How the Characters of Mad Men Voted in the 1964 Election

Did any of SCDP's employee's contribute to LBJ's landslide?

The 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon was a big deal in Mad Men’s first season. Almost everyone, begrudgingly, supported Nixon’s stiff and unexciting campaign while at the same time admiring but looking down on JFK’s better-advertised operation. There did not appear to be any ill-will towards Kennedy except in Season 3 when Pete describes employees saying that the President “Made a lot of enemies.”

Season 3 - Episode 12: “The Grown-ups” (© AMC/Lionsgate)

Season 4 picks up a few weeks after the 1964 election in which Democratic President Lyndon Johnson won election in a landslide victory (486 electoral) against Republican Arizona senator Barry Goldwater. I don’t believe there was ever a consideration that the show may cover this election as it would have proven uninteresting compared to the close race of 1960. There was a solid belief among Sterling Cooper’s staff that Nixon could pull off the election but no one at SCDP would have gone into November 1964 expecting an upset from Goldwater.

LBJ’s well-run campaign would have also drawn admiration from the staff of SCDP. Don doesn’t vote, but he would have recognized the genius of the “Daisy” ad which implied Goldwater could plunge the country into nuclear war.

In the ad, a girl picks off the petals of a daisy as she counts down. The countdown suddenly becomes a launch countdown and a nuclear bomb explodes. Goldwater is never named but a narrator implies that President Johnson is the man who can stop this. The ad only officially aired once but was often reaired by local stations commenting on the controversy.

Goldwater was deemed an extremist by the left and he certainly had some statements to back up this belief.

““I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!” (Senator Goldwater on July 16, 1964)

As a senator, Goldwater would frequently gaff and say dangerous jokes like that we should lob an atomic bomb into the Kremlin. Voters feared that his hawkish attitude would escalate the United States’ involvement in Vietnam by using nuclear weapons. His worst mistake came in voting against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, despite being pro-integration and pushing to integrate armed forces in Arizona two years before President Tuman officially made the order. He opposed the Civil Rights Act on the grounds of state’s rights, not because he supported segregation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said of Goldwater “while not himself a racist, Mr. Goldwater articulates a philosophy which gives aid and comfort to the racists."

LBJ’s popularity following Kennedy’s death and fears that Goldwater’s views could lead to another World War led to 43,129,040 votes for Johnson and 27,175,754 for Goldwater. Goldwater only carried his home state of Arizona and five states in the south that voted Republican for the first time.

Were any of the characters of Mad Men part of that landslide? Here’s how I think they would have voted:

Don Draper: Does not vote but would respect LBJ’s well-run ad campaign and dislike the prospect of Goldwater plunging the country into a wider war. Don does not air his politics but will never be pro-war.

Betty & Henry Francis: Would vote Republican down the ticket but write in ‘NELSON ROCKEFELLER” instead of voting for Goldwater. Rockefeller challenged Goldwater for the 1964 Republican nomination and bad blood remained between them. Henry would have remembered this and, realizing that Goldwater would not win regardless, refuse to cast a vote for him. A shift further towards the right has taken place in the Republican Party and Henry does not care for it.

Roger Sterling: With no skin in the game unlike when supporting Nixon was an unspoken mandate for working at Sterling Cooper, Roger would still vote Republican but not think about it. His social circles are Republican and he would see it as important to keep up his status.

Bert Cooper: Cooper would be Goldwater’s biggest supporter of the characters, also sharing his view on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 being unconstitutional. He also would be opposed to Johnson’s “Great Society” plan which focused on eliminating poverty and establishing aid systems like Medicaid. Cooper supports small government and that is what Goldwater stands for.

Peggy: As a Catholic and younger idealist, she supported JFK in 1960. Supporting his successor who is carrying on his work is only natural, Johnson would have her vote.

Joan: With her husband Greg now in the Army, the prospect of Goldwater widening the conflict in Vietnam over LBJ who she believes may control it would scare her and she would choose to vote for Johnson.

Pete and Trudy Campbell: Despite a disappointment in LBJ becoming President following the death of JFK, the Campbells would be satisfied with his first year in office and become part of the 20% of voters who switched from voting Nixon to Johnson in 1964.

Harry Crane: Such a bonehead that he would vote Goldwater because of the expected employee Republican vote he remembers in 1960. Wouldn’t think enough about their politics to care who wins either way.

Lane Pryce: Not eligible to vote as a British citizen working in the United States but grows to admire LBJ’s work in Civil Rights.

Carla: Devoted supporter of LBJ who believes Goldwater will set Civil Rights back and is a threat to the country.

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The politics of these characters are fascinating but Goldwater was never going to inspire any of them even if they shared his views. Sixty years later, here are my own views of Senator Goldwater and if his views were really extremist: