Krueger should be interesting. He's one of the more fascinating characters in Wisconsin history that never managed to rise to the prominence that he otherwise might have.
The Prodigal Sons Return: The Progressives of Wisconsin and the Republican Party
- Thread starter DanMcCollum
- Start date
Krueger should be interesting. He's one of the more fascinating characters in Wisconsin history that never managed to rise to the prominence that he otherwise might have.
Pop-culture Interlude # 5
Outside Memphis, Tennessee
October 3, 1958
Elvis Aaron Presley was not a happy man, and, as he did while in a bad mood, he was tearing around the dark country roads of the Tennessee hill country on his motorcycle, trying to blow off some steam. As the trees whipped past him, Elvis smiled, loving the feeling of the wind in his hair, and the excitement of the road beneath his wheels.
For years they had made fun of him. Growing up in a poor family, forced to move to a largely Negro section of town, Elvis had been the target of many an insult and taunt while in the school. But, he’d showed the all; two years ago he had recorded a single at the legendary Sun Records which had taken the nation, the world, by storm. For all the shit they had given him, all of the taunts, he had become a superstar. The first of many gods of Rock’n’Roll.
Elvis was still angry. He had recently recorded his third, and final, appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, and the executive had chosen to record him only from the waist up. It was embarrassing. It seemed like, no matter what he tried to do, he was still the odd duck, the one who would never be truly accepted by the nation, no matter what he had accomplished.
Elvis shifted to the next gear as he took a sharp turn.
He gunned the engine as the turn engine, and blew out of the curve going an easy 80 miles an hour; the uppers, which he had routinely begun to take due to the stress of the road, had finally kicked in. God did it feel good; the open road before you, the wind in your hair, the sense of possibility before you. Elvis let out a laugh, and began to him a new song he had made up on the spot.
“The wheels on the road/
The wind in your hair/
Baby I could take you anywhere.”
He laughed as inspiration struck him; Elvis Presley was not a man to write his own songs.
All of sudden, he saw a blur of motion to his right, colored red. “Was that a stop sign,” he had time to think, before impacting headline with a farmer’s truck at 75 miles per hour. Elvis Aaron Presley was pronounced dead on the scene. It was not a difficult call for the local police to make.
Rock ’n’ Roll Riot: How Rock ’n’ Roll Changed America
By: Glenn C. Altschuler
[Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998]
The death of Elvis Presley sent shockwaves throughout America. A greatest artist who had helped begin the Rock ‘n’ Roll revolution within the United States, Presley was seen as the ‘King’ of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the greatest stage act of the genre up to that time. During his short two years of recording, Presley had recorded a number of hit singles including “That’s Alright Mama,” “Bearcat Blues,’ and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Riot.” These singles had cumulated in his appearance in the film “Southern Blues” which had depicted Elvis as a young Southern man who moved North and fell in love with a young Urban girl; overcoming class prejudice along the way.
…
Elvis’ death deprived Rock ‘n’ Roll of its greatest voice, and ultimately left a vacuum for others to fill. Among these was Johnny Cash, who released his hit single “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” and Jerry Lee Lewis who was to become one of the most prominent faces of Rock ‘n’ Roll from 1958 through 1960. However, of all of them, perhaps the most important was a young man from Chicago who recorded under the name of Eddy Bell. [FN1]
…
Chicago, Illinois
January 5th, 1959
Eddy Bell was not a happy man. Born Eddie Blazonczyk in 1941, Eddy Bell had devoted his life to playing the new sound which was coming from the South and cities such as New York. During his short life he had managed to play with Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. And yet, despite all of this, none of his records had ever managed to become anything more than regional novelty hits; such as his song “The Great Pumpkin” which had become a Halloween hit, but had not bolstered his national reputation. [FN2]
And to make matter worse, his producer, Lenny LaCour of Lucky Four Records, wanted to throw in the towel. “Why don’t you play Polka,” LaCour kept asking. It had become a steady stream of unwelcome advice; each recording session was met with the same suggestion, that Bell join the music of his father. It was enough to drive a good, red blooded, young American crazy.
