Across Two Decades: 2000-2020.

[Nazi Space Spy]

Wednesday, November 8th, 2000:
-At 2:15 AM, Bush’s lead in Florida peaks at 50,000 votes. Vice President Gore calls fifteen minutes later to concede the election to Governor Bush, and a concession speech is drafted.

-At 3:00 AM, as Vice President Gore’s motorcade moves towards Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium where he plans to address disappointed supporters, the race tightens again. Several Gore campaign aides convince the Vice President to cancel his planned speech, and the motorcade returns to the hotel.

-With a thousand votes between Bush and Gore as of 3:30 AM, the Vice President calls the Governor to retract his earlier concession. The call between the two is heated, and ends with the Governor’s phone being slammed down on the receiver.

-As of sunrise, Bush leads Gore by 1,784 votes. Several voters complaints of a confusing ballot, particularly in Palm Beach County, forces an automatic machine recount in Florida.

Thursday, November 9th, 2000:
-The nationwide popular vote count results in Gore leading 50,496,861 votes to Bush’s 49,685,116 votes; just over 800,000 votes separate the two nationally. The Gore campaign claims victory in the popular vote, and remain confident of an ultimate win in Florida, which would send the election to the House of Representatives. In addition, Gore is considering seeking a recount in New Mexico, though there are no reports of major irregularities in the state.

-Vice President Gore returns to Washington, while Governor Bush leaves Austin to consult with his brother, Governor Jeb Bush, in Tallahassee, Florida. After their meeting, Governor (Jeb) Bush makes clear his intention to recuse himself from the recount process.

-At the end of the day, the winner of the Presidency remains unclear; Gore's lead over Bush dwindles to merely 362 votes in Florida.

Friday, November 10th, 2000:
-Governor Bush interviews a number of potential administration and White House personnel, a sign of confidence that the recount will ultimately result in a Republican victory. Gore aides warn Governor Bush in multiple media appearances “to quit measuring the drapes” as the recount process begins to grow testy.

-The Gore campaign demands a full recount by hand of all ballots in Broward, Dade, Palm Beach, and Volusia counties, where the results of the election are particularly close. In an interview on NBC's Today Show, Pat Buchanan disputes his campaign's high showing in Palm Beach County, claiming "we didn't campaign there. We have no real support there. We never made an effort there." Buchanan expresses his belief that the "butterfly ballot" was responsible for his high showing in the county, and that most of these votes were likely intended for Vice President Gore.

-The mood in the country continues to grow grimmer as the Presidency remains undecided five days after the election. Allegations of fraud are being made by media figures associated with both campaigns, further polarizing the already divisive situation. Feminist leader Gloria Steinman leads a “stop the steal” rally at Palm Beach Junior College in Lake Worth, Florida.

Saturday, November 11th, 2000:
-The Bush campaign seeks an injunction against the Gore campaign’s “selective recounts” in Federal Court, claiming that the said recounts violate the Equal Protection Clause of the constitution.

-Governor Bush settles down for the month at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he’ll direct much of the recount from. The Vice President has returned to Washington, though the Gore campaign and the Democratic National Committee continue to monitor the proceedings in Florida closely.

Sunday, November 12th, 2000: Both Palm Beach and Volusia Counties begin countywide manual recounts of all ballots cast, in response to the Bush campaign’s claims that a selective recount of certain precincts in certain counties would result in a tainted outcome. The Bush campaign does not accept the full recounts, and calls on both county’s supervisors of elections to end all recounts. Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore requests Florida's Secretary of State Katherine Harris extend the deadline in order to complete a recount.

The recount in Palm Beach County was controversially conducted.
​

Monday, November 13th, 2000: With a deadline to certify the results looming, Florida’s Secretary of State Katherine Harris announces she won’t extend the deadline to complete recounts after Tuesday. Volusia County files a lawsuit against Harris, insisting that they retain the right to complete their recount.

Tuesday, November 14th, 2000:
-Gore supporters file a lawsuit in a Palm Beach County Court seeking an extension for the recount, while the Palm Beach County Board of Canvassers votes to suspend all counting until it is determined whether they have legal authority to move forward.

-Later in the afternoon, Circuit Judge Terry Lewis rules that Palm Beach County can continue their recount, though the results may not be completely counted after the deadline. The Gore campaign signals their intent to appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.

Wednesday, November 15th, 2000:
-Palm Beach County resumes it’s recount, while Broward County reverses an earlier decision and begins its own countywide manual recount.

-A judge rules that Palm Beach County has the right to determine what ballots can and can’t be counted.

-Katherine Harris, joined by the Bush campaign, files a lawsuit in federal court attempting to force Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties to end their recounts. In response, the Gore campaign offers a compromise solution: a statewide manual recount in all of Florida’s 67 counties. The Bush campaign declines the Gore offer.

-The Florida Supreme Court rules that a manual recount in Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties can continue; Katherine Harris in response states that she will not count any returns from the counties due to the deadline for completion of the recounts having already passed.

