His Father's Son: The Life and Times of Joe Kennedy Jr.

[hcallega]

The major focus of the first debate was on Cuba and increased nuclear tension with the Soviets. The following are some highlights:
Questioner: Governor Kennedy, you have repeatedly criticized the President for his decisions internationally, but you have not specified what exactly you would do differently. Would you care to specify?
Kennedy: Of course. The big difference between my foreign policy views and those of the President’s are that I want to make America safer, and keep freedom alive internationally. The President’s focus is on repeatedly attacking, without any concern for the consequences. We have become engaged in a quagmire in Cuba, are on the brink of loosing Southeast Asia, and are at our most strained relations with the Soviets yet. As President I will step back and evaluate what we need to do, but what’s clear is that there will not be more of the same.

Questioner: Mr. President, you have focused this nation’s nuclear capabilities on bombers. Governor Kennedy has said that that’s very limiting and we should also focus on missiles and a larger ground army. What do you have to say in response to those critics of your plan?
Nixon: Well I can’t disclose specific details here, but I understand the concern. The reality is that we need a strong nuclear arsenal to combat the Soviet’s, and we need one that is reliable and safe. As of now, bombers fit all of the criteria. The B-52s and B-70s are very difficult to shoot down and can carry a large enough payload to win any nuclear war. They are also directly human operated and therefore aren’t as risky as missiles which are largely computer operated and can misfire. In these times we need to go with what works, not what doesn’t.
Moderator: Governor Kennedy, would you like a chance to respond?
Kennedy: Yes I would. The President is correct that nuclear bombers are the most reliable and safe way to deliver a deadly payload. But he fails to address what I said. Over the past four years we have over invested in one area of technology. Rather than have a balanced arsenal of bombers, missiles, and submarines, we have decided to invest in a known property. But I guarantee you that the Soviets are spending a great deal of their money on missiles and other various technologies. So while we might have the strongest bomber fleet, that does us no good if the Soviet’s can hit our cities and military bases around the world in 30 minutes, while our bombers take an hour or more to respond. We need balance, and that’s what you’ll get with my Presidency.

Questioner: Cuba has been the consuming conflict of the past several years, at least in the Americas. I would like to hear what the candidates would due to about the situation, which the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Maxwell Taylor, called a “dangerous quagmire in our backyard” before a congressional committee.
Moderator: Governor Kennedy, you can go first.
Kennedy: Well this is a very complex issue. I applaud the efforts of Mr. San Roman for restoring democracy to the Cuba and the President has done the right thing in supporting his besieged nation. But at the same time we have clearly done something wrong here. The number of young American men coming home in caskets is too high. What I believe we need to do is focus our efforts on training a competent and effective Cuban army that can defeat the Communist insurgents in our stead. We can’t leave now of course, but we need to have a plan, an exit strategy, so that we aren’t stuck in this quagmire for a decade.
Moderator: President Nixon?
President: We have done the right thing in Cuba. We supported the efforts of the Cuban refugees in taking back their country, and we have done the right thing by helping their regime survive. This is a fight we will win, but we have to stay the course. I guarantee every viewer and listener, this is a righteous fight, and it’s one that we WILL win.

Other issues included Vietnam (“The President has completely abandoned one of our few allies in Southeast Asia to Communism”-Kennedy), Europe (“Under my term as President the free peoples of Europe have stood firm against the Iron Curtain of Communism”-Nixon), and wasteful spending (“we have put in far too many taxpayers dollars for a plan which is not needed”-Kennedy in reference to the B-70). The responses to the debates were mixed.  Kennedy was given high grades for being sharp and concise, but the American people thought Nixon was his normal decisive self. Kennedy did much better among TV viewers, as his good looks outshined the war-torn Nixon.

   The economic and domestic debates were far less exciting. Nixon attacked congress for not adopting his economic plans which “are proven, tried, and tested. If I am reelected and given a Republican Congress these plans will be implemented, and the economy will turn around” and also praised the Civil Rights Act as “a huge leap forward for America.” Kennedy articulated his economic plan (“We need to get this economy moving, and just like I did in Massachusetts, I’m going to spend money. But I’m going to do it on the right things, and I’m going to cut taxes. This will work, as it did under President Roosevelt and under my administration as Governor.”) and his stance on civil rights (“The President did the right thing passing the Civil Rights Act. As President my focus will be on enforcing the laws and decisions of the courts and congress, as they are fair, just and right.”) With all of the debates concluded, Kennedy led Nixon by approximately 1-2 percentage points. Election Day itself was very tense and exciting and it would come down to the wire before Governor Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was elected President of the United States.

