World Without Watergate: The Ultimate Version

[hcallega]

1984

January 5: Reverend Jesse Jackson Jr. succors the release of Navy Pilot Robert Goodman from Syria. President Kennedy calls Jackson “one of America’s most underrated and still humble men.”

January 10: Most polls show Senator George Bush of Texas the favorite for the GOP nomination for President. As a moderate, he is outpolling a divided conservative field. In second place is former Vice-President and Republican Senate leader Howard Baker. In third is Representative Jack Kemp of New York. A distant fourth is right-winger Rep. Phil Crane, followed by Senator Bob Dole, and Delaware Governor Pierre du Pont.

January 18: President Kennedy begins talks with the Soviet Union based on the de-escalation of the arms race. Secretary of State Brzezinski pressures him not to concede any technological advantage that the US might have in nuclear weapons, while Secretary of Defense Warren Christopher urged him to focus more on long-term peace then short term concessions. In the end, President Kennedy will take the middle ground, making it clear that the US would not restrict the number of ground forces in Europe, while supporting a scale-down of nukes.

January 21: Representative Kemp wins an upset victory over Bush and Baker in the Iowa Caucuses. Large conservative turnout is credited to his victory. Senator Bob Dole withdraws from the race after his distant fourth place finish.

February 5: President Kennedy once again orders the US Marines in Lebanon back to their ships.

February 6: US Ships shell pro-Syrian militia positions in Lebanon.

February 13: Yuri Andropov has died and is replaced by Konstanin Chernenko. Peace talks continue though take a step back.

February 16: George Bush wins the Arkansas Republican Caucus.

February 26: George Bush decisively wins the New Hampshire Primaries. However the major surprise is Representative Phil Crane’s third place finish over Senator Baker (Jack Kemp finished in second.) Following the results, Senator Baker withdraws from the race and endorses Bush, as does Governor du Pont who once again finished in last place. Baker will join the Bush team as the Senator’s “Right-Hand Man” on domestic policy issues and is seen as a possible VP pick. From this point on Bush will be the clear frontrunner, but will be unable to sow up the race for many weeks as Crane and Kemp are able to win many of the more conservative Republican states.

March 5: India leader Indira Gandhi orders a temple occupied by Sikh militants stormed. 300 Sikhs are killed.

March 16: The CIA chief in Beirut, William Buckley, is captured by Islamic Jihad.

March 30: The UN reports that the Iraqi military used mustard gas against Iranian troops.

April 2: President Kennedy calls for an international ban on chemical weapons, stating that “these barbaric weapons have no use in the modern world and serve only to terrorize.”

May 18: Senator George Bush of Texas is able rap up enough delegates to win the nomination. Jack Kemp dropped out in mid-April, after conceding that “I cannot win this race. We have fought the good fight, and we have made it clear that the same old policies don’t simply get rubber stamp approval. I want to thank all of you for what you did over these past few weeks.”

May 19: Representative Phil Crane of Illinois withdraws from the race and declares his intention to pursue reelection to the House of Representatives: “I will not let this fight die. The traditional conservative values of America will live on, and I will be damned if I take a sideline seat to the big-government and left-wing policies of President Kennedy and the Democratic Party. I will also fight to make sure that the Republican Party remains a home for conservatives throughout America, no matter where they are, where they come from, or who they have voted for in the past.”

July 12: President Kennedy and Vice-President Bentsen are renominated at the Democratic Convention in San Francisco. Revered Jesse Jackson delivers a stirring keynote address on race: “Today America is no longer the land of slavery. It is no longer the land of Jim Crow. It is no longer the land of government-supported inequality. Today America is the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

August 23: The Republican Party nominates Senator George Bush of Texas for the Presidency of the United States in Dallas, Texas. Senator Bush chooses Representative Jack Kemp of New York as his Vice-Presidential nominee, citing his “experience, resolve, and leadership both as a Republican and as United States Congressmen.” This also balances the ticket geographically and ideologically.

August 30: The Space Shuttle Discovery takes off.

September 5: The Discovery lands.

September 26: Britain and China agree to give Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

October 7: President Kennedy and Senator Bush compete in the first of two presidential debates. This debate focuses on foreign policy. Bush proposes a more aggressively anti-communist foreign policy, though is quick to make clear that he does not want to be more confrontational: “I simply believe that we need to do more to contain the spread of communism in the third world, but not at the expense of our relations with the Soviet Union.” However Kennedy hammers Bush for “simply adding on the word aggressive to what I have done as President. We have confronted communism in the third world, we have supported threatened democracies around the world, and we have made substantial progress in talks with the Soviet Union.” President Kennedy is viewed as the winner of the debate, giving him a lead in the previously dead-even polls.

October 11: The Vice-Presidential debate is held between Vice-President Bentsen and Representative Kemp. Bentsen emphasizes the success of Kennedy at reducing inflation and the recent signs of an economic turnaround. Kemp attacks the Kennedy-Bentsen team for “raising taxes, raising spending, and watching the economy suffer for it.” Kemp is viewed as the winner in the debate, but not by much.

