A Second Chance

[ChairmanSanchez]

Have you read Rawhide Down by any chance? Very good book .

No, I haven't. I'm guessing it's about "What if Reagan was assassinated?"

Great update. I cant remeber if any assassinations have taken place so far, but I remeber RFK was shot at one point in time. Ill have to reread parts of this epic timeline

Thanks! Agnew was shot at on July 4th, 1973, by Arthur Bremer. He was in the hospital and Bush was made Acting President for a few weeks. It was alluded to that both Nixon and JFK had numerous assassination attempts against them though obviously none succeeded. I don't remember having RFK shot at however.

ALSO: Expect the next eight years or so to hopefully move more quickly than RFK's term. I don't like to go through these pace changes, but I'm hoping to combine both a quicker story line, and the idea of getting the "feel" that said individual, in this case Reagan (or not?) is President before moving into an election.

Rawhide Down is actually a second by second account of the Reagan attempt, and the following days. Very detailed.

[CathKhan]

April 30th, 1981 (continued)
The Presidential limousine, upon reaching the hospital, is greeted by several doctors and nurses with a stretcher. Hefting President Reagan onto the stretcher, he is rushed inside while a nurse shoves an oxygen mask on him. Before accepting the oxygen mask, Reagan keeps his sense of humor.
    Reagan: I hope you're all Republicans **cough**
    Doctor: Today, Mr. President, we are.

At the White House, White House Chief of Staff Edwin Meese sits in the Oval Office with all the members of the President's staff and cabinet that are on hand at the time. Among them are advisor Pat Buchanan, aide Karl Rove, N.S.A. John Eisenhower, and others. Meese, not daring to sit in Reagan's chair, opts to lean on the front of his desk, staring down the blaring television set and taking calls while the majority of the room is fixated on the T.V.
    Meese: Okay, that'll do.
    Rove: What was it?
    Meese: Hatfield should be here in five.
    Buchanan: Should the... the unthinkabel, uh, were it to occur, is Chief Justice Byron White on his way? Do any of us have a Bible and the Oath memorized?
    Meese: No, Byron White is not on his way. He will be soon... And don't think like that. This is Reagan. This is the Gipper. He could probably take more than that college kid Kennedy could. Imagine if his frail body had to take those bullets. He'd be out in a second.
    Buchanan: As usual, you're right... Damn it, this is getting to me! How are we supposed to sit around here helplessly?
    Eisenhower: We have to. We're not medical professionals. We're not secret service agents. This isn't our place.
    Meese: **Shh!** the TV!
    Television: ...Doctors are still saying that Reagan's fate is at best unforseeable. He will likely have to participate in a risky operation that could be the thing to save his life.
    Meese: **Sigh** This is awful. Anyway, in case he's needed, I'm getting Byron White on the phone.

Buchanan crosses himself. Meanwhile, outside, Marine One, carrying Vice-President Hatfield, touches down, though not on the South Lawn. Secret Service Agents rush to get him inside. Hatfield quickly departs the helicopter as it lands, running into the group of four agents.
    Agent: Mr. Vice-President!
    Hatfield: What is it Dan?
    Agent: We're here to escort you to the Oval Office!
    Hatfield: Who's there?
    Meese: The staff and some members of the cabinet!
    Hatfield: Take me there!

Hatfield is rushed inside, through hallways, and into the Oval Office. There, he meets the group that seems to be the closest thing to what's been trying to run the nation for the last thirty minutes.
    Secret Sevice Agent: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Vice-President of the United States.
    Hatfield: Ed, how've things been going?
    Meese: No idea. We're in contact with some agents down at the hospital. Byron White is on his way, well, in case, well if he's needed. Reagan's going to have to take a risky operation if there's any hope.
    Hatfield: This is awful.
    Buchanan: What I said.

"I still remember that day. That horrible day. As I, a member of the White House staff, sat watching the news for any new clues in the Oval Office as Ed Meese handled the phones and tried to get any piece of information he could, Hatfield arrived. I will never forget what he did. After hearing all the we knew which was practically nothing, he decided to go into the adjacent room and pray. I remember seeing that photo in a book a few years later. Hatfield on his knees, praying as hard as any man could. Titled "The Unanswered Prayer" by the history fanatics, I'm not surprised I haven't seen it in a history book, though I have seen it in Life. One of the most heart-wrenching pictures for any of us who were there that day. It all makes you wonder, what if Reagan had only been an inch to the Left or an inch to the Right?"

