King Bill: The Third Term of William Jefferson Clinton

[bguy]

The biggest problem was how to try him – bin Laden couldn’t be found guilty of murder as he didn’t directly kill the people.

That's incorrect. You don't have to directly kill someone to be guilty of murder.

Section two of Title 18 of the United States Code:

(a) Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal.
(b) Whoever willfully causes an act to be done which if directly performed by him or another would be an offense against the United States, is punishable as a principal.

​

Also, criminal conspirators are generally legally responsible for all crimes committed in the course of the conspiracy by their co-conspirators, so long as those crimes were reasonably foreseeable as a result of the conspiracy. (i.e If you and I plot together to rob a bank, and in the course of the bank robbery I panic and kill a security guard, we're both going to get charged with that murder.)

Thus Bin Laden certainly can and would be charged with thousands of counts of murder. Both as an accessory before the fact and a co-conspirator he is every bit as legally responsible for the murders as the people who directly did the killing.

Here's a link to the indictment that was issued against Bin Laden for the African embassy bombings. You'll see that (among other things) Bin Laden was charged with hundreds of counts of murder.

http://fl1.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/binladen/usbinladen1.pdf

 

[NickCT]

That's incorrect. You don't have to directly kill someone to be guilty of murder.

Thanks. I'll edit it out, but he still dies in the end so...

 

[NickCT]

Just so everyone knows: I am working on the next update but I'm having some difficulties overcoming writers' block so please bear with me

 

[Orville_third]

A few comments:
First, way back in the SC Primary, there was a minor issue in 2000 about the polling places being closed. IOTL, McCain and Keyes alleged that Federal Law was violated and called for an investigation. (There never was one.) I can see it becoming an issue.

In regards to George W. Bush, he had a minor scandal brewing in Texas involving the firing of a whistleblower at the Texas Funeral Services commission. Bush stated in a sworn affidavit that he had "no conversations" about the firing of said whistleblower. At least two people stated otherwise. Bush was requested to testify in person, but the judge granted Bush's request not to testify during his transition to the WH. In this TL, he'll no doubt have plenty of time to testify and explain why he said he had no conversations.

I see Nader doing far better ITTL, given Gore's attempts to be more liberal than Clinton IOTL. He at least should have had enough to equal his votes from last time. (Buchanan will likely get less, with Lott being more overtly right-wing than Bush.)

I think Clinton's approval ratings should be higher than you had them...but I can see a LOT of Republicans seeking investigations (which should have been done IOTL). I can certainly see more Republicans saying Clinton had prior knowledge of the attacks.

How will emergency preparedness funding and infrastructure be affected after 9/11? (It's a pet issue of mine as I am a volunteer emergency responder. in a sense.)

Was there a P-3 collision off Hainan Island as in OTL?

Will Clinton use the 9/11 attacks to push for a bigger NATO? (If he does, please have Russia push back...)

Will Clinton plan to go into Iraq? (IOTL, he was perfectly willing to defend Bush against "the Left" in regards to going into Iraq (Quote from his Time interview upon publication of his autobiography).) If he does, PLEASE have someone bring up Hussein Kamil's testimony to UNSCOM and CNN and run with it!

One disagreement. You said "FDR didn't have opposition media". He had quite a few, like the Chicago Tribune.

No doubt Gore will do much as he did OTL, correct? Of course, will he stay a Democrat or will he follow in Henry A. Wallace's footsteps?

We can be glad that in this TL, Lieberman's not rising to prominence, Dick Cheney is on the speaking circuit, Katherine Harris will be out of a job in 2002, though she'll be likely seeking higher office, George W. Bush is now Governor of Texas...and Rick Perry's not going to take his place (except if the scandal occurs that I suggested...). Karl Rove is no doubt knocked down a notch after being defeated. McCain is no doubt trying to get Republicans to reform campaign finance using Clinton as Exhibit A... and Hillary isn't in the Senate!

 

[NickCT]

“We interrupt this programming to bring you a breaking news bulletin: President Clinton has suffered from a massive heart attack in the Oval Office and has been rushed to George Washington Hospital. At this time the cabinet has declared the President unable to fulfill his duties as President and has transferred the duties of the office to Vice President Dodd who is at this time serving as acting President. White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart has called the situation ‘grave’ and has said that the President will be entering surgery soon after arriving at the hospital. We encourage you to stay with CNN as we get more breaking details.” –Wolf Blitzer: March 14, 2002 @ 10:11 am

“More breaking news regarding President Clinton’s condition: we’ve learned that he is still in surgery as the doctors prepare to enter hour three of a lifesaving operation on the President. White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart has announced that the First Lady is reviewing options as to how to handle the President’s health and implied that the installation of a pacemaker may be necessary at this time.” –Wolf Blitzer: March 14, 2002 @ 2:34 pm

“As hundreds gather outside the White House with signs of support, Vice President Dodd has continued to hold the reins of the U.S. Government in his hands. In the last year we’ve seen the transfer to the Vice President more times than ever before in history. The President has been out of surgery for a few minutes and doctors believe it to be successful. Within the next few hours they will prepare to install a pacemaker for the President of the United States. Stick with CNN for all the late-breaking details.” –Wolf Blitzer: March 14, 2002 @ 4:00 pm

