What a tackle by Rosey Grier: An Alternate History

[hcallega]

1988 Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 59 D, 41 R
Democratic Gains
-Nebraska: Bob Kerrey
-Virginia: Chuck Robb
Republican Gains
-Florida: Connie Mack III
-Mississippi: Trent Lott
-Montana: Conrad Burns
-Vermont: Jim Jeffords
Following Elections: 57 D, 43 R

Entering Elections: 242 D, 205 R
Following Elections: 239 D, 208 R

[hcallega]

The First Term of President Julian Bond

January of 1989 was a historic time to be an American. President Julian Bond represented a major victory for the Black Population of the United States. Bond's innagural address focused on appealing for unity among all parties and ideologies, while also focusing on issues unique to the African-American population: "And to my black brothers and sisters I say to you this: We are out of the shadows. We are no longer the forgotten people of America. Finally we can truly say that we are an equal part of the American quilt."

Domestic Policies: President Bond focused his first term on domestic issues. First and foremost, he wanted to create "a truly equal America." To do so, he focused greatly on several initiatives: Health care reform, urban reform, and civil rights legislation. On each issue Bond tacked hard to the left. On Health Care reform the new President endorsed a single-payer plan proposed by Representatives John Dingell of Michigan and Charlie Rangell. However the proposal ran into strong opposition from both Republicans and many moderate and conservative Democrats. This was seen as a major defeat for the new President, and his approval ratings fell in his major fight for the bill. The defeat helped energize the Republican base and delivered them a solid 1990 Midterm Election. Following that defeat, Bond chose to shift his focus to smaller issues. He shifted the government's focus back to the cities to "undo the damage of the 1980s. We saw the arrival of crack-cocaine in our cities, and we saw the departure of the federal government from the scene." Bond increased funding for urban renewal projects and along with Representative Jack Kemp fought for greater funds for Workfare. Bond's other major domestic policy achievement was in Civil Rights, where he passed two major pieces of legislation. The first was the Civil Rights Act of 1990, which reinforced the power of the federal government on issues of discrimination and shifted the burden of proof from the accuser the defendant on discrimination suits. The Equal Rights Act of 1991 was also passed. This bill labeled crimes against an individual due to sexual orientation as hate crimes, as well as doubling the amount of funding for AIDS research.

Economic Policy: President Bond reversed the direction of the Supply-Side policies of President Reagan. Firstly, he passed a budget which raised taxes on the wealthy and capital gains while maintaining them as they were for the middle class. Bond also pursued attempts to regulate many of the markets deregulated by Reagan and congress, but failed. Bond also failed to negotiate a fair-trade for the America's bill due to opposition from Mexico which saw no benefit in the plan.
 
Foreign Policy: President Bond oversaw the end of the Cold War in a very smooth fashion. Rather than shift to the left on this issue, Bond continued the precedent set by Reagan. He also oversaw Russia's shift from Communism to Democracy. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Bond opposed a US-led counter strike, but did contribute the most troops to the international coalition. He agreed with the coalition's decision to not pursue the Iraqi army into Iraq.

1990 Senate Elections

Entering Elections: 57 D, 43 R
Democratic Gains: None
Republican Gains:
-New Jersey: Christie Todd Whitman
Following Elections: 56 D, 44 R

Entering Elections: 242 D, 205 R
Following Elections: 220 D, 225 R

[Bo]

The Glass-Steagall Act is never repealed in this scenario, right? Also, what does Bond make the upper-marginal income tax rate?

[Historico]

Awesome update Hc, seems like Bond won't be able to duch a big turnaround in terms of policy, judicial appoinments etc from the Reagan Adminstration...So it may be very hard for him come 1992 to be looking god for TTL's 1st black potus reelection Campaign...Keep it comming

[hcallega]

Democratic Senate Leader
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Democratic Assistant Leader
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1969-1977
Alan Cranston (CA) 1977-1989
George Mitchell (ME) 1989-1991

Democratic Conference Chair
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Democratic Conference Secretary
Robert Byrd (WV) 1967-1977
Daniel Inouye (HI) 1977-1989
David Pryor (AR) 1989-Present

Democratic Policy Committee Chairman
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-Present

Republican Senate Leader
Everett Dirksen (IL) 1959-September 1969
Hugh Scott (PA) September 1969-1977
Robert Griffin (MI) 1977-1979
Ted Stevens (AK) 1979-1985
Bob Dole (KS) 1985-1989
Alan Simpson (WY) 1989-Present

Republican Assistant Senate Leader
Hugh Scott (PA) 1969
Robert Griffin (MI) 1969-1977
Ted Stevens (AK) 1977-1979
Howard Baker (TN) 1979-1985
Alan Simpson (WY) 1985-1989
Trent Lott (MS) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
Margaret Chase Smith (ME) 1967-1972
Norris Cotton (NH) 1973-1974
Carl Curtis (NE) 1975-1978
Bob Packwood (OR) 1978-1980
James McClure (ID) 1981-1984
John Chafee (RI) 1985-1990
Thad Cochran (MS) 1991-Present

Republican Conference Vice-Chair
Milton Young (ND) 1956-1971
Norris Cotton (NH) 1971-1972
Wallace Bennett (UT) 1973-1974
Robert Stafford (VT) 1976
Clifford Hansen (WY) 1977-1978
Jake Garn (UT) 1979-1985
Thad Cochran (MS) 1985-1991
Bob Katsen (WI) 1991-Present