-Courage and Consequence, Karl Rove, ©2009

[ChairmanSanchez]

The Unanswered Prayer?...oh-oh.

[GLPman]

Great update. Looks like Ronnie may not make it. This is currently my favorite TL, keep up the good work.

[JulioMadrid]

Great update. Looks like Ronnie may not make it. This is currently my favorite TL, keep up the good work.

[CathKhan]

Thanks y'all! There'll probably be another update tonight. In the meanwhile, are there any questions you want to ask about characters in this timeline's "universe"?

[ChairmanSanchez]

Whats Ron Paul been up to as of late, and how is JFK and Jackie doing?

[CathKhan]

Whats Ron Paul been up to as of late, and how is JFK and Jackie doing?

Ron Paul was elected to his fourth term in the House in 1980. He was a possible Vice-Presidential pick in 1980, but Reagan went with Hatfield. He's thinking about running for Governor of Texas in 1982. It depends on whether two-term incumbent Lloyd Bentsen retires or not.

The original Kennedy is very ill. His Addison's seems to have caught up with him and he remains tucked away in Hyannis Port. A very effective Kennedy media machine has been able to keep Jack's marital troubles from the sixties and early seventies under wraps, though Jacky is fully aware of them.

[CathKhan]

May 1st, 1981
...As midnight passes, the nation enters another day. In the hospital where President Reagan is currently under-going a risky but potentially life-saving operation, it doesn't matter whether it's April or May, the President's life is the number one priority. A doctor hears the fatal beeping sound from the heart monitor and sees the line go flat.
    Doctor: sh**t!
Other doctors, along with nurses, rush into the room. Where the first doctor sits pumping the President's chest, a defibrillator is placed.
    Doctor: Don't let him die on us!
The doctors and nurses continue trying to bring back their quickly dying President, but to no avail.
    Doctor 2: Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God.
    Doctor 3: That's it. Dammit! He's dead!
    Doctor:  Christ...

"Awake, in the Oval Office, with most of the lights dimmed, sipping my coffee to keep me awake, it was practically Hell. Chief Justice Byron White had been given a room for the night. We were all hoping that he would be able to leave tomorrow, his visit here being un-necessary. Hatfield wasn't in a good mood. Sitting in a chair in the corner, his arms clasped together, still silently praying, none of us bothered to disturb the man. Meese had taken up residence on top of the Resolute desk, his head bobbing downward towards sleep while his hands rested on the silent phones. I kept blinking rapidly to try to stay awake. John Eisenhower had gone home for the night. Pat Buchanan had fallen asleep upright on the sofa. First Lady Nancy Reagan was at the hospital along with the children. We had sent Bill Clark down there. Just as I was beginning to nod off, the loud ringing of the phone shook the entire room. The lights flashed on and the formerly sleeping Edwin Meese grabbed at the phone, finally picking it up off its cradle and putting it to his ear. Upside down of course."

-Courage and Consequence, Karl Rove, ©2009

    Meese: Hello?
Meese turns the phone rightside up.
    Meese: Uh yes, hello?
The room goes silent as everyone leans in to hear the answer.
    Meese:...Oh God, oh God, oh God. Are they sure?
Meese looks up towards the ceiling, and past it, towards heaven.
    Meese: Are they, are they, I mean, are they really really sure? This isn't a hoax or something? ...No? Well, alright then. I- I'll- (Meese whipes a tear from his face) I'll inform Hatfield.
    Rove: What happened?
    Meese: Reagan's dead.
    Buchanan: What? You're not serious!
    Meese: Do you think I would ever joke about this? Our boss is dead, damn it!
    [adviser William J.] Casey: We'd better get Byron White in here this instant!
    Secretary: I'll go wake him!
Vice-President Hatfield, though officially President upon Reagan's death, gets up from his chair, with one last look towards heaven, and prepares to take the Oath of Office.
    Hatfield: **Sigh** Reagan is beyond our prayers now. Let's hope he's in the right place.
    Casey: Amen to that.
    Buchanan: I- I suppose you're the President now.
    Hatfield: According to the constitution, yes. However, I'll prefer to take the Oath of Office and make it official.
As Hatfield is talking, Chief Justice Byron White emerges from the hallway with the Holy Bible to swear in President Hatfield.
    White: Place your left hand on the Bible and repeat after me. "I, Mark Odom Hatfield"
    Hatfield: I, Mark Odom Hatfield...
    White: "Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States"
    Hatfield: ...Do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States...
    White: "and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States"
    Hatfield: ...and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.
    White: I'm sorry that it had to happen like this, Mr. President.
    Hatfield: As am I.

