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Exitstencil - THE HUNGER OF THE AMERICAN SOUL
Presidents of the United States of America (1969 - present)
1969 - 1973: Eugene J. McCarthy / Frank G. Clement (Democratic)
def. 1968: Richard M. Nixon / Spiro T. Agnew (Republican), George C. Wallace / Curtis E. LeMay (American Independent)
With a last minute plea to Senator George McGovern to stay off the ballot succeeding, the Anti-Humphrey vote at the 1968 DNC coalesced behind the controversial Senator from Minnesota, Eugene McCarthy. While McCarthy was an unconventional candidate, his support of the former Governor of Tennessee and charismatic populist was just as (if not more) strange. The Odd Couple, as they were referred to by the press, managed to take the White House thanks to supposed information of Nixon trying to stall Vietnam peace talks leaked to the press, the Peace movement and Clements' hypnotic speaking style.
President McCarthy, elected on an anti-war wave, made it the centerpiece of his agenda, and after many talks lasting til' the wee hours of the morning, he was proud to announce the conclusion of the Vietnam War by late 1969. While technically a few advisors remained, the boots on the ground were long gone, and that was enough for the American people.
President McCarthy then moved to an even larger task - a transformative domestic agenda. While he managed to achieve an expansion in Social Security and garnered collective bargaining rights for farmers, Southern Democrats made his life a living hell by trying to block his federal aid increase for Education by forcing his hand on busing - McCarthy wouldn't budge, and by the time a compromise was reached, it was too late.
As 1972 came around, McCarthy was still confident of reelection. While this could be ascribed to his own arrogance, the economy was doing fine, his domestic programs sorta were implemented, and, hey, he ended Vietnam. On the Republican side of the aisle, Governor Dan Evans of Washington took it upon himself to represent the liberal wing of the party, garnering the tacit endorsement of Nelson Rockefeller himself. However, Evans would be challenged by the Conservative just a bit to the South. The Governor of California, the myth, the legend, Ron Reagan.
The charming and handsome Reagan would frequently lock horns with the less well-endowed Evans, battling over everything from foreign policy to nature conservation. While Evans would surprisingly prove to be a strong candidate, the nomination was already in Reagan's corner from the time he announced his run.
While McCarthy faced no real threat in the primaries, he was intensely bothered by another power player in the party - His own Vice President. Personally, he had been chafing under Clements' larger-than-life personality ever since he took office. He was President, so why wasn't he getting the love of the people? Despite the voices of reason in his inner circle demanding he keep Clements' on board, McCarthy had already made his mind up. Ironically, he picked a candidate that was just as showy, selecting freshman Senator John Glenn, the former astronaut himself. Although he had only served since 1970, McCarthy had "the utmost faith in his skill and the wherewithal he has needed for this post."
As the conventions wrapped up, McCarthy was technically had the odds in his favor, but seemed to systematically make the wrong choice at every option given. Reagan was cool and calm, where as McCarthy seemed increasingly erratic and off-kilter in his speeches, going on long-winded anecdotes in the middle of stump speeches. McCarthy kept on with gumption but as the polls suddenly gave Reagan the lead just three weeks before Election Day, the campaign was ground to a halt.
Glenn, despite his background, was no Frank Clements', and without that key speaker to fight against Reagan's all-out war on the charm factor, McCarthy was simply left blowing in the wind.
1973-1976: Ronald W. Reagan / William T. Cahill (Republican)
def. 1972: Eugene J. McCarthy / John H. Glenn (Democratic), Walter J. Matthau / Jack U. Lemmon (Rogue Elector)
Reagan's presidency was... divisive, to say the very least. While he narrowly won the General Election, Congress was still firmly in Democratic hands, and they were dead-set on blocking anything that so much has had his vague attachment to it.
His attempts to stop inner-city busing? Stopped. Cahill's pet project for budget decreases on Social Security? Death by Committee. The only major piece of his platform he managed to get through was purely Executive, and, well, it blew up in Ronnie's face.
Since '68, Reagan had been a strong advocate for taking the dollar off of the gold standard, favoring a "free-floating" currency that had more fluidity in the markets in comparison to the strict management of the Bretton Woods System. However, this lead to uncertainty among traders and investors, and on Valentine's Day, 1974, stocks plunged nationwide. Reagan initially tried to remedy this with some more of his sunny optimism and supply-side economics, but the Democratic House would have none of it. Each side slandered each other with names unfit for print in response, with both hoping the blame for the crisis fell to the other. And, in bad news for the G.O.P., the buck stopped with Reagan.