Republican Policy Committee Chair
Gordon Allot (CO) 1969-1972
John Tower (TX) 1972-1977
Howard Baker (TN) 1977-1979
Bob Dole (KS) 1979-Present

House Leadership
Speakers of the House
John McCormack (D-MA) 1963-1971
Carl Albert (D-OK) 1971-1977
Tip O'Neill (D-MA) 1977-1987
Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) 1987-1991
Bob Michel (IL) 1991-Present

Democratic Leader
Carl Albert (OK) 1961-1971
Hale Boggs (LA) 1971-1973
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1973-1977
John McFall (CA) 1977-1979
Phil Burton (CA) 1979-1983
Tom Foley (WA) 1983-1991

Democratic Whip
Hale Boggs (LA) 1961-1971
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1971-1973
John McFall (CA) 1973-1977
John Brademas (IN) 1977-1981
Tom Foley (WA) 1981-1983
Gillis Long (LA) 1983-1985
Toney Coelho (CA) 1985-1989
David Obey (WI) 1989-Present

Democratic Caucus Chairman
Dan Rostenkowski (IL) 1967-1971
Olin Teague (TX) 1971-1975
Phil Burton (CA) 1975-1977
Tom Foley (WA) 1977-1981
Gillis Long (LA) 1981-1983
Dick Gephardt (MO) 1983-1989
William Gray (PA) 1989
Steny Hoyer (MD) 1989-Present

Democratic Caucus Secretary
Leonor Sullivan (MO) 1959-1975
Patsy Minsk (HI) 1975-1977
Shirley Chisholm (NY) 1977-1981
Geraldine Ferraro (NY) 1981-1987
Barbara Kennelly (CT) 1987-Present

Republican Leader
Gerald Ford (MI) 1965-1981
Robert Michel (IL) 1981-1991
Dick Armey (TX) 1991-Present

Republican Whip
Leslie Arends (IL) 1943-1975
Bob Michel (IL) 1975-1981
Trent Lott (MI) 1981-1989
Dick Cheney (WY) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
John Anderson (IL) 1969-1979
Samuel Devine (OH) 1979-1981
Jack Kemp (NY) 1981-1987
Dick Cheney (WY) 1987-1989
Jerry Lewis (CA) 1989-Present

Republican Vice-Chairman
Jack Edwards (AL) 1979-1985
Lynn Morley Martin (IL) 1985-1989
Bill McCollum (FL) 1989-Present

Republican Conference Secretary
Jack Edwards (AL) 1975-1979
Clair Burgenger (CA) 1979-1985
Robert Lagomarsino (CA) 1985-1989
Vin Weber (MN) 1989-Present

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

Great timeline! Very interesting!

[hcallega]

1992 GOP Nomination

   With the stinging defeat of 1988 still fresh on their minds, the Republican Party was eager to nominate a strong candidate in 1992. The early favorite for the nomination was Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, the 1988 nominee. However Dole decided to bow out of the race before it even started, instead choosing to focus on his work in the Senate. Following Dole’s absence, the field became instantly wide open. Former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander jumped into the race first, preaching a pragmatic conservatism with populist undertones. Following Alexander were a slew of candidates with limited name-recognition but a long list of accomplishments: Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana, Governor John Engler of Michigan, Senator Nancy Kassenbaum of Kansas, and Senator Christie Todd Whitman of New Jersey. However none of these candidates jumped out as serious contenders. Instead, it would be the announcements of two major figures of the 1980s that would change the 1992 race.
   
   Representative Jack Kemp of New York was a legitimate conservative, but was often attacked by the far-right as being too much of a poverty warrior and opponent of small-government. However Kemp was quite popular with moderates and many Democrats on Capital Hill. Kemp was joined at the frontrunner’s table by former Secretary of State Jim Baker. Baker was a close aide to former President Ronald Reagan and was a favorite with conservative insiders. Polls showed that he narrowly trailed Kemp nationwide. However polls in Iowa showed him at a considerable disadvantage to Kemp and Kassenbaum. When the polls closed, Baker would narrowly take second place with Kemp winning and Kassenbaum in third. In New Hampshire Kemp would once again finish on top, beating Whitman. Kemp would cruise to the nomination, loosing only the occasional primary to a regional favorite. At the convention, Kemp would select former Senator Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire as his VEEP.

1992 General Election

   The 1992 race for the White House was anything if not chaotic. President Bond survived a primary challenge from conservative Democratic Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, and many in his party were none to fond of his liberal policies. However the GOP was also fragmented. Angered at the so-called “conservative-lite” ticket, Republican Consultant and media personality Pat Buchanan ran as an independent with Alan Keyes. This ticket was not particularly strong in the polls, but hounded Kemp at every step of the campaign. This helped Bond to distance himself from “the chaos on the right” and solidify himself. Running less on the issues and more on personality, Bond was able to appear more “presidential” than Kemp. He chose an aggressive “Truman-esque” strategy for his campaign. Following the convention polls showed Bond down by as much as 9%. But with an effective campaign and Kemp’s weak campaigning, heading into the debates the polls were within the margin of error. Here Bond would shine, attacking Kemp for an “inconsistent message, voting record, and just about everything else!” Kemp would fail to articulate a clear plan for the country, and did not emphasis minor recession enough. Bond was quick to puff himself up over the end of the Cold War, and came out of the debates the big winner. In fact, heading into Election Day some polls showed him with the lead. His eventual victory was shocking and compared to Truman’s in 1948.

