presidential campaign presidential campaign began vice president united_states minnesota decided seek democratic_party nomination president united_states following announcement president seek party nomination johnson stalled anti vietnam war candidacy senator minnesota senator new_york main opponents contest men featured battle control democratic_party cast old politics new politics mccarthy kennedy main cause division vietnam war intensified tenure vice president grew increasingly unpopular entered race late participate relied favorite son candidates help win delegates lobbied endorsements powerful bosses democratic_party provided necessary delegates traditional approach criticized candidates hoped win nomination popular support assassinated june leaving mccarthy opponent senator ran successor kennedy won party nomination convention ballot amidst riots chicago selected little known senator maine running mate general election faced vice president richard_nixon california republican_party nominee nixon led polls campaign successfully criticized role vietnam connecting unpopular president general disorder nation experienced surge polls days prior election largely progress peace process vietnam break johnson war policy defeated nixon election day background elected public office mayor minneapolis served year terms gained reputation anti communist ardent supporter civil rights movement gave speech arguing adoption pro civil rights time arrived america democratic_party shadow states rights walk bright sunshine human rights year elected united_states senate worked closely senate majority leader persona tactics senate led nickname happy warrior contemporaries noted succeeded politics likable personality ability connect voters personal level entered presidential politics running favorite son candidate minnesota mounted scale run winning ultimately lost democratic nomination future president tapped running mate president went win landslide victory republican vice president oversaw turbulent times america including race riots growing frustration anger large number casualties vietnam war president johnson popularity election grew closer campaign prior run president began campaign election entering nation new_hampshire primary march late building anti war sentiment senator minnesota entered race heavy criticism president vietnam war policies mccarthy entrance johnson grew concerned challenge leaders opponent pull support defeating new_hampshire forcing withdrawal race similar senator challenge president likely caused seek election assigned task campaigning johnson described associated_press administration strongest advocate vietnam policy task difficult following offensive despite tactical victory resulted deaths thousands american south vietnamese soldiers offensive included invasion led americans believe north vietnamese stronger reported war nearing end point americans believed war escalated completely destroy enemy american troops withdrawn vietnam prevent use resources hopeless task mccarthy handling war declared administration reports progress products self deception johnson campaign tried tactics war detractors new_hampshire primary including circulation slogan communists vietnam watching don vote thinking surrender despite polls placed mccarthy state won vote slightly johnson result hailed moral victory mccarthy soon inspired result senator new_york entered race despite previously announcing challenge president nomination tried encourage johnson involved campaign president delayed meetings indiana governor arrange favorite son stand campaign neglected hire campaign campaign manager despite insistence able convince johnson speak influential minneapolis ahead late march polls suggested mccarthy likely win time johnson decided drop race informed decision vice president urged johnson remain candidate johnson replied best interest nation mix partisan politics presidential election ongoing vietnam crisis elected probably able complete term men family usually died early week prior primary march president publicly announced seek accept democratic_party nomination setting stage presidential run announcement johnson withdrawal hit barrage media interest fanfare aides began set organization held meetings advisors encouraging start campaign set offices preparation unsuccessfully courted campaign manager brien explained lied kennedy family leaving hire added lawyer treasurer established temporary campaign headquarters law firm eventually decided embrace youth politics adding senators agreed lead democrats united organization harris charge winning delegates prepared convention helping organization place questioned decision hire senators explaining organizational experience worried organization state iowa harris assured lost state maryland campaign believed build coalition southern border state democrats union civil rights leaders win nomination harris desired add anti war liberals coalition office constantly received calls urging announce congressman senator louisiana warned declare candidacy soon kennedy secure nomination labor leader called announce immediately explained want rush campaign called president johnson demand announce johnson refused explicitly asked run governors iowa vermont advised resign vice president separate johnson declined official announcement met johnson discussed future president advised biggest obstacle candidate money organization focus midwest states order win weeks speculation finally announced candidacy april crowd supporters chanting want delivered minute speech broadcast nation television radio preparation days johnson withdrawal labor secretary white_house journalists contributed speech speech proclaimed election common sense time maturity strength responsibility set goals simply winning nomination winning way unite party unite govern nation argued campaign way politics ought politics happiness politics purpose politics joy entrance occurred late process qualify ballot access campaign developments campaign got