According to wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson#Senate_Democratic_leader LBJ suffered a nearly fatal heart attack in 1955. What if instead of narrowly surviving and quitting smoking he died that day? How would us politics change as a result? Who would be the new senate majority leader in his place? Who would become VP to JFK or for that matter would JFK even win the nomination? Discuss.
WI LBJ's heart attack in 1955 was fatal?
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President Symington?
Symington was against Vietnam War so it would be interesting seeing his Presidency.
Symington was against Vietnam War so it would be interesting seeing his Presidency.
Marc
Donor
Good chance that Kennedy might turn to Terry Sanford. Someone he apparently liked and respected, and could help carry enough of the South.
But keep in mind, without Johnson, the electoral road gets a lot more challenging for the Democrats in 1960.
And, assuming synchronicity with real events, Kennedy does die. We might avoid some of the worse of the 1960's, but also some of the best.
But keep in mind, without Johnson, the electoral road gets a lot more challenging for the Democrats in 1960.
And, assuming synchronicity with real events, Kennedy does die. We might avoid some of the worse of the 1960's, but also some of the best.
Sanford was only elected governor of NC in November 1960. So he is not a plausible running mate in 1960. (If for some reason JFK decided to dump LBJ in 1964--something which I doubt, pace Robert Caro--Sanford would be a plausible replacement then.) If JFK thinks he has to have a southern running mate in 1960 and LBJ isn't available, Senator Albert Gore of Tennessee is a plausible choice (he hadn't signed the Southern Manifesto and had voted for the 1957 and 1960 civil rights bills). But more likely JFK goes with someone like Symington, a border-state moderate liberal not terribly objectionable to any wing of the party. Another possibility would be Scoop Jackson.
I do not think the absence of LBJ would be fatal to the ticket. Even if you think it means Nixon will carry Texas, JFK would have won without Texas. In fact, the only southern states Nixon lost narrowly were TX, SC, and NC; and if he had carried all three, he would still be short of an Electoral College majority. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_United_States_presidential_election The race would in that case go into the House, where JFK would almost certainly win, as I explain at https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/wi-kennedy-jackson-1960.454526/#post-17787556
As for JFK's death, I would not assume it will necessarily happen on schedule if there is no LBJ. JFK was after all in Dallas on November 22, 1963 to help patch up feuds in the Texas Democratic Party which were definitely related to LBJ...
Marc
Donor
Ah, I forgot how relatively late Sanford was elected - thanks for the correction. A bit of a shame, Sanford could have been very impressive.
I suspect it would be essential for Kennedy to find another acceptable southerner. The actual votes don't reflect how strongly disliked he was in the South, a rich Catholic Yankee(!?) and to the degree that Johnson was able to ameliorate it. Hmm, Price Daniel is an almost forgotten figure who could have played a much larger role with an early LBJ demise.
But without LBJ, it's entirely conceivable that JFK would lose the popular vote given how close that election was. Being elected President without the popular vote would no doubt impact Kennedy's credibility and his ability to lead.
I almost choked laughing at that one. That does merit acknowledgment for imagination, even though it's well into ASB territory: in 1960, George Wallace was a circuit court judge in Alabama who failed in a 1958 bid for the governorship.
But if he won the governorship as a pro civil rights (or even favorably neutral) then he’s immediately in the running for VP, though probably with someone besides Kennedy.
A liberal, pro civil rights Southern Wallace is basically a Democratic unicorn, especially with his speaking abilities. He’d pull the same constituency as LBJ in places like Texas and the Southwest while being a reliable new dealer.
I’m not sure JFK gets nominated for potus in this different world.
A liberal, pro civil rights Southern Wallace is basically a Democratic unicorn, especially with his speaking abilities. He’d pull the same constituency as LBJ in places like Texas and the Southwest while being a reliable new dealer.
I’m not sure JFK gets nominated for potus in this different world.