Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes V (Do Not Post Current Politics Here)
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Governor William "Bill " Mitchell (Missouri) would bring an Upset in in the 1989 election against Vice President George Bush by playing as dirty a campaign as he did against Dukakis in the Primaries. Mitchell would be remembered for admitting his own actions in the scandal reported by his former Chief of staff Bob Alexander before tragically dying of a stroke in 1992
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George W. Bush’s four years in the White House had been turbulent. His own victory – among the closest in American history – was decided by the Supreme Court, which blocked an ongoing recount in Florida, which had gone for Bush by just over 500 votes. The GOP returned to power in the executive branch for the first time since George H.W. Bush, father of the president-elect, lost to Bill Clinton in 1992.
The American public had largely forgotten about Bush v. Gore, however, as eight months into the Bush presidency, the September 11 terrorist attacks thrust America into war. A US-led coalition intervened in Afghanistan, which had sheltered Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and soon afterward the administration turned its attention to another target: Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.
Hussein’s dictatorship was infamous for its brutality, which included political purges and genocide. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991 had been halted by a military intervention led by the elder Bush, but Hussein was allowed to remain in power. The younger Bush, along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, accused Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction, which gave them an impetus to invade and remove him from power.
The invasion was hotly opposed by several US allies, including France and Canada, but the American public largely approved; the patriotic war fever from the September 11 attacks persisted, even in the face of a military intervention that had nothing to do with the attacks. Hussein was captured in December 2003, and would later be tried for crimes against humanity and executed. However, American forces remained in Iraq for years afterward, as attempts to establish democracy and win the peace largely failed. As a relatively popular incumbent, Bush fended off any serious primary challenges. At the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, Bush and his allies pushed hard on the themes of national security and spreading American ideals of freedom around the world. This sentiment was reflected in Arizona Senator John McCain’s speech on Monday, August 30.
Other speakers included actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and current Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The most interesting speaker at the RNC, however, was none other than Georgia Senator Zell Miller, a conservative Democrat who crossed the isle and endorsed Bush for re-election, denouncing his own party as having “mastered the art of division and diversion.”
On the other side, the Democratic primaries had been largely swept by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. Going into the primary cycle, however, Kerry was an underdog. Rather, it was former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, running a left-wing populist, grassroots campaign, who was in the lead. Dean’s large war chest, motivated base, and opposition to the war in Iraq gave him an advantage among Democratic primary voters. However, the Iowa caucuses yielded an unexpected result: Dean landed third place, behind John Kerry and North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Dean’s candidacy fizzled out after Iowa (not helped by a particularly embarrassing soundbite of Dean screaming at a rally), and “Comeback Kerry” cruised to victory.
The Democratic National Convention, held in Boston, focused on the theme “Stronger at Home, Respected in the World.” Kerry and the Democrats hoped to needle Bush on domestic policy issues, and find an opening on foreign policy by criticizing America’s declining reputation among its allies. The platform featured planks related to anti-terrorism, national defense, energy independence, education and healthcare. Notably, Kerry shied away from emphasizing his record as a Vietnam veteran, as he and his advisers worried that it might shift the focus to foreign policy issues that were stronger for Bush.
The DNC’s highlight speakers included former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Al Gore, New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, and Ron Reagan, son of former Republican President Ronald Reagan.
Interestingly enough, the spotlight was stolen by Illinois State Senator Barack Obama, whose keynote address stressed the unity of the American public in the face of deep partisan division, and highlighted his own biography as the child of a Kenyan immigrant and an American from Kansas. His speech reinforced “the audacity of hope” in the American Dream, especially as it pertained to those traditionally excluded from American public life. The speech was well-received and cemented Obama’s status as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
The conventions had little effect on public opinion. Bush’s lead did grow after the RNC, but that bounce evaporated weeks later as polls showed only a slight lead for the incumbent president. As the general election got underway, Bush portrayed Kerry as a “Massachusetts liberal” whose opinions were too far out of the mainstream for most Americans. The president trumped up his national security record and accused Kerry of being a “flip-flopper” on the issues. Kerry, meanwhile, hammered on domestic policy concerns, hoping to shift the focus away from foreign policy and national security.
As the campaign progressed, controversy erupted as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an organization of Vietnam War veterans and former prisoners of war, accused John Kerry of being “unfit to serve” on account of his own conduct as a Vietnam veteran, as well as for his past anti-war activism. SBVT’s claims were quickly dismissed as “phony and untrue” by the Kerry campaign, which cited that all but one of the living members of Kerry’s boat crew supported his campaign. However, SBVT continued to needle the Senator, including by running ads in key swing states.