Finally, Bell had had enough. It had been a particularly difficult recording session, and Bell had produced little of any note. As usual, LaCour had suggested the direction of recording Polka. On the front of it, it made sense; prior to the breakout of Rock’n’Roll in 1956, Polka had become popular in the pop-music circles, and fans remained throughout the ethnic communities of North; such as in Bell’s own Chicago.
But Bell was a fan of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and wanted to play in that style. Usually a good boy, not given to rebellious outbursts, Bell had finally had enough. While sitting in the studio, after the most recent suggestion, he snarled “You want Polka? Fine! What do you think of this?”
The following three minutes and twenty seconds changed American, and word, music. Eddy Bell grabbed his electric guitar and began to beat out the song “Beer Barrel Polka,” the guitar screaming and his voice snarling in a way which LaCour had never heard before.
When it was all over, Eddy Bell looked embarrassed, and blushed, but LaCour could barely contain his excitement.
“Can you do that again; with a full band?”
"Sure," Bell said, “but, do you really want me too?”
“Kid,” LaCour said, “we give you a full horn section, and we have a hit on our hands. My god; you are going to be a star!”
Rock ’n’ Roll Riot: How Rock ’n’ Roll Changed America
By: Glenn C. Altschuler
[Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998]
…
The release of Eddy Bell’s “Beer Barrel Polka” in the months following Elvis’ death revolutionized the burgeoning Rock ‘n’ Roll scene. For the first time, an artist had taken the spirit and energy of Rock ‘n’ Roll and merged it with the music which was popular within his local community. Bell’s hit quickly shot to the top of the charts, and proved to be an influence to many other Rock singers over the next several years; soon the Hawkings cousins were releasing music which drew from their upbringing in the Bayou, such as the hits “Suzie Q,” and “Who Do You Love,” Lonnie Donegan was reaching American audiences with his Siffle, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens continued to release their versions of Latin and Texan based rock, and many other experimented in the style; merging it with their own musical traditions. Rock ‘n’ Roll was soon adapting to many local scenes. [FN3]
Eddy Bell in an early pulicity shot from 1958
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1belYXZC2s
A video which shows the music of Mr. Eddy Bell in his career in OTL. Check it out; it will do you all good
[FN1] A throw out to Mr. Chester A Arthur and “For All Time.’ I figure I owe my old dorm-mate that much J
[FN2] All of this was as in OTL. Eddie Blazoncyzk started his career as Eddy Bell and released several novelty songs in the Chicago market. Here; he has a bad day, and is pushed into creating something greater.
[FN3] any of these scenes existed in OTL; especially the Hawkings and their Swamp Rock (which CCR eventually popularized). In the ATL a new regional scene becomes popular due to Eddy Bell, and this encourages other artists to begin to play around with merging Rock and their local music culture together. In an era which saw Folk Rock come to the mainstream, is it really that unlikely?
Outside Memphis, Tennessee
October 3, 1958
Elvis Aaron Presley was not a happy man, and, as he did while in a bad mood, he was tearing around the dark country roads of the Tennessee hill country on his motorcycle, trying to blow off some steam. As the trees whipped past him, Elvis smiled, loving the feeling of the wind in his hair, and the excitement of the road beneath his wheels.
For years they had made fun of him. Growing up in a poor family, forced to move to a largely Negro section of town, Elvis had been the target of many an insult and taunt while in the school. But, he’d showed the all; two years ago he had recorded a single at the legendary Sun Records which had taken the nation, the world, by storm. For all the shit they had given him, all of the taunts, he had become a superstar. The first of many gods of Rock’n’Roll.
Elvis was still angry. He had recently recorded his third, and final, appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, and the executive had chosen to record him only from the waist up. It was embarrassing. It seemed like, no matter what he tried to do, he was still the odd duck, the one who would never be truly accepted by the nation, no matter what he had accomplished.
Elvis shifted to the next gear as he took a sharp turn.
He gunned the engine as the turn engine, and blew out of the curve going an easy 80 miles an hour; the uppers, which he had routinely begun to take due to the stress of the road, had finally kicked in. God did it feel good; the open road before you, the wind in your hair, the sense of possibility before you. Elvis let out a laugh, and began to him a new song he had made up on the spot.
“The wheels on the road/
The wind in your hair/
Baby I could take you anywhere.”
