No 2000 Election Controversy

What if in the 2000 Presidential election either Bush or Gore had done well enough to win the election without Florida, and the other state(s) they won did not mimic Florida's problems that year? How might such a result be accomplished, and what might it's overall effect be an either an alternate Bush Presidency or Gore Presidency. What would Bush's early first term look like without the liberal "Bush stole Florida" meme?
 
Bush was on target to win comfortably before the DUI revelation nearly cost him the election. If he follows Rove's advice to release it in the spring then there's time for it to fade into the background, Bush wins comfortably- 2004, Wisconsin and perhaps Oregon.
 
Under those circumstances how does the early part of Bush's first term differ from the one that occurred historically? Taking away what happened in Florida almost certainly has an impact on how Bush is perceived pre 9/11. For example, no matter how much some people dislike him and his policies, you won't have anyone saying that he's only President by the Grace of the Supreme Court....
 
Bush's approval ratings were in the high 50s shortly before 9-11 because of the ongoing dot-com recession, so I don't see that changing. After that it depends if his presidency goes as per OTL in the first term. If Iraq doesn't happen and Congress acts on Fannie/Freddie then Bush could be seen almost as a Republican Clinton IMO.
 
Bush's approval ratings were in the high 50s shortly before 9-11 because of the ongoing dot-com recession, so I don't see that changing. After that it depends if his presidency goes as per OTL in the first term. If Iraq doesn't happen and Congress acts on Fannie/Freddie then Bush could be seen almost as a Republican Clinton IMO.

Yeah, I think you're right. The Iraq War, more than anything else, destroyed Bush's legacy through the extremely bungled way he and his team handled it, and especially the post-war issues that would ensue. IMHO, that might be avoided somewhat if Bush doesn't choose Cheney as a VP; what are your thoughts on the likelihood and influence having someone else as VP would have? (And who would be the best alternative candidates?)
 
Cheney was originally picked to head Bush's VP selection team. If he hadn't changed his voting residency to Wyoming, Cheney would have been ineligible to recieve Texas' electoral votes.

My guess is probably Donald Rumsfeld, or maybe Tom Ridge.

I really don't think anything would have changed all that much pre-9-11. It might have been easier for him to get the tax cuts passed.
 

tqm111

Banned
Yeah, I think you're right. The Iraq War, more than anything else, destroyed Bush's legacy through the extremely bungled way he and his team handled it, and especially the post-war issues that would ensue. IMHO, that might be avoided somewhat if Bush doesn't choose Cheney as a VP; what are your thoughts on the likelihood and influence having someone else as VP would have? (And who would be the best alternative candidates?)

Look, GWB has been out of office for less than 24 months. I think its too early to make decisions about his legacy.
 
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