Withdrawal of Lyndon B. Johnson from the 1968 United States presidential election

Withdrawal of Lyndon B. Johnson from the 1968 United States presidential election

Part of Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson and 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries
File:Lyndon B. Johnson addresses the Nation March 31, 1968 - LBJ Museum C9284-35 (cropped3).jpg U.S. President Johnson announces that he will not run for reelection.
Date	March 31, 1968 (1968-03-31)
Location	White House
Outcome	Hubert Humphrey becomes the Democratic nominee for president in summer 1968. * Richard Nixon elected president in fall 1968. * Johnson retires in 1969.

On March 31, 1968, then-incumbent US President Lyndon B. Johnson made a surprise announcement during a televised address to the nation that began around 9 p.m., declaring that he would not seek reelection for another term and was withdrawing from the 1968 United States presidential election. Johnson stated, "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President."

At first Johnson's only significant challenger in the 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries was Eugene McCarthy, an anti-war senator from Minnesota. Johnson's announcement to drop out of the race came after McCarthy nearly won the New Hampshire primary and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, another critic of the war and the brother of the late President John F. Kennedy, entered the race.

Johnson's decision opened the door for Vice President Hubert Humphrey to become the Democratic Party's nominee. The 1968 Democratic National Convention, held in Chicago, was marked by significant protests and clashes between demonstrators and police, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation.

The 1968 election saw Republican Party candidate Richard Nixon emerge victorious, defeating Humphrey and third-party candidate George Wallace. Nixon's campaign capitalized on themes of law and order and a promise to end the Vietnam War conflict and United States involvement, which resonated with many voters.

Background

Main article: Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, assumed office following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Johnson was subsequently elected in a landslide victory in the 1964 United States presidential election. His presidency was marked by significant legislative achievements, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, ratification of the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Amendment, and the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid.

Other presidents who did not seek reelection

Template:Lyndon B. Johnson seriesHistorically, most sitting US presidents who completed one full term chose to run for a second. The following presidents were eligible for reelection after completing one full term in office, but chose not to run:

• James K. Polk (in office 1845–1849): kept campaign promise to serve only one term
• James Buchanan (in office 1857–1861): kept campaign promise to serve only one term
• Rutherford B. Hayes (in office 1877–1881): kept campaign promise to serve only one term
• Calvin Coolidge (in office 1923–1929): chose not to run after serving one partial term and one full term
• Harry S. Truman (in office 1945–1953): withdrew from the race after serving one partial term and one full term

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (passed by Congress in 1947 and ratified by the states in 1951) imposes a limit of two terms on presidents. Prior to the term limit, an informal two-term tradition was generally followed by many presidents after a precedent set by President George Washington, who chose not to run for reelection after serving two terms.

President Joe Biden would withdraw from the 2024 race, marking the third time an incumbent US president withdrew from the presidential election.

Vietnam War

Main article: Vietnam War

Further information: United States in the Vietnam War

Johnson's tenure, however, wound up being overshadowed by various conflicts of interests, such as resistance to escalation of U.S. involvement in the conflict. Public opinion turned increasingly against the war with Anti-War movements spreading across the country. The Tet Offensive in early 1968 further eroded support for the war and Johnson's handling of it.

Dump Johnson movement

Main article: Dump Johnson movement

As the 1968 election approached, Johnson began to lose control of the Democratic Party, which was splitting into four factions. The first group consisted of Johnson and Humphrey, labor unions, and local party bosses (led by Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley). The second group consisted of antiwar students and intellectuals who coalesced behind Senator Eugene McCarthy in an effort to "dump Johnson." The third group included Catholics, Hispanics and African Americans, who rallied behind Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The fourth group consisted of traditionally segregationist white Southerners like Governor George Wallace.

Public opinion and political challenges

Main article: 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries

Johnson's approval ratings had declined significantly by 1968, with his approval rating at the time of his withdrawal being 36 percent. Despite Johnson's growing unpopularity, conventional wisdom held that it would be impossible to deny re-nomination to a sitting president. Johnson won a narrow victory in the New Hampshire presidential primary on March 12, against McCarthy 49–42%, but this close second-place result dramatically boosted McCarthy's standing in the race. Kennedy announced his candidacy on March 16.

