Roosevelt's Comeback: TL from 1912 (A Bit Clickbait)

Chapter 1: 1912 Republican National Convention
The 1912 Republican Convention
Former President Theodore Roosevelt stood upon the Halls of the Chicago Coloseum both in defeat and victory for his nominee for the convention chairman, George Cortelyou, his former personal Secretary and former Secretary of the Treasury under his tenure. Even though he won the nomination his delegates were still short even with the addition of the Californian delegation but coupled with defections and the loss of some states such as Ohio so he was still short on delegates and that was the bad news but not only for him but also for camp Taft.

Early on the voting it seemed that Roosevelt would win but he came up short and so Taft started to creep up until almost reaching Roosevelt's delegate votes but then two candidates came in, former VP Fairbanks & Senator La Folette. They took both delegates and it seemed now almost impossible to gain a nominee even Roosevelt himself thought that he should leave the convention itself but that thought was quickly shot out by his advisors.

For_Auld_Lang_Syne_-_Leonard_Raven-Hill.jpg

The convention was a slugfest of fights between the two sides for some time and so Convention Chairman Cortelyou organized a meeting between the two sides and possibly gaining a compromise candidate. The meeting started by acknowledging that they both can't win and both sides wanted a deal. Taft was given say that if the candidate won and there would be a spot in the Supreme Court, Taft would be the nominee and Roosevelt wanted his platform of the Fair Deal and interventionism in the national plank and both sides agreed to it and so started the process of finding a candidate. The Taft delegation wanted a conservative candidate while Roosevelt delegation wanted a progressive one. Candidates such as former VP Fairbanks, Elihu Root and even La Folette but then Cortelyou gave a name, Leonard Wood.

Wood was close to both candidates with Taft knew him during his tenure in the Philippines and even promoted him there and Roosevelt knew him during the Rough Riders and considered each other as friends and him having little political experience this made his candidacy being influenced by both sides which they accepted and so the Chief of Staff of the US Army was telegraphed and he was initially hesitant but that was until Roosevelt convinced him to accept he did. Most Taft and Roosevelt delegates quickly gathered around Wood with few diehards staying and with token opposition from Robert La Follette. He was nominated early on and so Leonard Wood was made as the Republican nominee for President of the United States.

latest

Meanwhile the VP spot was now up for grabs and many were fighting for it (even though it was a powerless job) such as Senator William Borah, former Secretary and Senator Elihu Root and even former Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte. Taft supported Root while Roosevelt, who felt Betrayal when Root, his friend chose to align himself with Taft decided to back not the progressive Borah (who he thought was unable to hold the job because of his isolationism) but to back the Catholic Bonaparte who he thought cod balance the ticket and his stances on crime during his tenure was good for him. Bonaparte himself went into the race because of his "duty" to the nation and that he won't let men like Root or Borah take charge and so jumped in. Bonaparte was then openly supported by Leonard Wood who wanted to make an example by Bonaparte seeing him as a good relations with Europe or more exactly, France and to strengthen the Catholic base that grew in the Northeast and Louisiana where there were many French and Catholics. Bonaparte then won the nomination by the skin of his teeth, becoming the first Catholic VP nominee.

1491910149246.jpg

Senator Robert La Follette, a progressive and avid anti Taft man almost did what Roosevelt did days earlier but the idea was stopped when both Roosevelt and his advisors pushed him to stay, knowing he can't succeed without the former president's support.

latest

Theodore Roosevelt stood upon the podium in Chicago and started his speech, even though he would not be the nominee, he was glad that his friend Leonard Wood would become one.

"Today I speak to you all not as your President nor as your nominee but I stand here as a Republican! We are here to nominate and if so to raise him into the White House! The man that we are grateful to name is a fearless man, a man known for his courage and bravery! A man who charged San Juan Hill with me! A man every soldier could trust and a man every citizen can trust! A man who shall usher in great progress and a Square Deal to all! For we are the Party of Lincoln and we shall carry his legacy in this election against the demagogue Democrats and their Klan loving candidate! Let us win! Not for me and the Republicans but for all people, no matter religion, complexion nor thought!"

trooseveltUndated.jpg

Former President Theodore Roosevelt giving his
"Square Deal Speech"
 
Last edited:
Chapter 2: 1912 Democratic National Convention
1912 Democratic National Convention
After the death of the front runner, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson after suffering a stroke the week before the convention. The other front runner, House Speaker Champ Clark was already presumed by many as the shoe in as the nominee but it was not sure because now most of the Wilson delegates had gathered around two candidates, Governor Thomas Marshall of Indiana and Senator Ellison Smith of South Carolina. Marshall was the candidate of progress while Smith was the candidate of the Klan. Both candidates represented Wilson, a son of Virginia who loves progress.

