The 2024 presidential election is days away and as we leave the month of October that means the possibility of an October Surprise happening is more than likely.

Throughout American History, we’ve seen a number of last minute twists that have shaken up the presidential elections with many taking place in October and others much sooner than the spooky season.

In honor of the pending general election, here are some the biggest October Surprises in U.S. Political History.

#10. Henry Kissinger’s “Peace” Conference

Incumbent President, Richard Nixon was seeking re-election in 1972 against liberal South Dakota Senator, George McGovern and for the majority of the election, Nixon was leading in the polls.

While the race was firmly in Nixon’s favor, the Vietnam War was still an issue in the campaign despite Nixon’s efforts; That would all change when on October 26 (a few days before election day), Nixon’s National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger holds a press conference and announces that “Peace is at Hand” as it relates to the war in Vietnam with there even been talks of a ceasefire between the Vietnamese and the United States.

This last minute news further showed the reliablity of the Nixon Adminsration in the eyes of the American people and thus lead to the president’s monumental victory in both the electoral and popular vote.

#9. Walter Jenkins

On October 7th mere weeks before the 1964 presidential election, a scandal emerged regarding a top aide associated with President Lyndon B. Johnson after that aide as well as another man were arrested for disorderly conduct in a YMAC bathroom.

That aide was Walter Jenkins, a longtime advisor to Johnson going all the way to the late 1930’s. When it’s discovered that Jenkins was involved in ‘homosexual acts’, Barry Goldwater and William Miller (the Republican Presidential ticket in ’64) gave speeches about the scandal but refused to make it a major campaign issue although they did have goldwater inspired bumper stickers with the phrase: “All The Way With LBJ, But Don’t Go Near The YMAC”.

Considering support from the LGBTQ was almost non existence around this time in Washington and being associated with the homosexuality could easily end ones political career, some might have wondered what effect if anything it would have on the election…Turns out, not much.

The scandal quickly faded into the background and Johnson was able to secure a full term as president in one of the biggest landslide victories in American political history.

#8. The James Comey Investigations

Going into the 2016 presidential election, former First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton looked on track to become the new commander-in-chief until a scandal emerged in May of 2016 when it came to light that Clinton was illegally using private servers made in her home in order to do important business while Secretary of State for the Obama Adminsration.

Combine this reports of Clinton deleting about thousands of emails before being investigated made the general public even more skeptical of her. When FBI Director, James Comey announced just two months later that Clinton wouldn’t be indicted for her actions, many called ‘B.S.’ on this while others thought the scandal was now well behind Clinton…Or so she thought.

Jump to October 28th 2016 and Comey comes out again to announce that more details about Clinton’s emails were being looked over resulting in Clinton going down by three points in the polls…At least until November 6th (two days before the election), when the FBI discovered no incriminating evidence these email which gave the Clinton campaign a last minute bump in the polls, but she still lost the election.

#7. Last Minute Indictment

Speaking of investigations happening around a few days before the election, 1992 saw incumbent Republican President, George Herbert Walker Bush take on Democratic Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton and independent candidate and businessman, Henry Ross Perot in a three way race.

For most of the race, Bush was falling behind his two opponent in the polls but things soon began to change after Perot re-entered the race but his numbers stayed low, combined with a massive shake up within the Bush’s campaign team and things looked hopeful for the president.

Fast forward to October 30th 1992 and reports begin to surface about Ronald Reagan’s former Secretary of Defense, Casper Weinberger and his and Bush’s role in the Iran-Contra Affair which nearly brought down the Reagan Adminsration.

After spending many tours across the country criticizing his opponent’s character and trustworthiness, it’s the president’s character and trustiability that’s put into doubt.

By election day 1992, Bill Clinton destroyed George HW Bush in the electoral college to become the 42nd President of the United States.

#6. The Osama Bin Laden Video

And now we turn to an October Surprise that actually helped a president by the name of George Bush to get re-elected.

President George Walker Bush battled decorated War Hero and Senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry in the 2004 election with the race quickly becoming another close election with some wondering if Dubya would end up like his father in his efforts to win a second term.

Seemingly out of nowhere on October 29th 2004, a video was shown on the Al Jazeera broadcasting network which saws terrorists leader, Osama Bin Laden mentioning among other things his involvement in the September 11th Attacks not only lead to the deaths of thousands but also kick started Bush’s war on terrorism.

