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

[hcallega]

This Tl will be written as a biography of Joe Kennedy Jr. While It will have many of the amenities of typical timeline, the focus will almost be entirely on the life of Kennedy. Basically, assume that this is a biography written by Robert Dallek with the name above. At the end, I'll wright a rap-up post that will cover what happened next. Enjoy!
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"Don't Blow it Joe"

Lieutenant Joe Kennedy Jr.

For Lieutenant’s Joe Kennedy Jr. and John Willy, this was it. Their modified B-24 bomber was hurtling towards its target, the V-3 super cannon. This cannon, intended to bombard the British capital in London, was the worst nightmare of the Allied command. The fear of a return of the Blitz was too much for many Londoners, and thus the V-3 had to be destroyed. The only way to do so, Allied leaders figured was to directly bomb the target. However the lack of technological advancements made this quite difficult, and in turn Allied leaders devised Operation Aphrodite. The plan was to use Allied bombers as missiles, slamming into the gun itself. The first mission, taking place on August 6th, had failed miserably as the remote controlled bombers had failed to hit their targets. It was clear that for the mission to work human-controlled planes would have to be used.
   Joe Kennedy Jr. was not a rookie. He had already served two tours of duty and had flown 25 combat missions. In fact he had already been given the opportunity to return home to his wealthy family in the ‘States. But the Kennedy’s were a competitive clan, and with the recognition that Joe’s younger brother Jack had received for his heroism in the Pacific, there was no other choice but to stay on. Joe would volunteer to risk his life in a way no other serviceman had yet done. He would be part of a suicide mission, and there was no guarantee that he would come back alive.
   As the plane hurtled towards the ground Kennedy and Willy had to keep their nerves steady. If they were to bail out too early than the plane could very well miss its target. But if they stayed in the aircraft for too long then they would be going home in an urn instead of as heroes. Kennedy had always been taught to be brave by his father and his namesake. Ambassador Kennedy had fought to keep the US out of war, but was proud to see two of his sons on the front lines. He wasn’t surprised to see Joe Jr. volunteer to be a Navy Pilot, the most dangerous field in the military, and was equally unsurprised when Joe wrote him and his mother that he was volunteering for a secret mission. This would be the opportunity for him to become a hero, and perhaps the moment needed for him to fulfill his father’s dream. But that was of no concern to him now. As the lights and sounds of the plane whizzed and whirled all around him, Kennedy stayed calm, lined the plane up, and gave the order to bail out.
   As Kennedy and Willy jumped from the death machine they could only watch as the bomber smashed into the side of the cannon. The explosion was magnificent, and it was clear that the mission was a success. As the escort planes flew overhead Kennedy knew that this was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life. But as his parachute snagged on a tree, reality snapped back. He was a high profile combatant in enemy territory, and he had no idea where he was. He had been instructed to rendezvous with Willy and hold out until Allied forces arrived to rescue them. But that could be days or weeks, and Kennedy hadn’t bothered to look where Willy was heading as he parachuted to the ground. And now he was stuck in a tree. So much for a hero’s welcome.
   Surveying his surroundings, Kennedy saw a farm house and a barn in front of him. The lights were on as the explosion had likely awoken the family. But a nice house like that? Who knows who lives there? It could be collaborators, or even German officers. If they found a young, handsome, American Lieutenant who knows what they would do with him. As Kennedy struggled to cut himself out of his parachute, a middle-aged man appeared out of the house. He looked around to see what was what, and was surprised to see a man hanging from a tree and screaming in broken French. He walked up to man, assuming he wasn’t German and helped him get down. It wasn’t long before he realized that he was an American serviceman.
   Kennedy would stay at the French family’s house for several weeks. It wasn’t until mid-September before Allied forces arrived to find the heroic young Irish-American. It helped that he was so charming and willing to do work around the house, plus he was Catholic. He would later recall the warmth of the family as a defining moment in his life. Now Kennedy was the hero, and the only question was what would the hero do next.

[hcallega]

Justa small tip: space out between paragraphs.

Thanks. My computer was being a pain in the butt so i posted as is. Do you like it so far?