“President Clinton’s condition is stable at this time. He’s been installed with a pacemaker and the cabinet has transferred his constitutional authorities back to the President. Vice President Dodd is no longer acting President. In the coming days the President will, once again, resume an active schedule and looks forward to connecting with the American people. He will also work to lead a healthier lifestyle.” –Press Secretary Joe Lockhart: March 14, 2002 @ 11:14 pm

April 1, 2002: Do you approve or disapprove of President Clinton’s job performance?
Approve: 56%
Disapprove: 41%
Undecided: 3%

“Do not let the Democrats prevail, my friends! Do NOT let the liberal left take over our America – and America built on liberty and values and equality. Do NOT give up in the face of opposition. We are Americans and in a tough battle we rise to meet the challenges, surpass them, and save the American dream. I encourage you all to vote for my good friend, Tim Hutchinson.” –Rick Santorum campaigning for Senator Hutchinson in Little Rock, Arkansas: April 14, 2002

“I have decided to seek reelection to the U.S. Senate. It was not a decision I came by easily but at the end of the day I believe the American people – and the people of this great state – deserve a Senator who presents them with the facts. I will always fight for a better America and a better Tennessee so I ask you to stand with my in making the difference. Thank you and God bless America!” –Fred Thompson declaring his reelection bid for U.S. Senate: April 15, 2002

“The War in Afghanistan continued into April 2002 with much of the same results. Unfortunately we had yet to claim the lives of any major terrorist figureheads since Bin Laden which didn’t help the morale of our troops on the ground. We invaded with a specific mission: seek and destroy Al Qaeda training camps and damage them beyond repair. Unfortunately we underestimated the power of the Taliban within Afghani government. Though Kabul had fallen we had to continue to push the Taliban out towards Pakistan, before realizing we were simply relocating the problem not fixing it. By the end of April the President had approved Operation Border Justice. Hundreds of planes headed in to the border and carpet bombed the region, killing thousands and destroying dozens of terrorist training camps and caves. Then thousands of troops invaded, rummaging through the rubble of fallen camps as well as launching a wave of attacks on the existing camps. After a month of aggressive fighting our soldiers retreated and a second wave of air raids began. We had killed the entire leadership of Al Qaeda and destroyed nearly every one of their terrorist camps. The group suffered from a lack of leadership and we moved to phase two of the mission: restoring democracy to the region.” –Excerpt from Leon Panetta’s Memoir Panetta: My Story

“I was initially opposed to any idea of nation-building in Afghanistan and feared it would only lengthen U.S. involvement in the region and make it harder to withdraw. We could have all troops home before February of 2003 but the President, acting on the advice of Secretary Panetta left the troops in Afghanistan to help build a lasting democracy. I did my best to battle it at every opportunity but I failed and soon I would be proven right.” –Excerpt from John Kerry’s Memoir It’s More Than Diplomacy

“Around May of 2002 the President zoned out and pretty much everything landed on the desk of the First Lady or the Vice President. This phase lasted for months and it became increasingly frustrating to watch the President skip meetings, cancel appointments, and the like. We hadn’t had a meeting as a cabinet for weeks and it was getting on my nerves. Eventually I talked with the President face-to-face and told him, ‘This is not how my father would’ve run his White House. This is not how my father would’ve wanted any Administration to be run.’ And the President, who always loved and admired my dad, said, ‘You know, you’re right.’ I don’t think it was our heart-to-heart that turned his attitude around but slowly he took an interest in national affairs and things began to recover.” –Excerpt from John F. Kennedy, Jr’s Memoir A Salute to the Nation

“The education plan is fucked. No one will touch the issue with the MidTerms running around the corner and then after that we’re in the Presidential Race. I’m going to try and push it through in 2003 but I doubt we’ll see any progress. Un-fucking-believable! It’s amazing and I know I’m going to get fucked over by the GOP about it, they’re already starting.” –The Diaries of William Jefferson Clinton: May 19, 2002

“Where’s the education reform, Mr. President?” –Trent Lott: May 21, 2002

“We want our kids out of failing schools, President Clinton wants them in battle.” –Christine Todd Whitman: May 23, 2002

“Save our schools, Mr. President! Keep your promise!” –Mike Huckabee: May 29, 2002

“With unemployment now at 6.9% I have decided to work with the Republicans in Congress on solving the issue of our economy. With my education plan on hold I fully hope to pass tax cuts on those making under $400,000 a year. I am looking forward to making this progress and I expect the Republicans are too.” –President Clinton: June 1, 2002

“What we need now is an aggressive leader ready to take the reins on day one. President Clinton isn’t doing that! Vote for a Republican Majority in 2002 and you won’t be disappointed!” –Mike Huckabee: June 14, 2002

June 19, 2002: Who do you plan on voting for in the TN Gubernatorial Election?
Al Gore: 49%
Van Hilleary: 46%
Undecided: 5%