For the Democrats, the hot new craze was all about "Reubin the Good." The young Governor of Florida wasn't too handsome and couldn't be said to be too charismatic, but goddamn if he didn't do his job well. While Reubin seemed set for a drawn-out battle with McCarthyite Mike Gravel and Establishmentarian Robert Straub, Gravel ended up refusing to run and Straub underperformed spectacularly in the New Hampshire Primary. Nay, his foe would be Senator John Tunney, a young progressive who fancied himself the heir to John Kennedy's mantle. While the battle would be prolonged, with Tunney calling Askew a "half-baked hick," and the normally mild-mannered Governor famously referring to Tunney as a "suntanned prick, who frankly can kiss my ass," the Floridian would take the nomination, thanks to Tunney's alienation from the party bosses who still held significant sway in the party.
Reagan found an easy path to renomination, and him and Cahill were raring to get back to what they were best at: campaigning. Running on a slogan of "Renewal in America," the two men gave a surprisingly active campaign from an incumbent President, sparing no expenses in a nationwide tour. Askew himself would be seen less frequently, preferring to stay governing back home to make himself look like "Presidential material." However, he did have a huge amount of Grade A surrogates in his stead, and they wasted no time in getting the message out there. Reagan was increasingly overwhelmed with the duties on the campaign trail, and had to take numerous breaks from the arduous trek across the nation he was on. Images of Reagan pale and weak flooded the pages of Time and the Washington Post, and despite his own assurances that he was fine, the public didn't buy it.
1976-1977: William T. Cahill / Vacant (Republican)
While most experts would hand Askew's victory due to the recession that was a-ragin', the talk of the day was about the health of President Reagan, what was he hiding, and all sorts of political intrigue. However, America was still shocked when Reagan died before the transition of power could take place. Ironically, Reagan, who was ill at the time with a severe case of the flu, would die from a fall down a flight of stairs in the White House, cracking open his own skull. While the nation mourned, William Cahill took power with the pure intention of serving as a placeholder, the Presidential equivalent of wallpaper.
Despite some famous' addresses to the public about "national unity" and "the nature of power," Cahill served his function well. On January 20th, when he handed over the reigns to Askew, he was more than glad to retire to the Jersey beaches he grew up with, soaking up the sun for his golden years.
1977 - ???: Reubin O. Askew / Claiborne B. Pell (Democratic)
def. 1976: Ronald W. Reagan / William T. Cahill (Republican)
Taking office with a powerful mandate only to be undercut by the man he defeated dying, President Askew hopes he can serve as the glue to unite the frayed nation in these trying times. With Congress at his back, Askew is set on ending this recession, solving the cultural division between the left and right, and bring America together, no matter the cost....
THE HUNGER OF THE AMERICAN SOUL
Presidents of the United States of America (1969 - present)
1969 - 1973: Eugene J. McCarthy / Frank G. Clement (Democratic)
def. 1968: Richard M. Nixon / Spiro T. Agnew (Republican), George C. Wallace / Curtis E. LeMay (American Independent)
With a last minute plea to Senator George McGovern to stay off the ballot succeeding, the Anti-Humphrey vote at the 1968 DNC coalesced behind the controversial Senator from Minnesota, Eugene McCarthy. While McCarthy was an unconventional candidate, his support of the former Governor of Tennessee and charismatic populist was just as (if not more) strange. The Odd Couple, as they were referred to by the press, managed to take the White House thanks to supposed information of Nixon trying to stall Vietnam peace talks leaked to the press, the Peace movement and Clements' hypnotic speaking style.
President McCarthy, elected on an anti-war wave, made it the centerpiece of his agenda, and after many talks lasting til' the wee hours of the morning, he was proud to announce the conclusion of the Vietnam War by late 1969. While technically a few advisors remained, the boots on the ground were long gone, and that was enough for the American people.
President McCarthy then moved to an even larger task - a transformative domestic agenda. While he managed to achieve an expansion in Social Security and garnered collective bargaining rights for farmers, Southern Democrats made his life a living hell by trying to block his federal aid increase for Education by forcing his hand on busing - McCarthy wouldn't budge, and by the time a compromise was reached, it was too late.
As 1972 came around, McCarthy was still confident of reelection. While this could be ascribed to his own arrogance, the economy was doing fine, his domestic programs sorta were implemented, and, hey, he ended Vietnam. On the Republican side of the aisle, Governor Dan Evans of Washington took it upon himself to represent the liberal wing of the party, garnering the tacit endorsement of Nelson Rockefeller himself. However, Evans would be challenged by the Conservative just a bit to the South. The Governor of California, the myth, the legend, Ron Reagan.
The charming and handsome Reagan would frequently lock horns with the less well-endowed Evans, battling over everything from foreign policy to nature conservation. While Evans would surprisingly prove to be a strong candidate, the nomination was already in Reagan's corner from the time he announced his run.
