John Wayne for President '68

[United States President]

Introduction
I've had this scenario written up for a long while now. I had learned a few years back that John Wayne was asked to run by Texas Republican Party backers. He refused because he felt American voters wouldn't buy an actor running for office. And since Ronald Reagan is a thing, I decided to diverge from our timeline and have Wayne decide to run for office. Now this scenario is not a "wishful thinking" post but merely my interpretation of Wayne's campaign. While I don't agree with all of his views, he still held some moderate beliefs and even voted for FDR and admired Truman. Wayne has always been an interesting persona to me and amongst the many hypothetical candidacies, his was the most grounded and interesting. Essentially I set him up as the Reagan of the 60s and early 70s.

Part I: The Campaign, "Duke for '68"
The year is 1968. American Actor and noted Conservative John Wayne announces his candidacy for President of the United States. He would run with the Republican Party drawing national attention. As an actor famous for his fearless cowboy roles, he was the first of his class with a serious chance at the Republican Nomination. He campaigned using his Hollywood nickname "Duke for '68" and ran on a platform of anti-communism, American domestic policy reforms regarding criminal justice and readjustments in foreign policy which he believed was butchered by the reigning Democrats. His Democratic opponents were common leaders in their party; Senator Eugene McCarthy, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Wayne would face down former Vice President Richard Nixon, another actor Ronald Reagan and moderate Nelson Rockefeller. Wayne was an affable candidate on the campaign trail, meeting with Nixon and his friend Reagan. The final serious candidate, on a third party ticket, was George Wallace.

Wallace had approached Wayne earlier to join him in a Union Campaign but Wayne refused. The assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Democratic frontrunner Bobby Kennedy exacerbated anti-Vietnam protests and prompted Wayne to speak out. He was the first to call for law and order and promised to use the office of President to defend the helpless and restore American faith in themselves and their country. Many would take this as an antiwar stance and Wayne helped this view by expressing vaguely that the military and Department of Defense would operate in a fashion suited to the legacy of America's fighting spirit. He also promised that Communism would be stopped but only by actions that would have beneficial consequences for the world. Republican and Democratic voters began to sway. Hubert Humphrey's status as Democratic frontrunner was unstable. The youth wanted McCarthy and a strictly antiwar platform. Nixon rode the coattails of Wayne's call for law and order and agreed that serious leadership was needed in order to change the outcome of the war. The Republican campaigns also looked to the "forgotten" Democratic base when Wallace dropped out. Rockefeller dropped out not long after. This left Wayne, Nixon and Reagan to duke it out.

Humphrey's campaign began to falter but many doubted McCarthy's ability to win over the majority of American voters. In a surprise twist of fate, sitting President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to switch his decision to not run for a second term. This would shake the Democratic base to its core. Wayne went on the offensive and attacked the Johnson Administration for its blatant mismanagement and, using meaningful rhetoric, called for tough leadership to deal with "bullies" overseas. Enthusiasm for Wayne's campaign grew. Bumper stickers of "Duke for '68" sold out across the nation. He and Nixon were nearly neck and neck. Reagan would drop out and endorsed Wayne. Johnson would usurp the frontrunner status and looked to swing the Democratic base back to his party. As Wayne became a clear frontrunner, Nixon began attacks on his rival calling him inexperienced and believed his stance on the war was "fake." Wayne would ignore this and by the time of the Republican National Convention he was the clear nominee. Nixon would drop out. For the Vice Presidency, Wayne chose his friend, and fellow actor, Senator George Murphy. In a desperation move, Johnson would sack Humphrey as VP, completing the betrayal, and chose McCarthy. This would lead to further confusion to the Democratic Party and a scattered voter base.

John Wayne and Lyndon B. Johnson would face off in the first round of debates. Wayne continued to attack Johnson's mishandling of the war and felt the American people would suffer from his legacy and that they deserved better. Wayne advocated a clear vision for the nation; a nation of order and patriotism and when the old boss can't do the job, it was time for a real leader to take over. Johnson's numbers were low but stabilized. This was helped by his domestic policies and was even praised by Wayne for his War on Poverty. Wayne promised to retain the policies that worked and fix the policies that were broke. In November he would swing Democratic voters in Ohio and Florida and win the Popular Vote. John Wayne would become the 37th President of the United States.