Bond/Gephardt (D)   308 EVs 48% of the PV
Kemp/Humphrey (R) 230 EVs 46% of the PV
Buchanan/Keyes (I) 6% of the PV

1992 Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 56 D, 44 R
Democratic Gains
-California: Diane Feinstein
Republican Gains
-California: Bruce Herchershorn
-Georgia: Paul Coverdell
-North Carolina: Lauch Faircloth
Following Elections: 54 D, 46 R

House Elections
Entering Elections: 225 R, 220 D
Following Elections: 232 R, 213 D

[Historico]

Wow, I was really expecting Julian to be a one term President...So i guess I can put away my Kemp beats Bond Newsarticle then lol...Keep it comming HC

[hcallega]

The Second Term of President Julian Bond

Coming off of an extremely narrow reelection, President Bond was forced to deal with an entirely new slew of issues. The economy was in a mild recession, and any hope of a decent midterm election season would be squashed if it didn't rebound. To make matters worse, Republican leadership in the House made it clear that no compromises would be made on key legislation: "President Bond showed complete disregard for us in his first term. We would appreciate some more civility, but expect little." (Speaker Michel).

Domestic Policy: President Bond didn't have the political capital to embark on an aggressive domestic agenda the same way that he had in his first term. Rather, his second term was focused on pursuing "small steps to accomplish big things." His only major partisan accomplishment was the 1994 Crime Bill which restricted the ability to purchase assault weapons and increased officer pay. However several more bipartisan measures were passed by congress. Immigration reform was tackled in a bipartisan factor by Senators Mo Udall of Arizona and Peter Domenici of New Mexico. The Immigration Reform Act of 1993 contained provisions for a pathway to citizenship, a guest-worker program, and strengthened border control. However the House passed a far more conservative bill without a pathway or guest worker program that focused on strengthening border security and making it more difficult for illegals to be exploited within the US. In conference, the final bill included no guest worker program, but did include several aspects of the pathway. It was signed into law by President Bond who remarked "This bill isn't anywhere near perfect, but it's a start." Finally, congress tackled the health care issue, but not through government expansion. Rather the Gramm Bill of 1993 created Medical Savings Accounts and a slew of tax cuts. Receiving bipartisian support, President Bond signed it into law.

Foreign Policy: President Bond increased humanitarian funding and support for the UN. He would also deploy troops to Somalia to help protect medical supplies being distributed. This ended up being a dangerous mission, as several US soldiers were killed over the several weeks that they were deployed. Bond also offered economic assistance and increased trade to the former Soviet republics.

Economic Policy: Bond passed a stimulus package in 1993 as one of the first measures of his presidency. The measure included large increases in public works funds and was considered by many a "Jobs Bill". He would also pass a deficit reduction bill in 1994 that did not include tax cuts but was passed with the support of enough moderate Republicans for it to be passed.

Overall, Bond's term was considered decent, but not spectacular. He was seen as very divisive, but also very positive and upbeat. While he oversaw an expansion of government and services, he also made an effort to cut the deficit and real back the Cold War era military.

 

1994 Midterm Elections

Entering Election: 54 D, 46 R
Republican Gains
-Arizona: Jon Kyl
-California: Michael Huffington
-Maine: Olympia Snowe
-New Jersey: Chuck Haytaian
-Ohio: Mike DeWine
-Oklahoma: James Inhofe
-Pennsylvania: Rick Santorum
-Virginia: Oliver North
Following Election: 54 R, 46 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 232 R, 213 D
Following Elections: 262 R, 183 D

[hcallega]

1996 Presidential Election

Following the controversial Presidency of Julian Bond, many in America hoped for a "return to normalcy". First there had been Iran-Contra, then a recession, and then the controversial and independent minded President Bond. Therefore, when the campaign for the White House began in 1996, both sides attempted to portray themselves as middle of the road centrists.