He laughed as inspiration struck him; Elvis Presley was not a man to write his own songs.
All of sudden, he saw a blur of motion to his right, colored red. “Was that a stop sign,” he had time to think, before impacting headline with a farmer’s truck at 75 miles per hour. Elvis Aaron Presley was pronounced dead on the scene. It was not a difficult call for the local police to make.
Rock ’n’ Roll Riot: How Rock ’n’ Roll Changed America
By: Glenn C. Altschuler
[Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998]
The death of Elvis Presley sent shockwaves throughout America. A greatest artist who had helped begin the Rock ‘n’ Roll revolution within the United States, Presley was seen as the ‘King’ of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the greatest stage act of the genre up to that time. During his short two years of recording, Presley had recorded a number of hit singles including “That’s Alright Mama,” “Bearcat Blues,’ and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Riot.” These singles had cumulated in his appearance in the film “Southern Blues” which had depicted Elvis as a young Southern man who moved North and fell in love with a young Urban girl; overcoming class prejudice along the way.
…
Elvis’ death deprived Rock ‘n’ Roll of its greatest voice, and ultimately left a vacuum for others to fill. Among these was Johnny Cash, who released his hit single “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” and Jerry Lee Lewis who was to become one of the most prominent faces of Rock ‘n’ Roll from 1958 through 1960. However, of all of them, perhaps the most important was a young man from Chicago who recorded under the name of Eddy Bell. [FN1]
…
Chicago, Illinois
January 5th, 1959
Eddy Bell was not a happy man. Born Eddie Blazonczyk in 1941, Eddy Bell had devoted his life to playing the new sound which was coming from the South and cities such as New York. During his short life he had managed to play with Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. And yet, despite all of this, none of his records had ever managed to become anything more than regional novelty hits; such as his song “The Great Pumpkin” which had become a Halloween hit, but had not bolstered his national reputation. [FN2]
And to make matter worse, his producer, Lenny LaCour of Lucky Four Records, wanted to throw in the towel. “Why don’t you play Polka,” LaCour kept asking. It had become a steady stream of unwelcome advice; each recording session was met with the same suggestion, that Bell join the music of his father. It was enough to drive a good, red blooded, young American crazy.
Finally, Bell had had enough. It had been a particularly difficult recording session, and Bell had produced little of any note. As usual, LaCour had suggested the direction of recording Polka. On the front of it, it made sense; prior to the breakout of Rock’n’Roll in 1956, Polka had become popular in the pop-music circles, and fans remained throughout the ethnic communities of North; such as in Bell’s own Chicago.
But Bell was a fan of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and wanted to play in that style. Usually a good boy, not given to rebellious outbursts, Bell had finally had enough. While sitting in the studio, after the most recent suggestion, he snarled “You want Polka? Fine! What do you think of this?”
The following three minutes and twenty seconds changed American, and word, music. Eddy Bell grabbed his electric guitar and began to beat out the song “Beer Barrel Polka,” the guitar screaming and his voice snarling in a way which LaCour had never heard before.
When it was all over, Eddy Bell looked embarrassed, and blushed, but LaCour could barely contain his excitement.
“Can you do that again; with a full band?”
"Sure," Bell said, “but, do you really want me too?”
“Kid,” LaCour said, “we give you a full horn section, and we have a hit on our hands. My god; you are going to be a star!”
Rock ’n’ Roll Riot: How Rock ’n’ Roll Changed America
By: Glenn C. Altschuler
[Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998]
…
The release of Eddy Bell’s “Beer Barrel Polka” in the months following Elvis’ death revolutionized the burgeoning Rock ‘n’ Roll scene. For the first time, an artist had taken the spirit and energy of Rock ‘n’ Roll and merged it with the music which was popular within his local community. Bell’s hit quickly shot to the top of the charts, and proved to be an influence to many other Rock singers over the next several years; soon the Hawkings cousins were releasing music which drew from their upbringing in the Bayou, such as the hits “Suzie Q,” and “Who Do You Love,” Lonnie Donegan was reaching American audiences with his Siffle, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens continued to release their versions of Latin and Texan based rock, and many other experimented in the style; merging it with their own musical traditions. Rock ‘n’ Roll was soon adapting to many local scenes. [FN3]
Eddy Bell in an early pulicity shot from 1958
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1belYXZC2s
A video which shows the music of Mr. Eddy Bell in his career in OTL. Check it out; it will do you all good
[FN1] A throw out to Mr. Chester A Arthur and “For All Time.’ I figure I owe my old dorm-mate that much J
[FN2] All of this was as in OTL. Eddie Blazoncyzk started his career as Eddy Bell and released several novelty songs in the Chicago market. Here; he has a bad day, and is pushed into creating something greater.