October 12: A bomb rips through the Brighton Hotel, nearly killing PM Margaret Thatcher. However she carries on and delivers her speech to the Conservative Convention several hours later. President Kennedy denounces the attack as terrorism and applauds the PM for her resolve and composer.

October 19: Catholic Priest Jerzy Popieluszko is arrested by the Polish Secret Police. He is a supporter of Solidarity and is well known throughout the nation.

October 21: President Kennedy and Senator Bush square off again in the second Presidential debate, this one focusing on the economy and domestic issues. Kennedy is put on the defensive due to the economy and ballooning deficit, but fires back with an infamous line: “Under my administration we have cut inflation, improved upon the economy, and continued the fight against poverty and for our middle class. Without a doubt I can say that America is better off that it was four years ago.” Despite Senator Bush’s now-famous description of President Kennedy’s economic plan as “Voodoo Economics”, President Kennedy is once again seen as the winner of the debate.

October 30: Divers find Popieluszko’s body in a sewer. While those who committed the murder are convicted, the Polish Communist Regime is still on the brink of collapse.

October 31: Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh security guards; leading to riots in which 2,700 sikh’s are killed.

November 6: President Kennedy narrowly wins reelection over Senator Bush by a margin of 52%-48%. Despite polls showing that they believe that things in the nation are not going well, most Americans still trust President Kennedy to turn things around and do not trust the “radically moderate” Senator from Texas.

Kennedy/Bentsen (D) 52% of the PV, 283 EVs
Bush/Kemp (R) 48% of the PV, 255 EVs

November 6: In the Senate Elections, the Democrats make a net gain of one seat, giving them a majority of 54-46. In the House the Democrats loose five seats, and thus the Majority to the Republicans. Bob Michel is the new Speaker of the House.

December 3: In India a chemical plant leaks poisonous gas into the air, killing a total of 8,000 and injuring hundreds of thousands more.

December 22: PM Thatcher tells President Kennedy that Mikhail Gorbachev, the number two man in the Kremlin, is much more charismatic and open to talks than previous Soviets.

[hcallega]

Crane in '88!!lol, I expected for the '84 election to not be a cakewalk for Teddy, hopefully things have turned around enough for the 39th President to get some of his Domestic Agenda  Congress

Yeah there are a few reasons why it was a nailbitter. First of all the economy is going worse than in OTL, and Bush's moderate views harkened back to the Eisenhower days and greater prosperity. Also many see Kennedy's talking to the Soviets and the spread of leftism in Central America as weekness. Finally, Bush's modereate Republicanism makes him a very stronge candidate in this timeline. Liberalism as a whole is still week, while Reagan-esque conservativism has never taken hold. The Republican Middle is the area of greatest strength, and that is firmly where Bush is. However Kennedy is viewed well, inflation and the economy are moving in the right direction, and there is less chaos in the world than four years aleri.

[hcallega]

1985

January 2: Chinese Leader Deng Xiaoping announces an open door policy to the west in order to offset generations of isolation.


January 10: President Kennedy is inaugurated for his second term in a particularly cold day in Washington. In his inaugural address he states “I see a shining city on a hill. In this city there is no poverty, no racism, no crime, a prosperous economy and peace. This city may seem like a glimmer in the eyes of many, but in reality we are closer to this than we ever have been in America. And as we push on to this shining city, we will finally realize the dreams of our founding fathers and those who sacrificed for this great nation.”

February 3: President Kennedy’s approval rating stands at 58% amid news of the economic turnaround, lower inflation, and lower poverty.

March 11: Konstantin Cherenko dies. He is replaced by the reform-minded Mikhail Gorbachev.

March 13: President Kennedy declares his State of the Union Address: “For the first time in many years, the President of the United States can truly say that the state of the union is strong!” He also announces plans for tougher environmental regulations, as well as a raise to the minimum wage and a new crime bill which puts an emphasis on prevention rather than incarceration.

March 16: AP Reporter Terry Anderson is kidnapped in Lebanon by Syrian Militiamen.

March 30: The House passes the minimum wage increase by a wide margin. Democrats unanimously support the bill while many Southern and Midwestern Republicans do as well. Speaker Bob Michel opposes the increase but does little to stop its passage. The Senate will follow suit in early April, and President Kennedy will sign the increase into law soon after.

April 8: Gorbachev announces a freeze on the production intermediate range missiles in Europe. He calls on President Kennedy to follow suit.

April 12: President Kennedy follows Gorbachev’s lead and puts a freeze on the missiles as well.

April 25: The House defeats President Kennedy’s climate change bill, which called for a carbon emissions tax, despite also attaching tax cuts for companies that emitted less carbon gasses.

May 13: The House approves Kennedy’s crime bill which combined more funding for more police on the streets with more federal funds shifting from prison development to crime prevention. It also shifted funds from the War on Drugs to rehabilitation programs. The vote was very narrow and the support of many liberal Republicans was the decisive factor.

May 28: The Senate approves the Kennedy Crime Bill, which will be signed on June 1.

June 3: CIA Agent William Buckley dies while held hostage in Beirut

June 6: Israeli troops are ordered out of most of Lebanon.

June 9: American Professor Thomas Sutherland is kidnapped in Beirut.

