Out of the Blue: A President Reagan in '68 TL

[Historico]

Excellent piece.
Bravo Historico.

Thanks for the compliment px, I should have the next installment on the '76 election up in the next few days so stay tuned.

[Historico]

Rollercoaster: The 1976 US Presidential Election

1972 Democratic Nomination

   After the massive defeat of the moderate Muskie/Sanford ticket in 1972, it soon became apparent that in the battle for the nomination of 1976, that it would be a fight between the Conservative and Liberal factions of the party. The campaign effectively began in 1974, as many candidates began actively fundraising for their respective campaigns then. This resulted in a smaller pool of candidates than that of the 1972 campaign but also a much more interesting race.

Governor George Wallace of Alabama
Representative Mo Udall of Arizona
Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas
Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson of Washington

   One of the surprising events in the race for the Democratic Nomination was that Representative Shirley Chisholm, who finished a strong third in the 1972 nomination, who instead of running a second time for the Presidency of the United States, went after the coveted New York Senate seat against incumbent James L. Buckley. It was also during the 1976 campaign, that the Democrats featured a record number of primaries and caucuses as it became necessary to win the primaries to clinch the nomination.

   One of the candidates who understood the newfound importance in campaigning in the early primary states was that of Representative Mo Udall of Arizona. After scoring impressive wins in the early contests of Iowa and New Hampshire, Udall’s chance of steamrolling to the convention was cut short by the “Comeback” victory of Senator Jackson’s campaign in the form of wins in the states of Massachusetts and Vermont on March 2nd. This would result in a long battle for the nomination, with Senator Jackson using the Labor and Jewish communities as a base while Representative Udall used that of upper-class liberals. This left Senator Bentsen and Governor Wallace to fight it out in the South. By the time the convention rolled around in New York City, although Senator Jackson carried a large percentage of the delegates, he did not hold enough to clinch the nomination.


Delegates for Scoop Jackson during the 1976 Democratic National Convention

Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson
States Delegations: Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Montana, Rhode Island, California, North Dakota, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Alaska and Washington.

Senator Lloyd Bentsen
States Delegations: Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri and Texas.

Representative Morris Udall
State Delegations: Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Washington D.C., Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Utah, Hawaii, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Arizona.

Governor George Wallace
State Delegations: Illinois, West Virginia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Alabama.

   After a few rounds of close balloting between Senator’s Jackson and Bentsen, Scoop would clinch the nomination by peeling a few states away from Mo Udall. Many within the Convention hall believed the logical choice to ensure unity in the party for the fall, would be for Jackson to choose a Southerner. Several names were floated as being potential running mates; Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, former Senator Fred Harris of Oklahoma, Governor Reubin Askew of Florida, Senator Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia or even Representative Barbara Jordan of Texas. In spite of this, Senator Jackson chose his close friend, the Liberal Governor of New York Daniel Patrick Moynihan to be his running mate. Although most of the Southern Delegates thought of it as a slap in the face, they begrudgingly supported the ticket after Senator Jackson delivered a strong acceptance speech in which he said “America, I have known this man for years and let me tell you that you can trust Pat to be your Vice President!”. The Jackson/Moynihan polls numbers surged after the convention yet those numbers would begin to slip as the general election campaign would closer than that of the Democratic primaries.

1972 Republican Nomination

   Vice- President John Anthony Volpe made it very clear by March of 1975 that he would be seeking his party’s nomination for the Presidency of the United States in 1976.  The Moderate to Liberal wing of the party support for the Vice President was insurmountable, as Volpe was able to catch valuable endorsements from former Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, Senator Richard Schweiker of Pennsylvania, Minority Leader Gerald Ford of Michigan and even former Vice President Nixon. However, some on the Conservative wing were uneasy with idea of nominating the Vice President, Yet any attempt to run against the former Governor of Massachusetts was swatted down by President Reagan who is quoted to have said “Though shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” As Vice President Volpe swept through the primaries, President Reagan would actively support his candidacy as well as other Republican Congressional candidates on the campaign trail.


President Ronald Reagan in support of the Volpe/Baker ticket at a campaign stop in Kentucky.

   By the time the Republicans made in to the Kansas City Convention in August, Vice President Volpe already had more than enough delegates to clinch the nomination, and therefore nominated by acclamation. The only question was to whom, the Vice President would call to be his running mate. Only one thing was for certain, that it would be a Conservative Southerner many pundits concluded, as it would be a way for the Volpe campaign to capitalize on the “fumble” made by Senator Jackson. Potential Running Mate names which were on the Vice President’s short list included; former Governor John Connally of Texas, Attorney General Howard Baker of Tennessee, Senator George H.W. Bush of Texas, Agriculture Secretary Robert Dole of Kansas, or even Defense Secretary John Tower of Texas. Ultimately, Vice President Volpe decided to pick from within the Reagan Administration and chose the popular Attorney General Howard Baker of Tennessee as his running mate. Baker seen as a Conservative to some and a moderate to others is seen as strong pick and one who would be willing to work along side Volpe in his promise for “A gentler nation.”

[Historico]

The 1976 General Election

   With a strong Economy, victory in the War in Vietnam and the beginning steps of a détente between the Soviet Union, many Political Pundits declared that the consensus was that Vice President Volpe could possibly win a landslide victory against the “Senator from Boeing”. However, the Republican ticket would soon realize that the “fighting Democrats” under the leadership of Scoop Jackson would not go quietly into that dark night. Scoop continued to work the campaign strategy, which had won him the nomination by focusing in on his hawkish foreign policy views, and moderate to liberal views on social issues. He campaigned on a recurring theme that the Republicans were softening up on the Soviet Union by wanting to expand detente and often hinted to Jewish Audiences, that under a future Volpe administration would be likely not to valiantly support Israel and it’s dealings in the Middle East. On Domestic Policy, many saw Jackson as the true “successor” to President Reagan as he would continue the 37th President’ policy of opposition to busing…this would later turn out to have dramatic effects on Jackson’s poll numbers as it would hurt him amongst minorities and upper class liberals in the Northeast but also win over a previously cautious white working class, who was largely seen as the tossup chunk of the electorate in this election. Senator Jackson would also find that his one-on-one campaign style translated best to voters in his home region of the Pacific West Coast and in the South but it didn’t really stick well to voters in the urban centers of the North. He mainly sent his running mate, Governor Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York to the Northern states in which he was rapidly loosing support in which the Governor many times on the stump said. “Henry Jackson is proof of the old belief in the Judaic tradition that at any moment in history goodness in the world is preserved by the deeds of 36 just men who do not know that this is the role the Lord has given them. Henry Jackson is one of those men.”


Senator Henry Jackson and Governor Daniel Patrick Moynihan at a Campaign stop in Tampa, Florida

   Vice President Volpe on the other hand, ran on what is now called the “Rose Garden Strategy” as he promoted his involvement in the many accomplishments of the Reagan Administration as well as reminded voters of Senator Jackson’s lukewarm stance of Civil Rights and his strong support for Japanese Interment Camps in WWII. The former Governor of Massachusetts would also campaign on the need for wider ethics oversight in the Federal Government in a fashion similar to that of the Church Committee. Vice President also ran on his support for the ERA and a widening of research into alternate fuel sources to power the nation’s growing Amtrak system. He also proved to be an avid supporter of NASA and the manned space flight program, as he reminds voters of the tremendous feet of the American’s Second Skylab space station as the launch point for a future mission to Mars by the early 80’s. The Volpe/Baker campaign would also be memorable in its differences between their opponents on the other side, for relying heavily on surrogates to the brunt of campaigning, to show the image of a “unified” Republican Party in contrast to Senator Jackson’s rather fractious coalition. Heavy hitter’s such as Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, former Vice President Nixon and even President Reagan himself were seen often with the two candidates on the trail as they crisscrossed the nation.