41. Mark O. Hatfield (Republican-Oregon) May 1st, 1981-?

[JulioMadrid]

President Hatfield

I'm not upset because of the Reagan death because this is not real, obviously...

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Hatfield was one of those handful Republicans I'd like to see in the Oval.

[CathKhan]

"Following his inauguration, it would be up to Hatfield, now the President, to formally address the nation as to Reagan's death. With many of the staff in tears or close to it, the President viewed it his duty, not just for the country, but for those of us in that office, to address the country over the death of a man we were obviously dedicated to."

-Courage and Consequence, Karl Rove, ©2009

May 1st, 1981

Hatfield sits down at the Resolute Desk, speech printed, lying on his desk. He gives it one furtive last look over, and proceeds to stare intently at the camera.
    Crew Member: In Five, Four Three...
    Voice: Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States.
    Hatfield: My fellow Americans, I am here, speaking to you today, through the workings of tragedy. Earlier today, just past midnight, President Ronald Wilson Reagan died while undergoing a risky operation to save his life. He had been shot yesterday afternoon by John Hinckley Jr. who is now in Washington D.C. Police custody. While undergoing the operation, it appears that a bullet was driven further into his body, hitting a crucial area in his lungs. I can say no more at this time. Be assured that though your President may be dead, he will not be forgotten. Be assured that this nation will not weaken, will not falter, and will not fail because of the actions of a depraved, attention seeking madman. However, hope will not make up for the loss of such a man. Dedicated to public service and dedicated to his beliefs, dedicated to his God and dedicated to what he viewed as Christian ideals, and most of all, dedicated to the American people and their hopes, dreams, and wishes, he shall remain a titan of American politics long after his death. In my first act as President, I am declaring today and tomorrow a day of national mourning. It has been the first time in thirty-five years that America has had to endure the loss of a President. We needn't act like it is an everyday occurrence. Thank you.

The camera shuts off and the President is handed a glass of water. A young man, named Karl Rove, a member of Reagan's staff, walks over.
    Rove: Great speech Mr. Vi- I mean Mr. President.
    Hatfield: That's perfectly okay. Thank you. Now, Karl, you and the other members of the staff have been here since yesterday, right?
    Rove: Of course.
    Hatfield: Eh, well you and the rest had better take the day off. You've been here long enough and it's time you and the rest got back to your family.
    Rove: I- I guess I'll inform the rest.
    Hatfield: Very good. While it's too soon, and I know it is, inform Meese that, a, eh, transition will have to take place. I'd like to be shown around here within the next few weeks so I can formerly move in.
    Rove: Well of course.
Rove scurries off and Hatfield is left, once again, to ponder the situation. While he did not agree with Reagan's foreign policy. That had to be their biggest area of contention, he didn't agree with some of Reagan's domestic policies, though they could often be in agreement. He would be left to balance the memory of Reagan and his own policies until at least 1982. And there is the situation of the cabinet. Calling his own personal secretary, the same secretary who handed him the phone only the day before that would inform him of Reagan's shooting, he tells her.
    Hatfield: Mary, I'd like the main members of the cabinet informed that I'd like a meeting with them in the Oval Office on the fourth.
    Secretary: Of course Mr. Hatfi-, Mr. President.
Hatfield sighs. It'll be a while before he or anyone else will get used to the name.