Katherine Harris, Florida's controversial Secretary of State.
​

Thursday, November 16th, 2000: The Bush campaign files a lawsuit in a Federal Court in Atlanta seeking to stop the “selective recounts” in Florida. Meanwhile, Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis upholds Katherine Harris’s decision to not count any further votes post Tuesday.

Friday, November 17th, 2000: The Florida Supreme Court prohibits Katherine Harris from certifying a winner in Florida until “further order” from the court. Later in the afternoon, a Federal Appeals Court in Atlanta rejects the Bush campaign’s lawsuit to force an end to the “selective recounts” in three Florida counties. The Gore legal team considers the day to be a good sign of things to come, and the Vice President meets with Democratic Congressional leaders in preparation for a potential contingency election.

-Dade County reverses an earlier decision and resumes counting votes manually.

Saturday, November 18th, 2000: Gore’s lead in Florida doubles following the completion of the counting of overseas absentee ballots; it is unclear if these votes will be counted.

Sunday, November 19th, 2000: The weekend brings a brief pause to the recount drama in legal channels, but the battle still rages on the airwaves. Both Senator Lieberman and Secretary Cheney both appear on multiple Sunday Shows to address their campaigns plans moving forward as the election remains unsettled nearly two weeks after the election.

Monday, November 20th, 2000: The Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in “Palm Beach County vs. Harris” in which the court must deliberate on whether manually recounted ballots can be included in the final vote total.

Wednesday, November 22nd, 2000:
-Republican Vice Presidential nominee Dick Cheney suffers a minor heart attack during a campaign meeting in Alexandria, Virginia. He is rushed to the hospital, where doctors insert a stent during a quick operation.

-The Florida Supreme Court unanimously rules that recounts can continue in Florida, setting a deadline for November 27th to complete a manual recount. As a result, the Bush campaign files with the Supreme Court in a move to attempt to vacate the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling/

-Dade County ends it’s recount, which in turn invites a lawsuit from the Gore campaign.

Thursday, November 23rd, 2000: As the nation celebrates Thanksgiving, the Florida Supreme Court rejects the Vice President’s lawsuit forcing Dade County to resume a recount.

Friday, November 24th, 2000:
-The Supreme Court agrees to hear oral arguments in what will become Bush vs. Gore; the case is scheduled for December 1st.

-Dick Cheney is released from the hospital, rejecting claims that he is physically unfit for the Vice Presidency and fully committing himself “to the incoming Republican administration.”

Saturday, November 25th, 2000: Broward County completes its manual recount of all votes, two days ahead of the deadline set by the Florida Supreme Court. Surprisingly, the recounts in Volusia and Broward result in Gore's narrow lead being erased as Bush takes a paper thin 90 vote lead in Florida. The results from Palm Beach County are still impending, with many predicting that the final returns there will restore Gore's lead in Florida. Pro Bush commentators take to the airwaves

Sunday, November 26th, 2000:
-Palm Beach County misses the deadline to complete a manual recount, with a thousand votes still left to be counted. Katherine Harris certifies the state of Florida’s electoral votes for Governor Bush, winning by exactly 96 votes over Vice President Gore, making it the tightest result in any state in American presidential history. The Gore campaign files a lawsuit, claiming irregularities in Miami-Dade, Nassau, and Palm Beach counties. The case is assigned to Judge Saul Sanders.

-The Florida Supreme Court agrees to hear a case challenging the legality of Palm Beach County’s “butterfly ballot.”

Tuesday, November 28th, 2000: The Florida Democratic Party asks Judge Sanders to review nearly 13,000 disputed ballots. The Judge orders the ballots and the controversial voting machines to be in his courtroom by Friday.

Thursday, November 30th, 2000:
-A committee of the Florida Legislature recommends the legislature call a special session to resolve the electoral crisis over Florida’s thus far uncommitted electoral votes.

-After the General Services Administration denies the Bush and Gore campaigns funding and office space for the presidential transition, the Bush campaign announces the opening of a transition headquarters in McLain, Virginia funded by private sources.

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

This timeline is a revamped version of a timeline I wrote (but never published) years ago, so a few contradictions/unchanged elements might sneak in. I'm rereading the last update and finding a few myself. Feel free to point them out. I'll rewrite the opening few dates of the last post, but to be clear: if Bush wins FL, then he wins the election. If Gore wins FL, it creates a contingency election. Bush's election night lead in FL was 50,000 votes, leading to a number of networks falsely declaring him the winner as in OTL. Gore is seeking a recount in the three big South Florida counties due to the butterfly ballot, which could erode Bush's hair thin lead. So basically, the Bush v. Gore fight is similar to OTL even though the election was hung.

 

[DAv]

Still the complete cluster it was originally. Got a headache just from reading that and remembering how bad it was in OTL.

 

[justatron]

So I'm guessing if if the SC hears Bush v. Gore it goes the other way?