“The aftermath of the Clinton Presidency was taking its toll. It was hard for the Democrats to shrug off the attacks on 9/11 and the dysfunctional economy. Soon it became clear that the Republicans would have another 1994. Hillary Clinton and JFK Jr were the big-name surrogates for the Democratic Side while Whitman, Huckabee, and Santorum made the rounds on the Republican side. With the election progressing incumbents were anxious to pass tax cuts and on August 14th the President signed a significant tax cut for those making under half-a-million dollars. With that under his pocket the President’s approvals ticked upwards and broke 60% in September. Then things went awry. Gore came out and criticized the President followed by Bill Bradley and soon the implosion of the Democratic Party began. Caught off-guard at a press conference the President lashed out at his critics. With other issues going on for the President, including further rumors about his health, his approval returned to 58%. In October Republicans announced that they were launching a major investigation into the 9/11 attacks to determine if the Clinton Administration could’ve prevented the attacks to some extent including, but not limited to, assassinating Osama bin Laden prior to the murder. They planned to launch the investigation in January and as a result the turnout in the MidTerms reached 60% with Republicans and Democrats hoping to protect or attack President Clinton through the alleged investigations.” --Excerpt from The Turn of the Century by Dick Morris

SENATE RACES: 2002
Alabama: Jeff Sessions, R (reelected)
Alaska: Ted Stevens, R (reelected)
Arkansas: Tim Hutchinson, R (reelected)
Colorado: Wayne Allard, R (reelected)
Delaware: Joe Biden, D (reelected)
Georgia: Saxby Chambliss, R (GOP GAIN)
Idaho: Larry Craig, R (reelected)
Illinois: Dick Durbin, D (reelected)
Iowa: Tom Harkin, D (reelected)
Kansas: Pat Roberts, R (reelected)
Kentucky: Mitch McConnell, R (reelected)
Louisiana: Suzanne Haik Terrell, R (GOP GAIN)
Maine: Susan Collins, R (reelected)
Massachusetts: Thomas Reilly, D (reelected)
Michigan: Carl Levin, D (reelected)
Minnesota: Paul Wellstone, D (reelected)
Mississippi: Thad Cochran, R (reelected)
Missouri: Jim Talent, R (GOP GAIN)
Montana: Max Baucus, D (reelected)
Nebraska: Chuck Hagel, R (reelected)
New Hampshire: Bob Smith, R (reelected)
New Jersey: Doug Forrester, R (GOP GAIN)
New Mexico: Pete Domenici, R (reelected)
North Carolina: Elizabeth Dole, R (GOP hold)
Oklahoma: Jim Inhofe, R (reelected)
Oregon: Gordon Smith, R (reelected)
Rhode Island: Jack Reed, D (reelected)
South Dakota: John Thune, R (reelected)
Tennessee: Fred Thompson, R (reelected)
Texas: Rick Perry, R (GOP hold)
Virginia: John Warner, R (reelected)
West Virginia: Jay Rockefeller, D (reelected)
Wyoming: Mike Enzi, R (reelected)

OLD SENATE:
Democrats … 51
Republicans … 49

NEW SENATE:
Republicans … 53
Democrats … 47

“In December of 2002 candidates began declaring their intentions for their party’s nomination. Democrats expected Clinton to retire considering his health, but to be on the safe side they began announcing relatively early. The first was Secretary of State John Kerry who used an interview on the TODAY Show to announce his campaign. Al Gore, the Governor of Tennessee, announced he would not be a candidate for the presidency. In January of 2003, Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire officially entered the race himself. February was by far the most prominent month. Clinton announced he was not running, Vice President Dodd announced his candidacy, Christine Todd Whitman announced hers, and Rick Santorum also entered the race. Initial polling showed that the moderates had gradually taken control of the party. Early on both Pataki and ridge once again endorsed Whitman and the ‘Gang of Three’ looked forward to bring home a primary win in the year 2004.” --Excerpt from America Before Morning: The Election of 2004 by Karl Rove

“My name is John Edwards and I’m running for President!” –John Edwards: March 1, 2003

“What our country needs is a leader with a record, a record of success and of victory. In Arkansas that’s just what I’ve done and so I am proud to announce my candidacy for the United States Presidency.” – Mike Huckabee: March 4, 2003

“On 9/11 I watched as the towers fell and in the aftermath of the tragedy I was proud to lead the city to greater opportunities. Today I am announcing my campaign for President – to prove we can elect a real leader!” –Rudy Giuliani: March 9, 2003

March 12, 2003: Who do you support for the Republican Nomination for President?
Christine Todd Whitman … 31%
Rick Santorum … 27%
Mike Huckabee … 12%
Rudy Giuliani … 9%
Bob Smith … 1%
Undecided … 20%

“My fellow Americans: what our country needs now is a leader prepared to make a difference, prepared to be that change that we need the most in the world! I am running for President of the United States and I am going to win!” –Senator Sam Brownback: March 22, 2003

“I have decided to run for President of the United States because the Democratic Party, and our nation, needs a nation built on making a difference.” –Governor Mark Warner: March 27, 2003

April 2, 2003: Who do you support for the Democratic Nomination for President?
Chris Dodd … 28%
John Edwards … 25%
John Kerry … 14%
Mark Warner … 11%
Undecided … 22%

“With a lack of personal satisfaction in the Democratic field today I am officially announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. It’s not my first time and I am confident the grassroot support I built before will help me now.” –Bill Bradley: April 8, 2003

 

[Orville_third]

Oh. The budget is still in a surplus, right? I think eight more months of paying off the debt helped.

