WI: A Nelson Rockefeller Presidency (1969-1977)

Instead of Robert F. Kennedy being assassinated in 1968, it's Nixon. Humphrey still gets the Democratic Nomation, and RFK gracefully endorse him. Rockefeller narrowly wins the Republican nomination against Reagan, who many Nixon supporters have flocked to. (I'm not sure who Rocky would pick as VP, but I don't think it would be Agnew.) Rockefeller narrowly wins the general election much like Nixon OTL. His domestic policies most likely are identical Nixon. What would his foreign policy look like? Rocky wasn't a Hawk, and wouldn't escalate Vietnam, but that's all I know. I see RFK as Rockefeller's successor. Would RFK win re-election in '80? Considering the economy might be better without as big a recession due to perhaps an averted Iranian revolution and lessened inflation from less spending on the Vietnam War?
 
Maybe an earlier War on Drugs and mass incarceration given Rocky's tough on crime status? I think he'd win bigger as he did better in general election polls than Nixon. In my Rocky TL I had him pick Jim Rhodes from Ohio, that could also help him pick up the Ohio delegation and the nomination. If Rocky is successful the GOP has a better chance of winning a third term in 1976. Healthcare reform could be passed under President Rocky. Here's my TL on it.
 
Rockefeller/Brooke would be amazing but I think Nelson needs to pick a conservative friendly running mate in 68.

Perhaps Howard Baker of Tennessee or Jerry Ford of Michagan
 
Rockefeller/Brooke would be amazing but I think Nelson needs to pick a conservative friendly running mate in 68.

Perhaps Howard Baker of Tennessee or Jerry Ford of Michagan

Outside chance but maybe a Rockefeller/Reagan unity ticket to stop Nixon in 68.
 
Outside chance but maybe a Rockefeller/Reagan unity ticket to stop Nixon in 68.
What about Senator John Tower of Texas? Even though he was an arch-conservative in the 60s, he became more moderate in his later years in the senate, so perhaps he could apologize for his opposition to the Civil Rights Act?
 
I think it's very difficult for Rockefeller to win the GOP presidential nomination in 1968. The Right really hated him as much as they had in 1964 (though those conservatives who favored Reagan were more polite to him in 1968, since they hoped to use him to prevent Nixon from winning on the first ballot). I think a more likely path for Rocky to become president in 1969 is this https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/humphrey-rockefeller-ticket-in-1968.336723/ followed by an early death (by accident or assassination) for President Humphrey...
 
If RFK lives I truly believe he would have had the nomination. Leaving that aside for the moment, let's go with Rocky vs. HHH for '68. A democratic loss leads to no way Bobby is denied in '72. I know '72 is seen as a no win year for the dems, but ITTL we have President Rocky, not Nixon. On the other side we'd have a Kennedy, not McGovern. The nostalgia would run high, and with the heir presumptive of Camelot no less.

I like the idea, but Rocky is a one term president in this scenario while Bobby lives.
 
If RFK lives I truly believe he would have had the nomination. Leaving that aside for the moment, let's go with Rocky vs. HHH for '68. A democratic loss leads to no way Bobby is denied in '72. I know '72 is seen as a no win year for the dems, but ITTL we have President Rocky, not Nixon. On the other side we'd have a Kennedy, not McGovern. The nostalgia would run high, and with the heir presumptive of Camelot no less.

I like the idea, but Rocky is a one term president in this scenario while Bobby lives.
I would think unless Rocky does worse than Nixon (which I find unlikely), RFK would wait until '76.
 
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