Geronimo : What if Osama Bin Laden was killed prior to 9/11?

ahmedali

Banned
About the Arab Spring

I think that Algeria here may reach the Arab Spring this time without the depression of 2008

(If the author wants it to continue)

She was the only one who didn't get any protests because of the oil boom resulting from the recession and without it I don't see them avoiding it

And Algeria could be a good candidate to become TLL Syria

Especially with the presence of powerful terrorist groups in the Algerian Sahara

(Al-Qaeda Organization in the Maghreb, which claimed the Casablanca attacks and the Algiers attacks, and is linked to terrorist groups in Mali and Nigeria)

And that the country has had problems with Islamists since 1993

So you can make Syria and Algeria exchange places

(Syria remains stable while Algeria collapses into OTL-style civil war Syria and Libya)

This could have interesting effects on the Middle East

(No Syrian civil war means an Israeli-Syrian peace treaty and the return of the Golan, which almost happened in the OTL)


It could lead to a cluster civil war in West Africa
 
With regard to popular support, it can be said that it has faded or often exists because of the fear of Zanu

(The elections that brought Zanu to power were marred by violence and voter intimidation).
I'm not talking about the election, I'm talking about the guerilla war that brought him to power. Those loyalties wouldn't fade lightly, especially the government would be trying to draw a direct line between Rhodesia falling and the British overthrowing the government. Though it may well be good to get rid of Mugabe, there is no way to make it not look like neo-colonialism.
I may agree that they have close relations with Zimbabwe, but I doubt that being colleagues in the struggle may mean that they do not accept greater British investment in their economy just because they are allies of Zimbabwe.
Then you don't understand the mindset of the leaders. These were the same people that had cut their teeth fighting against European colonialism and continued their friendly relations into the 2000s, Namibia isn't going to backstab Zimbabwe in the name of neo-colonialism (YMMV but that's what it would look like to a lot of people) for some nebulous "investment". These are African nationalists, they don't want Europe poking around in their business and that's all there is to it.
Just as Blair was able to participate in the invasion of Iraq, although the opposition within Britain was great
As part of a multinational coalition that included the Americans to do most of the heavy lifting with the purpose to get rid of Iraqi WMDs (didn't exist obviously but worked to get the public riled up at the time) with the media doing its best to link Saddam to 9/11. Not the same, there would not remotely be the same support. Blair would probably be toppled by Brown for suggesting it.
I think he will do for Zimbabwe
Then you are wrong.
Can we close the book on regime change in Zimbabwe now, it's not going to happen and its clogging up the thread.
 

ahmedali

Banned
I'm not talking about the election, I'm talking about the guerilla war that brought him to power. Those loyalties wouldn't fade lightly, especially the government would be trying to draw a direct line between Rhodesia falling and the British overthrowing the government. Though it may well be good to get rid of Mugabe, there is no way to make it not look like neo-colonialism.

Then you don't understand the mindset of the leaders. These were the same people that had cut their teeth fighting against European colonialism and continued their friendly relations into the 2000s, Namibia isn't going to backstab Zimbabwe in the name of neo-colonialism (YMMV but that's what it would look like to a lot of people) for some nebulous "investment". These are African nationalists, they don't want Europe poking around in their business and that's all there is to it.

As part of a multinational coalition that included the Americans to do most of the heavy lifting with the purpose to get rid of Iraqi WMDs (didn't exist obviously but worked to get the public riled up at the time) with the media doing its best to link Saddam to 9/11. Not the same, there would not remotely be the same support. Blair would probably be toppled by Brown for suggesting it.

Then you are wrong.
Can we close the book on regime change in Zimbabwe now, it's not going to happen and its clogging up the thread.
If this loyalty will not fade, then why was he overthrown later?

Loyalty doesn't matter, there are always opportunists

Look at France and their treatment of Africa and you will see that the stubbornness of the leaders is a paper tiger

It wasn't until later that he was overthrown

I already stopped it and switched to the Arab Spring
 
Can you all please stop discussing Zimbabwe, the Arab Spring, and other tangentially related topics? It’s coming very close to derailing the thread. Please stop giving me false hope for an update and just wait for the thread author to bring up these topics?
 

ahmedali

Banned
Can you all please stop discussing Zimbabwe, the Arab Spring, and other tangentially related topics? It’s coming very close to derailing the thread. Please stop giving me false hope for an update and just wait for the thread author to bring up these topics?

We're sorry


We just wanted to discuss things that could have happened without 9/11
 
Something that occurred to me, @Iwanh , that in TTL not having the 9/11 attacks would have some interesting outcomes in the movie-industry with one of them being Richard Hatch being able to film his Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming (Which would've ignored Galactica 1980):

Competing developments​

Hatch's proposed sequel was one of several iterations of Battlestar Galactica to be announced. A sequel series by Bryan Singer was also developed, and even went into pre-production in 2001. This version would have also been a direct continuation of the original series, taking place many years later when the colonial fleet had made a settlement in an asteroid field only to have the Cylons find them and pursue them across the galaxy again. However, after the 911 terrorist attacks in September 2001, the production was halted and then later cancelled.

I was very disappointed that it was never produced and I've scene the fan trailer he made for it:


Although Lorne Greene (Commander Adama) had died in the 1980s at that point in time a number of the original cast members such as John Colicos (Count Altar) were still alive. I'm disappointed that this never got filmed.
 

ahmedali

Banned
Also, the mission of the game Grand Theft Auto III, which includes a cIaud attack on a building with a plane, will not be removed with the absence of September 11, and the game will be released in September instead of November

And the shape of the police cars will remain similar to their real counterparts, and school children will appear as pedestrians

Most importantly, the cover will not be modified
 
Also, the mission of the game Grand Theft Auto III, which includes a CIaude attack on a building with a plane, will not be removed with the absence of September 11, and the game will be released in September instead of November
Grand Theft Auto III came out in October of 2001, not November. Though without 9/11, the game will come out in late September instead.

