"Hipster" PMs and Presidents Thread

[Gonzo]

A personal favourite of mine:

Gaston Defferre was a leading French Socialist politician from the 1950s to the 1980s. A long-serving Mayor of Marseille, Defferre was touted as a major Presidential candidate in 1965 and later ran for the Presidency as the final candidate of the old SFIO party before it folded into the modern Socialist Party in the early 1970s. Defferre is somewhat notable as one of the participants in the last duel in France, between himself and a Gaullist deputy in 1967. Defferre 'won' the duel after striking his opponent several times and drawing blood - but without seriously harming the other man, who was the one who threw the gauntlet down. Defferre is interesting as he promoted an alternative to Mitterrand's vision for the French left. As opposed to creating an arrangement with the still powerful French Communist Party (PCF) (only to suffocate them as a minor member in government once you win power), Defferre proposed resurrecting the Third Force of the 1950s and working against the Communists on the left and the Gaullists on the right. The Third force comprised of everything from the left-wing SFIO to the rightward shifting Radical Party to the Christian Democratic Popular Republican Movement (MRP), among other parties. Defferre was supported by his friend, future politician and media baron Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber who profiled him in all but name as the mysterious 'Monsieur X' (do not google that...) in his magazine L'Express before the 1965 presidential election as the candidate best placed to defeat the seemingly unstoppable de Gaulle. Defferre initially gained the tepid support of the Radicals and the MRP's successor, the Democratic Centre (DC) in 1965, but the unwillingness of SFIO leader Guy Mollet in working with centrists and non-Gaullist conservatives, coupled with disagreements over economic nationalisation and religious education helped to scupper any sort of deal. Defferre later ran for President and was placed in a humiliating fourth, gaining four times less the amount of votes than the PCF's candidate, Jacques Duclos. Having Defferre's centrist inspired coalition succeed instead of having the formation of the pan-leftist FGDS under Mitterrand is an interesting alternative for the 1970s and 1980s in France where a left-leaning version of VGE could come to power should a second Third Force alliance (or even party) win.

 

[SlideAway]

Lewis Lehrman, a Republican businessman from New York. He narrowly lost the 1982 governor's race to Mario Cuomo. In a Reagan-less '80s -- let's say that the Iranian Revolution stalls or the Shah is replaced by a military coup earlier, meaning there's no '79 oil shock or hostage crisis and Carter wins reelection -- Lehrman might be an alt-Reagan for the Right. Let's say Mondale wins in 1984 on the back of a strong economy. Lehrman would be a leading candidate for the Republican nomination in either '88 or '92, assuming he can get reelected in '86 of course.

 

[True Grit]

Self-described socialist Joe Newman ran for Congress in Florida in 2014 as a write-in candidate - at the ripe old age of 101. That alone makes him interesting!

Honestly, I have no idea how to advance his career, particularly since his 2014 campaign didn’t really go anywhere. Maybe a Republican wins in 2008 or 2012 and it allows him to win suprise victories in a Democratic congressional primary and the subsequent general election, allowing him to become an icon for Democratic socialists? Or, more realistically, he enters politics a few decades earlier?

(For what it’s worth, here’s an article from earlier this year, ahead of his 105th birthday, where he’s still said to be in great health).

In any event, I bring him up because he presents one of the very few barely-plausible opportunities for a centenarian President, seeing as almost all other people who reach 100 are either enjoying retirement or in too poor health to even consider a bid. Unrealistic, yes, but still.

 

[Luke_Starkiller]

A couple of people who I (surprisingly) don't see mentioned very often are Fmr. Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee, and Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. For the former, he could easily serve as an alt-Obama, if the DCCC decided to throw a little more weight/funding behind him in the '06 senate race against Corker, or if there were some reason why Bredesen wasn't governor (i.e. he doesn't run for re-election, or he was never governor at all) he could easily be a contender given how much pull his family has in Memphis. Ford's a moderate NDC-er, but would likely have some pull with the liberal faction of the party.

