The Death of a President

1968, had not opened well for President Johnson, Walter Cronkite had declared the war in Vietnam unwinable, and Gene McCarthy had come relatively close to beating him in New Hampshire. All and all the pressure was mounting, the President was contemplating leaving the race. But in the end, it was his heart that made the descision for him.. The day he was to announce his withdrawal from the race, he began to feel chess pains. Johnson had always had a weak heart, dating from a fifites heart attack. Before he could address the nation, President Johnson was dead. Instead of the address from the President, America turned on its television sets to hear that LBJ was now dead. Hubert Humphrey was now President of the United States. Within days, Humphrey was holding meetings with Robert Kennedy, and Eugene McCarthy, asking them to exit the race. Kennedy agreed, and as a result was given the Vice Presidential nomination. Humphrey Kennedy faced Nixon-Agnew in november, and the election looked too close to call
 
I can see Hubert picking Bobby as his running mate assuming this butterfiles way Sirhain...An Humphry/McCarthy ticket would be anathema for the dem's against Nixon/agnew
 
It also butterflies away the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. That means no "Gestapo" tactics by Mayor Daley.
 
I can see Hubert picking Bobby as his running mate assuming this butterfiles way Sirhain...An Humphry/McCarthy ticket would be anathema for the dem's against Nixon/agnew

Basically, Humphrey gets Kennedy out of the race in exchange for the Vice Presidential nomination.

I think McCarthy wouldn't care that Johnson was dead, and that Humphrey was President, he'd stay in the race.

And yes this butterflies away Sirhan Sirhan's murder of Robert Kennedy.

This election will be interesting, on the one hand, Humphrey is now President, so he has the incumbency on his side, and he at least has some time to distance himself from Johnson.

I tend to think Humphrey will win, but I could be wrong.
Although, even if Humphrey loses, I wonder what he will do in his short Presidency that President Johnson didn't
 
I am 90% sure that the 25th Amendment had already been ratified. That would mean that Humphrey would have to nominate a Vice President that Spring. He might or might not nominate the same person for President- I assume he would.

Also how different would his policies over Vietnam be from April to October 1968?
 
I am 90% sure that the 25th Amendment had already been ratified. That would mean that Humphrey would have to nominate a Vice President that Spring. He might or might not nominate the same person for President- I assume he would.

Also how different would his policies over Vietnam be from April to October 1968?

IOTL Humphrey was pretty much following LBJ's lead on Vietnam, mainly because he was afraid of what Johnson might do if he did not. But with Johnson out of the way, Humphrey might just feel free to be a tad bit dovish, especially if he has Bobby Kennedy on the ticket.

This might in turn lead Nixon to attack him as going too soft on the war. For all the revealed truth that "Vietnam was unpopular", do not forget that IOTL, four years later, Nixon creamed the "Peace candidate" George McGovern. He might win in 1968 by a wider margin than he did IOTL

Another possible affect. This might cause Nixon to chose abother running mate besides Agnew. One of the others on his short list was a young Congressman from Texas named George H. W. Bush.
 
I've heard Melvin Laird as a possibility for an alternate VP for Nixon.

I think Humphrey will win this election, and be beaten in 1972.
 
If Humphrey supports a peace platform he may very well face a strong pushback from his own party in 1968. Names like "Scoop" Jackson among others stand out as "War" Democrats willing to challenge the incumbent Humphrey for the nomination.
 
Nixon's advantage in 1968 was that he was a clearly defined front runner early in the race, when the Democrats were splitting into four factions. Had LBJ died, Humphrey would be running as an incumbent and would stand a very good chance of winning.

The death of LBJ could have farther reaching effects. The stigma of a president dying of a heart attack at 60 might make it very difficult for 69-year old Ronald Reagan to win in 1980 because many voters might be concerned about his age.

Also, economic conditions, driven by foreign oil prices, would force the incumbent to lose in 1976 and 1980, regardless of party.
 
This might in turn lead Nixon to attack him as going too soft on the war. For all the revealed truth that "Vietnam was unpopular", do not forget that IOTL, four years later, Nixon creamed the "Peace candidate" George McGovern. He might win in 1968 by a wider margin than he did IOTL



Nixon promised to end the war in 68 and in 72 Nixon took credit for the withdrawel of most American troops from Vietnam.
 
Assuming a Humphrey win, I think Vietnam is over within a year, 1970 at the latest, which would in turn lead to a conservative blacklash, which makes HHH a one termer, now the cliche would be to elect Reagan a little less than a decade earlier than otl. The problem with that is Reagan is only two years into his second term in California, and we must keep in mind that this 1972 Reagan, not 1980. So besides Reagan who else might beat Humphrey, ITTL 1972
 
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