And the shape of the police cars will remain similar to their real counterparts, and school children will appear as pedestrians
I would actually love to see the police cars of the Liberty City Police Department be blue and white like the NYPD's police cars used to be back in the old days. Black and white cop cars are alright, but blue and whites stands out more IMHO. Strangely, the police helicopters remain blue and white in the final version of the game in OTL.

Children were only rumored to be in the game. I'd fell pretty awful about taking the lives of innocent children if they were actually planned for the game.

Most importantly, the cover will not be modified
Eh, I could go either way with the game artwork and covers.
 

ahmedali

Banned
Grand Theft Auto III came out in October of 2001, not November. Though without 9/11, the game will come out in late September instead.


I would actually love to see the police cars of the Liberty City Police Department be blue and white like the NYPD's police cars used to be back in the old days. Black and white cop cars are alright, but blue and whites stands out more IMHO. Strangely, the police helicopters remain blue and white in the final version of the game in OTL.

Children were only rumored to be in the game. I'd fell pretty awful about taking the lives of innocent children if they were actually planned for the game.


Eh, I could go either way with the game artwork and covers.

I agree that killing children is very scary

I think I read something about Rockstar making babies immortal (i.e. they can't be killed in game mode)

To avoid controversy that will happen

If they don't, we'll see a heated debate in Congress along the lines of Hillary Clinton and the sexual content of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.

And the story will be more darker
 
Part 37: Conventions 2004
Part XXXVII

Conventions 2004


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Logos for the, 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions

Washington was rumbling; now that the primaries had concluded, the campaign busses were refuelling, buttons and lawn signs were being printed and the partisan bickering grew louder and louder. It wasn’t just the campaigns that were electrifying the capital, scandal hung in the air. President Bush had been raked over the coals by the media and congressional Democrats for his recent military strike in Iraq (Operation Wolverine) a strike that failed to achieve its suspected goal of killing Saddam Hussein and forcing regime change in the country. Public opinion which had briefly rallied behind the operation had since been split and the President's approval rating stood at a stubborn 47%. As media scrutiny and public disapproval arose, national support for the Presidents strategy fell, and for the first time a majority of Americans disapproved of the Presidents handling of the Iraqi crisis. Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi charged Bush with "having no policy for Iraq based in reality" and Senator Robert Byrd a vicious critic said he was “Staggered by this administration's lack of a strategy for dealing with Iraq”

The White House’s communications team worked overtime to support the President, he had taken “the appropriate course of action to deal with the threat of Saddam Hussein” according to press secretary Scott McClellan. “No President can be expected to consult with hundreds of lawmakers before he makes split-second decisions, I am the decider, I decide,” said the President. But Bush had clearly been wounded by his action. He had been forced to ask two prominent officials to step down, Paul Wolfowitz (the centre of a Democratic congressional investigation) and George Tenet who had insisted he resign over intelligence's failures. But the media and the Democrats hadn’t stopped threatening to subpoena White House records relating to the operation as well as other matters.

The icing on top was the resurfacing of an old controversy, the issue of President Bush’s military service. Emerging in 2000, the controversy accused him of failing to fulfil his military contract which he served in the national guard as opposed to the Vietnam war. The implication was that Bush had cheated his way out of serving in the war. The controversy became a cat-and-mouse game of various journalists finding various records that contracted the President's various claims that he had already disclosed everything 4 years ago. Regardless of the controversies' validity, the deluge of reports didn’t look good for Bush, with various commentators denigrating his service as “falling well short of his military obligation”. And the comedian Larry David lampooned the President by comparing his own service in the army reserves “whenever I've mentioned my service in the Reserve during Vietnam, it's been met with sneers and derision. But now, thanks to President Bush, I can stand up proudly alongside him and all the other guys who guarded the home front.”

There was a brief lull in the political attacks when on June 5th, 2004, former president Ronald Reagan passed away in his home in California, at the age of 93. All campaigning was temporarily paused out of respect for the ‘Gipper’ and a state funeral was held that would include the largest number of foreign dignitaries since John F Kennedys funeral in 1963. President Bush marked the death in a press conference praising Reagan for “ laying to rest an era of division and self-doubt” and thanking him in grandiose terms for restoring the nation and helping to save the world. “He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done, and now a shining city awaits him. May God bless Ronald Reagan.”. Members of Congress were also invited including the Democratic nominee Senator John Edwards, his campaign released a short statement that was far less complimentary of Reagan’s record, rather noting his strong personality and commitment to his wife Nancy “Regardless of policy, he was the voice of America and it is always sad when one of the great Americans who could provide comfort to the world passes”

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Funeral for Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the United States

It didn’t take long for politics to take centre stage again, especially with convention season dawning. The first national convention was the Green party. Perennial candidate Ralph Nader had already announced his intention to run for the Presidency for the third time and his announcement spooked some Democrats who saw his campaign as responsible for spoiling Gore’s chances in 2000, and even some of Nader’s former supporters had withdrawn their backing from his candidacy, saying they needed to 'unite against Bush', but Nader refuted the critics "I've decided to run as an independent candidate for president. … George Bush is a giant corporation in the White House masquerading as a human being. And the liberal intelligentsia," Nader said, "has allowed its party to become a captive of corporate interests." Nader’s decision to run as an independent rather than for the Green party’s nomination ruffled feathers and the delegates were split, Nader was the party's known candidate and had brought a significant following to the party, but many others thought it was arrogant of Nader not to run for their support and backed a rival, David Cobb a Texan activist. Ultimately a compromise between the delegates was reached where the party did not formally nominate any candidate and instead endorsed both Cobb and Nader allowing each individual state party to choose its own candidate [1]. Nader’s run prompted feigned shrugs from the other candidates’ spokespeople "If Ralph Nader runs, President Bush is going to be re-elected, and if Ralph Nader doesn't run, President Bush is going to be re-elected," said the RNC Chairman and “John Edwards has a proven track record of attracting progressives, moderates and dissatisfied Republicans, we will win the White House in November” said an Edwards aid.