 

[NickCT]

Oh. The budget is still in a surplus, right? I think eight more months of paying off the debt helped.

yes but it [size of the surplus] has *somewhat* decreased

 

[BlairWitch749]

Oh. The budget is still in a surplus, right? I think eight more months of paying off the debt helped.

ASB after the dot com bubble collapsed even with lower intensity war spending and marginally lower bush tax cuts.... what was posted sounded like something between bush and gore's otl proposals probably 85ish percent of the bush tax cuts

figure the tax cuts are 50ish less billion per year than otl, and military spending is 100ish billion per year less that's still leaves a 200ish billion hole in the budget in the 01-05 period on average... 30ish billion can be subtracted from that if clinton did not pass a similar medicare drugs program to otl

 

[NickCT]

it's a nominal amount of surplus but there is one. we're not paying for two wars and the clinton tax cuts were about 65% of the bush tax cuts

 

[BlairWitch749]

it's a nominal amount of surplus but there is one. we're not paying for two wars and the clinton tax cuts were about 65% of the bush tax cuts

still not enough

government revenues declined significantly after the .com bubble burst(as a percentage of gdp); 1 war is still expensive. Gore's proposed tax cuts which cut off at 250k where 79% of W's... you had the cut off at 400k... i realize you could make the marginal rate decrease less intense (go down 2 instead of 4 percent) but you will get less stimulative growth offset and with the higher threshold, the program would still be more ambitious than Gore's plan anyway

bottom line

even with no tax cuts at all, and no wars at all, due to the decline in receipts and increases in medicare/medicaid/social security through the period we would still run a deficit; a comparatively small one, but a deficit none the less

 

[NickCT]

Meet the Press: April 13, 2003
RUSSERT: Senator why should the Republicans choose you as their nominee?
BROWNBACK: Well I represent a new, conservative approach to governing. I’m a consistent and solid conservative and I’m not afraid to lead. Furthermore, unlike Senator Santorum, I have no dark secrets or skeletons in the past that would haunt me.
RUSSERT: So you should be the conservative who challenges Christine Todd Whitman for the nomination?
BROWNBACK: Well, I don’t think our party is that divided, I think there is room for numerous candidates on the debate stage.
RUSSERT: But if there’s a conservative should he choose you, Santorum, or Huckabee – or even Whitman?
BROWNBACK: They should choose me. As a United States Senator I’ve represented the core of the conservative movement within the Republican Party and I was very happy to be out there supporting Trent Lott four years ago, he came up short but I won’t.

“We listened to the far-right wing of the Republican Party four years ago and what did they say? They told us to beat Bill Clinton we had to nominate a conservative so we did. They lost. Now it is time to nominate someone who can appeal to all Americans, someone who isn’t a crazy far-right conservative or an insane far-left liberal. We need a leader, more than anything, at this point and that’s what I hope to do: be the leader.” –Christine Todd Whitman: April 14, 2003

“Hello San Diego! It’s good to be with you all today in my race for the Presidency. As Secretary of State on 9/11 I witnessed the terrorist attacks on this nation firsthand. As your President I will work to prevent them, to stop the terrorists, and to never let them win. That’s not a threat it’s a promise – and a promise I intend to keep.” –John Kerry: April 16, 2003

“On April 24th the hearings on 9/11 began. The first to be called were low-ranking officials in the C.I.A. and F.B.I. and then it was Attorney General Kennedy’s turn. All testimonies were held on live television as the hunting game began to bring down the Clinton Administration. Republicans were brutal and aggressive and tried to make towering mountains out of ant hills. Eventually, on May 19th they called Secretary of State John Kerry who testified that he had ‘no knowledge of the severity of 9/11 and the potential attacks’ when in reality this was completely false – as the nation would soon learn. I was called to testify on June 2, 2003 where I was asked point-black ‘Would it have been possible to kill Osama bin Laden before 9/11’ and I responded, simply, ‘Yes.’ As the hearing ensued it was clear they suspected something deeper. I wasn’t going to lie – and I didn’t, but unless they asked me if the President denied an opportunity to kill Bin Laden I wasn’t going to say yes. On my fourth day of testimony I was asked if ‘The President had missed an opportunity to kill Osama bin Laden and if so, please elaborate.’ I took a deep breath and asked for a recess, my request was denied. I sat on live television staring point-blank at former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker, the member who asked the question. I remember sitting there, for two minutes, just looking at him. I couldn’t bring down the Clinton Administration – not now. Finally my request for a recess was granted. The White House argued that the information about to be revealed was highly sensitive and that it absolutely could not be done on live television, the commission agreed, and that was the end of live testimony. The next day when the meetings resumed I was once again asked ‘Could President Clinton have killed Osama bin Laden – was there an opportunity when someone said to the President that there was an opportunity to kill him.’ I took a deep breath and began to answer, ‘On April 14, 2001 I presented President Clinton with intelligence that suggested the location of Osama bin Laden. In early-February we had already launched an attack on Bin Laden and it failed. The President didn’t want to make the same mistake again.’ From there things got worse and worse.” –Excerpt from Leon Panetta’s Memoir Panetta: My Story

