The American Mission

The American Mission

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Staying the Course

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"Pressure was growing on George H.W. Bush as the race to unseat him heated up. It was not going to be an easy race to the White House for the incumbent president. There was a general fatigue of the Republican Party and the Democrats were ready for a fight after being shut out of the White House for 12 consecutive years, and George Bush was no natural campaigner. He hated every aspect of it and longed to sit and read briefing papers in the White House, it was his style - the respectable statesman. His group of senior advisers, however, were paid to worry about the state of the president's reelection campaign and at the moment the prospects were bleak. It was going to take a lot to get George Bush another four years in the White House."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003

"I believe with all my heart that together, we can make this happen. We can usher in a new era of progress, prosperity and renewal. We can – we must. This is not just a campaign for the Presidency – it is a campaign for the future, for the forgotten hard-working middle class families of America who deserve a government that fights for them. A campaign to keep America strong at home and around the world. Join with us. I ask for your prayers, your help, your hands, and your hearts. Together we can make America great again, and build a community of hope that will inspire the world."
-Excerpt from Bill Clinton's campaign announcement; October 3, 1991

"There was intense speculation that George Bush would replace Vice President Quayle on the national ticket. Anyone close to the President knew how much of a long shot this was. Bush believed in loyalty and cherished it above all. He was committed to the Vice President, a man he respected and trusted. Still, there was a desire among some in the inner circle to see Quayle gone and in his place a more competent, perhaps more conservative, running mate. A heavy favorite was Bush's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Jack Kemp. Others wanted to see Kansas Senator Bob Dole or his wife Elizabeth Dole join the ticket. Both were major players within the Republican Party and Liddy Dole had served as Bush's Secretary of Labor."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003

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Conversation between President Bush and Mary Matalin; November 1, 1991
PRES. BUSH: "Mary, quite frankly, I don't want to bail on the Vice President. He's a good friend and I know he can do the job."
MARY MATALIN: "Sure, Mr. President, but we're many months away from having to make a decision. I just want you to think about that, that's all. There are plenty of people who could taken Dan Quayle's place on the ticket, I know you have respect for him, but -"
PRES. BUSH: "Who?"
MARY MATALIN: "Jack Kemp, for one. What about one of the Doles?"
PRES. BUSH: "It's all too - I picked Dan Quayle in 1988, I owe it to him to stick by him through thick and then, just as he's done for me. He's a smart, capable leader and I have zero reservations about keeping him on as Vice President. I understand your concerns, I'm just saying that I don't see it."
MARY MATALIN: "Just think about it, please."

"Still, Quayle was a bit of a laughing stock in the nation. The people didn't take him seriously and most feared the potential of a Quayle Administration. President Bush didn't see it. He viewed the Vice President as a competent individual and a well-respected Senator, that's why he chose in 1992 and it is why he refused to look back ever since. Were there other choices? Sure, but Bush wasn't interested. Mary Matalin and other Bush advisers put the pressure on the President: they wanted Quayle gone and didn't see a victory without the Vice President gone from the picture."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003


BUSH CAMPAIGN SAYS QUAYLE IS HERE TO STAY

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11/13/1991: Just under one year from now the voters will be going to the polls to elect a new president or reelect George H.W. Bush, but one thing will likely be the same as their ballot four years ago: Dan Quayle's name. There was intense speculation that George Bush would cave and ask Quayle to step aside, but, at least for now, that won't be the case. Senior campaign aides have been saying for the last few days that the President was planning to keep Quayle on and at a Press Conference today, President Bush made himself perfectly clear: Dan Quayle could expect another four years as Vice President.

"President Bush's overwhelming sense of loyalty clouded his judgement when it came to Dan Quayle and whether or not the Vice President should remain on the ticket. Bush defended his decision to appoint Dan Quayle as Vice President and he never looked back. Quayle was beneficial to the President and George Bush saw a side of the Vice President that most Americans just weren't privy to. This was unfortunate for the President, but it reinforced his thinking, that Dan Quayle should stay as Vice President."
-Excerpt from 41: Profile of a President by Michael Beschloss; published 2000


Meet the Press Interview; November 17, 1991
TIM RUSSERT: "Governor Clinton, what do you make of the road ahead for your campaign?"
GOV. CLINTON: "I'm cautiously optimistic, Tim, I'm looking forward to the coming weeks and months as I meet with the people of the nation and discuss what issues are on their mind. And ya know, I'm hearing a lot about the economy. It's all about the economy and the American people want to know that the next President is going to relate to them on the economy. I can, I've seen it in the eyes of the people I meet across this country. We need a President ready to take on the economy."