In addition to the scandals and the campaigning American documentarian, Michael Moore (A former Nader backer) released his new film Something CrookEd which focused on American corporate greed, fraud and scandal with a special focus on Enron, World Com and K-mart. Moore took the opportunity to go after the Bush family and the administration with a theme of corporations growing influence in politics. Something CrookEd received a strong opening for a documentary and critical praise but was criticised by some as overtly one-sided due to its release in the election year (though the film did attack Democrats) and one called it “an extended endorsement of the Edwards campaign” Citizens United a conservative group sued, claiming the film was an undisclosed political advertisement. The film benefited from Enron (the central focus of the film) being back in the news, thanks to former CEO Kenneth Lay's indictment.

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Promotional Poster for 2004 Documentary Something CrookEd


The Democrats gathered for their convention in New York City, a bid supported by progressive Mayor Mark Green to show how his liberal-progressive policies were successfully lowering the city's poverty rate, and increasing racial justice while growing its budget and keeping crime in decline.

The dawning of the convention saw scores of Democrats seething with angst at President Bush but following John Edwards's calls for a campaign focused on policy, most clenched their teeth. “This isn’t about Bush,” said the party chairman Lou Maguzzu “This is about the future of the country”. The convention was packed and spilling out onto the streets of New York outside Madison Square Garden. Edward's intention was to focus on his economic message and stay away from negative campaigning to avoid the stereotype that the Democrats were obstructionists focused on investigating the White House rather than governing. But that didn’t stop the party platform from branding Bush’s policies as “weak and ineffective … incomes are falling and prices are rising … it is time for a government focused on the ordinary Americans”. The party had the winds behind them, the recent focus on Bush’s scandals already placed Edwards with a 4% polling lead, and on the day of the convention opening there was another gaffe when Vice President Cheney trying to mock Edwards, said that he had never met him because he rarely showed up to the Senate, only for multiple pictures of the two to be released shortly after. Going into the convention Democrats were enthused and positive.

Edward's platform included two notable breaks from the party mainstream. He wanted to focus away from the criticism of Bush’s Iraq policy, focusing on Bush’s failed foreign policy overall, this angered some of the activist and left wing of the party who suspected Edwards of supporting an invasion of Iraq and several Democratic party members made their own opposition to war with Iraq loudly known anyway. The second break was on free trade, supporting a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement “to better protect American jobs and trade” a contentious issue given that former President Clinton who finalized NAFTA would be speaking. The remainder of the platform included reversing tax cuts for the wealthy, raising the minimum wage, supporting American labor, reducing the deficit, and reforming American health care and drug prices. A delegate called the agenda “our manifesto for change” While a Republican said it sent his head spinning “it’s like they’ve entered an alternate universe”.

The speakers on the first night featured Democratic stars including former Presidents Clinton and Carter who emphasized Democrats' commitment to global cooperation, equal opportunities and the importance of government, Senator Hillary Clinton depicted Edwards as the new Clinton “In 1992 and 1992 [Bill] showed Democrats how to win and so will John Edwards” it was clearly the image that John Edwards wanted to shape for himself too, and finally, former Vice President Al Gore came to the stage and joked about his previous bids “As you all know I had hoped to be here under very different circumstances but take it from me every vote counts Don't let anyone take it away or talk you into throwing it away.”

The second day of the convention featured Edward's wife Elizabeth who spoke on the importance of faith and family to the Edwards “We deserve leaders who allow their faith and moral core, our faiths and moral core to draw us closer together, not drive us farther apart. We deserve leaders who believe in each of us and fight for all of us.”.


Reverend Al Sharpton had some fiery words for the Democrats delivering sharp rebukes toward Bush for comments he made indicating that the Democrats expect the African American vote "Mr President, I heard you say you had questions for voters, particularly African-American voters. And you said the Democratic Party takes us for granted. You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass," he said. "It is true that Mr Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. We were promised 40 acres and a mule. We never got the 40 acres. … We didn't get the mule. So we decided we would ride this donkey as far as it would take us.".

And then the conventions keynote speaker Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a pumped-up speech on the economy and how ‘American opportunity’ was being lost by the Bush administration and now needed Edwards “who will be stand-up for Americans who have poured their lives into their businesses. Who will stand up for those Americans and their families facing lousy health plans, or layoffs? Who will stand up for those small Americans who proudly stamp "Made in America" on their products and want to keep it that way? John Edwards will.”

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Top, Left to Right, President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, President Carter, Vice President Gore
Bottom, Left to Right, Elizabeth Edwards, Rev Al Sharpton and Governor Jennifer Granholm

The next day introduced the Vice-Presidential candidate. Edward's selection process included Senator Bob Graham of Florida, Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa and Governor Janet Napolitano of New Mexico, who were all Democrats from swing states. Then there was Senator Tom Daschle or Hillary Clinton who could add some prestige to the ticket (Hillary was reportedly Edward's first choice only to be informed she had no interest in the position). And then there were those who could give the ticket ideological diversity, Deputy House Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, Senator Dick Durbin, Senator John Kerry and Speaker of the House Dick Gephardt were all from the more liberal wing of the party.

The shortlist came down to five final picks, Bob Graham, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry, Janet Napolitano and Tom Vilsack. Edward's pick ultimately came down to choosing someone he felt balanced the ticket best, who held similar views to himself and who had significant experience. His choice was unveiled exiting the aeroplane together, the two Johns, Edwards and Kerry.