9/11 Commission Hearing with Leon Panetta: June 7, 2003
WEICKER: Was Secretary Kerry lying when he said Bill Clinton and Kerry “had no knowledge of the severity of 9/11 and the potential attacks”?
PANETTA: Not exactly: we never had any intelligence that suggested planes would be used as missiles. We had no idea the attacks would be carried out in 2001 – let alone on 9/11. We had no idea what was going on, but there were two opportunities to kill Osama bin Laden. The first, like I said, was on April 14th. The second was only a month later on May 8th
(John F.) SEYMOUR: On May 8, 2001 wasn’t Chris Dodd acting President?
PANNETA: That’s correct, sir. On May 8th I went to Vice President Dodd and explained that there was a 24-hour opportunity where we could launch an attack on Bin Laden but it needed to be done within 24-hours. He said he did not want to risk American lives and that President Clinton had already made up his mind.
WEICKER: But there was an opportunity to kill Bin Laden?
PANETTA: Yes, but it should not be forgotten that in the President’s first two terms there were several opportunities to kill Bin Laden and we took them. There were simply two instances
SEYMOUR: In this part of the Administration that you could’ve killed Bin Laden?
PANETTA: No, there were three in this term and we took one of them and it failed.
SEYMOUR: Alright, I’m curious as to where you were on the issue.
PANETTA: I told the President to attack each and every time.
WEICKER: And he didn’t listen?
PANETTA: Sometimes he did, and sometimes he didn’t. Look: the president wanted to attack every time – wanted to kill Osama bin Laden – but sometimes the risks were too great in his mind.

“Today I am announcing my resignation as U.S. Secretary of State and I also intend to withdraw from the race for President. At this point in my life I do not feel I can adequately represent the concerns of the American people – I thank all of them for their patience and understanding.” –John Kerry: June 9, 2003

“On June 14, 2003 the 9/11 Commission entered the doors of the Oval Office and began their countless-day interview with President William Jefferson Clinton. The look on Bill’s face when they walked through those doors is indescribable. It was a mix of shock, anger, and relief, but in the end there was nothing he could do but tell the truth.” –Excerpt from Leon Panetta’s Memoir Panetta: My Story

“Today was the third day of interviews. Finally we’re reaching the present-day. The first two days were spent going over the last eight years, now we’re talking about my current (and final) term. Truth is told things went poorly, very poorly. The Republicans smell blood and they’re out to tarnish my legacy. We discussed all the assassination attempts (and potential attempts) launched or explored by the U.S. Government. I admitted that there were two opportunities pre-9/11 that my Administration did not explore. I wasn’t willing to risk American lives on shaky intelligence and that’s why I told the commission. Seymour from California is my biggest problem. Eventually they’ll decide whether or not the Republicans win or lose this election and things aren’t looking good. With Kerry gone and under investigation for perjury things are looking bad. Not sure how much longer we’ll make it.” –The Diary of William Jefferson Clinton: June 16, 2003

“I am proud to announce that I will be replacing John Kerry in the State Department with Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, a man who has continually served this nation through good times and bad. I am looking forward to him joining the Administration in a swift manner.” –President Clinton: June 20, 2003

“Breaking News: John Kerry, the former Secretary of State, has been arrested today for perjury. Prosecutors are hoping to mount a case against the former Senator of Massachusetts. Kerry, who less than a month ago was a leading contender in the U.S. Presidential Race, is now behind bars. He will be arraigned tomorrow where bail will likely set in the hundreds of thousands. Kerry is expected to make bail himself.” –Wolf Blitzer: July 6, 2003

July 8, 2003: Who do you support for the Republican Nomination for President?
Christine Todd Whitman … 33%
Rick Santorum … 28%
Mike Huckabee … 10%
Sam Brownback … 9%
Rudy Giuliani … 8%
Bob Smith … 2%
Undecided … 10%

“We’re catching up to Governor Whitman because the American people believe in conservatism. They believe that the United States cannot progress without a new era of conservatism. I am very proud that we’re set to win this nomination against the bitter policies and backwards era of Bill Clinton! His own Secretary of State is about to be convicted of perjury and what’s he worried about, staying out of jail himself!” –Rick Santorum: July 10, 2003

July 11, 2003: Who do you support for the Democratic Nomination for President?
John Edwards … 25%
Chris Dodd … 19%
Bill Bradley … 19%
Mark Warner … 15%
Undecided … 22%

Meet the Press: July 13, 2003
RUSSERT: There are rumors that President Clinton has testified that he gave up opportunities to assassinate Osama bin Laden – in fact they’ve practically been confirmed since the arrest of John Kerry – what do you think of the situation?
WARNER: He’s the Commander-in-Chief and that was his decision. Do I agree with it? Not at all, but he made it his decision and we’ll have to go from there.
RUSSERY: Should he be arrested?
WARNER: God no – not unless he lied under oath. Look what he did wasn’t the right move in hindsight but he broke no laws. It’s natural to feel anger towards the President but we have to keep our heads focused on the present and on moving forward. In the next year or so we’re going to end our budget surplus, that’s more pressing than trying to go back in time and reverse a decision that’s already been made.
RUSSERT: Do you think President Clinton is doing a good job?
WARNER: His performance is satisfactory.