While McCarthy faced no real threat in the primaries, he was intensely bothered by another power player in the party - His own Vice President. Personally, he had been chafing under Clements' larger-than-life personality ever since he took office. He was President, so why wasn't he getting the love of the people? Despite the voices of reason in his inner circle demanding he keep Clements' on board, McCarthy had already made his mind up. Ironically, he picked a candidate that was just as showy, selecting freshman Senator John Glenn, the former astronaut himself. Although he had only served since 1970, McCarthy had "the utmost faith in his skill and the wherewithal he has needed for this post."
As the conventions wrapped up, McCarthy was technically had the odds in his favor, but seemed to systematically make the wrong choice at every option given. Reagan was cool and calm, where as McCarthy seemed increasingly erratic and off-kilter in his speeches, going on long-winded anecdotes in the middle of stump speeches. McCarthy kept on with gumption but as the polls suddenly gave Reagan the lead just three weeks before Election Day, the campaign was ground to a halt.
Glenn, despite his background, was no Frank Clements', and without that key speaker to fight against Reagan's all-out war on the charm factor, McCarthy was simply left blowing in the wind.
1973-1976: Ronald W. Reagan / William T. Cahill (Republican)
def. 1972: Eugene J. McCarthy / John H. Glenn (Democratic), Walter J. Matthau / Jack U. Lemmon (Rogue Elector)
Reagan's presidency was... divisive, to say the very least. While he narrowly won the General Election, Congress was still firmly in Democratic hands, and they were dead-set on blocking anything that so much has had his vague attachment to it.
His attempts to stop inner-city busing? Stopped. Cahill's pet project for budget decreases on Social Security? Death by Committee. The only major piece of his platform he managed to get through was purely Executive, and, well, it blew up in Ronnie's face.
Since '68, Reagan had been a strong advocate for taking the dollar off of the gold standard, favoring a "free-floating" currency that had more fluidity in the markets in comparison to the strict management of the Bretton Woods System. However, this lead to uncertainty among traders and investors, and on Valentine's Day, 1974, stocks plunged nationwide. Reagan initially tried to remedy this with some more of his sunny optimism and supply-side economics, but the Democratic House would have none of it. Each side slandered each other with names unfit for print in response, with both hoping the blame for the crisis fell to the other. And, in bad news for the G.O.P., the buck stopped with Reagan.
For the Democrats, the hot new craze was all about "Reubin the Good." The young Governor of Florida wasn't too handsome and couldn't be said to be too charismatic, but goddamn if he didn't do his job well. While Reubin seemed set for a drawn-out battle with McCarthyite Mike Gravel and Establishmentarian Robert Straub, Gravel ended up refusing to run and Straub underperformed spectacularly in the New Hampshire Primary. Nay, his foe would be Senator John Tunney, a young progressive who fancied himself the heir to John Kennedy's mantle. While the battle would be prolonged, with Tunney calling Askew a "half-baked hick," and the normally mild-mannered Governor famously referring to Tunney as a "suntanned prick, who frankly can kiss my ass," the Floridian would take the nomination, thanks to Tunney's alienation from the party bosses who still held significant sway in the party.
Reagan found an easy path to renomination, and him and Cahill were raring to get back to what they were best at: campaigning. Running on a slogan of "Renewal in America," the two men gave a surprisingly active campaign from an incumbent President, sparing no expenses in a nationwide tour. Askew himself would be seen less frequently, preferring to stay governing back home to make himself look like "Presidential material." However, he did have a huge amount of Grade A surrogates in his stead, and they wasted no time in getting the message out there. Reagan was increasingly overwhelmed with the duties on the campaign trail, and had to take numerous breaks from the arduous trek across the nation he was on. Images of Reagan pale and weak flooded the pages of Time and the Washington Post, and despite his own assurances that he was fine, the public didn't buy it.
1976-1977: William T. Cahill / Vacant (Republican)
While most experts would hand Askew's victory due to the recession that was a-ragin', the talk of the day was about the health of President Reagan, what was he hiding, and all sorts of political intrigue. However, America was still shocked when Reagan died before the transition of power could take place. Ironically, Reagan, who was ill at the time with a severe case of the flu, would die from a fall down a flight of stairs in the White House, cracking open his own skull. While the nation mourned, William Cahill took power with the pure intention of serving as a placeholder, the Presidential equivalent of wallpaper.
Despite some famous' addresses to the public about "national unity" and "the nature of power," Cahill served his function well. On January 20th, when he handed over the reigns to Askew, he was more than glad to retire to the Jersey beaches he grew up with, soaking up the sun for his golden years.
1977 - ???: Reubin O. Askew / Claiborne B. Pell (Democratic)
def. 1976: Ronald W. Reagan / William T. Cahill (Republican)
Taking office with a powerful mandate only to be undercut by the man he defeated dying, President Askew hopes he can serve as the glue to unite the frayed nation in these trying times. With Congress at his back, Askew is set on ending this recession, solving the cultural division between the left and right, and bring America together, no matter the cost....
- Exitstencil
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