April 5, 1968 - Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Assassinated In Memphis; Police Seek Assassin

(I cannot improve on this story from the time so I am placing the original AP story as written by Doug Stone here).

MEMPHIS (AP) — Nobel Laureat Martin Luther King Jr., father of non-violence in the American civil rights movement, was killed by an assassin's bullet Wednesday (sic) night.

King, 39, was hit in the neck by a bullet as he stood on the balcony of a motel here. He died less than an hour later at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Gov. Buford Ellington immediately ordered 4,000 National Guard troops back into the city. A curfew, which was camped on Memphis after a King-led march turned into a riot a week ago, was reimposed. Police said incidents of violence, including several fire bombings, were reported following King's death.

The 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was standing on the balcony of his motel here, where had come to lend protests in behalf of the city's 1,500 striking garbage workers, most of them Negroes, when he was shot.Two unidentified men were arrested several blocks from the motel.

Police also said they found .30-.06 rifle on Main Street about one block from the motel, but it was not confirmed whether this was the weapon that killed King. An aide who was standing nearby said the shot hit King in the neck and lower right part of his face. "Martin Luther King is dead," said Asst. Police Chief Henry Lux, the first word of the death.

Asst. Hospital Adminstrator Paul Hess confirmed later that King died at 7 p.m. of a bullet wound in the neck. The Rev, Jesse Jackson said he and others in the King party were getting ready to go to dinner when the shooting occurred. "King was on the second floor balcony of the motel," Jackson said. "He had just bent over. If he had been standing up, he wouldn't have been shot in the face.

SOURCES

"Dr. Martin Luther King Killed By Sniper's Bullet In Memphis," by Doug Stone, Associated Press, The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, April 5, 1968, 1.

April 1, 1968 - LBJ Won't Seek Re-Election

With those words, President Lyndon Johnson stunned an entire nation and turned the Presidential race from a presumed contest between Johnson and presumptive Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon into a scrambling free-for-all contest of delegate seeking. Two nights before the Wisconsin primary, the President gave a 41-minute nationally televised speech with a primary emphasis on ending the war in the Vietnam, the issue that has caused so much turmoil in the Presidential contest. The speech emphasized the President's willingness to stop bombing North Vietnam in exchange for peace talks, an offer he originally made last August. He further declared he had ordered the U.S. military to engage in no attacks on Vietnam except in the area north of the demilitarized zone (DMZ), where the President states that threats remain. He also called for a tax increase to help fund the war. All of these important observations were lost, however, with the stunning announcement at the end of the speech that Johnson would under no circumstances be the party nominee.

REACTION

Reaction both home and abroad consisted of "stunned disbelief," followed immediately by praise for the President from some of his most vocal critics. Senator J. William Fulbright (D-AR) praised Johnson as "a great patriot" and said that the President's actions of no more bombing and withdrawal from the race were "hopeful gestures" towards peace. But because politics takes no breather, the reactions of the other candidates seeking to replace Johnson were quite interesting. Richard M. Nixon, the former Vice-President, immediately charged that "someone espousing the Johnson philosophy" would seek the nomination while Senator Eugene McCarthy praised Johnson his public service and then expressed the view that Johnson's withdrawal made McCarthy's own ascent to the Oval Office more likely. McCarthy will address the nation on television tonight regarding his own plans. The withdrawal unquestionably takes the momentum off what is expected to be a McCarthy win in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Senator Kennedy, now the probable Democratic front-runner, praised Johnson for his "magnanimous" decision and then promptly went on the offensive against Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, who is likely to enter the race now that Johnson has withdrawn. Humphrey was informed of the President's decision earlier on Sunday just before the Vice President departed to Mexico City.

Of course, there is no telling how the bombshell announcement will play out for either party, even as early as Tuesday. Republicans may see fewer crossovers now that the result of the Wisconsin primary has become virtually meaningless for the Democrats.

SOURCES

"Johnson's Decision Not to Run Stuns Nation," United Press International, Kenosha News, April 1, 1968, 1.

"RFK Praises Johnson Move," Ibid., 1.

April 1, 1968 - LBJ Withdraws From Race, Won't Seek Re-election; Declares Decision "Irrevocable"

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

With those words, President Lyndon Johnson stunned an entire nation and turned the Presidential race from a presumed contest between Johnson and presumptive Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon into a scrambling free-for-all contest of delegate seeking. Two nights before the Wisconsin primary, the President gave a 41-minute nationally televised speech with a primary emphasis on ending the war in the Vietnam, the issue that has caused so much turmoil in the Presidential contest. The speech emphasized the President's willingness to stop bombing North Vietnam in exchange for peace talks, an offer he originally made last August. He further declared he had ordered the U.S. military to engage in no attacks on Vietnam except in the area north of the demilitarized zone (DMZ), where the President states that threats remain. He also called for a tax increase to help fund the war.

All of these important observations were lost, however, with the stunning announcement at the end of the speech that Johnson would under no circumstances be the party nominee.