Democratic Nomination: The rode to the Democratic Party's nomination in 1996 was somewhat less clouded than expected. Many in the party initially had worried that a whole slew of candidates would jump at the chance to follow in Bond's footsteps, but the reality was that very few were willing to take the jump. Potential frontrunners Mario Cuomo and Ann Richards both declined to run, Setting up a unique situation. However Majority Leader Gore was quick to pull the trigger and jump into the race. He resigned from his position late in 1995 to begin a full on campaign. Joining him was former Senator Bill Bradley, Senators Bob Kerrey, Tom Harkin, and Jay Rockefeller. Surprisingly, no black candidates ran in a race to succeed the first black president. The prominent Virginia Governor Doug Wilder was seen as a potentially strong candidate, but had burnt many of his bridges after running as an independent in the 1994 Virginia Senate race. His presence was seen as a major factor in incumbent Democrat Chuck Robb. He chose not to run instead.
The primary season was not particularly exciting compared to what some would have thought. Harkin essentially ran unopposed in the Iowa caucuses, but it was Gore who was victorious over Bradley in a close New Hampshire result. From that point on it was clear that Gore would be the nominee, and he essentially swept the rest of the primaries. At the nomination he announced that now there would be “A New Democratic Party that future generations can look to and be truly proud of”. Gore would select former Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wofford (an Honorary Kennedy and ally of labor) as his Vice-Presidential nominee.
Republican Nomination: The battle for the Republican nomination was quite fierce. The first candidate to declare his candidacy was conservative activist Pat Buchanan. He was soon followed by Christian Conservative Alan Keyes. This symbolized a return to the mold by two paleo-conservatives to the GOP. However neither candidates were seen as electable. They were followed by Senators Richard Lugar of Indiana and Orrin Hatch of Utah. Both were principled conservatives who were popular with moderates and independents. Finally, Senators Christie Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Oliver North of Virginia joined the race. This eccentric field was as very diverse and there was no obvious frontrunner. Lugar would prevail in Iowa but would be defeated in New Hampshire by Hatch. The race would go back and forth from there on out, with Hatch finally prevailing. He would select Whitman as his VEEP. This center-right ticket would lead to much anger from the paleo-conservative wing of the party, and Governor Pete Wilson of California and Ross Perot of Texas would form an independent ticket to challenge them.
General Election: With yet another three horse field, polls showed that Gore had a narrow lead. He successfully distanced himself from Bond by supporting NAFTA, opposing abortion, and supporting school prayer. He drew the support of many traditionally liberal groups as well as moderate organizations. Hatch on the other hand had trouble wooing conservatives who saw his inquisitive role in the Senate as a negative. They also saw Wilson as a potentially stronger force for Republicans. However most would end up breaking for Hatch, but late in the race. The debates also helped Hatch to close the gap, as he showed a solid knowledge of the issues whereas Gore at times appeared to be at a loss. However when the polls closed it would once again be a Democrat who was sitting in the Oval Office, as Wilson’s presence would prevent Hatch from winning in several states.

Gore/Wofford (D)   302 EVs   48% of the PV
Hatch/Whitman (R)   232 EVs   44% of the PV
Wilson/Perot (I)   8% of the PV

[Historico]

Hmm, Can't say I saw Gore and the Dem's winning the White House for another term...Why didn't Vice President Gephardt run? This ALT Gore Presidency should be incredibly differnt then one we might have seen in January '01 as he largely remained the Moderate-to Conservative record of his Senate Years. I think former Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Christine Todd Whitman is a lock for 2000...Keep it comming

[hcallega]

Hmm, Can't say I saw Gore and the Dem's winning the White House for another term...Why didn't Vice President Gephardt run? This ALT Gore Presidency should be incredibly differnt then one we might have seen in January '01 as he largely remained the Moderate-to Conservative record of his Senate Years. I think former Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Christine Todd Whitman is a lock for 2000...Keep it comming

Gephardt did not run due to the relative unpopularity of Bond and his administration. Gore's victory is one of the bigger upsets in this TL, and many Republicans blame Hatch for running a bad campaign. Either way, without Wilson Gore dosen't win.

[hcallega]

The First Term of President Al Gore

This wasn't supposed to have happened. Al Gore, the Senate's respected Majority Leader, was now standing in front of the building where he and his father had proudly served. Both men were there today as well. The Republicans in the audience looked especially angry. 1996 was supposed to be there year. Every "generic" poll showed a united GOP front winning, and winning big. But of course that was not the case. Pete Wilson had ruined that. He wasn't in Washington that day, avoiding the pomp and circumstance that he had so often derided on the trail. However Orrin Hatch was. This was supposed to be his day. He was nominated in large part as a gift. He had served a long and esteemed senate career, and the party was rewarding him with the White House. But that hadn't happened.

But the liberal Democrats in the audience were also a bit off. The look on outgoing President Bond's face explained it all: This was the man who consistently slowed down all my legislation. He wanted to compromise with the right and take the heart out of every thing an inch to the left. Damn it...Why is he here! In fact the only seemingly upbeat liberal was former President Kennedy, seated with the new President's father. While not too ideologically similar, both men shared an old-fashioned respect for one another. In fact, Kennedy had come extremely close to selecting Gore as his Vice-Presidential nominee in 1968. His staff had been divided between choosing Gore or George Smathers. But it had been the always independent minded Bobby who had gone with Yarborough. Nonetheless, for the Democratic Party they were seeing their first non-liberal innagurated President since the New Deal, at the very least. Columnist Paul Krugman would write "The Party's in for a shock. For the first time since Woodrow Wilson there's a man in the White House with a D next to his name who's not indebted to labor, minorities, or farmers. He's indebted to the middle class, the suburbanites who liked his green politics, his middle of the road economic policies, and his law and order approach to inner-city crime. It's gonna be quite a ride."

Domestic Policy: In President Gore's address to congress in 1997, he would state that he had three primary goals for first term: "One: balance the budget so that our grandchildren will be able to keep on living the American Dream. Two: enact pro-middle class policies on all fronts, so that the heart of America keeps on beating strong. And three: clean up Washington so that the American people no longer look at this great building, this great city, as a place of concentrated waste." Gore's plans were by no means liberal, and were very much aimed at creating a bi-partisan consensus. He easily passed his pro-Middle Class policies, including tax cuts for individuals and small businesses. He also got through several lobbying and ethics reforms without any serious opposition. However achieving a balanced budget was a little bit more difficult. Democrats opposed cutting entitlement programs and Republicans opposed cutting defense spending. However, with Representative Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Gore was able to craft an effective plan that balanced the budget by 2000 successfully. Other important domestic issues for President Gore were the passing of a comprehensive crime bill that expanded the use of the death penalty and the Kyoto Treaty, which President Gore fought hard for but still was not ratified by the Senate.