underway tried position conservative democrat race hoping appeal southern delegates republicans feeling vice president nominee began attack describing positions reminding voters southern democrats considered wild eyed liberal democrats conceded point argued compared mccarthy kennedy conservative immediately impact polls number democrats beginning ahead mccarthy kennedy internal struggle campaign new politics harris old politics disrupted organization different states ordered harris campaign decisions continued campaign older faction referred harris boy scouts indiana primary began strategy favorite son candidates campaign weaken opponents governor stood indiana placed second mccarthy kennedy senator ohio stood vice president ohio won primary won largest share delegates week period vietnam war briefly removed campaign issue delicate peace talks later gained delegates florida favorite son candidate senator defeated mccarthy florida primary vote picked delegates pennsylvania following endorsement philadelphia mayor joseph collected delegates leaders new_york minnesota montana utah delaware connecticut candidates criticized tactic accused organizing convention wishes people month rival assassinated los_angeles prompting vice president return home minnesota think stage shaken event took weeks campaigning met president johnson talked hour meeting assassination guaranteed nomination commented win nomination god knows didn want way large number kennedy delegates switched lost money republican donors concerned kennedy nomination popular opinion polls shifted favor senator mccarthy fact people june lincoln memorial introduced solidarity march civil rights described response ironic given democratic national convention advocating civil rights tried defend record liberal detractors encountered anti war protesters hostile crowds campaigning end june republican senator oregon assessed race arguing party nominee president criticized closely aligned johnson policies asked johnson permission administration position war plan included bombing halt forces johnson refused explaining disrupt peace process american soldiers relayed blood son law serving vietnam hands announced new position july criticized mccarthy simply complaining war effort offering plan peace mccarthy challenged series debates assortment issues including vietnam vice president accepted invitation modified proposal requesting debate prior debate occurred largely invasion czechoslovakia insistence candidates included end month began court senator massachusetts possible running mate hoping young senator increase chances winning support liberals alleviate criticism spawned connections johnson kennedy declined asked named chairman campaign manager brien privately believed win general election joined felt sympathy problems faced publicly predicted race come wire vice president richard_nixon gained republican_party nomination held thought private meeting college students office discussed thoughts political climate unaware reporters room statements public remarked youths vietnam war ignoring domestic issues stated received thousands letters young people vietnam war received zero program designed poor children began saved tie breaking senate vote national convention approached likely nomination war continued divide party set stage battle chicago hoped convention miami escape venue president johnson vetoed idea prior convention senator south entered race casting standard bearer legacy started stated delegates secure nomination commentators questioned campaign ability hold delegates texas delegation announced frustration mccarthy campaign attempts change procedures declared president johnson result observers noted delegates supporters johnson follow suit protests sleep ins held streets parks chicago forcing mayor order federal troops city eventually federal troops outside convention defending premises televised debate held featuring hoped unite party debate support peace vietnam received better crowd drawing applause won party nomination ballot hour debate delegates day defeating mccarthy finished gave lukewarm endorsement asking man mccarthy refused endorsement privately supporters understand immediately showed support narrowly won party support vietnam war officials pleaded johnson accept compromise refused results caused protests intensify prompting use tear gas smell hotel room received death threats tactics quell protests criticized certain democrats excessive acceptance speech tried unify party stating policies tomorrow need limited policies yesterday asked republican candidate running mate declined names mentioned convention texas governor suggested delegation southern democratic governors governor suggested vietnam ambassador brien appeared suggest position adviser suggested harris favored director instead decided senator governor maine preferred choice observers noted selection senator active civil rights labor war issue appeal liberals establishment democrats republican nominee richard_nixon congratulated victory general election campaign began general election general election got underway largest campaign finances polling numbers showed trailing nixon causing donations decrease president johnson refused use power office help raise money speculated convention scheduled coincide johnson birthday contributed issue stay afloat loans eventually accounted half million general election campaign workers decided money spent radio television advertising final weeks election september president johnson showed support giving described strongest endorsement campaign asked texas democrats throw support vice president johnson official endorsement october radio address campaigned new_york labeled nixon hawk stating vice president wanted war vietnam later stop buffalo met protesters told useful campaigns began use running mates attack candidate republican vice presidential nominee criticized current vice president soft communism soft inflation soft law order compared nominee british prime minister