AHC: Make Bruce Springsteen A Successful Politician

I think as long as he runs, he'll win.
Pretty much this. He'd certainly win easily in New Jersey. If he ever ran for president, his message would do very good in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and other rust belt swing states.
 
Springsteen jumps in the crowded field that was the Democratic primary for Senate in New Jersey in 1982. He manages to defeat Lautenberg by using his own cash reserves, then goes on to win the Senate seat in the strong Democratic year of 1982.

Senator Springsteen serves on a number of committees, gains legislative experience, and makes a name for himself among liberals, many of whom already want him to run for President. He doesn't in 1984, (too early, and Walter Mondale goes down to defeat anyway) and focuses on winning re-election in 1988, helped by President-elect Dukakis' coattails. Springsteen emerges as a vocal supporter of President Dukakis' proposed health care reform legislation, which narrowly passes both the House and the Senate before Dukakis lost control of House to the Republicans in the 1990 congressional elections.

In the minority, Springsteen gets more involved with party leadership functions and spearheads the DSCC's campaign to hold the Senate in 1992. Dukakis ultimately loses re-election to Bob Dole, and Springsteen is elected Senate Majority Whip in the interim. A few conservative Democrats switch parties and thus, Springsteen becomes minority whip. Nevertheless, the austerity budget passed by Dole is largely unpopular, allowing the Democrats to gain the House and retake the Senate in 1994's congressional elections. Springsteen is elected Senate Majority Leader following his own successful re-election to the Senate.

As Majority Leader, Springsteen works with President Dole to pass legislation to get the economy off the ground. By the mid-1990s, the economy has moved back to producing jobs, although not nearly enough. Dole nevertheless defeats former Vice President Lloyd Bentsen for the White House in 1996, while the Democrats increase their majorities in both chambers in the 1996 and 1998 Congressional elections.

Everything seems fine and peachy as Springsteen announces his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in 1999...
 
Springsteen jumps in the crowded field that was the Democratic primary for Senate in New Jersey in 1982.
No. You can't kill Born to Run. How about he does it after the release of Greatest Hits?

He could be elected Governor of New Jersey in 1997 and could then be elected in 2000, 2004, or 2008.
 
No. You can't kill Born to Run. How about he does it after the release of Greatest Hits?

He could be elected Governor of New Jersey in 1997 and could then be elected in 2000, 2004, or 2008.

That sounds a lot better. I think my phone would certainly have a lot less music on it in the TL I just wrote out. :eek:
 
No. You can't kill Born to Run. How about he does it after the release of Greatest Hits?

He could be elected Governor of New Jersey in 1997 and could then be elected in 2000, 2004, or 2008.

That doesn't kill BTR, it just kills Born in the USA. His three best albums (BTR, Darkness, The River) still happen.

But TNF, how does Dukakis get elected just because of Springsteen? I don't think you can butterfly out the Bush Presidency.
 
That doesn't kill BTR, it just kills Born in the USA. His three best albums (BTR, Darkness, The River) still happen.

But TNF, how does Dukakis get elected just because of Springsteen? I don't think you can butterfly out the Bush Presidency.

Dukakis was leading by a large margin in the polls in Summer '88. All he has to do is not fuck up.
 
No. You can't kill Born to Run. How about he does it after the release of Greatest Hits?

He could be elected Governor of New Jersey in 1997 and could then be elected in 2000, 2004, or 2008.

Springsteen in 2008 sounds awesome to me. The Democrats finally get their answer to Reagan and, with a President almost certainly more willing to take progressive action than Obama standing at a turning point in history, who knows what could have been accomplished...

That is, assuming Springsteen proves to a competent executive and is effective enough at twisting the arms of the likes of Lieberman and Nelson. But can't I dream? :p
 
That is, assuming Springsteen proves to a competent executive and is effective enough at twisting the arms of the likes of Lieberman and Nelson. But can't I dream? :p

With a white man with a blue-collar aesthetic at the head of the Democratic ticket, they might be able to hang onto more of the blue-collar white male vote, ensuring themselves an even greater majority in Congress and reducing the need to rely on Blue Dogs. There might even be a public option.

Springsteen/Obama would actually be a great ticket - an appeal to the traditional Rust Belt union left (and a chance to recapture them from the Reps and get them voting in their own best interests again), to the urban liberal left, and to minorities. It would keep the progressive cause intact without seeming "elitist".
 
Springsteen jumps in the crowded field that was the Democratic primary for Senate in New Jersey in 1982. He manages to defeat Lautenberg by using his own cash reserves, then goes on to win the Senate seat in the strong Democratic year of 1982.

Senator Springsteen serves on a number of committees, gains legislative experience, and makes a name for himself among liberals, many of whom already want him to run for President. He doesn't in 1984, (too early, and Walter Mondale goes down to defeat anyway) and focuses on winning re-election in 1988, helped by President-elect Dukakis' coattails. Springsteen emerges as a vocal supporter of President Dukakis' proposed health care reform legislation, which narrowly passes both the House and the Senate before Dukakis lost control of House to the Republicans in the 1990 congressional elections.

In the minority, Springsteen gets more involved with party leadership functions and spearheads the DSCC's campaign to hold the Senate in 1992. Dukakis ultimately loses re-election to Bob Dole, and Springsteen is elected Senate Majority Whip in the interim. A few conservative Democrats switch parties and thus, Springsteen becomes minority whip. Nevertheless, the austerity budget passed by Dole is largely unpopular, allowing the Democrats to gain the House and retake the Senate in 1994's congressional elections. Springsteen is elected Senate Majority Leader following his own successful re-election to the Senate.

As Majority Leader, Springsteen works with President Dole to pass legislation to get the economy off the ground. By the mid-1990s, the economy has moved back to producing jobs, although not nearly enough. Dole nevertheless defeats former Vice President Lloyd Bentsen for the White House in 1996, while the Democrats increase their majorities in both chambers in the 1996 and 1998 Congressional elections.

Everything seems fine and peachy as Springsteen announces his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in 1999...

Hmm, what's funny is that Bill Bradley was still Senator then. Lots of star power in NJ's congressional delegation there.
 
With a white man with a blue-collar aesthetic at the head of the Democratic ticket, they might be able to hang onto more of the blue-collar white male vote, ensuring themselves an even greater majority in Congress and reducing the need to rely on Blue Dogs. There might even be a public option.

Springsteen/Obama would actually be a great ticket - an appeal to the traditional Rust Belt union left (and a chance to recapture them from the Reps and get them voting in their own best interests again), to the urban liberal left, and to minorities. It would keep the progressive cause intact without seeming "elitist".

THIS WOULD BE AWESOME!
 
Top