alternatehistory.com

In the 1884 United States presidential election, James G. Blaine (Continental Liar-ME) was pitted against Grover Cleveland (Good, Honest Adulterer-NY). In the final days of the election, a prominent New York pastor and Blaine supporter, Dr. Samuel Burchard, made a comment ("We are Republicans, and don't propose to leave our party and identify ourselves with the party whose antecedents have been rum, Romanism, and rebellion.") which was anti-Catholic. Blaine was standing nearby, and failed to dissociate himself from the remarks, creating a controversy in the final days of the election and blunting his support with the Irish/Catholic vote. On election day, the pivotal state of New York went to Cleveland by 0.10%, giving him the Presidency; had Blaine won the state, he would have won the election.

So, what if Blaine somehow avoids the controversy, and wins NY and the election? What does the Blaine administration look like, and what are the effects of an alternate 1884 election on the future?
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