The Towers Still Stand: An Alternate take on early 21st Century America.

Who Do You Think will win the 2004 Presidential Election at This Point in the TL?

  • President George W. Bush (R-TX)

    Votes: 60 28.7%
  • Former Vice President Al Gore (D-TN)

    Votes: 96 45.9%
  • Speaker of the House Dick Gephardt (D-MO)

    Votes: 18 8.6%
  • Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN)

    Votes: 13 6.2%
  • Senator John Edwards (D-NC)

    Votes: 5 2.4%
  • Former Governor Howard Dean (D-VT)

    Votes: 11 5.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 6 2.9%

  • Total voters
    209
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
December 19th, 2000. President Elect Bush Meets with President Clinton at the White House. Has meeting with VP Gore After:​

On December 19th, 2000, President Elect Bush met with President Clinton at the White House as part of his transition into office. The two discussed the issues that were most important to the Country, as well as the responsibilities of the Office of the Presidency. Many said that the meeting between the two was a good meeting.

slide_636_12898_large.jpg


Shortly after meeting with President Clinton, Bush met with his former rival, Vice President Al Gore at Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of the Vice President of the United States. This meeting was held for the sake of heeling the nation after the election. As was the case at the meeting with President Clinton, the President Elect and the Vice President also discussed the issues of the day.

bushandgore.JPG
 
December 21st, 2000. Bush to choose Between two Candidates for VP:​

On December 21st, 2000 it was revealed that after almost a month of vetting, President Elect Bush's Vice Presidential vetting team, led by Karl Rove, the Chief Strategist of Bush's Presidential campaign. The team narrowed their list of candidates down to two. Those candidates being Former Senator John Danforth of Missouri and Outgoing Ohio Congressman and Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich, who were both considered by the campaign to be Bush's running mate, before Dick Cheney was ultimately chosen.

220px-John_danforth.JPG
large_kasich.jpg


Rove, when asked the following day about when Bush will make his decision and announcement said that the decision will be announced on January 2nd, just one day before the 107th Congress is sworn in. Bush would make the selection for Vice President and the House and the Senate would confirm it, and because of that, the Next Vice President would not be sworn in until after Inauguration Day.
 
Last edited:
VP Kasich, please! Maybe we could get Kasich '08 TTL, that would be interesting. He's one of my favorite Republicans, though Kasich then might be different. Still, looking forward to it. This TL is going well so far, but I'm really looking forward to after September 11 when it properly diverges from history. I wonder what impact either VP Kasich or Danforth would have on the Bush administration.
 
A Vice President is Picked.
January 2nd, 2001. Bush announces his VP pick:​

On January 2nd, 2001, President Elect George W. Bush, in a Press Conference in Austin, announced his pick for Vice President of the United States. Bush said that "After weeks of vetting, I have finally made my decision as to who will be the next Vice President of the United States. I have chosen Congressman John Kasich to be the next Vice President, pending confirmation by the United States Senate. John is a man who brings a great amount of experience and qualifications to the table, serving 18 years in Congress, being on the House Armed Services Committee, serving as chairman of the Budget Committee for the last 6 years, making our balanced budgets a reality, and he also played a key role in the passage of Welfare reform. Congressman Kasich has what it takes to be Vice President and if necessary, President. I am honored to have him as part of my administration."

After Bush finished Speaking, Kasich spoke, thanking the President Elect for choosing him and said that he looks forward to working with the new President and congress, over the next four years to do the work that the American people want done.

kasich2-sized.jpg


Many sources around the President Elect's team say that Kasich's experience in congress as well as his age played a role. After the death of Former Secretary Cheney, Bush and his vetting team felt that they needed to pick someone young. John Danforth, the other VP finalist, was 64.
 
Thank you!

Looking forward to seeming how the alternate Bush presidency goes. Gephardt '04?

You're welcome, I will do my best with this alternate Bush Presidency. Gephardt in '04 is a great possibility. Dean, without the "Dean Scream" is a possibility as well, heck if Bush's term TTL goes bad enough, so long as he keeps his weight in check and doesn't grow a beard, Al Gore could make a comeback.
 
You're welcome, I will do my best with this alternate Bush Presidency. Gephardt in '04 is a great possibility. Dean, without the "Dean Scream" is a possibility as well, heck if Bush's term TTL goes bad enough, so long as he keeps his weight in check and doesn't grow a beard, Al Gore could make a comeback.

I don't think dean's very likely as he only rose because of opposition to Iraq and TTL would probably be an O'Malley or Paul Simon. Gore seems plausible. Maybe Daschle would run, or Biden. Lieberman might do better. No 9/11 creates a lot of possibilities. I am interested to see where this goes.
 
I don't think dean's very likely as he only rose because of opposition to Iraq and TTL would probably be an O'Malley or Paul Simon. Gore seems plausible. Maybe Daschle would run, or Biden. Lieberman might do better. No 9/11 creates a lot of possibilities. I am interested to see where this goes.

Dean was Governor of Vermont for 12 years and had a pretty decent record at that, plus O'Malley had Baltimore, Dean had nothing like that. Daschle and Biden could run to. I can't see Lieberman doing well, his being on the ticket, for the most part, hurt Gore in 2000.
 
*sees Kasich as VP, after weeks of browsing the politiyanks thread*

Kingpoleon intensifies.



Anyway, love the idea of this timeline, mostly because the POD is massive when seen from the perspective of OTL but practically inconsequential from the perspective of TTL. The more significant POD from the perspective of TTL is Cheney's death, which I did not see coming. Solid touch. I will definitely be watching this.
 