Vice President Volpe along with former Vice President Nixon and Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke on the campaign trail

   By the time of the Two Presidential debate and sole Vice Presidential debate came around in late October, Gallup Polling had the modern day Horatio Alger and the Senator from Boeing at an absolute tie. During the first debate on Domestic Policy, many viewers saw it as a close win for Vice President Volpe, as both candidates seemed to have a lot of knowledge on the different aspects of Domestic Policy including a heated discussion between the two on comprehensive Healthcare reform. In the only Vice Presidential Debate, Attorney General Baker is thought to have beaten Governor Moynihan’s aristocratic presence with some down home Southern Charm and is seen by many as the best man to assume the Presidency if needed be. In the final debate over Foreign Policy, Senator Jackson seemed to out hawk the current President compared to the détente focus of the Vice President. It is also during this debate that Senator Jackson delivered the strongest message to the American people when he said “I believe that international terrorism is a modern form of warfare against liberal democracies. I believe that the ultimate but seldom stated goal of these terrorists is to destroy the very fabric of democracy. I believe that it is both wrong and foolhardy for any democratic state to consider international terrorism to be 'someone else's' problem.... Liberal democracies must acknowledge that international terrorism is a 'collective problem.”

   The lack of a defining moment in the debates kept the race to close to call, as it became clear on the night of November 2nd, 1976 that whomever won the Presidency, that they would do so without a mandate and barely the necessary amount of votes in the electoral college. As the results came pouring in, things did not look so good in the Northeast for the Jackson/Moynihan ticket as it became apparent that Rockefeller Republicans in the region would support “their Hometown” candidate and support Vice President. Senator Jackson would only walk away with electoral votes from the states of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Delaware, D.C., and his running mate’s home state of New York on fairly decent margins. In the Industrial belt, Senator Jackson would not fair much better as news came in that Volpe would take the states of Winsconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois as which proved that big labor support was not enough to switch working-class whites to the Democratic column in what was largely seen as good economic times. However, the Volpe/Baker team took solace in the fact that it would be a long night as results from the South came pouring in, and that Jackson would be able to count on electoral votes from Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. The picking of Attorney General Howard Baker would prove not to be in vain as he would be able to add Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and his home state of Tennessee to the Republican column, with Texas still too close to call.

   In the Midwest, Vice President Volpe and his campaign would follow up their string of losses in the South with a sweep in the region. Senator Jackson would only take the longtime Democratic state of Minnesota, yet Vice President Volpe would soon feel the same as he would only walk away with the state of Alaska in the Pacific West as Senator Jackson narrowly carried the states of Oregon, California, and Hawaii along with an impressive win in his home state of Washington. With the electoral count essentially tied with Volpe at 257 electoral votes to Jackson at 255 electoral votes, it is said that whoever won Texas’s precious 26 votes could in fact clinch the Presidency. The state would not be called until early the next morning, by only a margin of only 5,600 votes that Vice President Volpe had won the state and thus won the election. Many Historians now agree that had Senator Jackson had simply chosen a Southerner for a running mate; he could have easily won the election. Senator Jackson decided not to contest the results from Texas and declared that “The American People have made their decision and I stand by it and accept John Anthony Volpe as my President.” The 67 year-old President elect personally thanks Senator Jackson for the gracious concession and promised true bipartisanship in his new administration that would reflect the need for Democrats and Republicans to work together but more so to more effective in working with the Democratic Congress.

John A. Volpe/Howard Baker, Jr. 283 electoral votes
Henry "Scoop" Jackson/Daniel Patrick Moynihan 255 electoral votes

[Historico]

The 1976 Congressional elections

   With the narrow victory of Vice President Volpe also came a sincere lack of coattails by the man who was to become the 38th President of the United States. There was no real change in the balance of the chamber as it remained in Democratic Hands 62 to 37. One of the two startling changes to the chamber however came in the form of two new African American members to the Senate. Representative Shirley Chisholm with the support of New York Governor and failed Vice Presidential running mate Daniel Patrick Moynihan defeated several well-qualified candidates in the Democratic primary and beat the incumbent Senator James L. Buckley on a five percent margin to become the nation’s first African American female to become a Senator. The other African American Senator would come in the form of Tom Bradley, law and order Mayor of Los Angeles since 1969, eked out a narrow victory over Republican candidate S.I. Hayakawa mainly due to his support of Senator Jackson’s candidacy. In the House, the Democrats would gain only one seat from the Republicans leaving the allocation at 292 Democratic seats to 144 Republican seats.

[hcallega]

Wow Historico!  I hadn't read this until recently and it's really fantastic!

[Historico]

Wow Historico!  I hadn't read this until recently and it's really fantastic!

Thanks for the reply Hc...Yeah does anybody have any other comments, questions or poker tips even lol...I welcome all feedback as it will help me define some of my ideas in writing this timeline.

[hcallega]

My one question is what is Ted Kennedy up to? I have to believe that he will be a candidate in 1980 if he wasn't in 1976.

[Historico]

My one question is what is Ted Kennedy up to? I have to believe that he will be a candidate in 1980 if he wasn't in 1976.

Unfortunatley, the Chappaquiddick accident still happens the same in my TL, and I typically side with the Historians that say Teddy only ran in '80 because of Carter's ineptitude and thought he would destroy the Democratic Party. It's not the he wanted to be President it's just that he really hated Carter lol For more info check out the infamous Roger Mudd interview, when Teddy couldn't even answer why he wanted to to be President. So with the different circumstances that I have coming up for this atl  1980 election, I really don't see Teddy throwing his hat into the Race as he figures he will have more power in the Senate anyways.

[Historico]

The Knight of Columbus:  The First Term of John A. Volpe

   On January 21st 1977, former Governor of Massachusetts, John Anthony Volpe was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States. The first Italian-American to become Commander in-Chief, his inauguration is seen by many as a glimpse of things into a more diverse American future. In one of the more memorable moments of Volpe’s address; the 68 year old said “Only by proper combination of highways and transit modes can progress be made. Such progress will benefit auto and transit users alike and to those who would call me just a compulsive road builder. Let me say here today that I am a compulsive everything…I like to get things done!” His administration would come to resemble that creed as he somewhat made good on his promise of a truly bipartisan cabinet.

Secretary of State: Nelson A. Rockefeller
Secretary of Treasury: Lloyd M. Bentsen
Secretary of Defense: Henry Kissinger
Attorney General: Edward H. Levi
Secretary of Interior: Elizabeth Dole
Secretary of Commerce: Elliot Richardson
Secretary of Labor: George P. Shultz
Secretary of Agriculture: Richard Lamm
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare: Caspar Weinberger
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Carla Anderson Hills
Secretary of Transportation: William Thaddeus Coleman Jr.

   President Volpe, much to the dismay of the conservative wing of his party commanded over a fairly moderate administration. The biggest surprise in the cabinet would be that of the selection of Nelson A. Rockefeller for Secretary of State. Although out of elected office for about four years, many historians now believe that Rocky decided to get back to work in the federal government for a one final act. The Italian-American President would give Rockefeller and Kissinger a relative free hand in foreign affairs which generally meant a continuation of the Realpolitik policy of the previous administration. The Democrats within the administration included the fiscal conservative Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, along with the popular wife of former agriculture Secretary Bob Dole…Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, and the young environmental Governor of Colorado Dick Lamm.

   Domestically, Volpe faced one of his first tests as President in learning how to deal with the Democratic controlled 95th Congress, which in all actuality was quite similar to how he dealt with a Democratic State legislature during his tenure as Massachusetts Governor. Within his first 100 days, President Volpe and his HEW Secretary “Cap the Knife” butted heads with Senator Russell Long on the Senate finance committee when he ordered the cancellation of several water projects due to their lack of cost effectiveness. Although Volpe’s budget revisions would be eventually overturned, it did leave a sour taste in many congressional Democrat’s mouths. However, President Volpe was also not afraid to use the Veto pen, as he overrode a few of Congress’ legislation in which he deemed as just your run of the mill Pork Barrel projects. Yet, many Historians now look back at the Volpe Presidency and see a somewhat cordial relationship with the 95th Congress. He was successful in getting a large percentage of his legislation passed partially due to his friendship with fellow Bay Stater, Speaker of the House Tip O’ Neil. The most crowning achievement being that of the Comprehensive Health Insurance Act or CHIA authored by Democratic Senators Shirley Chisholm and Edward Kennedy which passed in 1977. The plan was specifically designed to work in the form of a mandate, which would require Businesses to cover their employees, along with a Medicaid-like program for lower income families, in which all American citizens would be able to join by paying sliding-scale premiums based on their income.