[Part II posted below]

 

[John Farrier]

This is an interesting and novel premise.

It would help if you added paragraph breaks to make it easier to read the text.

 

[marktaha]

Assume Wallace withdrew for Wayne - who.could have been his running mate.

 

[Sanderford]

Assume Wallace withdrew for Wayne - who.could have been his running mate.

Wallace would most likely only do that if Wayne agreed to serious concessions. Namely, he would want some guarantee that a President Wayne would act to roll back desegregation, and end what Wallace saw as interference in the Deep South, which usually meant efforts to enforce integration in schools and public places.

I don't see Wayne agreeing to that.

 

[wolf-gang]

I don't see Wayne agreeing to that.

on many levels. forgetting the morals of it for a second; one, the Republican party is solid, If Wallace ran, he would be splitting the vote of the Democrats which would help Wayne in the long run. 2) he's not important enough when compared to solidifying his own base or possibly getting A VP to bring in a major ticket state like Texas, Pennsylvania, or new york. Morally speaking, well I don't think John Wayne, even being the old-timer he was, dying on that hill.

Though The Panamanians are going to be happy.

 

[cloistered scholar]

I would go for a POD further back, him passing admissions to Annapolis. He has a successful career in the Pacific, then leaves the Navy in the early 50's.

 

[United States President]

"I, John Wayne, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God."
~ John Wayne, 1969

Part II: The First Term, "Wayne/Murphy '68"
John Wayne would be inaugurated on January 20th, 1969 in Washington D.C. His first act was to work with the Department of Defense to rethink their strategies in Vietnam. They had no outside help and their "search and destroy" missions proved useless. Creighton Abrams, who had replaced William Westmoreland earlier in the last year, was given orders to pacify the entire region. Ultimately, they would invade North Vietnam. If the Chinese retaliated or Hanoi did not surrender, then the President would issue new orders to the Department of Defense. General Abrams obeyed and ordered troops to expand and occupy all grounds that could be used for the enemy's advantage. President Wayne also played around with the notion of ending the National Draft, a play to lighten the pressure at home. His advisers agreed that it'd be popular but that meant decreased American volunteers. Wayne argued that winning the war may change the tide of public opinion. In the first one hundred days of John Wayne's presidency he would end the National Draft but the catch was that men who were already drafted and trained were to be deployed. Because of this, protests continued but the violence and passion dramatically decreased.

In July of 1969, Wayne would preside over the Apollo 11 moon landing and continued the efforts of the War on Poverty. He even copied ideas from Nixon's plans; a War on Cancer. With increased funds, the Administration looked to find a cure for the disease. Wayne, as a Conservative, believed the Government should stay out of daily life. But if American lives were suffering without a support system there were logical gaps where the Government could step in. His views on race remained silent. For the most part he wanted to ride popular support for his first term into 1970. American forces would defeat Vietcong in and around Saigon before Creighton ordered U.S. Marines to cross the northern border with the objective being to force a union of Vietnam. China and the Soviet Union began sending arms and material to the north. Their involvement drew the ire of Wayne's attention. He warned the Communist powers that any retaliatory response to the American invasion would be interpreted as an act of war. This stirred the world into an uproar. NATO would begin mobilizing in Europe. Wayne's duel on the international stage brought about widespread condemnation and intrigue. Wayne would not compromise. This would push North and South Vietnam into peace talks after years of stagnation. A United Democratic Vietnam meant American backing as long as they maintained that democracy. The United States would not back a Communist satellite state.

The Invasion of North Vietnam put the world in crisis. Troops were dying in mass to gain ground, hold it until re-enforcements arrived, then push on. Wayne then ordered that the border of South Vietnam and Laos be closed indefinitely. He wanted to send a clear message that the war would not expand into neighboring countries. The year 1970 was marked by a meatgrinder being fed by a monolithic war machine. Sharon Tate would be murdered on the past year's eve. President Wayne's first year had completely changed the landscape of the war in Vietnam and he looked to continue his face-off with China and the Soviets. Never once did he flinch, even after he received call after diplomatic call. Wayne had insisted that the men in his cabinet be ones who knew what they were doing. They'd do their part and pick up the slack wherever needed, forging the mighty image of President John Wayne. In his first State of the Union Address, President Wayne made his intentions clear to end the war quickly, and efficiently, all so that the brave men fighting overseas did not die in vain. He also explained his plans for the future; criminal justice reform, complete desegregation of schools, the War on Cancer and Poverty and expressed pride in a better tomorrow for Americans. Wayne would face an issue not long afterwards; Hanoi would not surrender and China was preparing to invade on a similar scope to their invasion of Korea. Wayne spoke with his advisers about whether their forces could withstand a Chinese invasion. The answer was inconclusive since their men were already struggling with the enemy forces entrenched in jungle. There was no knowing how their boys could fight a straightforward war with another major superpower. The Doomsday Clock would move to one minute to midnight. Wayne moved operations to DEFCON-2 and began preparations for a war with China.

