"I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO LOSE A CLOSE ONE"

NIXON DEFEATS HUMPHREY & WALLACE, WILL BECOME 37TH POTUS JAN 20 1969

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On November 5, 1968, Richard M. Nixon was elected 37th President of the United States.  The former Vice-President, who narrowly lost the Election of 1960 to John F. Kennedy, defeated Hubert Humphrey and George C. Wallace.

The final electoral vote was Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46.

In his victory message to supporters, the President-elect said...

"I congratulated (the Vice-President) for his gallant and courageous fight.  I told him him...I know...how it feels to lose a close one."

The increasing unpopularity of the Vietnam War along with rising inflation and high crime burdened Mr. Humphrey. The assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy as well as unrest on college campuses were major concerns of the electorate.

While Mr. Nixon was bolstered by support of the so-called "silent majority," and even with so many things going for him, the election was still close*.

The Bill of Rights Institute describes the Election of 1968 "transformative" because the Democratic Party shifted to the left and the formerly Democratic "Solid South" turned to the Republicans.

*Popular Vote

Nixon (R) 31,710,470

Humphrey (D) 30,898,055

Wallace (I) 9,906,473 

SOURCE

"The Election of 1968," Bill of Rights Institute, www.billofrightsinstitute.org/

 

 

Election Night 1968

Winston Vargas

www.flickr.com/

"I SHALL NOT SEEK THE NOMINATION OF MY PARTY FOR ANOTHER TERM"

LBJ SHOCKS THE NATION WITH SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) In the evening of March 31, 1968, President Lyndon Baines Johnson shocked the nation in a televised speech in which he said...

"I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your President."

The question is why did LBJ, who had defeated Barry Goldwater by a landslide in 1964, make this decision.   One excellent source for the answer comes from James R. Jones, President Johnson's Chief of Staff in 1968.

Mr. Jones argues in an article for the New York Times (1988) that the "fear of losing...was not the reason..."  He says the real reason was the unsuccessful and unpopular war in Vietnam.

James R. Jones wrote..."As our casualties grew, the abstract agony caused by the daily situation reports became a personal pain for the President when his own son-in-law, Charles Robb, a Marine captain, entered combat."

Health concerns were another major factor in LBJ's decision.  He had a history of heart problems and his own father had died of a heart attack at age 64.  

*James R. Jones was born in Muskogee, OK & graduated from the University of Oklahoma & Georgetown University Law Center.  He served in the US Army Reserve.  After serving LBJ as Chief of Staff, JRJ returned to his law practice. Today he is a parner in the Mynatt, Phelps & Phillips law firm.

JFK+50 NOTE

We watched the President's speech on the first color television my family ever owned.  It was a 10 inch General Electric Porta-Color set.  We had no cable in those days and could only pick up 3 stations over-the-air here in Knoxville.  Two were VHF (Channels 6 & 10) and one UHF (Channel 26).  As I recall, LBJ's speech was televised on all three channels, NBC-CBS-ABC.

SOURCES

"Behind LBJ's Decision Not to Run in 68," by James R. Jones.  New York Times, April 16, 1988, www.nytimes.com/

"Johnson Says He Won't Run," by Tom Wicker, New York Times, April 1, 1968, www.nytimes.com/

LBJ at the Ranch

Photo by Frank Wolfe (1972)

www.lbjlibrary.org/

         

NIXON'S THE ONE

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 2120

RICHARD NIXON WINS PRESIDENCY ON SECOND TRY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) In November 1960, Vice-President Richard M. Nixon lost his bid for the Presidency of the United States in a narrow election defeat to Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.  Two years later he lost the California governorship and told the press, "Just think, you won't have Nixon to kick around anymore."

The former Vice-President, however, turned his fortunes around 48 years ago today, November 5, 1968 by defeating Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and Governor George C. Wallace to become the 37th President of the United States.

The final electoral vote was Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46.

The 1968 presidential election, however, was one of the most divisive campaigns in United States history.  In March, President Lyndon B. Johnson, beleaguered with criticism of his policies in Vietnam, announced he "would not seek and would not accept the nomination of my party for another term as...president."  In June, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, having won the California Democratic Primary, was shot and killed.

The President-elect acknowledged his victory with these words...

"I have received a very gracious message from the Vice-President congratulating me for winning the election.  I congratulated him for his gallant & courageous fight against great odds.  I also told him that I know exactly how he felt.  I know how it feels to lose a close one."

