Something Serious Has Happened on Air Force One (a Tl/story by Geon)
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Geon
Donor
Both of them are good choices although if Stevenson becomes president, he will die in office not long after he is inaugurated.
A run of presidents croaking🐸 in office could be an interesting problem. There would be an instant rash of conspiracy theories.
Geon
Donor
Like there aren't enough of them already! I think in this TL it is safe to say the number of conspiracy theories will far outstrip OTL.
Hey it's better than McCormack also dying of a heart attack, Carl Hayden dying of a stroke, most of the cabinet dying in a plane crash, and McNamara shot by a jumpy Secret Service agent (which would certainly cause even more people to suspect a coup in action). Imagine AG Robert Kennedy taking office less than a day after his brother's murder.
Never been that good at writing (I'd rather leave that to the professionals). But I was meaning that there could always be more presidents.😉
Geon
Donor
Actually, a TL like this was already written. In it, after Kennedy is shot, on the way back to Washington near Nashville, TN Air Force One crashes killing all on board. McCormack when informed of the incident prepares to take the oath of office but dies of a heart attack. Finally Dean Rusk on the way back to Washington decided to land at an Air Force base in Alaska to refuel and is shot down by an over zealous pilot who has been on alert too log. The upshot of this at the end you have a funeral in Washington for four presidents (Kennedy, Johnson, McCormack, and Rusk [who in the story/TL] was next in line after McCormack]) And Bobby Kennedy becomes President.
The title of the TL was A Bad Day in Camelot unfortunately it has long since vanished with its website.
I remember that one!
Didn't someone threaten to blackmail Hoover but he actually did the right thing and got outed?
Geon
Donor
I think you may be right. However, it has been a while since I've read the TL and unfortunately despite several searches I cannot relocate it.
Chapter Twenty: The Day After Christmas
Geon
Donor
Chapter 20: The Day After Christmas
Montgomery, Alabama; The Governor’s Mansion, December 26, 1963, 10:25 a.m. EST:
Governor Wallace was absolutely furious as he looked again at the headlines in the morning paper.
SELMA WOOLWORTH’S FIREBOMBED DURING THE NIGHT
Apparently, someone had thrown not one but several Molotov cocktails into the store during the night. The blaze had gutted the building doing extensive damage. In addition, the store manager and owner had reported that both he and it turned out many of the employees in the store had received death threats Christmas night warning them that ‘if they wanted to see another Christmas, they had better stop serving n……s in their store.’
At least two of the employees according to the story had quit, fearful for their lives
Wallace looked up at Lt. Governor, Preston Smith. “I’m running on a law-and-order ticket, and this has to happen,” he said angrily.
Preston Smith commented, “At least whoever bombed the store was ‘considerate’ enough to wait until after the Christmas shopping season was over. And we can be thankful no one was hurt.”
“That is still no excuse for what happened here,” the Governor declared loudly! “It is time I sent a message that violence of any kind in this state whether fomented by black or white will not be tolerated.”
“What are you going to do,” asked the lieutenant governor? “Mobilize the state police and make sure both they and the Selma Police force track down whoever did this,” declared Wallace.
Preston Smith shook his head and said, “Governor you know how things work in this sort of situation. It’s likely the police won’t find who did this, and even if they do there will never be a conviction…”
Wallace interrupted him. “I will not stand for anyone be they black or white destroying the property and business of others while I am governor of Alabama! If there is even a hint that someone is dragging their feet or concealing evidence, I expect heads to roll!”
Preston hesitated and then said, “You know this is going to make you less then popular in some circles.” “So be it,” replied Wallace, “I’m not certain I want to be popular in the circles you’re thinking about.”
“This isn’t just about politics, Preston,” continued Wallace, “It’s about what’s right and wrong. And…it’s also about keeping a promise.” Preston didn’t reply. He knew well the promise the governor was referring to. And it was something that was never spoken about not even in the privacy of the governor’s study.
I've heard of it mentioned in some pretty old threads. Carl Hayden was actually next in line after McCormack as President pro tempore, though he was on leave as there was somebody acting as Permanent Acting President pro tem since the summer. And there's also Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon in line after the Secretary of State, then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara before Attorney General Bobby Kennedy.
Bingo!
A Bad Day in Camelot - Suite101.com
</font><font face=Arial size=2>November 22nd, 1963. Tragedy shocks an innocent nation. The crime of the century violated every law on the books except Murphy's. And even that one was close.<font color=darkviolet> Part One</font>
web.archive.org
Chapter Twenty (contd.)
Geon
Donor
On the second page of the Montgomery morning newspaper Was a human-interest story about one Minnie May Ewell or as she was coming to be called ‘the Pie Lady of Montgomery, Alabama.”
Minnie May had started visiting Billy Robert McKay not long after he had turned himself in as complicit in the bombing of Grace Baptist Church. Every week, sometime twice a week, she showed up with freshly baked pies for the young man. Eventually she started bringing a pie for the guards because she felt they needed a break too.