Foreign Policy: Following the end of the Cold War, there was far less action on the foreign policy front. However the genocide in former Yugoslavia became President Gore's number one focus. Fighting hard against congressional Republican opposition, President Gore sent US troops to the region to end the genocide and overthrow Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic. After just under a year of fighting, US troops were sucessfull. General Wesley Clark gave much of the credit to President Gore for "taking a risk that saved thousands of lives. I honestly believe that without us there would be no end to the genocide." Serbs in the United States would be critical of Gore for not taking a hard line against Croatia, a nation that also committed genocide and counter-genocide. Gore would also step up anti-terror funding in his first term.

Economic Policy: Gore would push for a strongly neo-liberal economic policy as President. In 1997 he signed NAFTA into creation after passing narrowly through congress. This trade agreement angered unions, and was seen as hurting the Democrats in the 1998 midterm elections. Gore would also push for large scale deregulation successfully. In fact, columnist Paul Krugman would call Gore "the most sucessfull deregulator of business in US history. Reagan gets a lot of credit from business, but didn't get much accomplished against the heavily Democratic congress. Gore didn't have that problem, and he will reap the rewards in 2000." Gore would also oppose the Employee Free Choice Act from coming up to a vote in any year of congress. In his memoirs he would recall "I supported the essence of the bill. But I didn't want to see our party divide over it. I'm no martyr, but I figured that I might as well be the only Democrat to take the bullet, and not have my old friends in the Senate pay the price in their reelection bids."

[hcallega]

1996 Congressional Elections

Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 54 R, 46 D
Republican Gains
-Georgia: Guy Millner
-Louisiana: Woody Jenkins
-Massachusetts: William Weld
-Nebraska: Chuck Hagel
Democratic Gains
-South Dakota: Tim Johnson
Following Elections: 57 R, 43 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 262 R, 183 D
Following Elections: 265 R, 180 D

1998 Congressional Elections

Senate Elections
Entering Elections: 57 R, 43 D
Democratic Gains
-California: Vic Fazio
-Indiana: Evan Bayh
-North Carolina: John Edwards
Republican Gains
-Illinois: Peter Fitzgerald
-Nevada: John Ensign
-Ohio: George Voinovich
Following Elections: 57 R, 43 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 265 R, 180 D
Following Elections: 255 R, 190 D

[Historico]

Hmm...It's seems like old Al's having a pretty successfull Presidency but I think he is running against the 12 year rule and Democratic Fatigue(The American Peole have never really stuck with the Dems once times got good but IDK) and I think if he runs against another Moderate...One with their own History making Ramification cough "Christie Whitman" cough he could narrowly loose it especially if the Liberal Wing runs a strong candidate cough "Ralph Nader" cough(Imagine how much it would suck to have a Bush V. Gore Scenario but with Gore as the loosing Incumbent President...Ouch lol)...Keep it comming HC

[hcallega]

Hmm...It's seems like old Al's having a pretty successfull Presidency but I think he is running against the 12 year rule and Democratic Fatigue(The American Peole have never really stuck with the Dems once times got good but IDK) and I think if he runs against another Moderate...One with their own History making Ramification cough "Christie Whitman" cough he could narrowly loose it especially if the Liberal Wing runs a strong candidate cough "Ralph Nader" cough(Imagine how much it would suck to have a Bush V. Gore Scenario but with Gore as the loosing Incumbent President...Ouch lol)...Keep it comming HC

It's funny because Gore has painted himself (as Michael Moore has said in this TL) as "anything but a Democrat". The only really liberal thing he did was advocate for Kyoto, and that failed. Expect an exciting race!

P.S.: Historico, you are by far the best at predicting my next move, at least to a certain extent lol

[Bo]

Go Gore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hcallega]

2000 Presidential Election

It had been a solid first term for President Al Gore. The economy was riding it's greatest period of growth since the 1980s, there was a rare budget surplus, and US troops had successfully removed a genocidal dictator from power. President Gore's approval ratings were strong, ranging from 55-60% depending on the source. But not all was well in the Democratic Party. When things get good, people get greedy. This was arguably the case in 2000. The left was frustrated. Outside of environmental issues, Gore had abandon the party base. He had signed welfare reform and a ban of partial-birth abortions into law. He had negotiated NAFTA and had opposed the Employee Free Choice Act. And while he had always maintained that "working families come first", he had done little in terms of policy to back that up.

In searching for an opposition candidate, the left had a great deal of trouble. Labor looked to former Vice-President Dick Gephardt, now a lobbyist for GM. However any interest that Gephardt had in running was eliminated by polls showing that he matched up poorly against Gore. Many in the grassroots left also opposed him, due to his ties to big business. Next in line was Senator Bob Kerrey. Kerrey was by no means a liberal, but his ties to reform minded movements made him a popular alternative for some. However Kerrey had no interest in running for President, and quickly rejected any rumors of a candidacy. Finally the left was forced to rally behind actor and director Warren Beatty. Beatty was a strong progressive with political ties going as far back as Eugene McCarthy. While not a politician, he still pursued an eager campaign, aggressively attacking Gore for his "faux-liberal views". However Beatty had trouble connecting with voters, and a vigorous effort by ex-Presidents Bond and Kennedy helped to propel Gore to wide victories in Iowa and New Hampshire. Following those two defeats, Beatty would withdraw.

