The Game: A Timeline

DSS · Dec 26, 2010

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Game: A Timeline
[/FONT]

"In Washington, senators and congressmen talk of politics as a game, and of themselves as 'players.' To be a player is to have some power or influence on some issue. Not to be a player is to be out of the power loop and without influence."

"We must build a nation of nonpartisanship, and a nation that can strive together for its common goals. We must achieve as one, or not at all."

- President Harry Turtledove's Inaugural Address, Jan. 20 2001

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Prologue[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]CNN Election Night Coverage, Nov. 2 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]SEAN HANNITY: Welcome to all of our viewers tuning in to watch CNN's coverage of the elections tonight. It is currently 7:03 P.M., and the first states have just closed their polls; hopefully, we can start calling some states in a little bit. The President has just issued a press statement, declaring that she, and I quote: “hopes that the United States will make the best decision in electing its next President, though the White House will remind the American people that Vice President Rubio is the Administration's preferred choice.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](...) CNN now has its first race to call, and that is the Senate race in South Carolina: Republican three-term Senator Lindsey Graham has just won re-election to a fourth term with 62% of the vote, while the former Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Vic Rawl is holding only 37% of the vote. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]South Carolina Senate Election, 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) – 63% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Fmr Speaker Vic Rawl (D) – 37% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Senator: Lindsey Graham (R) [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Furthermore, we can also project our first presidential result tonight: Vice President Rubio and Senator Schweiker have taken South Carolina with an astounding 74% of the vote. This margin is slightly surprising when you consider that a Southerner is leading the Democratic ticket. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Now, we have our senior political pundit, Stephen Colbert, on the show to discuss the chances of Governor Castro in the South. Stephen, thanks for coming on the show. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:06 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 8 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 0 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]STEPHEN COLBERT: Thanks, Sean. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Stephen, you've visited both the Castro and the Rubio campaigns this year, and you know almost everything that there is to know about this year's presidential campaign. What chance does Governor Castro have at taking a Southern state?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: Sean, it's obvious that Castro can't take Florida; after all, a poll released just three weeks ago showed that Rubio has a 74% approval rating in his home state. Suggesting that Castro can take Florida is like suggesting that Rubio can take Texas. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Otherwise, Castro could very well win several Southern states. The Democrats have been polling about five points ahead in Virginia, so unless the turnout is dramatically altered, Rubio doesn't have a chance there. Castro has been trailing Georgia by only – one point? So he could very well overtake Rubio's lead there and win its 13 electoral votes. In every Southern state, Rubio has not been leading by any more than five points ahead of Castro, so Castro could very well take several Southern states. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: I'm going to have to interrupt you there, Steve, because CNN is ready to project that Governor Castro has taken the state of Georgia with 49% of the vote to Vice President Rubio's 48%. This is a great victory for the Democrats, and if the election is close it may be a great advantage to Governor Castro. Also, in Georgia's Senate election, Democrat Mark Taylor is within striking distance of defeating three-term Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, though CNN cannot yet project the winner of the race. Stephen, what do you think is the cause of Castro's victory and Chambliss's predicament?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:09 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 13 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 8 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: Well, of course, the primary challenge coming from Governor Deal this April did not help Chambliss in any way; we all remember how long and drawn out the recount was. People were even saying that Deal was going to run as an Independent. Even though he endorsed Chambliss, the damage was done and his poll numbers slipped. I think –[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Steve, hang on a second: CNN is projecting that Governor Castro has just won Kentucky and Indiana by blowout margins, with 58% in Kentucky and 56% in Indiana. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: This is likely because of Castro's popularity with the blue collar workers in Indiana and the labor movement in Kentucky. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: We can also project that Republican Sen. Sheila Turtledove has also won her re-election bid over Governor Jack Conway, and is currently leading Governor Conway by about 3,000 votes and has 51% of the vote. It's been an impressive year for the former First Lady as she crushed Congressman Rand Paul in the primary and now has defeated the incumbent Governor in her re-election bid. It appears that her margin of victory may be larger as the most conservative districts in Kentucky have yet to be counted, and polling there suggested that Turtledove was headed to win a landslide among them. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Kentucky Senate Election, 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sen. Sheila Turtledove (R) – 55% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Gov. Jack Conway (D) – 44% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Senator: Sheila Turtledove (R)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: How about Indiana's gubernatorial election?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Umm... The polls are showing that Republican Tony Bennett is currently leading Lieutenant Governor Brad Ellsworth by a little more than 1,000 votes. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: This is strange; after all, Castro took a huge jump in Indiana polls after Governor Bayh's endorsement during the primaries, but his endorsement doesn't seem to be helping his own lieutenant governor right now. I'm sure it will be weird for Indiana to see the permanent retirement of Evan Bayh, who has said that he is permanently leaving politics when he leaves the governorship next year. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: CNN is now projecting that Governor Castro has narrowly defeated Vice President Rubio in Virginia. Castro has taken 53% of the vote, while the Vice President is winning 46%. Virginia is one of the deciding states this election, so one must wonder if the tide is turning for Julian Castro? (...) Furthermore, Governor Castro has won Vermont by a landslide; he's passed the 60% margin there. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:21 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 46 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 8 EVs [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Currently, the Vice President is at his home in Number One Observatory Circle, and a spokesman for Mr. Rubio is claiming that he will not make an address or press conference of any sort until it is “time to concede or declare victory.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](...) We can now project that Democrat Mark Taylor has defeated Senator Saxby Chambliss to become the next Senator from Georgia. With 88% of the precincts counted, Taylor is ahead of Senator Chambliss by 1200 votes, a lead which is now impossible to overcome. Indiana's gubernatorial election, meanwhile, is still too close to call...[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Georgia Senate Election, 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Georgia Senate Majority Leader Mark Taylor (D) – 49.3% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) – 48.8% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Senator: Saxby Chambliss (R) [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Senator-Elect: Mark Taylor (D)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]It's 7:30 P.M. EST, and more states have closed their polls. Before we get to the results, let's go to one of our correspondents in New York. Jon?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JON STEWART, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi Sean. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Jon, what's going on in New York?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]STEWART: Well, I've spent a lot of the day talking to people in the voting lines. No doubt about it, I'm almost certain that New York is goin' for Julian Castro. Almost everybody that I talked to said they were voting for him, and he's been leading in most of the polls around here. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Have you seen many campaign signs down there?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]STEWART: Almost everywhere. People here in New York City like Governor Castro because of his appeal to both moderates and liberals, and they see Vice President Rubio as being extremist. You may even recall that former Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Mark Rockefeller have crossed party lines to endorse Castro, and that's been a powerful factor in New York's decision. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Thanks Jon. The states of North Carolina, West Virginia, and the deciding state of Ohio closed their polls about five minutes ago, and CNN can project that Governor Castro has taken Ohio with 54% of the vote. On the other hand, Vice President Rubio has won West Virginia in a landslide, and has narrowly won North Carolina.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:35 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 67 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 27 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: I think Governor Castro's victory in Ohio has basically wrapped up the election. Without Ohio and Virginia, it's almost impossible for Vice President Rubio to win. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Now, now, let's not make any big predictions just yet. We don't want another 2008.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: True enough. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Governor Meghan McCain has accepted an invitation to come onto CNN to discuss tonight's election, and she will be coming on at eight. This just in: Indiana's gubernatorial election can now be called. Democratic Lieutenant Governor Brad Ellsworth has very narrowly defeated Republican Tony Bennett to become the next Governor of Indiana. This is quite the shock of the evening, as Bennett was leading up until now. In any event, Governor Bayh is undoubtedly very happy that he will be leaving office with his preferred choice as his successor. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Indiana Gubernatorial Election, 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lieutenant Governor Brad Ellsworth (D) – 50.8% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]St. Sen. Tony Bennett (R) – 49.2% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Governor: Evan Bayh (D)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Governor-Elect: Brad Ellsworth (D)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](...) [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]SEAN HANNITY, 8:01 P.M. EST: Fifteen states have now closed their polls, and we will be projecting their results shortly. Until then, as promised, CNN now welcomes Governor Meghan McCain of Arizona onto the show. Governor, welcome.