Funeral
The funeral was held on May sixth, 1981. With a march from the Washington D.C. Held in the Washington National Cathedral, the eulogy was given by former President George H.W. Bush. Though not often credited as a strong speaker, he was chosen by the Reagan family to deliver the eulogy due to his history with Reagan, working with him for two years in the Senate and having been running mates in 1976. Bush, not know for his mixing of religion and politics, nonetheless, delivered a strong speech. In attendance, notable, were former Presidents Nixon, Agnew, Bush, Robert F. Kennedy, and current President Mark Hatfield, and Vice-Presidents Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Terry Sanford, Gerald R. Ford, and George McGovern. Former President John F. Kennedy was unable to make the funeral, though he did make calls to both President Hatfield and former First Lady Nancy Reagan.

The casket, carried from the Cathedral to the Capital Rotunda, was flanked by members of the Marine Corps. On the streets of Washington were several admirers and mourners. There were two protests as well, though both were small and seen to be in poor, or "horrible" as the new President Hatfield put it, taste. The body was then put into the ground with Senators Barry Goldwater, Howard Baker, James Buckley, and Paul Laxalt, Governor Pete Wilson, and Congressman Donald Rumsfeld acting as pallbearers. Following that were several speeches given by not only politicians, but as well fellow former actors including Democrat Frank Sinatra. A speech by former President Nixon, referring to Reagan as "one of the greatest voices of the concerns of the average American" ended the event.

Former President Nixon finishing his speech on Ronald Reagan

May 6th, 1981
Do you Approve of President Hatifled's performance in office so far?
Yes: 81%
No: 8%
Unsure: 11%

Ronald Wilson Reagan

Date of Birth: February 6th, 1911
Date of Death: May 1st, 1981
Spouses: Jane Wyman (1940-1948), Nancy Davis (1952-1981)
Children: Maurine, Christine, Patti, Michael, Ron
Religion: Disciples of Christ, later Presbyterian
Nationality: American
Profession: Actor
Career:
-9th President of the Screen Actors' Guild: 1947-1952
-13th President of the Screen Actors' Guild: 1959-1960
-15th United States Secretary of Commerce: January 20th, 1961-October 12th, 1963
-United States Senator from California: January 1st, 1965-January 2nd, 1977
-36th Governor of California: January 8th, 1979-January 4th, 1981
-40th President of the United States of America: January 20th, 1981-May 1st, 1981

[CathKhan]

Don't worry, this won't be some "praise Reagan" fest. It's merely what's going to be happening following a President's death. At a funeral, they don't talk about your faults unless it's in a joking and harmless way. They don't try to use it as a platform to call you out on things you did wrong or that the speaker disagreed with. They're going to be recalling funny anecdotes, personal stories, and in the case of a politician, the cause he or even she represented and his or her faith in that, and so on.

[GLPman]

Excited for the next update

[CathKhan]

“Following the funeral, it was clear the nation wanted some grand gesture in honor of their fallen President. To this day I wonder how Reagan’s memory would have fared had he been in charge all those years. I myself was forced into long spells of thought as I wondered how exactly to balance the image his admirers had, and what I knew I as President felt I had to do, at the risk of my own conscience. At my first cabinet meeting the day prior to the funeral, I found myself sitting uneasily with Secretary of State Bill Buckley on my left and Secretary of Defense John Warner the second on my right. Breaking the silence of the first few moments of the meeting, I said, “Now, we have all lost, only days ago, not just a President of the United States, but as well, for many of you, a friend and colleague. And as many of you who knew Ronald Reagan, I’m sure as many of you know the differences between he and I on key policy points. Mainly, issues of foreign policy.” At that point, Buckley who I believe had been staring rather interestedly at a ceiling tile, turned toward me. At the same time, John Warner leaned forward so as to get a clear view of what I was saying. “Foreign policy will be handled carefully. I have, in the last few days since the first of May been briefed on CIA actions in Afghanistan. For the most part, they shall continue. The human rights abuses being committed by the Soviet Union in that nation are intolerable for any human to stomach. However, I plan on meeting with the Soviet leadership within the next few months in order to chart a course for calmer relations than the last four years have shown. No, I shall not cede ground to them or give them a larger foothold for them to spread their empire. However, nor shall I attempt to escalate the Cold War to even newer levels of danger.” At that point, Buckley chose to speak up, “Mr. President, how then, do you propose we deal with the fact their very society is geared towards continuing their 1917 revolution? Marxism obligates a continued equalization of the world’s wealth, and a continued supposed revolution for the Proletariat?” “In my opinion, it is that thinking which has led both of us to continually increase our nuclear arsenals over the past thirty-five years. Meanwhile, on their side, they are proclaiming their own propaganda about us. If we can get past that, then I believe it will be better for both of our nations.” “I would love to continue discussing this Mr. President, however, that is not what this meeting is about. Please continue.” That was to be only a brief and calm preview of the next seven months before Buckley would leave the cabinet.