As for Hagel, prior to his time as Secretary of Defense and Senator from Nebraska, he was a multimillionaire businessman. He'd also lived in Virginia for a couple decades and was asked to run for governor there. However, he moved back to Nebraska in '92, and the rest is history. However, let's say he didn't, and Hagel runs in Virginia's gubernatorial instead of Allen or Gilmore. He could run for President in '96 or '00, or later if he became a senator afterwards.

Hell, now that I think about it, the timing would be perfect for Ford to succeed Hagel as President. You could have Hagel from '01-'09, and Ford from '09 on.

 

[TimTurner]

A couple of people who I (surprisingly) don't see mentioned very often are Fmr. Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee, and Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. For the former, he could easily serve as an alt-Obama, if the DCCC decided to throw a little more weight/funding behind him in the '06 senate race against Corker, or if there were some reason why Bredesen wasn't governor (i.e. he doesn't run for re-election, or he was never governor at all) he could easily be a contender given how much pull his family has in Memphis. Ford's a moderate NDC-er, but would likely have some pull with the liberal faction of the party.

As for Hagel, prior to his time as Secretary of Defense and Senator from Nebraska, he was a multimillionaire businessman. He'd also lived in Virginia for a couple decades and was asked to run for governor there. However, he moved back to Nebraska in '92, and the rest is history. However, let's say he didn't, and Hagel runs in Virginia's gubernatorial instead of Allen or Gilmore. He could run for President in '96 or '00, or later if he became a senator afterwards.

Hell, now that I think about it, the timing would be perfect for Ford to succeed Hagel as President. You could have Hagel from '01-'09, and Ford from '09 on.

1990s forever!

 

[Cevolian]

I've recently been thinking about British fascist alternatives to Oswald Mosley and it's brought to my attention a lot of (fairly) underused Tory MPs from the 20th century who could contribute to a very different Conservative Party as well as a lot of far-right sorts who could have formed a very different fascist movement.

Rowland Hunt: A Liberal Unionist who joined the (incredibly right wing) National Party in 1917 and opposed votes for women; in a National Party survives TL or one where the Conservatives shift right (maybe over Empire Free Tade?) I could see him at least wing a more influential figure and possibly even PM if the circumstances are perfect, though by the time he is politically active he's pretty damn old.

Thomas David Pilcher: Another National Party Alum who later on became a member of the British Fascisti after the war, and a decorated soldier. Again an unlikely PM but I could totally see him playing a larger role in a more right wing/fascist Britain. He died of pneumonia at 70 in 1928, but I could see him living longer and being influential in the far-right in Britain into the 1940s.

Wyndham Lewis: (yes that one), famous for his artistry and his writing, but also held some dodgy views (at least in the 1920s) and I've thought about using him as a British D'Annnzio in a very strange analogue I've thought about a few times of Britain as post-WW1 Italy. The main issue is the lack of an obvious British Fiume (and the overall shitness of the analogy), but Lewis might nevertheless be a good "D'Annunzian" figure.

Jorian Jenks: the Mosleyite head of the Soil Association, a weird sort of deep ecologist and a very different kind of fascist to Mosley even if he was very loyal to the man. Hard to see as a PM again but not impossible under fascism, possibly leading a very British SS committed to both ethnic cleansing and cleansing the countryside of pollution. Another alternative is Jenks as a weird of Khmer Rougue style Leader but again this is close to impossible.

 

[Jedipaladin7]

Daniel Inouye: Perhaps I haven't been looking in the right places, but I haven't seen a timeline were Daniel Inouye became President. He seems like he would've been a strong candidate to me. He was a war hero and had a long successful political career.

 

[Hubert Humphrey Fan 1968]

Kinda surprised he's not been mentioned already but Cecil Parkinson springs to mind. Margaret Thatcher had been groming him to become her successor in the early 80s, but he had to resign from cabinet after it came out his secretary was pregnant with his child. Should his affair be avoided, it's quite likely he would end up Prime Minister.