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

Friday, December 1st, 2000: The Supreme Court hears arguments in Bush vs. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board, weighing the constitutionality of the “selective recounts” in three counties that have been at the center of the controversy. In Tallahassee, the Florida Supreme Court all the while rejects the Gore campaign’s lawsuit in which they attempted to have 14,000 specific ballots reexamined.

Monday, December 4th, 2000: The Supreme Court rules in Bush vs. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board that the Florida Supreme Court’s order to extend selective recounts in several counties should be reconsidered by the court, effectively suspending their original ruling and sending it back to the state’s Supreme Court to issue a new ruling on.

Wednesday, December 6th, 2000: A federal court in Atlanta throws out two lawsuits filed by the Bush campaign that sought to prohibit hand recounts of ballots, which combined with Judge Sanders decisions to allow the recounts to continue and the decision of the Supreme Court that threw a critical case back to the Florida Supreme Court, means the gridlock over solving the dispute over Florida’s electoral votes remains far from over as inauguration day approaches.

Thursday, December 7th, 2000: Governor Jeb Bush calls the Florida State Legislature into a special session as the Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to bounce back a lawsuit from the Bush campaign back to their court.

Friday, December 8th, 2000: The Florida Supreme Court rules 4-3 to order a statewide recount of all ballots cast in Florida with the hope of achieving a conclusive and final result. Governor Bush’s campaign appeals the decision instantly to the Supreme Court, in the hopes that they will reverse the order allowing for the total recount of votes in Florida. Such a move would likely force the deadline to report official results to pass unresolved, which would give Governor Jeb Bush and the vastly Republican legislature the chance to appoint a Republican slate of electors.

Saturday, December 9th, 2000: In a stunning blow to the Bush campaign, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow Florida to continue with a statewide recount. The court’s decision means that a final and clear winner of the presidential election can emerge within days as the recount commences. Supporters of Governor Bush express outrage at the ruling, claiming that manual recounts involving complex ballots would not be able to clearly show the intent of voters and that the initial count should instead stand.

Tuesday, December 12th, 2000: At a Tallahassee press conference, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris announces the result of a statewide manual recount in Florida: Vice President Gore wins the state by 119 votes when all is said and done, and is certified the winner. This means that no candidate has reached 270 electoral votes, sparking the first contingency election in the House of Representatives for the first time in nearly two centuries.

Wednesday, December 13th, 2000: Gore and Bush begin personally lobbying several members of Congress ahead of the contingency election, scheduled to take place in early January after the new Congress convenes for it's first session.

Friday, December 15th, 2000: Senator-elect Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tells NPR that he is "unlikely" to support Lieberman for the Vice Presidency, and that he is considering abstaining from the vote. This immediately forces Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to begin lobbying Lieberman's friend and Bush rival Senator John McCain (R-AZ) for his support. Other moderate Republicans who are courted by the Majority Leader include Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

Monday, December 18th, 2000: Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle begins whipping votes in his caucus to ensure Senator Joe Lieberman's election to the Vice Presidency. Should every Democratic Senator support Lieberman plus one GOP defection, the vote would tie and outgoing Vice President Gore would have the opportunity to cast the deciding vote in favor of Lieberman.

Tuesday, December 19th, 2000: Senator-elect Hillary Clinton (D-NY) gives her first major interview since defeating Rudy Giuliani in the New York Senate race. She tells the New York Times during the expansive interview that she intends to continue her fight for healthcare reform and criticizes Republicans for "playing politics with our democracy." Clinton denies holding any presidential ambitions for 2004, and reiterates her promise to serve out her term.

Wednesday, December 20th, 2000: Speaker Dennis Hastert begins whipping up Republican votes for Governor Bush, knowing that the narrow margin of the Republican majority in the House could prevent the Governor from winning the first ballot. He finds trouble in a number of places; Libertarian minded Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) is threatening to without his support, as is Congressmen Walter Jones (R-NC) and Virgil Goode (I-VA). Goode's vote in particular could swing divided Virginia into Bush's column, and he is heavily lobbied by both the Bush and Gore campaigns as a result.

Friday, December 22nd, 2000: As Christmas (and later the contingency election) nears, the Bush transition project continues talks with prospective White House staffers. The Governor's father - former President George HW. Bush - is named honorary chairman of the Bush transition team, while Karl Rove assumes the title of "Senior Counselor" to the Governor. Vice President Gore has also been working in the shadows to have a team put together in the event he is elected President by the House, but privately he has doubts and is more concerned with his campaign's immediate goal to stop Bush from winning the election in the Republican controlled House by blocking him on the first ballot.

Sunday, December 24th, 2000: Several churches across Indonesia are bombed by the Islamist terrorist group Jehmaah Islamiyah, an Al Qaeda affiliated group active in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. 22 people are killed in ten separate blasts in several cities, and scores more are injured.