[FN3] any of these scenes existed in OTL; especially the Hawkings and their Swamp Rock (which CCR eventually popularized). In the ATL a new regional scene becomes popular due to Eddy Bell, and this encourages other artists to begin to play around with merging Rock and their local music culture together. In an era which saw Folk Rock come to the mainstream, is it really that unlikely?
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This recent Pop-Culture interlude shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone; I've been foreshadowing it for some time. And yet, despite my many attempts to get people to respond, no one has taken the bait, and commented on what I was saying. Tragic!
So; we now have Rock 'n' Roll splitting into several different scenes as the 1950s drag on. Hope you all enjoy. And, by the way, Eddy Bell (Eddie Blazoncek) was a very real man (in fact, one of my best friends from High School played with him several times).
I'd be interested to see what you all think of these developments in Rock!
So; we now have Rock 'n' Roll splitting into several different scenes as the 1950s drag on. Hope you all enjoy. And, by the way, Eddy Bell (Eddie Blazoncek) was a very real man (in fact, one of my best friends from High School played with him several times).
I'd be interested to see what you all think of these developments in Rock!
It happens to the best of us. I was a bit dissapointed more people didn't bite, and comment on the coming changes to the world of Rock'n'Roll, but such is life. I'll be turning to next Congress soon, and the effects of the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
Its coming! I'm doing some research on Nixon at the moment, who will be figuring prominently in developments, as he is now Senate Majority Leader. I'd expect one either this weekend, or next.
As a resident of Merrill, Wisconsin I find myself quite surprised to find this teensy little speck of a community mentioned on AH.com of all places
Other than that I love this timeline. I get so sick of people seeing political parties as monolithic blocks and when in reality they're these fascinating fluctuating coalitions that constantly ebb and change, which you flesh out in such detail. Definitely worth the read.
Other than that I love this timeline. I get so sick of people seeing political parties as monolithic blocks and when in reality they're these fascinating fluctuating coalitions that constantly ebb and change, which you flesh out in such detail. Definitely worth the read.
As a resident of Merrill, Wisconsin I find myself quite surprised to find this teensy little speck of a community mentioned on AH.com of all places
Other than that I love this timeline. I get so sick of people seeing political parties as monolithic blocks and when in reality they're these fascinating fluctuating coalitions that constantly ebb and change, which you flesh out in such detail. Definitely worth the read.
Well; I grew up in the Wausau area, so a shout-out to Merrill shouldn't be all that surprising! A question for you; do you know if Krueger's old bar is still in town, or if he still has family in the region. If the bar is still there, I'd love to swing up and have a beer or two there next time I'm in the area! (Tiny figures pretty prominently in my thesis, so it would be kind of fun to see his old stomping grounds).
And, thanks for the comments. I agree about political parties, and wanted to represent that to some degree in this timeline (as well as focusing on the local level; which often gets overlooked in TLs ... although thats pretty understandable. I wouldn't be able to write as detailedly about the local politics of, say, Florida, during this same era! I've also had the good luck of running into some members here who are really up on their own state's histories, which has been helping me keep my finger on the pulse of states other than Wisconsin). The Republican and Democratic Parties which emerge from the *60s and *70s in this ATL will be different than those from OTL, although i think they will be organic outgrowths of the parties in the 40s and 50s.
