The 1968 Election

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  • The 1968 Election
    • New Leadership
      • Johnson too far on asking for 'Great Society'
        • Calling for more federal troops the government couldn't afford
          • Eliminate poverty and racial inequality
        • lost support off middle and lower class whites
          • Anxious of Vietnam War and protests
      • Nixon articulates peoples concerns
        • 'In these critical years America needs new leadership
    • Agnew
      • Nixon's VP, asked others but they declined
      • Gained publicity after spring riots
      • Unknown to many
      • looked good unlike Nixon
      • didn't damage campaign like Wallace's VP
      • Humphrey used Nixon's VP against him
        • Said he was like Wallace's choice
          • 'irresponsible'
          • Imagine President Agnew if Nixon died
    • Southern Strategy
      • Johnson large part of ending segregation
        • Southern whites didn't want to support his party
      • Nixon promised to slow down desegregation in schools
      • rejected Johnson's cutting of federal funds to schools who refused to desegregate
      • effective for Nixon, changed southern voting patterns
    • Vietnam War
      • March 1968, Johnson surprised America announcing that wouldn't stand again
        • Instead seeking peace in Vietnam
      • Nixon accused of sabotage
        • Autumn 1968
        • discouraging Southern Vietnamese president from attending peace talks
      • Johnson hard chose couldn't reveal Nixon without admitting he bugged Republican phones
      • Logan Act
        • No citizens should privately negotiate with foreign government
      • War know as 'Johnson's war' damaged Humphrey's reputation
      • Nixon promised 'peace with honour'
        • Phasing out of troops appealed to voters
    • Middle America
      • known as 'Silent Majority'
      • speeches dedicated to them earn him support of not normal Republican supporters
      • 'My source of support was more main street than wall street'
      • appealed to those who opposed radialisation and change
      • Promised less so cheaper government
    • Democrats
      • Divided and weak, Humphrey disliked
      • Nixon candidate of 'law and order' unlike the chaos of the convection
        • Overall Nixon handled things better than Humphrey putting across point of better law and order
      • Student demonstrators smoking marijuana, swearing, sex in public
      • People turned from Democrats they were anti-war
        • They hated the war more than they hated Nixon
      • They disrupted Humphrey's meetings with 'Dump the Hump'
      • Nixon had more staff than Humphrey
      • Nixon held ticket-only rallies which worked better
        • Long-haired ticket holders sent away
      • Any hecklers Nixon ordered secret service to get rid of
        • They refused but off-duty police took up the plea

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