   Other successes in the form of legislation came in the form of the Community Reinvestment Act, Clean Water Act, International Emergency Powers Act, Civil Service Reform Act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Bankruptcy act. Two bills which were especially close to President Volpe’s heart would be the Ethics in Government Act and the Airline Deregulation Act. A champion of Ethics reform since his days as Governor, Volpe supported the Act’s goal of imposed financial disclosure requirements for elected officials as it restricted former government workers’ lobbying activities. Volpe in his support of the ADA, showed the he would continue the process of deregulating industries put in place by his predecessor in hope that they could stimulate more growth in the economy and free up money for other programs. However similarities with the Reagan administration on the Domestic front stopped there as he made it clear from his first day in office that he “wanted to become the greatest school desegregator in American History.” He would enforce the creation of unitary fully integrated school districts and by fall of 1978 the number of Southern Black children enrolled in segregated schools dropped to around 5%. Volpe will also create a committee on Education headed by Labor Secretary George Schultz and HEW Secretary Caspar Weinberger to set up biracial organizations to manipulate a peaceful transition process without leading to violence. Volpe would also gain raging support from Women’s groups, when he valiantly declared his support for the ERA and went out on a national tour to see that it was duly ratified. This would prove to be another strike against Volpe in the minds of those in the conservative wing of the Republican Party especially that of Representative Phyllis Schlafly of Illinois (Beat out George E. Shipley for the House Seat in the 1970 midterm election) in the “Stop ERA” movement as she is quoted to have said “the ERA would lead to women being drafted by the military and to public unisex bathrooms”.


Representative Phyllis Schlafly of Illinois promoting her "Stop ERA" movement in Atlanta, Georgia
   
The biggest obstacle that would come to consume the Volpe administration was how to wing America off it’s crippling dependency on foreign oil. One of the solutions would be the establishment of the Department of Energy and signed into law by Volpe on August 4, 1971. For the job of Secretary of the new agency, the 38th President would select one of the most outspoken voices on the environment in congress…Representative Mo Udall or Arizona. Although many conservative Republicans and Democrats rallied against such a liberal of a pick, Udall’s was narrowly confirmed by the time the department opened for operations in October. President Volpe also looked to places outside of the United States, as he looked into how they responded to the 1973 oil crises. One program that Volpe introduced in his National Energy Act of 1978 would be based of the National Alcohol Program of Brazil, which in 1975 was implemented by the Brazilian Government in hopes to wing the country off of foreign oil. The first phase of the program called for an anhydrous ethanol, which blended the sugar cane ethanol with levels from around 10% to 22%. Not only did President Volpe relax trade between Brazil and the United States for the importation of their ethanol; but he also gave subsidies to Ribbon Cane farmers in Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii and Texas to yield more crops for ethanol production. Along with the ethanol plan, Volpe also rallied around a coal to liquids program based on the Fischer-Tropsch process. Although many of his programs were supported by the Democratic congress, signs were beginning to show that his fractions coalition within his party was beginning to splinter.

   Foreign Policy wise, President Volpe seemed to make good on his promise of softer tone to American diplomacy when within the first months of coming to office he went a goodwill tour across Europe. He visited with Prime Minister Edward Heath to discuss energy policy and the Middle East. However, it would be when President Volpe returned the country of his forefather’s in Italy where he would receive a Heroes welcome not seen since President Kennedy visited Ireland back in 1963. Volpe crowning achievement during the first two years of his term would be the signing of the Camp David Accords on September 17th, 1978. Volpe knew that if something were not to be done about the volatile situation in the Middle East, events there could rapidly spin out of control and could very well potentially be the launch pad for World War III. President Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Begin both held the same sentiments which enabled the creation of the framework of a true peace settlement between the two nations. After 12 days of intense negotiations at the Camp David retreat in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland, an agreement finally came to pass. The Accords entailed the complete Israeli evacuation of the Sinai and outlined a broader future plan of peace in the Middle East.


President Volpe meeting with Michele "The Shark" Sindona during his 1977 visit to Italy.

[Historico]

1978 Midterm Elections

   Due to President Volpe moderate stance on Domestic Policy and the achievement of the Paris Peace Accords kept the 38th President’s approval rating at around 55%. This would allow the Republicans to pick up 3 seats in the Senate, leaving the allocation in the hands of the Democrats at 58-41.The Democrats also retained their large majority in the House, but the GOP did succeed in adding sixteen seats into their column leaving their total 277 to 159. One of the newly elected Congressmen would be that of George W. Bush, son of Senator Bush of Texas, who beat his Democratic opponent by 6,000 votes.

[Psychic Octopus]

Very good.

[Historico]

The Knight of Columbus: Part 2


   With increased Republican support in Congress, President Volpe set out with the last two years of his term with a newfound sense of vigor. That sense of vigor, however, was soon overwhelmed by that of grief…as President Volpe meet with the Deputy Premier of China, Deng Xiaoping to discuss accords which would set up for the full recognition of the People’s Republic of China. Word came about that Secretary of State Nelson A. Rockefeller, the moderate wing of the Republican Party’s standard bearer for the last twenty years, had died of a heart attack in his office at the state department working on a set of proposals for a second possible SALT Treaty with the Soviet Union. The “Word” in the days following Rockefeller’s death proved to be untrue, as Volpe learned that Rocky was in fact at his Manhattan townhouse when he had his fatal heart attack, while he was with his twenty-five year old aide. Although somewhat uncomfortable with the details of their relationship, Volpe focused on the task at hand at of the appointment of a new Secretary of State.



Secretary State meeting with Governor Jimmy Carter a month before his death at the Christmas treelighting ceremony in December of 1978.

   Several names were floated as possible appointees that would be suitable to placate the Conservative wing of the party; Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, Former Defense Secretary John Tower, Former Supreme Allied Commander Alexander Haig, former Attorney General William P. Rogers and others. However, many historians now believe that Volpe intended to win back the Urban Black vote for the party to placate the loss of some conservatives angry at his moderate policies. His choice of former Massachusetts Senator Edward W. Brooke was that of many within the nation as a bold yet progressive choice. However, Brooke’s confirmation would not come easy as Senators Stennis, Helms and Tallmadge attempted to lead a conservative filibuster against Brooke for his rumored extramarital affairs and the nasty divorce. Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Frank Church largely dismissed the claims that Brooke was unfit to hold office and was swiftly confirmed as the nation’s 57th Secretary of State.


Edward William Brooke, III...The 57th and first African-American Secretary of State

   While Secretary Brooke was spending his first few weeks in office working on and altering Rockefeller’s plans for a second SALT treaty, the worst nuclear power plant accident in history took place on March 26th 1979 when a pressure valve in one of the reactors at Three-Mile island failed to close. This eventually led to the plant’s core to seriously overheat. Although the plant was created by funds allocated from President Reagan’s Nuclear Power Expansion Act in 1974, President Volpe commissioned a second reactor to be built in 1978 to provide for more affordable and reliable energy during the energy crises. As the heat in the core continued to rise, President Volpe prayed that the plant would not reach the 5,000 degrees necessary of meltdown.

   Unfortunately, the President’s prayers went unanswered as the core did reach 5,000 degrees and melted. The deadly radiation drifted into the Pennsylvanian country side and slowly began to contaminate a great number of people. President Volpe with the first true crises of his administration acted as quickly as he could and ordered the complete evacuation of everyone within 50 miles around Three-Mile-Island. The quick action by President Volpe and Governor Thornborough prevented the potential loss of more lives, and once the fires at the plant became under control, President Volpe announced that “Due to this horrible tragedy, I have lost all faith in the ability of Nuclear Power to provide safe and clean energy to the American People. With a heavy heart, I have ordered the suspension of all nuclear power plants created in the NPEA as we speak. And for those American’s who had lives were abruptly forced to change due to the Three Mile Island Disaster, I am truly sorry for your loss and I promise that this administration will do everything in it’s power to make sure you are taken care off.”