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]GOV. MCCAIN: Thanks for having me on, Sean. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Governor, you're one of the more famous faces of the Republican Party of 2020. You're the daughter of John McCain, the newly-elected Governor of Arizona, and a well-recognized and well-respected moderate. It is also rumored that you hold presidential ambitions, just like your father. Governor, you've already endorsed Vice President Rubio, but he appears to be losing tonight. What is your response to the string of victories for Governor Castro?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCCAIN: I'm sticking by my endorsement; I truly do think that Marco Rubio is better for this nation than Julian Castro. Several fellow moderates have endorsed Governor Castro, and I respect their decisions; but Governor Castro has also appealed himself to the liberals, who are ultimately harmful to this nation. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Castro has already won the tossup states of Ohio and Virginia. Do you think that Vice President Rubio still has a chance?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCCAIN: Absolutely – the night isn't over yet. I have the utmost confidence in the American people that they will make the right decision. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Thanks, Mrs. Governor. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Another update on the election results: CNN can project that Vice President Rubio has easily taken his home state of Florida, and by an astounding margin of 65% so far; this in a state which used to be considered a battleground. Amazingly, the Republicans have given Governor Castro a run for his money in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma; currently, Rubio is leading Castro by about 500 votes in Pennsylvania while Castro is leading by 800 votes in Oklahoma. The Vice President's strength in Pennsylvania is likely due to the presence of Pennsylvania's Senator Mark Schweiker on the ticket; could this be a twist of fate in favor of the Republican Party? Steve, what do you think?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: Oddly, one of the lesser reported things from this campaign is that Pennsylvania has been tied in the polling throughout the campaign. In fact, I was in Philadelphia when I visited the Rubio campaign, and you can tell that many of the youth and the poor down there surprisingly want the Vice President because of his main campaign promise of low taxes. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: The returns are also showing that Governor Castro is leading Vice President Rubio in Tennessee, another Southern state that may go Democratic for the first time in a long, long time. Oh, and this just in: Governor Castro has just won landslide victories in Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. In Massachusett's Senate Election, Governor Tom Murray and State Senator Dick Ross have are currently tied in the current polls. Could it be that the Republicans might win a Senate seat in a state as liberal as Massachusetts?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: I think it's entirely possible; Ross is a moderate Republican with appeal to Independents, and Governor Murray has assumed that his party will win him the election, not his own campaign. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Actually, it is now official: Governor Castro has narrowly won Tennessee with 53% of the vote. Yet another Southern victory that is a signal of a possible Castro victory. Furthermore, Governor Castro has taken the lead over Vice President Rubio in Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma is still too close to call. And this just in: CNN is calling Massachusetts for Governor Castro and Senator Newsom, as well as Connecticut, New Hampshire, and all four of Maine's electors. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:41 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 106[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 52[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: This has put the Democratic ticket at 106 Electoral Votes, already ahead of the 100 mark. Julian Castro now needs 164 Electoral Votes to win, and Marco Rubio needs 218. Now, I would like to let you all know that CNN has invited New York Attorney General Jimmy McMillan onto the show, and he will be appearing on the show at 8:00, the same time as the closing of New York's polls. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](...)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]CNN is now ready to project the rest of the states that have so far closed their polls. Governor Castro has officially won the state of Pennsylvania by 8,000 votes, and he has taken Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey by large margins. Vice President Rubio, meanwhile, has won landslide victories in Alabama and Mississippi, and he has narrowly taken Missouri and, to the surprise of the Castro campaign, Oklahoma. And with 100% of the vote counted, Governor Castro has now won all but six votes cast in the District of Colombia, the most liberal city in the United States. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 7:51 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 185 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 87 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Amazingly, Governor Castro is only two electoral votes shy of leading Vice President Rubio by 100 electoral votes. As for statewide races, the Massachusetts and Virginia Senate elections are still undecided. CNN can project that Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois has won re-election over his Republican opponent with 81% of the vote. Independent Senator Susan Collins of Maine has now defeated her Republican and Democratic opponents to win re-election, and is leading her nearest opponent by 1100 votes. Of course, Senator John Marksman, unopposed by the Democrats, has won re-election in Alabama with over 90% of the vote. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Big news on the race for a House majority: CNN can now project that the Democrats have taken the House of Representatives, having now won or kept 220 seats. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](...)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: More states have finally closed their polls. CNN will be projecting the results of these races momentarily; meanwhile, New York State Attorney General Jimmy McMillan is now on the program to discuss the presidential race and New York this year. Mr. McMillan, welcome to the show. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]AG JIMMY MCMILLAN (D-NY): Thanks for having me on, Sean. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Sir, you've been in politics since you were elected to the House in 1998. You were nearly elected Governor of New York as an Independent one year, and currently you're the state Attorney General, though you're leaving next year. Now – [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: Please, Sean, called me Jimmy. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: ... Alright. Jimmy, I'll start with the big question: Do you think Julian Castro will be elected President of the United States?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: Yeah. We can start saying “President Castro” pretty soon because he's already won Georgia and Tennessee, which are normally Southern Republican states. Of course, the polling showed it, but the normal attitude of New Yorkers this year has been that Julian Castro will be the best POTUS ever. And truthfully, I think he will. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Jimmy, there have been rumors about Castro nominating you to be the Attorney General of the United States if he's elected President because of your nationwide fame for being one of the most recognized, appreciated, and popular state Attorney Generals across the nation. Would you accept?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: I'm 74, so I can't keep going forever. (Laughs) But would I accept? Sure I would. I'd be glad to help Julian out. Go out with a bang, right?[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Right. Jimmy, CNN has a projection that goes quite well with this interview: Governor Castro has won New York by an astounding 81% of the vote. Vice President Rubio is under 20% right now, the lowest performance of a Republican candidate in New York ever, but that might change. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: Honestly, I'm not surprised by the slightest. This was gonna happen, and I knew it. And you can tell just from this that Marco doesn't have a chance at all. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Presidential Election Map, 8:05 P.M. EST[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Castro/Newsom – 214 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Rubio/Schweiker – 87 EVs[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: We can now project that Democratic Governor Tom Murray has defeated Republican senatorial candidate Dick Ross to become the next Junior Senator from Massachusetts. This seems to be a recurring theme this year, huh, Steven? Longtime Democratic incumbents reitiring and their successors being narrowly elected as Democrats. This just happened in Indiana with Evan Bayh and now Governor-Elect Brad Ellsworth. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Massachusetts Senate Election, 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Gov. Tom Murray (D) – 50.8% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]St. Sen. Dick Ross (R) – 49.2% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Senator: John Kerry (D)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Senator-Elect: Tom Murray (D)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]COLBERT: There's no doubt that 2020 has just become a Democratic wave year. With Governor Castro having just broken 200 Electoral Votes and Vice President Rubio not even at 100, it's impossible for Rubio to win. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: Like I said, I'm going to start referring to Julian Castro as President Castro from now on. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: Furthermore, CNN is projecting that, for the first time since 1976, Texas has gone Democratic. Governor Castro has won his home state with 56% of the vote. Another large state, Michigan, has been won by Governor Castro, as well as Wisconsin and Minnesota by landslide margins. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]This puts Governor Castro at 285 Electoral Votes. That's right folks – 285. CNN is projecting that Governor Julian Castro of Texas has been elected President of the United States of America, and Senator Gavin Newsom has been elected Vice President of the United States. Vice President Rubio will likely call Mr. Castro very soon, and we can expect an acceptance address to come from President-Elect Castro within the hour. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MCMILLAN: I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new President-Elect. I certainly wish him luck. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HANNITY: This is an extraordinary moment in American history. Even if it would have happened if Rubio had been elected, the American public has elected a Hispanic American to be President of the United States for the first time. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Official Results of the United States Presidential Election of 2020[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](D) Gov. Julian Castro (D-TX) / Sen. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) – 400 EVs, 54% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif](R) Vice Pres. Marco Rubio (R-FL) / Sen. Mark Schweiker (R-PA) – 138 EVs, 45% PV[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent President: Sarah Palin (R-AK)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]President-Elect: Julian Castro (D-TX)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Incumbent Vice President: Marco Rubio (R-FL)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Vice President-Elect: Gavin Newsom (D-CA)[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Vice President Rubio Concession Speech, November 2 2020