[hcallega]

Election Results

I figured nows as good a time as any to give you all of the election maps that are really important for Kennedy. The first is 1964:

Kennedy/Smathers (D)-277 EVs, 49.67% of the Popular Vote
Nixon/Scranton (R)-261 EVs, 49.28% of the Popular Vote
Other candidates: 1.15% of the Popular Vote

1964 Democratic Primaries

Red=Kennedy
Blue=Johnson
Green=Wallace

1960 Election

Nixon/Cabot Lodge (R)-314 EVs, 54% of the PV
Johnson/Kennedy (D)-223 EVs, 45% of the PV
(I Know this is different, but it's a minor detail so deal with it!)

1956 Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election

Kennedy (D)-51%
Whittier (R)-48%

1956 Massachusetts Democratic Primaries

Kennedy-49% (Red)
Furcolo-40% (Pink)
Buckley-11%

1950 Mayoral Election

Kennedy-39% (Red)
Curley-32% (Blue)
Hynes-24% (did his best in the downtown and affluent neighborhoods)

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Hcallega, you maps are amazing, esspecially of course local one. Keep it coming.

It's easy to kill a politician in TL (which I did frequently), but it's really difficult to give one dead more live. You're great in this

[Historico]

Awesome update with the installments, I wasn't expecting the '64 race between Nixon and Kennedy to be such a close race due to Dick's unpopularity...love the maps so Keep this TL going

[hcallega]

1965

   

Eight years earlier he had been inaugurated Governor of Massachusetts. Now Joseph Kennedy Jr. was being inaugurated as the first Catholic President of the United States of America. The cold January morning was made much warmer by the joy and excitement of the thousands of men and women attending the inauguration, and many expected a new era in Washington to be ushered in. Kennedy’s inaugural address focused on foreign policy and invigorating American ingenuity at home.

   “Today we stand at the base of a great mountain. This mountain stands for many things, some good and some bad. And we must climb this great mountain, both to accomplish the good and conquer the bad. It is my goal to see this mountain climbed under my term as President of the United States, and I will do everything in my power to ensure it.”

   Kennedy would unveil several plans for the future in the beginning of the year. The first was change of focus in the Cold War. Kennedy would redirect funds from nuclear bombers to nuclear missiles to close the “missile gap” with Russia. Kennedy would also officially change the focus of the War in Cuba to “training and preparing the Cuban Defense Force to fight for and protect they’re own nation.” He would also develop a secret timetable with Secretary of State Dean Rusk for a US withdrawal that he hoped to have finished “by 1970 at the latest.” Finally, Kennedy would also increase the number of military advisers sent to South Vietnam to aid the ARVN forces against the increasingly strong communist threat. Kennedy would also send a company of Marines to Saigon to “protect US interests in the capital, as well as to provide greater security to the South Vietnamese Government.”

   At home Kennedy’s new proposals were far less grandiose. He proposed an increase to the minimum wage and the creation of Medicare, a government run program to provide senior citizens with health care. Both plans would easily pass congress with support from both the northern and southern wings of the Democratic Party. Party unity was a key part of Kennedy’s first term, as he attempted to hold together a rapidly fracturing party. Kennedy would also call for a new economic stimulus package to “head off any potential recession.” The package included a large across the board tax cut, greater government funds for public works projects, and a focus on urban renewal (including “free enterprise zones”). Several economists would call Kennedy “The President of the Economic Center” between socialism and capitalism. Kennedy’s speech writer Arthur Schlesinger would praise the President for this stating that “President Kennedy understands that true economic success, not just GDP and economic indicators, lies in between the two extremes.” However conservatives such as economist Milton Freidman called Kennedy’s plans “the artificial stimulation of an economy that does not need it. By getting the government so deeply involved in our pocket books and well being we risk creating a true welfare state.”

   However Kennedy’s focus was soon forcefully shifted to the issue of Civil Rights, ironically the one issue that “I have no interest in confronting. It’s political suicide.” With an increasing number of murders by white supremacists combined with increased police brutality against Civil Rights marchers, the public began to feel greater sympathy for the cause. While Nixon’s Civil Rights Act had been a solid stepping stone, it had done little to provide the actual means for universal integration. Kennedy would act aggressively in response, sensing an opportunity to bring in an entirely new voting bloc. First, he would demand the rapid passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 (it had been floating in congress since the start of the new legislative session) which would ban any segregation of public facilities. It would also permit the federal government to intervene in issues of civil rights violations in voting or integration. Kennedy would publicly address the nation on Civil Rights in mid-march: “My fellow Americans, it’s clear to both you and me what needs to be done here. Firstly, we must make it illegal to discriminate based on the color of one’s skin. Also, we must give the federal government the power to prevent Civil Rights Violations from occurring in these United States. Now I understand your concerns over these issues, but now is the time to act and act aggressively.” While the bill would pass congress, it would receive strong opposition from Southerner’s and conservative Republicans such as Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater who called the bill “an encroachment on state’s rights and a massive expansion of the role of the federal government.” The implementation of the act would lead to a showdown between Attorney General Nicholas deKatzenbach and Alabama Governor George Wallace in Alabama. deKatzenbach would be forced to send in federal troops to implement integration, and to many in the South Wallace would become a hero. However Kennedy would also take a hard-line against race rioters, claiming that “it’s one thing when Rev. King marches peacefully, but it’s entirely different when angry young men firebomb grocery stores.”