“My fellow Americans:

“Over the last few days and weeks my judgment and decision-making process has been called in to question – and for good reason. The rumors about me deciding not to kill Osama bin Laden are only half-true, if that. My Administration has, several times, launched attempts to kill this despicable man and we only succeeded last year. In February 2001 I approved a plan to assassinate Osama bin Laden, in the end several U.S. Troops lost their lives and we failed to get Bin Laden.

“In the coming months I was presented with the opportunity one more time and I turned it down. It was the first – and only – time I gave up an opportunity to take out the man. I did not want to risk more American lives on shaky intelligence. I do not regret that decision, I do not regret that decision because the operation would’ve failed and it would’ve lost almost ten American lives. While I wish that we could have killed Osama Bin Laden before 9/11 we cannot be certain it would’ve prevented 9/11. We cannot be sure that it would’ve lessened the impact of the terrorist attack.

“In the days after my speech my approval rating will plummet – I understand that, you have every right to be disappointed and angry. I don’t care about my approval rating because I was elected three times to lead this nation and that is what I have done. I can make a difference from this chair and soon someone else will sit behind this desk. I only ask that you reflect on my entire time as your leader and not just my one mistake.

“We will move on from tonight, after all we have successfully toppled Al Qaeda and its leadership. We must look ahead to the future. We need serious education reform. Economists predict the end of our budget surplus in the next year or two. There are issues at hand and we must move forward. All I ask for is your patience and understanding. Thank you all, God bless those personally affected by 9/11, and God bless the United States.” –President Clinton’s Oval Office Address: July 21, 2003

CNN Republican Debate: July 23, 2003
WHITMAN: We need to elect a leader. President Clinton has, time and time again, displayed his abuse of power – what we need is someone with executive experience who is ready to lead this nation beyond the issues President Clinton has presented us with.
(Anderson) COOPER: Mr. Smith a rebuttal?
SMITH: To be perfectly honest with you, Anderson, I’m more than confident in my ability to lead. I’ve been a member of the United States Senate since 1990 and I’ve been very proud to represent the state of New Hampshire. Our country needs someone who’ll be ready from day one. I’m the former Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and I presently Chair the Environment and Public Works Committee. I’m anxious to lead and I cannot wait to serve the American people.

* * * * * * * * *

SANTORUM: And Governor Whitman is a liberal in-disguise who is ready to sell-out our party and our values in an attempt to move this party towards liberalism! This is not what we want in our next President!
WHITMAN: Now hold it right there, Senator. Your accusations are blatantly false. I am a fiscal conservative committed to restoring our budget surplus. What you can’t get your head around is that your hand-picked nominee, Senator, lost in a landslide to President Clinton. I don’t know about you but I think it’s about time this party win in a landslide!

 

[historybuff]

Witmen for President.

 

[Orville_third]

Hey, Kerry deserved to get some punishment OTL after requesting stuff from Scott Ritter about how Iraq was effectively disarmed (in 2000) and not even reading it.

Oh, and who will run for Senate in Illinois? Will Ryan still drop out after the divorce allegations? Obama won't have as high a profile, since Iraq won't be an issue (unless Clinton tries to wag the dog again), and he'll still have lost to Bobby Rush. I also think the Illinois Republicans will be smart enough not to pick Alan Keyes...

BTW, is Clinton still continuing Iraq sanctions? Is Scott Ritter still commenting for Fox News, or did they drop him due to his personal scandals or his opposition to Iraq sanctions? (Fox may be anti-Clinton, but dropping Iraq sanctions might be going to against the establishment for them...)

Also, is the guy doing Clinton's oral history tapes still taping? It would be nice to see him get mentioned.

 

[NickCT]

Hey, Kerry deserved to get some punishment OTL after requesting stuff from Scott Ritter about how Iraq was effectively disarmed (in 2000) and not even reading it.

Oh, and who will run for Senate in Illinois? Will Ryan still drop out after the divorce allegations? Obama won't have as high a profile, since Iraq won't be an issue (unless Clinton tries to wag the dog again), and he'll still have lost to Bobby Rush. I also think the Illinois Republicans will be smart enough not to pick Alan Keyes...

BTW, is Clinton still continuing Iraq sanctions? Is Scott Ritter still commenting for Fox News, or did they drop him due to his personal scandals or his opposition to Iraq sanctions? (Fox may be anti-Clinton, but dropping Iraq sanctions might be going to against the establishment for them...)

Also, is the guy doing Clinton's oral history tapes still taping? It would be nice to see him get mentioned.

