Red, Green, and Blue
In early 1991, it seemed almost certain that the Republicans' control of the presidency would end after the next election. The economy that had soared under Reagan entered a small recession and the beginning of the Soviet Civil War left the world watch in worry as the second-strongest nuclear power began to split into ethnic and political violence. Bush was criticized by the hawks in his own party for not taking advantage of the volatile situation and liberating the remaining Soviet-dominated Eastern European nations, and by the doves for failing to do much beyond a token effort to tackle the large refugee crisis the war created.
But later that year, Bush found his opportunity to strike back against critics when a trade war between the Iranians and the Arabian Confederation became a shooting war, endangering both the lives of millions in the Persian Gulf region, but also the world's supply of oil. Bush obtained grudging consent from the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China, the two permanent Security Council members who frequently vetoed western military action, and the US-led taskforce arrived, with Admiral Stan Arthur enforcing an uneasy armistice while the two sides came to the negotiating table. The Qatar Accords were the high water mark of Bush's presidency and the economy began a slight rebound with oil prices dropping back to their pre-conflict lows.
The Progressives nominated Virginia Senator Chuck Robb, a military veteran whose moderate stance most thought could take some swing voters away from the now-popular president. Robb balanced his ticket out with Harris Wofford, the young Pennsylvania Senator. The Democrats' selection raised eyebrows as billionaire businessman Ross Perot ended up with the nomination, largely on his anti-debt platform and opposition to a proposed North American trade union. Perot's running mate, the snappish Massachusetts Governor John Silber, was a former Progressive whose increasingly dated social views had turned him against his socially liberal party.
Robb initially had a nice lead on the president as the after effect of the Persian Gulf War began wearing off in mid-1992 and the country continued to be inundated with horrific images of the Soviet army clashing with militias and riots almost daily. But then, allegations of an extra-martial affair began making serious credibility problems for the "straight-talking" senator and his campaign's botched handling of it gave Bush back the momentum.
The president ended up winning another victory, the fourth Republican win in a row. Robb's electoral performance on its surface appeared underwhelming, but a closer reveal showed that Bush won quite a few of his 429 electoral votes by slim (3-5%) margins with Perot taking critical anti-Bush votes away from the embattled Robb.
Red, Green, and Blue
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