   In the spring, Kennedy would be forced to change his focus to foreign policy. India and Pakistan had been wagging an on-and-off border war for the greater part of the last two years, but in 1965 it turned nuclear as both sides hit each other with strategic nuclear attacks against military installation. This led the UN and Kennedy to intervene, ordering that both sides “end all hostilities, lest the world erupt into a nuclear firestorm.” The peace agreement had both sides sign a non-proliferation agreement, and the UN would place peacekeepers in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Kennedy would also send troops to the Dominican Republic. The war in Cuba would also continue to drag on, as the first major offensive by the Cuban Army against Communists in the Santiago region proved disastrous. It was clear that the war on the island would drag on for some time. In more positive news, Kennedy would also prioritize the space race and the US reaching the moon within the next 15 years.

[Historico]

Well let's hope that "Broadway" Joe Kennedy is successful in making a long term Manned Space Exploration program for NASA unlike OTL's Apollo program...btw HC, could we get a list of the members of Kennedy's cabinent.

[hcallega]

Well let's hope that "Broadway" Joe Kennedy is successful in making a long term Manned Space Exploration program for NASA unlike OTL's Apollo program...btw HC, could we get a list of the members of Kennedy's cabinent.

Haha I hate making cabinets! But yeah here it is, even though it's obviously not great or original.

Vice-President: George Smathers
Secretary of State: Dean Rusk
Secretary of the Treasury: John Connally
Secretary of Defense: Robert McNamara
Attorney General: Nicholas Katzenbach
Postmaster General: Lawrence O'Brien
Secretary of the Interior: Stewart Udall
Secretary of Agriculture: Orville Freeman
Secretary of Commerce: Luther Hodges
Secretary of Labor: William Williard Wirtz
Secretary of Health Education Welfare: Henry Cabot Lodge

Press Secretary: Pierre Salinger
Chief of Staff: Robert Kennedy
Speech Writer: Arthur Schelesinger

[hcallega]

1966

The major focus of 1966 for the Kennedy administration was the Cuban War. More and more US soldiers were returning home in body bags, and there was no foreseeable end in sight. Communist forces controlled the highlands, jungles, forests, and many of the nations small towns, while the Nationalist forces held on to the big cities. Despite a large US prescience, the Communist forces could not be dislodged from their strongholds, and the charismatic Che Guevara's leadership ensured that a large number of poor and disalusioned Cuban youth kept on joining the revolutionaries.

For Kennedy the question was what do on the ground. General William Westmoreland, the commander of all ground forces, believed that the best strategy was to launch large offensives against the Communist strong points with the belief that they could drive them out and destroy them. However these offensives proved to be very costly with little tangible evidence outside of large enemy casualties. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Maxwell Taylor, had a very different view. Taylor believed that the US should change it's role in Cuba from a war to a counter-insurgency. He believed that US forces operating out of fire bases could effectively respond to Communist attacks across the countryside, rather than operating on a purely offensive basis. He also believed that the nationalists should be the primary offensive wing of the anti-communist front with US air support primarily from aircraft carriers. In the summer of 1966 Kennedy, frustrated with Westmoreland and supportive of the newly released "Taylor Report", replaced Westmoreland with General Creighton Abrams, a strong supporter of the counter-insurgency and Cuba-centric strategy. However it would not be until 1967 that the new strategy would be fully implemented.

At home the war became more and more unpopular and many anti-war protests sprung up around the nation. In particular Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. opposed the war. Also, many youths and counter-culture groups began to rise in influence, creating a general anti-war feel back home. However the war was still popular with a majority of Americans, as many felt that a Communist victory could result in the placement of nuclear weapons on the American border.

Other foreign policy achievements of 1966 included the opening of peace talks between America, North Vietnam, and South Vietnam. The focus of these talks was to help guarantee a peaceful transition of power if the North was to capture Saigon and take control of the the South. Kennedy sent his brother and Chef of Staff Robert Kennedy to conduct the talks with the goal to ensure that there would not be any massacre of political enemies of the North or any further communist expansion in Southeast Asia. These negotiations would continue on and off for the next several years. Kennedy also worked hard to increase funding for NASA back home.