Damn you plot spoiler! I was planning on an interesting Senate election in 2004 already

Also: Sanctions have been continued but war was never seriously considered...

 

[BlairWitch749]

Damn you plot spoiler! I was planning on an interesting Senate election in 2004 already

Also: Sanctions have been continued but war was never seriously considered...

Clinton had been itching for war with iraq since 1996 and repeatedly made the case for it through 98 and 99

 

[NickCT]

his main priority in the second term was education reform andnkeeping the budget sound. furthermore with his health and sec of state under investigation for perjury...war probably wasnt his main concern

 

[NickCT]

“The Democrats in the Senate are united today. We are united in passing educational reform before the end of President Clinton’s third term. We are united in a better education system for the United States and we will not rest until it has become a reality. I know that we can continue to lead this nation forward and I have no doubt this nation will be stronger because of it.” –Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle: July 25, 2003

August 1, 2003: Do you approve or disapprove of President Clinton’s job performance?
Approve: 45%
Disapprove: 44%
Undecided: 11%

August 16, 2003: Iowa Straw Poll Results
Rick Santorum … 37%
Mike Huckabee … 24%
Christine Todd Whitman … 14%
Sam Brownback … 14%
Bob Smith … 6%
Rudy Giuliani … 5%

“I am proud to once again endorse my good friend Christine Todd Whitman for the United States Presidency.” –Senator John McCain: August 17, 2003

“I am here today in Iowa to ask you all to support my good friend: Mark Warner. Warner is a dedicated Governor who will continue to make a difference in the United States for years to come. His leadership in Virginia has been effective and involved in real-world politics. He’s a public advocate on issues like Health Care and education and so I am very proud to endorse him here today.” –Governor Al Gore: August 19, 2003

“There’s no man more qualified than Governor Mark Warner. In only a year he’s cut taxes, kept the budget balanced, and demonstrated a master understanding of the issues. I am very proud to support him in his campaign for President.” –Senator Evan Bayh: August 23, 2003

“Mark Warner’s campaign is surging as the relatively new Governor of Virginia continues a push nationwide, raising millions of dollars in the last three weeks. With the support of Governor Al Gore and Senator Evan Bayh it is becoming increasingly likely he’ll be a major contender in the Democratic Nomination. With Warner surging Senator Edwards is falling behind slightly and Vice President Dodd has begun to close the gap with the North Carolina Senator. This race gets more interesting every day.” –Chris Matthews: September 11, 2003

September 12, 2003: Who do you support for the Democratic Nomination for President?
John Edwards … 24%
Chris Dodd … 23%
Bill Bradley … 22%
Mark Warner … 21%
Undecided … 10%

September 12, 2003: Who do you support for the Republican Nomination for President?
Christine Todd Whitman … 33%
Rick Santorum … 30%
Sam Brownback … 11%
Mike Huckabee … 10%
Rudy Giuliani … 8%
Bob Smith … 3%
Undecided … 5 %

“The United States of America has – for all too long – sat on the sidelines. We need a President – a Commander-in-Chief – committed to protecting our interests at home and abroad. We need a President ready to spread democracy and move our nation and the entire world in the right direction. If we sit back now – if we fail to act – we’re going to get ourselves in to trouble in the long run. Rick Santorum can fly around spreading his far-right conservative agenda aimed at bringing us back to the 19th Century or we can move the country forward, expand our economy, and protect our nation’s security. As President I will fight to create a Department of Homeland Security. What we need is a proven executive who’s succeeded before and will succeed again.” –Christine Todd Whitman: September 14, 2003 in Florida

“The conservatives in this nation should work together now to balance our social agenda with our national defense agenda. I am not going to go out there like Christine Todd Whitman and say that social issues don’t matter, they do – life always matters. Want we cannot afford is someone who is so willing, like Bill Clinton has, to say one thing in order to win the election and do another after the election. That isn’t the kind of President I want and it isn’t the kind of President I will be.” –Sam Brownback: September 16, 2003 in Iowa

“The United States of America deserves a better President, but we deserve continued leadership. Yes, Bill Clinton is not the greatest President we’ve ever had, but what we need is someone with President Clinton’s work ethic. I’ve seen firsthand how the President works and he is a hard worker. He has spent countless nights without sleep trying to balance the budget. As your President I will fight to continue the high points of the Clinton Legacy.” –Chris Dodd: September 20, 2003 in Iowa

“I’ve decided to be a late-entry in to the race for President. I will fight for the continuation of the liberal legacy.” –Congressman Dennis Kucinich: September 21, 2003 in Ohio

Democratic Party Debate: September 25, 2003
EDWARDS: I am running to protect the American people. When my mother and father raised me I didn’t have money, I wasn’t well-off but I’ve lived the American Dream and for that I am proud – very proud. I want to give back to the nation that’s given me so many opportunities.
BLITZER: Vice President Dodd?
DODD: Yes, I am running because the times now are serious and we cannot afford to elect a President who’ll require on-the-job training. As much as I respect the other candidates on this stage, they do not have the experience to lead our nation. They are not prepared to lead our country and quite frankly we need someone who is ready. I am running to move our nation in the right direction and I know I have the experience to do that.
BLITZER: And Senator Bradley?
BRADLEY: Well this isn’t my first campaign. I ran four years ago because I knew that eight years was enough. We should never let our democracy turn in to an opportunity for a power-hungry man to take the Oval Office by storm. We reelected Bill Clinton because we were obsessed with the possibility of another Kennedy Dyansty. To be honest with you: we made a mistake. I ran in 2000 because I felt we needed a fresh set of eyes on issues like foreign affairs and education and it turns out I was right. I promise all of you that if elected I will serve one term. One term as President and after that I’ll retire. We don’t need a King we need a President. Kings screwed over every country they’ve presided in, but Presidents – Presidents are leaders who work hard to accomplish a lot for this great nation and I am running for President, not king.