June 10: The House votes down continued funding for the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.
June 14: A plane from Greece is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists and lands in Beirut. Most of the passengers are American, and one is beaten, killed, and left on the tarmac.

June 17: All but 40 of the American passengers are released.

June 30: Ali Atwa, a Lebanese terrorist, is caught in Greece and swapped for the remaining hostages on the plane.

July 18: Kennedy and Gorbachev meet in Geneva to discuss further scale-downs of military might in Europe. The meeting is seen as a success and is the first in a series between the two leaders who would develop a friendship.

July 25: Israel agrees to sell arms to Iran on the grounds that the US replaces them. Secretary of State Brzezinski persuades Kennedy into accepting.

September 23: TIME magazine reports on increasing capitalism and private ownership in the Communist world, especially China.

September 25: PLO terrorists kill several Israeli civilians.

October 1: Israel retaliates by bombing the PLO headquarters in Tunis, which results in 65 killed, many civilians.

October 2: Rock Hudson, dies of AIDS, a disease receiving more and more attention.

October 8: An Italian cruise-liner is hijacked, resulting in the death of American Leon Klinghoffer.

November 20: Kennedy and Gorbachev meet again at Geneva, agreeing to scale down their nuclear arsenals and allow for greater sovereignty of Warsaw Pact nations.

November 20: Windows 1.0 is released.

December 31: Tensions increase in the Darfur region of Sudan between Arab nomads and native farmers. This is due to a change in climate resulting in less farmable land.

[hcallega]

Is Ted still married ITTL?

Yeah initially for purely political reasons, but also because since meeting the Pope in 1981 he became much more religous, and while still being pro-choice is working hard to get the marriage to work. Also it would look really sh**tty for a divorce, even if he has already been relected.

[hcallega]

1986

January 28: The Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates killing all seven crew members. President Kennedy calls for a national day of mourning for January 29.


February 11: Soviet Political Prisoner Anatoly Scharansky is swapped for two Russian spies.


February 19: The Soviet Union Launches the Mir Space Station.

February 25: Philippine President Fernando Marco goes into exile in Hawaii, bringing an end to his long and oppressive rule.
February 25: Egyptian police riot and set fire to four hotels protesting a lack of sufficient pay.

February 28: Swedish PM Olalf Palme is assassinated on his way home from the movies.

March 8: President Kennedy delivers an upbeat State of the Union address in which he touts his economic and foreign policy record. He also states that the focus of the next two years will be on tackling the injustices in America. He directly proposes the Sexual Orientation Act of 1986, referencing the recent death of Rock Hudson and many more to AIDS: “We can no longer hide under a veil of ignorance. AIDS is not the Gay disease; it is not the drug addict disease. It is a human disease, and as such we must stop it in its tracks.”


March 20: The House of Representatives passes the Sexual Orientation Act of 1986, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, expanding hate crimes legislation to gays and lesbians, and greatly increasing funds for AIDS research and prevention. Pat Robertson calls this bill “a travesty”, however it is Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia who will form a more politically correct opposition to the bill: “The intention behind this piece of legislation is fundamentally good, in that all Americans deserve the same rights and same security. However this bill does not do that. Instead it takes a small group of people and elevates them above the rest. It states that homosexuals and their concerns rank above straight people and theirs. This I cannot support.”


April 2: A bomb explodes in a flight from Rome to Athens, killing four.

April 5: A bomb goes off in a Berlin nightclub, killing several including two US servicemen. An intercepted telegram implicates Libya.

April 10: The Senate passes the Sexual Orientation Act of 1986. Senator Jesse Helms calls this “another example of the Cultural Marxist Agenda being passed in a time of panic. In five years no one will think this did much good, and if anything they’ll say that it compromised our great American values.” On the other hand President Kennedy states that “this is just another piece of legislation that is furthering the cause of true civil rights in America. Many who oppose it are the same who would rather have us never ended segregation or given equal voting rights to men and women, or blacks and whites.”

April 13: Pope John Paul II officially visits the Synagogue in Rome, the first time a modern Pope has visited a Jewish House of Worship.

April 15: Despite pressure from hawks within his cabinet, the congress, and the media, President Kennedy refuses to use military force to retaliate against Libya. Instead he increases the boycott against the nation.

April 16: President Kennedy signs the Sexual Orientation Act of 1986, surrounded by several high-profile AIDS cases. Reverend Jesse Jackson is the first to shake the President’s hand after signing the bill and states “I know many in my flock disagree, but this is a truly just and good bill. It is time to step up and do the right thing, and President Kennedy has done just that.”

April 26: A nuclear reactor explodes in Chernobyl, killing 31 immediately and many more in years to come. Regions of the Ukraine and Belarus will be deemed inhabitable due to this.

May 25: 5,000,000 Americans join hands in a chain from New York City to Long Beach to protest hunger and homelessness. President Kennedy calls this “a sign of the people of American’s commitment to social justice.”

August 6: William Schroeder, the second person to receive an artificial heart, dies after 620 days.

August 20: Fired Postal Service Worker Patrick Sherrill attempts to kill his co-workers.

