1968 presidential election - plus psionics

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by Irish Wolf

Nixon's own psi-friends would probably have been working on trying to implement an effective telepathic shield - Nixon was notoriously paranoid about his perceived "enemies", and would likely have have loathed the idea that someone could read his mind. Expect him to keep a low profile until that happens. (In fact, if the method by which psi powers are induced is known, expect Nixon to try that, because it might give him an edge over his opponents. Tricky Dick was not one to pass up an advantage...)

President Nixon, if in office at the time it was discovered, would likely have ordered NASA to send him up along with the director. His paranoia would lead him to take that one risk in order to be able to assess all his associates (and enemies) readily.

Based upon some of his transcripts, President Johnson was quite possibly even MORE dangerously off his rocker than Nixon. Certainly far more "Alpha-male" in his approach. And not at all popular in his own right.

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Given that the Russians were doing just as much psi research and space travel, I find it hard to believe that the balance of forces would be so one-sided that Vietnam turns into a walkover. Or that when communist leaders suddenly change loyalties that their subordinates don't lock them up.

Changing loyalties on a "whim" was a staple of Soviet history... usually subordinates realizing that their families were in grave risk from the madmen in power. Stalin was absolutely a sociopath, and well known to be colder than Siberian winters. Kruschev wasn't much better, but appears to have had a shadow of a sliver of a conscience. Brezhnev was a little bit saner still. Changing stance upon a change of the balance of power is certainly not something that would be out of character for any but Stalin.

But, yes, they'd have their own Psi-program. And would likely massively ramp up the space program as fast as possible to get as many psi-spies as possible... then encourage the church back into the open, and mind-read the priest-confessors....