Kent State did not work out bad for Nixon though. He won a landslide victory in 1972 election. Not sure it was his decision to post the NG there anyway, I think the Gov of Ohio did that.
Understood, but the optics would have gone all the way to the President. By leaving it to the local Democrats and offering help, the sane normal American who thinks they are a Democrat, are re-thinking that decision and looking at how crazy it is on the left. If blood would have been spilled, it would allow them the pivot back. Now they are paying attention. Fires and destruction and no Republican to blame.