[hcallega]

The Crown Prince of Boston

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. was born on July 15th, 1915 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Joseph Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald, were children of Boston political bosses (Patrick Kennedy and John “Honey” Fitzgerald). They were both Irish-Catholic, and had been forced to deal with discrimination from the Protestant establishment their entire lives. For Joe this was far more obvious, as he was excluded from high society even after graduating from Harvard. “All these people understand is money.” Joe once said. And in many ways he was right. The Protestant establishment of New England (Boston in particular) had long held a sense of entitlement over the rest of the country, especially the Irish. But with the rise of ward bosses such as Honey Fitz to the Office of Mayor the WASPS no longer had complete control. The political scene had shifted from a battle between progressive and conservative Protestants to one between the business oriented Protestants and the worker oriented Catholics. No one personified this battle more than James Michael Curley. The four-term Boston Mayor had paved a path as a classic American Populist, taking on business interests and fighting for the common man. He effectively removed the Protestants from Boston’s political community, just as Democratic machines were doing the same to Republicans throughout the country.

   However for young Joe Jr. this was not a battle that he was forced to live through. After his birth Joe Sr. would move his family to the Protestant suburb of Brookline with the belief that there his family would be safe from the hustle and bustle of city life. Yet Boston was always in the blood of the Kennedys. Joe Jr. would be even farther removed when he attended high school at the prestigious Choate School in Wallingford, Massachusetts. An excellent student, Joe placed himself at the top of his class and would gain acceptance into Harvard in 1933. All the while Joe Sr. was working as one of FDR’s closest if most brittle advisers. Papa Joe would serve as the first Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the Ambassador to Great Britain. In 1938 Joe Jr. would graduate Harvard with high regards (he played football, rugby, and crew, as well as being a member of the student council) and join his family studying at the London School for Economics. Joe would return home to enroll at the Harvard Law School and would get an opportunity to serve with his father as a delegate at the 1940 Democratic National Convention. But the life of luxury would not last long, as young Joe would volunteer to join the Naval Aviators when America went to war in 1941.

As young Joe Kennedy returned home from Europe, there was no ticker tape parade or huge public reception. But everyone in Boston new that their heroic favorite son was coming home. While Joe Sr. may have tarnished the family name with his reputation as a isolationist, defeatist, and anti-Semite in the years prior to US involvement in World War Two, his sons had done just as much to restore the Kennedy name to it’s rightful place as the royal family for American Catholics. Upon his return Kennedy would finish his degree at Harvard Law while touring around the nation to promote the buying of war bonds. News reels would portray him as one of America’s brightest young men who would lead the nation in the future. It was clear that his star was rising.

   Kennedy’s first political opportunity came in 1947, with an open election for Boston’s Mayorship. But with the popularity James Michael Curley had established, Kennedy saw no reason to put his young neck on the line. However in 1949 things were different. Curley was growing increasingly unpopular due to his geriatrics and jail time. Also, the mood and climate of Boston politics was changing from a more ethnic and religious based system to a more pragmatic one. More and more Irish Catholics were moving up into the middle class, and Curley’s dialect of class warfare and the fight against the Protestant Elite’s was no longer as valid. At the time Kennedy joined the race, the fight was between Curley and his former city clerk and reformer John Hynes. With Kennedy’s arrival the dynamic of the race changed completely. No longer was this a race between a reformer and an old pol, but a race between a war hero and everyone else. Kennedy symbolized youth, but also a keen sense of the past. Supported by many ward bosses looking for a way to support a true-blue Irishman but avoid the tarnish that was Curley. In the end, Kennedy would prevail with 39% of the vote to Curley’s 32% and Hynes 24%. This victory, combined with Jack Kennedy’s victory for a 1948 Congressional Seat put the Kennedy’s back in America’s political mind.

[hcallega]

“It’s a New Day”

It was a cold and rainy January morning in 1950 as Mayor-Elect Joe Kennedy Jr. walked to the podium in Boston’s City Hall. The Beacon Hill address had held many prominent and flamboyant figures, including the new Mayor’s father-in-law. Flanking him was his father Joe, his mother Rose, Congressman Jack Kennedy, the elderly former Mayor Honey Fitz, and various political aides. Kennedy would deliver an upbeat and powerful speech to the local media and the city council members assembled there:

   “Hello esteemed members of the Boston media and city and state government. I’m glad you could make it here even with the weather. But I suppose that it’s fitting that it’s raining because it’s been raining on Boston for many years now. The days of the old city politics are, whether we like it or not, gone. On both sides of my family political were old ward bosses. And when they held sway here on Beacon Hill the system worked. But the times have indeed changed. No longer can our city run on a system of patronage. Instead it must run on a system of virtue and integrity, where those who deserve the right to work for the city get it, and those who don’t do not.
   But I’m not here to preach to you about the wrongs of now. I’m here to tell you what this new Boston will look and feel like. This will not be a Boston of haves and have nots. The working man will get his fair say and his fair share. But business will also flourish and be given the opportunity to make this city’s economy once again the pride of the nation. I will work long and hard with the Massachusetts congressional delegation to ensure that government contracts and projects arrive here in Boston, and not somewhere else simply due to the belief that there is rampant corruption here. And speaking of corruption: I will not tolerate any city employee using their job as leverage for personal or financial gain. If I here of this they will be immediately fired and replaced with someone who can do the work well and do it right. No longer will Boston be at the mercy with those who believe that they are royalty.
   This Boston will be one where the middle class will want to live, not want to leave. And it will be one where the bright and successful will want to raise their families so that they too can experience the greatness of this town. But to all of those in the neighborhoods who fear that all of this will be done at their expense, I guarantee you that you will come first, before any business or any corporation. This will not be a Boston of class warfare. This will be a Boston of business, balance, and prosperity for all. It is truly a new day for the City on the Hill. Thank you, and God Bless America.”

   As signaled by his speech, Kennedy would focus his efforts on turning Boston into a prosperous and successful city for business and capital. This was similar to what was occurring in other northeastern cities at the time, such as Baltimore and Philadelphia, but with Joe Kennedy at the helm Boston took center stage. Kennedy’s plan was to balance the development of business with the preservation of the many ethnic neighborhoods that formed any Irishman’s base in Boston. However this proved to be tricky. Developers were insistent of getting the best waterfront property possible, but much of this was still densely populated residential neighborhoods on the North and West End. In response, Kennedy and his advisers would craft the “Boston Plan”.

   The Boston Plan was to accept almost any business development project that did not destroy residential areas. Building on that, ravished and heavily impoverished areas would be the first to be raised for business, followed by areas holding less profitable businesses, and then finally the urban neighborhoods. The theory was that enough new businesses and buildings could be established in the vagrant areas of the city or in areas where their were smaller and less successful businesses that the “neighborhoods” wouldn’t have to be touched.

   While the Boston Plan was praised by both the business community and many “ethnics”, serious criticism came from the black community. Many of the first communities slated for destruction were the poor black ones in areas such as Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. For many decades the black community had been ignored by both the Protestant Republican establishment (due to their low class) and the more recent Irish-Catholic establishment (due in part to both race and economic competition among the working class). In many ways this was the final straw, as blacks took to the streets to protest what they saw as favoritism by Kennedy towards white ethnics at the expense of blacks. These protests were put down by the police, though Kennedy made it clear that “racial violence will not engulf Boston, either by the protesters or the police force.” The Boston Plan would continue, with new housing projects being developed for the displaced blacks. However when asked about Boston in 1960, Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr. would call it “the most racist city in America from top to bottom.”

   Kennedy would also focus on improving the education system in Boston and would successfully work with Boston’s congressmen (Jack Kennedy and John McCormack) to funnel federal funds and projects to the city. Overall Kennedy was quite successful as Mayor and would win reelection in 1951, ’53, and ’55 by large margins. The only question was when would Kennedy take the leap and run for higher office….

[hcallega]

Nice Installment HC, Sounds like "Fighting Joe Jr." might go for the Governorship of Massachusetts in '56(I really like the alternate Political Path, instead of having him follow JFK's role IOTL), since he does seem like he would like the executive role much more than being one of 50 senators lol. Keep it comming.

Yeah that was the idea. Too boring to have him follow JFK's route. Also I agree that he wouldn't take kindly to not being in charge. Also, I still have JFK following the legislative route because Joe Sr. would have wanted that level of dominance.

[hcallega]

“Next Man Up”

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   The career of Joe Kennedy Jr. was already in full force by the summer of 1956, buy he had yet to truly ascend to national prominence. As Mayor of Boston he had created a powerful coalition of business and the neighborhoods, and was named “America’s Best New Mayor” by Time Magazine. However, the position of Mayor was neither a national nor statewide office, and both Joe Jr. and Papa Joe knew that any ascension to the Oval Office would have to wait until the next step was reached. In fact, Joe would often lament that “I find it incredible that Jack’s the one in Washington before me!”

