Gingrich

This is getting very interesting I assuming that Gingrich brought in his cabinet.Can we spend some time on them? Newt's extra marital affair is going to become public. That will complicate an already exciting 2000 election. I am assuming that Gingerich has the same neo con advisors as George W Bush did does this mean an invasion of Iraq?

Gingrich's affair w/Callista most likely ended soon after he became POTUS. Also, Gingrich doesn't have the same motivation or interest in Iraq that G. W. Bush had. Now, an affair and a questionable military adventure might both be in Newt's future, but not as per OTL. I imagine that President Gingrich will be right beside his wife Marianne when she dies of cancer in 2000. Imagine the boost in the polls he'd get from that - and imagine the storm if someone overhears (or makes up a story stating that they did hear) him say so.
 
President Gingrich has nominated acting UN Ambassador Peter Burleigh to retain his position permanently and act as official Ambassador to the United Nations for the remainder of the President’s term. Burleigh, who had been acting as an interim appointment to the position, will assume the office fully if confirmed by Congress, and will be the United States’ official ambassador to the United Nations.

-Associated Press, February 16th, 1999, 4:44 p.m. EST



The funeral of President Bill Clinton was held today. He is survived by his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton. In attendance at the funeral were Senators Kerry, Kennedy, Kerrey, Wellstone, Graham, and Lieberman. Also in attendance was President Gingrich, who gave a tearful eulogy praising his predecessor for his service to the country, as well as speaking about their own friendship and the time they spent working together in government.

-Associated Press, February 17th, 1999, 6:21 p.m. EST



The White House revealed today that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a secret visit to Afghanistan two weeks ago, where she met with the head of the Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Massoud. Together, they discussed the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, and Secretary Albright was given a tour of parts of the territory still under the control of Massoud. Secretary Albright praised Massoud’s administration of the areas under his control, and referred to him as “perhaps the only hope left for Democracy in Afghanistan.” Ahmad Massoud, acting upon the request of President Gingrich, accompanied Secretary Albright back to Washington D.C. Upon his arrival in the nation’s capital, he was greeted by the President and the two traveled back to the White House for a discussion. Gingrich and Massoud spoke at length about the current situation in Afghanistan, and President Gingrich today states that the meeting was “very productive.” Massoud was given an armed escort back to Afghanistan on Friday afternoon.

-Associated Press, February 19th, 1999, 11:11 a.m. EST
 
The funeral of President Bill Clinton was held today. He is survived by his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton. In attendance at the funeral were Senators Kerry, Kennedy, Kerrey, Wellstone, Graham, and Lieberman. Also in attendance was President Gingrich, who gave a tearful eulogy praising his predecessor for his service to the country, as well as speaking about their own friendship and the time they spent working together in government.

Why delay in the funeral? He died in November.
 
The funeral of President Bill Clinton was held today. He is survived by his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton. In attendance at the funeral were Senators Kerry, Kennedy, Kerrey, Wellstone, Graham, and Lieberman. Also in attendance was President Gingrich, who gave a tearful eulogy praising his predecessor for his service to the country, as well as speaking about their own friendship and the time they spent working together in government.

Why delay in the funeral? He died in November.

Because I forgot to write it in January.
 
Mitt Romney, the CEO of Bain Capital and Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1994, announced today that he will once again seek the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in 2000. Romney enters the race confident, saying that both of the state’s senators, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy have moved beyond Massachusetts, and that the people of the state “deserve a representative in the Senate that is focused on serving his constituents instead of his own political interests.” Mr. Romney appears to be intent on a rematch between him and Senator Ted Kennedy, who is currently seeking the Democratic nomination for President of the United States while concurrently running a campaign for another term in the Senate. Romney, when asked why he wanted a rematch so badly, said, “I took a lot away from the last election, and it was a strong learning experience for me. Making money in the private sector just isn’t appealing to me anymore, and I wanted a way to give back to the country that I love so much. I think running for a seat in the Senate is just the place where I can do the most good for this nation, and for the state of Massachusetts. Look, you’ve got both senators in this state, our ‘so-called’ representatives, prancing about the rest of the country in a time of crisis and gloating about their records when they should be in Washington, helping President Gingrich lead this nation. This is a time of crisis, and this could very well be America’s darkest hour. This is a time where we need to put politics aside and come together to lead. Ted Kennedy doesn’t seem to get that message, and I think the people of the great state of Massachusetts need someone that does.” Mr. Romney faces minimal opposition in the Republican primary, and is expected to win the nomination for a second time.