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif][/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Thank you very much,” the Vice President of the United States said to the enthusiastic crowd in Miami. Rubio recognized the people from the crowd very well; this was the same district that had first elected him to the Florida House of Representatives, the district that had sent him into the political arena. They had watched as their favorite son climbed his way up the political ladder. The crowd had assembled before the Rubio Campaign HQ since noon to show their enthusiasm for his campaign, hoping to be there when he reached the final step of the ladder, when he stood at the highest level possible and shone above all the rest. However, he was about to inform them that he had fallen during the attempt. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Thank you very much,” he said again, waving to the crowd with his usual “public rally” grin. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Thank you for the enthusiasm, but unfortunately, I have some bad news for you all.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The crowd quieted immediately. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]About a half hour ago, CNN declared that Governor Castro has hit the 270 electoral vote mark,” he said calmly, though his feelings were much lower than he made them appear. “They have declared that Governor Castro is to be the next President of the United States.” Numerous yet scattered boos emerged. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]MSNBC followed twenty minutes ago,” he said, “and FOX News declared him President-Elect ten minutes ago. Only five minutes ago, I called Governor Castro to concede the election. I won't fight any of the results,” he added. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]This time, boos became the normal noise of the people. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]But you know what? I'm not discouraged or disappointed,” Vice President Marco Rubio told them. “I was born at a time when the thought of a Hispanic-American running for President of the United States was unheard of. And here I am today. We may have lost the election, and I won't become President, but I am proud of my accomplishments as a state congressman, a governor, and a Vice President.[/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I would like to thank President Palin for all that she has done for this nation over the past eight years. I am proud to have worked with her, and I stand by everything that we've accomplished.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The crowd was silent. And then, a thought occurred to the Vice President of the United States, and it involved Richard Nixon. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]And then again,” Rubio told them, “I'm not one to leave a rally on a low note. Depending on the situation the state of Florida is in at a certain time, I may once again run for office. Good night, and God bless the United States of America.”[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Julian Castro Acceptance Speech, November 2 2020

[/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Thank you, thank you very much,” Governor Castro told a most excited crowd. They had heard of the recent Democratic victories in the Northeast and Virginia and in the South. Most of them were expecting to hear that Castro had won the presidency altogether. And that prediction had not been far off at all. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Listen, y'all,” he said joyfully. “Vice President Rubio has given me a call. It's official, folks: The Vice President has conceded, and I have been declared President-Elect of the United States of America.” [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The crowd erupted in applause and screams of joy. Such was the energy that had come with the Castro '20 campaign. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]There's a lot you could say about the last year,” President-Elect Castro told them, “There's a lot that should be said and has been said. But in the end, all I'll say is: We did it!”[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The crowd erupted once more. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I clearly remember the day I announced my presidential candidacy here in Houston, on this very spot where I stand now. A year ago today. Well, I decided to make my acceptance address on the same spot, because what I promised the American people a year ago today, I still promise today, and it is that promise on which I will deliver.”[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The crowd applauded. [/FONT]

“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Ever since the '60s, the American electorate has been divisive and its factions have been hostile to one another, especially within the Democratic Party. But over the last year, we've unified. And today, November 2, 2020, the American people have clearly unified behind their next President of the United States, and I am proud beyond belief to be that President. Now, let's get out there and get 'er done!”[/FONT]

Han · Dec 26, 2010

Aww....I love Marco Rubio.

Oh well, this timeline's excellent, and I can't wait to see where you go with this.

I'm also interested to see how Sarah Palin became President. BTW is The Man With The Iron Heart done? I liked that TL as well.

DSS · Dec 26, 2010

Han said:
Aww....I love Marco Rubio. Oh well, this timeline's excellent, and I can't wait to see where you go with this.

Thank you very much!

I'm also interested to see how Sarah Palin became President. BTW is The Man With The Iron Heart done? I liked that TL as well.

Yeah, this is something I should clear up.