   However in Joe Jr. would be given the opportunity that he so desperately desired. With Governor Christian Herter retiring from the Governor’s Mansion, Kennedy had the opportunity to ascend to it without the likely embarrassment of loosing to an incumbent. But even without an incumbent in the field, Kennedy would still have to fight for his spot. His first challenge came from within his own party. The fight for the Democratic nomination would be waged between Kennedy and John Foster Furcolo, the State Treasurer hailing from the Springfield area. While Kennedy would quickly draw support from the Irish-Catholic political machine, as well as many Boston business leaders, Furcolo would draw key support from organized labor. However, Kennedy would adopt a new campaign strategy that would literally attempt to “drown” Furcolo. Breaking out a media blitz, Kennedy made sure that every person in the state knew everything they could about why he would make a good governor, and why Furcolo could not. Kennedy also pushed for high turnout among Irish-Catholics while still painting himself as the face of a new generation. In the end this tactic would pay off, as Kennedy would defeat Furcolo with 49% of the vote to 40%, with Auditor John Buckley finishing with 11%.

   Kennedy’s big win would face him off against Lt. Governor Sumner Whittier. A symbol of the WASP Bay State GOP, Whittier would attempt to paint Kennedy as a tool of the Irish Political machine and thus corrupt. Kennedy would fire back and make it clear that “I have never, and I will never, tarnish my character or the character of my office, with corruption, bribes, or anything of the like.” Kennedy would also hammer Whittier as “a man from the ivory tower, who knows nothing about the working man.” The campaign would be hard fought, as both former Governor Herter and President Eisenhower campaigned for Whittier. However the Irish-Catholic Machine in Boston countered this by breaking out they’re own big guns. Former Mayor and onetime Kennedy opponent, James Michael Himself, would call Kennedy “The next man up!” while erstwhile rival John McCormack would make it clear that “this is a fight between the national GOP and the state Democrats. It’s a good thing we’ve got Papa Joe.” It would turn out that the huge Kennedy family wealth would be key, as Kennedy would narrowly defeat Whitter, 51-48%.

   Kennedy’s victory would put him on the national conscious, as many within the Democratic Party began to look at him as a potential candidate for the 1960 Presidential election. However the immediate focus for Kennedy was governing the Bay State, and attempting to keep control of a rowdy political machine. At his inauguration, Kennedy would call on all citizens of the state to “work together to turn this state into the greatest state in the Union once again.” Kennedy would make it clear that “in the words of President Truman, the buck stops here. I know this, and I will make clear that this administration will be one of honesty and transparency.”

[hcallega]

The People’s Governor

Settling into the Governor’s Mansion on Beacon Hill, many began to wonder what young Joe Kennedy Jr. would do as governor exactly. Most believed that he would follow the pragmatic trend that he had established as Mayor of Boston. However conservatives in the legislature feared greatly that Kennedy would pave a liberal record of increased spending and greater involvement in the state’s economy. Ironically liberals also worried about Kennedy due to his ties to the reactionary old Boston pols, especially on issues such as civil rights and corruption.
   
However Kennedy’s first major act as Governor was to take a wife. On the campaign trail in 1956, Kennedy had met Miss Massachusetts, Elaine Murphy. Taking a shine to the young lass, Kennedy would court her for the rest of the year, and marry her at a Beacon Hill ceremony in January. The marriage was one of the most lavish in Boston’s prestigious history as the entire Kennedy clan was in attendance to watch Joe finally get married (some said his father had encouraged him to “play the field for as long as you damn well can). After the wedding the couple honey-mooned on Martha’s Vineyard for a week, before the new Governor returned to deal with state business.

Kennedy had two major focuses in his first term as Governor: improve the state’s economy, and perhaps more importantly, make himself a contender for the Presidency. Many believed that Kennedy was already a potentially strong candidate and that he should do little to risk his standing on aggressive political endeavors, but Kennedy knew that the only way to solidify his standing was to make a mark. Therefore Kennedy would embark on a series of initiatives that would give the title “The People’s Governor”

Kennedy would first past a round of tax cuts to inspire business growth in the state, but would soon follow that up by raising the states minimum wage. Kennedy would also fight to raise state employee pay and better pensions. Kennedy would also establish The Bay State Industrial Review, with the goal of identifying businesses in the state deserving of aid and support. A true-blue Keynesian, Kennedy relied greatly on the aid of his chief economic adviser and close friend, John Kenneth Galbraith. Galbraith would later note that Kennedy “was perhaps the only person in the country who understood the true power of the government in terms of the economy. We’re all lucky that he wasn’t power crazed.”

