DBWI: No President Charlton Heston?

In 1980, the American political landscape was changed when three-term Governor of California Charlton Heston defeated Jimmy Carter for the Presidency. From then on, the country realigned heavily towards more conservative values promoted by President Heston. His ability as an expert orator was unmatched by many during his time, and his ardent endeavor of his opposition to communism was unparalleled. He changed the makeup of the Supreme Court through the appointments of Amalya Kearse (the first woman on the high court, and a perceived moderate who later became a strong conservative), Antonin Scalia in 1986, and Clarence Thomas in 1987 (previously appointed to the DC Circuit in 1983). Heston would also be a lightning rod for opposition by strongly liberal voices in the Democratic Party, and his legacy will probably be discussed for years to come.

In retrospect, what would America be like today had Charlton Heston not been able to capture the Presidency?

OOC: Basically, Heston is this timeline’s Reagan, seeing as how they had similar views.
 
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We might never have gotten the Iran Contra scandal, which caused Heston to resign in disgrace in 1987. This brought Vice President Donald Rumsfeld into the Oval Office. Rumsfeld was elected in his own right in 1988. He was criticized for his handling of a recession, as well as his capitulation to Saddam Hussein in the Persian Gulf. A different President might have stood up to Hussein and pushed him out of Kuwait.
 
We might never have gotten the Iran Contra scandal, which caused Heston to resign in disgrace in 1987. This brought Vice President Donald Rumsfeld into the Oval Office. Rumsfeld was elected in his own right in 1988. He was criticized for his handling of a recession, as well as his capitulation to Saddam Hussein in the Persian Gulf. A different President might have stood up to Hussein and pushed him out of Kuwait.

Many say that it was wrong for Heston to resign, because it essentially meant that he implicated himself in the scandal, even though it has never overtly been proven.
 
Oh geez, I remember all too well his last press conference, on August 9, 1987. When he had to admit his resignation... and completely blew his stack !

Only one year before he was at his zenith... he spoke to NASA astronauts standing on Mars... he celebrated Lady Liberty centenary anniversary, in New York...

And a year later he was out in disgrace. His sortie was even more memorable than Nixon's helicopter trip.

Well, thanks to you all... Now I'm back. I'm home, doing nothing.

All the time, it was... oh damn... We finally really did it. We lost.

My presidency was perfect and then... [falls to his knees screaming]

YOU MANIACS! YOU BLEW IT UP! AH, DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!!

And then he stormed out of the press conference.

(sorry, couldn't resist !)
 
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Many say that it was wrong for Heston to resign, because it essentially meant that he implicated himself in the scandal, even though it has never overtly been proven.

Didn't mean he was directly involved - unlike most politicians, who won't even hold themselves accountable for their own actions, Heston believed he was responsible for the actions of his subordinates.
 
That might be why he’s still viewed somewhat favorably all these years later.

By some he's viewed favorably. Conservatives love him, but legal scholars are quick to point out the corruption in his administration. Democrats argue that his policies hurt the economy in the long term. So most people wouldn't say he was a good President. It wasn't until the McCain presidency in 2005 that the modern GOP could really claim a "great" President as one of their own.
 
By some he's viewed favorably. Conservatives love him, but legal scholars are quick to point out the corruption in his administration. Democrats argue that his policies hurt the economy in the long term. So most people wouldn't say he was a good President. It wasn't until the McCain presidency in 2005 that the modern GOP could really claim a "great" President as one of their own.

Ah yes, the Presidency of the Maverick. Good times, man.
 
Ah yes, the Presidency of the Maverick. Good times, man.

After Heston and Rumsfeld Americans tended to elect independent-minded politicians like McCain. Remember Paul Tsongas' improbable victory in 1992, when he won the White House on a centrist platform. He was re-elected in 1996, but died in 1997 - making Al Gore president until 2005. IMO Gore and McCain were two of the better Presidents we've had in the past 50 years.
 
After Heston and Rumsfeld Americans tended to elect independent-minded politicians like McCain. Remember Paul Tsongas' improbable victory in 1992, when he won the White House on a centrist platform. He was re-elected in 1996, but died in 1997 - making Al Gore president until 2005. IMO Gore and McCain were two of the better Presidents we've had in the past 50 years.

While I personally preferred McCain to Gore, I concede that both of them were good Presidents. However, when it comes to certain issues, such as Supreme Court nominations, they will tend to nominate people who are predominantly conservative or liberal. When was the last true moderate nominee that stuck to that type of philosophy? Amalya Kearse wouldn’t really count due to her tacking to the right after she was confirmed.
 
While I personally preferred McCain to Gore, I concede that both of them were good Presidents. However, when it comes to certain issues, such as Supreme Court nominations, they will tend to nominate people who are predominantly conservative or liberal. When was the last true moderate nominee that stuck to that type of philosophy? Amalya Kearse wouldn’t really count due to her tacking to the right after she was confirmed.

True, and unfortunately a lot of that started with Heston. Remember Ted Kennedy's crusade against Clarence Thomas in 1987. That epic speech he gave may have failed to persuade the Senate, but it left an impact on the partisan nature of Supreme Court nominees. What do you think of the Chief Justice appointed by McCain in 2005?
 
True, and unfortunately a lot of that started with Heston. Remember Ted Kennedy's crusade against Clarence Thomas in 1987. That epic speech he gave may have failed to persuade the Senate, but it left an impact on the partisan nature of Supreme Court nominees. What do you think of the Chief Justice appointed by McCain in 2005?

Indeed, the Clarence Thomas nomination changed the game forever when it came to the Supreme Court, it seems ever since then, most nominees fall on partisan lines, and 2005 proved to be no exception when McCain nominated Miguel Estrada to be Chief Justice to replace Rehnquist. Many Democrats were quick to point out that he was only appointed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a deal with Republicans who controlled the Senate at the time.

That confirmation fight was brutal. Democrats tried to filibuster the nomination, but were defeated when multiple Democrats defected to vote to confirm Estrada. Personally, I think he is doing good.
 
Many say that it was wrong for Heston to resign, because it essentially meant that he implicated himself in the scandal, even though it has never overtly been proven.
There was proof that's why he resigned.
Someone got sloppy and didn't delete the notes from a meeting. That's why several of Charlton Heston's cabinet officials committed suicide or died in federal prison.
Except for Dick Cheney, once everybody tried to make him the fall guy he cut a deal with Federal prosecutors and started talking.
 
True, and unfortunately a lot of that started with Heston. Remember Ted Kennedy's crusade against Clarence Thomas in 1987. That epic speech he gave may have failed to persuade the Senate, but it left an impact on the partisan nature of Supreme Court nominees. What do you think of the Chief Justice appointed by McCain in 2005?

Also, look at the composition of court now, it’s pretty tilted to conservatives. John McCain got to appoint three appointees, all conservatives: Chief Justice Miguel Estrada, Viet Dinh (who replaced John Paul Stevens), Jennifer Elrod (who replaced Roger Miner). Any hopes that the court could tilt liberal again in the future?
 
Also, look at the composition of court now, it’s pretty tilted to conservatives. John McCain got to appoint three appointees, all conservatives: Chief Justice Miguel Estrada, Viet Dinh (who replaced John Paul Stevens), Jennifer Elrod (who replaced Roger Miner). Any hopes that the court could tilt liberal again in the future?

If Vice President Russ Feingold wins in 2020, sure.
 
We’d probably be robbed of the delicious irony of having two separate presidents one after the other with practically the same name, seeing as Heston’s birth name was John Carter.
 
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