September 5: Pakistani hijackers plan to use a plain as a missile and smash it into Israeli Defense Ministry. However the pilots escapes through a hatch while the plane is on stopover. The hijackers kill 27 in retaliation before being taken down by commandos.

September 6: 22 worshipers are killed in an Istanbul Mosque by terrorists during Sabbath.

September 7: General Pinochet survives an assassination attempt; however 5 of his bodyguards are killed.

September 17: Five are killed in a Paris shop by a fire-bomb.

October 10: In their third meeting in Geneva, Kennedy and Gorbachev agree on a five year plan that will “decrease the possibility of nuclear war to practically zero.” Secretly they also agree to reduce their involvement in Afghanistan, with Soviet troops beginning to withdraw in a plan congruent with the US reducing aid for the Mujahedeen.

October 25: Syria and Great Britain end diplomatic relations.

November 4: In the Senate, the Democrats gain six seats based on President Kennedy’s two most popular years. The results shock the already beaten down Republican Party, as now the Democrats hold a 60-40 Senate Majority. Pundit Tim Russert calls the results “more in support of President Kennedy’s policies than in opposition to any Republican one.” In the House the Democrats would gain eight seats, cutting the GOP majority but still leaving Bob Michel as Speaker of the House. Some call this the strangest Congressional makeup in recent memory, with a filibuster-proof Democratic majority in the Senate, and a narrowly GOP house.

November 17: Renault President and industrialist Georges Besse is assassinated by Communist revolutionaries outside of his home.

November 25: Congress bans weapons sales to Iran. President Kennedy states that “while I agree with congress’s action in principal, I disagree with it in practicality. This is a nation on the border between the east and the west, communism and the free world, and we cannot see it fall into Soviet hands.”

December 19: Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov is allowed to return to Moscow.

[hcallega]

Is Ted still married ITTL?

Yeah initially for purely political reasons, but also because since meeting the Pope in 1981 he became much more religous, and while still being pro-choice is working hard to get the marriage to work. Also it would look really sh**tty for a divorce, even if he has already been relected.

I would actually like to see Teddy and Joan take on more of an Clintonian Relationship; could we maybe get some info if Joan has taken more of an activist First Ladydom? She may tack a wack at running for Teddy's old Seat in Massachusetts after '89. With Rock Hudson's death, I imagine Teddy would attempt to use it to get a sweeping Sexual Orientaion Act through Congress..

She has no political plans now, but that may change.

[hcallega]

I also just realized that I forgot to say who Kennedy’s supreme court appointees were:

1981: Rose Bird, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court

1986: A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr, Fomer Chief Justice of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third District.

[hcallega]

1987

January 1: President Kennedy delivers an address to the Soviet Union in which he states that “as we walk forward in this world we look not to war but to peace, and while it is clear that we are both very different in our beliefs, it is just as clear that no nation or people has the right to impose those beliefs on the other.”

January 10: The Dow Jones Industrial Average finishes at an all-time high.

January 20: The Special Envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Terry Waite, is kidnapped in Beirut.

January 25: Three American and one Indian Professor are abducted in Beirut.

January 27: Gorbachev proposes new reforms for elections that would give the Russian people a greater say. However he makes it clear that he is staying within Communism.

March 30: British PM Margaret Thatcher arrives in Moscow to large crowds.

April 10: President Kennedy refuses to stop bugging the Soviet embassy in Washington, stating that “peace has been my focus with the Soviets, but we need to be pragmatic here as well.” The Soviet’s also bug the US embassy in Moscow.

April 15: President Kennedy and Gorbachev agree to remove all short and medium range nuclear missiles from Europe. In America hawks go mad, some going as far to call Kennedy “a traitor!” (Senator Jesse Helms).

May 1: New laws in the Soviet Union allow for the creation of small businesses. This is met with long lines of men and women registering for an opportunity to prosper and take advantage of this new capitalism.

May 17: A poll conducted by West German conservative’s shows that far more would rather work with the East and West then just the West.

May 26: The Soviet Union stops jamming Voice of America broadcasts.

May 28: A West German flies a plane from Helsinki to Moscow without being detected. This causes Gorbachev to replace many of his defense ministers.

June 15: Speaking in Berlin, President Kennedy states “Mr. Gorbachev, let’s end this war!”

June 17: American Television Correspondent Charles Glass is abducted in Beirut.

July 4: Vice-President Lloyd Bentsen declares his candidacy for the Presidency.

July 31: A protest by Iranian’s in Mecca leads to a Police Riot leaving over 400 dead.

August 1-2: Iranians attack the Kuwaiti and Saudi Embassy. Thousands protest their support for the Iraqi regime, and call for the abdication of the Al Saud family.

August 3: Former Senator Gary Hart of Colorado announces his challenge to Bentsen for the Democratic nomination. His first major endorsement comes from Mo Udall.

August 6: The Sandinista regime is on the brink of victory against the Contras. Several anti-communist groups in the US urge President Kennedy to intervene on their behalf, but he strongly declines. Bill Kristol calls this “yet another example of the President pushing to the left instead of pushing back. We have a blatant example of a murderous Communist regime in our backyard, and we are doing nothing to help those opposed to it.”

August 17: Rudolf Hess is found dead in his prison cell.