Kennedy’s first term was considered an overwhelming success, as the economy greatly improved and unemployment was reduced substantially. However the state’s budget deficit was growing rapidly and many conservatives in the legislature began to call Kennedy “Governor Money Bags”. However Kennedy’s star was clearly on the rise and many in the national party began to see him as the sort of charismatic leader who could reunite the New Deal coalition after the disaster of 1952 and 1956. When labeled by TIME “The Democratic Messiah”, Kennedy would scoff, pointing out that “as a good Catholic boy I need to point out that’s’ a little blasphemous.” But no one could deny that Joe Kennedy was rising up, and fast.

[hcallega]

The Year that Changed it All

For Joe Kennedy, 1960 was a year of many questions. Of course by far the biggest is whether or not he would run for President, but at the same time the question over whether or not he would run for reelection to the Governor’s Mansion was another. However Kennedy remained mute over these issues, preferring to stay quite and mull the issue over with his team of advisers. Some predicted that if he was to run in the primaries he would be able to win a good handful, but the issue of his deep-routed faith made victory unlikely in a state like West Virginia. However Kennedy also knew that 1960 could indeed by his year, and perhaps he would never again have the opportunity. But in the end, it was Papa Joe who asked Kennedy to hold off, reminding him that “1960 won’t be the last Presidential election to ever happen.”

Despite Kennedy staying out of the Presidential race, 1960 was still an exciting year for the Kennedy clan. Joe’s first son Thomas was born, and he decided to run for reelection to the Governor’s office. While all of this was going on, the national political scene was also very intense. The Democratic race pitted Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson of Texas against former nominee Adlai Stevenson, liberal Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, and Senator Stu Symington of Missouri. Humphrey faced a series of favorite sons in the primaries and defeated them all, giving himself some momentum going into the convention. But Johnson still held a comfortable lead over him in the delegate count. However no candidate held a majority going into the convention in Los Angeles.

After the first ballot, Johnson held a lead by no majority. Delegates began to worry that a long convention fight would ensue, and many looked for a quick resolution. Speaker after speaker went before the convention to make the case for their respective candidate, but the belief was that Johnson still lacked a clear majority. On July 14th, Governor Kennedy would take the stage to deliver his endorsement. While remaining uncommitted during the primary season, Kennedy would deliver his state’s delegates to Johnson during the first ballot. However it would be with his key speech that he would have the greatest impact:

“Fellow delegates, I am Joseph Kennedy Jr. Four years ago I was elected Governor of Massachusetts despite President Eisenhower’s landslide. It was made clear then as it was in 1954 and 1952 that while we have lost the Presidency we are still this nation’s majority party. We are still the party of the people. However we cannot afford another four years of failed Republican policies. The economy has grown weak, communism is growing in strength, and our military has not been given the tools to step up to the daunting tasks ahead of us.

Now I do not come before you all too simply attack the Republicans and their nominee. I am here to make the case for the man who is the right choice for our party’s proud nomination. Since he arrived in Washington many years ago, Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson has looked out for the little man. He has consistently stood with our party’s interests and against the fundamentally flawed policies of the GOP. He has led our party forward, and he is the best man for the job of President that we have. “
Kennedy would go on to offer strong praise and support for Johnson in a speech that would inspire the crowd to a roar. The second ballot was called shortly after the speech, and Johnson would carry a decisive majority of the votes. However for Kennedy the biggest news came later than night, when Johnson would personally call him and ask him to his booth. Johnson would ask the war-hero Governor to be his Vice-Presidential nominee. Eagerly accepting, Kennedy was now firmly on the national stage.

The general election itself lacked the excitement of the nominating convention. Despite passionate campaigning from both Johnson and Kennedy, Nixon consistently held a lead in the polls. Most Americans saw Nixon as more likeable, honest, and down-to-earth, whereas Johnson was viewed as cocky, arrogant, and potentially corrupt. Another major factor was President Eisenhower’s popularity which provided Nixon a successful record to run on. In the end, the election was not very close, with Nixon defeating Johnson with 309 to 228 electoral votes and 54% of the popular vote. However for Joe Kennedy, this election was exactly what he needed.

