Say Bob Taft does not die of cancer in 1953. The 1950's go pretty much the way they did in real time. By 1960 Bob Taft is right at 70 years old. He is where Bob Dole was in 1996. Taft had been running for president since 1940. He runs against Nixon in the GOP primaries. Who wins? Why. How does the general election go?
Taft vs Nixon 1960
- Thread starter Duke 4
- Start date
usertron2020
Donor
Taft is buried. He gets few delegates, Nixon in a walk. Nixon called him the most backward politician he'd ever met in his life. His outlook was basically every law passed after 1870 should be abolished. He made Phyllis Schafley look like a Socialist and Barry Goldwater like a Communist. In 1960!? Dead Man Walking. Nixon doesn't even have to move to the right. Indeed, attacking Taft could help him in the general election.
General Election? Between LBJ's and Joe Kennedy Sr.'s stuffing the ballot boxes in Texas and Illinois, respectively, OTL. They just have to stuff a few more.
Duke 4
Best estimate you'll get for a 1960 general election JFK v. Nixon, following a Taft challenge, is our own resident Nixon Expert: RogueBeaver
1960 will be just as close as OTL, and given how POD-rich that election is, butterflies can definitely throw it to Nixon. Agreed with usertron on the rest.
bguy
Donor
Taft supported federal aid to education, public housing, and hospital construction. He also expressed interest in the idea of a negative income tax. He was nowhere near as conservative as Schafley or Goldwater.
Perhaps so. But in general, Taft and Herbert Hoover saw eye to eye on nearly every issue, going back to frank isolationism in 1940. And since Hoover proved to be one of the most arch-conservative politicians the US ever saw at the uppermost levels, that's all you need to know.
I think Nixon would take Taft out on the first ballot at the convention, though Goldwater could play favorite son for Taft. Dont know if Rocky gets in with a surviving Taft. Nixon could play the moderate card or the conservative one, depending if Rockefeller intervenes.
I agree with pretty much everyone here, it's an easy victory for Nixon, though chances are he may choose a different running mate (which in itself could be no bad thing).
From what I know of Taft, he was honorable but stubbern and was a firm Isolationist write up until his death, so all Nixon needs to do is state his foreign polecy credencials and experience in the Eisenhower administration, 2 things Taft won't be able to do. If Nixon gets vocal support from Eisenhower earlier than IOTL (which I imagine could be quite likely, as I can't see Ike letting Taft have the nomination), then that alone could swing the election Nixon's way.
I think if Rockefeller ran you'd have all the wings of the GOP represented (sort of), Taft for the conservatives, Rockefeller for the left and Nixon in the middle.
If Taft somehow wins the nomination it'll be a Landslide (or at least a convincing victory) for JFK come November, as Taft can't credibly run for Ike's third term like Nixon could.
Furthermore, Taft would be lucky to get either a grudging presidencial endorsement, or Ike's voat in the election-I just can't see Eisenhower supporting Taft anymore than strictly necessary.