President Powell September 2001

WI The terrorists had targeted US government. So aircraft hit the old Naval Observatory the White House and Congress.

Dead Pres, VP and speaker and President pro tem makes Colin Powell, as sec of state President.

I think he would have had a HUGE rally round the flag level of support.

Governors will appoint Senators to replace the dead.

Is there some deal to make special election for House seats less difficult, like the ww2 agreement on by elections by British parties.

Obviously Afganistan is targeted. Will that be more competent?

Could Iraq be avoided?

Might relations with Iran be improved?

What are the domestic impacts?

By the way does this prevent Obama? He would be much less obviously special if not the first black President
 
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shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Hmm. How about this- 9/11 goes down like it does, but later in the day. Bush is killed in a random car accident whilst being evacuated, Cheney suffers a fatal heart attack upon hearing the news of Bush's death and the massive loss of life in New York, and Bryd is killed by an attack on the Capital.

Now, Powell will invade Afghanistan; however, unlike the invasion of OTL, there will be a plan and exit strategy. Undoubtedly, Rumsfeld (assuming he is alive) will be purged in Powell's cabinet, and someone Powell can trust and finds more rational will be chosen.

Iraq may be invaded, however Powell might keep a cooler head and not jump ass first into a quagmire- if an invasion if coming, then more time to plan and think would be given. Relations with Iran would probably not be that great. Patriotic fever would target Iranians as being 'freedom hating turrorists', although invasion is out the picture once responsibility is pinned.

And yes, this would butterfly away the Obama Presidency.
 
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Hmm. How about this- 9/11 goes down like it does, but later in the day. Bush is killed in a random car accident whilst being evacuated, Cheney suffers a fatal heart attack upon hearing the news of Bush's death and the massive loss of life in New York, and Bryd is killed by an attack on the Capital.

Now, Powell will invade Afghanistan; however, unlike the invasion of OTL, there will be a plan and exit strategy. Undoubtedly, Rumsfeld (assuming he is alive) will be purged in Powell's cabinet, and someone Powell can trust and finds more rational will be chosen.

Actually Thrumond was Prez Pro Tempre. And you'd need to kill Hastret too.
 

shiftygiant

Gone Fishin'
Actually Thrumond was Prez Pro Tempre. And you'd need to kill Hastret too.

Bryd and Thrumond switched places a lot, but at the time of the attacks Byrd had been Pro Tempre sine June 6th. I'd assume that Hastret would also be killed in an attack on the capital.
 
Bryd and Thrumond switched places a lot, but at the time of the attacks Byrd had been Pro Tempre sine June 6th. I'd assume that Hastret would also be killed in an attack on the capital.

Well I suppose so, but wouldn't it have been interesting if Thrumond became prez on 9/11? Because i doubt he'd resign for a black man (Powell).
 
How about instead of the OTL attack, the terrorists attack a meeting between the President, Vice President and Speaker of the House. Thurmond listens to his doctors and refuses to be sworn in. President Powell invades Afghanistan. I am not sure he would invade Iraq, The big problem for him would be 2004. He likes order and the chaos of electoral politics would disgust him. Of course by that time he would have had over two years of making deals with Congress which probably would greatly annoy him. So maybe he does not run for reelection.
 
Suppose domestically a President Powell is centerist?

Suppose he manages to work with Iran against Al Quaeda

I think such a President woudl have wide general support but REALLY piss off the Republican right.

Could he have been primaried?

Might he then have won a general election as an independent?
 
It occurred to me that with his views on abortion President Powell would be primaried in 2004. This makes running for reelection even more annoying. With his untested political skills, would he make a big mistake?
 
It occurred to me that with his views on abortion President Powell would be primaried in 2004. This makes running for reelection even more annoying. With his untested political skills, would he make a big mistake?


All he would have to do to avoid that is to promise/actually appoint Strict Constructionalists.

Since, Pro-life people "know" that Roe V Wade was nothing but lib judicial activism, that nicely builds a bridge between the Pro-lifers and the Moderate Powell.


And Bill Clinton would have only been 4 years ago, which would motivate Party Loyalty for Socially Conservative Republicans.
 
He would be deeply unpopular with the Religious right but VERY popular with everyone else.

I do wonder how likely he is to run as an independent?
 
He would be deeply unpopular with the Religious right but VERY popular with everyone else.

I do wonder how likely he is to run as an independent?


He would not run as an Independent.

The Religious RIght leadership did not like him, their flock mostly did.

IMO, because he could remove the morally questionable Clinton from office and thus their Living Rooms (tv screens).
 
One difficulty Powell would have on the campaign trail in 2004 is that idiots are going to ask questions at town hall meetings. As a guy who has lead an isolated life how is he going to handle stupid questions.
 
Much of this is why he likely decided ot to run in the first place OTL.

I think that after a successful planned invasion of Afghanistant (not a victorious war yet, perhaps, but at least something that goes better than OTL) he announces that he doesn't plan to seek a term of his own, using the argument (to hide the reasons above) that he was not only not elected to national office, unlike Ford he wasn't even elected to *an* office. By anyone.

I think he'd have this in mind appointing a VP, though still be unsure, and try to find someone who could be his successor. McCain? perhaps too old for him, though possible in the short term if he's *not* thinking about who could succeed him. (And if McCain doesn't die in this attack)

Now, a lot of people might *want* him to run, but he'll tire of dealing with partisan politics and unless the people can all come together and agree to work for a common cause, he'd likely decide he'd rather just serve out his term. However, he would probably leave the door open, if he wanted to be President again, that he would only run again with a huge groundswell of grass roots support.

Itnerestingly, witht he housing crisis and other things 2004 may just be the kind of year where whoever wins oly serves one term anyway. Powell another Grover Cleveland? Perhaps.
 
It occurred to me that with his views on abortion President Powell would be primaried in 2004. This makes running for reelection even more annoying. With his untested political skills, would he make a big mistake?

This assumes that he'd run at all. Powell backed Obama in 2008. I think there's a good chance that he'd try and govern as a Republican-leaning non-party president, though only if he limited himself to one term because he couldn't realistically run as an independent and hope to win - though he'd be the strongest independent since Washington if he tried it - and as you say, he'd struggle to get the nomination if he went for it.

I wouldn't underestimate Powell's political skills. He was a good CotJC and had did a decent enough job as SoS, when Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld let him. Like Ike, he could easily have made the transition from soldier to politician.
 
I could see him naming McCain as VP. That makes McCain even more the front runner and likely nominee if Powell does not run in 04. I see McCain winning in this scenario. Terrorism and Gay Marriage are winning issues for him. There might not be an Iraq war, which would help him. He would choose a social conservative running mate, but Palin has not yet been elected Governor of Alaska, so it would not be her. Since Hillary would not run in 04. he is less likely to choose a women.
McCain would lose in the economic collapse of 08.
 
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