Luckily, a summit for China and America to settle tensions began. President Wayne hoped peace talks with China would speed up negotiations between North and South Vietnam. John Wayne and Mao Zedong were clearly not fond of each other but both parties agreed that a war like Korea could be disastrous. Wayne pushed for democratic elections in Vietnam without either side interfering. Mao didn't expect the Americans to withdraw without promises. If the Chinese ceased funding the North Vietnamese immediately, the United States would begin preparations for a slow withdrawal. Wayne warned Mao, with dramatic poise that a breach in their agreement meant American "vengeance." The Chinese delegation found the Actor President amusing but his tendency to be a loose cannon frightened them. China upheld their end of the deal and ceased funding northern resistance. American forces halted their advance with orders to secure ground obtained. The United States Military now controlled all of South Vietnam and a little over half of North Vietnam. What irritated ground troops was that Hanoi was in the verge of falling... now all they could do was stare at it. President Wayne himself would arrive in Saigon before the Vietnamese peace committee and addressed both leaders. He urged them to settle for a democratic vote in exchange for American withdrawal. The election votes would be counted via drawn districts using North and South mediators following a general truce to stop all combat operations.

President Wayne would return to the states as the frontrunner of Time's Man of the Year, a high approval rating and candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Vietnam Vote was set for November 1st, 1970 pitting the propositions of Unity and Separation against each other. Vietnam would overwhelmingly vote for Union. Plans then materialized for a Presidential Election similar in style to the American model. President Wayne then ordered the slow withdrawal to commence, a stipulation being that the Vietcong also disband. When orders arrived, they were still not dissolved. Their reasoning was the result of the election, they wanted to see who won. China pushed the U.S. to honor their agreement since the initial Truce included a clause allowing both militaries to enforce a clean election. Wayne did not consider the Vietcong a legitimate military and expressed that Vietnam was the equivalent to, "sticking your hand in a cookie jar only to find you've stuck your hand into a blender you can't unplug." By 1971, the slow withdrawal proved popular but many antiwar activists called for a faster withdrawal. Wayne would insist that the Vietnamese needed to prove that they could govern themselves and so the slow withdrawal continued. The initial frontrunner for President of Vietnam was Ton Duc Thang of the North, leading the newly formed Socialist Party of Vietnam. Wayne, of course, preferred the South Vietnamese candidate ex-president Duong Van Minh. Minh was a moderate, leader of the Democratic Party of Vietnam. There was a general consensus amongst observers that if Minh was not elected then the United States would break the deal and reignite the fighting. Le Duan, commander of North Vietnamese forces and Chairman of the Vietnamese Communist Party was vocal that the United States withdrawal from the country regardless of the results. Wayne had also secured a resolution with China to have American POWs freed who were not already liberated.

In a contested election, Minh would win out due to the presence of American occupation in the north. As promised the U.S. began a speedier withdrawal in an organized fashion. Wayne expected Le Duan to make the first move and conduct a coupe so he belayed orders to keep American troops in the north for as long as possible. Wayne wanted to exert the leader's patience. President Wayne also set up a base in Saigon as a show of support. John Wayne's "victory" in Vietnam solidified his place as Incumbent for the 1972 Presidential Election and, as an added bonus, he'd be virtually unchallenged by the Democrats. George McGovern had declined to run and even youth favorite, and default candidate, Eugene McCarthy ran a hollow campaign with an antiwar platform that lost its muster trying to catch Wayne slipping. That moment, the slip, came during a highly viewed televised interview with the President. He would express his once silent view on race to explain his decision making in Vietnam. Wayne felt that minorities needed to prove they didn't need help in retaining governance and didn't need financial support to keep from collapsing. McCarthy's campaign would pivot towards attacks on Wayne accusing him of being a "borderline white supremacist." The fact that he was asked by noted segregationist George Wallace to be his running mate added to McCarthy's talking points. George Wallace himself had also decided to run again and this time the American Independent Party wouldn't be screwing around. They were hellbent to capture the Democratic base and force the country into a Three-Party System.