REACTION

Reaction both home and abroad consisted of "stunned disbelief," followed immediately by praise for the President from some of his most vocal critics. Senator J. William Fulbright (D-AR) praised Johnson as "a great patriot" and said that the President's actions of no more bombing and withdrawal from the race were "hopeful gestures" towards peace. But because politics takes no breather, the reactions of the other candidates seeking to replace Johnson were quite interesting. Richard M. Nixon, the former Vice-President, immediately charged that "someone espousing the Johnson philosophy" would seek the nomination while Senator Eugene McCarthy praised Johnson his public service and then expressed the view that Johnson's withdrawal made McCarthy's own ascent to the Oval Office more likely. McCarthy will address the nation on television tonight regarding his own plans. The withdrawal unquestionably takes the momentum off what is expected to be a McCarthy win in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Senator Kennedy, now the probable Democratic front-runner, praised Johnson for his "magnanimous" decision and then promptly went on the offensive against Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, who is likely to enter the race now that Johnson has withdrawn. Humphrey was informed of the President's decision earlier on Sunday just before the Vice President departed to Mexico City.

Of course, there is no telling how the bombshell announcement will play out for either party, even as early as Tuesday. Republicans may see fewer crossovers now that the result of the Wisconsin primary has become virtually meaningless for the Democrats. 

SOURCES

"Johnson's Decision Not to Run Stuns Nation," United Press International, Kenosha News, April 1, 1968, 1. 

"RFK Praises Johnson Move," Ibid., 1.

March 31, 1968 - Johnson To Address Nation About Vietnam In Nationally Televised Speech Tonight; McCarthy Likely To Win Wisconsin

President Lyndon Johnson will address the nation at 9 p.m. EST tonight to deal "rather fully" with the Vietnam situation, including further troop increases, activation of reserve units, and the overall projected cost of such endeavors. The President announced during a news conference Saturday that he will address the nation tonight both by radio and television. In addition to the situation in Vietnam, the President said his speech would cover "other issues of some importance," most notably the government's "entire fiscal policy." Johnson disputes rumors of hundreds of thousands of new troops deployed and an additional cost of $20 billion as untrue, though conceding that it will cost "a few billion." During the news conference, he reiterated his plea for a tax increase to offset the cost. At present, there are more than 510,000 American troops in Vietnam. In a related story, the President's son-in-law, Marine Captain Charles S. Robb, departed Norton AFB, California for 13 months duty in Vietnam. Robb's wife, the former Lynda Bird Johnson, was composed as she witnessed his departure.

Johnson's speech comes two days before the Wisconsin Democratic primary, where polls are showing that Eugene McCarthy, Senator from next door Minnesota, may receive as much as 60% of the vote in what is a two-man contest with both candidates on the ballot. In their only previous competitive primary, Johnson topped McCarthy, 49-42% in New Hampshire, where only McCarthy's name appeared on the ballot. New York Senator Robert Kennedy is not competing in the Wisconsin primary but has instructed his supporters to vote for McCarthy.  A McCarthy loss in Wisconsin would likely end his campaign. The Johnson campaign, meanwhile, may actually benefit from a McCarthy win. The theory, popular in Democratic circles, is that Kennedy is the stronger candidate but a viable McCarthy in future contests will continue to splinter the anti-war coalition each is trying to build and thus make it easier for Johnson to prevail. McCarthy, for his part, attacked the President last night in Milwaukee on the issue of law and order, saying that continuing Johnson's policies towards civil disorder "will guarantee years of mounting lawlessness, violence, and virtual civil war" in the nation's cities. McCarthy also challenged local union members to strive to ensure "equality in employment and housing" for Negroes.*

Senator Kennedy was attending a $75 per plate fundraiser in Phoenix today at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Introduced by Arizona Rep. Morris Udall, a critic of the Vietnam War, Kennedy gave a thoughtful speech that praised the entire history of the Democratic Party, starting with Thomas Jefferson and going all the way through to the man he hopes to succeed, President Johnson.

The Republican primary is essentially non-competitive. Three names -  former VP Richard Nixon, California Governor Ronald Reagan and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen - appear on the ballot - but only Nixon is a publicly declared national candidate. Nixon is expected to win easily, his only concern being that since Wisconsin permits crossover voting, his vote total may not be overly impressive if thousands of Republicans cross party lines and vote in the Democratic primary. Statistics on file with the Wisconsin Secretary of State show that Nixon has spent $371,580, more money on the state than all other candidates combined

Former President Truman asserted in Key West yesterday that whether it takes one ballot or one hundred, Johnson will be renominated.


SOURCES

"LBJ Viet Report Tonight," by Max Frankel, New York Times writer, submitted to The Salt Lake Tribune, March 31, 1968, 1. Also published in Arizona Republic as "LBJ To Review Vietnam Policy," 1.

"McCarthy Win Seen Likely for Wisconsin," by Warren Weaver, Ibid.

"LBJ Today To Reveal Increase In Viet Troops," Associated Press, Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, March 31, 1968, 1.

"Lynda Bids Robb Adieu,"  Associated Press, Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, March 31, 1968, 1.

"RFK Solicits Support on Phoenix Visit," by Bernie Wynn, Arizona Republic, March 31, 1968, 1, 12.

"Johnson Hit by McCarthy on Rioting," Associated Press, Bridgeport Post, March 31, 1968, 4.

"Truman Asserts LBJ Will Win Renomination," Ibid.

"Nixon Campaign Costs $371,580," Associated Press, Dubuque Herald Telegraph, March 31, 1968, 24.