On the Republican side, things were a little more complicated. VP nominee Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey was the first candidate to jump into the race. Polls showed her out front, as many moderates admired her spunk and blunt style. Next to join the race was former Indiana Senator Dan Quayle. Quayle was a staunch conservative, and despite a less than stellar way with words jumped into a dead heat with Whitman. The conservative base did not want to see another centrist ticket, and many saw Whitman as too similar to Gore to win. Things got even worse for Whitman when Massachusetts Senator William Weld joined the race. Weld was slightly to the left of Whitman, and immediately cut her support in half. All of a sudden the possibility of Dan Quayle at the top of the Republican ticket became very real indeed. To counter this threat, two center-right candidates joined the race. The first was former Governor Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. Alexander was by no means a staunch conservative. He had supported many of Gore's policies and was open about it: "The President has done a lot of good. But much of what he's done has been to the right of center. I will tell you all this right now. If President Gore is reelected he will push to the left as hard as he can, and there will be nothing we can do to stop it." Alexander faired poorly in the polls however, as he lacked the charisma needed to win. The last major candidate to join the race was Senator John McCain of Arizona. McCain had aligned himself with Gore on a slew of issues, but unlike Alexander he didn't see it as a matter of Gore being center-right: "I am proud to say that I supported NAFTA, the President's Middle Class plan, and the war in Yugoslavia. It's not a matter of left or right, it's a matter of what's right. I can't tell you what President Gore will do next year, or even what he will do tomorrow. But I can tell you that I will always do what I believe is right." McCain would jump ahead in the polls, but he would fall in Iowa to Quayle. However he would narrowly defeat Weld in New Hampshire, and from then on out he would be the frontrunner. At the convention, McCain would select South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell as his VEEP, uniting a center-right themed ticket.

The pending Gore-McCain match up was a showdown between two moderates. Polls showed a slight lead for Gore, due in large part to the economic prosperity of the time. But the left was still angry. They saw Gore as to accomadating to the right, and McCain as too conservative on issues such as labor and "values" to support. Instead, many would turn their support over to the Green Party and their nominee, Ralph Nader. Nader was a consumer protection lawyer who had taken strongly leftist stances all his life. Nader had always had at least some presence in the polls, starting with about 2-4%. But in September one thing would make Nader a major force and change the entire dynamic of the race. Throughout the spring and summer, Gore had positioned himself as a centrist. He believed that he could afford to take middle of the road stances because there was no viable alternative for the left. Beatty had been vanquished and now the progressives would have to deal with it. Most had, with NOW and the AFL-CIO quick to endorse Gore. But one group had consistently been a thorn in Gore's side. The UAW, led by President Stephen Yokich, refused to endorse Gore unless he provided "sufficient evidence that he would support pro-worker policies and fair trade agreements internationally." In September, lacking this evidence and receiving a "cold shoulder" from the Gore campaign, Yokich and the UAW endorsed Nader. Following this announcement, Robert Kennedy Jr. also endorsed the fellow consumer advocate. Yokich and Kennedy would go on to campaign with Nader for the remainder of the campaign. This would lead to a major boost for Nader at the polls. More bad news for Gore followed, when the Teamsters Union endorsed McCain.

The debates would prove to unspectacular and indecisive. Neither candidate did particularly well or particularly bad, and the general consensus was that the polls were not affected. Nader was not allowed to participate, despite his double digit standing in the polls. This actually helped him, as his outsider image was reinforced. Going into election day, it was anyones guess who would prevail.

McCain/Campbell (R) 46%, 292
Gore/Wofford (D) 45%, 246
Nader/LaDuke (G) 8%

[hcallega]

P.S.
Top two Nader  states
-Alaska: 20% of the PV (exceeding Gore for 2nd Place)
-Vermont: 14% of the PV (made it actually one of the closer states)

[hcallega]

2000 Congressional Elections

Entering Elections: 58 R, 42 D
Democratic Gains
-Delaware: Tom Carper
-Florida: Bill Nelson
-Michigan: Debbie Stabenow
-Minnesota: Mark Dayton
-Missouri: Mel Carnahan
-Montana: Brian Schweitzer
-Washington: Maria Cantwell
Republican Gains
-Nevada: Jim Gibbons
Following Elections: 52 R, 48 D

House Elections
Entering Elections: 255 R, 190 D
Following Elections: 244 R, 201 D

[hcallega]

House Leadership

House Leadership
Speakers of the House
John McCormack (D-MA) 1963-1971
Carl Albert (D-OK) 1971-1977
Tip O'Neill (D-MA) 1977-1987
Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) 1987-1991
Bob Michel (IL) 1991-1995
Dick Armey (TX) 1995-Present

Democratic Leader
Carl Albert (OK) 1961-1971
Hale Boggs (LA) 1971-1973
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1973-1977
John McFall (CA) 1977-1979
Phil Burton (CA) 1979-1983
Tom Foley (WA) 1983-1997
John Lewis (GA) 1997-Present

Democratic Whip
Hale Boggs (LA) 1961-1971
Tip O'Neill (MA) 1971-1973
John McFall (CA) 1973-1977
John Brademas (IN) 1977-1981
Tom Foley (WA) 1981-1983
Gillis Long (LA) 1983-1985
Toney Coelho (CA) 1985-1989
David Obey (WI) 1989-1994
John Lewis (GA) 1994-1997
David Bonior (MI) 1997-Present