51cdc7a914f41.image.jpg

Early on the count would be a deadlocked convention and it would seemed so for 10 more ballots until most delegates were tired from the fighting and by that time, Senator Smith went to meet Champ Clark. He argued to Clark that they were both sons of Dixie and that they wouldn't want a northern Yankee to be the nominee and he argued again and again that he would support Clark's progressive policies and presidency if only Clark would support federal segregation, army segregation, all kinds of southern support and the VP slot which the speaker reluctantly agreed to.

senator-ellison-d-cotton-ed-smith-of-south-carolina-makes-a-sour-face-picture-id515460276

Thomas Marshall himself was supported by the great commoner himself, William J. Bryan and Oscar Underwood. Bryan was still popular in the Democratic party and so he gave a speech denouncing Clark and his destructive ways and said to the delegates to support Marshall and Underwood, the committee chairman would give a ramble about Clark and Smith's perceived dumbness of the American people and said that Southerners of progress should support Marshall.

2327-004-323A83B7.jpg

Some Clark and Smith delegates changed into the hands of Marshall but by the time they would gather it would be too late for Champ Clark was narrowly nominated as the Democratic nominee of 1912. Historians would later argue that if only Bryan would have given his full endorsement to Marshall from the start rather than the end stretch it could have secured him the nomination.

William_Jennings_Bryan%2C_1860-1925.jpg
So the fight had begun, a battle between Progress vs The South, Equality vs Racism and bla bla bla...



 
Chapter 3: The 1912 Election
1912 Presidential Election
The state of the nation in 1912 was mix with both national parties facing deadlocked and contested conventions with smaller parties such as the Socialist Party under Eugene V. Debs and Eugene W. Chafin's Prohibition Party who now both gain strength in the polls after the two parties facing difficult situations.

Eugene-Victor-Debs-1912-1024-850x425.jpg

Wood campaigned on the promises of Teddy Roosevelt and his Square Deal ideals where there would be more regulations and trust busting, a system of infrastructure and the helping of poor and social help. His promises would resonate with the average American families coupled with former president Roosevelt campaigning with Wood and with Bonaparte being able to capitalize the Catholic vote and his position on tough crime which proved popular and would boost early poll numbers into the side of the Republicans but Leonard Wood would be criticized for his avid interventionism and his policies of continuing Roosevelt's Big Stick Policies which in the eyes of isolationist Americans would be unwise and add Bonaparte's Catholic religion and his last name would be a boon for the Democrats who were themselves struggling with northern and Western voters.

The Democrats meanwhile had their own share of problems with their nominees. Champ Clark would argue for a more progressive direction for the nation like what Roosevelt and Wood argued for like his needed strengthen trust busts, decentralization of the federal banks and he also advocated strengthen crime busting like Bonaparte argued alongside his policies of Prohibition (which he needed to strengthen the religious and to weaken Chafin's support) and isolationism which at the time most Americans would agree to while his VP, Ellison Smith would blatantly gave speeches and gave policies in favor of deporting Bonaparte to his so called Papist France, segregation and in support of the Klan which alienated northern supporters of Clark and most people. Even the Great Commoner himself, William J. Bryan, a still powerhouse in the Democratic Party refuse to back Clark after his preferred candidates, Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Marshall died and defeated respectively. He even said of the Clark as a "betrayal to the cause of the Democratic Party".

Early on it looked as a close race even though with the Democrats having problems with Smith and Republicans having issues with Bonaparte's religion and the unpopularity of Taft that the nominees were trying to leave and opened the rift for third party candidates to gain strength but then two tragedy struck.

First was when former President Roosevelt, who was campaigning for Wood in Milwaukee on October 14th by a disgruntled saloonkeeper, John Flammang Schrank but he survived because of a paper he kept in his chest pocket and he continued his speech until the end before going to the hospital but his assassination attempt would detail any chances he would have to campaign but it gave the Republicans the sympathy vote.

