Nelson's LBJ Mastermind book

[Kenneth Kapel]

Nixon was chosen by the elites to run in 1968. All evidence points to that, dating back to 1946 when Prescott Bush, Mr. Perry of Bank of American, Lansky, and Dalitz all were Nixon backers. You don't get support like that, especially being a political novice such as Nixon, unless those backing have bigger plans for you, and within 6 years "Tricky Dick " was Vice President. The New York governor entered the race way to late to have any sort of a chance. After a 47 U.S. House seat pickup in 1966 the GOP should have had a huge slate of candidates running for President in 1968, but in that year Nixon was virtually unopposed for the nomination.