In 1964, according to Nixonland, “Nixon was the only Republican of national stature not to abandon the Goldwater ticket” (p. 64). That’s almost true, but not quite. Dwight Eisenhower endorsed the ticket and made a TV spot with Goldwater. Ike’s support fell short of full-throated enthusiasm, but it was not an abandonment, either.
President Johnson “begged Senate Appropriations chair Robert Byrd not to let his meager $20 million rent-subsidy program die” (p. 113). Byrd would not become chair of Appropriations until 1989.
Eugene McCarthy “refused to mention he was a Catholic, even though New Hampshire was two-thirds Catholic” (p. 229). New Hampshire was less than 40 percent Catholic.
In the 1968 campaign, “All the top Goldwater plotters from 1964 were in the Nixon camp, even William F. Buckley, even Goldwater himself — all, that is, except F. Clifton White” (p. 282). William Rusher, National Review publisher and leader of the Draft Goldwater movement, backed Reagan for the 1968 GOP nomination.
It refers to Ralph Yarborough, “the liberal Texas congressman” (p. 310). He was a senator.