[hcallega]

Now is a good time to take a pause from the Biography of Joe Kennedy to note about what happens under Richard Nixon's first term as President. Much of this is based on a post on Alternate History.com

Foreign Policy:
Nixon's overall foreign policy was anti-communist and somewhat aggressive. In 1961 he provides stronger aerial support to the Cuban invasion force at the Bay of Pigs, who in turn are able to push forward slowly but surely to Havana. Once there they proclaim that they are the true Cuban government and Pepe San Roman is named President. The US quickly recognizes the government and sends in the Marines to "protect the government from any communist threat to the government." Castro flees to South America and flies to Moscow, where he and Khrushchev strongly condemn the invasion. The international world is also very critical of the attack and call it imperialism. At home however it is considered a success initially, but a guerrilla war develops between the Cuban Communists (led by Che Guevara) and Russia advisors and the US marines and small force of anti-communist Cubans. This becomes a full on quagmire and US casualties become quite high, while the occupation becomes unpopular.

In Vietnam the US stays in the roll of advisors and no ground troops are ever committed. By 1964 it looks as if Saigon will fall within a year. In Europe the conflict greatly escalates in large part due to Cuba. In 1962 the Berlin Wall goes up. War almost breaks out with China over Taiwan. Tensions are so high between the US and Soviets that many predict a full on war in the next decade. Nixon puts the emphasis on military capabilities with the space race, and focuses his nuclear arsenal on bomber aircraft and not ICBMs. The B-70s and B-52s are the faces of the nuclear potential. Both Fail Safe and Doctor Strangelove are Box Office Hits due to greater fears over the war.

Domestic/Social Issues: Nixon takes a moderate roll in terms of social issues. In 1964 he passes a somewhat weak civil rights act, but is able to gain almost universal GOP support. It gives voting rights and civil liberties but no national integration. Nixon does appoint a Conservative to the Supreme Court but the Warren liberalism still persists.

Economic Issues: Nixon is unable to really stimulate the economy so it still remains soft and many believe that it is heading towards a recession in 1964.

Note: 1960 GOP convention no different, his running mate was still Lodge, and electoral maps will be comming soon for all of Kennedy's early elections.

[hcallega]

Thanks Kalwejt, you are probably the top if not one of the top two or three.

To answer ur question, yeah MA did have elections every two years, and Kenendy won reelection in 1958. The only issue was whether or nor he would pursue the presidency or run for reelection. Also he did run for reelection while also being the VP nominee. Johnson was reelected in 1960 as well, and is still Majority Leader. He initially supported Nixon's foreign policy and strongly supported his civil rights plan but opposed his economic plans and grew to oppose his foreign policy.

[hcallega]

The New King

   Going into 1964, Governor Joe Kennedy had absolutely no question in his mind as to what his plans for the next year would be. He already had two beautiful young children (Rose, born in 1962) and a gorgeous wife. He had been Governor of one the most important states in the Union for almost eight years, and he had been the Vice-Presidential Nominee for his party just four years earlier. While his previous two terms had been relatively uneventful, he had balanced the state’s budget and continued to see the Bay State’s economy outperform the national average. It was obvious he could accomplish nothing more from the Governor’s Mansion.
   
   Kennedy would declare his candidacy from the historic Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston before heading directly to church with his family. Kennedy would focus his speech on his own achievements, rather than going negative and attacking the unpopular incumbent, Richard Nixon. Kennedy would cite his record as Governor, focusing on the economy: “Over the past eight years, Massachusetts has been the trail blazer for the American economy. While I cannot take credit for these measures, I do believe that my actions did help stimulate growth.” Kennedy also talked greatly about his faith: “My faith does not define me, but it does guide me. Yes, I am a Catholic. But at the same time I believe strongly in the separation of church and state. It is clear to me that every President that this country has ever known has been guided by their faith, but they have not used it as a weapon for oppression. They have used their faith to guide their hand. I will do the same, and I will always be sure to consult both the Bill of Rights and the Bible.” The speech was generally well received, and Kennedy was instantly a frontrunner for the race. He would select his brother Robert to run his campaign, with liberal author Arthur Schlesinger Jr. signing on to be the head of P.R. and Pierre Salinger signing on as Press Secretary. Senator John Kennedy was chosen as Joe’s personal national security advisor, with economist John Kenneth Galbraith signing on to help Joe with his economic message. The campaign was a star studded affair, and it was only the controversial Papa Joe and Brother Ted (running for Massachusetts Attorney General) who stayed out.