-Associated Press, February 20th, 1999, 1:45 p.m. EST



Peter Burleigh was confirmed by Congress to the position of United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

-Associated Press, February 20th, 1999, 1:46 p.m. EST



Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy has taken first place in New Hampshire, dethroning the former frontrunner for the nomination, Senator Bob Kerrey. In Iowa, Former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley has seen his lead in the state narrowed significantly by the entrance of Ted Kennedy, who is picking up momentum in the state, replacing Senator Paul Wellstone in second place in the state.

-C-Span, February 20th, 1999, 2:30 p.m. EST
 
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton announced that she would not be a candidate for any political office in 2000, instead preferring to be with her family. Despite much speculation by the media that the former first lady would indulge her suspected political ambitions in the upcoming election cycle, fueled by the outpour of sympathy she received from the death of her late husband, President Bill Clinton, Hillary said that the time was not right to think about running for anything, and that she and her family did not want to be under the glare of the media’s eye so soon after the tragedy that struck them and the nation.

-Associated Press, February 22nd, 1999, 2:30 p.m. EST



Speaker Armey introduced legislation to the House floor today, which would provide the President of the United States with a broad new range of powers designed to aid the commander-in-chief in combating both foreign and domestic terrorism. The legislation, known as the “Authorization for Use of Executive Powers to Combat Terrorism Act”, would authorize the President to use “any means necessary and appropriate” to combat terrorists and any nations, organizations, or affiliates that are sympathetic to them. The legislation is scheduled for a vote tomorrow.

-Associated Press, February 23rd, 1999, 4:48 p.m. EST



The “Authorization for Use of Executive Powers to Combat Terrorism Act” (AUEPCT) has passed a vote in both the House and the Senate, and is off to President Gingrich’s desk, where it awaits his signature.

-Associated Press, February 24th, 1999, 10:12 a.m. EST



President Gingrich signed the AUEPCT Act into law today, giving him a wider range of powers to combat terrorism.

-Associated Press, February 24th, 1999, 11:00 a.m. EST
 
Very interesting thus far, kevvy2010. Wellstone could be an excellent VP choice for Kennedy, assuming he wins the nomination. And re AUEPCT, how narrowly will "necessary and appropriate" be defined?
 
Very interesting thus far, kevvy2010. Wellstone could be an excellent VP choice for Kennedy, assuming he wins the nomination. And re AUEPCT, how narrowly will "necessary and appropriate" be defined?

Wellstone would be an interesting choice for Kennedy's VP, I agree. As for how AUEPCT will be interpreted, we shall see. However, do keep in mind that this is Newt Gingrich we're talking about.
 
Wellstone would be an interesting choice for Kennedy's VP, I agree. As for how AUEPCT will be interpreted, we shall see. However, do keep in mind that this is Newt Gingrich we're talking about.

Interesting and tempting, but too liberal (even if Gingrich goes off the conservative deep-end during the coming year and a half).
 
Who do you think Kennedy, should he win the nomination, pick for his VP?

Evan Bayh, Dick Gephardt or Sam Nunn perhaps. Bayh would would be an especially good choice for the aging "liberal lion". When, according to Massachusetts law, will Kennedy have to decide whether or not he will seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2000?
 
Evan Bayh, Dick Gephardt or Sam Nunn perhaps. Bayh would would be an especially good choice for the aging "liberal lion". When, according to Massachusetts law, will Kennedy have to decide whether or not he will seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2000?

He's already seeking re-election, as explained before during the introduction of Romney into the story. He's concurrently running for the Senate and the Presidency, as is Joe Lieberman.
 
Having Massoud alive during an American Invasion of Afghanistan will dramatically change the war. IIRC, he was assassinated days before 9/11. I'm really looking forward to seeing how that ends up.
 
excellent updates all around, i especially like how you had Hillary decide to not seek any political office in 2000. i actually think this makes her a much more stronger candidate longterm. Will be interesting to see if she runs for Senate in 2006 and then President in 2008 after Newt's last term (if that of course is where you are going :)).
 
excellent updates all around, i especially like how you had Hillary decide to not seek any political office in 2000. i actually think this makes her a much more stronger candidate longterm. Will be interesting to see if she runs for Senate in 2006 and then President in 2008 after Newt's last term (if that of course is where you are going :)).