I realized about a week ago that I have made a ton of attempts at different kinds of TLs. I was going farther with The Man With the Iron Heart than I was with the other TLs, but I realized that my other TL attempts had its fans as well.

This TL is a combination of The Man With the Iron Heart, Independent, and The Lion's Roar. It will mainly follow the original plot of TMWIH, but TLR and Independent will be part of the plot as well (though perhaps not in the same way or style). Unfortunately, my President Paul Wellstone TL doesn't fit into it, but I might make some references here and there.

https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=135182

DSS · Dec 26, 2010

To Be or Not to Be (A Candidate)

Part One
To Change The World
1968 - 1984

ROBERT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED, DEMOCRATIC RACE ALTERED DRAMATICALLY

- The New York Times Headline, June 6 1968

Q: Why did you decide to run for President?
A: I have to say, I wasn't excited by the prospect. It was three days after Bobby was shot that Dick Daley called my office to talk to me about the race. Now, Daley was a Kennedy supporter, and I think that if Bobby had lived and made it to the convention, he would have gotten Daley's support. He saw that Vice President Humphrey wasn't the best candidate to nominate, and neither was Gene McCarthy; so he turned to me.
Q: Did you accept right away?
A: My brother had just died, and I was a wreck. Yeah, I refused the first time he called.
Q: When did you decide?
A: Honestly, the day before I announced my candidacy. The next two weeks showed that the general consensus was that I should run, if anything just to run in Bobby's place at the convention. I wasn't sure if I should, but in the end, I did.

- Edward Kennedy interviewed by Larry King, 2009

Kennedy-Daley Telephone Conversation Transcript
June 9, 1968 2:32 P.M. EST

DALEY: Good morning, Ted.
KENNEDY: Yeah, good morning.
DALEY: Ted, I just want to say off the bat - I'm sorry about Bobby. You know, I was pretty sure he was gonna win.
KENNEDY: Yeah, he could have.
DALEY: Of course, we've got the campaign to look forward to.
KENNEDY: Yeah.
DALEY: Have you given any thought to running in Bobby's place?
KENNEDY: (Brief Pause) Absolutely not.
DALEY: Look, I get that losing your brother is pretty sad. But take my advice: Running a presidential campaign would get your mind off things. That's what you need to do right now.
KENNEDY: No... Right now, I need to look after my family and Bobby's. I don't have the time.
DALEY: It's a long shot, Ted; you may not win the nomination. But think about it though: Bobby's delegates, his voters, need a representative at the convention. Who would be better to be him than his brother?
KENNEDY: The answer's no, Dick. I'll support whoever wins at the convention, and I'll campaign for him; but I'm not running for president this year.
DALEY: Alright Ted. Good luck.
KENNEDY: Thanks, bye.

"I believed that Ted Kennedy should run. I knew that the Illinois primary was the last resort that could be used to get him to run; unfortunately, the primary was in three days. There wasn't enough time to amass a secret write-in campaign to win him the primary, and I knew that, for my own sake, I couldn't publicly call for Kennedy to run; however, I did get the other powers-that-be in Chicago and even all of Illinois to tell their people to go to the polls and vote for Ted Kennedy. And I have to say, the results of the Illinois primary were, while shocking, also a near-miracle for the write-in campaign."

- For King and Country: The Memoirs of Richard Daley, 1976

DAN RATHER: This is CBS News! Today is June 11, and the night of the Illinois primary for both the Republican and the Democratic parties. For the Republican primary, former Vice President Richard M. Nixon is winning by a landslide; with 49% precincts counted, Nixon is leading California Governor Ronald Reagan by 800,000 votes, and as far as percentages go, Nixon is near 80% of the vote counted currently. It is quite clear that Illinois Republicans want their President to be Richard Nixon.

As for the Democratic primary, Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota, the only candidate on the ballot, is seeing a surprise challenge from a write-in campaign favoring Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of the recently-late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Currently, Kennedy is at his strongest in Chicago, where the Democratic convention will be held in August, where he is trailing Senator McCarthy by only three percentage points and 1,300 votes.

(...)

More reports for the Illinois Democratic Primary: With 68% of the precincts counted, Senator McCarthy is leading Senator Kennedy only by 5,000 votes in the entire state. We can also project that Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, by a write-in campaign, will win the popular vote in Chicago, a result that has not been seen since Strom Thurmond was elected to the Senate on a write-in campaign in 1954.

- - -

Illinois Republican Presidential Primary, 6/11/68

Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon (NY) - 76% PV
Gov. Ronald Reagan (CA) - 7% PV
Gov. Nelson Rockefeller (NY) - 5% PV

Illinois Democratic Presidential Primary, 6/11/68

Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 43.2% PV
Sen. Edward Kennedy (write-in, MA) - 42.8% PV
Vice President Hubert Humphrey (write-in, MN) - 1% PV
Other - 13% PV

"Despite what I told Richard Daley, I had to admit that I was very impressed by the Illinois primary. I won 42.8% of the vote on a write-in campaign, while Gene McCarthy won 43.2%. McCarthy's campaign took a big hit from those results, because the public saw how badly he did even when he was the only candidate on the ballot. Daley admitted in his memoirs that he had convinced Illinois political bosses to influence the vote in my favor. When I saw the result, I began to think twice about my decision not to run. I began to come around to Daley's thinking; perhaps running a presidential campaign would be good for my mood after all.

Furthermore, my feelings on Bobby's campaign evolved. I realized days after the Illinois primary that Bobby had been remarkable over the past few months; he had hit the ground running after President Johnson withdrew, and had immediately became a frontrunner. While he didn't win every primary he ran in, he was very popular; popular enough to win the California primary the night he was shot. The people that voted for my brother needed to be represented at the Democratic National Convention. And so, taking a leap of faith, I called Mayor Daley on June 20th to tell him that I was going to be a candidate for President of the United States."

- True Compass: A Memoir, Ted Kennedy, 2009

"Good evening to all of you members of the press here today.

I'm here to announce that I am entering my name onto the ballot for the Democratic presidential nomination. I am doing so not in the name of my own political advancement, but in the name of my brother Bobby. I cannot in good conscience allow my brother's American dream to die and follow him into his grave. No, no, the dream lives on. The dream shall never die."

- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) at a press conference, June 21 1968

"He could be a problem, and he might not be a problem. It depends on how we handle this."

- Vice President Hubert Humphrey to President Lyndon Johnson, June 22 1968

"To be honest, I've always liked the youngest Kennedy the most. Jack did me a great disservice by making me Veep for three years, and Bobby is just the biggest sonuvabitch I've ever known. At least Ted's friendly. I guess I would be alright with him being my successor."

- President Johnson, privately

"For once, I might be alright with the Democrats nominating a Kennedy - at least I would beat this one in a landslide that would make Gene McCarthy look electable."