 

[True Grit]

Leif Erickson - no, not that one - ran as a Democrat for Governor of Montana in 1944 and for the Senate in 1946 (launching a successful primary challenge against Burton K. Wheeler), losing both times by about a 10 point margin (he also ran for Governor in 1948, but came in third in the primary). A staunch liberal New Dealer who served as Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court before his bids for higher office, he was widely viewed as an up-and-comer within the party, and it's not hard to see him rising to higher office if he was successful in any of these bids; Truman might choose him as his running-mate, the party might turn to him instead of Stevenson in 1952, etc. - the possibilities are fairly limitless seeing as he was only 38 in 1944, so could reasonably remain a viable national figure for the next thirty years (particularly if he gets elected to the Senate).

 

[Nofix]

Leif Erickson - no, not that one - ran as a Democrat for Governor of Montana in 1944 and for the Senate in 1946 (launching a successful primary challenge against Burton K. Wheeler), losing both times by about a 10 point margin (he also ran for Governor in 1948, but came in third in the primary). A staunch liberal New Dealer who served as Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court before his bids for higher office, he was widely viewed as an up-and-comer within the party, and it's not hard to see him rising to higher office if he was successful in any of these bids; Truman might choose him as his running-mate, the party might turn to him instead of Stevenson in 1952, etc. - the possibilities are fairly limitless seeing as he was only 38 in 1944, so could reasonably remain a viable national figure for the next thirty years (particularly if he gets elected to the Senate).

Good pick, but your links are a bit screwed up.

 

[True Grit]

Good pick, but your links are a bit screwed up.

Whoops, fixed.

 

[Heliogabalus]

Peter Navarro is most famous today as Trump's Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, but he has a pretty interesting background, if only because of how much he's evolved over his career. A Harvard-educated economist who taught at UC-Irvine, he got his start in politics by campaigning against urban development in San Diego. Navarro had originally vacillated between being an independent and a Republican - apparently because of his concerns over taxes and spending - but in 1992 he ran a grassroots campaign for mayor as a hardcore Democrat on an anti-growth platform against liberal Republican Susan Golding. Navarro summarized the difference between them, "I'm endorsed by the Sierra Club; she's financed by the building industry." But he also described himself "the cruelest and meanest son of a bitch that ever ran for office in San Diego" and ran a campaign so negative that Golding broke into tears during the debate while she was describing how it had affected her. The race ended up going to Golding by four points.

Navarro then unsuccessfully ran for city council in 1993, county board of supervisors in 1994, and House of Representatives in 1996. In his congressional campaign, he used the slogan "The Democrat Newt Gingrich fears most" and ran an aggressively pro-working class, socially liberal, and environmentalist line, but he lost in a landslide. Around this time he began drifting away from the political mainstream - notably, after years of supporting the economic consensus that free trade is desirable as it helps consumers, he turned into a hardcore protectionist in 2001 once China joined the WTO - but still kept some of his liberal values, supporting Hillary Clinton in 2008 and advocating for a carbon tax and ban on incandescent bulbs.

If he had won his election for mayor or representative, Navarro easily could've become a national leader of progressive Democrats. In general, his economic views, which have gotten even more unconventional over time, would make him an interesting president, but his personality - brash, combative, arrogant, and power-hungry - would also be a big part of a potential Navarro Administration. Even before Trump's victory in 2016, there was a feeling among some Democrats that they needed a "tough" candidate to combat Republicans' perceived obstructionism and incivility. But, needless to say, that could cause a lot of problems in making allies and forming an effective administration.