The video helped President Bush gain enough points in the polls which helped him win another close election and become a two term commander-in-chief.

#5. Trump’s Hollywood Access Tape

A few weeks before the Comey Investigations resurfaced, a video from the Washington Post showed Republican President candidate, Donald Trump and Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush having a conversation on a bus in September of 2005.

In the video, Bush could be heard laughing at Trump comments about trying to have sex with a married woman, eating Tic Tacs before kissing women without consent and of course the infamous phrase of Trump saying: “Grab them by the P#ssy”.

Backlash soon followed once this tape was unearthed with many Republicans calling for Trump to drop out of the race all…However the tape didn’t damage Trump too badly as he went on to become the 45th President of the United States about a month later.

#4. MLK’s 1960 Arrest

Baptist Minister and Civil Rights Activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is no stranger to being arrested throughout his lifetime but the one that occurred on October 19th 1960 would be come very pivotal for two men.

Mere days before one of the presidential debates involving candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, Dr. King and several others are arrested for entering a building that black people aren’t allowed in and soon MLK is transported to a prison in the state of Georgia overnight.

Both Kennedy and Nixon believe if they could manage to spring Dr. King out of prison, then that would potentially mean scoring the support of many in the African American community.

While Nixon’s attempt fails, JFK and his brother, Bobby Kennedy are able to get MLK released from prison just nine days later, and it could be argued that this whole ordeal played a role in helping to make Kennedy the next President of the United States.

#3. Garfield’s Forged Letter

On October 20th 1880, James Garfield the Republican candidate for president was notified about a mysterious letter which said that he would be in favor of Chinese Immigration, an hot button issue around this time.

Due to an increase of Chinese people coming to the United States looking for work, many White Americans were against this as they feared of losing their jobs or oppertunities to get employment and this led to numerous cases of violence and discrimination against the Chinese.

When word about this supposed letter from Garfield was made public, the Republican National Committee went to work in disproving the accuracy of the letter and indeed it was revealed to be a fake but this wasn’t revealed until several days later, leaving the Democrats enough time to paint Garfield as someone who’s pro-Chinese in order to sway middle class white voters to support their candidate instead.

By the end of the 1880 presidential election, James Garfield defeated General Winfield Scott Hancock to become the 20th of the United States although the race was close in several key states.

For more on that and other super close elections, click this article: The 10 Closest Presidential Elections In American History | Lace ‘Em Up (laceemupmedia.com)

#2. Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

The 1884 presidential election was filled with scandalous moments with the Republican party’s candidate, James G. Blaine being accused of corruption while the Democrats candidate, Grover Cleveland was revealed to have had a child out of wedlock..but nothing compared the PR disaster that occurred on in the final week of the election.

During a large meeting which included James Blaine, a minister by the name of Samuel Burchard made a comment meant to denounce the Democratic Party refering to the them as the party of “Rum, Romanism and Rebellion”.

This caused a huge problem for the Republicans as Burchard’s words not only irritated voters who were in favor of prohibition, but Irish Americans and Roman Catholics who were a major voting bloc around this time and with the confirmation that Blaine was in the crowd when these words were made only made things worse.

In the end, Grover Cleveland narrowly prevailed to become the first Democrat to elected president since 1856.

#1. Stalling The Peace Talks

We started this list taking about an October Surprise that helped Richard Nixon win re-election, so were going to end things with another October Surprise that helped old Tricky Dick.

Going into the final months of the 1968 presidential election, Richard Nixon was leading in the polls for most of the campaign until Democratic candidate and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, made a speech in late September proclaiming he would end the bombing in North Vietnam as way to bring the conflict to much quicker end.

By October, President Johnson announced that all air and naval attacks in regards to the Vietnam War were halted and this plus the proposed peace talks scheduled between Johnson and the president of North Vietnam gave the Democrats hope for victory, forcing Nixon along with Henry Kissinger and a conservative war correspondent named Anna Chennault to convince the Vietnamese president to reject all offers from the Johnson Adminsration as they could get a better deal from Nixon if elected president.

Sure enough this plan worked and the peace talks ended in failure, leaving Nixon to oppertunity to become the 37th President of the United States come election day…and in case if your wondering that better deal that the Vietnamese got from Nixon ended up being a large wave bombings and chemical warefare as the conflict continued on for a few more years…So that worked out for the Vietnamese, didn’t it.

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