August 19: Mexico and Venezuela stop delivering oil to Nicaragua, as the nation has been unable to pay for it.

August 19: In England a man kills 17, including his mother and himself.

August 23: Protests against Soviet domination occur in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

September 17: Reverend Pat Robertson declares his candidacy for the Presidency in Harlem.

October 10: Reverend Jesse Jackson declares his candidacy for the Presidency, stating that “Mr. Bentsen does not share my views, my values, and my beliefs. It’s that simple, and for those that agree with me they need a real choice.”

November 15: Thousands march in Romania in protest over the regime. While they sack the local communist party headquarters, they are soon dispersed.

December 8: In Australia, a postal service worker kills several colleagues before jumping to his death.

December 10: President Kennedy and Mikhail Gorbachev sign the SALT III, the culmination of their long negotiations. It will reduce both nations nuclear capacities by 8%, while also removing tactical nukes from Europe and including a “promise” not to attempt to intervene in third-world regimes to advance either ideology.

December 17: Czechoslovakia’s communist party leader steps down to allow younger members a chance at power. 

December 31: By the end of the year the GOP’s presidential field has expanded to nine candidates. The early frontrunners are Rep. Jack Kemp of New York, Senator Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas, and Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana. Dark Horses include Pat Robertson, Phil Crane, Pierre du Pont, and Tom Kean. Representative Ron Paul of Texas and Senator Paul Laxalt of Nevada are both viewed as unlikely to make much of an impact.

[hcallega]

A Quayle vs. Bentsen 1988 Election would be epic(I expect for some very Dukakisian gaffes to happen during that General election campaign lol)...Could you possible to two posts like your usual Installments just focusing on the Primaries and the General Election, then do the calendar style focusing on Kennedy's last year? Although Im a big fan of Senator Kassembaum(she should be a shoe in for '92)...Keep it comming

sure, i'll definately do two posts. I'll include primary results in the tl style post also, as i belive that it makes it a little more powerful.

[hcallega]

1988 Democratic Primaries

The clear frontrunner entering the 1988 Democratic Primary season was Vice-President Lloyd Bentsen. Bentsen had the support of many party regulars, as well as the tacit support of President Kennedy. However with both Hart and Jackson in the race some saw the possibility of an upset. Yet the biggest factor holding back Bentsen’s ascension to the nomination was his own voting record in congress and the fact that Jackson and Hart provided excuses to liberal organizations to hold off on endorsements. After all, Bentsen was by no means a liberal and in many ways was part of the party’s conservative wing.

   
Bentsen had routinely received failing grades from the ADA and the AFL-CIO, while paving a hawkish foreign policy record, a business-friendly attitude, and opposition to key liberal legislation. He had voted against both the Bayh Amendment which would guarantee government funding for low-income women to receive abortions, as well as CHIP. However Bentsen would quickly move to the left, and use his suave Texas demeanor to do it well: “I am a strong supporter of a woman’s right to choose, and Roe vs. Wade. My opposition to my colleague and go friend, Senator Bayh’s, amendment is due to my belief that the federal government should no expressly support the decision to have an abortion. That is up to the woman, and the government shouldn’t get involved either way.” On Health Care: “My opposition to CHIP was, I admit, wrong. At the time I saw it as a gross expansion of the federal government over an issue that I did not believe was so crucial. However after campaigning with President Kennedy in Middle America, I saw that reform was critical. I am proud today to say that I support CHIP and I will support continued health care reform when needed.”

Bentsen’s primary criticism came from the left. Reverend Jesse Jackson received the support of several liberal organizations, including NARAL, the Teacher’s Union, and most environmental groups. Jackson attacked Bentsen as “a one-time conservative who suddenly has decided that the liberal suit fits him a little better. That’s not good enough for the Democratic Party, and we can do better.” Jackson ran on support for single-payer health care, a national quota system, and the President’s environmental plan (all things Bentsen either opposed or refused to take a position on.) Former Senator Gary Hart also attacked Bentsen, citing his “refusal to stand by his past votes and beliefs. This shows a lack of character, perhaps the most important aspect of a President.” Hart targeted liberal “outsiders” who opposed the party establishment, were new to the party, or were rivals with the Kennedy’s. However he also ran to the right of Jackson, opposing “radical increases in spending that will explode the deficit.”

Bentsen easily won the Iowa caucuses, in large part due to his support from farmers. The NFU (national farmers union) strongly supported Bentsen and helped deliver him a wide margin of victory. In New Hampshire Bentsen would also prevail, albeit with a much closer margin over Hart. In South Carolina Bentsen would find his first defeat, falling to Jackson. Hart would withdraw after this contest. Bentsen would go on to spar with Jackson, who won states with heavily black and liberal demographics such as Maryland and Illinois, along with sweeping the Deep South. The key showdown would be in New York, where Jackson’s support from blacks and liberals would go up against Bentsen’s support from the party establishment. Polls showed that Jackson was leading due to strong grassroots organization in the black and Hispanic communities, as well as a lack of excitement towards Bentsen. However just two days before the primary, Bentsen would find his ace in the hole. President Kennedy had failed to endorse any candidates, instead holding to his line of “I will endorse whoever wins the nomination.” However on April 17, in front of a massive crowd in Rich Stadium (the home of the Buffalo Bills) President Kennedy would deliver the death knell to Jackson’s campaign: “I am here today to offer my 100% support and official endorsement to Vice-President Lloyd Bentsen, the next man to represent the Democratic Party on the ballot, and the next President of the United States!” Kennedy’s endorsement would lead to Bentsen winning by 7 points, and Jackson’s ultimate defeat.