John Kerry was thought to be a perfect ticket balancer, a northern senator providing liberal bona fides as a strong opponent of the President's foreign policy with a war hero’s background and a strong ability to fundraise. It was celebrated as a good decision, Kerry had good name recognition from his early campaign, though some griped that it was a missed opportunity for a more energetic VEEP candidate but these concerns were folded away by Edwards (according to aids Edwards didn’t want a vice-presidential candidate to outshine him).

Kerry was introduced by his wife Teresa and his daughters who spoke for Kerry’s acumen and his ideals “John Kerry is a fighter. He earned his medals the old-fashioned way, by putting his life on the line for his country. And no one can help defend this nation more vigorously than he can”. When Kerry graced the stage himself he gave a lively and confident speech listing Bush’s failures and praising Edward's background “I am proud to be the running mate of a man whose life, is the story of the American dream, and who's worked every day to make that dream real for all Americans – John Edwards of North Carolina. This son of a mill worker is ready to lead – and next January, Americans will be proud to have a fighter for the middle class to succeed George Bush as the next President of the United States.”

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Top Left to Right, Teresa Kerry, Newspaper headlines misidentifying then correcting Edwards VP pick, Senator and Vice Presidential nominee John Kerry
Bottom Left to Right, Senator Zell Miller and Ted Kenedy

The convention's final day was designed to show John Edward's appeal to the entire Democratic party with speeches from its right and left flanks, two ideologically opposed Senators Zell Miller and Ted Kennedy. Millers had more often than not voted with the Bush administration and regularly got into conflicts with his Democratic comrades, the Republican leadership had tried to get him to switch party to win control over the Senate only for Zell to tell them he was a ‘Democrat until he died’. His speech largely focused on the patriotism of John Edwards his American values as well as an appeal to southerners to support Edwards “John Edwards understands you, he understands your family, your neighbours and your struggles, it’s our duty as Democrats to mobilize from all parts of the country and all parts of life to restore the American dream” [2]

It was the opposite of Ted Kennedy's speech focusing on the social and economic policy to come, and lambasting Bush by comparing him to “some monarch named George who inherited the crown” and the relishing fight to come “These are familiar fights. We’ve fought and we’ve won them before. And with John Edwards and John Kerry leading us, we will win them again and again and again and make America stronger at home and respected once more in the world.”.

Then the candidate took to the stage and gave a fiery speech focused on his economic message of the ‘two Americas’ and promising that, “we still live in two different Americas, one for people who are set for life, the other for most Americans who live from paycheck to paycheck.'' He proudly recounted his own rise and said that Mr Kerry shared his values. "We must build one America,'' he said. He implored voters to reject what he called the "tired, old, hateful, negative politics of the past" and instead embrace hope. Again and again, he returned to the refrain, "Hope is on the way!"

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Edwards-Kerry 2004 nomination



The Republicans organized their convention in Tampa, Florida (there were worries that a hurricane could disrupt the event but a diversion left the bay spared) to renominate President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. There had been some brief murmurs in the media about Cheney’s possible removal from the ticket over his ongoing scandals or possible health complications but the Bush team cast doubts aside ''I don't know where they get all these conspiracy theories,'' said Matthew Dowd, the Bush campaign's chief strategist. ''It's inside-the-Beltway coffee talk, is all it is.''. The theme of the convention was focused on the President's compassionate conservatism, and how the voters should support his tried and tested administration against the woefully inexperienced Edwards and untrustworthy Democrats, with a special focus on how Bush would carry on Reagan’s legacy of a strong and hopeful America compared to the depressing vision offered by John Edwards.

Speeches from across the Republican party presented a united party, including several Republican moderates who were at times in conflict with the President, John McCain was a principal speaker on the first night, often a pain in the President’s agenda, his vocal endorsement was key, his gravelled tones said that the Republican ideals were the American ideals and they should “Stand by our President” and questioned the Democratic party’s commitment to standing up to America's enemies.

Republican congresspeople tore into Democratic ‘obstruction’ for not backing the President's prescription drug plan. And the President’s brother, the Governor of Florida Jeb Bush gave a speech to an enthused audience (that included a sprinkling of Jeb ’08 signs) and gave a ringing endorsement of his brother, explaining what the Bush family stood for and urged conservatives to come out to support the President over what he called a “tidal wave of liberal Hollywood dollars”, “The Bush family stands for strength at home and abroad and we will never outsource our principles”.

The keynote was delivered by North Carolinas other Senator Elizabeth Dole, who demonstrated that the Grand Old Party was the party of Lincoln, Reagan (where signs declared 'let's win one for the Gipper') and now Bush, celebrating the party’s commitment to the right to life, opposition to dictators abroad and the centrality of faith in government “The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The right to worship God isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend.” [3]
Other speeches included Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum who hammered the theme of family and went after the Democrats for supporting gay marriage “The key to a richer culture is strong families, and the key to strong families is strong marriages … George Bush has shown his compassion by advancing his faith-based initiatives, strengthening marriage, and fighting to let the American people define marriage, not left-wing judges. “

Rising star of the party, Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan made Bush’s and Edward's differing tax policy the central issue for Americans “Thanks to the Bush Rax relief, every American who pays federal income taxes now keep more of what he or she earns, John Edwards claims he wants to help the middle class but when he had the chance to do that he voted no”

New York Governor Pataki praised Bush’s accomplishments “George Bush said he would turn around the economy and create new jobs. He said he'd do it. And he did. He said he would cut taxes on the middle class and ease the tax burden on all Americans. He said he'd do it. And he did. He said he'd help small businesses, protect Social Security and expand home ownership. He said he'd do it. And he did. There's much more, but you get the point.”