Clinton Says Farewell to the Nation, and Inauguration Day 2001.
January 18th, 2001. Bill Clinton says Farewell to the Nation:
On the evening of January 18th, 2001 President Bill Clinton gave his Farewell Address to the nation from the Oval Office. In his address, he talked about the successes of his Presidency, and the future, particularly getting the Nation's finances in order. Clinton, at the end of his speech, said that it was an honor to serve as President and that he, his wife Senator Hillary Clinton, and Daughter Chelsea wished the President Elect and his family all the best over the next four years.

BillClinton-FarewellAddress1.jpg


January 20th, 2001. George Walker Bush Sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States:

On January 20th, 2001 Texas Governor George Walker Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States and the first President of the 21st Century. After taking the oath and after a 21 gun salute was given, President Bush gave his inaugural address. He started his speech by thanking President Clinton for his service to the nation and thanked Vice President Gore "for a contest conducted with spirit and ended with grace."

hqdefault.jpg

GWB_oath..jpg


After the Inaugural Ceremonies wrapped up, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, in an interview with ABC News that the United States Senate was getting ready to hold a vote to confirm the Next Vice President, as the House held a vote and confirmed him a day earlier, and that the Next Vice President should be confirmed by the Senate early the next morning.
 
Last edited:
This story is amazing so far, and I look forward to future installments.

Just one minor quibble: Per the 25th Amendment, a nominee selected to fill a vacancy in the Vice Presidency must be confirmed by both houses of Congress, not just the Senate.
 
This story is amazing so far, and I look forward to future installments.

Just one minor quibble: Per the 25th Amendment, a nominee selected to fill a vacancy in the Vice Presidency must be confirmed by both houses of Congress, not just the Senate.

Thanks. I'll fix that.
 
January 21st, 2001. John Kasich Confirmed as Vice President. Takes the Oath of Office shortly after:​

Early in the morning on January 21st, Former Ohio Congressman John Kasich was confirmed by the Senate to be Vice President of the United States, just one day after the U.S. House voted to confirm him as Vice President. Kasich took the Oath of Office shortly after being confirmed inside the Capitol Building in the Senate Chamber. Chief Justice Rehnquist administered the Oath of Office to the new Vice President of the United States.

xJohn_Kasich-3.jpg.pagespeed.ic.zOUNZHBbKd.jpg
 
genusmap.php

Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)/Former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (R-WY, Deceased): 271 Electoral Votes, 47.9% of the Popular Vote
Vice President Al Gore (D-TN)/Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT): 266 Electoral Votes, 48.4 % of the Popular Vote

In OTL, former Senator John Danforth of Missouri was the Vice Presidential candidate that Dick Cheney recommended to be George W. Bush's running mate, but Bush selected Cheney instead. Danforth and Cheney are not the type to seek after the Oval Office following two terms of their boss, so John Kasich being Vice President and potentially beating John McCain in 2008 makes everything all the more interesting. He won't have to contend with as many radicals in 2008 as he does now in 2016. Can I have a preview of 2004? Maybe Bush-Kasich Vs. Kerry-Gephardt or Kerry-Graham '04?
 
Last edited:
In OTL, former Senator John Danforth of Missouri was the Vice Presidential candidate that Dick Cheney recommended to be George W. Bush's running mate, but Bush selected Cheney instead. Danforth and Cheney are not the type to seek after the Oval Office following two terms of their boss, so John Kasich being Vice President and potentially beating John McCain in 2008 makes everything all the more interesting. He won't have to contend with as many radicals in 2008 as he does now in 2016. Can I have a preview of 2004? Maybe Bush-Kasich Vs. Kerry-Gephardt or Kerry-Graham '04?

I went with Kasich because after Cheney's death, I figured Bush would need someone young (Kasich was 48 at the time), Danforth is older than Cheney, so that's why I ultimately decided against Danforth (he was my original choice though) With regards to 2004, I'm still undecided, although one thing I do know is Kerry won't be the nominee, without the War he won't have appeal, though he could be VP. There are plenty of potential 2004 candidates, Gephardt, Edwards, maybe butterflies keep Paul Wellstone alive, heck if Bush's term goes bad enough maybe Al Gore will launch a re match.
 
I went with Kasich because after Cheney's death, I figured Bush would need someone young (Kasich was 48 at the time), Danforth is older than Cheney, so that's why I ultimately decided against Danforth (he was my original choice though) With regards to 2004, I'm still undecided, although one thing I do know is Kerry won't be the nominee, without the War he won't have appeal, though he could be VP. There are plenty of potential 2004 candidates, Gephardt, Edwards, maybe butterflies keep Paul Wellstone alive, heck if Bush's term goes bad enough maybe Al Gore will launch a re match.
Yeah, I agree with the idea that Bush needs someone younger. Could Howard Dean or Joe Lieberman have better chances at becoming the nominee ATL? Joe Lieberman could be a proxy rematch on Al Gore's behalf. An interesting Democratic Party Vice Presidential nominee could be Dennis Kucinich or Ted Strickland, who would help the Democratic nominee contest Ohio. I don't think Kerry brings much of anything into play as a running mate. Some other individuals for the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee I thought of were:


  • Senator Joe Biden of Delaware
  • Governor Mark Warner of Virginia
  • Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa
  • Senator Bob Graham of Florida
  • Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana
  • Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois
  • Former Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia
  • Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top