   The contest quickly became a three horse race between Kennedy, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, and Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy. Whereas Kennedy focused his campaign on his achievements as Governor, Johnson and McCarthy both ran much more negative campaigns. Johnson focused on his support for liberal social and domestic programs, and spoke of creating a “Great Society” where “America will never again see poverty, discrimination, or inequality.” However Johnson also ran as an opponent of Nixon first and foremost: “The President has abandoned all sense of logic and reason. Right now he’s running on guts, and to be honest he doesn’t have a lot of them.” McCarthy was far more negative. He focused his campaign on rapid fire attacks on Nixon’s foreign policy. A strong cold warrior, McCarthy accused Nixon for “putting us on the brink of nuclear war. He’s really weakened our position and he’s shown our hand.” He also supported traditional New Deal policies, but was far less eager than either Kennedy or Johnson to support more big government intervention. The one candidate who many thought would run but did not was Hubert Humphrey, who badly broke his leg during the winter in Minnesota. Humphrey would throw his support behind his fellow Minnesotan. Other candidates included Governor Pat Brown of California and Governor George Wallace of Alabama.
   
   The first primary contest was in New Hampshire on March 10th. Here the favorite was Kennedy, but McCarthy was also polling quite well among the independent-minded voters of the state. The biggest question was not if Kennedy would win, but by how much. The Kennedy campaign would hit the state with an aggressive media blitz as Joe attempted to portray McCarthy as weak on national security: “The big difference between myself and Senator McCarthy is that I want to win the wars were in, he wants to cut and run.” Kennedy’s aggressive campaign would pay off, and he would win the state with 58% of the vote to McCarthy’s 35%. The next series of primaries would be far more competitive, as they were mostly in the blue-collar rust belt. While Kennedy played well among the white working class back home, there was no guarantee that he, a Harvard educated elite, could win them over on the road. The first fight was in Wisconsin, where McCarthy was projected to do quite well. The polls showed a three way dead heat, but the surprising factor was Wallace, who would rack up 8% of the vote, primarily from rural precincts and the protestant working class. This would hurt Johnson badly, who was counting on “The farmers and working families” to rally behind his candidacy. Once again Kennedy’s media machine would be the X-Factor, as he would edge McCarthy by just 1%, winning 38%-37%.

   While it looked like a Kennedy-McCarthy race after the first two primaries, the reality was quite different. While Kennedy would win again Illinois (due in large part to the support of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley), it would be Johnson and not McCarthy who would finish in second place, just five points behind Kennedy. The same would occur in New Jersey, where Johnson would finish just three points behind Joe Jr. The major reason for this was that Johnson would draw large numbers of black voters, due to his positioning as the most liberal candidate on civil rights. Kennedy would waffle on the issue, finally deciding to “stand by what the courts and congress say. Once I’m President I’ll look at the issue with the needed detail, but that’s not the most pressing issue right now.” Next up Kennedy would run unopposed in Massachusetts, as would Johnson in Texas. But in Indiana, Ohio, and Washington D.C. it would be LBJ, not JPK, who would prevail. These victories were attributed to a combination of strong African-American support and large rural areas (outside of D.C.) that would lead Johnson to his victory. Johnson would win the next two races as well in Nebraska (only beating Kennedy by 2%) and West Virginia. All of a sudden the race was anybody’s game.

   The next two races in Oregon and Maryland would be key. Both states looked good on paper for Kennedy, but the polls were too close to call. Kennedy’s mass media strategy had worked well, but so had Johnson’s rural focused campaign. However in both cases it would be other candidates who would define the race. In Oregon it was McCarthy’s surprisingly strong third place (12% of the vote) that would once again throw off Johnson as Kennedy would pick up a win. Maryland was also very close in the polling, but here it was Wallace’s 15% (especially on the rural and conservative Eastern Shore) that would doom Johnson and give Kennedy the win. With this momentum, Kennedy would go on to finish second in Florida to Wallace (a surprising result, given that Johnson was a southerner) and win big in California. Johnson would win North Dakota, but at that point it was too late.

