“The Impact: Vietnam and the 1968 Democratic Primary” It was the late Beatle, John Lennon, who once said: “We live in a world where people have to hide to make love. , while violence is practiced in broad daylight. This of course refers to his disdain for the Vietnam War and frankly, when you ask someone who was an American citizen at that time, you'll probably get the same wistful response. For nearly 15 years, the Vietnam War was at the forefront of American society politically, socially, and economically. Over time, public opinion collapsed, leaving President Lyndon Johnson with no choice but to refuse the Democratic Party's nomination in the 1968 presidential election. As the Johnson administration transformed into a lame duck, a damage control factory, an incredibly intriguing race for the Democratic nomination was brewing. The race included Senator Robert Kennedy of New York, Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Over time, the Vietnam War emerged as the critical issue that mattered most to the electorate. The reason was that we were spending countless dollars, risking hundreds of thousands of lives, and making no progress. Kennedy, McCarthy and Humphrey all agreed to end it, however, the ways of doing so differed greatly. For the majority of the race, Kennedy was the clear favorite to win. However, once it was invalidated, things changed to the detriment of the Democratic Party. They didn't see a successful president until the early 1990s because of the government's complete lack of trust and the way the Democrats, especially LBJ, handled Vietnam. Bad management...... middle of paper...... history, failures. For me, Vietnam was the root cause. Johnson had botched his handling of the war and the level of distrust in the party and the government was at an all-time high. The Democrats wouldn't see a president-elect until Bill Clinton, in 1992, brought them back and charged again. In 1968, the Vietnam War was a time when Americans faced deep divisions, disappointments, and tragedies. Their government had failed them, the people they could trust had been killed, and their loved ones were frightened by the effects of the war. Rightly so, the American people were upset and angry. The dynamic that I have explored that made Vietnam such a critical part of American history that influenced an entire party and a nation will only amplify with time, not just in 1968 and not just for a primary election, but for everyone who shared an interest in this window..