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Top, Left to Right, Senator John McCain, Governor Jeb Bush, Senator Elizabeth Dole
Bottom, Left to Right, Senator Rick Santorum, Representative Paul Ryan and Governor George Pataki

The First Lady Laura Bush spoke expressing pride in how her husband "has led our country with strength and conviction," "The stakes are so high," Mrs Bush said. "So I want to talk about the issue that I believe is most important for my own daughters, for all our families, and for our future: George's work to secure our countries future and so that all children can grow up in a more prosperous country.". The daughters who rarely spoke about politics, encouraged young people to vote “Jenna and I are really not very political, but we love our dad too much to stand back and watch from the side-lines. We realized that this would be his last campaign, and we had to be a part of it, and so should you.”

Dick Cheney played his role as the administration's attack dog, going right after Edwards, “In his few appearances in the Senate, John Edwards has opposed the ban on partial-birth abortions, opposed protecting Americans right to bear arms, against Americans energy independence, against strengthening against terrorists and tyrants, against cutting taxes. Just about the only thing, Senator Edwards is for is himself. … Why on earth would we drop our Commander in Chief for a personal injury lawyer with a $500 dollar haircut.”

The President was introduced by Mel Martinez the Republican nominee for the open Florida Senate seat. Martinez a Cuban immigrant was brought to the United States by the Catholic church as a child and was a key member of the Bush 2000 campaign in Florida “Over forty years ago, my parents sent me, as a young child, out of a land ruled by a Communist dictator and now, just forty-eight hours ago, I became the Republican nominee for the United States Senate from the great State of Florida. Only in America! … I aim to repay the debt of gratitude by passionately defending and safeguarding the American dream and that is why I support our great President George W Bush!”

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Left to Right, Laura Bush, Barabra and Jenna Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Senatorial Nominee Mel Martinez
When it was time for the President to take to the stage, Bush also played on the theme of hope and outlined his plans to create jobs, and expand education and healthcare while hammering Edwards on his inauthenticity and inexperience. all to chants of ‘Four more Years’, “In the last four years, you and I have come to know each other. Even when we don't agree, at least you know that I am being sincere … I'm running for President with a clear and positive plan to build a more hopeful America. I'm running with a compassionate conservative philosophy: that government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership -- and that is why, with your help, we will win this election.”

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Bush-Cheney 2004 renomination




The day after the President accepted his party's renomination, on September the 4th 2004, Americans who were expecting to see the pundits debating Bush’s speech, judging if it would provide him with the necessary polling bump. But instead, a different image was displayed on their and the world's screens ...​
September 4, 2004, TV screen

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September 4 2004, tv screen





[1] IOTL the compromise fell through and Nader had to reach ballot access on his own
[2] Zell Miller was a conservative Democrat who IOTL supported Bush
[3] The Republican convention unlike OTL is less moderate
 
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Part XXXVII

Conventions 2004


View attachment 791352
Logos for the, 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions

Washington was rumbling; now that the primaries had concluded, the campaign busses were refuelling, buttons and lawn signs were being printed and the partisan bickering grew louder and louder. It wasn’t just the campaigns that were electrifying the capital, scandal hung in the air. President Bush had been raked over the coals by the media and congressional Democrats for his recent military strike in Iraq (Operation Wolverine) a strike that failed to achieve its suspected goal of killing Saddam Hussein and forcing regime change in the country. Public opinion which had briefly rallied behind the operation had since been split and the President's approval rating stood at a stubborn 47%. As media scrutiny and public disapproval arose, national support for the Presidents strategy fell, and for the first time a majority of Americans disapproved of the Presidents handling of the Iraqi crisis. Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi charged Bush with "having no policy for Iraq based in reality" and Senator Robert Byrd a vicious critic said he was “Staggered by this administration's lack of a strategy for dealing with Iraq”

The White House’s communications team worked overtime to support the President, he had taken “the appropriate course of action to deal with the threat of Saddam Hussein” according to press secretary Scott McClellan. “No President can be expected to consult with hundreds of lawmakers before he makes split-second decisions, I am the decider, I decide,” said the President. But Bush had clearly been wounded by his action. He had been forced to ask two prominent officials to step down, Paul Wolfowitz (the centre of a Democratic congressional investigation) and George Tenet who had insisted he resign over intelligence's failures. But the media and the Democrats hadn’t stopped threatening to subpoena White House records relating to the operation as well as other matters.

The icing on top was the resurfacing of an old controversy, the issue of President Bush’s military service. Emerging in 2000, the controversy accused him of failing to fulfil his military contract which he served in the national guard as opposed to the Vietnam war. The implication was that Bush had cheated his way out of serving in the war. The controversy became a cat-and-mouse game of various journalists finding various records that contracted the President's various claims that he had already disclosed everything 4 years ago. Regardless of the controversies' validity, the deluge of reports didn’t look good for Bush, with various commentators denigrating his service as “falling well short of his military obligation”. And the comedian Larry David lampooned the President by comparing his own service in the army reserves “whenever I've mentioned my service in the Reserve during Vietnam, it's been met with sneers and derision. But now, thanks to President Bush, I can stand up proudly alongside him and all the other guys who guarded the home front.”