* - I'm well aware that this word is no longer in use and may be regarded as offensive. No offense on my part is intended. However, as this is passing on information as reported at the time rather than a politically sanitized version fifty years after the fact, I have chosen to use the verbiage used in 1968.

March 29, 1968 - McCarthy, Kennedy To Collide in May 7 Indiana Primary; Nixon Accuses LBJ and RFK of Irresponsibleness

Senators Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy, both traveling separate anti-Johnson routes in their attempts to win the Democratic Party's nomination, have finally chosen courses that will result in a head-to-head contest in the May 7 Indiana primary. Kennedy arrived in person to submit the 5,500 signatures necessary to secure a place on the ballot. McCarthy had filed earlier in the day as had Indiana Governor Roger Branigan, who is the stand-in candidate for President Lyndon Johnson's attempt at re-election. The confrontation puts one of McCarthy's top lieutenants, Richard Goodwin, in a ticklish spot. Although Goodwin has a major role in the McCarthy organization, he has long been a friend of the Kennedy family. Asked in Milwaukee which way he will jump in the head-to-head contest, Goodwin demurred, saying he "did not know," but boldly predicting that Johnson will not be the Democratic Party's nominee in the fall election. Goodwin declared, "It's going to be either McCarthy or Kennedy." Kennedy, who is not competing in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary, has instructed his supporters to vote for McCarthy in that primary. McCarthy, campaigning in Superior, Wisconsin, said "it's really too kind" to criticize the South Vietnamese government as corrupt or dictatorial. Kennedy campaigned today with rallies at both the University of New Mexico and the University of Arizona.

Richard Nixon, the only Republican competing actively in the primaries for the nomination, was scheduled to meet today with one of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller's prime backers, Maryland Governor Spiro T. Agnew, in New York City. Agnew, who has been a vocal supporter of Rockefeller, said that he has heard plenty regarding Nixon's position on Vietnam, but he wishes to get a better picture of Nixon's domestic plans. While campaigning in Wisconsin yesterday, Nixon characterized the McCarthy-Kennedy position on the war as "withdrawal whatever the cost may be," whereas Republicans want the war resolved in such a way "that will discourage more wars rather than bring on another one four or five years from now."

Nixon also criticized both Kennedy and Johnson in a recorded radio address:

"Never have we more needed and intelligent, rational, and dispassionate discussion of the great issues, and yet seldom has debate been more raucous and irresponsible." While attacking both the President and Senator Kennedy as engaging in negative campaigning themselves, Nixon had kinder words for Senator McCarthy, saying he had contributed "significantly" to the goal of "dealing with the complexities of modern democracy."

Connecticut Democrats working for McCarthy have reported receiving letters threatening them with assassination. Law enforcement officials are investigating the letters signed "the Minutemen" to see if they actually originated with the extremist anti-Communist group.

In Oklahoma, election officials have received enough signatures to secure a place on the ballot for former Alabama Governor George Wallace as a third-party candidate.

In Iowa, Governor Harold Hughes, noting the rift in the Democratic Party, has offered himself as a "favorite son" candidate.

SOURCES

"McCarthy, Kennedy Collision Due May 7 in Indiana," Associated Press, Big Spring Daily Herald, March 29, 1968, 35.

"Nixon Accuses LBJ, RFK Of Irresponisbleness," Associated Press, Lovington Daily Leader, March 29, 1968, 5.

March 28, 1968 - Nixon, Johnson Favored In Wisconsin Primary

A polling of Democratic party leaders shows that many are reluctant to back President Johnson's re-election in November. Although 14 of the 24 states with Democratic governors are listed as Johnson supporters, party leaders in the 26 states with Republican governors are beginning to defect to Senators Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy as the campaign continues. Those 26 states will provide 1,382 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August, seventy more than necessary to win the nomination. An AP tally of the 14 Democratic governors alleged to support the President, six are noncommittal, one is threatening to abandon Johnson over the war in Vietnam, one has moved to support Kennedy and two are supporting former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace.

Senator Robert Kennedy of New York, a late entrant into the race, announced yesterday that he will enter the Indiana primary of May 7, setting up a potential three-man contest between himself, McCarthy, and a stand-in for President Johnson, Indiana Governor Roger Branigan. Kennedy's speech at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah was sidetracked by an anonymous bomb threat that Kennedy chose to ignore. He received the coolest reception since his March 16 entrance into the contest, polite but not the standing ovations he has been receiving elsewhere. Kennedy proposed a plan for discharging young men from their military obligations in trade for other public service.

Richard M. Nixon, the Republican front-runner and presumptive nominee, declared that he did not personally see how Johnson could fail to win Tuesday's Wisconsin primary "with all that political power, skill, and money," but he hastened to add that several of his aides disagreed with him. Nixon's comments came as he flew to Wausau after leaving a meeting in Madison with Governor Warren P. Knowles. Nixon faces limited opposition on the ballot from former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen and California Governor Ronald W. Reagan.

Wallace, running as a third-party candidate, went on the attack in three Southern states against all of the other candidates but particularly set his sights on Kennedy. Declaring the need to win the war in Vietnam, Wallace criticized Kennedy with the observation that he "has recommended and supported every policy followed in this country today and yet he says he wants to try something new." He also went after Kennedy on civil rights, declaring Kennedy "advocated more civil rights legislation to get the agitators out of the streets, but the more legislation they pass, the more they've got in the streets."