- Former Vice President Richard Nixon, privately

"Goddamnit."

- Sen. Eugene McCarthy's alleged response to Kennedy's entry

^^^^^^

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I apologize for the disappearance of photos in this TL - currently, I can't access a computer that can transfer photos to this post. However, once I do get to one, I'll be sure to edit them in.

historybuff · Dec 26, 2010

I like what you're doing here, putting all your timelines into one big one.

Ganesha · Dec 26, 2010

This looks very interesting; so will it be Ted or Nixon? And if Nixon, will Ted Kennedy run again? Actually, I'm discounting McCarthy, but I'm assuming he'll lose. Anyway, great start and keep up the good work.

RogueBeaver · Dec 27, 2010

Nixon. Ted's too green, too young, and can't hold his brother's coalition together because they're very different personalities and of very different wings of the Democratic Party.

Han · Dec 27, 2010

Even if Ted won, I question whether he could govern effectively. Teddy now has the burden of being the Kennedy Patriarch, and the stress of that in addition to the Presidency would be a lot to handle.

RogueBeaver · Dec 27, 2010

He fumbled that duty when he was a senator, I don't want to think about what would happen in the WH.

DSS · Dec 27, 2010

historybuff said:
I like what you're doing here, putting all your timelines into one big one.

Thank you, I'm glad I'm doing this too.

Ganesha said:
This looks very interesting; so will it be Ted or Nixon? And if Nixon, will Ted Kennedy run again? Actually, I'm discounting McCarthy, but I'm assuming he'll lose. Anyway, great start and keep up the good work.

Whatever the result, I promise that it will be really, really interesting...

Han said:
Even if Ted won, I question whether he could govern effectively. Teddy now has the burden of being the Kennedy Patriarch, and the stress of that in addition to the Presidency would be a lot to handle.

Keep in mind that he was also an alcoholic, and obviously it got worse after Bobby's death. Doesn't mean he wasn't a good politician, but his personality was definitely flawed. So yes, I doubt that Ted would do a very good job in the White House at this point in time, as unlikely as it is...

RogueBeaver said:
He fumbled that duty when he was a senator, I don't want to think about what would happen in the WH.

Again, we're agreed. I would have been happy if he had been elected in '76, '80, or even '84. I'm not sure about '72.

Thanks for all the comments everybody! I promise that it won't be forever until the next update.

RogueBeaver · Dec 27, 2010

He was not an alcoholic before the '70s, but it started early with the binging in the HP garage with Joe's chauffeur. (By comparison, Jack or Bobby went through entire evenings on a single drink or less most of the time) At bottom the problem was symptomatic of something deeper, lack of self-discipline which is a character flaw that wasn't fully corrected until he married Vicki. If you read Nixon on the brothers, you'll see that the implicit message is that he respected Bobby because of his almost Prussian sense of self-disclipline, given that Jack and Ted were unable to control their Lothario-esque tendencies and in Ted's case the alcohol.

DSS · Dec 28, 2010

RogueBeaver said:
He was not an alcoholic before the '70s, but it started early with the binging in the HP garage with Joe's chauffeur. (By comparison, Jack or Bobby went through entire evenings on a single drink or less most of the time) At bottom the problem was symptomatic of something deeper, lack of self-discipline which is a character flaw that wasn't fully corrected until he married Vicki. If you read Nixon on the brothers, you'll see that the implicit message is that he respected Bobby because of his almost Prussian sense of self-disclipline, given that Jack and Ted were unable to control their Lothario-esque tendencies and in Ted's case the alcohol.

Interesting, thanks. I had thought that Ted had been an alcoholic in the '60s, but I guess I was wrong.

DSS · Dec 28, 2010

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"Running for president in 1968 was the best decision I ever made, and I think it may even have saved my life. Immediately after I announced my candidacy, I scheduled to make public appearances nationwide: in New York City, in Miami, in Los Angeles, and in several other cities and towns. I targeted many of the homes of tossup delegates, in an attempt to win their support at the convention. In many cases, that worked; for example, I appeared publicly with Mayor Richard Daley in Chicago, and after the event he promised me his support at the convention. According to the future President of the United States, Harry Turtledove, my speech before a crowd in Los Angeles was what inspired him to go into politics."

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]- True Compass: A Memoir, Ted Kennedy, 2009[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)'s campaign address in Los Angeles, California, July 4 1968

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"Thank you very much, thank you very much.

Today is July 4, 1968: The 192nd Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today's a national holiday, and a day to celebrate. And rightly so.

The Founding Fathers that signed the Declaration of Independence goals for a new country in mind, of course. These goals revolved around the belief that a nation should belong to its people, and governed by the people.

My brother, Senator Robert Kennedy shared these views. I share these views as well. This is an election year, when America elects a President based on the policies promised by the individual candidates in that election. The President must reflect the beliefs of the people. So let me tell you why I am a candidate:

The people believe in a government that reduces poverty. As President, I will implement programs that will improve the living conditions of the Americans on the street.

Americans want universal health care; I will provide universal health care.[/FONT][1]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
Americans want a withdrawal from Vietnam. That is exactly what my administration shall oversee.

And, eight years from today, on July 4, 1976, this nation shall be celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and we will be able to say: "We did it. The government is for the people. The dream of Robert Kennedy lived on."

Q: When were you inspired to go into politics?
A: 1968, when Ted Kennedy spoke in LA. I was there. It was a magnificent speech.
Q: Were you into politics before? Were you a Kennedy supporter?
A: Well, I was 19 in 1968, and the 26th Amendment hadn't been ratified yet. So, while I couldn't vote for Kennedy, I was a supporter of both brothers in their presidential campaigns, yes. And after Ted Kennedy's speech in LA, I joined his campaign and went canvassing the city for support.
Q: Did you meet much success?
A: Sure, a little bit. Many people had seen Kennedy's speech, and they liked him. But what upset me back then, aside from my inability to vote, was that their votes wouldn't be worth anything if Kennedy didn't win the Democratic nomination. Of course, I privately harbored hopes that he would form a sort of Peace Party if he didn't win, but I know now that he never would have done that.
Q: Would you have considered yourself a hippie?
A: Yes: Like most of the youth in 1968, I was definitely a hippie working for Ted Kennedy.

- The New York Times Interview with Harry Turtledove, Aug. 1990

CBS Poll (Nationwide) July 10 1968
MOE: +/- 3.4%

Who would you vote for if you were a delegate at the Democratic National Convention?
Edward Kennedy - 33.2%
Hubert Humphrey - 30.9%
Eugene McCarthy - 23.5%
Undecided - 12.4%

Who would you vote for if you were a delegate at the Republican National Convention?

Nelson Rockefeller - 34.4%
Richard Nixon - 33.8%
Ronald Reagan - 20.5%
Undecided - 11.3%

Who would you vote for if the Democrats nominated Edward Kennedy and the Republicans nominated Nelson Rockefeller, and the general election were held today?