Monday, December 25th, 2000: As the nation celebrates Christmas, Vice President Gore privately names outgoing Labor Secretary Alexis Herman as his transition team's leader, while senior campaign strategists are retained by Gore to guide him through the contingency election.

Thursday, December 28th, 2000: The United Nations votes overwhelmingly to adopt stricter policies against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, including a weapons embargo. The Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 1996, has been known internationally for their strict implementation of Sharia Law, various human rights abuses, the destruction of historic sights, and their harboring of terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, believed to be responsible for the 1998 African embassy bombings and the attack on the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen. The Taliban, which has allegedly received support from the Pakistani ISI, has been waging a brutal war against the “Northern Alliance,” a guerrilla group led by opponents of the Taliban comprised mostly of supporters of the old regime. The conflict continues to be one of the most violent and destructive in the region as foreign powers continue to nervously watch.

Sunday, December 31st, 2000: New Years Eve is celebrated across the globe, giving the increasingly polarized nation a break from the political gridlock as the contingency election nears.

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2001: The 107th Congress convenes in Washington, DC. Dennis Hastert is narrowly reelected over Dick Gephardt as Speaker of the House, while Vice President Gore gives - at least temporarily - a tie breaking vote that makes Tom Daschle's Democrats the majority party. After the opening ceremonies and the election of speaker, the House of Representatives assembles for the first vote of the contingency election. Governor Bush falls one state short of claiming the Presidency, sending Wall Street into a freefall as panic consumes Washington.

George Bush: 24 States.
Albert Gore: 20 States.
Deadlocked: 6 States.

Thursday, January 4th, 2001: The Senate deadlocks attempting to elect a Vice President, leaving Vice President Gore to cast the deciding vote. With a smirk creeping up his face, Gore casts his vote for Joe Lieberman.

Abraham (R-MI): Cheney
Akaka (D-HI): Lieberman
Allard (R-CO): Cheney
Allen (R-VA): Cheney
Ashcroft (R-MO): Cheney

Cheney: 4
Lieberman: 1

Baucus (D-MT): Lieberman
Bayh (D-IN): Lieberman
Bennett (R-UT): Cheney
Biden (D-DE): Lieberman
Bingaman (D-NM): Lieberman

Cheney: 5
Lieberman: 5

Bond (R-MO): Cheney
Boxer (D-CA): Lieberman
Breaux (D-LA): Lieberman
Brownback (R-KS): Cheney
Bunning (R-KY): Cheney

Cheney: 8
Lieberman: 7

Byrd (D-WV): Lieberman
Campbell (R-CO): Cheney
Carper (D-DE): Lieberman
Chafee (R-RI): Cheney
Cleland (D-GA): Lieberman

Lieberman: 10
Cheney: 10

Clinton (D-NY): Lieberman
Cochran (R-MS): Cheney
Collins (R-ME): Cheney
Conrad (D-ND): Lieberman
Corzine (D-NJ): Lieberman

Lieberman: 13
Cheney: 12

Craig (R-ID): Cheney
Crapo (R-ID): Cheney
Daschle (D-SD): Lieberman
Dayton (D-MN): Lieberman
DeWine (R-OH): Cheney

Cheney: 15
Lieberman: 15

Dodd (D-CT): Lieberman
Domenici (R-NM): Cheney
Dorgan (D-ND): Lieberman
Durbin (D-IL): Lieberman
Edwards (D-NC): Lieberman

Lieberman: 19
Cheney: 16

Ensign (R-NV): Cheney
Enzi (R-WY): Cheney
Feingold (D-WI): Lieberman
Feinstein (D-CA): Lieberman
Fitzgerald (R-IL): Cheney

Lieberman: 21
Cheney: 19

Frist (R-TN): Cheney
Graham (D-FL): Lieberman
Gramm (R-TX): Cheney
Grassley (R-IA): Cheney
Gregg (R-NH): Cheney

Cheney: 23
Lieberman: 22

Gorton (R-WA): Cheney
Hagel (R-NE): Cheney
Harkin (D-IA): Lieberman
Hatch (R-UT): Cheney
Helms (R-NC): Cheney

Cheney: 27
Lieberman: 23

Hollings (D-SC): Lieberman
Hutchinson (R-AR): Cheney
Hutchison (R-TX): Cheney
Inhofe (R-OK): Cheney
Inouye (D-HI): Lieberman

Cheney: 30
Lieberman: 25

Johnson (D-SD): Lieberman
Kennedy (D-MA): Lieberman
Kerry (D-MA): Lieberman
Kohl (D-WI): Lieberman
Kyl (R-AZ): Cheney

Cheney: 31
Lieberman: 29

Landrieu (D-LA): Lieberman
Leahy (D-VT): Lieberman
Levin (D-MI): Lieberman
Lieberman (D-CT): Lieberman
Lincoln (D-AR): Lieberman

Lieberman: 34
Cheney: 31

Lott (R-MS): Cheney
Lugar (R-IN): Cheney
McCain (R-AZ): Cheney
McConnell (R-KY): Cheney
Mikulski (D-MD): Lieberman

