WI: Nixon Scandal, Prior to 1972 Election

In my old AH age, I've become interested in the election cycles that tend to be ignored because they don't spring to mind as a time for major change. There is a lot of potential to them. I really like 1972 because of the fear, loathing and insanity of that election.

What if prior to the 1972, while also having been elected in 1968, the Nixon White House had been rocked by scandal potentially to such a degree that Richard Nixon was impeached or resigned? What if 1972 was either an election where Nixon was not a factor or where Nixon could lose, or even lose the Republican nomination?
 
In my old AH age, I've become interested in the election cycles that tend to be ignored because they don't spring to mind as a time for major change. There is a lot of potential to them. I really like 1972 because of the fear, loathing and insanity of that election.

What if prior to the 1972, while also having been elected in 1968, the Nixon White House had been rocked by scandal potentially to such a degree that Richard Nixon was impeached or resigned? What if 1972 was either an election where Nixon was not a factor or where Nixon could lose, or even lose the Republican nomination?

I could see the Democrats narrowly winning in '72 if that's the case, although Humphrey or Muskie might get the nomination instead of McGovern. As for what happens after a Democratic win in 72, the economy is still going to go south in 1973, there were other issues of the '73-'77 term as well that weren't Watergate related. If things go bad enough, you may have a GOP victory in '76, which could mean President Reagan 4 years earlier.
 

Driftless

Donor
In my old AH age, I've become interested in the election cycles that tend to be ignored because they don't spring to mind as a time for major change. There is a lot of potential to them. I really like 1972 because of the fear, loathing and insanity of that election.

What if prior to the 1972, while also having been elected in 1968, the Nixon White House had been rocked by scandal potentially to such a degree that Richard Nixon was impeached or resigned? What if 1972 was either an election where Nixon was not a factor or where Nixon could lose, or even lose the Republican nomination?

I could see the Democrats narrowly winning in '72 if that's the case, although Humphrey or Muskie might get the nomination instead of McGovern. As for what happens after a Democratic win in 72, the economy is still going to go south in 1973, there were other issues of the '73-'77 term as well that weren't Watergate related. If things go bad enough, you may have a GOP victory in '76, which could mean President Reagan 4 years earlier.

Probably a Democratic win, but with a great deal of acrimony involved. In the early days of the Watergate revelations, there was a considerable amount of denial, disbelief, and downplay of the whole thing. A big chunk of the voting population either did not want to believe such activity could occur, while others viewed it as "business as usual - what' the big deal?". It took the day-after-day of the hearings & such to hammer home the situation. If you shortcut that part of the process as part of the POD, I think you have a real volatile election that could spin any direction - but probably enough of a turn out of the anti-Nixon vote to swing the election towards the Dems.
 
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