Despite the infamous interview and the challenge of Wallace, Wayne remained the steadfast shoe-in for re-election. His base had remained staunchly loyal and passionate for a continued Republican Majority. Wayne promised to have troops fully withdrawn by the time he quoted the Oath of Office in '73. He would ride unified support within the Republican Party. 1971 was a quiet year. President Wayne wanted to maintain a state of peace and resist the urge to join another overseas conflict. By the time '72 rolled around his fears in Vietnam were realized. Le Duan would conduct a series of assassinations against the Minh Administration. Le Duan had attacked just as the last remnant of American troops were about to leave. This meant a halt in withdrawals. Wayne strongly urged China to "rein in their boy" or the troubles would get worse. President Minh would issue an Executive Order to disband the Army of North Vietnam and Army of South Vietnam and replace them with a new, united military. Le Duan was warned by the Vietnamese Government that any further violent actions against them would be seen as an act of treason. China strategically backed this proclamation in order to force Le Duan into submission. Le Duan would compromise and ended further operations until the Americans fully withdrew. However, the Army of North Vietnam would be forcibly dissolved. Volunteers from both armies were called to report to Saigon for re-training. The Government would work to create an Assembly similar to a Congress or Politburo in order to draft a Constitution and create laws.

Wayne's new bumper stickers would read "Re-Elect Duke for '72", the general feeling being that Wayne was guaranteed the nomination and the election. McCarthy's candidacy was ultimately an off-year for the Democrats. Ted Kennedy refused to run until Wayne was finished with his second term, which wouldn't be until '76. In November of 1972, John Wayne would be re-elected in a landslide victory. Wallace and McCarthy would split the Democratic vote. By December, the last of U.S. personnel would leave Vietnam with all POWs and KIAs in toe. Their return stateside meant countrywide celebration and mourning.

Afterward
Just in case anyone was wondering I actually like his film The Green Berets (1968) even though I'm aware it's a propaganda film to show that the Vietnam War was "good," what makes this juicier is that the film got support from the Department of Defense in 1967 because it would help the Johnson Administration. There's good chance this film is still released when Wayne runs for President in '68. For his first term, I felt a President Wayne would focus his efforts mainly on Vietnam. I researched some of his views regarding the war and decided to pursue a scenario where the U.S. abandoned its "search and destroy" missions and went for a straightforward invasion and occupation. Obviously this draws parallels to the Korean War which is exactly the point. This time the U.S. will have significant leverage and an insanely stubborn U.S. President. I wrote the draft for this entry two years before the Russian Invasion of Ukraine so the circumstances of the new War in Vietnam was pure coincidence, however, I may have subconsciously took inspiration from Russia's annexation of Crimea. All and all I felt Wayne's first term would be a success but some of his more controversial opinions would surface as a result. His relations with China draw heavy influence from the Trump Trade War mixed with Nixon's meeting with the People's Republic of China which became the basis for Wayne's behavior during peace talks. While I set him up as the Reagan of the late 60s and early 70s, he's also an ideal version of an aggressive Trump. And like Reagan, he'd face little to no resistance come election time, his popularity and the lack of leadership by the Democrats, would just be too much. This whole scenario is mostly meant to be broad which is why I don't go into detail about WHO is in his cabinet but I figured he'd operate like how Reagan operated, lots of supervising and delegating. His second term is where things start to focus on domestic issues and the establishment of his legacy.

[Part III Posted Below]

 

[Sanderford]

Morally speaking, well I don't think John Wayne, even being the old-timer he was, dying on that hill.

Though The Panamanians are going to be happy.

By all accounts the Duke was a pretty liberal guy, in the classical sense of believing in personal liberty and respect for individual rights. Why would Panama be happy, exactly? President Wayne likely to give back the Canal? I think he'd likely want to hold on if he could.