campaign trail contrast viewed natural missouri preparation meeting president tried defend running mate connections nixon campaign johnson administration reversed accusation claiming nixon held shortcomings logic republican ticket ignoring issues urban renewal housing federal aid education sewage renowned speaking ability known turn hostile crowds including publicized event asked anti war join stage provided small boost campaign nixon remained points ahead september poll soon resigned position johnson administration campaign advise hoping prevent nixon victory end september chances presidency declined media outlets observed republican_party likely winners election acknowledged odds proclaiming event boston regardless outcome election want said important tough moment life stood believed shouted comment drew crowd individuals close campaign noted looked tired worn flying stop stop encountered crowd september hoping separate policies johnson administration advice brien noted needed anti war vote win new_york california delivered televised speech salt_lake_city nation wide audience announced elected end bombing called labeled new policy acceptable risk peace plan compared nixon candidate stated revealed inauguration day speech anti war protesters stopped appearances mccarthy supporters joined campaign donations totaling immediately improved polls cutting nixon lead single mid october nixon tried shift emphasis campaign issue law order declared vote vote continue attitude crime crisis america campaigning san_antonio went attack nixon accused republican nominee playing politics human rights claimed road defeat hoping gain favor hispanic community alleged nixon discussed concerns hispanic americans course campaign nixon continued tie johnson argued administration playing politics vietnam war trying complete treaty election favor vice president fired nixon allegations stating vice president old nixon tactic requested evidence claims challenged nixon series presidential debates republican nominee declined largely uncomfortable experience presidential debates deny recognition populist candidate governor alabama included event nixon campaigns concerned wallace sizable states electoral college force house_of_representatives decide election wallace focused campaign south drawing large crowds appearances north campaigns delegated large resources wallace frustrated election day neared wallace fell polls greatly diminishing chance influence result days election gained endorsement rival stop pittsburgh stated endorsement happy man hopes victory began look bombing pause achieved negotiations progressed cutting nixon point lead points end october soviet_union tried influence north vietnamese negotiations prevent nixon victory nixon publicly accused president johnson speeding negotiations contemporary sources reveal nixon personally involved preventing south vietnamese coming negotiation table use operative advised nixon administration offer better deal members campaign later claimed bring election want appear desperate polls placed nixon held final campaign rally houston november alongside president johnson governor attend event causing suspicion nixon later assured speech rally asked americans base vote hope fear day eve election appeared los_angeles greeted supporters later day nixon held hour televised forums los_angeles rival television networks est nixon est fielded questions live studio audience phone bank celebrities including nixon telecast featured interaction sports personally read index cards rows volunteers taking calls commenting republican broadcast studios noted found appeared staged nixon tried reverse boost bombing halt stating advised tons supplies sent trail north vietnamese shipment stopped described claims irresponsible prompted nixon doesn know going mccarthy called affirmed support ticket endorsement home massachusetts results election day defeated nixon electoral college wallace received deep south popular vote closer nixon edged margin approximately votes carried home state minnesota texas home state president johnson maine running mate home state won northeast michigan lost west nixon south wallace conceded race nixon stated support president way remarked best post election polls showed lost white vote points nixon won vote including african americans african americans favored record civil rights desire quickly end war vietnam blacks racial divide election widened attributed civil rights protests race riots won female vote points ahead nixon lost republican males voters grade school education supported nixon nixon won higher education high school graduated college occupation demographics mirrored numbers manual labor workers supporting white collar professionals favoring nixon won young voters years old edged nixon years nixon won voters years catholics backed points ahead nixon favored nixon lost independent vote going wallace won lower percentage democrats nixon won republicans connected tough democratic primary election caused mccarthy kennedy supporters vote nixon wallace protest aftermath defeat depressed stay active friends helped hired professor wrote syndicated column added board directors augmented paid speaking tours earned year private life earned single year remained loyal democratic_party attended party fundraising events returned politics ran senate seat vacated campaign appeared lost dozen pounds hair preparation race hoping appear youthful easily won election began new term ran democratic presidential nomination won votes primary campaign lost convention went defeated president nixon landslide mentioned potential candidate presidential nomination early poll placed leading candidate points draft efforts organized convince run formally announce candidacy affirmed nominated accept georgia governor nominated instead defeated republican nominee carter later secretary state diagnosed cancer died january serving senate called richard_nixon prior death invited attend funeral
Hubert Humphrey presidential campaign, 1968