 

[Anarcho-Occultist]

Peter Navarro is most famous today as Trump's Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, but he has a pretty interesting background, if only because of how much he's evolved over his career. A Harvard-educated economist who taught at UC-Irvine, he got his start in politics by campaigning against urban development in San Diego. Navarro had originally vacillated between being an independent and a Republican - apparently because of his concerns over taxes and spending - but in 1992 he ran a grassroots campaign for mayor as a hardcore Democrat on an anti-growth platform against liberal Republican Susan Golding. Navarro summarized the difference between them, "I'm endorsed by the Sierra Club; she's financed by the building industry." But he also described himself "the cruelest and meanest son of a bitch that ever ran for office in San Diego" and ran a campaign so negative that Golding broke into tears during the debate while she was describing how it had affected her. The race ended up going to Golding by four points.

Navarro then unsuccessfully ran for city council in 1993, county board of supervisors in 1994, and House of Representatives in 1996. In his congressional campaign, he used the slogan "The Democrat Newt Gingrich fears most" and ran an aggressively pro-working class, socially liberal, and environmentalist line, but he lost in a landslide. Around this time he began drifting away from the political mainstream - notably, after years of supporting the economic consensus that free trade is desirable as it helps consumers, he turned into a hardcore protectionist in 2001 once China joined the WTO - but still kept some of his liberal values, supporting Hillary Clinton in 2008 and advocating for a carbon tax and ban on incandescent bulbs.

If he had won his election for mayor or representative, Navarro easily could've become a national leader of progressive Democrats. In general, his economic views, which have gotten even more unconventional over time, would make him an interesting president, but his personality - brash, combative, arrogant, and power-hungry - would also be a big part of a potential Navarro Administration. Even before Trump's victory in 2016, there was a feeling among some Democrats that they needed a "tough" candidate to combat Republicans' perceived obstructionism and incivility. But, needless to say, that could cause a lot of problems in making allies and forming an effective administration.

I actually go to UCI and know people who took classes with Navarro. Apparently he’s as hot-headed towards China in class as he is campaigning

 

[V-J]

Daniel Inouye: Perhaps I haven't been looking in the right places, but I haven't seen a timeline were Daniel Inouye became President. He seems like he would've been a strong candidate to me. He was a war hero and had a long successful political career.

He had, shall we say, a Clinton problem. He was damn lucky frankly that he made it politically pretty much all the way to the cusp of the MeToo era and died in office.

 

[President Benedict Arnold]

I'm surprised that no actual post has been dedicated to George Smathers on this thread so far.

He's an interesting politician to me simply because he's hard to pin down. He signed the Southern Manifesto and yet he was one of JFK's biggest supporters and would later align himself away from Southern nationalist politics.

While he seemed as though he would have wanted to be president, he retired in 1968 without a very good reason as far as I saw and spent the rest of his life in some sort of lengthy retirement.

He could have morphed himself into just about anything in the 1970s or '80s (well, except for a moderate on the Cuba issue). He had massive name recognition and was a tried and true Democrat from the South.

I've reworked my favorite TL idea several times and one of my favorite changes was switching out Ted Kennedy for a George Smathers who ran for Governor in 1974, re-emerging as a moderate Democrat and being able to skirt by giving his opinion on any of the national goings on in the second half of the '70s (between the failed Full Employment Act, an attempted national Abortion Ban, and all sorts of other major legislation that almost never passed, any "moderate" Congressmen's voting record is toxic to some category of people) and wins the Presidency in 1980 as a Democrat Reagan stand-in.

 

[BlackentheBorg]

How about some dark-horse or obscure candidates for any future elections?

 

[ShortsBelfast]

he retired in 1968 without a very good reason as far as I saw

Don't know anything about the particular politician but that usually means there was a very good reason of either the "if you don't resign we will prosecute/release the story to the media" sort or the medical sort (alcoholism, incipient dementia, severe heart disease) that renders campaigning or governing impracticable

 

[samcster94]

Olivia Wilde's mother ran for Congress and lost to a guy sexually into Bigfoot.