With a summit scheduled for August, my main priority was to preside over the struggling economy. The recovery was slow, but it was a recovery. As well, a long, arduous investigation into waste and fraud in government resources was undertaken that would yield a result two years later. With unemployment numbers seeming to decrease by only a fraction of a point every month, my honeymoon period soon ended. However, with the August summit upon us, I looked forward to making a major step forward in foreign policy. Over the past twenty years since 1961, the Soviets had encountered varying styles of leadership in the White House. Nixon was crafty, though sometimes too crafty for his own good. Jack Kennedy as well publicly took the hard-line but was willing to operate behind the scenes for the good of the globe. Perhaps the most conciliatory years were, strangely enough, the Agnew-Bush era, that welcomed diplomatic relations with China and SALT I. However, at the same time, tensions flared in the Middle East. RFK, though committed to human rights, had a very end-justifies-the-means orientation, meaning he was willing to side with one human rights abuser to battle a larger human rights abuser. Though publicly attempting to cultivate the image of an international battler for basic human liberties, regardless of what side you were on in the Cold War, he was perhaps the most devoted Cold Warrior of them all. It was at the summit, held in Berlin, that I would attempt to ease the tensions of the “Second Kennedy Era”.

-Against the Grain, Mark Hatfield, ©2000

The Military

Working in Hatfield's cabinet was... difficult. Following the death of Ronald Reagan, we weren't sure what to expect. Would he try to play Reagan? Would he immediately abandon the vote of the people only a few months ago? Would he try to tread somewhere in the middle? I served as his Secretary of Defense up until the end of 1983. I sat back and watched three Secretaries of State work under him. I watched reductions in the military. It's because of him I call Bill Buckley the last hawkish Republican Secretary of State. However, if there was ever a President who cared more about the troops, please show him to me. Having served in World War II, having been the first American into Hiroshima after the bomb, he knew the horrors of war and the horrors it could affect on any living thing. Whenever he was forced to take military action, and it was rarely ever that he admitted to that, his main priority would be America's troops. How could we avoid casualties? How could we make sure as many as possible got back from their tour and were able to see their families. While no war happened under him, there were, as with every President, military actions. And with Hatfield, it was always America's footsoldier, America's pilot, America's torpedo operator, America's marine, that came first.

[Jerseyrules]

Great timeline Cathcon.  Next time don't kill Reagan >:O

[CathKhan]

"Only we seeks following my inauguration, the issue of who the new Vice-President would be, predictably, sprang up. Insiders were tossing around "tried and tested" names like former Vice-President George Bush who was then Ambassador to the U.N., or former Vice-President Gerald R. Ford who was by then serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services. As well, always looking to prop up a political dynasty, it was suggested to me by one person that National Security Adviser John Eisenhower. The media, on the other hand, was throwing around the names of party rising stars or history making picks. Names like Elizabeth Dole, Ron Paul, and Edward Brooke wafted across the airwaves. I personally didn't want to appoint a person who m ight not be ready for the job, or someone who had spent far too much time in politics. As well, there was the faction suggesting that a "natural heir" to Reagan be appointed, meaning either Senator Barry Goldwater Jr. or Governor Pete Wilson, both of California. I knew Barry had no intention of leaving the Senate, and Wilson had only been at his job as Governor for a few months. At last, a short list formed. There were some names from the list of "elder statesmen", but by and far, it was my own list.

• Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona
• Senator James L. Buckley of New York
• Senator William V. Roth of Delaware
• Senator Paul Lalxalt of Nevada
• Governor James R. Thompson of Illinois
• Governor Pete duPont of Delaware
• Congressman Donald Rumsfeld of Illinois
• Congressman Pete McCloskey of California
• Congressman Jack Kemp of New York

Though hardly a short list, it was a list of people I felt were qualified to assume the office of the Vice-Presidency, and the Presidency if God forbid it be needed. My staff and I; with Edwin Meese being replaced by Tom McCall, my successor as Governor of Oregon and a man I could trust as the "Gate Keeper" to the Presidency; firing names back and forth, looking over data and the candidates, and making late night calls to potential Vice-Presidents, Many of the Senators seemed keen on the idea, but were intent on continuing their work in the Senate. With a careful Republican Majority, we were nervous about taking even one person out of the chamber. However, in discussions with a few leaders of the Conservative end of the party, we had finally decided on our pick. After a long and roundabout call to him, he relented and accepted. However, he told me that he had no intention of running in 1984, and that was fine with me.

-Against the Grain, Mark Hatfield, ©2000

July 11th, 1981

Hatfield Chooses Goldwater for Veep!

Earlier today at a press conference, President Mark Hatfield announced that Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona is his nominee for Vice-President of the United States. Though an unexpected choice, the idea that his political veteran could serve ably as Vice-President is no surprise. Goldwater has been in politics since the 1940's and was elected to the Senate in 1952. With over twenty-four years of experience in the nation's highest legislative body as well as experience in the military and as Secretary of Defense under Presidents Agnew and Bush, Goldwater is an experienced pick for the job of Vice-President and one that is no stranger to the political scene, having run for the Republican nomination twice.

Senator Goldwater with the late President Reagan earlier this year

However, Goldwater and Hatfield do not have the best political pasts. A supporter of Nixon in 1964, and a supporter and eventual running-mate of George Romney four years later, Hatfield has found himself in opposition to Goldwater a number of times. Commenting in 1967 on William Buckley's Firing Line (ironically, Bucklely is now Hatfield's Secretary of State) that it was his opinion that the nomination of Goldwater would be a "grave mistake" due to Hatfield's belief that Goldwater's ideas and presentation of ideas were vastly out of line with those of America in general at the time. In 1972, Hatfield, supported by Romney, ran in opposition to Reagan, supported by Goldwater, for the nomination. Both, however, would lose to Agnew as we all know. Four years later, Hatfield, running once again as a peace candidate, ran in opposition to the moderate incumbent George Bush and the COnservative challenger Meldrim Thompson Jr.

Despite this, it seems political tensions have vastly cooled in the over two months since President Reagan's death, and with that, it is as good a time as any to unite the party politically behind two of its most experienced and iconic figures. Goldwater, the unorthodox Conservative voice of the South West, and Hatfield, the unorthodox Liberal voice of the Upper West. However, such an appointment has reportedly worried Republicans in the Mid-West, South, and North-East who see the power of the Republican Party shifting vastly away from states it needs in order to win elections. To quote Republican Congressman John Anderson, a politician from Illinois, "If you divide up the American map between the West and the East, the Democrats get three hundred and seventy-two electoral votes. In contrast, Republicans receive a pidling one hundred and sixty-six electoral votes. The Republicans need the East and I hope they realize this before it's too late." While this could pose a problem, Goldwater has already pledged that if confirmed, he shall serve only the remaineder of the term. Come 1984, Hatfield shall likely choose a more voter friendly candidate for Vice-President, likely from the East.

July 13th, 1981
Do you approve of President Hatfield's performance in office so far?
Yes-51%
No-44%
Not Sure-5%

What is your opinion of President Hatfield's choice of Barry Goldwater as Vice-President?
Good-43%
Bad-39%
Not Sure-12%

As I recall, I was confirmed Vice-President on the nineteenth of July, my status as nominee lasting only just over a week. My role as Vice-President was small, focused mainly on overseeing intelligence and defense issues. I waas determined that the Soviet Union be cornered. At the same time, I took disagreement with the opinions of some that our foreign policy be comprised of giving every little boy and girl an American flag t-shirt. I think we successfully avoided that, but at the same time, I dread the idea that the Soviet Union still exists as it does. Despite the nuclear freeze, which I never had much confidence in, I fear communism still poses a threat to the globe.

