Book on the 1968 Democratic Presidential Nomination Process?

May 11, 2008 7:54 AM

Can anyone recommend a book about the 1968 presidential campaign -- particularly one that focuses on how Humphrey became the nominee and what really happened at the Democratic convention?

I've read and heard on TV that this democratic presidential nominee process has the potential to become as contentious as the '68 race, where Humphrey ended up as the nominee even though he didn't run in any of the primaries. I'd like to find a book about this race so I can compare what is happening now with what happened then. Unfortunately, all I've been finding are books on all of 1968 or on the campaign after both candidates have been selected and I'm interested in the race prior to that point. Can anyone recommend a book that will educate me?

posted by katyjack to law & government (8 comments total)

I highly recommend The Deadly Bet by Walter LaFeber. It's a really clearly written, interesting book that puts everything into context; it's great for people (such as myself) who don't have much of a background in history.
posted by pluckemin at 8:07 AM on May 11

The Orator at Dawn, Robert Caro's piece in the New Yorker about the dynamic that existed between Humphrey and Johnson, is a pretty great read (but it doesn't discuss the 1968 Democratic Convention).
posted by KokuRyu at 8:35 AM on May 11

Soon to come out: Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America.

It will certainly have something to say on the subject.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:44 AM on May 11

[Books about '68, not free-form discussion of the current race, please.]
posted by cortex at 11:18 AM on May 11

The canonical book is Theodore White's The Making Of The President 1968.
posted by briank at 2:55 PM on May 11

By the way, you might be interested in this recent Vanity Fair article - The Last Good Campaign.. it's an excerpt from a forthcoming book, The Last Campaign: Robert F. Kennedy and 82 Days That Inspired America, by Thurston Clarke. I don't know if he covers all of the 68 primary or just RFK, but still, should be worthwhile..
posted by citron at 3:26 PM on May 11

Slightly different emphasis, but The Selling of the President by Joe McGinniss is a classic.
posted by lukemeister at 9:24 PM on May 11

I second the Deadly Bet.
posted by j1950 at 5:28 AM on May 12