 

[Deleted member 109224]

Shaq is from Newark and backed Chris Christie in 2013. He has a PhD in education and is running for sheriff in a county in Georgia in 2020. I could see him running as a Republican or GOP-backed independent (against the Sharpe James - Ras Baraka machine) for Mayor of Newark.

Artur Davis was one of the few Democrats to oppose the ACA and the only member of the CBC to do so. He later gave a major speech at the 2012 RNC after joining the GOP and looked at running for Congress in Virginia. He also ran for Governor of Alabama in 2010 and lost the Democratic primary, ran for mayor of montgomery in 2015 and got trounced. If he wins Governor but proceeds to change parties, he could perhaps run in 2016 for President.

Had Bill Weld won his 1996 Senate bid against John Kerry or managed to get confirmed as ambassador to Mexico in 1997, he probably could have run for President in 2000. Alternatively if he'd somehow won his bid for Governor of New York in 2006, he'd probably be a decent candidate come 2012. Or he could run for Kennedy's seat in the special election and win and become an instant 2012 star (of course the issue is he endorsed Obama in 2008 and supports the idea of an individual mandate). Maybe Ambassador + failed 2000 candidate + New York Governor results in Weld winning in 2012 or perhaps a Weld-Johnson Libertarian ticket in 2016.

JC Watts runs for Governor of Oklahoma in 2006 or 2010 and proceeds to be the Republican nominee in 2012 or 2016. Alternatively he's Jack Kemp's running mate in 2000 and proceeds to be the 2004, 2008, or 2012 nominee depending on how the races go.

Mark Sanford avoids his Appalachian Trail incident and, having been head of the RGA and a popular governor, proceeds to be the 2012 GOP nominee. He embarasses Obama by running to his left on a number of issues (particularly foreign policy).

Charles Bonaparte was considered for McKinley's VP IIRC (TR even supported it). When McKinley gets shot, America has president Bonaparte.

Al Smith or some other Democrat is the nominee in 1932 and wins easily.

 

[President Benedict Arnold]

Don't know anything about the particular politician but that usually means there was a very good reason of either the "if you don't resign we will prosecute/release the story to the media" sort or the medical sort (alcoholism, incipient dementia, severe heart disease) that renders campaigning or governing impracticable

That's a good point.

Funny too that I have him resign near the end of his first (and only) term as President due to a personal scandal.

I just wish there was some sort of source I could find on or relating to it, it'd offer a lot more incite than I have rn.

Had Bill Weld won his 1996 Senate bid against John Kerry or managed to get confirmed as ambassador to Mexico in 1997, he probably could have run for President in 2000. Alternatively if he'd somehow won his bid for Governor of New York in 2006, he'd probably be a decent candidate come 2012. Or he could run for Kennedy's seat in the special election and win and become an instant 2012 star (of course the issue is he endorsed Obama in 2008 and supports the idea of an individual mandate). Maybe Ambassador + failed 2000 candidate + New York Governor results in Weld winning in 2012 or perhaps a Weld-Johnson Libertarian ticket in 2016.

I'm honestly glad that Bill Weld's gotten a lot more attention in recent months on here. He's an interesting guy and could be a really interesting GOP President or Presidential candidate. If the party had shifted more libertarian versus out and out conservative in the '90s or '00s, he could easily become a major party leader.

As for another hipster choice, I'd say Robert Schwenn is really interesting. The Democratic Senate nominee in Alabama in 1968 was James Allen, who endorsed and ran with George Wallace and Schwenn, who voted for Humphrey, ran against him as an Independent Democratic candidate and a Republican candidate named Perry Hooper.

Schwenn came in third, but the possibility of a hostile takeover by more nationally mainstream Democrats in Alabama is there. Having a moderate Democrat from Alabama in the Senate or some other statewide office shouldn't come with the hope for a long career, but could be a quick springboard onto a Democratic ticket or Cabinet position, followed up by the Presidency.