This elderly lady’s actions had helped with the investigation of the bombing. Overwhelmed by Minnie May’s kindness Billy Robert had explained how he had been recruited to be the driver and the name of the man who had been the actual bomber in the passenger seat, and also why the explosion had been so deadly.
As explained by Billy Robert the group had assumed no one would be at the church when they threw the dynamite. Further according to him the fuse that was chosen was much more fast burning then the people who had prepared it had planned. It was ready to go off by the time they drove in the church parking lot, and it was either throw it out or be blown to smithereens. Whether his partner had meant to hit the pastor and congregants as they came out of the church was something Billy Roberts couldn’t answer.
The detective in charge of the investigation jokingly said that maybe they should hire Minnie May to help with interrogations. In his words, “her pies are better than truth serum!”
On Christmas day, Minnie May had outdone herself. She had baked four pies of different types and given two to Billy Robert and two to the guards. A photo showed her proudly displaying her pies with Billy Robert on one side and the guards on the other.
And when asked over and over by reporters why she did this, especially given what Billy Robert had helped to do to her church and to some of her friends in that church she had smiled and said, “It’s what Jesus would do.”
Minnie May had started visiting Billy Robert McKay not long after he had turned himself in as complicit in the bombing of Grace Baptist Church. Every week, sometime twice a week, she showed up with freshly baked pies for the young man. Eventually she started bringing a pie for the guards because she felt they needed a break too.
This elderly lady’s actions had helped with the investigation of the bombing. Overwhelmed by Minnie May’s kindness Billy Robert had explained how he had been recruited to be the driver and the name of the man who had been the actual bomber in the passenger seat, and also why the explosion had been so deadly.
As explained by Billy Robert the group had assumed no one would be at the church when they threw the dynamite. Further according to him the fuse that was chosen was much more fast burning then the people who had prepared it had planned. It was ready to go off by the time they drove in the church parking lot, and it was either throw it out or be blown to smithereens. Whether his partner had meant to hit the pastor and congregants as they came out of the church was something Billy Roberts couldn’t answer.
The detective in charge of the investigation jokingly said that maybe they should hire Minnie May to help with interrogations. In his words, “her pies are better than truth serum!”
On Christmas day, Minnie May had outdone herself. She had baked four pies of different types and given two to Billy Robert and two to the guards. A photo showed her proudly displaying her pies with Billy Robert on one side and the guards on the other.
And when asked over and over by reporters why she did this, especially given what Billy Robert had helped to do to her church and to some of her friends in that church she had smiled and said, “It’s what Jesus would do.”
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Chapter Twenty (contd.)
Geon
Donor
And in a private home in Montgomery, Dr. Martin Luther King was also reading the morning paper.
Dr. King had prolonged his stay in Montgomery following his meeting with Wallace when he learned that there was going to be a protest at the Woolworth’s in Selma. He had decided to wait and see if Governor Wallace was really being sincere in his promise to show courtesy and respect to the protestors.
The protest had gone off without a problem. And Dr. King was pleasantly surprised at the willingness of the owner to ensure the five protestors were served. He was also pleased that it seemed Governor Wallace had kept his word.
However, the firebombing of the store was another matter. The threats and firebombing of the Woolworth’s were meant to send a message. Now we need to send a message, thought Dr. King.
We cannot let this stand. We need to let anyone who wants to open their doors to us know they have nothing to fear if they do. They need to know they have our support regardless of whether they are black or white.
Dr. King put down the morning paper and asked his hosts for the telephone. It was time to martial forces for a march in Selma.
As he prepared to make the call to Atlanta to other members of the SCLC Dr. King considered his discussion with Governor Wallace for about the umpteenth time. Dr. King was no fool. The Governor had admitted that their meeting and his decisions were partially motivated by politics. But if the understanding they had reached allowed progress like what had occurred in Selma a few days ago Dr. King was not going to complain. He just wondered how long this “secret honeymoon” with Wallace, as he called it, would last.
Dr. King had prolonged his stay in Montgomery following his meeting with Wallace when he learned that there was going to be a protest at the Woolworth’s in Selma. He had decided to wait and see if Governor Wallace was really being sincere in his promise to show courtesy and respect to the protestors.
The protest had gone off without a problem. And Dr. King was pleasantly surprised at the willingness of the owner to ensure the five protestors were served. He was also pleased that it seemed Governor Wallace had kept his word.
However, the firebombing of the store was another matter. The threats and firebombing of the Woolworth’s were meant to send a message. Now we need to send a message, thought Dr. King.
We cannot let this stand. We need to let anyone who wants to open their doors to us know they have nothing to fear if they do. They need to know they have our support regardless of whether they are black or white.
Dr. King put down the morning paper and asked his hosts for the telephone. It was time to martial forces for a march in Selma.
As he prepared to make the call to Atlanta to other members of the SCLC Dr. King considered his discussion with Governor Wallace for about the umpteenth time. Dr. King was no fool. The Governor had admitted that their meeting and his decisions were partially motivated by politics. But if the understanding they had reached allowed progress like what had occurred in Selma a few days ago Dr. King was not going to complain. He just wondered how long this “secret honeymoon” with Wallace, as he called it, would last.
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