Lieberman: 35
Cheney: 35

Miller (D-GA): Lieberman
Murkowski (R-AK): Cheney
Murray (D-WA): Lieberman
Nelson (D-FL): Lieberman
Nelson (D-NE): Lieberman

Lieberman: 39
Cheney: 36

Nickles (R-OK): Cheney
Reed (D-RI): Lieberman
Reid (D-NV): Lieberman
Roberts (R-KS): Cheney
Rockefeller (D-WV): Lieberman

Lieberman: 42
Cheney: 38

Sanders (I-VT): Lieberman
Santorum (R-PA): Cheney
Sarbanes (D-MD): Lieberman
Schumer (D-NY): Lieberman
Schweitzer (D-MT): Lieberman

Lieberman: 46
Cheney: 39

Sessions (R-AL): Cheney
Shelby (R-AL): Cheney
Smith (R-NH): Cheney
Smith (R-OR): Cheney
Snowe (R-ME): Cheney

Lieberman: 46
Cheney: 44

Specter (R-PA): Lieberman
Stevens (R-AK): Cheney
Thomas (R-WY): Cheney
Thompson (R-TN) Cheney
Thurmond (R-SC) Cheney

Cheney: 48
Lieberman: 47

Torricelli (D-NJ): Lieberman
Voinovich (R-OH): Cheney
Warner (R-VA): Cheney
Wellstone (D-MN): Lieberman
Wyden (D-OR): Lieberman

Cheney: 50
Lieberman: 50.

 

[DAv]

Well, we've got our Vice President sorted, but the actual President remains to be seen. I take it this is getting to be seen as more of a pain than all the shenanigans were in OTL? The effects with Afghanistan could be interesting. If the terrorist attacks didn't happen in OTL, would that mean their happening now leads to greater alertness?

 

[WilliamOfOckham]

This is a wonderfully conservative timeline. Read and followed with keen interest.

 

[BigVic]

POD was 2000 election deadlocked....Acting POTUS Lieberman

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

Thursday, January 4th, 2001: Vice President-elect Lieberman gives his first major interview with CNN's Larry King in the aftermath of his election as Vice President by the Senate; though he still strongly voices support for Vice President Gore's election to the Presidency, he pledges to "work constructively" with a Republican administration. Meanwhile, Governor Bush meets privately with Congressman Virgil Goode (I-VA), who has emerged as the key swing voter in the House. After the meeting, Goode does not voice who he will vote for in the next vote of the contingency election and expresses an interest in abstaining again.

Friday, January 5th, 2001: In the second vote of the House election, the results remain virtually unchanged. Congressman Virgil Goode again abstains from voting, which keeps Virginia from swinging to Bush and giving him a majority. Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), who also abstained, casts his vote reluctantly for Bush though this doesn't change the outcome of Texas, which remains reliably in the Gore column. Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD) agrees to meet with the Vice President after expressing concern with a number of Bush's socially conservative policies; her defection would swing Maryland into the Gore column.

Saturday, January 6th, 2001: In a rare Saturday session of the House, a third ballot for President is conducted by the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Morella agrees to support Governor Bush at the last minute, while Congressman Goode shocks Washington by announcing his support for Governor Bush's election just minutes before the vote. As a result, the House of Representatives elects Governor George W. Bush the 43rd President of the United States.

Sunday, January 7th, 2001: Vice President Gore concedes the presidential election in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," telling Tim Russert that "the process played out fully." Despite his public concession, Gore does not call Governor Bush to personally concede - a fact that the public will not know until the publication of Bush's memoirs.

Monday, January 8th, 2001: President-elect Bush's transition team announces the incoming Republican administration's White House team. Former Transportation Secretary Andy Card will serve as the Chief of Staff, while Karl Rove will serve as the principle adviser to the President. Josh Bolten is named Deputy Chief of Staff. Ari Fleischer, who served as Bush's father's communication director during the 1992 campaign, will come on board as White House Press Secretary. Lastly, Dan Bartlett will serve as White House Communications Director.

Tuesday, January 9th, 2001: President-elect Bush announces he'll name his running mate, former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, to head up the Pentagon once again. Rumors fly in Washington that the President-elect has narrowed his choice for the position of Secretary of State down to three likely candidates: former General Collin Powell, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and former Secretary of State James Baker for the position.

Wednesday, January 10th, 2001: The Federal Trade Commission approves the Time Warner-AOL merger, though it's fate before European Union regulators seems far from certain.

Thursday, January 11th, 2001: Vice President Lieberman resigns from the Senate in anticipation of being sworn in as Vice President in ten days. Governor John Rowlands appoints his Lt. Governor Jodi Rell to the seat, sparking a special election in 2002 that will determine who will hold the seat for the duration of Lieberman's term. Rell's appointment tips the Senate majority to the Republicans.