Nelson Rockefeller - 44%
Edward Kennedy - 38%
Undecided - 18%

Who would you vote for if the Democrats nominated Edward Kennedy and the Republicans nominated Richard Nixon, and the general election were held today?

Richard Nixon - 42%
Edward Kennedy - 41%
Undecided - 17%

Who would you vote for if the Democrats nominated Hubert Humphrey and the Republicans nominated Nelson Rockefeller, and the general election were held today?

Nelson Rockefeller - 51%
Hubert Humphrey - 40%
Undecided - 9%

Who would you vote for if the Democrats nominated Hubert Humphrey and the Republicans nominated Richard Nixon?

Richard Nixon - 49%
Hubert Humphrey - 40%
Undecided - 11%

Who would you vote for if the Democrats nominated Eugene McCarthy and the Republicans nominated Ronald Reagan?

Ronald Reagan - 47%
Eugene McCarthy - 45%
Undecided - 8%

Do you approve or disapprove of President Lyndon Johnson's job performance so far?

Disapprove - 53%
Approve - 30%
Unsure - 17%

"I felt very threatened after Ted Kennedy entered the race. Simply, he divided the anti-war vote which I need unified; after all, he too was running on an anti-Vietnam War platform. I also felt cheated; his campaign platform was a nearly exact replica of mine, plus the usual Kennedy popularity. My only hope was that Kennedy and Humphrey would keep the convention divided, and I could eventually come before them as a compromise. Even that was a long shot that many on my team felt impossible. Morale was low for the campaign workers, who began to feel that all the work they had done since November 1967 had been for nothing."

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]- Up Till Now: A Memoir, Eugene McCarthy, 1988
[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]1968 Republican National Convention, August 5-8

Presidential Ballot

Richard Nixon (NY) - 692
Nelson Rockefeller (NY) - 277
Ronald Reagan (CA) - 182

"I thank this convention and the Republican Party for giving me one last chance to bring the real prosperity to the American people. I promise that I will not let you down. As for my vice presidential selection, I am choosing Congressman George Herbert Walker Bush of the great state of Texas as my running mate and my partner in the White House!"

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]- Former Vice President Richard Nixon (R-NY) before the Republican National Convention after being nominated for President, August 5 1968[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

"Nixon/Bush's nomination was perhaps the worst that could have come to the Democrats. Richard Nixon easily united the moderates and the conservatives, while George Bush, though a failed Senate candidate and an inexperienced one-term Congressman, provided an astounding amount of foreign policy insight into the campaign, which amazed the voters and attracted them to the Republican ticket.

The campaign for the Democratic nomination went on. Senator Kennedy continued his strategy of grassroots campaigning and muscle flexing at campaign rallies, while Senator McCarthy, though still appearing at public rallies, spent most of his campaign in July attempting to organize his support at the Democratic convention and, as he called it, 'holding the line.' By the time that the Democratic National Convention began on August 26, nobody knew who would emerge from the convention the victor."
[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]- 1968: A Year in Profile, Bob Woodward, 1988

[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Telephone Conversation Transcript between Sen. Edward Kennedy and Mayor Richard Daley, Aug. 25 1968

DALEY: Ted, it's me, Dick.
KENNEDY: Hi. You're still going to back me at the convention?
DALEY: Look Ted, I don't want to support a loser. If you're a winner, Ted, I'll back you. That's why I'm calling - do you think you can win this, Ted?
KENNEDY: I'm sure I can. I've met enthusiasm at almost every rally, and I've got lots of support from the anti-war movement that makes McCarthy's look miniscule.
DALEY: Remember to go after the labor votes - they're necessary, Ted, and you can't win without them. Bobby did a good job getting them, and you've got to do the same and better.
KENNEDY: I'm sure I can. Dick, do you think I can win a first-ballot victory tomorrow?
DALEY: I'm pretty sure you can't, unfortunately.
KENNEDY: We can't get the first state delegation to go for us, and provide an example?
DALEY: The first delegation that will vote tomorrow is Alabama, Ted, and you know who they're going to vote for.
KENNEDY: Okay. Do I have a lock on California?
DALEY: A few of them might go to Humphrey because of the flock after Bobby's death, and some might go to Gene McCarthy just because they prefer him; but otherwise, you're the leading anti-war candidate and California's polls show that you're the preferred Democratic candidate by a large margin.
KENNEDY: What about the second ballot?[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]DALEY: It depends on whether you end up leading Humphrey on the first ballot or not. That's what you need to look out for, Ted: If you don't lead on the first ballot, a lot of people will defect to Humphrey. If you do, then they'll flock to you.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]KENNEDY: Alright. Thanks Dick.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]DALEY: Good night.
[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]White House Conversation Transcript, Aug. 25 1968[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]SECRETARY: Mr. President, Vice President Humphrey is here to see you. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON: Good, let him in. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT H. HUMPHREY: Good evening Lyndon. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: Yeah. Hubert, I'd just like to let you know right now that I'm very disappointed in you right now. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: (...) Why?[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: Hubert, you're fighting for the nomination. It should just be yours, especially after Bobby got shot. And if you had to have a main challenger, it should have been McCarthy, not Bobby's kid brother! [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: Lyndon, you know we couldn't have done anything about it. Ted Kennedy's candidacy was unpredictable. We had no way of knowing - [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: It was Daley. I should have known that Daley got him to run. And you know what, Hubert? When you're sitting in my office a year from now, you can get your revenge on him. But right now, what you need to do is talk to Daley during the first hours of the convention tomorrow and get him to throw his support behind you. You're gonna have to kiss his ass, Hubert, even if you don't like it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: I know. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: Good. You be glad that your main challenger isn't any older, Hubert. If he were in his late 40s or early 50s, you might have been forced to choose him as your running mate. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: I couldn't do that to Ted; after all, he's only 35, just barely eligible for the presidency. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: Exactly why you cannot, under any circumstances, choose him. Just one more thing, Hubert. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: And what's that?[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: Kennedy can't win on the first ballot - he doesn't have the numbers. If you take away enough of his delegates, you can. And if you can do that, then all is forgiven and you just might have a chance at beating Nixon. Maybe. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]HUMPHREY: Wish me luck, Mr. President. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]JOHNSON: I give you my blessing.
[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Next Up: Convention Fight '68: Humphrey VS Kennedy VS McCarthy[/FONT]

[1] Ted Kennedy didn't become quite as dedicated to UHC until 1971, when his son, Teddy Jr., developed cancer in his leg. According to his memoir True Compass, that's when he became dedicated to getting health care reform. Even so, I'm assuming that Ted would have been for it even before then.

DSS · Dec 29, 2010

Convention Fight '68

"The balloting shall now commence."