[CathKhan]

List of Presidents of the United States
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower (R-NY) January 20th, 1953-January 20th, 1961)
35. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA) January 20th, 1961-January 20th, 1965
36. John F. Kennedy (D-CA). January 20th, 1965-January 20th, 1973
37. Spiro T. Agnew (R-MD) January 20th, 1973-June 19th, 1974
38. George H. W. Bush (R-TX) June 19th, 1974-January20th, 1977
39. Robert F. Kennedy (D-MA) January 20th, 1977-January 20th, 1981
40. Ronald W. Reagan (R-CA) January 20th, 1981-May 1st, 1981
41. Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR) May 1st, 1981-?

List of Vice-Presidents of the United States
36. Richard M. Nixon (R-CA) January 20th, 1953-January 20th, 1961
37. Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (R-MA) January 20th, 1961-January 20th, 1965
38. Terry Sanford (D-NC) January 20th, 1965-January 20th, 1973
39. George H. W. Bush (R-TX) January 20th, 1973-June 19th, 1974
Vacant: June 19th, 1974-July 3rd, 1974
40. Gerald R. Ford (R-MI) July 3rd, 1974-January 20th, 1977
41. George McGovern (D-SD) January 20th, 1977-January 20th, 1981
42. Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR) January 20th, 1981-May 1st, 1981
Vacant: May 1st, 1981-July 19th, 1981
43. Barry M. Goldwater (R-AZ) July 19th, 1981-?

[CathKhan]

"Stepping on board Air Force One, I was to embark on my first summit with the Soviet Union. The first of many, as it would prove, the my only one with Brezhnev. Leonid Brezhnev was a dedicated man as I was to learn. Dedicated to the principles of the expansion of communism, something I, as President, was, according to public opinion, supposed to stop. The ride over on Air Force One was a long one. Bringing with me what critics referred to as an "entourage" of members of my cabinet and staff, the plane was packed. Secretary of State Bill Buckley, Secretary of Defense John Warner, National Security Adviser John Eisenhower, Special Adviser to the President Pat Buchanan, and many others. Politically speaking, I was not among allies. The vast majority of those on board, apart from my staff, were of the Reagan wing, a wing I felt quite a lot of pressure to keep on, at least for the time being. Buckley, Warner, Buchanan, were all for the most part hawks and anti-communists. The only one I could expect any amount of sympathy from was John Eisenhower, who personally favored a more careful and delicate foreign policy, though certainly not a nuclear freeze. It would be a priority in later years to buck the politics of the situation and to appoint people I felt I could agree with and work with effectively.

Through the most of the night, I was still awake. Sitting silently with a small reading light on, looking over files on Brezhnev, as well as closely detailed CIA reports on Soviet culture, Soviet tradition, their military, stockpiles and so on and so forth, as well as reports on our own military with instructions as to what I should reveal and what should be left unknown by the bear-like Soviet General Secretary. Hearing something, I looked up, seeing Buchanan stir and sit upright. Though nowhere near my ideological partner, he was one of the few of us who had accompanied the President on summits with the Soviet Union, having worked in both the Agnew and Bush White Houses and having accompanied President Bush on his visit to China as well as S.A.L.T. negotiations. Apart from John Eisenhower, he was probably the only man who knew what to expect, despite the comparable experience of people like Buckley and Warner.  Walking over to him and crouching down, I whispered, "What can we expect when we get there?" Buchanan, still sleepy and not in his best mood, answered back They love to show how great they are and sh**t like that. Berlin's status as a sort of neutral territory began in the sixties with Nixon's negotiations with Kruschev. However, they're still going to attempt to portray the city as an example of the greatness of Marxism. once you get inside where we'll be negotiating, you'll see Brezhnev's end of the table. Filled with generals and crap like that." "Thanks." "Oh, and one other thing." "What?" "Don't let them get the better of you." I sat back down and went back to my reading. I was going there as a peacemaker, but I had no intention of them getting the better of me."