SOURCES

"Some Governors Reluctant to Back LBJ," by Jack Bell, Associated Press, Montana Standard, March 28, 1968, 1.

"Nixon View of '68 Race," by Chalmers Roberts, Washington Post, as reported by Des Moines Register, March 28, 1968, 7.

"Bobby To Make Bid in Indiana," Ibid.

"RFK To Battle McCarthy, Johnson Stand-In In Indiana," Associated Press, Columbia Missourian, March 28 1968, 29.

"RFK Turns Campaign Attack from Johnson Toward Nixon, Associated Press, Jefferson City Daily Capital News, March 28, 1968, 3.

March 27, 1968 - Kennedy Mocks Nixon's Lack of Ideas, Goldwater Mocks Kennedy

With the Wisconsin primary less than a week away, the candidates have continued slugging in their efforts to determine who will be their party's nominee for 1968. New York Senator Robert Kennedy spoke at Idaho State University yesterday and said, "I have nothing against him (Richard Nixon), but if anybody can tell me if he has had a new idea, I'd like to hear it," going so far as to allege the election of Nixon would mean "more of the same" in Vietnam. Kennedy, who entered the race after Senator Eugene McCarthy nearly upset President Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire primary, has found rough sledding in his efforts to draw McCarthy's supporters to his own candidacy. The general consensus among McCarthy's young supporters is that Kennedy is the surer bet to win the fall election, but they are sticking with McCarthy. Kennedy is not on the ballot in Wisconsin, and he has asked his supporters in the state to support McCarthy's candidacy against President Johnson.

The Johnson administration dispatched Postmaster General Lawrence O'Brien to Wisconsin to attempt a late organization of Johnson's voters for the upcoming April 2 primary. O'Brien warns of the possibility that Johnson would lose the primary due to crossover voting, McCarthy's superior in-state organization, and the lack of a Republican contest. The McCarthy campaign was rocked earlier this week by the resignation of two aides, but McCarthy spokesman Richard N. Goodwin declared that the rumors of an internal rift are "a tempest in a teapot" and that the aides would "be back on the job in the week."

New York's state GOP has nudged New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, endorsing a "favorite son" candidacy in the hopes of nominating Rockefeller at the Convention.  Former Senator Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican nominee, said that he does not believe that the Republican National Convention later this summer will draft Rockefeller as the party's nominee for the fall election. Stating that "drafts just don't happen...one is possible only if there's a deadlock in the convention," Goldwater said that he expects former Vice-President Richard Nixon to be the Republican nominee, although Goldwater cautioned that Nixon may not prevail on the first ballot. Asked further about the war in Vietnam, Goldwater said the war "would probably be over" by the November election. Goldwater, always good for the amusing quote, was asked further if Senator Robert Kennedy's candidacy carried much weight for the Democrats and replied, "What weight? He has a lot of hair but no weight. He is the only candidate who travels backwards because he can't see for the hair in front of him. He reminds me of a needle in a haystack."

As for Nixon, he won a straw poll of 1,295 voters in Tucson, Arizona against Kennedy over the weekend by a 2-1 margin.

SOURCES

"Barry Says Rocky Draft Improbable," United Press International, Kittanning Simpson Leader Times, March 27, 1968, 1.

"Bobby Ribs Nixon Lack of Ideas," Ibid., 2.

"Key Johnson Man Goes to Wisconsin," Ibid., 2.

"RFK Booms Political Guns from Johnson to Nixon in Idaho Talk," Associated Press, Austin Daily Herald, March 27, 1968, 1.

"Rift in McCarthy Team Called 'Tempest in a Teapot,'" Harry Kelley, Associated Press, Ibid.

"Nixon By A Landslide! Kennedy Second In Tucson Poll," by Dick Casey, Tucson Daily Citizen, March 27, 1968, 1.

March 18, 1968 - LBJ Refuses RFK Offer To Stay Out of Race; Western Europe Reacts

Senator Robert Kennedy and the Johnson administration have exchanged politically explosive charges over Kennedy's proposal to stay out of the Presidential race contingent upon a revision of U.S. policy in Vietnam. Multiple sources in the administration claim that Kennedy delivered what they termed an "ultimatum" that President Johnson appoint a blue ribbon panel to revise US war policy in Vietnam. The President rejected the idea as totally unacceptable politically. Counter-charges have been swapped by both sides. Kennedy acknowledges proposing the commission but insists that the published reports are a distortion that he blamed on leaks to the media from the White House. In a 1,500-word statement, Kennedy said he told Defense Secretary Clark Clifford that if the President acknowledged the need for a commission as a genuine solution rather than a public relations idea, Kennedy had no need to enter the race. The administration, however, alleged that Kennedy's proposal included Johnson making an acknowledgement that Johnson had "grave doubt of the wisdom of his past course and why this reappraisal was necessary" and that Kennedy wanted to actually be on the commission, a charge the Kennedy campaign denied. Johnson immediately dismissed the proposal and, again invoking the patriotism argument, declared that North Vietnam would think U.S. resolve was weakening.