Chapter 25
A Life of Service: the Life of Richard M. Nixon
Erik Carlson
[New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998]
…
The election of Richard Nixon as Senate Majority Leader in 1959 was the culmination of the Senator’s rise to power within the United States Senate. Since his election in 1950, riding upon the coat-tails of his successful investigation of Alger Hiss, Nixon had showed a dogged ambition to rise to the top of the Republican hierarchy. Initially finding himself singled out by President Dewey as an example of the younger generation of Republican leaders who would rebuild the Party, Nixon’s star appeared to be on the rise. In 1952 he positioned himself as a stalwart Dewey supporter when the Party had entered into civil war between the supporters of the President and those of General MacArthur.
The subsequent loss of both Dewey and MacArthur to Dwight D. Eisenhower and the resurgent Democratic majority greatly affected Nixon. Not only could he no longer rely upon the support of the President, Nixon has also become closely associated with the Moderate and Liberal wing of the Party. More so, he also came to see the deep divides which existed within the Republican Party and, more so than many of his contemporaries, became convinced that some form of consensus would have to be hammered out within the party if they would ever again have the opportunity of sitting in the White House within a generation. Nixon, furthermore, became convinced that he was the only leader who could bring the broken shards of his party together.
On the face of it, Nixon must have appeared an unlikely figure to become the leader of the Republican Party. He, after all, had been close to Dewey, so close, in fact, that many had joked that he was the President’s true heir apparent. However, he was a young up-and-comer, and possessed a dogged tenacity that allowed him to cut through much of the animosity he had generated by openly supporting the President. Nixon was also helped by public opinion; the growing public consensus within the general public was that it had been the Conservative Stalwarts who had betrayed the President by throwing their support behind MacArthur. As a result, despite their apparent strength, it was the Conservatives who would come to be seen as responsible for the disaster of 1952, and the ones who would need to seek reapproachment.
Nixon, therefore, began to rise in the esteem of the party’s conservative, usually congressional, wing, by being one of the few Deweyites who were willing to work with them. Although stating his own views honestly, he still sought to work with the Conservatives, even while he worked to moderate many of their more extreme ideas, and build bridges between them and the moderate wing. His growing close relationship with such leaders did not always win him the esteem with the party’s Eastern establishment; many of whom would come to believe that Nixon had no strongly held beliefs of his own, and would simply do whatever it took, and support whatever programs were needed, in order to gain power. [FN1]
However, the largest event to occur in the life of Senator Richard Nixon, that would have the largest impact upon his image in public, and within the Party, was one which he could never have foreseen, and would have happily prevent. The assassination of Senator John F. Kennedy would cast a shadow over Richard Nixon that he was never able to utterly escape; whether he ever chose to, or not. Kennedy’s death, throwing himself into the way of the bullets of Puerto Rican nationalists, seeking to protect his fellow Senator, sent shockwaves through American society. The nation had turned his attention to, who they felt to be, the intended victim of the mass attack; and Nixon had found himself the target a wide swell of positive press treatment. [FN2]
The death of Kennedy had further, much deeper, and more difficult to describe, effects upon Richard Nixon. Following the death of his friend, Nixon took to wearing a lock of Kennedy’s hair, a gift from the slain-senator’s father, in a locket around his neck, and would never miss an opportunity to laud the memory of John Kennedy. It was Nixon who would lobby for the posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor to Kennedy; a quest which he would finally succeed at in 1971.
Nixon also took it upon himself to become a mentor to Kennedy’s successor, and younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy. Robert Kennedy had served, briefly, upon Nixon’s staff as an investigator; the result of a favor called in by Joseph Kennedy Sr., who requested a government job for his younger son. Nixon and the younger Kennedy had taken a liking to one another. Following the death of John Kennedy, Nixon had been wracked with guilt, and had gone out of his way to ease the transition of young Robert into the Senate, as well as to mentor the younger man on senate decorum and procedure. Kennedy’s crusade against corruption within organized labor and, later, organized crime, were largely helped by Nixon, behind the scenes, who supplied the younger man with contacts, advice, and expert advice.