Friday, January 12th, 2001: The Bush transition team confirms that Condi Rice will serve as National Security Adviser, while Lawrence Lindsey will serve as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Saturday, January 13th, 2001: Surprising the Beltway, President-elect Bush announces the appointment of Senator Richard Luger (R-IN) to the position of Secretary of State. Numerous sources in the presidential transition tell members of the press that the first choice had been General Collin Powell, but he declined the appointment due to the controversial nature of the election. Luger's selection is widely praised by Democrats and Republicans in Washington alike. President-elect Bush names former Assistant Attorney General John Bolton, an ardent neoconservative, to the position of Ambassador to the United Nations to balance out the more moderate Luger.

Sunday, January 14th, 2001: Wikipedia, which will in a decades time grow to become one of the prime sources of information online, is launched by Jimmy Wales.

Monday, January 15th, 2001: At a press conference, President-elect Bush unveils his economic policy team. For Secretary of the Treasury, Alcoa CEO Paul O'Neill will serve as Secretary of the Treasury. His Deputy at the Treasury will be Kenneth Dam, who served as Reagan's Deputy Secretary of State during the early eighties. For Secretary of Commerce, former Fed Ex CEO Fred Smith is nominated. Joining him in the cabinet is Elaine Chao, former Peace Corps Director under President George HW. Bush, who will serve as the next Secretary of Labor. Heading the Small Business Administration will be businesswoman and activist Linda Chavez, while Mitch Daniels will take up the position of Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Tuesday, January 16th, 2001:
-The President-elect formally resigns as Governor of Texas; the Lt. Governor, Rick Perry, is sworn into office. Perry is widely expected to run for reelection in 2002, and is a staunch ally of the incoming administration.

-In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, President Laurent Kabilla is assassinated by a rogue bodyguard. He is succeeded in office by his son, Joseph. The circumstances surrounding the assassination are shrouded in secrecy, as the assassin was immediately captured and killed by security forces.

Wednesday, January 17th, 2001: President-elect Bush unveils his new domestic policy team; taking over as Attorney General will be Larry Thompson, a corporate lawyer who served in the Justice Department during the Reagan years. He will be the first black Attorney General if confirmed. For the position of Secretary of the Interior, the President-elect names former Colorado Attorney General Gale Norton, who is known for her fiercely pro-market positions. Former Deputy Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, who served in the first Bush administration, is bumped up to the USDA's top job while the top role at the Department of Health and Human Services is awarded to Bush's one time primary rival, Elizabeth Dole. It will be Dole's second stint at the helm of the department. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will be headed up by Cuban-American businessman and Jeb Bush ally Mel Martinez of Florida. Another noticeable appointment is Kansas Governor Sam Graves as the Secretary of Transportation, while outgoing Senator Conrad Burns will take over as Secretary of Energy. The new Secretary of Education will be Rod Paige, the Superintendent of Houston's school system. Congressman Steve Buyer (R-IN) wraps out the cabinet with his appointment as Secretary of Veteran's Affairs; the Senate will begin confirmation hearings after the inauguration.

Thursday, January 18th, 2001: President Bill Clinton delivers his televised farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office, in which he boasts of his administration's economic achievements and offers a brief apology for his own misconduct in office.

Friday, January 19th, 2001: On his last day in office, President Bill Clinton issues a number of controversial pardons. Among those who receive clemency is Chris Wade, a businessman from Arkansas tied up in the Whitewater brouhaha and more controversially, Leonard Peltier, an AIM activist who murdered two FBI agents in the early seventies.

Saturday, January 20th, 2001: George W. Bush is sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States.

Thank you, all. Chief Justice Rehnquist, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton, distinguished guests, and my fellow citizens. The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history, yet common in our country. With a simple oath, we affirm old traditions and make new beginnings. As I begin, I thank President Clinton for his service to our Nation, and I thank Vice President Gore for a contest conducted with spirit and ended with grace.

I am honored and humbled to stand here where so many of America’s leaders have come before me, and so many will follow. We have a place, all of us, in a long story, a story we continue but whose end we will not see. It is a story of a new world that became a friend and liberator of the old, the story of a slaveholding society that became a servant of freedom, the story of a power that went into the world to protect but not possess, to defend but not to conquer. It is the American story, a story of flawed and fallible people united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born.

Americans are called to enact this promise in our lives and in our laws. And though our Nation has sometimes halted and sometimes delayed, we must follow no other course. Through much of the last century, America’s faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations. Our democratic faith is more than the creed of our country. It is the inborn hope of our humanity, an ideal we carry but do not own, a trust we bear and pass along. Even after nearly 225 years, we have a long way yet to travel.

While many of our citizens prosper, others doubt the promise, even the justice of our own country. The ambitions of some Americans are limited by failing schools and hidden prejudice and the circumstances of their birth. And sometimes our differences run so deep, it seems we share a continent but not a country. We do not accept this, and we will not allow it. Our unity, our Union, is a serious work of leaders and citizens and every generation. And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity. I know this is in our reach because we are guided by a power larger than ourselves, who creates us equal, in His image, and we are confident in principles that unite and lead us onward.