Despite widespread affection for Kennedy's late brother, President John F. Kennedy, much of Western Europe reacted cynically to Kennedy's entry into the Presidential race. Kennedy is viewed as opportunistic after not entering the race until the "peace candidate," Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, came very close to beating Johnson in the New Hampshire primary last Tuesday. Lord Harlech, the former British Ambassador, was generally optimistic in his assessment of Kennedy's entry, though it should be noted Harlech is a close friend of the Kennedy family. Elsewhere, however, reaction was cynical. Kennedy's announcement was front page news in Paris with the headline, "McCarthy's Success Awakened Kennedy's Ambition." The Communist daily l'Humanitie, which normally ignores U.S. politics, ran Kennedy's announcement at full column length with an accompanying photograph. Newspapers in Italy relegated the Kennedy news to the inside pages.


SOURCES

"LBJ Spurns RFK Offer To Stay Out of Race, Nashua Telegraph, March 18, 1968, pp 1-2.

"W. Europe Takes Cynical View of RFK's Bid for Presidency," Bridgeport Telegram, March 18, 1968, 12.

March 17, 1968 - Kennedy Deplores President's "Disastrous" Policies; Nixon Predicts Johnson Renominated

Senator Robert F. Kennedy's entry into the 1968 Presidential race began with an immediate attack upon the Johnson administration, aiming his rhetorical fire against "disastrous, divisive policies" both foreign and domestic and said that the policies could be changed "only by changing the men who make them." Kennedy's challenge to President Johnson may be the most formidable challenge faced by an incumbent President from within his own party since Teddy Roosevelt split the Republican Party in the 1912 election against incumbent William Taft, effectively handing that election to Woodrow Wilson. If Johnson is denied renomination, he will be the first incumbent so denied since Chester Arthur in 1884. Senator Eugene McCarthy, who seized momentum with a near upset of Johnson in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, chided Kennedy for arriving "on the playing field" after the battle had already been fought. McCarthy further said he would make "no deals" with Bobby and is in the race to win it. And Democrats across the country are coming out in favor of particular candidates signaling what may be an even more divided party than already believed.

Support for Kennedy seemed to fall along regional lines. Former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Patrick Lucey has come out immediately on both sides of the anti-Johnson crusade, campaigning for McCarthy to win the April 2 Wisconsin primary while supporting Kennedy nationally. Both Iowa Governor Harold Hughes and Missouri Governor Warren Hearnes indicated they were open minded about whom to support.

Reaction throughout the South was generally negative towards Kennedy. Robert S. Vance, the Democratic state party chairman of Alabama, declared that Kennedy's campaign will receive as much attention "as an intraparty dispute in Czechoslovakia." Eddie Caramouche, the former Democratic state chairman said, "I think it is the feeling of loyal Democrats to stick with Johnson." Texas Governor John Connally, a close friend of Johnson's, said Kennedy would provide little competition to the President in Texas and that Kennedy is both a contradictory and uncertain leader. Illinois state chairman James Roman said the state is "100 percent behind Johnson" and noted that the primary filing deadline is already past. Georgia Governor Lester Maddox seized upon the development to say that he would campaign harder against Kennedy than he did for himself in the 1966 governor's race, further adding that Kennedy's bid would "add to the chances" of third party candidate and former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace. And even the presumptive Republican nominee, Richard Nixon, got into the discussion by saying that Kennedy would run a good campaign but Johnson would win the nomination.

SOURCES

"Kennedy Enters Presidential Race," Wisconsin State Journal, March 17, 1968, pp 1-2.

"Many Respond Icily To RFK's Candidacy," The Racine Journal Times Sunday Bulletin, pp 1-2.

"Nixon Predicts Johnson Victory," The Daily Review, March 17, 1968, 6.

March 16, 1968 - Kennedy Enters Race for White House

Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the former Attorney General of the United States and brother of the late President John F. Kennedy, formally entered the 1968 Presidential race today in the same Senate office building caucus room where his brother declared his candidacy in 1960. The New York Senator declared he would enter primary races in Oregon, Nebraska, and California. Kennedy, 42, is also the same age as his brother was when he entered the 1960 campaign. Kennedy said that he had dispatched his brother, Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, to Wisconsin Friday night to explain his decision to Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, whose narrow loss in New Hampshire on Tuesday still netted him a substantial early lead in delegates. Kennedy urged his supporters to support McCarthy in the upcoming primaries in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, presumably primaries Kennedy will sit out. Kennedy declared he was running "not to oppose any man but to propose new policies."

Although Kennedy suggests the results of the New Hampshire primary are the cause of his reassessment, it is likely that today's Gallup poll showing that 69% of Americans favor a "phased out" withdrawal from Vietnam is as much or even more of a factor in his decision. It is difficult as of yet to fully process Tuesday's results from New Hampshire because McCarthy was an active campaigner helped by an energetic band of college supporters while Johnson not only did not campaign in New Hampshire but his name did not even appear on the ballot. What is undeniable at this point is that Johnson is in severe trouble politically, probably not seriously enough to cost him the party's nomination but certainly enough to lose the White House in November. Kennedy's entry into the race comes with the risk that whether he succeeded or failed at winning the nomination, the end result is potentially a split party that cannot win the fall election. In a bid to help Kennedy, California Assembly Speaker Jesse M. Unruh launched the Senator's campaign in the state by declaring Kennedy "can win and will win" the June 4 primary. Unruh managed President John Kennedy's Southern California campaign in 1960. Unruh said that a massive petition signing endeavor will begin next week to obtain the 30,716 signatures necessary to place Kennedy's name on the ballot.