President John A. Volpe giving a national televised address during the Aftermath of the Three Mile Island Disaster, at Philidelphia, Pennsylvania in March of 1979.

   However, many American’s blamed President Volpe and his predecessor for their Over-zealous push for nuclear power energy as the cause of the TMD. The President’s approval rating dropped to around 45% percent by the time, He and Secretary Brooke announced the result of their Vienna Summer talks with the Soviet Union. SALT II treaty as it would come to be named was signed by both President Volpe and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev as it set up numerical limitations on their nuclear weapons as well as MIRV missiles. Many prominent Democratic Hawks in the Senate, such as Henry “Scoop” Jackson, decried that President Volpe and the Republican Party had sold America out to the Russians. Any plans for continued Détente policy was crushed, by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December of 1979.  President Volpe was solemn after he withdrew the treaty from the Senate, as he had hoped that it would have been his strongest Foreign Policy Achievement of his first term. Yet, his Presidency would soon become defined not by the Soviets “activities” in Afghanistan but from a nation that sat on her western borders…

   Many Historians’ today now feel as if the downfall of the Volpe Presidency started in October of 1979, when the almost 70 year old Volpe gave into the advice of Defense Secretary Henry Kissinger, State Secretary Edward Brooke, and Council of Foreign Relations Chairman David Rockefeller to allow the entrance of the Shah into the Mayo Clinic. This was due to the long 35 year old alliance between the American Government and the Shah of Iran. In response to this, radical Islamic fundamentalist, student-followers of Ayatollah Khomeni took 90 hostages from the US Embassy in Iran, which was later dropped to 52 after the Ayatollah’s release of all female and minority prisoners. President Volpe understood the Ayatollah as the unreasonable fanatic that he was, and released an Ultimatum to the “Supreme Leader of Iran” and that “Unless the nation of Iran releases all Hostages in good health by January 1st, 1980…They will face dire consequences from the United States of America.”. The Ayatollah scoffed at the President’s remarks and refused to relinquish the American hostages. Although, many within the United States began to clamor for a full out invasion of Iran; Secretaries Brooke and Kissinger decided against it and developed a drawn out plan to starve out Iran via Blockade. By February of 1979, American Naval Vessels patrolled the Persian Gulf to stop all Iranian shipping from leaving or coming forth. Although this further chills relations between Volpe and Brezhnev, The President makes it known that America will only target Iranian vessels. The President’s approval ratings see a massive jump from what is hailed as swift action on the part of his administration to around 65%. This boost from the rally-around-the flag effect allows for President Volpe to make his next major decision…to seek reelection…

[pragmatic liberal]

Hey Historico. GREAT timeline so far - many alternate histories simply lack plausibility, something I can't say about yours. It's very believable and realistic.

I only have a couple points: you have Rockefeller dying and the Chappaquiddick incident remaining as normal, though I wonder if both events would not have been "butterflied" out.

For example, Rockefeller died due to a heart attack while having sex with his mistress - post-autopsy, it was believed he would have survived had he simply gotten to a hospital soon. Had he had a different schedule due to being Secretary of State, maybe he would still have had a heart attack due to an existing condition, but maybe it would have been during, say, the day, and he might have been found and saved.

Not a major point, however, and I understand it's easier sometimes to assume some things would have stayed the same.

[Historico]

Hey Historico. GREAT timeline so far - many alternate histories simply lack plausibility, something I can't say about yours. It's very believable and realistic.

I only have a couple points: you have Rockefeller dying and the Chappaquiddick incident remaining as normal, though I wonder if both events would not have been "butterflied" out.

For example, Rockefeller died due to a heart attack while having sex with his mistress - post-autopsy, it was believed he would have survived had he simply gotten to a hospital soon. Had he had a different schedule due to being Secretary of State, maybe he would still have had a heart attack due to an existing condition, but maybe it would have been during, say, the day, and he might have been found and saved.

Not a major point, however, and I understand it's easier sometimes to assume some things would have stayed the same.

Thanks PL, I actually am a minimalist when it comes to adressing the effects of Butterflies in the years of the POD,especially when it comes down to something like Death by natural causes. Therefore, having a differnet Republican President in 1969, wont change Teddy's reckless behavoir that night at Chappaquidick as it is only about a year following the POD. Arguably Rocky could have survived, but he was pretty old and doing a pretty strenous activity when he died, so it's still plausible that he could go out that way as he did in OTL.

[Historico]

Any thoughts, comments...Poker tips?

[hcallega]

Yeah. I agree with your minimalistic interpretation of butterflying. While I do think it holds sway in regards to who runs when, I think that AH's get into dangerous waters when they get into if someone dies or not when it's natural causes. As far as Chappaquidick, It wouldn't have happened if Kennedy had won, as it was one of Bobby's aides that died and it's very likely she would have been somewhere else that night.

As far as Teddy not running for President, I personally believe that he wanted, but the timing was never right. Too close to Chappaquiddick in '72, hostile political climate towards insiders in '76, too late post 1980. I feel like he botched the Mudd interview because he didn't want to come out and say that he was running for President because he felt that Carter was doing an awful job or that he felt the future of the Democratic Party was at stake. He tried to come up with a positive reason, and that became "Blacks, women, and minorities"

[Historico]

I know it's been almost two months since my last update...I now present my newest installment of TTL's 1980 Election.

**********

Strong in Will: The 1980 US Presidential Election

The 1980 Democratic Nomination

   The moment many loyalists within the Party had been waiting for the almost 12 years since the assassination of Senator Bobby Kennedy during the 1968 Democratic primaries finally happened with Senator Ted Kennedy’s announcement of his intention to seek the Presidency in November of 1979 at Boston’s Faneuil Hall. Kennedy was finally pressured by the labor unions, Democratic Party leaders and strong polling results as far back as the summer of 1978 showing a 2 to 1 favorability among voters over President Volpe. In the lead up to the Iowa Caucus, Kennedy was able to sow up many crucial endorsements from individuals that were though true potential threats to his candidacy, including Rep. Mo Udall of Arizona, Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson of Washington, Senator Frank Church of Idaho, Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin, and Senator Shirley Chisholm of New York.

   However, Teddy’s race to gain the nomination of his party was not uncontested, as two formidable candidates soon emerged following his announcement; Governor Jerry Brown of California and Governor Ruben Askew of Florida. Governor Askew focused on shoring up the Conservative/Southern wing of the Democratic Party, as he promoted his progressive actions on Civil Rights as well as promoted his views on being Pro-life, Anti-ERA, Anti-Nuclear Freeze and even against the rights of gays to work as Teachers. Jerry Brown on the other hand although attempted to position himself as the more centrist candidate, ended up being on the left of Kennedy in his proposals of “Protect the Earth, serve the people, and explore the universe”. However, it would be Governor Brown who would come away with the ridiculously close win in the snow covered state of Iowa over both Kennedy and Askew.

   The surprise Brown victory in Iowa, prompted Kennedy to modernize his strategy, reshuffle his campaign staff and ultimately find his voice which many pundits felt as if he hadn’t really distinguished up until the New Hampshire primary. It is also where he said one of his more memorable lines of the campaign “I believe we must not permit the dream of social progress to be shattered by those whose premises have failed!” Kennedy would come to win New Hampshire by a comfortable margin and would follow it up with a sweep of the New England states of Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and his home state of Massachusetts. Negative Campaigning by both the Askew and Brown Campaigns brought the Chappaquiddick incident back into the minds of voters by the time of the Super Tuesday stretch in March. Campaign Commercials such as the now infamous “Where’s Mary Jo” add published by the Askew Campaign, enabled the Florida Governor to sweep the South

   Yet, Kennedy’s overwhelming experience allowed him to overcome the hurdles thrown at him by Askew and Brown and was able to secure the nomination by June of 1980. Teddy’s main goal at the convention was to ensure party unity after a divisive Primary campaign between himself, Brown and Askew. The Patriarch of the Kennedy Clan also remembered the lack of a Southerner on the ticket in the 1976 election cost Scoop Jackson the Presidency. Possible running mate names that swirled around the convention’s halls included Sen. Dale Bumpers of Arkansas, former Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia, Governor Dolph Briscoe of Texas, former Sen. Fred Harris of Oklahoma, Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, and former Governor Warren Hearnes of Missouri. However, many of Governor Askew’s delegates felt as if the Vice Presidential spot was owed to them, but Teddy refused and instead decided to go with Dark Horse candidate…Governor Charles C. “Cliff” Finch of Mississippi.