There was a brief lull in the political attacks when on June 5th, 2005, former president Ronald Reagan passed away in his home in California, at the age of 96. All campaigning was temporarily paused out of respect for the ‘Gipper’ and a state funeral was held that would include the largest number of foreign dignitaries since John F Kennedys funeral in 1963. President Bush marked the death in a press conference praising Reagan for “ laying to rest an era of division and self-doubt” and thanking him in grandiose terms for restoring the nation and helping to save the world. “He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done, and now a shining city awaits him. May God bless Ronald Reagan.”. Members of Congress were also invited including the Democratic nominee Senator John Edwards, his campaign released a short statement that was far less complimentary of Reagan’s record, rather noting his strong personality and commitment to his wife Nancy “Regardless of policy, he was the voice of America and it is always sad when one of the great Americans who could provide comfort to the world passes”

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Funeral for Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the United States

It didn’t take long for politics to take centre stage again, especially with convention season dawning. The first national convention was the Green party. Perennial candidate Ralph Nader had already announced his intention to run for the Presidency for the third time and his announcement spooked some Democrats who saw his campaign as responsible for spoiling Gore’s chances in 2000, and even some of Nader’s former supporters had withdrawn their backing from his candidacy, saying they needed to 'unite against Bush', but Nader refuted the critics "I've decided to run as an independent candidate for president. … George Bush is a giant corporation in the White House masquerading as a human being. And the liberal intelligentsia," Nader said, "has allowed its party to become a captive of corporate interests." Nader’s decision to run as an independent rather than for the Green party’s nomination ruffled feathers and the delegates were split, Nader was the party's known candidate and had brought a significant following to the party, but many others thought it was arrogant of Nader not to run for their support and backed a rival, David Cobb a Texan activist. Ultimately a compromise between the delegates was reached where the party did not formally nominate any candidate and instead endorsed both Cobb and Nader allowing each individual state party to choose its own candidate [1]. Nader’s run prompted feigned shrugs from the other candidates’ spokespeople "If Ralph Nader runs, President Bush is going to be re-elected, and if Ralph Nader doesn't run, President Bush is going to be re-elected," said the RNC Chairman and “John Edwards has a proven track record of attracting progressives, moderates and dissatisfied Republicans, we will win the White House in November” said an Edwards aid.

In addition to the scandals and the campaigning American documentarian, Michael Moore (A former Nader backer) released his new film Something CrookEd which focused on American corporate greed, fraud and scandal with a special focus on Enron, World Com and K-mart. Moore took the opportunity to go after the Bush family and the administration with a theme of corporations growing influence in politics. Something CrookEd received a strong opening for a documentary and critical praise but was criticised by some as overtly one-sided due to its release in the election year (though the film did attack Democrats) and one called it “an extended endorsement of the Edwards campaign” Citizens United a conservative group sued, claiming the film was an undisclosed political advertisement. The film benefited from Enron (the central focus of the film) being back in the news, thanks to former CEO Kenneth Lay's indictment.

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Promotional Poster for 2004 Documentary Something CrookEd


The Democrats gathered for their convention in New York City, a bid supported by progressive Mayor Mark Green to show how his liberal-progressive policies were successfully lowering the city's poverty rate, and increasing racial justice while growing its budget and keeping crime in decline.

The dawning of the convention saw scores of Democrats seething with angst at President Bush but following John Edwards's calls for a campaign focused on policy, most clenched their teeth. “This isn’t about Bush,” said the party chairman Lou Maguzzu “This is about the future of the country”. The convention was packed and spilling out onto the streets of New York outside Madison Square Garden. Edward's intention was to focus on his economic message and stay away from negative campaigning to avoid the stereotype that the Democrats were obstructionists focused on investigating the White House rather than governing. But that didn’t stop the party platform from branding Bush’s policies as “weak and ineffective … incomes are falling and prices are rising … it is time for a government focused on the ordinary Americans”. The party had the winds behind them, the recent focus on Bush’s scandals already placed Edwards with a 4% polling lead, and on the day of the convention opening there was another gaffe when Vice President Cheney trying to mock Edwards, said that he had never met him because he rarely showed up to the Senate, only for multiple pictures of the two to be released shortly after. Going into the convention Democrats were enthused and positive.

Edward's platform included two notable breaks from the party mainstream. He wanted to focus away from the criticism of Bush’s Iraq policy, focusing on Bush’s failed foreign policy overall, this angered some of the activist and left wing of the party who suspected Edwards of supporting an invasion of Iraq and several Democratic party members made their own opposition to war with Iraq loudly known anyway. The second break was on free trade, supporting a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement “to better protect American jobs and trade” a contentious issue given that former President Clinton who finalized NAFTA would be speaking. The remainder of the platform included reversing tax cuts for the wealthy, raising the minimum wage, supporting American labor, reducing the deficit, and reforming American health care and drug prices. A delegate called the agenda “our manifesto for change” While a Republican said it sent his head spinning “it’s like they’ve entered an alternate universe”.

The speakers on the first night featured Democratic stars including former Presidents Clinton and Carter who emphasized Democrats' commitment to global cooperation, equal opportunities and the importance of government, Senator Hillary Clinton depicted Edwards as the new Clinton “In 1992 and 1992 [Bill] showed Democrats how to win and so will John Edwards” it was clearly the image that John Edwards wanted to shape for himself too, and finally, former Vice President Al Gore came to the stage and joked about his previous bids “As you all know I had hoped to be here under very different circumstances but take it from me every vote counts Don't let anyone take it away or talk you into throwing it away.”

The second day of the convention featured Edward's wife Elizabeth who spoke on the importance of faith and family to the Edwards “We deserve leaders who allow their faith and moral core, our faiths and moral core to draw us closer together, not drive us farther apart. We deserve leaders who believe in each of us and fight for all of us.”.


Reverend Al Sharpton had some fiery words for the Democrats delivering sharp rebukes toward Bush for comments he made indicating that the Democrats expect the African American vote "Mr President, I heard you say you had questions for voters, particularly African-American voters. And you said the Democratic Party takes us for granted. You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass," he said. "It is true that Mr Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. We were promised 40 acres and a mule. We never got the 40 acres. … We didn't get the mule. So we decided we would ride this donkey as far as it would take us.".

And then the conventions keynote speaker Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a pumped-up speech on the economy and how ‘American opportunity’ was being lost by the Bush administration and now needed Edwards “who will be stand-up for Americans who have poured their lives into their businesses. Who will stand up for those Americans and their families facing lousy health plans, or layoffs? Who will stand up for those small Americans who proudly stamp "Made in America" on their products and want to keep it that way? John Edwards will.”