New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller continues to deny he will enter the Republican primaries, but a recent poll in Oregon suggests he could carry the state's primary as he did in 1964. One newspaper poll showed Rockefeller with a 40-36 lead over Nixon while California Governor Ronald Reagan was third with 10 percent.

SOURCES

"Kennedy's Reassessment," Florence Morning News, March 16, 1968, page 4.

"NH Primary Shows LBJ in Trouble," by Roscoe Drummond, Ibid.

"Rockefeller in the Race," by Joseph Alsop, Cumberland News, March 16, 1968, page 5.

"Kennedy Officially Enters Race," by William Theis, UPI, Marshall Evening Chronicle, page 1.

"Unruh Claims Kennedy Will Win Primary," AP, San Rafael Independent Journal, March 16, 1968, page 1.

March 15, 1968 - McCarthy Says Kennedy Entry Would Split Support

Senator Eugene J. McCarthy (D-Minn), fresh off a surprising showing in the New Hampshire primary warned today that the anticipated entrance of Senator Robert Kennedy into the race might split the vote of Vietnam War opponents and result in the renomination of President Johnson for this fall's election. Emphasizing that he will not simply step aside and permit Kennedy to claim the nomination, McCarthy declared today that he is entering the May 7 Indiana primary and the South Dakota primary scheduled for a still undetermined date in June. McCarthy said he was doing so because "neither President Johnson nor Richard M. Nixon....offer Americans a real choice or real alternative.
McCarthy will likely face Indiana Governor Roger Branigan, who is running in order to hold the 60-seat Indiana delegation for President Johnson. At a news conference of graduate students presenting him an award, McCarthy stated that a ballot that included both a McCarthy ticket and a Kennedy ticket would likely lose the June 4 California primary and almost certainly throw the state's delegation to Johnson. Simultaneously, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall reiterated the administration's dismissal of the results of the New Hampshire primary. He predicted that Johnson would be renominated and McCarthy would ultimately support the President's re-election.

Kennedy has said that he will make an announcement next Wednesday but immediate support was forthcoming from California Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh. The New York Times today reported that Kennedy "could not support" the renomination of President Johnson. A senior adviser to the Senator said that Kennedy would probably enter both the Oregon and California primaries.

Richard Nixon, the presumptive Republican nominee, said that the results of the New Hampshire primary show that a national coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and independents will "send Lyndon Johnson back to Texas." He also noted that he led all parties in votes cast in New Hampshire. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who has refused to compete in the primaries and says only that he will accept a draft, received some help in that direction today from Maryland Governor Spiro T. Agnew, who announced the opening of a national office in Annapolis that will attempt to coordinate the activities of Rockefeller supporters across the country. Agnew is one of Rockefeller's staunchest supporters and considered one of his closest advisers.

The American Independent Party was formally organized in Utah today following their state convention Saturday at which they formally nominated former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace as their candidate for 1968. Clyde Freeman of Centreville, Utah was elected chairman of the central committee. Freeman said that the party hoped to join together with persons of all ages in both major parties "in an effort to save the Constitution of this land."

SOURCES
"Sen. McCarthy Says Kennedy Drive Would Split Support," by Lawrence Knutson, Bakersfield Californian, March 15, 1968, page 8.

"McCarthy Displays Marked Coolness To RFK Reassessment," The Oneonta Star, March 15, 1968, page 1.

"McCarthy Set for Fight," Burlington Daily Times, March 15, 1968 page 1.

"Nixon Foresees A New Coalition Putting Him in the White House," Wisconsin State Journal, March 15, 1968, page 1.

"Agnew Rolls Draft Rocky Bandwagon," UPI, Arizona Republic, March 15, 1968, page 9.

"Wallace Third Party is Formed in Utah," AP, Hammond Daily Star, March 15, 1968, page 28.

March 14, 1968 - Party Divided Further: Kennedy May Enter Race

In the wake of Senator Eugene McCarthy's stunning performance in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, New York Senator Robert Kennedy has announced he will make a decision next week whether or not to seek the Democratic party's nomination from a weakening President Johnson. Kennedy said that the results of Tuesday's primaries removed "the major obstacle" to challenging the President, saying the vote demonstrates major Democratic concerns about Johnson's policies. McCarthy, whose narrow seven-point loss to Johnson drastically outperformed any polling, declared that he would not leave the race regardless of whether Kennedy runs or not. An aide of Senator Kennedy's stated that a decision would be announced by next Friday, March 22, which is also the deadline for entering Oregon's May 28 primary. Kennedy made clear that if he opts to seek the Presidency, he will have to do so through the primaries because, "Otherwise, there is no reason why anyone should consider me." Kennedy stated his biggest fear had been dividing the Democratic Party if he was seen to be ambitious or harboring a personal grudge against Johnson. But the near win by McCarthy demonstrates that the party is already divided and concerned about the direction of the country over the next four years.