   Finch, a Populist Governor whose energetic 1975 campaign to attract his coalition of African American and Poor White voters was still very memorable in the minds of voters was hailed a strong pick. With his wife Joan at his side, Senator Kennedy delivered too many what was seen as the best speech of his career. After speaking in his Acceptance Speech on a returned role of benign Government back into the lives, and the utter destitution of The Republican’s minimalist policies. The most memorable part of the speech was toward the end, when Kennedy said



Senator Edward M. Kennedy as he gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Madison Square Garden, New York City


“I am -- I am confident that the Democratic Party will reunite on the basis of Democratic principles, and that together we will march towards a Democratic victory in 1980. And someday, long after this convention, long after the signs come down and the crowds stop cheering, and the bands stop playing, may it be said of our campaign that we kept the faith. May it be said of our Party in 1980 that we found our faith again. And may it be said of us, both in dark passages and in bright days, in the words of Tennyson that my brothers quoted and loved, and that have special meaning for me now:

"I am a part of all that I have met
To much is taken, much abides
That which we are, we are --
One equal temper of heroic hearts
Strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

For me, a few hours ago, this campaign was given a chance by all of you to continue to go forth and indeed win the Presidency on November 4th. And for all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

The 1980 Republican Nomination
   
As the winter snows began to fall on the state of Iowa, it soon became apparent that the rally around the flag effect that had insulated President Volpe had dissipated when news of the blockade had still yet to force the Ayatollah in releasing the Hostages. However, Conservative leaders within the party knew that the only way for someone to steal the nomination away from Volpe was to present a sole Challenger with the unified backing of the Conservative Wing. The Conservatives would find their candidate in former Governor/Democrat-turned-Republican Senator…John Connally of Texas. During the Volpe administration, Connally became one of the most visible opponents of the 38th President’s moderate domestic policies and his lack of decisive action in dealing with the Iranian Hostage crisis. Although he officially switched parties in 1973 after serving for four years as an appointee made by Texas Governor Preston Smith due to John Tower’s vacation of his seat, many conservatives were unsure about where exactly did Connally’s political loyalties lie. The first test in the two man race of Volpe vs. Connally was that of the Iowa Caucus. Senator Connally would pull off a narrow victory in the Hawkeye State, which in turn would force President Volpe to allocate his resources to the snow covered hills of New Hampshire.
   
President Volpe would use his resources to remind voters of the days of true Progressive Republicans in the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, Wendell Willkie, Thomas Dewey and Nelson Rockefeller; basically saying that a vote for Connally would be against everything that those politicians and even the State of New Hampshire stood for. His argument would win over Connally’s reactionary rhetoric against the President on around a 50% margin. Volpe would follow his strong New Hampshire victory with wins in Vermont and his home state of Massachusetts. Yet Connally was anything but dead in the water, as he conceded the Northeast to Volpe in order to focus on the Southern states. This strategy would prove to be largely successful as Connally won a resounding victory in South Carolina on March 8th, followed by wins in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia on March 11th. Volpe scored a slim victory in the state of Illinois, and ended the March Madness with a win in Connecticut.  April would prove to be another split month as Connally walked away with wins in Kansas and Louisiana while Volpe took Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Connally and Volpe would go tit for tat in May as well, with Volpe carrying DC, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan, Oregon and Idaho. Meanwhile, Senator Connally carried his home state of Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Arkansas and Kentucky. By the end of the Primary season in June, most of Connally’s support outside the South had dissipated, as the Senator pulled off victories in Mississippi, West Virginia and narrow victory in New Mexico.
   
At the start of the Convention in Detroit, President Volpe although having a slim lead in Delegates, he was still shy of the necessary amount to clinch the nomination. After a serious cajoling of delegates on the Convention floor, Volpe was able to pull away the delegation of New Mexico which sent him over the top. Infuriated by Volpe’s re-nomination Senator Connally and his delegations stormed out of the convention hall, despite a valiant effort made by Vice President Baker in order to keep the party unified for November. With a fractured party, President Volpe’s acceptance speech came off as flat, distant and somewhat removed from reality. But for those who stood behind their President, they pledged to do everything in their power to ensure his reelection over the Kennedy/Finch ticket.


President John A. Volpe as he gave his acceptance speech during the Republican National Convention in the Joe Louis Arena;Detroit, Michigan

[Historico]

The 1980 General Election
   
The General Election campaigned officially started with a bit of a shock, as a week after the walkout of the Republican National Convention…Senator Connally announced that he would seek the Presidency under the new Conservative Party. For his Running Mate, Connally chose former New York Senator James L. Buckley of the Conservative Party of New York, who although had lost reelection to Shirley Chisholm in 1976, still remained a widely popular figure on the right. The Connally/Buckley ticket was soon endorsed by crucial supporters such a Jesse Helms, Phyllis Schlafly, Barry Goldwater, Roman Hruska and Jerry Falwell. It would the Connally/Buckley’s ticket’s specific appeal to the new growing Christian Right that would extend their base support outside of the South.


Senator John Connally at a Town Hall meeting in New Orleans, Louisana
   
For the Kennedy/Finch campaign, the third party candidacy of John Connally sparked trouble, whereas before the Convention, Kennedy was polled leading President Volpe 2 to 1, now it seemed that Kennedy and Connally were essentially tied with Volpe not to far behind. His initial strategy, especially with his pick of Mississippi Governor Cliff Finch as his running mate, was to rejuvenate the Democratic Party in the South. Instead, Ted would challenge Volpe in the Midwest as he promised Federal Subsides to modernize Agricultural technology used in the heartland including an interest commission for the development of Corn-derived ethanol. Ted’s main campaign theme was for economic revitalization, Healthcare reform and a nuclear arms freeze. It would be in his campaign stops in the urban centers of Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami etc, that Kennedy was able to recapture the attraction with the African American and Latino communities in an almost uncanny resemblance to RFK’s candidacy in 1968. However, it would be another key constituency that Ted worked hard to win back was that of the so called “Reagan Democrats” or the blue collar/white working class Northerners who had supported President Reagan in the 1968, 1972 and to a lesser extent President Volpe in 1976. By promising a swift end to the Iranian Hostage Crisis, as well as a closing of Détente with the Soviets, Ted was able to garner support amongst the Reagan Democrats for his strong National Security proposals in spite of his support of Affirmative Action and Immigration reform.
   
President Volpe was aggressively attacked by both Connally and Kennedy on the unresolved Iran Hostage Crisis. Since its implementation in February, The American Blockade and Economic Sanctions against Iran had not “starved” Khomeini to the point of freeing the Hostages. Many believed that the Soviets had begun to covertly offer aid to the Iranian Government to help sustain the nation’s needs. Volpe’s only reasonable way to ensure victory was to perhaps win the sole debate held between the three candidates on October 8th. President Volpe would seem well-versed in his knowledge of foreign affairs, in contrast to Senator Connally who seemed to win over viewers on social issues as he pledged a return to “Traditional Christian Values”. Yet the defining moment of the debate would come from Senator Kennedy, after the moderator asked Senator Connally only what his close friend, the late President Lyndon B. Johnson would say about his candidacy. Connally replied “If Lyndon were alive today, I’d think he would support my campaign very strongly.” The statement came off as cold and calculated, but Senator Kennedy would add that “If you were truly his friend, then you would know that Lyndon Baines Johnson always put the American People and his Party before himself. I do not think the same could be said of you Senator.”. Ted’s remarks gave him a small bump in the polls, but it would be an October surprise that would be able to sustain his lead.
   