The association became so strong that many began to equate the two men with one another; which became a problem when some of the younger Kennedy occasionally became carried away with his investigations and crossed the lines of social etiquette at the time. [FN3]
…
Beginning in 1956, Nixon took to campaigning widely for Republican candidates to the House and Senate throughout the nation. He also campaigned, much less strenuously, for the William Knowland, the Republican candidate for President and a fellow Californian. Privately, Nixon disparaged Knowland as a fool, and a drunk, but publically he walked a tightrope between supporting his party’s candidate and maintaining enough distance so that he would not be tarnished by the electoral disaster he correctly foresaw. [FN4]
When the dust had settled from the ’56, the Republican had been decisively defeated by Eisenhower. However, they had held their own in the Senate and House of Representatives, losing only a few seats, and far surpassing the expectations of many. Nixon, due to his tireless campaigning across the nation, was credited by many for this victory, and had won the undying support of those who he had helped win election.
When the new Congress convened, Nixon appeared to the strongest candidate for the position of House Minority Leader. He had won the support of most party elders, had proven his abilities as a vote-getter, as well as his loyalty to Republicans, no matter their ideological basis. He was quickly elected upon the first blast.
…
Nixon’s two years as Senate Minority Leader were spent strengthening his relations with party members, and building up to the election of 1958 which, he felt, the Republicans would be able to regain control of the Senate, if not the House as well. In doing so, he worked to break the stranglehold of the “Conservative Bloc” on the Senate; that alliance between conservative Republicans and Democrats which had managed to effectively stop almost any legislation of real import in the Senate since the 1940s. In doing so, Nixon became, even more, the public face of the GOP during the waning years of the Eisenhower administration.
…
With the election of the first Republican Senate since 1950, Richard Nixon moved easily into the role of Senate Majority Leader. The first order of business was one which, he hoped, would show his strength as a legislative leader, increase his public face, and possibly drive a wedge between the Liberal and Conservative wings of the Democratic Party, while uniting his own Party even further behind him as leader. It was time, in other words, to do something about Civil Rights …
[FN1] In OTL the Eastern Establishment Republicans took an early dislike to Nixon, despite his efforts to get Eisenhower the nomination in 1952. I figure that, in the ATL, they might initially come to see him as bit of a turn-coat; an avowed Dewey supporter who was no courting the Conservative wings of the Party.
[FN2] As described in a previous chapter. There is really no underestimating the importance of this event on the ATL Nixon.
[FN3] The RFK of the 1940s and 50s was not the man who emerged by the late 1960s. This RFK is still much closer to the young man, who on a trip to the Soviet Union, suffered a near nervous breakdown and was convinced the Soviets were out to poison him. Although the death of his brother has affected him, and mellowed him somewhat, he is still seen a very aggressive investigator, and is busy coming to be seen by the Democratic establishment as another Estes Kafauver, only … meaner (and his close association with Nixon doesn’t help matters either).
[FN4] This is very similar to Nixon’s strategy from 1964-68, only, here of course, he actually is holding public office. Make sure that the conservative leaders know he will support them when he is capable, campaign for other up-and-coming Republicans, and use this support to get himself seen as the leader of the Party.
Okay; this entry wasn't quite as detailed as I would like (I had initially planned on it focusing entirely on the Civil Rights battle), but I felt I needed to go into dome depth of alt-Nixon's political career up to this point and his plans for the future. I hope it was well enjoyed!
Hopefully I can break my curse of not doing an update more ofte nthan once a month, and get the next one out soon!
A Life of Service: the Life of Richard M. Nixon
Erik Carlson
[New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998]
…
The election of Richard Nixon as Senate Majority Leader in 1959 was the culmination of the Senator’s rise to power within the United States Senate. Since his election in 1950, riding upon the coat-tails of his successful investigation of Alger Hiss, Nixon had showed a dogged ambition to rise to the top of the Republican hierarchy. Initially finding himself singled out by President Dewey as an example of the younger generation of Republican leaders who would rebuild the Party, Nixon’s star appeared to be on the rise. In 1952 he positioned himself as a stalwart Dewey supporter when the Party had entered into civil war between the supporters of the President and those of General MacArthur.
The subsequent loss of both Dewey and MacArthur to Dwight D. Eisenhower and the resurgent Democratic majority greatly affected Nixon. Not only could he no longer rely upon the support of the President, Nixon has also become closely associated with the Moderate and Liberal wing of the Party. More so, he also came to see the deep divides which existed within the Republican Party and, more so than many of his contemporaries, became convinced that some form of consensus would have to be hammered out within the party if they would ever again have the opportunity of sitting in the White House within a generation. Nixon, furthermore, became convinced that he was the only leader who could bring the broken shards of his party together.
