richard_nixon presidential campaign presidential campaign richard_nixon 36th vice president united_states began nixon republican nominee formally announced candidacy following year preparation years political reorganization following defeats presidential election california gubernatorial election route republican_party presidential nomination nixon faced challenges governor michigan governor new_york governor ronald_reagan california senator illinois nixon won thirteen state held season population state governor reagan won popular vote carrying california victories pledged delegate support states holding secured nixon nomination ballot named governor maryland running mate general election nixon emphasized law order positioning champion called silent majority running ahead opponent incumbent vice president support slipped polls following refusal presidential debates following announcement president halt bombing vietnam negotiated winning close election november nixon inaugurated 37th president united_states 39th vice president united_states respectively january vice president elected president incumbent background nixon elected united_states house_of_representatives representing california 12th congressional district election senate member congress gained reputation firm anti communist selected general republican nominee president vice presidential nominee elected served vice president height cold war office traveled world goodwill tours promoting pro american policies elected end second term nixon ran unopposed republican nomination received lost close race senator massachusetts credited appearance televised debate nixon ran governor california incumbent defeated leading media label loser defeat widely believed end career impromptu concession speech morning election nixon famously blamed media favoring opponent saying won nixon kick anymore gentlemen press conference september new_york_post published article claiming campaign donors buying influence nixon providing secret cash fund personal expenses moved new_york joining rose alexander law firm considering decided run president beginning plan presidential campaign campaign developments early stages january nixon held secret meeting closest advisers discuss potential campaign strategies obtain sufficient delegates win republican nomination asked attendees discuss meeting spread subtle hints run president month interview nixon denied running president polls suggested runner nomination poll february showed nixon leading governor closest rival time quietly began efforts organize indiana nebraska new_hampshire oregon wisconsin positioning secure victories states following year march gained support republican nominee senator arizona nixon president committee formed month headquarters organization opened late spring summer nixon traveled eastern_europe latin_america bolster foreign policy credentials returned august conduct meetings advisers solid campaign strategy days later campaign manager left position care ailing wife political commentators speculated vacancy built element instability campaign position soon temporarily filled governor oklahoma week staff members fired private investigators determined information leaked campaigns potential primary rivals reagan news stall progression campaign soon nixon member assembled advertising team included president fall mid september nixon campaign organized headquarters states deemed critical republican nixon hoped moves increase delegate strength demonstrate ability win notified media decision run president formally announced early december february nixon staff discussed handling topic vietnam war advised stance war encouraged shift focus foreign affairs domestic policy avoid divisive war issue observers noted potentially hurt nixon reputation foreign policy expert october political experts predicted nixon gain delegates important states new_hampshire wisconsin nebraska primary season scheduled begin march noted critical state oregon ronald_reagan advantage proximity home state like nixon rival began organize states officially announced candidacy november prompting nixon step efforts spent period campaign trail new_hampshire following nixon noted period relaxed past political career commentator examined drawn tired figure debated angry politician conceded california gubernatorial defeat ill grace making appearances adopted home state new_york nixon helped raise election campaign senator end december time labeled nixon man beat begins nixon entered runner republican nomination polls suggested head head match incumbent president nixon trailed later january nixon embarked tour texas president johnson state union address asking nation afford years policies failed home abroad time reports suggested nixon formally announce bid february primary campaign february new_hampshire nixon announced candidacy republican nomination commenting problems politics needed addressed immediately following entrance media team prepared advertising campaign analyzed video nixon determining best speaking spontaneously team organized question answer session seven members taping nixon responses editing use advertisements campaigned state polls suggested easily win primary result began campaigning wisconsin second primary held stop briefly discussed vietnam detail stating united_states prevent confrontations nation help people free world fight aggression fighting latin_america example stating talking marching feet helping hands military operations increased vietnam mid february nixon standing president johnson improved harris poll showed trailed president near end month nixon opponent exited race comments visit vietnam left nixon nearly unopposed upcoming opponents ronald_reagan announced exit nixon declared early march greatly expand efforts non primary states time observing nixon focus political attacks solely president johnson void caused problems