American Economic growth had slowed greatly by the start of 1980, partially due to a worsening fuel crisis due to the Iran Hostage situation. For the most part the laissez-faire policies of the Reagan and Volpe administrations reached their eventual conclusion  as the commodities market, fueled by increases in global demand and a declination  of demand for nuclear power due to the Three Mile Island hit the economy hard by summer of 1980, hurting the fortunes of many corporations and speculators. Yet it would be in late October when several Savings and Loan associations collapsed largely due to the deregulatory efforts put in place by the Volpe administration. President Volpe took the invisible hand approach while people had begun make runs on banks the FED deemed extremely susceptible to the Savings and Loans Crises. The rapid downward spiral of the economy, was not only the final nail to the coffin of President Volpe’s reelection but also effectively ended Senator Connally hopes of narrowly winning the Presidency or stealing enough votes from Kennedy to throw the election to the House.
   
Come November 4th, The return of the New Deal Coalition reigned true, as the split Republican vote was able to catapult Ted Kennedy to the Presidency. Save for New Hampshire, Vermont and New Jersey which went to President Volpe narrowly…Kennedy would sweep his home region of the Northeast. In the Industrial states, Kennedy’s longtime support of the labor unions proved rewardingly as Ted was able to carry every state beside Indiana. Kennedy would even remain somewhat competitive in the South for his incredibly narrow wins in Mississippi, Georgia and Florida…while the rest of the old Confederacy and the Border States went for Senator Connally and the Conservative Party. Volpe was able to keep onto most of the Republican stronghold states in the Midwest, but Kennedy made serious inroads with his wins in New Mexico, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, South Dakota and Minnesota. On the Pacific states, President Volpe would only walk away with the state of Alaska, while the rest went for Kennedy. The Kennedy Revolution had begun.

Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy/Cliff Finch: 334 Electoral Votes
John B. Connally Jr./James L. Buckley: 129 Electoral Votes
John A. Volpe/Howard H. Baker Jr.: 75 Electoral Votes

[Historico]

Yeah. I agree with your minimalistic interpretation of butterflying. While I do think it holds sway in regards to who runs when, I think that AH's get into dangerous waters when they get into if someone dies or not when it's natural causes. As far as Chappaquidick, It wouldn't have happened if Kennedy had won, as it was one of Bobby's aides that died and it's very likely she would have been somewhere else that night.

As far as Teddy not running for President, I personally believe that he wanted, but the timing was never right. Too close to Chappaquiddick in '72, hostile political climate towards insiders in '76, too late post 1980. I feel like he botched the Mudd interview because he didn't want to come out and say that he was running for President because he felt that Carter was doing an awful job or that he felt the future of the Democratic Party was at stake. He tried to come up with a positive reason, and that became "Blacks, women, and minorities"

Yeah...Not to many people adhere to the same Minimalistic approach to butterflies when it comes to writing timelines, to often they turn into either a Demowank/Gopwank instead of looking at it from a non partisian viewpoint. As for having Chappaquidick still happen ITTL, My reasonings for that was, My POD for TTL was set at the Republican National Convention in Miami 1968, with Bobby's assasination happening exactly the same as it did IOTL. The party that Ted and Mary Jo went to, was a get to gether with Bobby's campaign aides. I really didn't see how having another Republican President would affect the Party drastically. So with the circumstances the same, It still could have verifiably happend Im afraid. But as you can see from my latest installment...Camelot does indeed still return to America.

But thanks for the interest HC...Does any other unspoken readers have any Comments, Questions, Thoughts, Quips, Nods...Tanning Suggestions?lol, but seriously It's the only way I know Interest in this timeline is enough for me to keep writing.

[Historico]

In Bright Days: The First Term of Edward M. Kennedy

   On January 20th 1981, the last son of the late Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr, Edward M. Kennedy was sworn in as the nation’s 39th President. Kennedy would hark back to the very same day twenty years hence when his brother Jack had asked for Americans to take a more active role in their government.” In his powerful inauguration speech; one of Ted’s most memorable lines “I hope for an America where we can all contend freely and vigorously, but where we will treasure and guard those standards of civility which alone make this nation safe for both democracy and diversity.” This promise for a new America that embraced its diversity was widely expressed in his cabinet. His ‘rainbow coalition’ as some would come to call it, were all hailed as popular and fitting choices, and many of the candidates were confirmed by the new Democratic majority-Senate without any delay. Later that day after the Inauguration ceremony, President Kennedy announced that all of the American Hostages in Iran had been freed.


President Kennedy meeting with former President Reagan after the Inauguration.

Secretary of State: Zbigniew Brzezinski
Secretary of Treasury: Russell B. Long
Secretary of Defense: Benjamin O’ Davis Jr.
Attorney General: Roger Wilkins
Secretary of Interior: Juan Lujan Jr.
National Security Advisor: Jeane Kirkpatrick
Secretary of Commerce: Daniel Inouye
Secretary of Labor: Ray Marshall
Secretary of Agriculture: Frances “Sissy” Farenthold
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare: LaDonna Harris
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Patricia Roberts Harris
Secretary of Energy:  R. Sargent Shriver Jr.
Secretary of Transportation: Geraldine Ferraro
   
The most dynamic part of the Kennedy administration was the strength of his foreign policy team. In his’ Secretary of State, Kennedy chose foreign policy Realist, and Kennedy Ally…Zbigniew Brzezinski as the nation’s chief diplomat. After 12 years of Kissinger’s dominance of American Foreign Relations, Brzeninski would take the focus off arms control and détente. Brzeniski instead shifted more toward of a human rights focus with increased military build up in order to deal with the weekend Soviet empire. For Defense Secretary, Kennedy tapped retired Air Force General, Benjamin O Davis Jr... African American and seen as extremely well qualified; he passed quick nomination hearings. Due to him being a relative nonentity on his foreign policy views, his relationship with Brzezinski would come to be fairly cordial. Although not official members of Cabinet, Kennedy chose life-long AFL-CIO Democrat Jeane Kirkpatrick as his National Security Advisor and Senate colleague/leader of the Hawkish wing of the Democratic Party…Henry “Scoop” M. Jackson as his UN Ambassador.
   
Although the Peace wing of the Democratic Party had showed some initial dismay at Kennedy’s Hawkish choices, Ted was able to placate the liberals in his party with his Domestic policy choices. Ted would pick another Senate Colleague in Louisiana Senator Russell B. Long as his Treasury Secretary, for his long-term service as Senate Finance Committee Chairman as well as his extensive knowledge of Tax Law. For the position of Attorney General, Ted chose former Johnson Administration Assistant AG and Civil Rights Activist Roger Wilkins as the first African American appointed to that position. The token Republican in the cabinet came in the form of Latino New Mexico Congressman Manuel Lujan Jr. who was appointed to the post of Secretary of Interior. Kennedy also pulled Dan Inouye from the Senate, still remembered for his Keynote Address at the chaotic 1968 Convention, as his Secretary of Commerce. The number of Women in the Kennedy administration was also unprecedented; Texas Lieutenant Governor Sissy Farenthold for Agriculture, Wife of former Oklahoma Senator and staunch Native American/Women’s rights activist LaDonna Harris for HEW, Kennedy Ally and IBM director Patricia Roberts Harris for HUD, and New York Congresswoman and Tip O’Neil protégé Geraldine Ferraro for Transportation. Last but certainly not least, Ted brought in his brother-in-law Sargent Shriver as the new Secretary of Energy, would serve in a more personal advisor role similar to that of Bobby Kennedy in the JFK Administration.

After securing the release of the American Hostages from the Ayatollah, President Kennedy’s most pressing issue was on how to solve the rapidly growing Savings and Loan crisis. After weeks of deliberating and hammering out the details, with Treasury Secretary Long, FED Chairman Paul Volcker and Congressional Leadership, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1980 (FIRREA) was submitted to Congress by late February. After a few outcries from Republican Congressmen and Senators for the massive Regulatory overhaul, the act was presented to President Kennedy by March 15th 1981 for signing without any major significant changes. The act was largely seen as a direct change from the deregulatory policies pursued by the Reagan and Volpe Administrations.

