates.

Would Bay of Pigs still happen?

Wasn't Nixon a friend of MLK and in favor of Civil Rights?

I agree nixon would be less paranoid, but Pricefield is right that some of that fear was a character trait.

How would relations be between Nixon and Khrushchev?

Any other information you might have?
 
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Nixon campaign is a little smarter (no 50 state strategy), he wears makeup in the debate, and narrowly wins the debate and the election.

Bay of Pigs probably happens as it is approved under Ike, but it isn't as big of a disaster as it was under JFK, and Khrushchev respected Nixon and wouldn't see him as an wimpy novice like he did Kennedy, so there's no Cuban Missile Crisis.

I see Nixon responding to the mild recession JFK presided over OTL with a Tax cut just like JFK. Democrats probably make gains in '62 as that would be 10 years of Republicans in the White House.

The '64 election most likely goes to Nixon. He defeats LBJ or Symington or another Southern Democrat, as I can see the Dems nominating a Southerner to the ticket after northerner Kennedy lost them the 1960 election.

Civil Rights and Voting rights happen. In OTL, Nixon did not oppose those policies pre 1968, and even in 1968 he was just pandering. Whether it happens in 1964 depends. It could happen earlier depending on how bad Nixon wants it and how willing LBJ is to get the votes in the Senate. It could happen later than '64, but not later than '68 as Nixon given the demonstrations and Protests would have to address the issue and take action on it.

1968 goes to the Democrats, and if a southerner loses to Nixon in '64, Humphrey, Muskie, or if he gets into politics TTL, Bobby Kennedy ends the nominee in '68. I can't for the life of me see the GOP hold the White House for more than 4 consecutive terms (I find 3 to be a bit of a stretch) in the New Deal Era, which was 1933-1969 OTL (or '33-'81 depending on your interpretation).

The big question for me is Vietnam. Does the war happen if Nixon wins 1960? On the one hand Ike sent advisors there and Nixon did escalate it during his Presidency of OTL after campaigning in '68 to end it. On the other, Ike had no intention, as far as I know, of escalating the conflict and sending troops in, and it was Kennedy who sent in the first bunch of combat troops, and LBJ who had up to 500K troops there and made it the quagmire that it was. So maybe Nixon doesn't get involved. Maybe he doesn't. My guess is one of you have a better idea of whether he would or wouldn't have.

When all is said and done, Nixon is remembered, so long as there's no scandal, as a pretty solid President, if not, dare I say a great or near great one, or he's seen as the Bush 41 to Ike's Reagan, especially if he somehow does lose in '64. Worst Case, he's remembered as he is OTL.
 
For one thing I don't think America would get a Catholic President for a while. The Democrat establishment was very nervous that the catholic Kennedy would go down like Al Smith, and while he seemed to prove them wrong in the primaries, his candidacy was still momentous and elicited quite strong opposition. A Kennedy defeat would mean both parties might not nominate Catholics, fearing another loss. That would have interesting butterflies.
 
Either he takes military advice and US troops go to Cuba 1961

OR much as otl he takes military advice October 62 I am dead age 6 along with many millions of others
 
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