POTUS A. Mitchell Palmer

The Vulture

Banned
I was surprised to learn that Palmer's staunch anti-communism, raids on suspected sympathizers, and monitoring of American citizens actually had a great deal of public support. Is there any chance he might be elected POTUS in 1920? And what might his presidency be like? Might we see an early Cold War and a quasi-police state in America?
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
IIRC, Palmer actually sought the Democratic nomination in 1920, his main contenders being James Cox (the eventual nominee) and William McAdoo.

Find a way to get rid of these fellows (McAdoo might actually make a good running mate for regional balance) and I'd say Palmer has a shot at beating Harding.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
In the TL in my sig Palmer gets elected President in 1924. The TL is basically dead though since I haven't updated it in a month or so.

Don't give up! If it weren't for ETHOS(Excessive Thread Optimism Syndrome) Tail-Gunner would have died long ago! But it's still going strong...I'd like to think...:eek:

What's the name of your TL, by the way? I'd like to give it a look.
 

The Vulture

Banned
Maybe if he hadn't cried wolf for May Day 1920, he might've been seen as much that much more credible.

Let me refine the OP a little by establishing a definite nomination for Palmer in 1920 with running mate McAdoo. Somehow, they beat Harding. Where do we go from here?
 
A Palmer Presidency is certainly an interesting (and frightening) prospect but first you have to get him elected. Nationwide unhappiness with the Democratic Party, President Wilson personally, the controls and high taxes of the war years and the post war recession made 1920 very much a GOP year. The confident belief that any Republican would win in 1920 helps explain how Harding beat out better known and better qualified candidates such as Wood and Lowden for the GOP nomination.
It would take a major POD or several of them (including Palmer being right about a massive communist plot) to give Palmer, or any Democrat, a good chance of election.
 
Don't give up! If it weren't for ETHOS(Excessive Thread Optimism Syndrome) Tail-Gunner would have died long ago! But it's still going strong...I'd like to think...:eek:

What's the name of your TL, by the way? I'd like to give it a look.

I haven't actually given it a name yet. It's the link in my sig that says "No Woodrow Wilson" which is the POD. Most of the feedback has been relatively positive, but I sort of have writer's block, and the fact that this is my first quarter at a real college (lots more homework that the community college!) hasn't helped either. I may get back to it eventually, but not for awhile.
 
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