However, any plans that President Kennedy had with dealing with the Soviet Union, Expanding NASA’s budget for continued manned space exploration, or creation of new federal domestic programs was tragically cut short on March 30th 1981. After Ted delivered an brief speech to representatives of the AFL-CIO at The Washington Hilton Hotel, President Kennedy walked the short distance of his armored Presidential Limousine escorted by a Secret Service men. Six shot rang out of the nearby crowd; three bullets from the .22 caliber revolver hit the President in the head, in the throat and the shoulder. The rest of the bullets frayed off and hit a couple of civilians, while the President was shoved into the Limousine and driven to George Washington Hospital. After several hours of Doctors furiously attempted to resuscitate the President, Edward M. Kennedy with his wife Joan and most of his family at his bedside was declared dead by 8:23 pm eastern time. The Assassin was caught at the sight of the shooting, and was revealed to be the insane, Jodie Foster-obsessed 26 year old John Hinckley Jr. Charles C. “Cliff” Finch was sworn in as the nation’s 40th President of the United States

[Historico]

Any thoughts, comment's, suggestions...Poker Tips? But Really on a serious notes this timeline is a work in progress, and Ive always been the type of Author who extremley open to suggestions on how things might change due to butterflies. All and any input is largely welcome on my end.

[Historico]

The country must be deeply saddened with three Kennedy assassinations in less than twenty years.

Yes it was really unexpected, I know Ted frequently wore a bulletproof vest after Bobby's assasination when he was out in public, but since the entry wounds of the bullets were his neck and his head. He really didn't have that great of a chance in surviving...Btw I forgot to add this during my coverage of the 1980 US Presidential Elections...A little teaser before I can get the update on President Finch's term out in the next couple of days.
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1980 US Congressional/Gubernatorial Elections
   

In the Senate, largely due to Senator Kennedy’s coattails and the public unhappiness with the Volpe administration, the Democrats are almost able to push their numbers to a filibuster proof majority. Senator’s Talmadge, Bayh, Culver, Durkin, Morgan, McGovern, Magnuson, and Nelson were all able to keep their seats. New Gains came in the form of Jim Folsom Jr. in Alabama, Bill Schulz in Arizona, Pete Flaherty in Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Holtzman in New York. In the House of Representatives, Tip ‘O” Neil’s Democrats increased their majority significantly taking full advantage of the malaise against the Republicans. In the gubernatorial elections, Incumbent’s William J. Clinton in Arkansas, Dixie Lee Ray in Washington, and Joseph P. Teasdale in Missouri were able to hold on to their office. The Democratic sweep gave President-elect Ted Kennedy a clear mandate that would enable him to get a majority of his legislation passed

[Historico]

In Dark Passages: The 1st term of Charles C. Finch

At Nine O’clock pm Eastern time, Charles C. Finch of Pope, Mississippi and the 40th President of the United States addressed the nation via television in the Oval Office. With a face full of grief, and even what some would call bewilderment, President Finch said “Good evening America, Tonight with a heavy heart I announce that President Kennedy has indeed succumbed to his gunshot wounds and died at George Washington Hospital with his family at his bedside. In my first official act as President, I am declaring tomorrow to be a day of mourning for all Americans.  I ask you all to keep the Kennedy family in your prayers.  Thank all of you, and may you have a blessed night.” After a stirring funeral at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral, where Energy Secretary Sargent Shriver gave an outstanding Eulogy for his brother-in-law, with one of the more memorable lines being “In these Dark Passages, Ted would want us to continue to fight for those issues he championed, whether it was ensuring every American had Healthcare, Campaign Finance Reform or the ban on nuclear weapons to guarantee our children a bright future. We must look in to our own hearts to look for that badge of courage worn proudly by that magnificent Lion named Edward Moore Kennedy.” The funeral was attended by distinguished guests such as President Reagan, President Volpe, former Vice President Nixon, former Vice President Baker, Coretta Scott King, many other foreign dignitaries, Senators and others.


Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon at President Kennedy's funeral.

In a manner extremely similar to his Brother Jack’s funeral, the body of Ted Kennedy was carried via horse drawn carriage to the U.S. Capitol to lie in state. The entire day following the funeral, hundreds of thousands came to view the guarded casket. President Kennedy’s coffin was finally laid to rest near his brothers in Arlington Cemetery. For most of the month of April, all was quiet coming out of the White House while President Finch was getting accustomed to the reigns of power. On May 1st, Cliff Finch for the first time as President would address a joint session of Congress, in which he called for major programs including an increased defense budget, a return to manned space exploration, continued extension of AMTRAK/High Speed Rail, A new energy initiative, Healthcare reform, A new regulatory framework for the TERFA system, and reform of the American Educational system. It would be the end of his address that got standing ovations from both sides of the isle, when Finch said “And with your help America, and God’s will…I will do everything within my power to ensure that indeed the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die!” After Speech, polling would confirm what many American’s already knew, as his approval ratings stood at a remarkable 85% approval rating.

President Finch’s first order of business was to select a new Vice President to occupy the now vacated office. Like President Volpe and President Kennedy before him, Cliff Finch was determined to make history with his pick and rally the base of his party. Two weeks after his address, President Finch released his shortlist of potential candidates: Senator Shirley Chisholm of New York, Congressman Eligio “Kika” de la Garza II of Texas, Senator Thomas Bradley of California, Governor Dixie Lee Ray of Washington, former Secretary of State Edward Brooke, and Congresswoman Patsy Mink of Hawii. From his brief experience in the role of the Vice-Presidency, Finch knew that he would have to choose someone who wouldn’t chafe under the mundane world of the office. His first choice was that of the Unbought and Unbossed Senator from New York Shirley Chisholm, however after a meeting in the oval office with President Finch, she thankfully declined the offer as she said “With Ted gone, someone in the Senate has got to stay and continue to fight for the causes that we believe in.”. President Finch agreed, as along with Chisholm both de la Garza and Mink decided to ultimately stay in Congress, where they believed they could exert more influence. The bow-outs left President Finch with three potential Candidates; former State Secretary Brooke, Senator Bradley and Governor Ray. Although Dixie Lee Ray knowledge on nuclear power was impressive, The Governor was not to fairly popular within her home state of Washington, as she distanced many of her initial supporters with her conservative views. As for former Secretary of State Edward Brooke, many within the party were unsure of picking a Republican for the number two job. President Finch saw the potential pick as an attempt to gain Moderate Republican voters in the Northeast. But ultimately Secretary of State Brzezinski convinced Finch against Brooke, as he felt that Brooke would be seen as a relapse back to the Kissingerian era of détente. President Finch agreed, and made his decision public to the American People on May 22nd 1981.

The man nominated as the nation’s 42nd Vice President of the United States would be…Senator Thomas J. “Tom” Bradley of California. The first African American to ever be chosen, the former Los Angeles Mayor, unhappy with being the voice of one in a hundred before the Kennedy assassination had begun to show interest in succeeding Jerry Brown as Governor California in 1982. Eager to get back into the executive role, Bradley accepted President Finch’s offer as he became a symbol to the socially liberal yet pro-business urban blacks who dominated America’s cities at the time. Yet, many of Finch’s southern supporters were quite angry at pick of a black man, which would be translated into the extended hearings before congress. A conservative charge led by Senator Jesse Helms with his not so thinly veiled racism was thrown at Bradley, especially when he said “That this is Affirmative Action at its worst…Never before a man so unqualified and so unrepresentative of mainstream America been put only a heartbeat away from the Presidency!” Yet many Southern Democratic Senators not wanting to seem stuck in the past supported their President, and with no illegalities being found…Tom Bradley was confirmed on June 11th 1981 by a large majority of the Senate. Bradley was sworn in as the nation’s 42nd Vice President and the first African American later that day.


Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley...The first African American Vice-President of the United States.

With his cabinet intact, President Finch set out to meld together Kennedy’s vision of America with his own. In a manner not seen in the White House since President Johnson in the months following Jack Kennedy’s death, Cliff Finch introduced a majority of domestic and foreign related issues at congress. His first major piece of legislation would the Growth, Expansion and Development Act or GED. This would be the largest public works act since possibly the New Deal, as he poured millions of dollars into funding of building new schools, roads, Urban renewal, as well as promoting beautification all in order to stimulate the American Economy and the provide jobs. However the GED would face stiff opposition from Senator Herman Talmadge and other Conservative senators, who only saw the program as expensive and unnecessary ways to spend taxpayer money. After a month long filibuster, the senate granted the GED cloture and it is passed to a 65-35 vote. The House passed the GED with ease, and it’s presented for President Finch to sign by September 11th 1981. It was also during this time, that President Finch nominated Rose Bird, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, in order to fill seat of the retiring Associate Justice Potter Stewart. After a tough a nomination battle over her staunch opposition to the Death Penalty, Bird narrowly won confirmation and on September 25th she took her seat as the first female justice of the United States.