Democratic Caucus Chairman
Dan Rostenkowski (IL) 1967-1971
Olin Teague (TX) 1971-1975
Phil Burton (CA) 1975-1977
Tom Foley (WA) 1977-1981
Gillis Long (LA) 1981-1983
Dick Gephardt (MO) 1983-1989
William Gray (PA) 1989
Steny Hoyer (MD) 1989-1995
Vic Fazio (CA) 1995-1999
Martin Frost (TX) 1999-Present

Democratic Caucus Secretary/Vice-Chair
Leonor Sullivan (MO) 1959-1975
Patsy Minsk (HI) 1975-1977
Shirley Chisholm (NY) 1977-1981
Geraldine Ferraro (NY) 1981-1987
Mary Rose Oakar (OH) 1987-1995
Barbara Kennelly (CT) 1995-1999
Bob Menendez (NJ) 1999-Present

Republican Leader
Gerald Ford (MI) 1965-1981
Robert Michel (IL) 1981-1991
Dick Armey (TX) 1991-1995
Dick Cheney (WY) 1995-2001
Tom DeLay (TX) 2001-Present

Republican Whip
Leslie Arends (IL) 1943-1975
Bob Michel (IL) 1975-1981
Trent Lott (MI) 1981-1989
Dick Cheney (WY) 1989-1995
Newt Gingrich (GA) 1995-2001
John Boehner (OH) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
John Anderson (IL) 1969-1979
Samuel Devine (OH) 1979-1981
Jack Kemp (NY) 1981-1987
Dick Cheney (WY) 1987-1989
Jerry Lewis (CA) 1989-1993
John Boehner (OH) 1993-1999
J.C. Watts (OK) 1999-Present

Republican Vice-Chairman
Jack Edwards (AL) 1979-1985
Lynn Morley Martin (IL) 1985-1989
Bill McCollum (FL) 1989-1995
Susan Molinari (NY) 1995-1997
Jennifer Dunn (WA) 1997-1999
Tillie Fowler (FL) 1999-2001
Deborah Pryce (OH) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Secretary
Jack Edwards (AL) 1975-1979
Clair Burgenger (CA) 1979-1985
Robert Lagomarsino (CA) 1985-1989
Vin Weber (MN) 1989-1993
Tom DeLay (TX) 1993-1995
Barbara Vucanovich (NV) 1995-1997
Tillie Fowler (FL) 1997-1999
Deborah Pryce (OH) 1999-2001
Barbara Cubin (WY) 2001-Present

[hcallega]

Senate Leadership

Democratic Senate Leader
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Chris Dodd (CT) 1997-Present

Democratic Assistant Leader
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1969-1977
Alan Cranston (CA) 1977-1989
George Mitchell (ME) 1989-1995
Wendell Ford (KY) 1995-1999
Jeff Bingaman (NM) 1999-Present

Democratic Conference Chair
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Chris Dodd (CT) 1997-Present

Democratic Conference Secretary
Robert Byrd (WV) 1967-1977
Daniel Inouye (HI) 1977-1989
David Pryor (AR) 1989-1995
Barbara Mikulski (MD) 1995-Present

Democratic Policy Committee Chairman
Mike Mansfield (MT) 1961-1977
Ted Kennedy (MA) 1977-1989
Alan Cranston (CA) 1989-1991
Al Gore (TN) 1991-1997
Byron Dorgan (ND) 1997-Present

Republican Senate Leader
Everett Dirksen (IL) 1959-September 1969
Hugh Scott (PA) September 1969-1977
Robert Griffin (MI) 1977-1979
Ted Stevens (AK) 1979-1985
Bob Dole (KS) 1985-1989
Alan Simpson (WY) 1989-1997
Trent Lott (MI) 1997-Present

Republican Assistant Senate Leader
Hugh Scott (PA) 1969
Robert Griffin (MI) 1969-1977
Ted Stevens (AK) 1977-1979
Howard Baker (TN) 1979-1985
Alan Simpson (WY) 1985-1989
Trent Lott (MS) 1989-1993
Don Nickles (OK) 1993-Present

Republican Conference Chairman
Margaret Chase Smith (ME) 1967-1972
Norris Cotton (NH) 1973-1974
Carl Curtis (NE) 1975-1978
Bob Packwood (OR) 1978-1980
James McClure (ID) 1981-1984
John Chafee (RI) 1985-1990
Thad Cochran (MS) 1991-1996
Connie Mack III (FL) 1997-2001
Rick Santorum (PA) 2001-Present

Republican Conference Vice-Chair
Milton Young (ND) 1956-1971
Norris Cotton (NH) 1971-1972
Wallace Bennett (UT) 1973-1974
Robert Stafford (VT) 1976
Clifford Hansen (WY) 1977-1978
Jake Garn (UT) 1979-1985
Thad Cochran (MS) 1985-1991
Bob Katsen (WI) 1991-1993
Trent Lott (MI) 1993-1995
Connie Mack (FL) 1995-1997
Paul Coverdell (GA) 1997-2000
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX) 2000-Present

Republican Policy Committee Chair
Gordon Allot (CO) 1969-1972
John Tower (TX) 1972-1977
Howard Baker (TN) 1977-1979
Bob Dole (KS) 1979-Present

[Historico]

Huh, I wasn't expecting old Johnny Boy to get the nod ITTL, mainly cuz I thought you were going to continue the trend of Progress by getting a woman into Office lol.

