Reply #74: If I may respectfully take a contrarian view to YOUR contrarian view

[Ken Burch]

It would have been good if the Democrats had been united in '68. However, the "snit" you describe McCarthy as being in was fully justified. The McCarthy, RFK-loyalist and McGovern delegates were treated horribly in Chicago. The party only allowed a ONE HOUR debate on the Vietnam plank, with Johnson forcing Humphrey to support the war even though Humphrey knew this would ensure his defeat. McCarthy, Kennedyite and McGovern delegates were physically bullied in the convention hall and the streets, some were arrested, and on the last night of the convention, the Chicago police raided McCarthy's campaign headquarters as a farewell party was being held for McCarthy workers. Several guests at the party were beaten. Humphrey said nothing about that.

The Humphrey campaign and LBJ did everything they possibly could to alienate Peace Democrats that year. It seems likely to me that Johnson, having been forced to withdraw, wanted to make sure that no other Democrat, including Humphrey, would replace him. LBJ' "snit" helped usher in a Second Republican Ascendancy, one that still has not truly come to an end.