[12th Doctor]

I won't be reading this timeline, as it might come too closely into conflict with the one I am doing... bastard stole my idea. 

[hcallega]

I won't be reading this timeline, as it might come too closely into conflict with the one I am doing... bastard stole my idea. 

Wut?

[Historico]

Hmm, I wonder how the Hawkish Joe will handle the Urban Riots/Rise of Black Nationalisim and the growing Anti-war Movement...Keep it comming HC

[hcallega]

1967
For President Kennedy the focus of 1967 was once again on foreign policy. The War in Cuba had reached an all-time low in popular support, and for the first time a majority of Americans supported a withdrawal of US military personnel. In Vietnam, communist forces continued to close in on Saigon, though they were far less aggressive due to the ongoing Paris Peace Talks between the US and North Vietnam to ensure that the so-called Domino Effect would not occur, or else. Kennedy would also have to deal with more and more urban riots, as well as the push to do more about poverty. Overall, this would be another tough year for the President.
   The implementation of the Taylor Plan in Cuba would begin in earnest in 1967. Cuban forces would be required to go through rigorous training programs and receive top-of-the-line American equipment before embarking on any mission. They would also be led into battle by American officers and the overall operations would be led by American Generals. However superb Cuban NCO’s would be rapidly promoted into the roles of officers, and the Cuban government would have a larger say in what military operations were undertaken and where. Kennedy also began to bring home more and more US troops, while keeping up high levels of air support. By March, all major military operations would be undertaken by Cuban-only forces with American commanders and air support. While campaigns would only have mixed success initially, they would by the summer Nationalist forces could defeat their Communist opponents in most circumstances. By the end of the year, the communists would be on the brink of defeat and relegated to their mountain strongholds.
   Back home, anti-war protests and race riots increase in number and intensity. In many cases the protestors would be seen as leftist and a part of the counter-culture. Mainstream America doesn’t see them as a positive representation of the anti-war movement, and therefore they receive less press coverage. However the violent and frightening riots do dominate the evening news, and in several cases the National Guard are mobilized. In a meeting with many state Governors, President Kennedy tells them to “do whatever you have to do to get these hooligans under control” while also sending federal troops to several cities. While these aggressive efforts are successful in stopping the riots and deterring future ones, members of the so-called “New Left” are quick to criticize him for violating civil rights and supporting excessive force. However the fact that rioting is no longer a threat is good enough news for the President.
   In July, the Israeli military launches a preemptive strike against Egypt and in the ensuing six-days is able to not only turn back Arab forces but gain a great deal of land. While the US doesn’t officially support Israel’s efforts, Kennedy personally states that “it’s damn good news that our guns beat theirs (the Russians)”. Kennedy was generally very supportive of Israel, and would continue to provide them weapons and aid.
   Back home, Kennedy would appoint Thurgood Marshall as the first black Supreme Court Justice. Kennedy would gain praise from blacks. In the fall he would go on a “Poverty Tour” of America, highlighting both his accomplishments with Medicare and Free Enterprise Zones. But when in Appalachia Kennedy is physically moved by the poverty suffered by many. Upon returning to Washington he promises to “fight a war on poverty” and puts before congress the “Anti-Poverty Act of 1967” which will increase funds for public work projects, create “Medicaid” for the poor, and increase funding for education. While the plan is attacked by conservatives, it passes by the end of the year.

[Historico]

I expect a full epilouge and ALT Presidents lists when this TL offically ends HC, No Exceptions!!!LOL, JK with The Cuban War successfully coming to a close just in time for the 1968 Election...Will he face a challenge from McCarthy(Maybe other doves like McGovern, or Proxmire) like Johnson did IOTL? Can't wait to see who the GOP offers up to rung against JPK(Goldwater probably)...Keep it comming.

[hcallega]

1968
Entering 1968, President Kennedy was in a much better position than he was in the previous year. He welcomed his fifth child on January 2nd, and with this new birth symbolized the potential for rebirth in this New Year for the Kennedy Administration. In Cuba, the Nationalist military forces were increasingly successful, although it had become clear that it was now a war of attrition against the entrenched Communist forces in their mountain fortress. Nonetheless, Kennedy supported General Abrams plans to “bomb them back into the stone age” with high-altitude B-52 and B-100 bombers. Napalm was also delivered by low altitude F-4 Phantoms and F-105 Thunders. In his memoirs, decorated US Lieutenant John S. McCain III remembered “the sight of that orange glow, instantly consuming the entire forest. I often dreamt as to who it was that we were killing with those bombs. Were they communist guerillas, hell bent on destroying the freedoms that we as Americans were bound to protect? Or were they farmers and civilians, who simply happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time?”

