1968 Democratic race for president--who would you have supported?

[CMT]

Lets pretend LBJ doesn't withdraw.

[Valarauko]

1. ABJ

Anybody But Johnson.

[Awsi Dooger]

2. RFK, assuming he would buck a vulnerable sitting president

Which is not at all a certainty, although Teddy tried the same a dozen years later. I assume you left HHH out of the poll due to similar loyalty concerns for a VP.

That was the first election I was old enough to follow and remember. No one was enthused about Nixon, he won via anger and default. An inspiring vote-for candidate like RFK was easily our best hope.

I don't remember any televised presidential debates in '68 or '72. Was there indeed a lapse from '60 to '76, and if so who dodged them and why? I'm guessing Nixon, based on his sweathog performance in 1960.

[jsw_81]

12. Debates

Johnson dodged debates with Goldwater in '64 because he had such a massive lead in the polls, Nixon dodged debates in '68 because of his disastrous performance against JFK, and he did the same thing in '72 when he was well on his way to trouncing McGovern.

[SaveElmer]

3. How about Hubert Humphrey

I would have supported him !

[Gman]

4. Pat Paulson

wasn't '68 the first year he ran?

[bobbieinok]

10. 3 cheers for Pat Paulson of Smothers Brothers fame

....

[Mr.Green93]

5. Clean for Gene

n/t

[A-Schwarzenegger]

8. McCarthy was the one who put it on the line first

and challenged Johnson in New Hampshire.
After he did well and exposed LBJ's
vulnerability, Bobby jumped in.

[newyawker99]

14. Hi Mr.Green93!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ShaneGR]

6. Well, Johnson wasn't even running, so Kennedy of course

But he was dead..... so what's the point?

[RichV]

7. What...

No George Wallace option?

Kidding...

[Art_from_Ark]

13. Arkansas voted for Wallace that year

1968 was a kind of strange election year in Arkansas, actually. Segregationist Wallace won the state's electoral votes, but the state also re-elected progressive Republican governor Winthrop Rockefeller, and re-elected one of the most outspoken opponents of the war, William Fulbright (D), to the Senate.

As for myself, I would have gone with RFK, if he had been on the ballot and I had been old enough to vote.

[Zynx]

9. I wouldn't vote.

I have never been a big fan of the Kennedy family and Johnson's handling of the war was terrible. Eugene McCarthy, maybe, but no. I would just stay home.

[jsw_81]

11. RFK

I think Robert Kennedy would have beaten Nixon by a wide margin. And he would have been an outstanding president.

[NNN0LHI]

15. George Wallace also ran for president in '68

[Silverhair]

16. Not hypothetical for me. I strongly admired McCarthy. n/t