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

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President Lyndon B. Johnson announcing his decision to end his re-election campaign from the White House, March 1968

On March 31, 1968, then-incumbent US President Lyndon B. Johnson made a surprise announcement during a televised address to the nation,[1] announcing that he would not run for reelection for another term and was ending his campaign in the 1968 United States presidential election.

Johnson said, "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president."[2][3]

Johnson's decision allowed Vice President Hubert Humphrey to become the Democratic Party's nominee. The 1968 Democratic National Convention, held in Chicago, had significant protests and fights between demonstrators and police.[4] Humphrey would go on to lose the election to former Vice President Richard Nixon.[5]

References

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  1. ↑ Frankel, Max (1968-03-31). "Johnson to Talk to Nation Tonight on Vietnam War" (fee required). The New York Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-25. WASHINGTON, March 30 — President Johnson will address the nation at 9 P.M. tomorrow to deal 'rather fully' with the situation in Vietnam, including further troop build-ups, the possibility of reserve call-ups and the additional costs thereof.
  2. ↑ "Remarks on Decision not to Seek Re-Election (March 31, 1968)". The Miller Center, University of Virginia. October 20, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  3. ↑ Cohen, Michael A. (2016-04-02). "LBJ drops out of 1968 presidential race". OUPblog. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  4. ↑ "1968 Democratic Convention - Protests, Yippies, Witnesses". History Channel. 2024-05-03. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  5. ↑ "Presidential Election of 1968 - 270toWin". 270toWin.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
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