With the War in Cuba no longer taking center stage, the foreign policy question of the day shifted to south-east Asia. In Paris, peace negotiations between the North and South were beginning to make progress. Robert Kennedy, the chief negotiator on the part of the US, received much of the credit for this with his address to the parties: “I was born into a rich, establishment family. My father was a banker and millionaire. One of brothers is the President of the United States, another a US Senator, and the third the highest prosecutor in Massachusetts. So it’s not so surprising that I’m working with you all to attain peace. But maybe it is. When I see the Viet Cong in their black pajamas fighting against a nation that they do not believe is valid, I see Americans fighting back against the British colonizers. I don’t see this as simply capitalism vs. communism. I see this as a war for national unity. I am here, the US is here, to ensure that this war comes to an end, and that those who disagree with the National Liberation Front and the Government of North Vietnam are not punished for speaking out.” While the South was reluctant to negotiate on the basis that they would be defeated, Kennedy was able to move the talks forward, and in March an agreement was made wherein all members of the South Vietnamese government would receive asylum in the US, North Vietnam would promise not to invade any other nations lest the US intervene, and future trade pacts between the Communists and US would hinge on human rights. This was yet another major boost for the President.

In domestic politics, the Republican Primary featured several different faces. Governor’s George Romney of Michigan and Nelson Rockefeller of New York were the early frontrunners, but also in the race was conservative Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. The three-way race would truly start in New Hampshire, where Rockefeller would be victorious. The New York Governor would go on to win the hard-fought nomination by dispatching Romney early on and portraying Goldwater as too radical to win or to govern effectively. At the convention in September, Rockefeller would make the surprising choice of California Governor Ronald Reagan as his VEEP. Despite personal and political differences, Rockefeller believed that Reagan’s conservatism and strong stance against the anti-war protestors.

The fall campaign would be less intense than the thrilling 1964 race, but would still be very interesting. The race between two liberals ensured that while some voters would have to choose between two goods, others would have to choose between two evils. Both campaigns would criss-cross the nation, attempting to appeal to swing voters and moderates. Kennedy would gain the endorsement of labor unions and many liberal groups, but would loose out on support from business to Rockefeller. The polls generally showed Kennedy up for most of the race, but the question was whether or not Rockefeller could pull out a victory on Election Night. But in the end, in this so-called “Legacy Race”, Kennedy would come out on top and win a second term.

Kennedy/Smathers (D)-319 EVs, 53% of the PV
Rockefeller/Reagan (R)-219 EVs, 46% of the PV
(Lester Maddox’s Name appeared on the ballot in Georgia)
New York was the closest state and was decided by .4% of the vote

[Historico]

Damn...Poor Ol' Rocky couldn't even win his home state lol, was MLK still in assassinated ITTL '68? Can't wait to see what happens in Joe's second term...Keep it comming

[hcallega]

Damn...Poor Ol' Rocky couldn't even win his home state lol, was MLK still in assassinated ITTL '68? Can't wait to see what happens in Joe's second term...Keep it comming

No he was not, as I figure that the changing Civil Rights Movement is a good enough butterfly.

[hcallega]

1969
Entering his second term in office, President Kennedy had a full slate of issues to deal with. Obviously things were going well, as Cuba was beginning to finally look stable after years of bloody warfare. Elsewhere, the possibility of nuclear war was becoming less and less likely. While Saigon was on the brink of collapse, the reality of a peace treaty meant that the so-called “Domino Theory” would not truly take effect. Now, for the first time in his Presidency, Kennedy could focus on his legacy as a great American President. At his inauguration, Kennedy said “Now is the time for America to walk forward. We are no longer bound by the wars of the past, the mistakes of past generations. We can look into the future and look to a great and abundant world where the United States is the leader, but not the only voice, for freedom and democracy.”

In mid-January, Kennedy would unveil his “Ten Points for Prosperity” plan to the United States. They intention of these plans were “not just to stimulate economic growth, but to make both America and the world at large as great as it possibly can be.” The following are the ten points

1.   Stimulate economic growth via tax-cuts and greater investment in public works
2.   Increase funding for public education to give our future generations the opportunity to improve on what we have done in America
3.   Increase funding for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid so that those less fortunate still have the means to live a good life
4.   Slim down the federal budget by eliminating wasteful spending, cutting the defense budget, and looking for ways to streamline federal entitlement programs
5.   Increase funding for NASA and reach the moon by 1973
6.   Increase aid for the free peoples of the world in their fight against Communism
7.   Speak openly with our rival superpowers so that we may attain true world peace
8.   Work to have local powers assume a greater role in their national security against communism and oppression
9.   Fight poverty, discrimination, and inequality through an active justice department
10.   Create a comprehensive government-run health insurance plan

Kennedy placed his priorities on education and economic growth, while also making clear that he would “seek out our enemies to talk, not to kill.” In his first hundred days Kennedy would see spending increases on domestic programs, cuts on defense spending, and a new round of tax cuts. He also increased funding for NASA, and planned to push for a government health care plan the next year.

