4. “The Hottest Place in Hell”: Kennedy, the Democrats, and the McCarthy Candidacy

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface ix
4. Acknowledgments xiii
5. Prologue: The Odyssey Begins 1
6. 1. On His Own: Kennedy’s Evolving Critique of theWar, May 1965–February 1966 8
7. 2. A Slow Path to Peace: Kennedy Calls for a Negotiated Settlement, March 1966–March 1967 32
8. 3. At the Center of the Storm: Kennedy and the Shifting Political Winds of 1967 57
9. 4. “The Hottest Place in Hell”: Kennedy, the Democrats, and the McCarthy Candidacy 77
10. 5. The Collapse of the Myths: Kennedy, Johnson, and the Tet Offensive, January–February 1968 100
11. 6. The Breaking Point: Kennedy Responds to Tet, February 8, 1968 117
12. 7. Fifteen Days in March: Kennedy Challenges Johnson, March 1968 130
13. 8. Civil Rights and the Urban Rebellions: Kennedy, King, and the Politics of Race, 1965–1968 161
14. 9. Building a Coalition: Kennedy and the Primaries, March 16–May 28, 1968 188
15. 10. California: Kennedy’s Last Campaign, May 1–June 6, 1968 220
16. Conclusion: A Potential Unrealized 250
17. Notes 259
18. Bibliography 323
19. Index 337