THE '60s Vice President Richard Nixon narrowly lost the election of 1960 to John F. Kennedy. Vice President Lyndon Johnson succeeded to the office when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and in 1964 he easily defeated Republican Barry Goldwater. Johnson won passage of major civil rights, anti-poverty and health care legislation, but his escalation of the Vietnam War became increasingly unpopular. He did not seek re-election in 1968, and the Democrats nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Richard Nixon ran again and won, with only 43 percent of the popular vote. [ PREVIOUS | NEXT ]