On the face of it, Nixon must have appeared an unlikely figure to become the leader of the Republican Party. He, after all, had been close to Dewey, so close, in fact, that many had joked that he was the President’s true heir apparent. However, he was a young up-and-comer, and possessed a dogged tenacity that allowed him to cut through much of the animosity he had generated by openly supporting the President. Nixon was also helped by public opinion; the growing public consensus within the general public was that it had been the Conservative Stalwarts who had betrayed the President by throwing their support behind MacArthur. As a result, despite their apparent strength, it was the Conservatives who would come to be seen as responsible for the disaster of 1952, and the ones who would need to seek reapproachment.
Nixon, therefore, began to rise in the esteem of the party’s conservative, usually congressional, wing, by being one of the few Deweyites who were willing to work with them. Although stating his own views honestly, he still sought to work with the Conservatives, even while he worked to moderate many of their more extreme ideas, and build bridges between them and the moderate wing. His growing close relationship with such leaders did not always win him the esteem with the party’s Eastern establishment; many of whom would come to believe that Nixon had no strongly held beliefs of his own, and would simply do whatever it took, and support whatever programs were needed, in order to gain power. [FN1]
However, the largest event to occur in the life of Senator Richard Nixon, that would have the largest impact upon his image in public, and within the Party, was one which he could never have foreseen, and would have happily prevent. The assassination of Senator John F. Kennedy would cast a shadow over Richard Nixon that he was never able to utterly escape; whether he ever chose to, or not. Kennedy’s death, throwing himself into the way of the bullets of Puerto Rican nationalists, seeking to protect his fellow Senator, sent shockwaves through American society. The nation had turned his attention to, who they felt to be, the intended victim of the mass attack; and Nixon had found himself the target a wide swell of positive press treatment. [FN2]
The death of Kennedy had further, much deeper, and more difficult to describe, effects upon Richard Nixon. Following the death of his friend, Nixon took to wearing a lock of Kennedy’s hair, a gift from the slain-senator’s father, in a locket around his neck, and would never miss an opportunity to laud the memory of John Kennedy. It was Nixon who would lobby for the posthumous awarding of the Medal of Honor to Kennedy; a quest which he would finally succeed at in 1971.
Nixon also took it upon himself to become a mentor to Kennedy’s successor, and younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy. Robert Kennedy had served, briefly, upon Nixon’s staff as an investigator; the result of a favor called in by Joseph Kennedy Sr., who requested a government job for his younger son. Nixon and the younger Kennedy had taken a liking to one another. Following the death of John Kennedy, Nixon had been wracked with guilt, and had gone out of his way to ease the transition of young Robert into the Senate, as well as to mentor the younger man on senate decorum and procedure. Kennedy’s crusade against corruption within organized labor and, later, organized crime, were largely helped by Nixon, behind the scenes, who supplied the younger man with contacts, advice, and expert advice.
The association became so strong that many began to equate the two men with one another; which became a problem when some of the younger Kennedy occasionally became carried away with his investigations and crossed the lines of social etiquette at the time. [FN3]
…
Beginning in 1956, Nixon took to campaigning widely for Republican candidates to the House and Senate throughout the nation. He also campaigned, much less strenuously, for the William Knowland, the Republican candidate for President and a fellow Californian. Privately, Nixon disparaged Knowland as a fool, and a drunk, but publically he walked a tightrope between supporting his party’s candidate and maintaining enough distance so that he would not be tarnished by the electoral disaster he correctly foresaw. [FN4]
When the dust had settled from the ’56, the Republican had been decisively defeated by Eisenhower. However, they had held their own in the Senate and House of Representatives, losing only a few seats, and far surpassing the expectations of many. Nixon, due to his tireless campaigning across the nation, was credited by many for this victory, and had won the undying support of those who he had helped win election.
When the new Congress convened, Nixon appeared to the strongest candidate for the position of House Minority Leader. He had won the support of most party elders, had proven his abilities as a vote-getter, as well as his loyalty to Republicans, no matter their ideological basis. He was quickly elected upon the first blast.
…
Nixon’s two years as Senate Minority Leader were spent strengthening his relations with party members, and building up to the election of 1958 which, he felt, the Republicans would be able to regain control of the Senate, if not the House as well. In doing so, he worked to break the stranglehold of the “Conservative Bloc” on the Senate; that alliance between conservative Republicans and Democrats which had managed to effectively stop almost any legislation of real import in the Senate since the 1940s. In doing so, Nixon became, even more, the public face of the GOP during the waning years of the Eisenhower administration.
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With the election of the first Republican Senate since 1950, Richard Nixon moved easily into the role of Senate Majority Leader. The first order of business was one which, he hoped, would show his strength as a legislative leader, increase his public face, and possibly drive a wedge between the Liberal and Conservative wings of the Democratic Party, while uniting his own Party even further behind him as leader. It was time, in other words, to do something about Civil Rights …
[FN1] In OTL the Eastern Establishment Republicans took an early dislike to Nixon, despite his efforts to get Eisenhower the nomination in 1952. I figure that, in the ATL, they might initially come to see him as bit of a turn-coat; an avowed Dewey supporter who was no courting the Conservative wings of the Party.
[FN2] As described in a previous chapter. There is really no underestimating the importance of this event on the ATL Nixon.
[FN3] The RFK of the 1940s and 50s was not the man who emerged by the late 1960s. This RFK is still much closer to the young man, who on a trip to the Soviet Union, suffered a near nervous breakdown and was convinced the Soviets were out to poison him. Although the death of his brother has affected him, and mellowed him somewhat, he is still seen a very aggressive investigator, and is busy coming to be seen by the Democratic establishment as another Estes Kafauver, only … meaner (and his close association with Nixon doesn’t help matters either).
[FN4] This is very similar to Nixon’s strategy from 1964-68, only, here of course, he actually is holding public office. Make sure that the conservative leaders know he will support them when he is capable, campaign for other up-and-coming Republicans, and use this support to get himself seen as the leader of the Party.
Okay; this entry wasn't quite as detailed as I would like (I had initially planned on it focusing entirely on the Civil Rights battle), but I felt I needed to go into dome depth of alt-Nixon's political career up to this point and his plans for the future. I hope it was well enjoyed!
Hopefully I can break my curse of not doing an update more ofte nthan once a month, and get the next one out soon!
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Nice look at this version of Nixon. Any idea what you plan on your next update being about? We'll see who's going to run in the 1960 election. Ever hear of a site called the livingroomcandidate.org?
The next post will detail the quest for a Civil Rights Bill in 1959, and its ramifications. Afterwards, we will be moving into the 1960 election cycle and then bringing the Eisenhower years to an end!
Also, no I hadn't seen that sight, but I'm going to check it out now; thanks!
In some ways, I think that ATL-Nixon is hapier with his career than our OTL version. Although he hasn't ever been Vice-President to Eisenhower, he is a popular politician who has been able to build up is own following and independent powerbase (his relationship with the, ironically, Junior-Senator from Caliornia is somewhat strained, and he has nothing to do with the Democratic governor ... but he is a big player in his own right). Being elected Senate Majority Leader, and actually getting a chance to chart the course of legislation, is going to be the icing on the cake for him. Of course, all power in fleeting,and Nixon may, or may not, have an easy ride ahead of him.
Perhaps Nixon might consider running in it.
Maybe when you check out that sight, you might bet some ideas of ATL political ads for elections in your TL.
He very well may. Nixon is a young man with a national following, and if he's able to get Civil Rights reform through, it would bring him the national attention he would need to make a run. Although, he would still have to contend with Rocky in New York, possibly Charles Taft (the party's VP candidate in 56) and a number of others. It is going to be a wide open field, and there are a few heavy hitters who are eying a run.
I will say this; the eventual candidates for 1960 (and I currently have it figured out ... it could change) have all been mentioned in this TL by now. I'll leave it up to others to try to figure out who they will be
Well the Governor oder New York might certainly be considered the frontrunner, but i wonder it some of his policies might still be a bit out of the GOP mainstream, even in a timeline where the Right has been chastised. We will have to see!
On a sidenote, i hope to post the make up of the Senate in 1959 tonight.