World Without Watergate: The Ultimate Version

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Fixed

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

[Robespierre's Jaw]

HC, I felt kind, and bored at the same time so here's a list of Presidents

Presidents of the United States

37. Richard Nixon (R-CA): January 20, 1969 – January 20, 1977
38. John Connally (R-TX): January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981
39. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA): January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
40. Nancy Kassebaum (R-KA): January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993
41. Gary Hart (D-CO): January 20, 1993 – January 20, 1997
42. Lamar Alexander (R-TN): January 20, 1997 – January 20, 2005
43. Howard Dean (D-VT): January 20, 2005 – Present Day