"I, John Wayne, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States. So help me God."
~ John Wayne, 1969

Technically speaking, he never legally changed his name. John Wayne was basically a stage name which became so associated with him, even he took to using it in daily life. By law, however, it would be...

"I, Marion Robert Morrison. do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

People would likely refer to him as President John Wayne, and there may actually be some drive for him to change it legally at this point. I just think it's interesting to note he never changed it from that IOTL.

 

[United States President]

"I, Marion Robert Morrison. do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

People would likely refer to him as President John Wayne, and there may actually be some drive for him to change it legally at this point. I just think it's interesting to note he never changed it from that IOTL.

I had the same question when forming the scenario. Since it's not formally written on the postings I'd say he would legally change his name so he could swear-in with his famous stage name, the name that got him elected.

 

[brunohusker]

Introduction
I've had this scenario written up for a long while now. I had learned a few years back that John Wayne was asked to run by Texas Republican Party backers. He refused because he felt American voters wouldn't buy an actor running for office. And since Ronald Reagan is a thing, I decided to diverge from our timeline and have Wayne decide to run for office. Now this scenario is not a "wishful thinking" post but merely my interpretation of Wayne's campaign. While I don't agree with all of his views, he still held some moderate beliefs and even voted for FDR and admired Truman. Wayne has always been an interesting persona to me and amongst the many hypothetical candidacies, his was the most grounded and interesting. Essentially I set him up as the Reagan of the 60s and early 70s.

Part I: The Campaign, "Duke for '68"
The year is 1968. American Actor and noted Conservative John Wayne announces his candidacy for President of the United States. He would run with the Republican Party drawing national attention. As an actor famous for his fearless cowboy roles, he was the first of his class with a serious chance at the Republican Nomination. He campaigned using his Hollywood nickname "Duke for '68" and ran on a platform of anti-communism, American domestic policy reforms regarding criminal justice and readjustments in foreign policy which he believed was butchered by the reigning Democrats. His Democratic opponents were common leaders in their party; Senator Eugene McCarthy, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Wayne would face down former Vice President Richard Nixon, another actor Ronald Reagan and moderate Nelson Rockefeller. Wayne was an affable candidate on the campaign trail, meeting with Nixon and his friend Reagan. The final serious candidate, on a third party ticket, was George Wallace.

Wallace had approached Wayne earlier to join him in a Union Campaign but Wayne refused. The assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Democratic frontrunner Bobby Kennedy exacerbated anti-Vietnam protests and prompted Wayne to speak out. He was the first to call for law and order and promised to use the office of President to defend the helpless and restore American faith in themselves and their country. Many would take this as an antiwar stance and Wayne helped this view by expressing vaguely that the military and Department of Defense would operate in a fashion suited to the legacy of America's fighting spirit. He also promised that Communism would be stopped but only by actions that would have beneficial consequences for the world. Republican and Democratic voters began to sway. Hubert Humphrey's status as Democratic frontrunner was unstable. The youth wanted McCarthy and a strictly antiwar platform. Nixon rode the coattails of Wayne's call for law and order and agreed that serious leadership was needed in order to change the outcome of the war. The Republican campaigns also looked to the "forgotten" Democratic base when Wallace dropped out. Rockefeller dropped out not long after. This left Wayne, Nixon and Reagan to duke it out.

Humphrey's campaign began to falter but many doubted McCarthy's ability to win over the majority of American voters. In a surprise twist of fate, sitting President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to switch his decision to not run for a second term. This would shake the Democratic base to its core. Wayne went on the offensive and attacked the Johnson Administration for its blatant mismanagement and, using meaningful rhetoric, called for tough leadership to deal with "bullies" overseas. Enthusiasm for Wayne's campaign grew. Bumper stickers of "Duke for '68" sold out across the nation. He and Nixon were nearly neck and neck. Reagan would drop out and endorsed Wayne. Johnson would usurp the frontrunner status and looked to swing the Democratic base back to his party. As Wayne became a clear frontrunner, Nixon began attacks on his rival calling him inexperienced and believed his stance on the war was "fake." Wayne would ignore this and by the time of the Republican National Convention he was the clear nominee. Nixon would drop out. For the Vice Presidency, Wayne chose his friend, and fellow actor, Senator George Murphy. In a desperation move, Johnson would sack Humphrey as VP, completing the betrayal, and chose McCarthy. This would lead to further confusion to the Democratic Party and a scattered voter base.