Outside of appointing a new liberal Supreme Court justice, 1969 was pretty boring in terms of domestic issues. Kennedy focused on managing the economy and ensuring integration nation-wide, but for the most part was more focused on being “a game-manager”. Kennedy would also take a reeled back role in foreign policy, simply denouncing  the British arrival of troops in Northern Ireland as “colonial and imperialistic” while also criticzing new Libyan ruler Momar Kadafi as “a socialist Islamic radical, not a good combination” privately. Compared to his first four years, 1969 was very calm.

[Historico]

Am I the only one reading this great timeline??? Although JPK's legacy package sounds well and good but IDK, inflation with the Cuban War drawing to a close is going to put ahalt in many of his plans...So the '70's economic picture might not look too different after alll...Keep it comming HC?

[hcallega]

1970
The focus on 1970 for Joe Kennedy was the economy and inflation. While his economic growth plans had been successful in jumpstarting the economy, now the negative effects of artificial growth were beginning to be felt. While the economic numbers were still promising, many worried that a sharp downturn could be felt in the future. Another major concern was that of inflation. Kennedy’s “Cut and Spend” policies were ratcheting up the federal deficit and debt, and his attempts to cut wasteful spending had failed to make much of a mark at all. Therefore, in February Kennedy would implement controversial wage and price controls that would have to be renewed every 6 months by congress. While conservatives chided Kennedy for this aggressive control of the market, liberals would praise him for taking the necessary measures.

Kennedy would also take aggressive means towards greater world peace. He would secretly organize a meeting with Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev, first in Washington and then in Moscow. These meetings would primarily focus on lessening nuclear tensions between the two nations, as well as addressing the issue of human rights. While the meetings accomplished little as far as practical outcomes, the long term results were that the tensions between Russia and the US were at an all-time low following the beginning of the Cold War. However Kennedy would also persuade Brezhnev in a series of telephone conversations to loosen restrictions on free speech and political oppression. Kennedy would use China as political leverage, saying that he would attempt to begin the process of normalization with the Russian rival unless the Soviet leader took a more liberal stance.

But while Kennedy was consumed with the economy and the Soviets, personal issues also took a toll. His seventh child, a girl named Rosemary, died shortly after birth. Kennedy’s marriage would be strained by this, as his wife developed depression. Kennedy would later recall that “I don’t think we were really ever in love until I left the White House. I blame myself, since I only spent a day morning and then it was back to work. I really regret that.” Kennedy would also have to suffer even more personal loss. His father Joe had died the year before, but Joe Jr. took that in stride, saying “We all knew he was going to die soon. Better that he had seen one of his sons win than not.” However it was the death of his brother John due to massive heart failure that shocked him: “He was in his senate office. I always knew that he was sick, really sick, but he was so happy and joyful. When I needed a bill passed I always knew he would support me, just like when I needed personal help or someone to cheer me up. I knew that he liked the ladies, everyone did, but in a way that was Jack: “live for the moment” he would always say. I’m just sorry that he never got any higher than whip. He could have been a great President.” Interestingly enough, it was Joe's brother Ted (Massachusetts Governor) who would succeed Jack.

[Historico]

Wow, it was definatley a tough year for Joe...Hopefully things will look up for the Kennedy's as they enter the last couple of years of his Presidency.

[hcallega]

Summary of 1971 and 1972

   Hey folks. As anyone reading this recently (Historico) has noticed, I’ve run out of a lot of interesting stuff to say in regards to the second term of the Kennedy administration. Therefore I’m gonna do a summary of his last two years. Kennedy’s focus shifted back to domestic politics after Détente had been reached between the Soviet Union and Russia. He would pass a deficit reduction bill in early 1971 aimed at cutting the debt through domestic and foreign spending cuts, as well as a tax increase. But Kennedy’s greater focus was on health care.

