Chapter 11
When the votes had been counted and Dole declared the winner she was called by Senator Bradley while Governor Shaheen gave a concession speech. Bradley thanked her for a great campaign, conceded, and then congratulated the Governor. When he was done he too gave a concession speech. Meanwhile the Republicans were ready for four years in the White House. Dole’s speech was being polished up and then she approached a crowded Hotel Ballroom to declare victory in what was supposed to be a close election. Her speech touched on the fact she was the first woman President, “It’s occurred to me I’m a lot of first,” she began, “I’m the first woman President with brown hair, the first woman President from North Carolina, the first woman President to have been a governor first, the first woman President to be married to a man who’s name begins with R, I’m the firs…” when the crowd saw what she was doing they were quick to burst into laughter. Dole’s speech was serious too, though, “We have enemies who wish to see the end of our country…I will not let that happen. We have children falling through the cracks of a poor, under-funded education system, I will not let them plunge.” When her speech had ended and she told the country that had just elected her President good night she stepped forward with her husband and Senator Thompson, still a bachelor, to wave to the crowd of supporters as the confetti and balloons fell. “Thank you” she repeatedly said. President Clinton, however, watched the results with Vice President Gore from the White House. Of course Hillary had won and there was much to celebrate, but he knew he would be turning the White House over to the opposing party, it was something he regretted personally. As Vice President Gore rose, giving Clinton an “I told you so” look, to exit the President shut off the tv and stormed to the Oval Office. It was not a good night for him.
Ann Richards was watching from the Texas Governor’s Mansion. She turned to her staff and said, “Get ready, it’s woman vs. woman four years from now.” John Kerry watched from his home in Massachusetts as the television screen flashed the results before his eyes, “We’ll be back in four years, hell it isn’t that far away,” he reported to Teresa Heinz. Similarly John Edwards in North Carolina told his staff, “2-0-4 is our year.” As Democrats began the process of preparing to unseat Dole, the President-elect and her staff were filling cabinet positions. Liberals across the countries hung their heads in disappointment while their conservative friends gloated over their impressive victory. It was a rough night for the Democrats across the country, they’d hoped to pull out a win for the party and keep the White House blue for another four years: they had failed. Governor Dole was well on her way to the White House and there was nothing stopping her and her conservative agenda. One liberal commentator remarked, “A new era of conservatism has just begun.” How right he was, but what he didn’t know was that a series of unfortunate events would prevent that new era of conservatism from getting a head start.
When the votes had been counted and Dole declared the winner she was called by Senator Bradley while Governor Shaheen gave a concession speech. Bradley thanked her for a great campaign, conceded, and then congratulated the Governor. When he was done he too gave a concession speech. Meanwhile the Republicans were ready for four years in the White House. Dole’s speech was being polished up and then she approached a crowded Hotel Ballroom to declare victory in what was supposed to be a close election. Her speech touched on the fact she was the first woman President, “It’s occurred to me I’m a lot of first,” she began, “I’m the first woman President with brown hair, the first woman President from North Carolina, the first woman President to have been a governor first, the first woman President to be married to a man who’s name begins with R, I’m the firs…” when the crowd saw what she was doing they were quick to burst into laughter. Dole’s speech was serious too, though, “We have enemies who wish to see the end of our country…I will not let that happen. We have children falling through the cracks of a poor, under-funded education system, I will not let them plunge.” When her speech had ended and she told the country that had just elected her President good night she stepped forward with her husband and Senator Thompson, still a bachelor, to wave to the crowd of supporters as the confetti and balloons fell. “Thank you” she repeatedly said. President Clinton, however, watched the results with Vice President Gore from the White House. Of course Hillary had won and there was much to celebrate, but he knew he would be turning the White House over to the opposing party, it was something he regretted personally. As Vice President Gore rose, giving Clinton an “I told you so” look, to exit the President shut off the tv and stormed to the Oval Office. It was not a good night for him.
Ann Richards was watching from the Texas Governor’s Mansion. She turned to her staff and said, “Get ready, it’s woman vs. woman four years from now.” John Kerry watched from his home in Massachusetts as the television screen flashed the results before his eyes, “We’ll be back in four years, hell it isn’t that far away,” he reported to Teresa Heinz. Similarly John Edwards in North Carolina told his staff, “2-0-4 is our year.” As Democrats began the process of preparing to unseat Dole, the President-elect and her staff were filling cabinet positions. Liberals across the countries hung their heads in disappointment while their conservative friends gloated over their impressive victory. It was a rough night for the Democrats across the country, they’d hoped to pull out a win for the party and keep the White House blue for another four years: they had failed. Governor Dole was well on her way to the White House and there was nothing stopping her and her conservative agenda. One liberal commentator remarked, “A new era of conservatism has just begun.” How right he was, but what he didn’t know was that a series of unfortunate events would prevent that new era of conservatism from getting a head start.
