Amidst the controversy generated by his war policies in the Vietnam War, President Lyndon B. Johnson wasn't as favored by the people as he had been before.
Anti-war Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy launched his presidential campaign as a means to unseat Johnson. He appealed to young Americans who were dissatisfied with the government.
After the positive response of McCarthy's campaign, Senator Robert F. Kennedy entered the race on the Democratic side. This ultimately forced Johnson to withdraw the election.