UNEMPLOYMENT STAYING STILL, STUCK AT 7%

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12/02/1991: Though most economists predicted that unemployment would be up again this month, the American people can rest, pleasantly surprised. The U.S. Unemployment rate is at 7.0% again as the President hopes to hold the economy out of a deep recession until after the election blows over. A stronger economy will be necessary to secure reelection and the President desperately needs unemployment to stand still. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton has been on the trail, campaigning to defeat President Bush and tearing his record on the economy apart. This as growing "Draft Perot" movements sweep the nation as the country waits to see whether or not H. Ross Perot, the wealthy business magnate, enters the Presidential campaign. There's a lot of stress on the shoulders of George Bush and his team as they hope to secure another four years in the White House. At a press conference yesterday, George Bush defended his record on the White House and hopes to continue to get his message out directly to the American people.
 
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LOL - you want President Quayle?

I get the feeling you're moving towards a Quayle presidency rather than a second Bush term because of the amount of writing on the VP pick from so many perspectives-if Bush and Quayle serve 2 full terms, I imagine such speculation about dumping Quayle will be relegated to a footnote in history. Plus I see no other reason for Bush dying before 2000, as you've hinted, other than an assassination or a stress-induced heart attack after one too many arguments with congressional leaders.

I predict that Bush wins in a squeaker over Clinton (or Tsongas?), while possibly losing the POV-and is successfully assassinated by Sadam's people shortly after the beginning of his second term. I could be wrong though.

I'm no Quayle fan, but will be interested to see what he'd actually do in office. My suspicion is he'll be better than some people would imagine, though nowhere near presidencial great status. The Dems will most likely win in 96 anyway, so any Quayle admin will likely be short-lived.
 
I've been waiting for something like this to be done.

Surprising that it's not nearly as common, much like your Kerry TL.

Subscribed as hell, Nick. Can't wait to see where this goes.
 
Third Parties Don't Place

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"There was a growing desire to nominate Ross Perot as a third party candidate. He had received significant pressure to run and he had caused that excitement by indicating himself that he would run. The nation was looking for him to make a decision while everyone college students to senior citizens carried around 'Draft Perot' clipboards gathering signatures. Perot indicated that he would make his announcement later and it would be wrong to jump to a conclusion before then. Perhaps this was the first sign of his decision, but there was a big percentage of the population that wanted to see Ross Perot involved in the Presidential election. It seemed likely that he would enter the campaign, and if he did he would likely draw from both Bush and Clinton, but he might indirectly hurt the President more than he would hurt Clinton."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003

"The decision Perot faced was immense. The nation's economy was unstable and Americans looked at it without any certainty of their future. It was easy to see why so many people were unsure about the future the nation had ahead. If Perot entered he would capture the support of those who wanted to see an Independent in the office. Between Bush's lies on tax cuts and Clinton's personal and political scandals, the American people had had enough of the two major parties and they wanted a change. Perot was the guy that the American people saw as the one to fill the void, but it would ultimately be his decision if he wanted to run. The people were looking to him, but so were Bush and Clinton who wanted to know what kind of general election they would face."
-Excerpt from H. Ross Perot and His Times by Bob Woodward published 1998

"Should Ross Perot enter the campaign, it would almost certainly be the end of my campaign. It is looking hard to win anyways, but an entrance by Perot would spell disaster. The media likes to say that he'd draw evenly from Clinton and me, but the truth is his existence in a national campaign cements the notion that the American people are unsatisfied with my leadership. It would be an absolute and total disaster."
-From the Diaries of George H.W. Bush; January 12, 1992