**********

What a Tackle by Rosy Grier: POTUS List

36. Lyndon B. Johnson (D-TX): November 22nd 1963-January 20th 1969
37. Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy (D-NY): January 20th 1969-January 20th 1977**
38. Nelson A. “Rocky” Rockefeller (R-NY): January 20th 1977-January 20th 1981
39. Ronald W. “Ronnie” Reagan (R-CA): January 20th 1981-January 20th 1989
40. Julian Bond (D-GA): January 20th 1989-January 20th 1997**
41. Albert A. “Al” Gore Jr. (D-TN): January 20th 1997-January 20th 2001
42. John S. McCain III (R-AZ): January 20th 2001-???

Notes

37. First Brother of a President elected.
40. First African American President

What a Tackle by Rosy Grier: VEEP List

38. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN): January 20th 1965-January 20th 1969
39. Ralph W. Yarborough (D-TX): January 20th 1969-January 20th 1977
40. John Tower (R-TX): January 20th 1977-January 20th 1981
41. James R. “Big Jim” Thompson (R-IL): January 20th 1981-January 20th 1989
42. Richard A. “Dick” Gephardt (D-MO): January 20th 1989-January 20th 1997
43. Harris L. Wofford (D-PA): January 20th 1997-January 20th 2001
44. Carroll Campbell Jr. (R-SC): January 20th 2001-???

What a Tackle by Rosy Grier: Defeated Tickets

1968: Richard M. Nixon (R-NY)/Spiro Agnew (R-MD) ; George A. Wallace (A-AL)/Curtis LeMay (A-CA)
1972: Ronald E. Reagan (R-CA)/Charles H. “Chuck” Percy (R-IL)
1976: Ralph W. Yarborough (D-TX)/Kevin White (D-MA) ; Lester G. Maddox (U-GA)/Jesse A. Helms (U-NC)
1980: George S. McGovern (D-SD)/Dale Bumpers (D-AK)
1984: John Glenn (D-OH)/Jesse Jackson (D-IL)
1988: Bob Dole (R-KA)/Paul Laxalt (R-NV) ; Ron Paul (L-TX)/Lenora Fulani (L-NY)
1992: Jack Kemp (R-NY)/Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) ;  Pat Buchanan (I-PA)/Alan Keyes (I-MD)
1996: Orin Hatch (R-UH)/Christine T. Whitman (R-NJ) ; Pete Wilson (I-CA)/Ross Perot (I-TX)
2000: Al Gore (D-TN)/Harris Wofford (D-PA) ; Ralp Nader (G-VT)/Winona LaDuke (G-CA)

[Bo]

Good job so far, hcallega. This is a great TL. Go McCain 2004!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hcallega]

I'm going to do more flash from now on, as I want this decade to be a little more interesting.

The First Term of President John McCain

President John McCain arrived into office in a good time. While the economy was beginning to slump, there was no sign of an impending recession. The President's continuation of most of Gore's proposals made him popular with a wide slew of voters, including many Democrats. He also had a majority in both houses of congress, allowing his proposals to pass:
-Middle Class Tax Cut
-Immigration Reform (guest worker program and more funding to border security, also greater cooperation with Mexico in correlating border security)
-Fast track trade authority
-Greater environmental protections
-More funding for anti-terror programs

However starting in the summer of 2001 things went down hill in a real hurry. First was the recession which began in the summer of that year. The dot com bubble had burst, and now the economy was paying the price. Then in September of that year the world would change for ever. Terrorists hijacked several plains in the skies above the United States. Two of these plains would hit the World Trade Centers in New York City. Two others were shot down in the skies on the orders of President McCain. In the following months a great deal of reform would be undertaken. First, President McCain ordered the creation of the September 11th Committee to outline why these events happened and how to prevent them in the future. Next, congress would create the Department of Homeland Security, the greatest expansion of the federal government since the creation of Americare. Finally, the President would fire George Tennet as director of the CIA. This, combined with the decision to fire on the airplanes were viewed in a negative light, and some saw McCain as overly abrasive.

On January 1st of 2002, US troops would invade Afghanistan. In the following months, US, NATO and Northern Alliance forces would push the Taliban and Al Qaeda to the brink in the Tora Bora mountains. US airstrikes pounded the mountains while tribal militia and UK and US special forces pushed in on the ground. After a few weeks the battle was over. While no evidence was found, most believed Bin Laden to have been killed in the attack. No videos of the Al Qaeda leader were released ever since. A pro-western government was installed in place of the Taliban, and by 2004 most of the fighting came to an end.

Following 9/11, President McCain's domestic affairs took a back seat. Outside of a tax cut in 2004 and the difficult reorganization of the intelligence agencies, most of the President's focus was on foreign policy. This was further compounded by the fact that McCain was a foreign policy specialist. McCain would also intervene to help prevent a nuclear war between India and Pakistan that was apparently quite close. All in all, McCain's first term was rough but still sucessfull.

2002 Midterm Elections

Entering Elections: 52 R, 48 D
Democratic Gains
-Massachusetts: Joe Kennedy II
-New Jersey: Jon Corzine
Republican Gains
-South Dakota: John Thune
Following Elections: 51 R, 49 D

Entering Elections: 244 R, 201 D
Following Elections: 224 R, 221 D