The 2000 presidential election and ensuing recount are among the most controversial events of the 2000s. Recounts, legal battles, and public protests followed one of the closest elections in American history. The Supreme Court's ruling that ended the Florida recount left many Americans feeling that democracy had been denied. Yet all of the anger and frustration came after an election in which most voters saw little difference between Al Gore and George Bush. Few would argue the same twelve years later. The 9/11 attacks, War in Iraq, financial crisis, and exploding debt turned the Bush Presidency into a crucially important era in American history. Historians will look to this period as an era of immense polarization and frustration directed at the government. Despite predictions to the contrary, George W. Bush was certainly not a care-taker president.
But what if the Florida recount had turned out differently? What if Al Gore had pursued a more aggressive and comprehensive strategy from the start? What if the Florida State Supreme Court had issued a "single uniform standard for voter intent?" More importantly, what would an Al Gore presidency have looked like? I attempt to answer these questions in my newest timeline,
Decision Points. This is by no means a perfectly detailed story. Many of you will certainly disagree with my interpretation of this would-be American President. My goal is not to satisfy everyone, nor is it to write a biased "told-you-so" narrative in an attempt to prove conservatives wrong. This timeline is simply an attempt to craft the most realistic Al Gore presidency.
I used many sources in writing this timeline. Two sources were of particular influence in crafting the general plot ark:
43* by Jeff Greenfield and
Tony and Al by AH.com user Well (it can be found here:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=243933). These two takes on a different 2000s provided some interesting ideas, though I differed on some major points. That's largely due to the goals of the authors. My goal is to be more comprehensive and less thematic. Other sources included extensive news articles and profiles of the Bush Presidency and Congress at the time.
The first post will come shortly. I hope you all enjoy it.
