This is not a usual "what if JFK wasn't assassinated" what if. This what if is focused on what would JFK's post-presidency look like in the 1970s? Of course it would've depended alot on what a 2nd term of his would have looked like. But how would JFK have reacted to things like the women's rights movement, the Nixon years (if he became president like in OTL), the rise of Christian conservatism, the sexual revolution, the Irish and British conflict over Northern Ireland? How would a president of the Don Draper era have handled the changes of the 1970s?
JFK Lives Through The 1970s
- Thread starter CCK
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Napoleonrules
Banned
Given his medical problems, even if he doesn't die before the 1970s, I believe he stays out of the limelight much as Reagan did.
??? JFK's medical problems were physical. Reagan's were mental. Someone with physical disabilities can use aides, wheelchairs, etc., and lead an active, public life. Someone with dementia, not so much.
True, but he probably wouldn't have the stamina to do a lot and in the worst case scenario (outside of being dead that is) would be confined to a hospital bed. JFK was a very sick man, who would probably get much sicker as time went on.
shiftygiant
Gone Fishin'
I've brought this up on numerous occasions on other 'JFK lives' threads, so I'll bring it up again; JFK's ailments and issues were going to have killed him by the mid-70's. He was not simply confined to a wheelchair, his issues were a constant plague upon him right until the final moment of conscious, and actively impaired his abilities as commander-in-chief. Doctor's have stated that Kennedy living as long as he did was a miracle; However, let's talk about what life he would live.
He runs in 1964, that's a given. He had made it his clear intention to run and everyone knew it, be it the Democrats, the Republicans, even the milkman. And he would, undoubtedly, win. Now that next four years will be important in securing his legacy. Compared to Johnson, he won't accomplish as much. He may be able to get the Civil Rights Act through and push 'New Frontier' initiatives, but they'll not be as strong as they were IOTL. Additionally, news of his health issues, and the cover-up of them, will come out far before he begins to write a letter for his successor, as the stress of Vietnam, the Soviets, Civil Disruption and a fracturing Democratic Party will do him no good. People will, understandably, feel betrayed by the revelation as he has effectively lied to the people (Not as bad as Nixon, but it won't be great).
Then you have the fun world of Sex Scandals. Kennedy was, to put it simply, a sex addict. The man was addicted to boning. His wife knew it, the press knew it, the milkman knew it, but a public revelation of his Sex Addiction as him actively cheating on his wife will be disastrous for him. Think Clinton but more severe. Atop this, we must also consider how Kennedy would respond to various events happening in office, and how these would contrast to Johnson. Vietnam will likely still escalate, even if a withdrawal plan was in effect, and riots will still happen, his handling of them probably similar to Johnson's.
Now, Kennedy leaving office will be a frail, sickly man, plagued by failing health and national controversy. His public life will be curtailed by physicality, so him going on a massive nation crossing tour to talk about how cool stuff is will be out the question. However, a more likely outcome will be him returning to writing, particularly about Modern Events and his Presidency. I imagine he'll fling shit as Nixon, who'd almost certainly run in '68. If he lives long enough to see 1976/80, he'll support Ted or Robert if either goes for the election, although this support will not be all that much. On other matters, I can see him be fairly liberal, or at least open minded, about much of what's happening.
redlightning
Banned
After Kennedy leaves the White House in disgrace with rioting across the country, failing to do much of anything to resolve Civil Rights, leaving the Vietnam War as a quagmire at the end of his term, his reputation utterly destroyed after the sex scandals leak, he will probably retire from public life. He will look overweight, aged beyond his time, and Jackie may end up leaving him after leaving the White House anyway and he could be humiliated by a post-Presidency divorce as far as we know.
His health worsens, he lives in isolation through his estate in New England. He will not be able to make many public appearances and could die in 1973 as Johnson did OTL. He's dead by the end of the decade for sure.
His health worsens, he lives in isolation through his estate in New England. He will not be able to make many public appearances and could die in 1973 as Johnson did OTL. He's dead by the end of the decade for sure.
When his many, many, scandals come out, combined with his quagmire in Vietnam - which he had no intention IOTL to avoid - it will make Clinton's impeachment look like nothing and Kennedy will be forced out of the Whitehouse with people hating him even more than they hated Nixon IOTL. Nixon sees this, and when he wins his inevitable landslide in 1968, he'll decide not to bug Watergate or do anything similar, fearing Kennedy-esque ousting.
Kennedy is dead by the early 1970s, as he is in even more disgrace than Johnson and Nixon combined.
Napoleonrules
Banned
I understand everyone saying "eventually his sexcapades will come out" but why does everyone think it would come out during his administration? Kennedy is not Nixon, just because the late 1960s saw the media turn on Nixon regarding Watergate it doesn't mean that the media will suddenly care about Kennedy's sex if he doesn't die. They already knew. They kept it a secret just as they knew about FDR in a wheel chair and didn't tell the nation- "OH MY G-D! He can't walk. At all! He's paralyzed!" or about the multiple sex scandals through the years they knew about. Marilyn Monroe was already dead, the FBI tried to ruin MLK Jr with rumors of sex scandals (which seem to be based on real sex scandals) and it didn't ruin him. If Bobby is assassinated on time then there's no way the media will beat up JFK... there is no reason to believe that JFK not being killed butterflies someone take a popshot at Bobby around the same time OTL and given that JFK survived and didn't die then most likely security is not as great as in OTL for Bobby.