With the urging of his staff, Kennedy would propose the creation of a government run health insurance program. Any American could join this program and receive free health insurance. Kennedy believed that this would create greater competition while still helping those who could not afford health insurance. It was also the political middle ground between those on the left who were pro-single payer, those on the right who opposed any health insurance reform, and others who supported either a personal or employer mandate. Kennedy’s plan would pass the Labor and Public Welfare Committee easily, and would be steered through the senate by Majority Leader Mike Mansfield. While the bill would be strongly opposed by conservatives, it would garner just enough support to pass. In the House, Speaker Carl Albert was lukewarm about the bill, but Majority Leader Tip O’Neill and Maryland Congressman Sargent Shriver would take the charge, driving it through the House by a wider margin than in the Senate. Kennedy would sign the bill on Christmas Eve, 1971.

1972 was a year where Kennedy would do little truly exciting. While he would sign the Clean America Act regulating emissions and pollution, as well as the creation of the National Public Housing Committee, he would do little truly earthshatering. In fact his best achievement in the year was seeing an end to serious hostilities in Cuba with the death of Che Guevera in one of the last highland fortresses of the Communists. As he left the White House, it was obvious that Kennedy had made the world a safer place, and had made America a better one for the poor and working class. However he would also leave with a large deficit, high inflation, and many conservative critics. Nonetheless, historians would call him a great foreign policy president, and a very accomplished domestic one.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

This is really, really good HC, one of the best timelines on the forum at the present, despite Joe Kennedy Junior not being nearly as a reactionary as I originally anticipated. Regardless, it does not diminish the superb quality of the timeline and I'm eagerly awaiting the election of 1972, even if its in epilogue format .

[hcallega]

Presidential Election Breakdown
1972
Nelson Rockefeller (R) v. George Smathers (D) v. Martin Luther King Jr. (I)

In the Democratic Nomination, Smathers would fight off Hubert Humphrey in a very close race. While Kennedy would not endorse his Vice-President, he would offer tacit support in the form of encouraging his staff to work on his campaign. Key victories in several mid-western states would give the conservative Floridian the nomination. On the Republican side, Rockefeller would be the “Comeback Kid”, defeating Illinois’s Charles Percy and California’s Ronald Reagan for the title. With Smather’s nomination however, Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr. would jump into the race. King was upset at Smather’s opposition to Civil Rights legislation and greater anti-poverty programs, and was critical of Rockefeller’s “tough on crime” campaign theme. His presence would prove crucial in several states, as Rockefeller would prevail.

1976
Nelson Rockefeller (R) v. Scoop Jackson (D)

With President Kennedy’s endorsement, Jackson would prevail over a divided field. Critical of Rockefeller’s “weak” foreign policy and his strong support of bussing, Jackson would call himself a “Cold War Liberal”. However most Americans were supportive of the incumbent, and Rockefeller would win reelection.

1980
Bob Dole (R) v. Lloyd Bentsen (D)

The Republican Whip in the Senate, Dole would win the nomination campaigning as a “Compassionate Conservative” and noted his ability to work across the aisle to get things done in the Senate. On the other side, Bentsen would win over a divided liberal field, and get the key support of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. In a dead heat race, Bentsen would be pushed over the finish line with the death of President Kennedy two weeks before the election, giving him the needed poll boost to win.

1984
Guy Vander Jagt (R) v. Lloyd Bentsen (D)

Appointed to the Senate in 1964, Vander Jagt would prove to be one of the most articulate public speakers on the right. Attacking Bentsen’s approach as “doing nothing would be better than what he is doing”, Vanger Jagt would propose a more aggressive foreign policy and “better spending, not necessarily less or more.” In one of the biggest electoral swings in memory, Vanger Jagt would win.

1988
Guy Vanger Jagt (R) v. Joe Biden (D)

Biden would win the Democratic Nomination with the support of Catholics and suburban voters, prevailing over Majority Leader Gephardt. However Biden’s gaffe prone style would fail to move voters as he would be defeated by a comfortable margin.

[hcallega]

1992
Jack Kemp (R) v. Doug Wilder (D)

Wilder’s historic nomination would do great things for the Democrats, who were desperately needing a boost. Wilder would portray Kemp as “a radical rightist” while running as a moderate. He would focus on fiscal responsibility and a “government that works for the people and by the people, doing good when needed and getting out when unwanted.” Wilder’s ability to win both blacks and moderate whites would be key as he would win several southern states on route to victory in a historic election.

1996
Nancy Kassebaum (R) v. Doug Wilder (D) v. Pat Buchanan (I)

This three way race was very exciting, as Kassebaum’s moderate record would match up well with Wilder’s. While the incumbent had cut the debt and had recorded a budget surplus in 1995, he had failed to do anything major. However the conservative Buchanan’s presence on the ballot essentially ruined any chance for Kassebaum to win.

2000
Orrin Hatch (R) v. Lee Hamilton (D)

Hamilton, Wilder’s VP, easily won the nomination, while Hatch had to fight it out in a competitive GOP field. Both moderates, Hamilton was able to capture the white working class vote and come out on top.