At the convention, Bentsen would have a difficult choice to make. Jackson had yet to endorse him, and many black voters were discontent with the middle-of-the road Texan. He knew that he would have to choose a liberal to balance the ticket, but the question was who. Many hoped for Jackson, due to his large base of votes. But Bentsen would be swayed by the President himself and choose Julian Bond, Kennedy’s Secretary of HUD. Bond was a staunch liberal, young, and a popular leader in the black community. Bond’s stirring “Rainbow Coalition” speech would fire up and unite the convention, giving Bentsen the momentum he so desperately needed heading into the general election.

[hcallega]

Awesome update HC, nice to see that Bentsen vs. Jackson wasn't the all out Blood Bath that it would be, and HUD Secretary even got the bid to become the First African American ever nominated for Vice President by any of the two major party! Can't wait to see what you have in store for the GOP Side, Keep it Comming

Here's my map for the Democratic Primaries, based on Jackson's OTL Performance in '88 and my assumption that Jesse kept the fight up all the way to June.

Go Quayle!!!!

Nice job, but I feel that Bentsen would do better in New England. And yes, it could have been much worese. Actually there is still a lot of tension between the black community and the Kennedy's.

[hcallega]

1988 Republican Primaries

For the GOP, the battle for the nomination was a true example of the rise of the right within the GOP. However the division within the right was also a major theme of this campaign. The early front runners for the race were Senators Dan Quayle of Indiana and Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas, as well as Rep. Jack Kemp of upstate New York. Both Quayle and Kemp represented the party's right wing. Kemp represented the "old right", focused on fiscal responsibility, tax cuts to stimulate growth, and a tougher foreign policy. However Kemp also had a strong focus on reliving poverty by creating economic growth in impoverished areas. This ran counter to many in the "New Right", who feared any expansion of the War on Poverty, even if it was only to create free enterprise zones and tax cuts.

Speaking of the New Right, they were divided over several voices, some new and some old. Senator Quayle had become a favorite of the New Right due to his staunch opposition to President Kennedy's government programs, along with his victory over Vance Hartke, a die hard liberal (Dick Lugar defeated Birch Bayh ITTL). Quayle would focus his campaign on "supply-side economics", essentially tax cuts combined with domestic spending cuts and military spending increases to increase economic growth. Quayle would also attack Kemp for "collaborating with the enemy". However this quote, made in December of 1987 in a interview with Dan Rather, would greatly wound Quayle as many saw him as "slightly out of wack" (Ronald Reagan).

The third frontrunner, Senator Kassebaum, was in many ways the last voice from the middle for the GOP on a Presidential stage. Kassebaum's campaign initially started with little press as conservatives saw her as too moderate and moderate's were unsure if she could win. However with the endorsements of former President Richard Nixon and former Vice-President Howard Baker, the Kansas Senator became an instant force. Kassebaum focused her campaign on fiscal responsibility and creating economic growth, two very popular beliefs after generations of big government. Kassebaum also made clear her support for CHIP and various other popular domestic programs.

Of course these weren't the only candidates in the race. Reverend Pat Robertson was a favorite of the Christian Right, while Representative Phil Crane still held onto some conservative support. Governor's Tom Kean and Pierre du Pont ran from the center as well, but gained little traction from a shrinking constituency. Finally, Senator Paul Laxalt and Representative Ron Paul received a lot of press (Laxalt due to the endorsement from Ronald Reagan, Paul due to his radical views), but received little support in the polls.

The first primary race was the Iowa Caucuses. Here the race was locked in a three-way tie between Kassebaum, Kemp, and Quayle. Kassebaum would prevail, with Kemp narrowly in second, while the real shock was Robertson's victory over Quayle for the third spot. Next, in New Hampshire, Kemp would score a win over Kassebaum, but once again Robertson would upset Quayle. The Hoosier state Senator would withdraw at this point, as did Laxalt, Kean, and du Pont. From this point on the battle would be between Kassebaum and Kemp, with Robertson winning in the south, and Crane and Paul attacking all from the right. The Super Tuesday showdowns would decide the race, with Kassebaum scoring the key win in Florida. This would put her on top, and Kemp would soon withdraw. Robertson would withdraw in April, with Crane soon after and finally Paul at the convention. Nancy Kassebaum would the first female Presidential nominee of a major party. She would choose South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell to balance the ticket. However several commentators made the point that "this was the first female Presidential ticket."

