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.