I think I should clarify. This thread's topic was not meant to be about JFK's health and the likelihood of him living through the 1970s and his personal life. The point of this thread was to talk about JFK the man coming face to face with the issues Americans saw in the 1970s. JFK's personal and public reactions to things like the women's rights movement, the gay rights movement, the sexual revolution, Roe v. Wade, the rise of environmentalism, the death penalty, the disco/studio 54 era, the steady rise of religious conservatives (the John Birchers of his day). How would JFK have dealt with how America changed and basically the role of American men and women evolved.
I was watching CNN's "The Seventies" miniseries episode about the women's rights movement and gay rights movement which made me think of this. Camelot coming face to face with the America of the 1970s. It would seem to me that JFK would feel a bit out of place with the times of the 1970s. But then again JFK had a sense of detachment as well, so he could have accepted many of the changes America saw in the 1970s and not really cared one way our another. But maybe things like the sexual revolution and Roe v. Wade drives JFK to become more conservative and draws him closer to his Roman catholic faith. Especially being the father of a daughter (Caroline) who was coming of age into womanhood during the 1970s.
I was watching CNN's "The Seventies" miniseries episode about the women's rights movement and gay rights movement which made me think of this. Camelot coming face to face with the America of the 1970s. It would seem to me that JFK would feel a bit out of place with the times of the 1970s. But then again JFK had a sense of detachment as well, so he could have accepted many of the changes America saw in the 1970s and not really cared one way our another. But maybe things like the sexual revolution and Roe v. Wade drives JFK to become more conservative and draws him closer to his Roman catholic faith. Especially being the father of a daughter (Caroline) who was coming of age into womanhood during the 1970s.
Napoleonrules
Banned
For many of us you might as well be asking us "How would George Washington view the events of the 1860s?"... Given that- here's some things to consider-
Eunice Shriver was pro-life (it's his sister if you don't know who she is)
Several of JFK's affairs had abortions. Whether he supported, paid for, or even knew or encouraged one way or the other we'll never know at this point.
There are/were Kennedy's today on both sides of abortion.
I wonder if Kennedy's sex obsession plus some innate arrogance might prove to be his undoing, presuming he lives past 22 November 1963? That is, it seems to be widely accepted that he was always looking for new conquests; if he figuratively and literally dodged bullets in Dallas, might that not give him even more of an I-can-get-away-with-this swagger, to the point that he could conceivably be caught with his pants down in so many words?
Should that happen, the talk mills would be impossible to stop, and the press, however compliant, would have to address the situation. The president of the US caught getting a piece of action on the side in the White House couldn't be ignored or swept under the rug, and that might prove to be the last straw for Jackie. If so, Kennedy's legacy, already likely in some decline because of involvement in Viet Nam, would probably take a major hit.
Upon leaving the White House, Jackie and the kids would probably take up residence in (my guess) New York, where she could send them to the most exclusive private schools, etc., and Jack would wind up at the family compound ostensibly alone but somehow never without an ostensibly unattached woman in the vicinity.
Should that happen, the talk mills would be impossible to stop, and the press, however compliant, would have to address the situation. The president of the US caught getting a piece of action on the side in the White House couldn't be ignored or swept under the rug, and that might prove to be the last straw for Jackie. If so, Kennedy's legacy, already likely in some decline because of involvement in Viet Nam, would probably take a major hit.
Upon leaving the White House, Jackie and the kids would probably take up residence in (my guess) New York, where she could send them to the most exclusive private schools, etc., and Jack would wind up at the family compound ostensibly alone but somehow never without an ostensibly unattached woman in the vicinity.
Paul V McNutt
Banned
Then you have the fun world of Sex Scandals. Kennedy was, to put it simply, a sex addict. The man was addicted to boning. His wife knew it, the press knew it, the milkman knew it, but a public revelation of his Sex Addiction as him actively cheating on his wife will be disastrous for him. Think Clinton but more severe. Atop this, we must also consider how Kennedy would respond to various events happening in office, and how these would contrast to Johnson. Vietnam will likely still escalate, even if a withdrawal plan was in effect, and riots will still happen, his handling of them probably similar to Johnson's.
As you said the press knew about it. The pre Watergate press minded their own business when it came to personal lives.
As you said the press knew about it. The pre Watergate press minded their own business when it came to personal lives.
JFK's just the affairs you found out about first (1968). LBJ was prolific, George Smathers was prolific...basically anyone with money and/or power was prolific. They had to close down a Congressional investigation because everyone had used the brothel. It was the 60's.
Another thing is that JFK cut down on the affairs when it mattered. It's true he had numerous affairs/extra-marital liaisons but these were from 1952-1955 (stopped when he knew it could harm his chances of VP in 1956 and/or President in 1960) and 1961-1963 during his Presidency. If there had been any scent of an investigation or scandal, he'd stop once more and there'd be a cover up too so it's hard to buy Kennedy's womanising would be exposed.
It wasn't until the 80s that adultery was considered something touchable by the media, hell if you ever watch his 50s interviews after he was married the reporters are basically all but congratulating him on being so popular with the ladies. They all knew, but TPTB hadn't decided that sleeping around was bad much less almost criminal the way it's treated today.
The 80s and 90s changed views 180 degrees in that regard. And, it didn't do jack for helping the family.
The 80s and 90s changed views 180 degrees in that regard. And, it didn't do jack for helping the family.
Some of the JFK got lucky while alive and things were certain to fall apart posts borderline on satire. You may as well throw a few JFK caused nuclear wars in too.
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But more to the point of this thread, what if JFK isn't wearing the back brace and only takes the first bullet in his back and through his trachea, and then falls into the car? How incapacitated is he? Would he have to resign and be seriously disabled for the rest of his life? If someone had a the same wound with today's technology would the rest of their life look much different?