Bush maintained a small lead throughout September, but that lead evaporated as the debates got underway. The first debate, held at the University of Miami (FL) on September 30, centered on homeland security and national dense. Kerry criticized the diversion of resources away from Afghanistan and to Iraq, as well as the lack of support among traditional US allies for the Iraq War. Bush, as expected, harped on his own record to show that he was deeply committed to American national security. Bush stumbled in response to Kerry’s point about the lack of international support for the War in Iraq, responding “well, actually, he forgot Poland;” in fact, Kerry had mentioned Poland’s involvement. The gaffe was criticized by pundits and was received poorly by the American public. After the first debate, polls showed most voters thought Kerry had a better performance.
The second debate, held at Washington University in St. Louis on October 8, fared little better for the president. The debate was formatted as a town hall, featuring 140 undecided Missouri voters. Notably, in response to a question about rumors he was thinking about re-instituting the draft, Bush replied, “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a draft. You know, I don’t believe we need to have a draft. I think it’s not needed at this time.” This answer was seen as too indecisive, and Bush’s campaign was forced to issue a clarifying statement in the days afterward.
Arizona State University hosted the third debate on October 13. The theme of the debate was domestic policy, and Kerry successfully presented his case that the Bush administration was not doing enough to protect American families, especially on the issues of healthcare and education. At several points, Bush appeared to have been caught off-guard in response to questions about employment, gay marriage and Social Security. Once again, polls reflected Kerry’s victory in the debate.
Still, as November approached, the election was functionally tied, with polls showing only a slight lead one way or another, with neither candidate leading for very long. On election day, the race was a tossup, with pundits predicting everything from a comfortable Bush re-election to an embarrassing Republican defeat.
In actuality, the election results were... interesting, to say the least.
The American public had largely forgotten about Bush v. Gore, however, as eight months into the Bush presidency, the September 11 terrorist attacks thrust America into war. A US-led coalition intervened in Afghanistan, which had sheltered Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and soon afterward the administration turned its attention to another target: Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.
Hussein’s dictatorship was infamous for its brutality, which included political purges and genocide. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991 had been halted by a military intervention led by the elder Bush, but Hussein was allowed to remain in power. The younger Bush, along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, accused Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction, which gave them an impetus to invade and remove him from power.
The invasion was hotly opposed by several US allies, including France and Canada, but the American public largely approved; the patriotic war fever from the September 11 attacks persisted, even in the face of a military intervention that had nothing to do with the attacks. Hussein was captured in December 2003, and would later be tried for crimes against humanity and executed. However, American forces remained in Iraq for years afterward, as attempts to establish democracy and win the peace largely failed. As a relatively popular incumbent, Bush fended off any serious primary challenges. At the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, Bush and his allies pushed hard on the themes of national security and spreading American ideals of freedom around the world. This sentiment was reflected in Arizona Senator John McCain’s speech on Monday, August 30.
“Our adversaries are weaker than us in arms and men, but weaker still in causes. They fight to express a hatred for all that is good in humanity. We fight for love of freedom and justice, a love that is invincible. Keep that faith. Keep your courage. Stick together. Stay strong. Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up. Stand up with our President and fight. We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender.”
Other speakers included actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and current Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The most interesting speaker at the RNC, however, was none other than Georgia Senator Zell Miller, a conservative Democrat who crossed the isle and endorsed Bush for re-election, denouncing his own party as having “mastered the art of division and diversion.”
On the other side, the Democratic primaries had been largely swept by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. Going into the primary cycle, however, Kerry was an underdog. Rather, it was former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, running a left-wing populist, grassroots campaign, who was in the lead. Dean’s large war chest, motivated base, and opposition to the war in Iraq gave him an advantage among Democratic primary voters. However, the Iowa caucuses yielded an unexpected result: Dean landed third place, behind John Kerry and North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Dean’s candidacy fizzled out after Iowa (not helped by a particularly embarrassing soundbite of Dean screaming at a rally), and “Comeback Kerry” cruised to victory.
The Democratic National Convention, held in Boston, focused on the theme “Stronger at Home, Respected in the World.” Kerry and the Democrats hoped to needle Bush on domestic policy issues, and find an opening on foreign policy by criticizing America’s declining reputation among its allies. The platform featured planks related to anti-terrorism, national defense, energy independence, education and healthcare. Notably, Kerry shied away from emphasizing his record as a Vietnam veteran, as he and his advisers worried that it might shift the focus to foreign policy issues that were stronger for Bush.
The DNC’s highlight speakers included former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Al Gore, New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, and Ron Reagan, son of former Republican President Ronald Reagan.
