alternatehistory.com

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
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