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Top, Left to Right, President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, President Carter, Vice President Gore
Bottom, Left to Right, Elizabeth Edwards, Rev Al Sharpton and Governor Jennifer Granholm

The next day introduced the Vice-Presidential candidate. Edward's selection process included Senator Bob Graham of Florida, Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa and Governor Janet Napolitano of New Mexico, who were all Democrats from swing states. Then there was Senator Tom Daschle or Hillary Clinton who could add some prestige to the ticket (Hillary was reportedly Edward's first choice only to be informed she had no interest in the position). And then there were those who could give the ticket ideological diversity, Deputy House Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, Senator Dick Durbin, Senator John Kerry and Speaker of the House Dick Gephardt were all from the more liberal wing of the party.

The shortlist came down to five final picks, Bob Graham, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry, Janet Napolitano and Tom Vilsack. Edward's pick ultimately came down to choosing someone he felt balanced the ticket best, who held similar views to himself and who had significant experience. His choice was unveiled exiting the aeroplane together, the two Johns, Edwards and Kerry.

John Kerry was thought to be a perfect ticket balancer, a northern senator providing liberal bona fides as a strong opponent of the President's foreign policy with a war hero’s background and a strong ability to fundraise. It was celebrated as a good decision, Kerry had good name recognition from his early campaign, though some griped that it was a missed opportunity for a more energetic VEEP candidate but these concerns were folded away by Edwards (according to aids Edwards didn’t want a vice-presidential candidate to outshine him).

Kerry was introduced by his wife Teresa and his daughters who spoke for Kerry’s acumen and his ideals “John Kerry is a fighter. He earned his medals the old-fashioned way, by putting his life on the line for his country. And no one can help defend this nation more vigorously than he can”. When Kerry graced the stage himself he gave a lively and confident speech listing Bush’s failures and praising Edward's background “I am proud to be the running mate of a man whose life, is the story of the American dream, and who's worked every day to make that dream real for all Americans – John Edwards of North Carolina. This son of a mill worker is ready to lead – and next January, Americans will be proud to have a fighter for the middle class to succeed George Bush as the next President of the United States.”

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Top Left to Right, Teresa Kerry, Newspaper headlines misidentifying then correcting Edwards VP pick, Senator and Vice Presidential nominee John Kerry
Bottom Left to Right, Senator Zell Miller and Ted Kenedy

The convention's final day was designed to show John Edward's appeal to the entire Democratic party with speeches from its right and left flanks, two ideologically opposed Senators Zell Miller and Ted Kennedy. Millers had more often than not voted with the Bush administration and regularly got into conflicts with his Democratic comrades, the Republican leadership had tried to get him to switch party to win control over the Senate only for Zell to tell them he was a ‘Democrat until he died’. His speech largely focused on the patriotism of John Edwards his American values as well as an appeal to southerners to support Edwards “John Edwards understands you, he understands your family, your neighbours and your struggles, it’s our duty as Democrats to mobilize from all parts of the country and all parts of life to restore the American dream” [2]

It was the opposite of Ted Kennedy's speech focusing on the social and economic policy to come, and lambasting Bush by comparing him to “some monarch named George who inherited the crown” and the relishing fight to come “These are familiar fights. We’ve fought and we’ve won them before. And with John Edwards and John Kerry leading us, we will win them again and again and again and make America stronger at home and respected once more in the world.”.

Then the candidate took to the stage and gave a fiery speech focused on his economic message of the ‘two Americas’ and promising that, “we still live in two different Americas, one for people who are set for life, the other for most Americans who live from paycheck to paycheck.'' He proudly recounted his own rise and said that Mr Kerry shared his values. "We must build one America,'' he said. He implored voters to reject what he called the "tired, old, hateful, negative politics of the past" and instead embrace hope. Again and again, he returned to the refrain, "Hope is on the way!"

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Edwards-Kerry 2004 nomination



The Republicans organized their convention in Tampa, Florida (there were worries that a hurricane could disrupt the event but a diversion left the bay spared) to renominate President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. There had been some brief murmurs in the media about Cheney’s possible removal from the ticket over his ongoing scandals or possible health complications but the Bush team cast doubts aside ''I don't know where they get all these conspiracy theories,'' said Matthew Dowd, the Bush campaign's chief strategist. ''It's inside-the-Beltway coffee talk, is all it is.''. The theme of the convention was focused on the President's compassionate conservatism, and how the voters should support his tried and tested administration against the woefully inexperienced Edwards and untrustworthy Democrats, with a special focus on how Bush would carry on Reagan’s legacy of a strong and hopeful America compared to the depressing vision offered by John Edwards.

Speeches from across the Republican party presented a united party, including several Republican moderates who were at times in conflict with the President, John McCain was a principal speaker on the first night, often a pain in the President’s agenda, his vocal endorsement was key, his gravelled tones said that the Republican ideals were the American ideals and they should “Stand by our President” and questioned the Democratic party’s commitment to standing up to America's enemies.

Republican congresspeople tore into Democratic ‘obstruction’ for not backing the President's prescription drug plan. And the President’s brother, the Governor of Florida Jeb Bush gave a speech to an enthused audience (that included a sprinkling of Jeb ’08 signs) and gave a ringing endorsement of his brother, explaining what the Bush family stood for and urged conservatives to come out to support the President over what he called a “tidal wave of liberal Hollywood dollars”, “The Bush family stands for strength at home and abroad and we will never outsource our principles”.