Interestingly enough, the spotlight was stolen by Illinois State Senator Barack Obama, whose keynote address stressed the unity of the American public in the face of deep partisan division, and highlighted his own biography as the child of a Kenyan immigrant and an American from Kansas. His speech reinforced “the audacity of hope” in the American Dream, especially as it pertained to those traditionally excluded from American public life. The speech was well-received and cemented Obama’s status as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
The conventions had little effect on public opinion. Bush’s lead did grow after the RNC, but that bounce evaporated weeks later as polls showed only a slight lead for the incumbent president. As the general election got underway, Bush portrayed Kerry as a “Massachusetts liberal” whose opinions were too far out of the mainstream for most Americans. The president trumped up his national security record and accused Kerry of being a “flip-flopper” on the issues. Kerry, meanwhile, hammered on domestic policy concerns, hoping to shift the focus away from foreign policy and national security.
As the campaign progressed, controversy erupted as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an organization of Vietnam War veterans and former prisoners of war, accused John Kerry of being “unfit to serve” on account of his own conduct as a Vietnam veteran, as well as for his past anti-war activism. SBVT’s claims were quickly dismissed as “phony and untrue” by the Kerry campaign, which cited that all but one of the living members of Kerry’s boat crew supported his campaign. However, SBVT continued to needle the Senator, including by running ads in key swing states.
Bush maintained a small lead throughout September, but that lead evaporated as the debates got underway. The first debate, held at the University of Miami (FL) on September 30, centered on homeland security and national dense. Kerry criticized the diversion of resources away from Afghanistan and to Iraq, as well as the lack of support among traditional US allies for the Iraq War. Bush, as expected, harped on his own record to show that he was deeply committed to American national security. Bush stumbled in response to Kerry’s point about the lack of international support for the War in Iraq, responding “well, actually, he forgot Poland;” in fact, Kerry had mentioned Poland’s involvement. The gaffe was criticized by pundits and was received poorly by the American public. After the first debate, polls showed most voters thought Kerry had a better performance.
The second debate, held at Washington University in St. Louis on October 8, fared little better for the president. The debate was formatted as a town hall, featuring 140 undecided Missouri voters. Notably, in response to a question about rumors he was thinking about re-instituting the draft, Bush replied, “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a draft. You know, I don’t believe we need to have a draft. I think it’s not needed at this time.” This answer was seen as too indecisive, and Bush’s campaign was forced to issue a clarifying statement in the days afterward.
Arizona State University hosted the third debate on October 13. The theme of the debate was domestic policy, and Kerry successfully presented his case that the Bush administration was not doing enough to protect American families, especially on the issues of healthcare and education. At several points, Bush appeared to have been caught off-guard in response to questions about employment, gay marriage and Social Security. Once again, polls reflected Kerry’s victory in the debate.
Still, as November approached, the election was functionally tied, with polls showing only a slight lead one way or another, with neither candidate leading for very long. On election day, the race was a tossup, with pundits predicting everything from a comfortable Bush re-election to an embarrassing Republican defeat.
In actuality, the election results were... interesting, to say the least.
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What party is President Sinatra of? I remember he had a feud with JFK before the assassination and later became a quasi Republican.
Democrat, though near the ladder half of his life, more in the middle. In this TL JFK isn't killed (Sinatra still didn't like him for that one time), neither is MLK (Whom he made his VP, mostly just to piss off the Dixiecrats, and because Sammy Davis Jr. was busy... That last one may've been a lie).
Perhaps quite banal but still very interesting for me is the confluence of circumstances with Alaska unsold by Russians, which after the Revolution and the civil war became something like "Russian Taiwan."
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What's the difference between the Senate's Chairman and the Speaker?
The Chairman is the person in charge of liaison between the Parliament and the President (and thus the government), plus he has a number of powers over the Senate. The Speaker is elected by senators directly, while the Chairman is chosen by the President from the candidates proposed by the Senate from different factions. The Chairman is considered the №3 figure in Alaska politics and becomes acting Head of State if both President and Vice President are unable to fulfill their duties. In many ways, this is the legacy of the parliamentary system of the Russian Empire and the autocratic Russian State, which existed in Alaska in 1922—1979 before it was transformed into the Republic.
He's chair of the Educational Committee from...age 9? Are you sure you didn't mean to shift those dates twenty years later or something?
When he was nine, he closed all the schools. Didn't you hear his rap?
Kick
A more Democratic United States (Senate elections to come...)
MASSIVE MOD EDIT
MASSIVE MOD EDIT
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Please excuse the mistake on the Presidential election... Bernie only won 14 states. This is just a big WIP.
Let me know if you want to see the 2011 and 2007 general elections. The "Liberal-Progressive Party" is really just a coalition of the Liberal Party and Progressive Party. Elizabeth Warren, leader of the Progressives, is Deputy Prime Minister (spoiler alert)
I figured I'd put it here first as I didn't know if it crossed the line or not and wait for a response
Would be interested to see that. How many seats do the liberal and progressive party each have? Is the coalition strong or is it beginning to fray?
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