DBWI: Earlier Bill Clinton Presidency

In OTL, President George H. W. Bush won re-election in 1992, defeating California Governor Jerry Brown because Ross Perot did not drop out from the race and acted as a spoiler stealing votes. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton did not run for re-election in the Arkansas Gubernatorial Election of 1994, but he did win the Democratic presidential nomination in 1996. Vice President Dan Quayle was expected to win the Republican nomination, but was defeated by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole. Because of Republican fatigue, Clinton and his running mate Massachusetts Senator John Kerry defeated Dole and his running mate South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. Clinton won re-election in 2000, defeating Arizona Senator John McCain and his running mate Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was elected as a United States Senator from Illinois in the United States Senate Election in Illinois of 2004. What if Bill Clinton's Presidency had been earlier, beginning in 1993? Would he even win against Bush in 1992, or re-election in 1996 with the scandals he had against him?
 
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In OTL, President George H. W. Bush won re-election in 1992, defeating California Governor Jerry Brown because Ross Perot did not drop out from the race and acted as a spoiler stealing votes. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton did not run for re-election in the Arkansas Gubernatorial Election of 1994, but he did win the Democratic presidential nomination in 1996. Vice President Dan Quayle was expected to win the Republican nomination, but was defeated by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole. Because of Republican fatigue, Clinton and his running mate Massachusetts Senator John Kerry defeated Dole and his running mate South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. Clinton won re-election in 2000, defeating Arizona Senator John McCain and his running mate Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was elected as a United States Senator from Illinois in the United States Senate Election in Illinois of 2004. What if Bill Clinton's Presidency had been earlier, beginning in 1993? Would he even win against Bush in 1992, or re-election in 1996 with the scandals he had against him?

Bush was considered lucky he ran against such a weak opponent in Jerry Brown. Clinton was definitely a more charismatic individual than Jerry Brown. If Clinton were elected in 1993, it’s more than likely he would’ve oversaw a robust economy. Unfortunately for him, the economy dipped slightly in 2004, and he was always dogged by sexual assault allegations.

Other things would be that he, instead of Bush, would’ve appointed replacements for Byron White and Harry Blackmun on the Supreme Court. Perhaps instead of Emilio Garza and Samuel Alito, you would’ve seen more liberal judges on the bench. Maybe gun control legislation? Perhaps you would also see Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell earlier as well.
 
All good points, do you think we’d see an earlier Obama Presidency too? He wanted to run for Senator in 2004 but with Hillary running was suaded not to, and as we all know had a brief time as Governor before moving on to run in 2012.
 
All good points, do you think we’d see an earlier Obama Presidency too? He wanted to run for Senator in 2004 but with Hillary running was suaded not to, and as we all know had a brief time as Governor before moving on to run in 2012.
That's right. He served as Governor from January 8th, 2007 until January 10th, 2011. What's weird is that Hillary did not run for re-election in the United States Senate Election in Illinois of 2016. After winning re-election in the United States Presidential Election of 2016, President Obama nominated her to serve as his Secretary of State for his second term that began on January 20th, 2017.
 
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Would Jeb Bush have been President if his father only served one term? Surely George Bush presiding over two solid terms in office gave voters little reservation about electing Jeb over John Kerry in 2004. Of course Jeb got lucky running for re election against someone like John Edwards. Had the Democrats nominated Biden or Schweitzer, I think Jeb would've lost and the Democrats would've been the ones saddled with the 2010 financial crisis, so we would've ended up with two consecutive two term Presidents from 2005-2013 rather than having 5 consecutive two term Presidents since 1980.
 
Would Jeb Bush have been President if his father only served one term? Surely George Bush presiding over two solid terms in office gave voters little reservation about electing Jeb over John Kerry in 2004. Of course Jeb got lucky running for re election against someone like John Edwards. Had the Democrats nominated Biden or Schweitzer, I think Jeb would've lost and the Democrats would've been the ones saddled with the 2010 financial crisis, so we would've ended up with two consecutive two term Presidents from 2005-2013 rather than having 5 consecutive two term Presidents since 1980.
In OTL, it was a strange miracle that took place during the Florida Gubernatorial Election of 1994. Jeb Bush had lagged behind in the polls due to his father's vulnerability during the 1994 Midterms, but still managed to defeat Lawton Chiles. Bush won re-election in 1998 easily against Former Lieutenant Governor Buddy McKay. John Kerry's selection of Dick Gephardt helped him out in the Midwest, especially Iowa. Kerry once said that had he won in 2004, he would have nominated John Edwards to serve as his Attorney General. Had Biden or Schweitzer been nominated in 2008, would they have had the liberal base support Edwards won over with his charisma?

During Jeb's Presidency, the United States invaded Iraq in 2005, and in 2011 militarily intervened in the Syrian Civil War. I think Biden or Schweitzer would have avoided involvement in Syria and focused on the economy, but it might not have been enough.
 
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In OTL, it was a strange miracle that took place during the Florida Gubernatorial Election of 1994. Jeb Bush had lagged behind in the polls due to his father's vulnerability during the 1994 Midterms, but still managed to defeat Lawton Chiles. Bush won re-election in 1998 easily against Former Lieutenant Governor Buddy McKay. John Kerry's selection of Dick Gephardt helped him out in the Midwest, especially Iowa. Kerry once said that had he won in 2004, he would have nominated John Edwards to serve as his Attorney General. Had Biden or Schweitzer been nominated in 2008, would they have had the liberal base support Edwards won over with his charisma?

Jeb received high approval ratings following the successful invasion of Iraq in late 2005. Using logistics in Iraq, Jeb had a US-led Coalition intervene in the Syrian Civil War in 2011, which had also been met with public support.
Jeb also had Katrina and a pretty wacky cabinet in his first two years in office. Plus, some his hard right stances on Social issues (stem cell research ban, pushing a constitutional amendment to define marriage between one man and one woman) hurt him with moderates and Iraq was noticeably becoming a quagmire by 2007 and was a clusterfuck by 2009. It wasn't until the success of the Syrian intervention of 2011 that Jeb somewhat redeemed himself on Foreign Policy and even then the arrogant "'Murica Fuck yea" neoconservatism that defined his Presidency left many allies alienated.
 
Jeb also had Katrina and a pretty wacky cabinet in his first two years in office. Plus, some his hard right stances on Social issues (stem cell research ban, pushing a constitutional amendment to define marriage between one man and one woman) hurt him with moderates and Iraq was noticeably becoming a quagmire by 2007 and was a clusterfuck by 2009. It wasn't until the success of the Syrian intervention of 2011 that Jeb somewhat redeemed himself on Foreign Policy and even then the arrogant "'Murica Fuck yea" neoconservatism that defined his Presidency left many allies alienated.
One of the best cabinet members he selected was Senator John McCain of Arizona as Secretary of Defense. Following his defeat in 2000, McCain did not run for re-election in the United States Senate Election in Arizona of 2004. President-elect Jeb Bush nominated McCain to serve as his Secretary of Defense.
 
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