[hcallega]

1988 Presidential Election

The race for the White House in 1988 pitted two moderates in a fight to the finish. For the most part, neither candidate could pull away, as both were engulfed in a relatively passive battle. For the most part the two candidates agreed on everything from abortion, to health care, to the economy. Therefore the campaign’s focus shifted from a fight over the issues to a fight over leadership, reputation, and electability.
“For the past eight years this administration has fought it’s hardest to ensure that America never gets out of debt, that we never see a balanced budget, and that we never break free from this spending induced boom bust cycle.” Senator Kassebaum’s words did not fall on def ears. Polls showed that the nation’s biggest focus was on the complete lack of fiscal discipline in Washington, and voters were sick of the welfare state. However on most everything else they saw President Kennedy as having done a solid job. The economy was doing quite well, while the Cold War was now a simmer. Poverty was low, wages were high, and the AIDS and Crack Epidemics were being attacked head on. Bentsen would attempt to build off of his fellow Democrat’s success, stating that “after 12 years of Republican leadership we fought back, and we have put this nation back on the right course.”
Bentsen’s campaign also addressed the issue of spending: “Lloyd Bentsen has worked long and hard for the people of the United States of America. As a senator, he was routinely one of the most moderate faces in Washington. His colleagues praised him as smart, committed, and willing to work with the other side. The same Republicans who are calling him tax-and-spend liberal once called him Washington’s Watchdog. And they were right.” Bentsen also pledged to cut spending on wasteful programs, reform welfare, and balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Kassebaum pledged to balance the budget in her second year, and to put a spending freeze on programs “siphoning money away from the taxpayers.” She also stated “the only increases that you will see with me will be for our soldiers and for programs that will get this economy fired up!”
The Presidential debates would end up being extra important this year. Both sides focused on their plans for the future, rather than the past. Bentsen outlined his “deficit neutral” plans, as well as his focus on “continuing to limit federal involvement in the private sector.” Kassebaum called that “bologna. The reality is that Mr. Bentsen will keep on keeping on, doing the same things that President Kennedy has that have us in a record deficit.” Nonetheless, most pundits blamed Bentsen for failing to emphasis his connection with Kennedy in the debates, and coming off as “the typical southern moderate, nothing special, nothing presidential” (Jules Witcover, THE YEAR TO WIN). The polls entering election day gave Kassebaum a two point lead, and would not fail to be accurate, as the Kansas Senator would capture the White House with some room to spare.

Kassebaum/Campbell ® 302. 51% of the Popular Vote
Bentsen/Bond (D) 236. 49% of the Popular

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I'm shifting back to my old format because I'm getting a little bored with this tl

The First Term of President Nancy Kassebaum

Entering her first term two major issues were at the heart of President Nancy Kassebaum's agenda: the deficit and bringing an end to the Cold War. After all, voters certainly didn't choose her because of a lack of prosperity or international peace. Therefore, in her inaugural address the new President chose to focus on being "an aggressive caretaker" who would "kick Washington's spending habits" and "end the conflict that has defined this generation for better or for worse: the Cold War."

Therefore, Kassebaum's first 100 days initiate was quite moderate: across the board spending cuts, a willingness to except tax hikes, welfare reform, and a major new civil rights bill for the disabled. These drew much praise from Democrats, yet Republicans were far more skeptical: "we've waited eight years for this?" (Newt Gingrich). However all of these plans were passed as the need to cut the deficit over took the needs of many special interest groups. However the spending cuts were minimized, as Republicans were reluctant to cut defense spending and Democrats domestic spending. The only other major domestic initiatives by the first female President was the appointments of David Souter and Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court, both what she called "traditional justices." Kassebaum would also negotiate and pass NAFTA between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

In foreign policy Kassebaum would be slightly more aggressive. She would intervene in Panama after the CIA reported that they were spying for Castro and funneling drugs into the US. She would also deploy US troops to the Persian Gulf after Iraq invaded Kuwait. US troops would successfully push out the Iraqis. Kassebaum made it clear that "The United States will not invade Iraq. It is not my goal, nor the goal of the United States, to go on a nation building mission." But Kassebaum's greatest accomplishment was overseeing the end of the Soviet Union. A bloodless coup would lead to the overthrow of Gorbachev by military leaders, which in turn would lead to mass protests and the overthrow of the government. Boris Yeltsin would take power, and free elections would be held. Kassebaum would call this "the culmination of a generation of hard work, and the greatest moment of my political career."

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1988 Senate Race: No net change
1988 House Race: Republican Gain of Majority
1990 House: Democrats Gain Majority
1990 Senate: No net change

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Sorry about the wide post. I didn't show up like that for me. Anyway, on to the good stuff!

1992 Democratic Primaries

The quest for the Presidency in 1992 began with a smaller than usual Democratic field. The early frontrunner was '88 VEEP Julian Bond. However Bond balked at the idea of running for President: "My focus right now isn't on the White House. It's on being a good family man, on working on the issues that I'm most concerned about, and neither of those things are made any easier by running for the Presidency of the United States." Interestingly, Bond would go on to successfully win the race for Georgia's 11th District in the House of Representatives and would go on to become the co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus with John Lewis, as well as the Democratic Whip in the House beginning in 2004. 

Without Bond, the next most likely front runners were Governors Mario Cuomo and Bob Casey. Yet both men also declined to run, do in large part due President Kassebaum's popularity. Other candidates who declined to run were Rep. Dick Gephardt, Sen. Al Gore, Sen. Bill Bradley, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and Gov. Doug Wilder.