“A massive surge for Democratic Senator Bill Bradley in the aftermath of the Presidential debate a few nights ago, we are witnessing the rise of yet another candidate. Last month was Mark Warner, but it seems that today Bill Bradley is the one who’ll have his fifteen minutes of fame. Can Bradley keep this momentum going all the way through the Primary Season? Or has he peaked too soon?” –Chris Mathews: September 30, 2003

October 1, 2003: Who do you support for the Democratic Nomination for President?
Bill Bradley … 24%
Chris Dodd … 21%
John Edwards … 21%
Mark Warner … 19%
Dennis Kucinich … 2%
Undecided … 13%

“I am very proud to endorse my good friend Sam Brownback in his campaign to become the next President of the United States. I am confident in Sam’s ability to lead the nation forward towards brighter days.” –Texas Senator Rick Perry: October 3, 2003 in Iowa

“With a general lack of interest in the Democratic Field I was getting intense pressure to announce a candidacy of my own. I didn’t want to risk a loss in the general election, however. Polls showed me beating Rick Santorum by 2% but losing to Whitman by 8%. Generic Democrat vs Generic Republican polls showed the Republicans with a 6% lead. I announced on October 12, 2003 that I was not going to run – and that was my final decision, no one was going to change my mind. I did decide that I would endorse a candidate before Iowa and so Caroline and I began closely examining the candidates, all six. We liked all of them except for Edwards and Kucinich. We were most in-line with Vice President Dodd, however, on the issues. In November we called the Vice President and said we were most likely going to endorse him but that it was obviously subject to change.” –Excerpt from John F. Kennedy, Jr’s Memoir A Salute to the Nation

“I have travelled here to Iowa to announce my support for Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. I am confident that he will lead this nation into a prosperous 21st Century. He is the conservative leader and the conservative candidate in this race for President. Do not let Christine Whitman fool you, Governor Whitman is committed to moving this party to the left and she will not represent you as President, she’ll be a pawn of the Democratic Party.” –Senator Trent Lott: October 21, 2003 in Iowa

“With financial burdens taking their toll I am officially ending my campaign for President and endorsing former Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman.” –Rudy Giuliani: November 1, 2003

November 8, 2003: Who do you support for the Republican Nomination for President?
Christine Todd Whitman … 37%
Rick Santorum … 33%
Sam Brownback … 15%
Mike Huckabee … 9%
Bob Smith … 3%
Undecided … 3%

Meet the Press: November 9, 2003
RUSSERT: Senator how are you going to beat Governor Whitman?
SANTORUM: Look, Tim, Christine is a great woman and she did a lot of good for New Jersey but to be honest with you she just can’t win the Republican Nomination. She’s too far to the left – she looks like Bill Clinton for Heaven’s sake!
RUSSERT: Isn’t your social rhetoric a little too far to the right for the general election?
SANTORUM: Polls show me beating all of the candidates in the Democratic field – I’m not taking anything for granted, but I am not going to sacrifice issues like abortion to appeal to more people in the general election.
RUSSERT: Realistically you’re stretching the truth. One poll has you tied with Senator Bradley, another has you losing to Governor Warner. Isn’t it fair to say you’re just not electable?
SANTORUM: Tim, you’re drinking Christine Todd Whitman’s Kool-Aid. I’m perfectly electable in the general election, every time we nominate a moderate we lose because the base doesn’t come out for our nominee. Ronald Reagan was told he couldn’t win in the general election and he beat Carter in a landslide!
RUSSERT: Isn’t that what Trent Lott said four years ago? And he lost, didn’t he?
SANTORUM: 2000 was an interesting year.

“Look, I’m willing to get out there and support an education plan, but right now the President isn’t talking education, he’s talking 2004. I want to make progress and I’m willing to cross the aisle, but I don’t see him putting any effort forward.” –Senator Chris Shays of Connecticut: November 11, 2003

 

[jerseyrules]

This shall be said again:
Please sir may I have some more

 

[NickCT]

FYI: Serious writers' block has prevented any progress on this timeline, i hope to return to it in the next week or two

 

[Hyperion]

So ITTL's 9/11, who was killed at the State Department?

In OTL 9/11 when the Pentagon was hit, aside from various midlevel officers and enlisted, and a few civilian staff, a US Army Lieutenant General was killed at the Pentagon.

Would any high profile personnel at the State Department have been killed or injured?