3a44668r.jpg

The second tragedy was the Lynchburg Massacre on October 20th when supporters of VP candidate Ellison Smith in his hometown would destroy and kill any black man, woman and children which caused an approximate 1,000 deaths not adding the white poor folks that were also killed. Even though it was overlooked in the south, especially South Carolina and even making the infamous Senator Benjamin Tillman said of the event, "I don't ever recalling such thing happening in my great state!" But in the north the fire was lit and it seemed that Clark could've lost the north because of it. Even though Clark blamed Smith and rabble for the massacre, it was too late because of his sometimes language in support of federal segregation and made people think he was in cahoots with Smith and his rabble.

Leonard Wood and Charles Bonaparte didn't wage a pro civil rights plank but did a lily-white campaign in the south but after the massacre they switched into a pro black campaign which decimated their chances in the south but strengthen their power both north and west.

imrs.php

In the end, even with Clark's charisma and Smith strengthening southern vote against the Republicans, Wood won with a strong coalition of northerners, blacks, poor southerners, the middle class and religious minorities and so the Progressive had triumphed once again against the southern nominees of the Democrats.

IMG_20190224_143218.jpg
[1]
By the looks of it, Leonard Wood won the north and the west with the south being a bastion of the Democrats and being only their victory with the addition of Indiana which was won by them by a tiny margin thanks to the help of Governor Marshall, even though he was their foe during the convention, he helped them by the promises of progressive virtue of Clark and the southern Indiana was helped by the KKK helping the Democratic votes there also.

Footnotes:
1. Dont look at the numbers, I made this at my phone and used 270 to win for the map. I'll improve later on.
 
Last edited:
In the end, even with Clark's charisma and Smith strengthening southern vote against the Republicans, Wood won with a strong coalition of northerners, blacks, poor southerners, the middle class and religious minorities and so the Progressive had triumphed once again against the southern nominees of the Democrats.


Sounds ASB-ish.

If Wood is Progressive enough to hold all of TR's OTL vote, then he loses a big slab of Taft's. If he is conservative enough to hold Taft's support, then he similarly loses a big chunk of TR's. Either way he almost certainly loses the election.

Clark held a Missouri seat with a big immigrant vote. He is more Midwestern than Southern.
 
Sounds ASB-ish.

If Wood is Progressive enough to hold all of TR's OTL vote, then he loses a big slab of Taft's. If he is conservative enough to hold Taft's support, then he similarly loses a big chunk of TR's. Either way he almost certainly loses the election.

Clark held a Missouri seat with a big immigrant vote. He is more Midwestern than Southern.
Wood is potrayed as an apolitical and inexperienced man who can be influenced by both sides and with his personal connections with both Taft & Roosevelt and he can side with both Progressive and Conservatives of both Taft and Roosevelt. He also has the support of both Taft & Roosevelt and both campaigned for him ITTL. Coupled with the Assassination attempt on Roosevelt and the Lynchburg Massacre helped galvanized the Republicans, either conservative nor Progressive to the polls.

The Democrats meanwhile have a toxic candidate in Champ Clark and during the campaign ITTL he is portrayed as an Opportunist for siding with the southernn delegates and giving them much power and even nominating a southern KKK, openly white supremacist Ellison Smith; he is also criticized by the Progressive wing of the Democrats for not nominating Thomas Marshall and even William J. Bryan himself was OTL a supporter of Wilson which makes him unable to capitalize his popularity to help the Democrats; and also he was criticized by the protectionists and free traders for his actions in Canada during the American-Canadian Reciprocity Treaty with the protectionists hated him for supporting it and the free traders for making the treaty a failure.
 
Wood is potrayed as an apolitical and inexperienced man who can be influenced by both sides and with his personal connections with both Taft & Roosevelt and he can side with both Progressive and Conservatives of both Taft and Roosevelt. He also has the support of both Taft & Roosevelt and both campaigned for him ITTL. Coupled with the Assassination attempt on Roosevelt and the Lynchburg Massacre helped galvanized the Republicans, either conservative nor Progressive to the polls.


All sounds a lot like Hughes in 1916 - except that in 1912 the Republican Party is a shambles, and the pretence of a reconciliation between Taft and TR would fool no one. Even if they were somehow reconciled (itself impossible with a 1912 PoD) their respective supporters would not be, and every time Wood opened his mouth he would offend one block or the other. The Democratic candidate would be a sure winner whoever he was.