John Wayne and Lyndon B. Johnson would face off in the first round of debates. Wayne continued to attack Johnson's mishandling of the war and felt the American people would suffer from his legacy and that they deserved better. Wayne advocated a clear vision for the nation; a nation of order and patriotism and when the old boss can't do the job, it was time for a real leader to take over. Johnson's numbers were low but stabilized. This was helped by his domestic policies and was even praised by Wayne for his War on Poverty. Wayne promised to retain the policies that worked and fix the policies that were broke. In November he would swing Democratic voters in Ohio and Florida and win the Popular Vote. John Wayne would become the 37th President of the United States.

[Part II posted below]

Sounds interesting, granted will Wayne’s alcoholism affect his campaign? Or will he clean up to fix the country and live up to his image?

 

[EWHM]

I'm not sure if John Wayne would be healthy enough to run for serious office in the early 70s. He made his last movie in 76 if I recall, The Shootist, while he was dying of cancer (his character is also dying of cancer in that movie, IMO the movie is among his best).

 

[marktaha]

Wayne to Barry Norman 1968-"Tell Kosygin send one more bullet to North Vietnam and we bomb Moscow".
1971 -"I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a position of responsibility. "

 

[marktaha]

Nor can I see his continuing the War on Poverty and LBJ's other social programmes. He was a trustee of Americans for Constitutional Action.

 

[Jape]

This is very interesting, looking forward to more.

IMO though the end of the Vietnam War is a little unrealistic, in terms of a still unoccupied Hanoi joining a united, democratic state. I think China would instead back up a Tonkin-rump North Vietnam; for one they no doubt fear the aggressive Wayne driving tanks upto the Chinese border and perhaps staying there as guests of new united, capitalist Vietnam; bordering one belligerent superpower is bad enough. For this reason also your suggestion of Chinese "volunteers" entering Vietnam to hold the line seems quite plausible, even if only used as a threat.

You've explained Wayne's intentions but his aggressive actions and words would colour Chinese faith in his peace proposals. I think Wayne could get Chinese promises of ending aid to the Viet Cong and company. I think his hawkish posturing could get the Chinese to accept this in good faith (in the short term anyway). Effectively handing over the 'free' North Vietnamese all for the prize of a pro-US neighbour though seems like a step too far for the Politburo. Never mind the North Vietnamese leadership who would choose to fight over voluntarily losing power and probably ending up with a bullet in the head; regardless of whatever promises get made of amnesty, the South Vietnamese leadership aren't exactly boy scouts.

If Wayne demanded a united Vietnam at the conference table regardless -no ifs no buts, I think those Chinese "volunteers" would begin to mass if not start crossing the border covertly, in preparation for a presumed US attack on Hanoi. At the very least they'd be chucking arms at the NVA, in the hope of making American achievement of a united nation as costly as possible.

The nuclear threat is a big deal and I think could get communist concessions but for the final objective would be way out of proportion, particularly if the North and China are already at the conference table. Lord knows the view of his cabinet, allies (the USSR too!) and the American public on this hard nuclear line during peace negotiations. Perhaps promises on mutual limited military involvement (no doubt excluding 'advisors' and hardware) in the two Vietnams, at least for a time? I can easily see a union referendum being carried out but the North predictably crying foul and pulling out.

Now if Wayne simply pushed on and united Vietnam by force from the start, that's a whole different kettle of fish. But IMO any mutual peace settlement will be a two-state solution, with the fig leaf of a referendum or similar.

 

[Jonathan]

What’s is John Wayne’s cabinet like?
I take it he would recruit experienced politicians to support him.
Possible members:
Senator Goldwater
Governor George Romney
Governor William W. Scranton
Representative William Henry Harrison III

 

[United States President]

"Each of us is a mixture of some good and some not so good qualities. In considering one's fellow man it's important to remember the good things...We should refrain from making judgements just because a fella happens to be a dirty, rotten SOB."
~ Alphonzo E. Bell, Jr.