2004
John McCain (R) v. Lee Hamilton (D)

McCain, a Medal of Honor winner for his heroism in Cuba, was a favorite of the right for his attacks on the “out of control Washington Spending” and as Governor of Arizona was well respected by moderates for his immigration tactics. He would defeat Hamilton by a comfortable enough margin

2008
John McCain (R) v. Jack Kennedy (D)

Kennedy, the ex-President’s son, won the nomination as a “proud liberal” and would square off with McCain in one of the rare ideological battles in recent memory. Kennedy would stage a great comeback in the polls, but would fail to finish the deal and would be narrowly defeated.

[Historico]

His Father’s Son: POTUS List

32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-NY): March 4th 1933-April 12th 1945*
33. Harry S. Truman (D-MO): April 12th 1945-January 20th 1953
34. Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower (R-NY): January 20th 1953-January 20th 1961
35. Richard M. “Dick” Nixon (R-CA): January 20th 1961-January 20th 1965
36. Joseph P. “Joe” Kennedy Jr. (D-MA): January 20th 1965-January 20th 1973
37. Nelson A. Rockefeller (R-NY): January 20th 1973-January 26th 1979*
38. Claude R. Kirk Jr. (R-FL): January 26th 1979-January 20th 1981
39. Lloyd M. Bentsen (D-TX): January 20th 1981-January 20th 1985
40. Guy A. Vander Jagt (R-MI): January 20th 1985-January 20th 1993
41. Lawrence Douglas Wilder (D-VA): January 20th 1993-January 20th 2001**
42. Lee Hamilton (D-IN): January 20th 2001-January 20th 2005
43. John S. McCain III (R-AZ): January 20th 2005-???

Notes

37. Died in office due to a massive heart attack
41. First African American President

His Father’s Son: VEEP List

33. Henry A. Wallace (D-IA): January 20th 1941-January 20th 1945
34. Harry S. Truman (D-MO): January 20th-April 12th 1945
Vacant: April 12th 1945-January 20th 1949
35. Alben W. Barkley (D-KY): January 20th 1949-January 20th 1953
36. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA): January 20th 1953-January 20th 1961
37. Henry C. Lodge Jr. (R-MA): January 20th 1961-January 20th 1965
38. George A. Smathers (D-FL): January 20th 1965-January 20th 1973
39. Claude R. Kirk Jr. (R-FL): January 20th 1973-January 26th 1979
Vacant: January 26th 1979-January 20th 1981
40. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV): January 20th 1981-January 20th 1985
41. Robert H. Finch (R-CA): January 20th 1985-January 20th 1993
42. Lee Hamilton (D-IN): January 20th 1993-January 20th 2001
43. Barbara L. Boxer (D-CA): January 20th 2001-January 20th 2005**
44. Alberto R. Gonzalez (R-TX): January 20th 2005-???**

Notes.

43. First Female/Jewish Vice-President
44. First Mexican American Vice-President

His Father’s Son: Defeated Tickets

1944: Thomas Dewey (R-NY)/John Bricker (R-OH)
1948: Thomas Dewey (R-NY)/Earl Warren (R-CA)
1952: Adlai E. Stevenson II (D-IL)/John Sparkman (D-AL)
1956: Adlai E. Stevenson II (D-IL)/Estes Kefauver (D-TN)
1960: Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX)/Joseph P. “Joe” Kennedy Jr. (D-MA
1964: Richard M. Nixon (R-CA)/William W. Scranton (R-PA)
1968: Nelson A. Rockefeller (R-NY)/Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA)
1972: George A. Smathers (D-FL)/Morris K. “Mo” Udall (D-AZ) ; Dr. Martin L. King Jr. (I-GA)/Eugene J. “Gene” McCarthy (I-MN)
1976: Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-WA)/Dale L. Bumpers (D-AK)
1980: Robert J. “Bob” Dole (R-KA)/William S. Cohen (R-ME)
1984: Lloyd M. Bentsen (D-TX)/Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
1988: Joseph R. “Joe” Biden Jr. (D-PA)/Martha L. Collins (D-KY)
1992: Jack F. Kemp (R-NY)/Carroll A. Campbell (R-SC)
1996: Nancy L. Kassebaum (R-KA)/George V. Voinovich ; Patrick J. “Pat” Buchanan (C-VA)/James L. Buckley (C-CT)
2000: Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)/John E. “Jeb” Bush (R-FL)
2004: Lee Hamilton (D-IN)/Barbara L. Boxer (D-CA
2008: Jack Kennedy (D-MA)/Gary Locke (D-WA)