Another analogy might be with the Democrats in 1924. Davis was endorsed by both McAdoo and Smith, but a fat lot of good it did him. Wood would be in a very similar situation, straddled between to irreconcilable factions.
 
Last edited:
The Democratic candidate would be a sure winner whoever he was.

If you say that any Democrat could win how about if the nominee were Benjamin Tillman! Let me create!

This is speculative history! I have the right to do this! I know it's a bit ASB but a bit says a lot more than real! It's like when Achaemenid Persia failed to conquer city states, Rome becoming a great power when it could have died in 390 BC, or Joan of Arc being successful when she could have been seen as a madwoman!
 
Chapter 3: Mr. President
President Wood's Inauguration

01212013_wilson2.jpg

For the 32nd time, the United States of America had elected its president and this time the new president was former army chief of staff, Major General Leonard Wood. He was elected alongside the first Catholic Vice President ever, Charles Joseph Bonaparte, great-nephew of the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte.

He stood upon the balcony in which every president have been inaugurated, he was accompanied by his wife, Luise and their three children, Leonard Wood Jr. Osborne and Lusita. He sees near him his two predecessors and friends, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, the men that brought him here. Even though he was initially hesitant to take on the job, he was persuaded by his close friend Roosevelt to accept and for it to be his duty to serve his country in which Wood finally agreed to for the better of the nation. He put his hands upon the Bible and met eyes with Chief Justice Edward Douglass White and repeated his words,

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
To say those words were one of his difficult moments in his life as he enters the office of the most powerful man in America but after saying it, he felt at eased and felt a rush of adrenaline but not of fear but of happiness and determination to do right in this office and so he took a deep breath and started his speech:

" My fellow Americans! I today stand here as your democratically elected president! This nation needs leadership and you all were ready for change and thanks to God and the American People we have succeed! I will tell you all of my dreams, a dream in where every American has a home and a job, where you all can live happily and die happily! I shall with the help of not only the government but also to all Americans to help me create the plans in which I have envisioned! A plan where we shall create you homes, roads and jobs and to drive the economy forward into this century! For what is government if you, the people do not receive its benefit? As one of my predecessors one said, that the people have the right to rise up against a government which is tyrannical and it is his or her most sacred right to do! We are a nation that strives for better and greater unity and so we must help the nations in which lives in tyranny and bring them into the light of freedom and truth! For America shall shine in this Century! A century of Prosperity and Wealth to all!..."

He felt an intense awe of his speech as if he has put his heart and soul into it. He went down from the podium and shook his two predecessors. Roosevelt whispered to him, "Fight until the end!" While Taft whispered to him, "Bring about an age of prosperity, Major." He kissed his wife and his hugged his children after this heart wrenching day. He shook hands with his VP, Charles Bonaparte and said to him, "Let's get to work!" In which he responded by laughter.

And so Leonard Wood has started his journey upon the chair of the White House and so shall an age of American Liberty and prosperity shines.

A bit foreshadowing in the Speech and a bit of tragedy of words
 
Last edited:
This is speculative history! I have the right to do this! I know it's a bit ASB

OK- though I prefer ATL's to be based more closely on reality.

With the best will in the world I don't see how the GOP could reunite to this degree. What guarantee do the Regulars have that Wood, if elected, won't appoint TR supporters - or even (Heaven forbid) TR himself - to his Cabinet? Even worse, have they any assurance that he won't appoint TR men to lesser offices whence they would be able to influence the make-up of future Republican Conventions?

In short, what possible motive have they to depart from the entirely sensible policy which they adopted OTL - to let the Democrats win (as they are almost certainly going to anyway) and spend the next four years on the serious business of getting a firm grip on the Republican Party machinery and making darned sure that they, not the TR men, will dominate the 1916 Convention - after which they can get down to the task of unseating the Democrat? In the event this didn't (quite) work in 1916, but it sure did in 1920.

Incidentally, if Champ Clark is really as weak an opponent as you assume, would that not make him an ideal choice from the Regular Republican pov? His (supposed) weakness would make him that much easier to unseat in 1916. Thus the Regulars' OTL strategy would be even more promising than it OTL was.

However, I'll sign off there, as I doubt we will ever agree.
 
Last edited:
Top