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.