Rose Elizabeth Bird...First Female Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

[Historico]

By the time of the his first State of the Union Address, in January of 1982 despite taking few hits for the Bradley and Bird nominations, President Finch’s overall approval ratings stood around 65%. In his speech to Congress, he outlined his plan for a new Regulatory Bi-partisan committee to look at the rising inefficiencies of the TERFA System.  Yet it when he laid out the foundations for a manned mission to Mars by the end of the Decade, when Finch said “We must not hesitate to funnel that great American Spirit into something for the benefit of all of mankind. For it is in our nature to continue to venture out and explore to find new experiences. Mars might represent a chance for us to finally answer the question of whether or not we are alone in the Universe. For us to be coy and not seek out the answer would be totally unacceptable!” As money allocated from his 1982 budget pumped new life into NASA, focused first on how to solve the biggest obstacles to manned Mars space flight included; physical effects of exposure to high-energy cosmic rays and other ionizing radiation, physical effects of a prolonged low-gravity environment, physical effects of a prolonged low-light environment, psychological effects of isolation from Earth psychological effects of lack of community due to lack of real-time connections with Earth, social effects of several humans living under crowded conditions for over one Earth year, and the inaccessibility of terrestrial medical facilities. Not since the Apollo project had there been such an assemblage of the US Scientific community working together to reach a common goal, this being The Case for Mars.


Artist Conception of a 1980's Manned Mission to the Red Planet.

On Foreign Policy, President Finch became even more of a student of Brzezinski’s “realist” approach than was the late President Ted Kennedy. On the surface many Americans were unsure about how this “Good Ol’ Boy” from Mississippi might deal with the Soviets. Yet it soon became clear in the early months of his military that Finch planned to drastically escalate the Cold War, as he ordered a massive build up of the United States Military sold to Congress as a way to decrease unemployment. Finch would also bring back online the B-1 bomber program, which had been cancelled during the crunch of the Volpe Administration. President Finch would also articulate Brzeziniski’s belief of using Human Rights to erode to the Soviet Union, especially when He announced in 1982, that the only way nuclear arms reduction could continue if Soviet repression in Poland ceased. Brezhnev would scoff at his fifth American President, since his reign as General Secretary in 1964, and things would remain particularly frosty between the United States and the Soviet Union up until his death of a massive heart attack on November 10th 1982.

1982 US Congressional/Gubernatorial Elections
   
President Finch would spend a majority of his time in the fall of 1982 out on the stump for Democratic congressional candidates in an attempt to keep his Democratic majority. Cliff’s trek across the nation, proved to be largely successful as party balance remained unchanged from the previous election in the Senate. Senator Mervyn M. Dymally of California was able to beat off challenger Pete Wilson in a close election, as Dymally was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to fill Vice President Bradley’s vacated seat. Tip O’Neil maintained the Democratic majority in the House, although the Republican’s had maid some gains in The South and the Mountain West. The most exciting races came from the gubernatorial elections, where Texas Attorney General beat the incumbent and first Republican Governor since Reconstruction…George H.W. Bush. Lieutenant Governor Mario Cuomo succeeded popular Governor Daniel Patrick Moynihan against 1980 Conservative Party Vice-Presidential running mate and former Senator, James L. Buckley in a close election. Former Senator Adlai E. Stevenson III of Illinois successfully routed incumbent Republican Governor James R. Thompson in a razor thin victory. However many Americans eagerly watched, the California Gubernatorial race as Former First Daughter and Congresswoman Maureen Reagan ousted state Attorney General George Deukmejian in the primaries. Maureen would thin win an incredibly narrow victory over incumbent Governor Jerry Brown, largely due to last minute campaign drive done by her father, President Reagan.

[Historico]

In Dark Passages: Part 2

In 1983, President Finch in his second State of the Union address stirred many liberals within his own party, when he quoted the late Minnesota Senator and former Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey, in his speech. “It was once said by a great man in this hollow chamber that that the moral test of Government is how that Government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped. Today, with your help America, I challenge us to pass this test!”. Cliff knew if he could either get a CHIA reform or possibly a full employment act passed in 1983, it would lock up his re-nomination in 1984. During the months following the address, President Finch attempted to negotiate with congressional Republicans about co-sponsoring an alteration to CHIA, where instead of the present HMO/employer based program a new Single-Payer option would take its place.

The Republican Party after the disastrous split of the 1980 Election during Finch’s 1st term struggled to reunify and a return to the core fiscal conservatism that was shared by all spectrums of the party. Due to his Democratic Majority in Congress, many Republicans such as Senator George H.W. Bush of Texas and Senator Bob Kasten of Wisconsin decried President Finch’s relentless spending. As Senate Minority leader Bush was able to cajole most of his Senators into shooting down any attempt at CHIA Reform. CHIA was still seen as one of the few bright spots in the Volpe Administration, and they were not going to give it up without a fight. Temporarily defeated on Health Care Reform, President Finch would focus his energies into re-introducing the Humphrey Hawkins Full Employment Act to Congress.

Congressman Augustus Hawkins of California and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota re-introduced the bill in September to congress after reconvened on the behalf of his late friend Senator Humphrey. There weren’t any significant changes to the original act, as it still was a bill that established and translated into practical reality the right of all adult Americans able, willing, and seeking to work to full opportunity for useful paid employment at fair rates of compensation; to combine full employment, production, and purchasing power goals with proper attention to balanced growth and national priorities; to mandate such national economic policies and programs as are necessary to achieve full employment, production, and purchasing power; to restrain inflation; and to provide explicit machinery for the development and implementation of such economic policies and programs. Finch also knew that Congressional Opposition would be thick, largely led by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah and Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Thurmond, during the reading of the bill said “This is blatant communism…No make that fascism, maybe that boy from Mississippi should have been fighting for Mussolini instead of against!” However, Both Gallup and Rasmussen show similar poll numbers of American public support around 65% backed their President. On November 21st, The Act passed the Senate with a 61 to 33 margin and is sent to the House. After a week of vigorous debate, The House passed the Full Employment Act. The Act is signed along with a bill to make every third Monday in the month of January a federal holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, in the White House Rose Garden by President Finch on November 2nd.

On Foreign Policy, President Finch would continue to follow the Brzezinski Doctrine when he dealt with the frail General Secretary Yuri Andropov. Although Cliff continued to press the Soviets into bilateral arms reductions, Andropov did not respond well to the President’s stubbornness on the issue and ordered for all negotiations to be shut by December of 1983. Andropov eagerly watched as the growing Nuclear Freeze movements were gathering storm and He felt that eventually, Finch would have to give into their demands. Yet, President Finch stood strong in his conviction even against those in his own party. In the Senate, a bi-partisan coalition led by George McGovern of South Dakota and Mark Hatfield of Oregon introduced legislation that articulated the same points that were presented in Dr. Randall Forsberg’s proposal in the “Call to Halt the Nuclear Arms Race,” specifically for a "mutual freeze on the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons and of missiles and new aircraft designed primarily to deliver nuclear weapons." Massive Demonstrations not seen since the early years of the Reagan Presidency took to the streets in favor of the legislation. Yet, President Finch was able to muster enough support from conservative congressional Democrats and Republicans to force the bill into committee.


Dr. Randall Forsberg, leader of the Nuclear Freeze Movement

With his Domestic agenda largely completed for his first term in office, and with his approval ratings held particularly high around 65%...President Finch declared his attention to seek out a Second Term on December 26th 1983. A vigorous campaigner, Cliff Finch looked forward to winning the Presidency in his own right in 1984 and he would pull out all the stops to so.