The 1968 Election and the Silent Majority

Tet Offensive and Presidential Approval In the first days of 1968, President Johnson and General Westmoreland expressed optimism about Vietnam. However, on January 30 th, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong launched a massive offensive on the lunar holiday of Tet. US forces achieved military victory, but Americans were shocked and demoralized by the strength of the enemy.

Overview of the Tet Offensive

The New Hampshire Primary On March 12 th, President Johnson narrowly defeated Senator Eugene McCarthy in the first primary. The challenge to LBJ illustrated the disunity of the party. This was an embarrassing development- LBJ was is serious political peril.

Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Eugene McCarthy McCarthy was an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam war. He attracted liberals and white suburbanites. Student volunteers cut their hair and dressed conservatively to make a good impression. “Be Clean for Gene!”

LBJ Declines to Run Four days after the NH Primary, Senator Robert F. Kennedy announced his candidacy. The combination of low approval, the stress of Vietnam, the disappointing NH primary, and RFK’s challenge discouraged LBJ from running.

Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Robert F. Kennedy RFK was anti-war and he reached out to African Americans and Latinos. He was charismatic and popular, splitting the anti-war vote. RFK supported the National Farm Workers Union strike against grape producers, led by Cesar Chavez. He soon overtook McCarthy, winning nearly all the primaries.

RFK Announces the Death of Martin Luther King On April 4, shortly before addressing a mostly African American crowd at an Indianapolis campaign rally, RFK learned of King’s assassination. Although advised not to speak that night, RFK informed the crowd of the tragedy in Memphis.

RFK Assassination Hours after winning the decisive California primary on June 4 th, Kennedy was assassinated while addressing a crowd in the early morning hours of June 5 th. Thus, in the 1960’s, America witnessed the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Robert F. Kennedy.

Quest for the Democratic Nomination: Hubert H. Humphrey After Johnson's withdrawal from the race, Vice President Hubert Humphrey announced his candidacy. He had a strong civil rights record and ties to organized labor, but his affiliation with Johnson and support for the Vietnam made him unappealing to anti-war voters. After Kennedy's assassination, Humphrey was the only candidate with the credentials to secure the nomination. Humphrey did not compete in the primaries, but he did use his political connections to garner enough delegates to win at Democratic Convention Ironically, his campaign was called "The Politics of Joy."

1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago The events of the Convention, dramatically illustrated the divisions in the Party and society. Anti-war activists planned a massive demonstration. In response, Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley refused all parade permits and mobilized over 20,000 law enforcement personnel, including local police, the National Guard, and US Army.

Violence at the Convention On August 28, as demonstrators marched toward the convention arena, a "police riot" occurred. Officers fired tear gas and beat protesters and reporters indiscriminately. Humphrey won the nomination, but the Democratic party was hopelessly fractured.

Disorder on the Convention Floor

The Nixon Campaign At the 1968 Republican Convention in Miami Richard Nixon was nominated on the first ballot and Spiro Agnew emerged as his running mate. Nixon campaigned as the champion of the "silent majority," the hardworking Americans who paid taxes, did not demonstrate, and desired a restoration of "law and order.“ Nixon vowed to restore respect for the rule of law, reconstitute the dignity and stature of America, dispose of ineffectual social welfare programs, and provide strong leadership to end the turmoil of the 1960's.

The Wallace Campaign For the first time since 1948, a serious third party candidate ran for president. Alabama Governor George Wallace, an ardent segregationist, railed against anti-war demonstrators, urban uprisings, and school integration initiatives with incendiary language.

The Significance of Wallace Wallace did surprisingly well in the polls until his selection of Air Force General Curtis LeMay as a running mate. LeMay famously advocated the use of nuclear weapons to "bomb North Vietnam back to the Stone Age," and this did not resonate with most Americans. Wallace won only five states in the Deep South, but his limited success illustrates the polarization of American public opinion and the lingering influence of racism.

The Outcome of the Election

Analyzing the Outcome Richard Nixon only narrowly defeated Hubert Humphrey, but the combined total of popular votes for Nixon and Wallace indicate a shift to the right in American politics. The 1960's began as an era of optimism and possibility and ended in disunity and distrust. The Vietnam war and a series of assassinations and crises eroded public trust in government and produced a backlash against liberal movements and the Democratic party.

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