GOP Under McCain

How would a McCain electoral victory in 2000 also butterfly the careers of Palin and Cheney?
Cheney could get a cabinent post. I assume that Palin is reelected Governor of Alaska in 2010. c Chances are the Republican nominee in 2008,most likely Huckabee or Romney did not pick her as a running mate.
 
I have a feeling that the War on Terror would begin much as it did in OTL. McCain was very much in favor of the invasion of Iraq, and considered Saddam a threat to the United States ever since the Gulf War. The question then become would we intervene as we did? We could still end up with the same evidence and misread it, and still invade.

From there however we would begin to diverge. We likely would have a proper reconstruction plan, a proper occupation and force on the ground. There is no reason McCain or the Republicans would not do much better in 2004 and 2006, especially if he handles Katrina PR better. The Republican candidate, however, would still be doomed in 2008.

As for Vice Presidential Candidates, possibly Fred Thompson or Mike DeWine?
 

bguy

Donor
Specter could not be McCain"a running mate. His views in abortion are unaccetable to much of the Republican base.

Plus Specter also helped kill the Bork nomination. If not for Bush and Santorum's support, Specter probably wouldn't even have survived the Republican Senate primary in 2004. No way McCain picks him for a national ticket.

If McCain ticks off the RR in the primaries then he pretty much has to pick a social con for his Veep to have any chance of winning the election. Brownback, Santorum and Ashcroft all seem possible.

Cheney probably stays in the private sector. McCain doesn't need him to burnish his foreign policy credentials.

As for Palin, maybe with a reform preaching "Maverick" as President, Governor Murkowski is shamed into not appointing his daughter to the Senate and appoints Palin instead. (Or Palin decides on her own to take on Princess Lisa in 2004.) Either way a Sarah Palin who has been in the Senate from 2002 or 2004 could very well still be selected as the Republican Veep in 2008. Senator Palin would have more experience with national issues and probably more practice dealing with the national media, so she would likely come across as much more capable.
 
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