The keynote was delivered by North Carolinas other Senator Elizabeth Dole, who demonstrated that the Grand Old Party was the party of Lincoln, Reagan (where signs declared 'let's win one for the Gipper') and now Bush, celebrating the party’s commitment to the right to life, opposition to dictators abroad and the centrality of faith in government “The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The right to worship God isn't something Republicans invented, but it is something Republicans will defend.” [3]
Other speeches included Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum who hammered the theme of family and went after the Democrats for supporting gay marriage “The key to a richer culture is strong families, and the key to strong families is strong marriages … George Bush has shown his compassion by advancing his faith-based initiatives, strengthening marriage, and fighting to let the American people define marriage, not left-wing judges. “

Rising star of the party, Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan made Bush’s and Edward's differing tax policy the central issue for Americans “Thanks to the Bush Rax relief, every American who pays federal income taxes now keep more of what he or she earns, John Edwards claims he wants to help the middle class but when he had the chance to do that he voted no”

New York Governor Pataki praised Bush’s accomplishments “George Bush said he would turn around the economy and create new jobs. He said he'd do it. And he did. He said he would cut taxes on the middle class and ease the tax burden on all Americans. He said he'd do it. And he did. He said he'd help small businesses, protect Social Security and expand home ownership. He said he'd do it. And he did. There's much more, but you get the point.”

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Top, Left to Right, Senator John McCain, Governor Jeb Bush, Senator Elizabeth Dole
Bottom, Left to Right, Senator Rick Santorum, Representative Paul Ryan and Governor George Pataki

The First Lady Laura Bush spoke expressing pride in how her husband "has led our country with strength and conviction," "The stakes are so high," Mrs Bush said. "So I want to talk about the issue that I believe is most important for my own daughters, for all our families, and for our future: George's work to secure our countries future and so that all children can grow up in a more prosperous country.". The daughters who rarely spoke about politics, encouraged young people to vote “Jenna and I are really not very political, but we love our dad too much to stand back and watch from the side-lines. We realized that this would be his last campaign, and we had to be a part of it, and so should you.”

Dick Cheney played his role as the administration's attack dog, going right after Edwards, “In his few appearances in the Senate, John Edwards has opposed the ban on partial-birth abortions, opposed protecting Americans right to bear arms, against Americans energy independence, against strengthening against terrorists and tyrants, against cutting taxes. Just about the only thing, Senator Edwards is for is himself. … Why on earth would we drop our Commander in Chief for a personal injury lawyer with a $500 dollar haircut.”

The President was introduced by Mel Martinez the Republican nominee for the open Florida Senate seat. Martinez a Cuban immigrant was brought to the United States by the Catholic church as a child and was a key member of the Bush 2000 campaign in Florida “Over forty years ago, my parents sent me, as a young child, out of a land ruled by a Communist dictator and now, just forty-eight hours ago, I became the Republican nominee for the United States Senate from the great State of Florida. Only in America! … I aim to repay the debt of gratitude by passionately defending and safeguarding the American dream and that is why I support our great President George W Bush!”

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Left to Right, Laura Bush, Barabra and Jenna Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Senatorial Nominee Mel Martinez
When it was time for the President to take to the stage, Bush also played on the theme of hope and outlined his plans to create jobs, and expand education and healthcare while hammering Edwards on his inauthenticity and inexperience. all to chants of ‘Four more Years’, “In the last four years, you and I have come to know each other. Even when we don't agree, at least you know that I am being sincere … I'm running for President with a clear and positive plan to build a more hopeful America. I'm running with a compassionate conservative philosophy: that government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership -- and that is why, with your help, we will win this election.”

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Bush-Cheney 2004 renomination




The day after the President accepted his party's renomination, on September the 4th 2004, Americans who were expecting to see the pundits debating Bush’s speech, judging if it would provide him with the necessary polling bump. But instead, a different image was displayed on their and the world's screens ...
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September 4 2004, tv screen




[1] IOTL the compromise fell through and Nader had to reach ballot access on his own
[2] Zell Miller was a conservative Democrat who IOTL supported Bush
[3] The Republican convention unlike OTL is less moderate
Great update! I like this version of the Democratic party compared to OTL 2004 party. Coming out in favor of renegotiating NAFTA and keeping Zell Miller in the fold.

That last bit ....
 
Love this! You’ve done a really good job developing how both parties would talk, sound and look without a 9/11. You’ve really captured in your dialogue how stilted and mundane a lot of political speeches are, to your credit - reads like what you’d really hear at a convention. All those logos are incredible. And I love that we’re getting a non-cliched, nuanced, even sympathetic portrayal of John Edwards, which is not something you see in every TL where he appears. It speaks to the amount of research you’ve done. Bravo.

Also, that last piece… 👀
 

ahmedali

Banned
Great season

I still have hope that Bush will lose the election to a large extent and Edwards looks pretty cool

The whole chapter is well done

Oh boy the last picture
 
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There was a brief lull in the political attacks when on June 5th, 2005, former president Ronald Reagan passed away in his home in California, at the age of 96. All campaigning was temporarily paused out of respect for the ‘Gipper’ and a state funeral was held that would include the largest number of foreign dignitaries since John F Kennedys funeral in 1963. President Bush marked the death in a press conference praising Reagan for “ laying to rest an era of division and self-doubt” and thanking him in grandiose terms for restoring the nation and helping to save the world. “He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done, and now a shining city awaits him. May God bless Ronald Reagan.”. Members of Congress were also invited including the Democratic nominee Senator John Edwards, his campaign released a short statement that was far less complimentary of Reagan’s record, rather noting his strong personality and commitment to his wife Nancy “Regardless of policy, he was the voice of America and it is always sad when one of the great Americans who could provide comfort to the world passes”

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Funeral for Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the United States
I think you made a mistake, Iwanh. Reagan died on June 5, 2004, not in 2005. He was also 93 (born in 1911) and not 96 at the time of his death.

Apart from that, nice update.:)
 
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