Part III: The Second Term, "Re-Elect Duke for'72"
The last of the protests would end with the return of American troops. President John Wayne would be re-inaugurated in January of 1973 promising that he would focus on domestic issues rather than engage in another foreign adventure. His belief in the Domino Theory was not entirely destroyed but his experiences with Vietnam drastically changed his foreign policy ideals. For one, his foreign policy would follow the Teddy Roosevelt model of talking quietly and carrying a big stick. In other words, "get in and get out." His performance during his first term proved him a competent President. As a result, the media began playing around with the idea of a Clint Eastwood candidacy, but realistically they looked toward a Ronald Reagan presidency. Robert Redford was also a topic of discussion since the arena of debates focused on celebrity roles in U.S. politics. Redford, compared to Eastwood and Reagan, was the antithesis of Reagan and to the left of President Wayne. John Wayne himself remained as a towering and intimidating icon in politics. Larger than life and almost mythical he inspired a growing coalition of admirers and even more so when he proposed tax cuts for the Middle Class. He still wanted to keep East Asia and Russia on its toes so he redirected America's attention on destabilizing Soviet Russia. As the President began another great duel on the international stage, and even entertained another invasion of Cuba once Russia collapsed, critics of the Administration demanded he keep his promises to fix the issues at home. Redford, using his newfound platform, called for regulations on recreational drugs, rights for homosexuals, making African Americans a protected class, healthcare and minimum wage increases. Wayne disagreed with all of these moves but gave in to his promise of middle class tax cuts. He also decided to switch his position on Government school programs, which he had been against earlier in his career.

He remained quiet on the homosexual issue until another highly viewed interview with CBS' Walter Cronkite. Cronkite asked about his positions and the criticisms he had received, addressing Robert Redford directly. Wayne would compare Redford to himself, in a way, calling him naïve thinking he could change the world. Wayne expressed that serving in office changes your perspective, that many of his previous views were challenged by the weight of the his responsibilities. He opposed both protected classes and called nationalized healthcare a socialist concept and anything of the sort was un-American. He believed healthcare to be a privilege, not a right. On drugs he admitted he was an avid smoker and was indifferent to marijuana, calling it a "Mexican drug" but agreed that Federal regulation would increase government funding. However, Wayne believed that weed should remain south of the border for as long as he was President. He then shifted to blaming "liberals" for getting them in the war in the first place. His position as President, sitting in for an interview by CBS was proof the American people disliked previous leadership. The interview, like in 1972, caused a further divide amongst liberals and they attacked the Administration for being "delayed" or "active against progress" recalling his slow withdrawal from Vietnam. Conservatives praised his firm stand on principle and Christian values. Democrats were quick to critique this line of thinking since Wayne was twice divorced, married three times and known to be an alcoholic. All these critiques would be ignored by the Republican base boasting the Administration's high approval rating of 70% which they believed justified his presidency.

In 1974, President Wayne would enjoy complacency but drew more public scrutiny for playing tennis for extended hours with First Lady Pilar Pallette Wayne. Reports of his affairs from the 1940s resurfaced with one such claim from Merle Oberon. Their particular affair was high profile, something the media was able to dig up quickly to stir debate. Wayne would criticize the press for being "bored" and "impatient" since his Administration had guaranteed a longstanding peace. The media just needed to stir up trouble thus he would coin the phrase "liberal media" which turned the liberals from his base forever. Wayne would joke about these instances at correspondence dinners in front the the said reporters. Usually he would end his speeches with the saying "let bygones be bygones." In 1975, Ronald Reagan's term as California Governor would end. Robert Redford looked to capitalize by running to replace Reagan. Wayne would publicly oppose Redford's campaign as he believed it would "defecate on Dutch's accomplishments." Redford would go on to win the gubernatorial race anyway based on name recognition and a re-ignited leftist movement. Redford would use this push to implement his policies on California and prepare for a future political career. Wayne had encouraged Reagan to run for President, which he did at dawn of '75. Vice President George Murphy had also announced his candidacy which kept Wayne from ultimately endorsing Reagan. The President's neutrality, for the time being, was secured. Spiro Agnew was the only other Republican with a chance against Reagan and Murphy, but little saw Agnew as a realistic choice.