America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every citizen must uphold them. And every immigrant, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American. Today we affirm a new commitment to live out our Nation’s promise through civility, courage, compassion, and character. America at its best matches a commitment to principle with a concern for civility. A civil society demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness. Some seem to believe that our politics can afford to be petty because in a time of peace the stakes of our debates appear small. But the stakes for America are never small. If our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be led. If we do not turn the hearts of children toward knowledge and character, we will lose their gifts and undermine their idealism. If we permit our economy to drift and decline, the vulnerable will suffer most.

We must live up to the calling we share. Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment; it is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos. And this commitment, if we keep it, is a way to shared accomplishment. America at its best is also courageous. Our national courage has been clear in times of depression and war, when defeating common dangers defined our common good. Now we must choose if the example of our fathers and mothers will inspire us or condemn us. We must show courage in a time of blessing by confronting problems instead of passing them on to future generations.

Together we will reclaim America’s schools before ignorance and apathy claim more young lives. We will reform Social Security and Medicare, sparing our children from struggles we have the power to prevent. And we will reduce taxes to recover the momentum of our economy and reward the effort and enterprise of working Americans. We will build our defenses beyond challenge, lest weakness invite challenge. We will confront weapons of mass destruction, so that a new century is spared new horrors. The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake: America remains engaged in the world, by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the values that gave our Nation birth.

America at its best is compassionate. In the quiet of American conscience, we know that deep, persistent poverty is unworthy of our Nation’s promise. And whatever our views of its cause, we can agree that children at risk are not at fault.

Abandonment and abuse are not acts of God; they are failures of love. And the proliferation of prisons, however necessary, is no substitute for hope and order in our souls. Where there is suffering, there is duty. Americans in need are not strangers; they are citizens—not problems but priorities. And all of us are diminished when any are hopeless. Government has great responsibilities for public safety and public health, for civil rights and common schools. Yet, compassion is the work of a nation, not just a government. And some needs and hurts are so deep they will only respond to a mentor’s touch or a pastor’s prayer. Church and charity, synagogue and mosque lend our communities their humanity, and they will have an honored place in our plans and in our laws. Many in our country do not know the pain of poverty. But we can listen to those who do. And I can pledge our Nation to a goal: When we see that wounded traveler on the road to Jericho, we will not pass to the other side.

America at its best is a place where personal responsibility is valued and expected. Encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats; it is a call to conscience. And though it requires sacrifice, it brings a deeper fulfillment. We find the fullness of life not only in options but in commitments. And we find that children and community are the commitments that set us free. Our public interest depends on private character, on civic duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, unhonored acts of decency, which give direction to our freedom. Sometimes in life we’re called to do great things. But as a saint of our times has said, “Every day we are called to do small things with great love.” The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone.

I will live and lead by these principles: to advance my convictions with civility, to serve the public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion, to call for responsibility and try to live it, as well. In all these ways, I will bring the values of our history to the care of our times.

What you do is as important as anything Government does. I ask you to seek a common good beyond your comfort, to defend needed reforms against easy attacks, to serve your Nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens: Citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.

Americans are generous and strong and decent, not because we believe in ourselves but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no Government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it. After the Declaration of Independence was signed, Virginia statesman John Page wrote to Thomas Jefferson, “We know the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?”

Much time has passed since Jefferson arrived for his inauguration. The years and changes accumulate, but the themes of this day, he would know: our Nation’s grand story of courage and its simple dream of dignity. We are not this story’s author, who fills time and eternity with his purpose. Yet, his purpose is achieved in our duty. And our duty is fulfilled in service to one another. Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today, to make our country more just and generous, to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life. This work continues, the story goes on, and an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.

God bless you all, and God bless America.
.....
Note: This is Dubya's OTL speech, unedited and unchanged.
.....
Sunday, January 21st, 2001: On the first day of his Presidency, George W. Bush issues a number of executive orders. Among the first signed is one reversing the "Mexico City Policy," which deals with federal funding of overseas abortions.

Monday, January 22nd, 2001: The Senate Foreign Relations begins confirmation hearings for Senator Dick Luger's nomination to serve as Secretary of State, while hearings begin for Dick Cheney on the Armed Services Committee.

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2001: In a special sitting of the Senate, a number of President Bush's nominees are rapidly confirmed. Gale Norton is confirmed 55-45 to serve as the Secretary of the Interior. Ann Veneman is confirmed 96-4 as Secretary of Agriculture. Elizabeth Dole is confirmed 65-35 as Secretary of Health and Human Services, while Mel Martinez is confirmed 80-20 as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Sam Graves is confirmed unanimously as Secretary of Transportation, while Rod Paige is confirmed Secretary of Education unanimously as well. Conrad Burns is confirmed 90-10 as Secretary of Energy.