Aides to President Johnson  have expressed concern that Johnson may lose the Wisconsin primary to McCarthy, who is from neighboring Minnesota, on April 2. One gimmick quickly abandoned after McCarthy's showing in New Hampshire is the declaration that "Hanoi is Watching," suggesting that voting for McCarthy was somehow unpatriotic. They have also stated they fully intend to pin down McCarthy on how specifically he would manage the war in Vietnam differently, saying it is one thing to speak in generalities about how the war is being run but another thing entirely to be forced to offer alternative solutions. The Johnson campaign insists that will be made clear in Wisconsin. McCarthy, meanwhile, says his near victory has led to a surge in both volunteers and contributions that will come in handy as he seeks to unseat Johnson.

Richard Nixon's triumph in a virtually uncontested primary has also led to calls for him to be more specific regarding what he intends to do about Vietnam. Nixon has declared, "We will end the war in Vietnam and win the peace in the Pacific." Nixon was also clear that this is a pledge that he will run on but states he will withhold more specifics until the fall campaign assuming he wins the Republican nomination as is currently expected.



SOURCES

"Party Already Split, Bobby Mulls Race," The Santa Fe New Mexican, March 14, 1968, page 1.

"LBJ Aides Worried," Ibid.

"Nixon Is Saving His Peace 'Guns' For LBJ Race," Ibid.

"McCarthy: All the Way," Ibid.

"RFK Eyes Presidency," AP, Oswego Palladium Times, March 14, 1968, page 1.

"Bobby Hints He Will Run," by Clark Mullenhoff, Des Moines Register, March 14, 1968, page 1.

March 13, 1968: Strong Showing By McCarthy Stuns Democrats; Nixon Sweeps GOP Primary

A stunning split decision in yesterday's New Hampshire primary has confounded the state's Democrats and given Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy an early lead in the delegate selection process for the 1968 Democratic Presidential nomination. Although President Lyndon Johnson won the primary on write-in votes, the surging McCarthy vote, higher than all polls or expectations, gave the senator a quick 20-4 lead in delegate distribution. Johnson won, 49-42%, but the results spell political trouble for Johnson and early success for McCarthy. Johnson, who was not on the ballot, flippantly dismissed the result in a speech before a VFW convention last night by saying, "I think New Hampshire is the only place where a candidate can claim 20 percent is a landslide and 40 percent is a mandate and 60 percent is unanimous." Very few Democrats believe that Johnson will be denied his party's nomination, but one of the few is McCarthy himself. McCarthy may have reason to be concerned about entry into the race by New York Senator Robert Kennedy, who has refused thus far to be drawn into the contest. The next primary on the schedule is the Wisconsin primary on April 2.

Senator Thomas McIntyre, who had recently attacked McCarthy on the issue of the war, conceded that the vote indicated "frustration" with progress in Vietnam, but he is not ready to say the vote constitutes a repudiation of President Johnson's conduct of the war.

Former Vice President Richard Nixon scored a much less surprising but much more convincing primary win over eight other foes, none actively campaigning in New Hampshire. Nixon captured 86% of the vote, but the voter turnout was lower than expected. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who has said only that he will accept a draft but compete in no primaries, dismissed the importance of the result by saying Nixon's victory was not significant because there was no competition. Rockefeller's hopes in the absence of a draft are to compete in the Oregon primary of May 28, but he must make a decision by March 22. It is possible that Rockefeller may find himself in competition not only with Nixon but also with California Governor Ronald Reagan, who may also compete in the Oregon contest. Asked for comment in Fresno, California yesterday, Reagan also dismissed Nixon's triumph as a "hollow victory" because "he had no competition." Reagan was careful to mix his criticism with praise, declaring that, "It's a shame. He's had a tremendous turnout there."

SOURCES

1) The Nashua Telegraph, March 13, 1968

"Split Decision Surprises States Democrats: Past Defeats Forgotten In Nixon Sweep of GOP" by Walter Mears, 1.

"Nixon Showing Seen Forcing 'Rocky' Into Oregon Primary by Tom Wicker, 1.

"LBJ Jokingly Dismisses N.H. Primary's Importance," AP, 1.

2) The Portsmouth Herald, March 13, 1968

"Reagan Claims Nixon Won 'Hollow Victory'", AP, 2.

March 12, 1968: Early Returns Favor Nixon, McCarthy

Early returns from today's New Hampshire primary show former Vice President Richard Nixon and Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy leading their respective races by substantial margins. Weather predictions of a late snowfall later in the day may have contributed to a larger early turnout. Overcast skies greeted voters who began arriving early. The heaviest turnout appears to be in Manchester, the state's largest city with turnout varying from light to heavy elsewhere. The tiny ski town of Waterville Valley cast 23 votes just after midnight; President Johnson did not receive a single vote. Neither Johnson nor New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller are on the ballot, a circumstance that may contribute to the showing of each. In recent weeks, McCarthy has emerged from relative obscurity to the nation's leading "peace candidate" on the issue of Vietnam. It is the first time since 1952 that New Hampshire has competitive primary races in both parties simultaneously.