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"And finally, my immediate plan calls on Congress to give crucial help to people who own a home, to everyone who has a business or a farm or a single investment. This time, at this hour, I cannot take no for an answer. You must cut the capital gains tax on the people of our country. Never has an issue been more demagogued by its opponents. But the demagogs are wrong. They are wrong, and they know it. Sixty percent of the people who benefit from lower capital gains have incomes under $50,000. A cut in the capital gains tax increases jobs and helps just about everyone in our country. And so, I'm asking you to cut the capital gains tax to a maximum of 15.4 percent."
-State of the Union Address by George H.W. Bush; January 28, 1992

"The American people wanted to hear action on the economy, and they did. President Bush was very concerned about turning the economy around and his State of the Union was strong and forceful. It was a tough time, but George Bush was there for the nation and his approval rating ticked up in the wake of the 1992 State of the Union Address. It is possible, however, that another news event helped Bush out in the long run, a story that resulted from an interview between a wealthy Texas businessman and Larry King."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003


ROSS PEROT WON'T RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 1992

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02/20/1992: Despite months of significant "Draft Perot" movements around the nation, Ross Perot announced tonight that he won't run for President in 1992. Perot's announcement is moderately surprising to the American public who were anxious to see a three-person race for the Presidency. When Larry King pressed Perot on staying out of the race, the Texas businessman argued that he didn't want to participate in the "retail politics" of today and that he had zero desire to be "man-handled by advisers." With Ross Perot out of the race, the Presidential election is poised to be a two-way contest, as has been the trend, between George H.W. Bush and the likely Democratic Nominee: William Jefferson Clinton. Both candidates have their own issues. Clinton is a draft-dodger who has been accused to a long affair with a woman by the name of Gennifer Flowers. Bush went back on a campaign promise from 1988 and raised taxes on the American people. As the nation looks to see which candidate will come out on top, there is a lot of campaign left with both sides having the opportunity to make their case to the American people. The fall campaign will be exciting and without Ross Perot it could be a lot different than most Americans had envisioned.

"With Perot out of the race, the nation was looking at what was left of the Democratic Primary. By the time of the Perot announcement it was not a done deal that Bill Clinton would be the Democratic nominee though it certainly looked likely. It wouldn't be until mid-March, when Paul Tsongas left the race, that Bill Clinton could reasonably assume he would be the nominee."
-Excerpt from [REDACTED] a President by Doris Kearns Goodwin; published 2003

"There were rumors of an affair in Bill Clinton's past and the American people were not going to be pleased with that. Clinton's past had been shady to begin with: he was a draft dodger and he had done marijuana before. He was no role model and it was becoming increasingly difficult for Bill Clinton to make headway as the skeletons of his past came out to play. It was a rough time to be a Democrat as they had no one else. Certainly Jerry Brown would not be a serious contender in a general election. Clinton, as bad as he was, was their best shot at winning. But the economy wasn't weakening as fast as the Democrats wanted. Job creation was improving, though the nation was still suffering economically. Bush hoped to turn the economy around, or at the very least hold it off, so that he could secure victory in November. With his past and lack of military experience, there was no way Bill Clinton could become President without the economy getting significantly worse."
-Excerpt from America in 1992 by Andrew Busch

If the election were held today, who would you vote for for President? (Feb. 23-25)
GEORGE BUSH: 32%
BILL CLINTON: 30%
UNDECIDED: 38%
 

DTanza

Banned
I wonder if Perot is still going to run in 1996. Would he have done better with a second Bush term?
 

Japhy

Banned
Looks good, though I'd suggest that spoilers arn't bad things and the [REDACTED]/Paragraph/Corbis style are things best left behind these days, you don't have to shunt yourself into a writing style just because its infected half the board.

Issues of style aside, interested in seeing where this goes next.
 
you don't have to shunt yourself into a writing style just because its infected half the board.

I've done the style before. It's better than HEADLINE/Picture HEADLINE/Picture in my eyes, and I like the ability to show directly what the people ITTL are saying.
 
I've done the style before. It's better than HEADLINE/Picture HEADLINE/Picture in my eyes, and I like the ability to show directly what the people ITTL are saying.

Although there's nothing wrong with that style :eek:

Anyway, excellent update as usual.
 
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