Therefore, the final field was substantially weaker than usual: Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas, former Senator Gary Hart of Colorado, Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts, and Reverend Jesse Jackson. Jackson polled out in front early on, but Hart would begin to gain traction as a progressive with new ideas. Hart called his campaign theme "New Ideas", and focused on education reform, greater American economic strength, and a greater role for America in the Middle East. Jackson would counter with his "Rainbow Coalition" focusing on greater social justice programs and single-payer health care.

The first round of the primaries would occur in Iowa, as always. However this race featured little contest, as Senator Harkin would easily claim his home state. New Hampshire would be far more interesting, as Hart, Jackson, and Tsongas were locked in a three way tie. In the debates, Jackson would attack both Tsongas and Hart for "forgetting what the Democratic Parties all about: the little guy. It's about the working people. I mean the real working people who are barely scrapping by. You fellas want to talk about the professionals who don't vote Democrat: I want to talk about the folks who do, because they deserve a voice." Hart would fire back: "The honorable reverend is right: the poor and working class deserve a voice. But so do the people whose parents voted for Roosevelt and JFK. They benefited from the Democratic programs of the past, but they don't want to see their hard work get taxed away. We need to think about all Americans and be the party for all Americans once again. I want to do that, and quite simply Reverend Jackson doesn't."

The end result would prove that perhaps Hart was right: He would narrowly win a three way race 30-27-24 over Jackson and Tsongas. From that point on, the race would become a showdown between Hart and Jackson. Jackson would do strongly in the Deep South and states with large African-American majorities. He would even carry New York, the state that had denied him the nomination in 1988. However Hart would do very well both among traditional Democratic groups and new democrats. The race would hinge on California, where Hart's support from the Democratic establishment would lead to his victory. This time, Jackson would be much more gracious in defeat: "You know, four years ago a lot of you thought that I had been cheated out a win in New York. Today I can tell you that just as in 1988, my opponent has won fair and square. I strongly endorse Mr. Hart of Colorado, as he is a true Democrat, and a true friend of the Rainbow Coalition. The most important thing all of you can do is to work as hard as you can for Gary Hart and to vote in November for the Democratic Party!"

At the convention, Hart would select Governor Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, a pro-lifer, as his VEEP to help sure up Reagan Democrats and Social Conservatives against the pro-choice President Kassebaum.

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So I’m really getting bored with this TL (Kennedy and Nixon were fun, but the butterflies are getting boring), so here is my summary issue:

1992: Hart defeats Kassebaum largely due to the recession and his energetic personality. Also, Nixon Aide Pat Buchanan challenges Kassebaum as a third party candidate in the general election, helping to throw several states to the Hart campaign.

Hart’s Term: Hart governs quite well, stimulating economic growth, signing NAFTA, and passing CHIP reform focused at reducing waste and adding in several liberal provisions. The bill was written by the Senate’s liberal lion, Walter Mondale. Hart also increases domestic spending slightly, while cutting defense spending. His approval ratings are as high as President Nixon’s at the end of his term. Speaking of Nixon, he dies and his White House tapes are released. Also released in information about CREEP, revealing the Watergate scandal. His reputation is permanently tarnished. In 1995, Newsweek publishes a story about an alleged affair between Hart and Donna Rice, as well as several other women on international trips since being elected President. The Republicans in congress attempt to impeach him, unsuccessfully. But Hart’s reputation is tarnished, especially in his lackluster response to the allegations: “I didn’t do anything wrong, believe me!” Hart decides not to run for reelection.

1996: Casey is defeated by Governor Doug Wilder of Virginia in the Democratic Primaries. Gore is in turn defeated by former Governor Lamar Alexander of Tennessee in the general election.

Alexander’s term: Alexander has a fairly center-right term. The economy goes through unprecedented growth; he balances the budget, and increases the US’s role internationally, especially in Eastern Europe. He also delivers on greater deregulation, tax cuts, and less government spending.

2000: Alexander defeats Rep. Dick Gephardt in the general election by a sound margin, one of the largest since the days of Nixon.

Alexander’s Term: Alexander once again governs from the right, but fails at his major attempt at privatizing social security and ending the employer mandate for CHIP. 9/11 changes his term however. He invades Afghanistan, and makes clear that any nation supporting terrorism will be punished. In 2003, Syria is invaded for evidence of funding Al Qaeda. Israel joins in the invasion, leading to regional chaos. The war in Syria dominates public opinion and by 2004 many Americans are doubting whether we should have invaded them. Also, the economy is slumping.

2004: Governor Howard Dean, an opponent of the war, wins the Democratic nomination and defeats Alexander’s VP John McCain in the general election by a narrow margin.

Dean’s term: Dean withdraws from Syria and requests Israel to do the same, which they do not. Dean also is able to successfully pass Single-Payer Health Care and strong environmental reform, while staying away from other hot button issues like abortion and gun control.

2008: Dean defeats Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee with a “mandate”

2009: Dean continues to take a liberal approach, and announces the US withdrawl from Afghanistan, as well as a stimulus package for the growing recession.