nixon time argued prospect defeating second tier candidates governor minnesota voters nixon campaign countered claim stating withdrawal hands nixon began viewed candidate wishing split party willing serve called talks candidates persisted nixon continued campaigning discussion issues pledged end war vietnam detail drawing criticism nixon easily won new_hampshire primary march pulling vote write campaign receiving end march announced campaign presidency open drafted nixon doubted draft stating likely mistake reports suggested decision caused nixon political stock polling time revealed nixon led president johnson way race candidate governor alabama wisconsin primary early april nixon obstacle preventing supporters voting democratic primary senator minnesota protest president johnson johnson withdrew race primary governor reagan ballot wisconsin campaign state declared candidate nixon won primary followed reagan johnson removed race nixon fell democratic candidates head head match ups end april nixon called criticism johnson policy vietnam negotiations underway man peace going democratic candidates president remained fair game criticism argued divided democratic party unite divided country united republican_party began discuss economics frequently announcing plans cut spending criticizing democrats policy raising taxes question answer session nixon spoke turn receiving numerous applause largest came addressed issue crime proclaiming order free society progress progress order day april announced campaign presidency despite previous statement contrary immediately following entrance defeated nixon massachusetts primary polls found fared better democratic candidates nixon outlook started appear better nixon won indiana primary victory nixon campaigned nebraska criticized leading democratic candidates pod prisoners policies past proposed plan tackle crime included legislation reverse previous supreme_court decisions formation congressional committee targeting crime reforms criminal justice system connect crime racial rioting drawing praise leaders nixon won primary nebraska defeating reagan following primary oregon reagan willing compete nixon sat nixon won points ahead reagan early june nixon continued regarded favorite win nomination observers noted locked nomination faced challenges ronald_reagan ballot california reagan won large slate delegates scenes nixon staff lobbied delegates favorite son candidates resulting backing senator tennessee pledged delegates delegates supporting senator illinois assassination like candidates nixon took break campaigning reports suggested assassination assured nomination returning trail nixon found begun attacking described nixon man old politics great natural capacity right thing especially pressure nixon refused respond stating participate attacks edged closer nomination discussions running mate arose republicans midwest pushed mayor new_york_city endorsement nixon senator oregon raised speculation chosen congressman texas senator mentioned possible selections end month nixon thirds required delegates necessary win nomination july nixon received endorsement senator texas handing delegates nomination assured nixon team began preparing general election series advertisements featuring question answer sessions nixon friends campaign filmed new_york tapes sent swing states illinois michigan ohio giving nixon advantage advertising long democratic_party settled candidate time nixon decided group legislators crime disorder presented number issue nation continued major theme nixon campaign continue extensively general election nixon publicly announced opposition military draft proposing replace current system volunteer army encouraged higher pay president endorsed nixon mid july breaking tradition waiting primary election importance july end reports circulated nixon probable delegates convention placing delegate threshold disputed numbers sources washington reported reagan caused greater concern nixon campaign possible scenario surfaced nixon southern delegates drop support conservative reagan nonetheless nixon believed scenario occurred liberal delegates northeast support nixon prevent reagan nomination held august miami beach convention center florida convention richard_nixon won nomination president ballot delegates finished governor second delegates followed governor ronald_reagan place having entered race delegates nixon early nomination occurred partly held delegates south largely influenced senator south_carolina delegate louisiana following nomination nixon held hands air trademark sign victory delivering acceptance speech written preceding weeks speech remarked tonight promise millennium morning don promise poverty end discrimination space years promise action new policy peace abroad new policy peace progress justice home vice president richard_nixon republican nominee president called new era negotiation communist nations strengthening criminal justice system restore law order marking champion stressed greater unity silent majority nixon discussed economics opposition social welfare advocating programs designed help african americans start small businesses end address promised long dark night america end following speech nixon formally selected governor maryland running mate received delegate votes distant second governor relatively unknown nationally selected purported appeal african americans work nixon campaign embarrassing experience head draft movement later noted convention featured nixon candidate left reagan right analysis applied general campaign commentators noted nixon stand right democratic nominee fall left candidate general election general election season began nixon focused efforts big seven states california illinois michigan new_york ohio pennsylvania texas hired encountered appearance mike douglas produce hour television programs advertise campaign