On the Democratic front, Redford declined to run, but Jimmy Carter and George McGovern made their play with firebolt Ted Kennedy not far behind. Ted Kennedy delivered fiery speeches against the idea of another Actor President, he claimed these men were frauds and that the White House needed real experience especially in the fight to defeat Communism. Reagan's campaign suffered for the moment because of this, until they responded against Kennedy bringing up the incident at Chappaquiddick. Kennedy was not moved. Carter used his faith to drive campaign support amongst evangelicals. McGovern would be the first to end his campaign to vie for a VP Nomination. At the Democratic National Convention, Ted Kennedy would win out over Jimmy Carter. Vice President Murphy and ex-governor Reagan would duke it out at the RNC. Some fervent supporters called for Wayne to run for a third term. Wayne addressed this quickly by affirming his standing with the U.S. Constitution and ending the quote with "no chance." Reagan would end up winning the Republican Nomination and was finally endorsed by Wayne. This only fueled Kennedy's rhetoric against the Republicans calling them "elitist" and "Hollywood" criticizing Wayne's complacency and lack of progress. Reagan responded by attacking Kennedy's affiliation with his brother John F. Kennedy, that his critiques were hypocritical considering JFK was almost as Hollywood as Wayne. So far, it seemed the Hollywood system was working in the American people's favor. This dash against JFK increased the intensity of the election with Kennedy's campaign almost subconsciously pulling on the popularity of his late brother. Ted would not break in the face of Reagan's quips on the debate stage. This stoicism would carry into the election as Kennedy won the battleground state of Florida but lost the popular vote to Reagan. Debates raged over the electoral college but Reagan would concede and informed his supporters that he'd be back in 1980.

Epilogue
In January of 1976, President John Wayne would meet with President-Elect Ted Kennedy and attended his inauguration. And with that, Wayne retired to California where he became a public critic of the current governor Robert Redford. This was done from the comfort of his lavish living in Palm Springs. President Ted Kennedy would lead an aggressive Administration, legalizing marijuana on the federal level, issuing protections for African Americans and other minorities but maintained much of the interior of the previous Administration's structure. This was done to stabilize any Conservative backlash from his Executive Orders. In 1977, Star Wars would be released. Wayne would be asked about starring in new movies but he declined citing poor health, something he had struggled with his entire presidency. He often met supporters at meet and greets who still held to the idea that he should've been a three term president. Wayne would ignore this as a joke and enjoyed his retirement, focusing on his kids and grandkids. His health continued to worsen and he finally retired from public life. In 1978, China would back a coupe against the Democratic Government of Vietnam. Kennedy took drastic steps and deployed American troops to Saigon to enforce their truce, undoubtedly China and the North Vietnamese leaders were testing the new President's nerve. In another drastic step, a general boycott was called against China and he even threatened to recognize Taiwan. These new tensions led to calls for a new peace deal. Japan was asked to moderate so Kennedy could excuse himself. Since the coupe ultimately failed a general withdrawal was negotiated and peace was restored. Upon the next year on June 11th, 1979 John Wayne would die of Stomach Cancer. His funeral drew thousands of mourners and sales for his movies increased. In the aftermath of his death, Ted Kennedy would lose to Ronald Reagan in 1980 but would be shot a year later by John Hinkley, Jr. in Washington. Vice President George Bush would assume the presidency. Bush would lose a full term in 1984 to an old rival; Robert Redford. In one of President Redford's televised speeches he would publicly acknowledge John Wayne's accomplishments and even called him "legendary." His place as a Cold War icon would be enshrined forever. This was said before Redford went ahead and legalized same sex marriage and watched as the Soviet Union crumbled nearing his final year in 1992.

Afterward
This ended up being a lot shorter and less focused on Wayne's actions during his second term. I felt that once Vietnam was dealt with he'd be a pretty inactive and complacent president. His promises for criminal justice, full desegregation and any others are left up to interpretation or not fulfilled at all and I mostly pull from the literal lack of action from Presidents in our OTL. I also coupled this scenario with another POD where Reagan is killed by Hinkley so that it left a road open for a Redford presidency. I pulled that, unashamedly, straight from Watchmen. I also have a sequel scenario based on that POD I hope to post on here soon. Thanks to everyone who read along, it means a lot. Can't wait to post again soon. Look for me in the Before 1900 discussions for the next big one.

Regards,
United States President

 

[United States President]

Now if Wayne simply pushed on and united Vietnam by force from the start, that's a whole different kettle of fish. But IMO any mutual peace settlement will be a two-state solution, with the fig leaf of a referendum or similar.

That's absolutely the intention, to have an Administration that forces unification from the start. Felt it was likely Wayne would act that way.