The Bright Sunshine: The Presidency of Hubert H. Humphrey (OLD)

THE END...... until his writer's block is over?
Sort of. So see ya’ll in about 8 years. Hahaha I’m kidding I’ll be back soon. Before Christmas at least. The problem was I thought more about getting Humphrey in rather than what he would do. I’m trying my best though. Once 1971 comes it’ll pick up again. But now we must get through ‘69 and ‘70.
 
I don’t know what to do with this timeline. I think I might end it. I’m not made for writing timelines. I’ll give you a brief summary of what ideas would’ve eventually happened at some point:

1. Scoop Jackson challenges Humphrey and fails horribly.
2. The republican field is crowded featuring big names like George Romney, and Ronald Reagan, and Nixon again. Also John Ashbrook is there like in OTL. Reagan wins
3. Humphrey at re-election is unpopular but loses narrowly due to fatigue of party and the war. Reagan is elected.
4. Reagan runs, keeps bombing but stops in 1975 after Saigon falls. The economy crashes like in OTL.
5. Muskie wins in ‘76. Wins again in 1980.
6. Humphrey died in 1975.

Sorry for those who liked this timeline. I get this is disappointing but, it’s for the best. I don’t know what to do with it. Thanks to all the loyal readers. But this is for the best. I may be back later on. Be it a new timeline or maybe back here. Maybe Carter wins again. Maybe McGovern does well enough to start a leftist movement. Maybe Humphrey comes back and continues the presidency. It’s all up in the air. Wherever I end up, I hope you shall all follow me. Thanks to each and every one of you. Peace and Love.
 
I don’t know what to do with this timeline. I think I might end it. I’m not made for writing timelines. I’ll give you a brief summary of what ideas would’ve eventually happened at some point:

1. Scoop Jackson challenges Humphrey and fails horribly.
2. The republican field is crowded featuring big names like George Romney, and Ronald Reagan, and Nixon again. Also John Ashbrook is there like in OTL. Reagan wins
3. Humphrey at re-election is unpopular but loses narrowly due to fatigue of party and the war. Reagan is elected.
4. Reagan runs, keeps bombing but stops in 1975 after Saigon falls. The economy crashes like in OTL.
5. Muskie wins in ‘76. Wins again in 1980.
6. Humphrey died in 1975.

Sorry for those who liked this timeline. I get this is disappointing but, it’s for the best. I don’t know what to do with it. Thanks to all the loyal readers. But this is for the best. I may be back later on. Be it a new timeline or maybe back here. Maybe Carter wins again. Maybe McGovern does well enough to start a leftist movement. Maybe Humphrey comes back and continues the presidency. It’s all up in the air. Wherever I end up, I hope you shall all follow me. Thanks to each and every one of you. Peace and Love.
Cool TL though
 
That’s nice to hear. I’m logging off now but you’re good. Keep at it man. If you want to make a collaborative TL one day I’d happily help.
 
Chapter 1: Prologue

1968 will go down as a year divided like no other. The year was marked by divisions in the country. Young students across America rioted over the war in Vietnam. There was staunch significant opposition to it from many democrats. So much that Eugene McCarthy challenged President Lyndon Johnson in the primaries over Johnson’s stance on the war. This campaign was originally expected to be dead on arrival. But that didn’t happen. McCarthys lead grew in the polls. By the New Hampshire primary, he had achieved 42%, surprisingly well for a challenger. Soon, Robert Kennedy joined to challenge the president. All of this led Johnson to realize a long bitter battle lied ahead of him. With the stresses of the presidency and his family history of heart problems, this all would have taken a toll on him. Soon, on March 31st, Lyndon Johnson shocked the nation announcing he would not seek another term. Johnson’s drop out led to an unlikely hero however. Johnson’s Vice President, Hubert Horatio Humphrey, was to run for President as a Johnson stand in. However, Humphrey was going to take everyone in the country on a different path than expected.
 
Chapter 2: Humphrey for President?

Hubert Humphrey was to run in place for Lyndon Johnson. This meant to take the same platform of economic liberalism and hawkish stance of Vietnam. Now this platform did not please Humphrey. Humphrey in truth was an anti war critic in private but he had to save face in public. However if he went with his true views, Johnson promised to bring holy hell upon his campaign. Humphrey was walking a fine line between winning the general electorate and pleasing the party bosses who wanted their own views. Humphrey announced for president on April 2nd 1968. His announcement speech was criticized in the media for not really taking a stand on any major issues. Not to mention with Kennedy and McCarthy being more popular, this hurt Humphrey’s standing. The fact he could win without any real support and with backdoor deals was upsetting to the electorate. Humphrey was accosted by protestors frequently in the events. Humphrey ran immediately into early trouble on April 4th. In Tennessee, Martin Luther king jr was shot to death and died early the next day. The response to this lead to riots over the nation in cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Humphrey was in Washington under heavy protection and saw first hand the damage being done. Humphrey thought to himself in the protection, “was it worth it?” He thought that if the administration was this unpopular that his security was in question, was it worth it to run as Johnson? Humphrey thought, “I will not do this.” Humphrey decided once the riots subdued, he would run his own campaign. However, Johnson was still a major threat. Somehow Humphrey would need to find a way to avoid the issue. The issue pressed him hard. Humphrey and his team settled on one bold brash decision that would shock Washington.
 
Chapter 3: Humphrey’s speech- April 27th

“Good afternoon my fellow Americans. There has, as of late been many protests in the country as of late, over many issues. The war, the race issues, the poverty, and many other issues. This has been a blemish on the face of this beautiful country. Now as I campaign for the presidency, I am not just the candidate for my party’s nomination. I am also Vice President to the incumbent administration. I must say, at the cost of my career in public service, my campaign and my safety, that I am displeased with the course of my administration. The uncaring nature as our boys are shipped overseas to die. The cold nature as young negroes riot through the country and destroy businesses and not even flinching to help these issues. We have waged war on poverty and it is yet another war apwe are behind in. So what am I to do. President Johnson will not change his tune no matter what. I can’t convince him to do this. He refuses to let me have power over any decisions. Johnson does not show signs of change. Therefore, I shall resign the Vice Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. President Johnson knows about my resignation and whether I am replaced or not is not known by me. But this move is not one of political gamesmanship, or winning over people for my campaign. This is not any sort of move of that nature, this is a move that is just plain and simple disgust with the course of our nation. I want to campaign full time against all the moral ills our country faces before us. Now I must go, this was my final speech from this office, now I will move forth with my campaign. Thank you to all the people who supported me during these tough times, my wife Muriel, my friends in the senate and House. I thank you all for the work I’ve done as Vice President, but now I must campaign so I may be able to do work as president in January next year. Thank you, good night, and god bless the United States of America.”
 
By the way, due to the cluster, I might create a new thread and just archive these pages on the way back machine. I’ll leave links. I might not though. Opinions?
 
By the way, due to the cluster, I might create a new thread and just archive these pages on the way back machine. I’ll leave links. I might not though. Opinions?
I think it would be better for the tidiness of the timeline to start a new thread. It's up to you ultimately, but I would leave links to the original thread, for posterity's sake.
 
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