strategic regions campaign continued use televised town hall segments campaign aired live featuring real voters instructed ask tough questions following campaign belief nixon respond questions starting ground campaign tour stop springfield illinois discussed importance unity stating america needs united time lincoln traveled michigan ohio pennsylvania returning new_york meeting governor polls following convention nixon led topped mccarthy end month narrowly won democratic presidential nominee mccarthy democratic convention filled protest riots analysts saw democrat split lacking law order convention positioning nixon shortly convention general election nixon received regular president johnson developments vietnam war president clear nixon want war nixon agreed questioning eventual compliance following democratic convention nixon consistently labeled favorite described relaxed confident counter unsure self observers speculated president possible favoring nixon visit chicago shortly democratic convention nixon received large welcome tape parade crowds estimated thousand visit called senator massachusetts highest ranking african american government campaign trips illinois california referring advisers accompanied campaign stops chicago san_francisco critics described attempt gain favor african american community september mid september nixon running mate went offensive referred vice president soft communism inflation law order comparing british prime minister time nixon sent adviser governor pennsylvania fact finding trip europe gather intelligence western alliance soviet issues response calls face face debate nixon remarked debate nixon got settle debate nixon campaigned san_francisco supporters amidst array protests candidate took protesters hand delivered forgotten american speech declaring election day day protest forgotten american group included obey law pay taxes church send children school love country demand new leadership month end nixon campaign believed election guaranteed beginning prepare transition period despite nixon warning thing beat showed nixon leading end september october early october commentators weighed nixon advantage arguing placement blame vietnam war strictly johnson administration acceptable avoiding discussion war excuse want disrupt peace talks paris anti war protesters nixon repeatedly campaign trail nixon addressed october argued candidacy split anti administration vote help democrats union decided nixon wallace labeling party candidate beliefs populist democratic vice presidential nominee criticized nixon connections nixon continued oppose possible debate wallace running mates basis want wallace exposure argued nixon opposed debating experience encounter cited factor defeat lesson learned campaign employed workers oversee election day polling sites prevent republicans viewed stolen election nixon went whistle stop train tour ohio near end october nixon victory special car vice president secretary agriculture attorney general johnson cabinet farmers debt rising crime time campaign released controversial television advertisements smiling images vietnam war chaos democratic national convention advertisements aroused protests campaign october end nixon began lose edge showing led points weeks earlier decline observers attributed nixon refusal debate november beginning november president johnson announced bombing halted vietnam observers noted development significantly helped nixon endorsed talks time nixon operative secretly spoke south vietnamese explaining receive better deal nixon charge remarks nixon supporter future secretary defense johnson deliberately nixon angered president spoke nixon supporters senate minority leader senator florida informing nixon president frustration sunday preceding election nixon appeared explaining cooperate completely johnson president shortly personally final harris poll election indicated nixon trailing final poll showed nixon leading eve election nixon bought time rival television networks nixon appearing nbc abc final appeal voters nixon appearance counter october surprise polling surge following bombing halt claiming received disturbing report detailed tons supplies moved north labeled charge irresponsible causing nixon counter doesn know going overall nixon spent television advertising judged reinforced supporters election day november way race nixon wallace results close early following morning news organizations election end nixon won electoral votes receiving wallace receiving margin nixon edged popular vote wallace earning nixon victory came margin percent california illinois ohio carried nixon lost election nixon won west lost parts northeast texas lost deep south wallace election conceded vice president nixon said following press conference probably heard received message vice president winning election congratulated courageous fight great odds told know exactly felt know feels lose close president elect richard_nixon aftermath nixon took office president vice president inauguration january following election slogan bring referencing poster held year old girl rally campaign basis theme inauguration later seized democrats attack later nixon policies inaugural address nixon said greatest honor history title outlining direction nixon sought visit opening diplomatic relations nations plus anti missile treaty soviet_union term overseeing initial american involvement vietnam war subsequently ended involvement eliminated draft domestically administration generally embraced policies transferred power washington states things initiated wars cancer drugs imposed wage price controls enforced southern schools established presided subsequent lunar landings later scaled manned space exploration reelected landslide largest date scandal consume larger second term resulted ultimate resignation august endorsements
Richard Nixon presidential campaign, 1968