-Against the Grain, Mark Hatfield, ©2000

"Berlin was a city of historical significance, and of great symbolism for the American-Soviet negotiations. In 1961, President Nixon had successfully negotiated to keep Berlin as basically a "neutral state" between East and West Germany, successfully dodging Soviet threats that they would permanently, physically, separate the two Germanys. "What are they going to do, build a wall?" Nixon had scoffed. Arriving there, Hatfield hoped he too could forge something of historical significance. Though it would hardly be possible in his first meeting with General Secretary Brezhnev, Hatfield wanted to begin dialogue for an eventual nuclear freeze. The last great reduction in nuclear weaponry had occurred in 1975 with President Bush signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. Estimates from inside the military and intelligence establishments had made it a widely accepted fact among the anti-communist crowds that the Soviet Union had repeatedly violated SALT. Meanwhile, with the United States obeying the treaty, American nuclear stockpiles were trending downward. While the Soviets had not yet surpassed America in amount of warheads, they had in nuclear armed submarines, and graphs were repeatedly showing a trend that within the next three years, the Soviet Union would be the dominant military superpower on the planet, even if they weren't the dominant economic power. Therefore, foreign policy hawks on both sides were apprehensive as Hatfield, a known dove, approached the Soviet Union, likely with a request for comprehensive stockpile downgrading and depletion in hand. Meanwhile, the White House, with the economic recovery occurring slowly, knew that they needed something good to come home with, even if only a photo-op, to buoy Hatfield's approvals until the recovery bore fruit."

-Republicans in Revolution, Bob Woodward, ©2007

August 3rd, 1981
Walking into Chancellery, the vast government building where negotiations shall be taking place, Hatfield and his men march forward, led by a guide. Entering the hall where they shall be negotiating. Staring down the end of a long table is General Secretary of the Communist Party.
    Hatfield: Hello Mr. Brezhnev.
    Translator: Здравствуйте, мистер Брежнев
    Brezhnev: Ха! И вам того же г-н Хетфилд!
    Translator: And the same to you Mr. Hatfield.
The leaders of the two most powerful nations shake hands and sit down to begin discussion.

[Jerseyrules]

Oh crap....  What's Barry Jr. Doing?  Is James Buckley still senator?  Oh and is Al D'Amato senator?

[CathKhan]

Oh crap....  What's Barry Jr. Doing?  Is James Buckley still senator?  Oh and is Al D'Amato senator?

-Barry Goldwater Jr. served as representative from California (1969-1977), and was elected to Reagan's Senate seat when Reagan declined re-election to run for Vice-President.
-James L. Buckley was re-elected narrowly over Congresswoman Bella Abzug in 1976. He is endorsed by the Republican party, but is officially the only member of the Conservative Party in the Senate.
-Jacob Javits was defeated for re-election in 1974. Failing to win re-nomination in 1980, he ran as the candidate of the Liberal Party. With left-wing independent voter turnout at one of its highest points ever, and with liberal Republicans supporting him over the Republican and Democratic nominees, Javits was elected to the Senate. Of note is the fact that New York is represented by a Conservative Senator and a Liberal Senator. In all, New York has a better record of electing members of the Conservative and Liberal parties, with Liberal Mario Cuomo being elected Mayor of New York in 1977.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Ask me, If you need help with Russian

[CathKhan]

Ask me, If you need help with Russian

Thanks. This Russian is from google translate. Do they actually have exclamation points & question marks in Russian? It seems odd.

[Jerseyrules]

Oh crap....  What's Barry Jr. Doing?  Is James Buckley still senator?  Oh and is Al D'Amato senator?

-Barry Goldwater Jr. served as representative from California (1969-1977), and was elected to Reagan's Senate seat when Reagan declined re-election to run for Vice-President.
-James L. Buckley was re-elected narrowly over Congresswoman Bella Abzug in 1976. He is endorsed by the Republican party, but is officially the only member of the Conservative Party in the Senate.
-Jacob Javits was defeated for re-election in 1974. Failing to win re-nomination in 1980, he ran as the candidate of the Liberal Party. With left-wing independent voter turnout at one of its highest points ever, and with liberal Republicans supporting him over the Republican and Democratic nominees, Javits was elected to the Senate. Of note is the fact that New York is represented by a Conservative Senator and a Liberal Senator. In all, New York has a better record of electing members of the Conservative and Liberal parties, with Liberal Mario Cuomo being elected Mayor of New York in 1977.

Oh good.  Is it possible to see governor Ed Koch and/or mayor Bill Buckley soon?

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Ask me, If you need help with Russian

Thanks. This Russian is from google translate. Do they actually have exclamation points & question marks in Russian? It seems odd.

Sure, we have them!
Конечно же, они у нас есть!