- Democratic National Committee Chairman Hale Boggs (D-LA)

"Alabama sends all eleven of its delegates to our favorite-son Governor George Corley Wallace."

"And so the balloting commenced. I watched it through the TV in a hotel near the convention. The night was very tense, as delegation after delegation cast delegates for myself, Humphrey, and McCarthy. Of course, the convention took an awkward turn when the Massachusetts delegation went overwhelmingly to Senator McCarthy; this was simply because McCarthy had won the primary, and on the second ballot, I knew I could win all of their votes."

- True Compass: A Memoir, Ted Kennedy, 2009

"The state of California, in the memory of Sen. Robert Kennedy, casts all of its delegates to the next President of the United States, Senator Edward Moore Kennedy."

"New York, in commemoration of our fallen senator, casts 152 delegates to Senator Edward Kennedy and 3 to Vice President Hubert Humphrey."

"Wow; a blowout victory in California and New York. I think Bobby would be proud."

- Allegedly Sen. Kennedy's reaction

"Illinois casts its 118 delegates to Senator Kennedy."

1968 Democratic National Convention: 1st Presidential Ballot

Sen. Edward Kennedy (MA) - 1220
Vice President Hubert Humphrey (MN) - 1092
Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 148

"I hereby declare the first presidential ballot deadlocked; a second ballot shall be held."

- Chairman Boggs

Kennedy-Daley Telephone Conversation Script
August 26, 1968, 9:30 P.M. [Ten minutes after the end of the first ballot]

KENNEDY: Hello Dick. Are we gonna be able to pull this off on the second ballot?
DALEY: Ted, like I told you yesterday, I'm just not sure. Humphrey is very likely working behind the scenes right now to get more delegates. It's a miracle that you led on the first ballot the way you did, Ted, but you have to hold that lead for the second ballot, which is just as decisive as the first. If Humphrey takes the lead, that will show that the delegates, when not controlled by commitments, prefer the Vice President over yourself, and Hubert will win.
KENNEDY: We can do this.
DALEY: Yes we can. Now I'm going to talk to some of the other delegations - specifically Texas and Pennsylvania - and convince them to vote for you. If they do that, you win the nomination - guaranteed. You'll have momentum, and then the nomination.
KENNEDY: Thanks Dick. I appreciate it.
DALEY: Good luck.

YOU NEED TO KEEP TEXAS AND PENNSYLVANIA AND GET MASSACHUSETTS, CALIFORNIA, AND ILLINOIS IF YOU WANT THE NOMINATION STOP OTHERWISE YOUR CAMPAIGN IS DEAD IN THE WATER

- Telegraph from President Lyndon Johnson to Vice President Hubert Humphrey, 9:45 P.M. Aug. 26 1968

"Despite my poor showing on the first ballot, I decided that I couldn't give up. In the name of all my supporters, the same ones that had taken us so far in New Hampshire and in the rest of the primaries, I had to stay in the race and fight it out."

- Up Till Now: A Memoir, Eugene McCarthy, 1988

"I talked to the chairs of the Pennsylvania and Texas delegations, to try and gather support for Kennedy. Unfortunately, they were uncooperative."

- Mayor Richard Daley (D-Chicago) interviewed 1971

1968 Democratic National Convention: Second Presidential Ballot

Sen. Edward Kennedy (MA) - 1289
Vice President Hubert Humphrey (MN) - 1144
Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 76

WHAT DID I TELL YOU STOP YOU ARE DEAD IN THE WATER

- LBJ to HHH via telegraph after the second ballot

"You might as well break out the champagne, Ted; you're still in the lead by fifty votes. The third ballot and the nomination is yours."

- Mayor Richard Daley to Sen. Kennedy, allegedly

MEETING BETWEEN VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT HUMPHREY AND PENNSYLVANIA CHAIR JOSHUA EILBERG
1:32 A.M. AUG. 27 1968

V.P. HUMPHREY: Look, I've got a deal for you.
JOSHUA EILBERG: And that is?
HUMPHREY: I understand that your current Senator, Joseph Clark, is having a rough time running for re-election right now.
EILBERG: Right.
HUMPHREY: I would be willing to select Senator Clark as my running mate if you commit to me at this time. It would take him off your hands, and then you would have a native son in the Vice Presidency. I would support him in '76, and if elected, you would have one of your own in the White House. Deal?
EILBERG: (...) I'll contact Senator Clark and ask him if he would like to.
HUMPHREY: Wonderful. Let me know what he says.

"As it turned out, my offer to choose Senator Clark as my running mate was accepted. It wasn't a deal that I didn't want to make; Clark was already on my short-list for a situation where I won the nomination. Making that deal won the Pennsylvania delegation, and a chance at revival."

- Education of a Public Man: A Memoir, Hubert Humphrey, 1973

"The third ballot came as a shock to everyone. Pennsylvania defected in its entirety to Humphrey, as well as several other delegates nationwide."

- True Compass: A Memoir, Ted Kennedy, 2009

1968 Democratic National Convention: Third Presidential Ballot

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (MN) - 1166
Sen. Edward Kennedy (MA) - 1163
Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 297

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN TURMOIL: AFTER THREE BALLOTS, NO RESULT
Anti-War, Pro-Kennedy Protests in Chicago Hit Peak

- The New York Times Headline, Aug. 27 1968

OVAL OFFICE TRANSCRIPT, AUG. 27 1968 9:45 A.M. EST

SECRETARY: Mr. President, Governor Connally is here to see you.
PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON: Oh? Yes, let him in.
GOVERNOR JOHN B. CONNALLY (D-TX): Mr. President, good to see you.
JOHNSON: Governor, it's good to see you. What are you doing back from Chicago?
CONNALLY: Mr. President, this convention is a mess. I think it needs to end, and fast.
JOHNSON: Governor, we can't just end the convention -
CONNALLY: Not what I meant, Lyndon. Kennedy and Humphrey just keep playing tit-for-tat, and we're getting nowhere. Kennedy gains Massachusetts, Humphrey gains Pennsylvania, convention still deadlocked, and the next ballot, it's the other way around! I don't think either of these guys can win, Lyndon, and we need to start looking for a compromise.
JOHNSON: Alright then, who do you have in mind? George Wallace? Governor, I'm backing my Vice President. I promised him that I would do that back in '64.
CONNALLY: Alright, but do you want to see Hubert lose in a landslide? 'Cause that's what's gonna happen if he wins this, Lyndon, regardless of who he chooses as his running mate and what stance he takes on 'Nam. Same for Teddy Kennedy. Just remember, Lyndon, you can postpone your successor's election 'til '72, if you get what I mean.
JOHNSON: Governor, my popularity rating is at 30% right now. I would never get re-elected.
CONNALLY: Not necessarily. Teddy Kennedy's your friend, correct? He'd endorse you if you jumped in. Same for Humphrey. If you got Kennedy to endorse you and you halt the bombing in Vietnam, and if you got so far as to have Kennedy campaign with you, that might give the hippies a hint to come back to the party.
JOHNSON: I'll think on it, Governor. I'll think on it.

