The Election of 1964

Agenda Election of 1964 slide show Presentations Homework Study for Test Thursday

Question: In order to win an election, should the candidate appeal to what most Americans want or stick to their core beliefs? LBJ’s won a landslide victory for the democratic party in the 1964 election. How?

Lyndon B. Johnson VP to JFK Democrat (liberal) Incumbent president Helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 –Refused to sign Southern Manifesto Supporter of New Deal programs Who were the Candidates?

Who were the Candidate? Barry Goldwater Republican Very Conservative –Rejected New Deal programs –Wanted to limit the government’s power –Hawkish position toward Communism –Voted against the Civil Rights Act Credited with resurgence of conservatives

Listen to this speech and write what Goldwater means by, “Extremism is no vice”. How would you feel about voting for him?

“We are told, however, that many people lack skills and cannot find jobs because they do not have an education…the fact is that most people who have no skills have no education for the same reason- low intelligence or ambition.” “Sometimes I think that this country would be better off if we could just saw off the Eastern Seaboard and let it float out to sea.” Where would Goldwater go on the political spectrum according to these 2 quotes and the political cartoon below?

Political Spectrum LiberalConservative Moderate JohnsonGoldwater

How was Goldwater portrayed in the 1964 election?

What was the Daisy Ad and what did it imply about Goldwater? Aired only once but was rebroadcast on several networks Showed innocent child being annihilated by an atomic bomb.” Suggested that Goldwater might lead America to nuclear war. Click Picture

Electoral Votes