June 16 Notes

20^th Century U.S. Politics

1968

June 16, 2008

I. Johnson’s Decline

1. Rights-Related Liberalism and Its Political Effects (right: challenging peripheral issues: apportionment—the road to Wesberry—and Tuck bill; crime—issue in Goldwater campaign, significance of Miranda and White dissent; left: collapse of biracial civil rights coalition—MLK, poverty and open housing; SNCC, CORE, and black nationalism; campaigns and government actions: 1966 elections; increasing polarization of confirmation battles—Fortas)

2. The Democratic Race (importance of RFK; popular protests and effect on Democratic Party; nature of presidential selection; Allard Lowenstein and search for challenger to LBJ; RFK indecision; settling on McCarthy; New Hampshire primary and campaign fallout—RFK entry, LBJ withdrawal)

II. The Campaign

1. To Chicago (RFK/McCarthy battle—role of class and image; MLK assassination, urban riots, and politics of violence; Oregon, California, and RFK assassination; Chicago disaster)

2. Fall Campaign (collapse of Romney campaign; “New Nixon” and safe GOP choice; Wallace wildcard; Buchanan, Phillips, and “Southern Strategy”; rose-garden tactics; Agnew vs. Muskie; HHH Salt Lake City address; Democratic surge?; congressional races; outcome)

Pat Buchanan and Kevin Phillips, The Emerging Republican Majority

Jeffrey Frederick, Stand Up for Alabama

Jules Witcover, 85 Days

Thurston Clarke, The Last Campaign

Ray Boomhower, Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary

Theodore White, Making of the President 1968

Joe McGinnis, Selling of the President

Joseph Palermo, Robert Kennedy and the Death of American Idealism

Rick Perlstein, Nixonland

Dan Carter, The Politics of Rage