Wednesday, January 24th, 2001:
-The Senate Foreign Relations Committee overwhelmingly advances the nomination of Richard Luger to the full Senate, where after only an hour of debate he is confirmed to the position by a vote of 99-0. Only Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) abstains. The Senate Armed Services Committee hearings for Dick Cheney meanwhile are more tense, with a number of Democrats on the committee voicing their opposition to the former Secretary's hawkish posturing.

-The Senate Finance Committee votes 13-5 to advance Paul O'Neill's nomination to serve as the Secretary of the Treasury.

Thursday, January 25th, 2001: Larry Thompson's hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee begin; with the Committee's chair, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) shepherding the nominee through the hearing, it is widely expected that Thompson's confirmation is inevitable.

Friday, January 26th, 2001: The Senate votes 55-45 to confirm Dick Cheney as the Secretary of Defense; his nomination had previously been pushed through the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he had the strong support of Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Elaine Chao is confirmed Secretary of Labor by a 99-1 vote, while Paul O'Neill is confirmed 97-3 as Secretary of the Treasury, with only Senators Wellstone (D-MN), Feingold (D-WI), and Sanders (I-VT) offering any opposition.

Saturday, January 27th, 2001: After Democrats attempt to make a stand on Fred Smith's past DUI convictions, the Senate deadlocks 50-50 on his nomination. In a move that angers Democrats, Vice President Lieberman votes to confirm Smith. Lieberman privately is attempting to ingratiate himself with an administration that views him as an outsider, though this does little to pacify the anger of congressional Democrats.

Sunday, January 28th, 2001:
-On CBS's "Face the Nation," President Bush announces a major tax reform initiative is in the works. He later meets with congressional leaders from both parties in order to pitch the proposal, though Democratic Minority leader Dick Gephardt expresses his skepticism about such a plan.

-The Baltimore Ravens crush the New York Giants 34-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV.

Monday, January 29th, 2001: The Senate Judiciary Committee votes 10-9 to advance Larry Thompson's nomination. The lone Democrat on the committee to vote for Thompson is Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), with the other more reliably liberal members such as Senators Feingold (D-WI), Biden (D-DE), and Kennedy (D-MA) voting against him.

Tuesday, January 30th, 2001: President Bush names Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and Vice President Lieberman to co-chair a committee on energy independence. It is the first major assignment given to the Vice President in the first month of the new administration.

Wednesday, January 31st, 2001: At the first cabinet meeting of the new administration, the newly minted Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill voices concern about the intended size of the proposed tax cuts. His warning that they could unintentionally result in the squandering of the budget surplus is met with skepticism by Secretary of Defense Cheney, who works with Karl Rove to quickly isolate the Treasury Secretary's dissenting opinion.

 

[THAHORSEMEN]

Damn so pretty much like OTL except Bush wins it more controversially.

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

Damn so pretty much like OTL except Bush wins it more controversially.

The key difference is that Bush's legitimacy is even further weakened in the eyes of many, which will cause headaches for the administration and will definitely spice up 2004 more than OTL. My style of writing is, as noted, very conservative. As a result, PODs are planted over time, and significant differences won't start immediately, but I assure you, just wait until the 2010s eventually roll around - it's um, it's going to be lit. And not in a good way

 

[DAv]

Mercifully, it's over. Some key differences in the Bush government here and I can imagine Lieberman's going to start feeling pretty isolated soon, possibly from his party and The White House.

 

[Olol]

Wow! This is an amazing TL! Can't wait to read more.

 

[Wendell]

Why are Clinton and Sanders already senators in 2000 in this timeline? Also, Specter breaking for Lieberman seems unlikely, yes despite the Pennsylvanian later changing parties in OTL.

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

Why are Clinton and Sanders already senators in 2000 in this timeline? Also, Specter breaking for Lieberman seems unlikely, yes despite the Pennsylvanian later changing parties in OTL.

Clinton was elected in 2000 as OTL. Bernie ran six years ahead due to the greater progressive support for Bradley, who was able to better energize their wing of the party. Fair enough on Lieberman and Specter.

This is on hiatus for a while but I plan on returning.

 

[Wendell]

Clinton was elected in 2000 as OTL. Bernie ran six years ahead due to the greater progressive support for Bradley, who was able to better energize their wing of the party. Fair enough on Lieberman and Specter.

This is on hiatus for a while but I plan on returning.

Why would the senator-elect and not the outgoing incumbent senator from NY be voting?

 

[Nazi Space Spy]

Why would the senator-elect and not the outgoing incumbent senator from NY be voting?

Where was that?

 

[Wendell]

Where was that?

Hillary Clinton was elected in 2000, right? Congress is deciding the 2000 election, right?

 

[Unknown]

Hope Paul Wellstone lives longer ITTL...

 

[Cold War Liberal]

Hillary Clinton was elected in 2000, right? Congress is deciding the 2000 election, right?

The new Congress (elected in 2000) votes, not the old one.