Richard M. Nixon was sworn in along with his Vice-Presidential running mate, Spiro T. Agnew, on January 20, 1969.

I SHALL NOT SEEK ANOTHER TERM AS YOUR PRESIDENT

JFK+50:  Volume VI, No. 1905

END OF MARCH SURPRISE IN '68

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) In November 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson won the fifth most impressive popular vote victory in presidential history in his decisive defeat of Senator Barry Goldwater.

LBJ won 61.1% of the popular vote which stands today as the highest margin of victory since 1820.  Mr. Johnson, who had been sworn into office on the death of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, carried 44 states and the District of Columbia.

Forty-eight years ago tonight, however, President Johnson surprised the nation with his announcement that he would not be a candidate for re-election in 1968.  LBJ said...

"I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your President."

LBJ's words, according to Tom Wicker, came as a "stunning surprise even to close associates" who had been informed of what the President was going to announce shortly before the speech began.

Up until that closing statement, LBJ discussed Vietnam.  He announced a partial bombing halt of the North and said that he would be sending 13,500 additional troops.

There has been much debate as to the reasons why LBJ decided not to run in 1968.  One excellent source for the answers comes from James R. Jones, President Johnson's Chief of Staff in 1968.

Mr. Jones argued in an article for the New York Times in 1988 that the "fear of losing...was not the reason..."  He says the real reason was the unsuccessful and unpopular war in Vietnam.

James R. Jones wrote...

"As our casualties grew, the abstract agony caused by the daily situation reports became a personal pain for the President when his own son-in-law, Charles Robb, a Marine captain, entered combat."

There is also the very telling photograph of LBJ sitting alone in the Cabinet Room listening in anguish to a reel-to-reel tape recorded by Captain Robb detailing the worsening conditions in Vietnam. 

James Jones accompanied LBJ to the Ranch for a meeting with John B. Connally and Lady Bird in which all agreed the President should not run.

On the day of the address, Mr. Johnson presented a copy of his speech to Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey.  When the Vice-President came to the line about not seeking another term, his eyes filled with tears.  LBJ said "you'd better start planning your campaign."  

Mr. Humphrey replied, "There's no way I can beat the Kennedys."

Mr. Jones adds that health concerns were another major factor in LBJ's decision.  He had a history of heart problems and his own father had died of a heart attack at age 64.  President Johnson sincerely felt he would not live through another term.

As it turned out, LBJ died of a heart attack at his ranch in Texas at the age of 64.

*James R. Jones was born in Muskogee, OK & graduated from the University of Oklahoma & Georgetown University Law Center.  He served in the US Army Reserve.  After serving LBJ as Chief of Staff, JRJ returned to his law practice. Today he is a parner in the Mynatt, Phelps & Phillips law firm.

SOURCE

"Behind LBJ's Decision Not to Run in 68," by James R. Jones.  New York Times, April 16, 1988, www.nytimes.com/

"Johnson Says He Won't Run," by Tom Wicker, New York Times, April 1, 1968, www.nytimes.com/

James R. Jones

Northeastern State University

November 29, 2010

by Kpwa gok at English Wikipedia

         

NIXON WINS PRESIDENCY

JFK+50:  Volume 5, No. 1765

NIXON ELECTED PRESIDENT 47 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) In November 1960, Vice-President Richard M. Nixon lost his bid for the Presidency of the United States in a narrow election defeat to Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.  Two years later he lost the California governorship and told the press, "Just think, you won't have Nixon to kick around anymore."

Mr. Nixon, however, turned his fortunes around forty-seven years ago today, November 5, 1968 by defeating Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and Governor George C. Wallace to become the 37th President of the United States.

The final electoral vote was Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46.

The 1968 presidential election, however, was one of the most divisive campaigns in United States history.  In March, President Lyndon B. Johnson, beleaguered with criticism of his policies in Vietnam, announced he "would not seek and would not accept the nomination of my party for another term as...president."  In June, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, having won the California Democratic Primary, was shot and killed.

Nixon, along with running-made Spiro T. Agnew, was sworn in on January 20, 1969.

In a statement made to his supporters, Mr. Nixon said:

"I have received a very gracious message from the Vice-President congratulating me for winning the election.  I congratulated him for his gallant & courageous fight against great odds.  I also told him that I know exactly how he felt.  I know how it feels to lose a close one."