Hillary is an interesting figure. She is politically ambitious, as evidenced by her numerous years in public service, but she also appears to put her family first. I thought that this would be something that she would do, and that the scenario where she suddenly finds herself to be a widow would put any plans she might have had in cold storage for the time being.

As for Gingrich leaving in 2008, that would assume that he is re-elected in 2004, or that he is elected to a term of his own in 2000. Neither of these are the case as of yet.
 
The leaders of the groups that make up the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, in an effort spearheaded by Ahmad Shah Massoud, have formally asked the United States to intervene in Afghanistan militarily. In their request, they pleaded for assistance in “freeing the people being oppressed by the Taliban” and to “help establish a true Democracy in Afghanistan” where “all can live freely.”

-BBC World Service, February 27th, 1999, 4:04 p.m. EST



President Gingrich addressed the nation this morning from the Oval Office, and announced that the United States has accepted the request from the Northern Alliance, which includes the current internationally recognized government of Afghanistan, for military intervention to help restore democracy. The address to the nation interrupted all major news networks as well as regularly scheduled programming on a number of other stations. The President announced that preparations were being made with the full co-operation of the Northern Alliance to ensure a rapid deployment of US military personnel and equipment. The President promised to end the Taliban in Afghanistan forever and work with the Northern Alliance to establish a new government.

-Associated Press, February 29th, 1999, 11:11 a.m. EST



Ahmad Shah Massoud was the target of a failed assassination attempt in Afghanistan this morning. Two Taliban agents, under the guise of diplomacy, called for a meeting with Massoud, claiming to want to negotiate a last-minute agreement in an attempt to prevent the impending US intervention at the request of Afghanistan’s government-in-exile. The agents were discovered to have been suicide bombers at the last minute, when one of the men exiting the vehicle that transported them to Massoud’s temporary residence exploded. It is believed that whatever explosive devices he was wearing at the time were accidentally triggered, and went off unintentionally. Three were killed in the explosion, including the two suicide bombers and the driver of the vehicle that had brought them there. Massoud emerged unscathed, and is currently under protection from both his own bodyguards and the US forces that have already been deployed in northern Afghanistan. The attempted suicide bombing is believed to have been a failed attempt at retaliation by the Taliban for the Northern Alliance’s request for US intervention against them.

-BBC World Service, March 1st, 1999, 12:05 a.m. EST
 
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Senator Joe Lieberman was the first Democrat in the presidential race to announce his support for the current intervention in Afghanistan, but said that caution must be taken to ensure that a government that is accountable to the people of Afghanistan is established correctly, and not corrupted by outside influences. His rivals for the Democratic nomination have each given a similar response to the ongoing intervention. The only dissenting voice comes from Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes, who, while announcing his support for the intervention, said that the burden of cleaning up Afghanistan should not rest on the shoulders of the United States alone, and called on President Gingrich to have the rest of the world join in their responsibility for the preservation of democracy and the elimination of totalitarianism.

-C-Span, March 2nd, 1999, 3:42 p.m. EST



US forces are currently in the beginning stages of what is expected to be a fairly quick and easy war in Afghanistan. Already, a good amount of military personnel and equipment are on the ground, and US soldiers are working with NA freedom fighters to plot out their co-operative assault against the Taliban.

-BBC World Service, March 2nd, 1999, 4:12 p.m. EST



President Gingrich appeared before the United Nations General Assembly today and called upon the member nations to join the United States in its fight against terrorism and totalitarianism. The President called upon the “Allies of Freedom” to contribute to the “war effort for democracy.” In his speech, the President said that Afghanistan was the first step to “making the 21st century the century where dictators perish and the people take back their governments.” So far, no nations have responded to the President’s call to action. America made a similar call for the NATO nations to honor their pact and join its fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

-Associated Press, March 5th, 1999, 1:32 p.m. EST



British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be heading to Washington D.C. next week to meet with American President Newt Gingrich to discuss what role the United Kingdom will play in the ongoing Intervention in Afghanistan.

-BBC World Service, March 6th, 7:49 a.m. EST
 
very good update. will be interesting to see how Blair and Gingrich get along. I think Newt will try to treat Blair like an equal partner unlike what Bush in OTL.
 
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