   At the convention, Kennedy would call on Democrats to “Unite around the party that has delivered so much good. It’s time we lay down our divisions and make America a greater country.” Kennedy would choose conservative Florida Senator George Smathers as his running mate, and promise that “together we WILL win, and I am confident that nothing President Nixon does can change that.”

   
   

[hcallega]

“Gerry was a lot friendlier than President Nixon.”

   The 1964 Presidential race was shaping up to be a classic. After a see-saw primary campaign and nominating contest, Governor Joe Kennedy Jr. was now the Democratic nominee. On the Republican side, Vice-President Lodge would drop from the ticket due to old age: “I’ve had the pleasure of serving my country in the role of Vice-President and in the Senate for many good years. But now I feel that it is best if I return home to Massachusetts and let a younger man take my place.” Nixon would be forced with a difficult choice. The Republican delegates at the convention were split between Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York and Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. Rockefeller was a popular choice for two reasons. The largest factor was that he was the de facto leader of the party’s northeastern liberal wing. He was a strong supporter of civil rights and was critical of Nixon’s “overly hostile” foreign policy. The second factor was that he would be a strong candidate for 1968. Goldwater on the other hand was supported by the parties growing conservative wing. A lukewarm supporter of the Civil Rights Act and Nixon’s domestic policies, Goldwater was the Senate’s strongest supporter of the operation in Cuba, calling it “the defining showdown against communism.” However for Nixon it was clear that either choice would lead to tension and opposition from the other man’s backers. Therefore Nixon took the middle ground, choosing Pennsylvania Governor Bill Scranton, a moderate.

   On the Democratic side, Kennedy was looking strong in the polls, but had yet to climb into the lead. His dynamic campaigning style and loads of cash on hand were driving factors in his candidacy, but at the same time voters were not impressed by his middle of the road stances on the issues. The most prominent issues in the election were Cuba, the threat of Nuclear War, and Civil Rights Legislation. On all three Kennedy staked on a non-polarizing middle ground position. His speech writer, Arthur Schlesinger, was the major proponent of this and believed that Kennedy had to cling to the “Radical Center” to win. However on economic issues and other domestic issues Kennedy took the party line, supporting labor unions, New Deal domestic programs, and continued support for small farms. Nixon on the other hand swung further to the right. Recognizing that Kennedy’s “New England Liberalism” could be used against him in the Midwest and South, Nixon attacked the Governor for his support of “tax and spend economics” and “the fundamentally flawed belief that government is the answer.” With the polls in a dead heat, it was clear that both campaigns were at each others throats.

   It was at this time that Robert Kennedy would propose to his brother that he challenge President Nixon to a series of debates the week before the election. He believed that Nixon’s lackluster charisma and Kennedy’s superior lingual skills could tip the balance and not leave Nixon enough time to recover. The Governor liked the idea of a risky gamble to break open the campaign, and went to the President with the idea. Nixon was initially uncomfortable with the idea. Never a risk taker, the incumbent feared that Kennedy would win the debates and thus the elections, and that with his low approval ratings he could be put on the defensive and loose a great deal of undecided’s. But it would be Nixon’s media adviser Roger Ailes who would tip the balance in favor of debating. Ailes would write on the decision in his autobiography The Right Fight:
   “I told the President that his only choice was to debate Kennedy. As the incumbent he could control the issues and he had the aura of leadership and collected thought that most Americans prided him on. But the true reason why we had to debate was that we were backed into a corner. Americans wanted to see a true battle over the issues, and the reality was that the new media was going to decide every election from here on out. If we didn’t debate, we would have conceded every young undecided in the country to Kennedy. We bit the bullet.”

   There would be three debates, each with their own focus. The first would be on foreign policy, the second on economics, and the third on the major domestic and social issues of the day. Each debate would last on hour and the questions would be asked by a changing series of journalists. The debates would be broadcast in black and white on TV, as well as being broadcast on the radio. Both sides held debate camps the weekend before, as both candidates knew just how important their performances would be. Going into the debates the Kennedy team was exuding confidence, personified by VP nominee and Florida Senator George Smathers: “The Governor’s ready to go. He knows the issues, he’s got the words and the looks, and he’s got that drive.” However the Nixon campaign was not as positive and it was clear that they did not like the position that they were in.

   

[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.

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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)

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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

[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.

[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.

[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.

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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.