Quote:
Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm
Lincoln really fucked up on that one
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not really. Lincoln and the republicans wanted a high profile war democrat to broaden their appeal for the election. they looked at several. and Lincoln didn't directly nominate Johnson, he won the nomination at the convention.
and Lincoln ran under the National Union Party rather than a Republican.
Lincoln considered several
War Democrats for the ticket in 1864, and sent an agent to sound out General
Benjamin Butler as a possible running mate. In May 1864, the president dispatched General
Daniel Sickles to Nashville on a fact-finding mission. Although Sickles denied that he was there either to investigate or interview the military governor, Johnson biographer Hans L. Trefousse believes that Sickles's trip was connected to Johnson's subsequent nomination for vice president.
[101] According to historian Albert Castel in his account of Johnson's presidency, Lincoln was impressed by Johnson's administration of Tennessee.
[95] Gordon-Reed points out that while the Lincoln-Hamlin ticket might have been considered geographically balanced in 1860, "having Johnson, the
southern War Democrat, on the ticket sent the right message about the folly of secession and the continuing capacity for union within the country."
[102] Another factor was the desire of Secretary of State
William Seward to frustrate the vice-presidential candidacy of fellow New Yorker and former senator
Daniel S. Dickinson, a War Democrat, as Seward would probably have had to yield his place if another New Yorker became vice president. Johnson, once he was told by reporters the likely purpose of Sickles' visit, was active on his own behalf, delivering speeches and having his political friends work behind the scenes to boost his candidacy.
[103]
To sound a theme of unity in 1864, Lincoln ran under the banner of the
National Union Party, rather than that of the Republicans.
[102] At
the party's convention in Baltimore in June, Lincoln was easily nominated, although there had been some talk of replacing him with a Cabinet officer or one of the more successful generals. After the convention backed Lincoln, former Secretary of War
Simon Cameron offered a resolution to nominate Hamlin, but it was defeated. Johnson was nominated for vice president by C.M. Allen of Indiana with an Iowa delegate as seconder. On the first ballot, Johnson led with 200 votes to 150 for Hamlin and 108 for Dickinson. On the second ballot, Kentucky switched to vote for Johnson, beginning a stampede. Johnson was named on the second ballot with 491 votes to Hamlin's 17 and eight for Dickinson; the nomination was made unanimous.