Massachusetts Governor John Volpe used primary day to again urge Rockefeller to formally enter the contest and give Republicans a clear choice. While signaling his satisfaction that Nixon is a better, more relaxed, and "newer" candidate than in 1960, Volpe made clear he was not endorsing Nixon and did not want the nomination to become Nixon's by default. Nixon engaged a little of what even he called "gamesmanship" by suggesting Rockefeller would win 30% of the vote or more despite no poll suggesting that likelihood. Former Governor Hugh Gregg, endorsing the Rockefeller write-in, downplayed expectations by declaring that 15,000 votes would be a significant achievement for someone not on the ballot or in active competition.

Nixon raised the stakes with a thrust at Rockefeller on primary day as well, challenging the New York Governor by saying, "I have chosen to submit my case to the people in the primary states," and urged Rockefeller to do the same. He also dismissed the possibility of Rockefeller only contesting the Oregon primary by declaring, "Oregon would not be representative of the country. That is the only state he has ever won outside of New York."

McCarthy has made the recent suggestion of an additional 200,000 American troops in Vietnam part of his focus, declaring today, "You certainly can't get out by putting in another 200,000 men."


SOURCES
"New Hampshire Votes Today With McCarthy's, Nixon's Prospects at Stake," by Walter Mears, AP, Lovington Daily Leader, March 12, 1968, 4.

"Minileads to Nixon, McCarthy," Santa Fe New Mexican, March 12, 1968, 1.

"Major Candidates and Party Leaders Set High Margins Expected By Rivals," Nashua Telegraph, March 12, 1968, 1.

"Volpe Sees 'Rocky' Stand Necessary," Ibid., 1.

"Fairly Heavy Vote Seen: Johnson Conduct of Vietnam Issue," by Raymond Lahr, New Castle News, March 12, 1968, 1.

"Waterville Valley Goes for McCarthy and Nixon," Portsmouth Herald, March 12, 1968, 1.

March 11, 1968: Nixon, McCarthy Await Outcome In New Hampshire; GOP Presses Rockefeller To Run

Richard Nixon seeks to turnout the Republican vote in tomorrow's New Hampshire primary where he is expected to win although the margin of victory is still debatable at this point. Nixon visited his campaign headquarters in five different cities today, urging Republicans to get out and vote in the primary. Although there are nine Republicans on the ballot in the Granite State, Nixon is expected to prevail with a major percentage of the vote. At the same time, twenty Republican leaders, including Oregon Governor Tom McCall, Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott, and New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay held a summit meeting in New York City and urged New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller to enter the campaign to oppose Nixon. McCall specifically called upon Rockefeller to enter the May 28 Oregon primary. Rockefeller, who beat Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1964 Oregon contest, has until March 22 to declare his candidacy for that primary. Rockefeller, however, has been firm in his reluctance, saying that he would not seek the Presidency although he would accept a draft. Nixon declared that if Rockefeller seeks the Presidency that he would campaign on "issues, not personalities," just as he had done with Michigan Governor George Romney, who withdrew on February 28. A write-in campaign is being conducted for Rockefeller, notable mostly because Senator Henry Cabot Lodge won the 1964 contest in New Hampshire solely on write-in votes.

On the Democratic side, President Johnson faces opposition from Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, whose platform calls for a "new policy" in Vietnam. McCarthy declares that if he gets 25% of the vote that it would represent a significant departure with Johnson on that issue. McCarthy even suggests his final vote tally may be close to 30%. President Johnson is not on the ballot so a write-in campaign is being conducted by his supporters.

McCarthy has purchased billboards around New Hampshire declaring, "New Hampshire Can Bring America Back To Its Senses." The campaign has turned nasty as McCarthy's speeches over the past few weeks have repeatedly insinuated that American troops will be needlessly killed in Vietnam without a change in current policy. New Hampshire Governor John King, the chief spokesman for the Johnson write-in campaign, hit back at McCarthy, declaring that a vote for Johnson is a vote "to support the troops." King then went further, saying that "a significant vote for Senator McCarthy would be greeted with cheers in Hanoi." New Hampshire Senator Thomas McIntyre, King's co-chair, repeated King's attack as "true" in seeming contradiction to earlier remarks where McIntyre said that it was an "injustice" to say that "a vote for McCarthy is a vote for Hanoi." McIntyre has also filmed a radio commercial accusing McCarthy of wanting to "honor draft dodgers and deserters." McCarthy responded that this line of attack was tantamount to questioning his patriotism, declaring Johnson's campaign of finding new ways of "attacking the motives and loyalty of any man who dares run in an election against the President." McCarthy further said that McIntyre's presentation of his position on draft dodgers is a "total distortion." McCarthy plans to spend election eve recording a television program in Boston and return to New Hampshire to await the results.

Nixon said that while he disagrees with some of the positions McCarthy has taken, "All of the candidates are patriotic Americans" and "all of the candidates deserve a respectful hearing."

SOURCES USED

"GOP Leaders Press Rocky to Say 'Yes'", Santa Fe New Mexican, March 11, 1968, page 15

"Nixon, McCarthy Await N.H. Voice", Ibid.

"New Hampshire Tests Candidates," Raymond Lahr, "New Castle News," March 11, 1968, page 1.

"GOP Strategists Push Rockefeller," UPI, Ibid., March 11, 1968, page 1.

"Candidates Making Final Drive: Write-Ins Hold The Key," The Portsmouth Herald, March 11, 1968, page 1.

"McCarthy Raps McIntyre For 'Total Distortion'" Ibid.