John B. Connally came to see me a few hours ago. The meeting was brief - he suggested that I jump into the race in Chicago. I'm just not sure - winning the renomination would be a sure thing, but my chances at winning re-election would
be slim. Whatever happens, though, I've made my decision: I want to be on the campaign trail one last time, regardless of what happened in New Hampshire. I'm gonna call Ted and Hubert, tell them the news, and then I'm gonna march in there and win the nomination. It's time to bring an end to all this divisiveness; if the Democrats can't choose a candidate themselves, then I'll force them to.

- LBJ Diaries, Aug. 27 1968

1968 Democratic National Convention: Fourth Presidential Ballot

Sen. Edward Kennedy (MA) - 1182
Vice President Hubert Humphrey (MN) - 1147
Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 297

The Big Moment came at 2:33 P.M. on August 27, the second day of the convention.

The fourth ballot had just concluded, in which Kennedy had taken the lead over Humphrey. We were all groaning and complaining about the situation; how the party was going to actually nominate a candidate was beyond us. I was in the Illinois delegation, so my vote had gone to Kennedy for all four of the ballots.

And then it came. We were preparing for the climactic fifth ballot, and the door to the convention hall opened. When people looked behind them, they gasped. Before them was the President of the United States of America, Lyndon Baines Johnson, who was looking especially intimidating in his suit and the cowboy hat that everyone had grown accustomed to in the '64 campaign.

Speaker Boggs banged his gavel. "Order, order," he said mightily, and the convention came to order. "Before the convention, an honored guest shall speak. I call to the floor President Lyndon Baines Johnson of Texas."

President Johnson made his way to the auditorium, and the delegates cheered half-heartedly; we hadn't the fainest clue what he was doing.

"Good day to all of you," President Johnson said loudly. "It has come before my attention that the Democratic Party is divided on the issue of the presidential nomination. In the interest of party unity and American unity, I would like to enter my name into consideration for the presidential nomination. I ask this convention and this party to make the wisest decision in choosing a candidate to run against Richard Nixon."

Commotion. "Order," Speaker Boggs repeated. "Up to speak now is Vice President Humphrey."

The Vice President's announcement was not shocking at all, in fact, it was very predictable. He endorsed President Johnson, and left it at that. He seemed very happy, but I've heard reports before that, in fact, he was very angry with the President.

Up next was Senator Kennedy. I looked up at Richard Daley, who was staring peacefully at his candidate. I will always remember what Kennedy said to us in that final campaign speech.

"There are times in our lives where we come together divided," he said. "And when that happens, we must learn to come together in the interest of unity and prosperity. It is in the interest of doing so that I must disappoint my supporters and withdraw from the race. As I have said many times, the dream lives on, and the dream shall never die; no, it shall indeed live on as long as we should re-elect President Lyndon Baines Johnson on November 5!"

Gene McCarthy refused to withdraw, but even then, we knew who was going to be nominated. I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Lyndon Johnson had won the game despite not playing for most of it.

- Anonymous delegate interviewed for 1968: A Year in Profile, Bob Woodward, 1988

1968 Democratic National Convention: Fifth Presidential Ballot

President Lyndon B. Johnson (TX) - 2229
Sen. Eugene McCarthy (MN) - 397

1968 Democratic Nominee for President of the United States: Incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX)

DEMS BLINDSIDE PUBLIC, NOMINATE PRES JOHNSON ON FIFTH BALLOT; MCCARTHY BOLTS CONVENTION

- The New York Times Headline, August 28 1968

"I could not, in good conscience, vote for President Johnson, the same man that had initiated the Vietnam War that I so dedicatedly opposed. The peace-loving citizens of the public had no candidate in the election, and that's why I decided to form the Peace Party."

- Up Till Now: A Memoir, Eugene McCarthy, 1988

Q: What was your reaction to the nomination of Lyndon Johnson?
A: Oh, I remember how angry I was. I believed that it was the worst move the Democratic Party had ever made, and I was very angry at Ted Kennedy for endorsing him. Then, I was very happy when Gene McCarthy bolted the party and formed the Peace Party. You know, I worked for the McCarthy campaign in California in September and October.

- The New York Times Interview with Harry Turtledove, Aug. 1990

Next Up: The General Election: Johnson v. Nixon v. Wallace v. McCarthy

historybuff · Dec 29, 2010

What a crazy election year.

DSS · Dec 29, 2010

Short Post - V.P. Picks

"I am keeping Vice President Humphrey on the team, because he and I have worked very well together for the past four years, and we will continue to do so for the next four."

- President Johnson announcing his running mate at the DNC, Aug. 27 1968

"I cannot in good conscience vote for President Johnson or Richard Nixon, and neither can the peace-loving average Americans of today. That is why I am running for President as a candidate of a party that I am now forming, called the Peace Party, and Congressman Pete McCloskey of California has agreed to be my running mate."

- Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) announcing his Independent presidential candidacy, Aug. 28 1968

United States Presidential Election of 1968 General Election Polling
September 6 1968

(R) Former Vice Pres. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA) / Rep. George H.W. Bush (R-TX) - 315 EVs
(D) Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX) / Vice Pres. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) - 117 EVs
(I) Gov. George C. Wallace (D-AL) / Ret. Gen. Curtis E. LeMay (I-CA) - 23 EVs
(P) Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) / Rep. Pete McCloskey (R-CA) - 3 EVs
Tossup: 80 EVs

CCA · Dec 29, 2010

DICKSLIDE!!!

DSS · Dec 29, 2010

CCA said:
DICKSLIDE!!!

Now, now, that's just the general election polling. We're getting there.

Btw, if you want to vote for your preferred candidate in this ATL election, vote in this thread. I wanted to see how AH.Com would have voted.

DSS · Dec 30, 2010

Bumpity-bump; any more comments before we go on to the general election?

DSS · Jan 1, 2011

Just a Candidate Gallery, because I like them so much... I'll try to get in a major update soon!

~~~

Candidate Gallery 1968

Democrats

President Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX)

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (D-MN)

Republicans

Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon (R-NY)

Congressman George H.W. Bush (R-TX)

American Independent

Former Governor George Wallace (D-AL)

Former General Curtis LeMay (I-CA)

Peace Party

Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN)

Congressman Pete McCloskey (R-CA)

YIPPIES

Pigasus (I-IL)

John Lennon (I-UK)[1]

[1] ITTL, they went as far as nominating a vice-presidential candidate, despite the nominee being a citizen of the United Kingdom. Total, the Pigasus/Lennon ticket won 20 votes in the general election.