Weary of office and presidential position

Historians such as Jeff Shesol say that Johnson wanted out of the White House but also wanted vindication; when the indicators turned negative he decided to leave. Historians state that Johnson realized he needed to leave in order for the nation to heal. Robert Dallek wrote that Johnson had no further domestic goals, and realized that his personality had eroded his popularity. Johnson's health was deteriorating, and he was preoccupied with the Kennedy campaign; his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, urged for his retirement as his base of support kept shrinking. Leaving the race would allow him to pose as a peacemaker. Author Anthony J. Bennett says Johnson "had been forced out of a reelection race in 1968 by outrage over his policy in Southeast Asia." Johnson may also have hoped that the convention would ultimately choose to draft him back into the race.

Political and public response

Democratic Party

Johnson's fellow Democrats expressed a mix of respect, disappointment, and understanding towards his announcement. Former Presidents and key figures within the party praised Johnson's presidency and his decision to step aside. Former President Harry S. Truman commended Johnson's service, highlighting his belief that Johnson acted in the best interests of the country and the Democratic Party. Democratic leaders struggled to figure out how to respond to Johnson's sudden withdrawal. This led to bitter battle for succession among Democrats. Some Democrats were worried that a new nominee, selected by the convention, would lack legitimacy since they would have secured the nomination without direct input from Democratic voters around the country.

Anti-war activists and the Republican Party

Many anti-war activists rejoiced at the news. Some of them concluded that their movement had forced Johnson to alter his war policy and to decide that he could not win another term. Antiwar protesters chanted outside the White House, "Hey, hey, LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?" After Johnson's withdrawal, many Republicans underwent an anguished reappraisal concerning Richard Nixon's chances for winning the election in November.

International response

South Vietnam

South Vietnamese officials viewed Johnson's withdrawal with concern, mainly with the threat of an anti-war candidate unwilling to support them and threating to withdraw troops. During this time, South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu was eagerly anticipating the results of the American election, believing he could secure a more favorable agreement with Republican candidate Nixon than with the incumbent administration. Messages implying this were secretly communicated to Thieu's representatives by Nixon's associates. President Johnson, enraged and appalled, discovered evidence of this through phone taps, intercepts, and surveillance, considering it a potentially treasonous act.

Global anti-war movement

Johnson's decision was seen as a victory by anti-war activists around the world. His withdrawal was viewed by some as a sign that public and international pressure could influence the policies of powerful nations.

Aftermath

Main article: Hubert Humphrey 1968 presidential campaign

Further information: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Within the week of Johnson's announcement, American civil rights activist and oppositionist to the Vietnam War; Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee at the Lorraine Motel. Many US cities were convulsed in rioting following King's death. Johnson was in the Oval Office that evening, planning a meeting in Hawaii with Vietnam War military commanders. After press secretary George Christian informed him at 8:20 p.m. of the assassination, he canceled the trip to focus on the nation. He assigned Attorney General Ramsey Clark to investigate the assassination in Memphis. He made a personal call to King's wife, Coretta Scott King, and declared April 7 a national day of mourning on which the U.S. flag would be flown at half-staff. RFK’s assassination came within a month later, further deepening the sense of tragedy that hung over presidential politics that year. After Johnson's withdrawal, Vice President Hubert Humphrey won the Democratic Party's nomination following the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, leaving McCarthy as Humphrey's only major opponent before George McGovern entered the race. Humphrey would end up losing the election to the antiwar Republican Richard Nixon. The defeat left Humphrey in a state of depression. To stay active, his friends helped him get hired as a professor at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. The perceived failures of the Vietnam War nurtured disillusionment with government, and the New Deal coalition fell apart in large part due to tensions over the Vietnam War and the 1968 election. Republicans won five of six presidential elections after Johnson left office. Ronald Reagan came into office in 1981 vowing to undo the Great Society, though he and other Republicans were unable to repeal many of Johnson's programs.

See also

• I do not choose to run, Calvin Coolidge's decision not to run for another term in 1928
• Withdrawal of Joe Biden from the 2024 United States presidential election