When Lions Rest
- Thread starter Statesman
- Start date
Happy New Year?
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
I think you're a bit too excited...
Of course not!
You're using Smilies in internal monologues now?
Sure! Why not?
So what is this, anyways?
New Year, New Timeline!
How original... But what is it about?
Well I can't tell you that.
Is it the sequel to your TLIAW you've said you were going to do?
Well, no. This is more of a major work and -
You're just going to abandon that project? Very mature, kiddo.
Don't call me "kiddo". Or anything of the sort for that matter. And that sequel is still in development. It will be another TLIAW (I think) and should be coming out soon. Spring Break at the latest.
Oh, I'm sorry. How old are you?
Seventeen within the month!
So I'll call you "kiddo" if I want. Or anything of that sort if I want. Moving on, what is this about?
Well -
Are you going to tell me to scroll up to the title card?
Um... *shifts in seat* Maybe...
You see, when you did that for your TLIAW, you at least showed Eric Cantor eyeing John Boehner. THIS IS JUST A FUCKING BRIDGE!
You don't need to get so angry about -
ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, KID?
Well, it's a rather special bridge -
FUCK THIS. I'M OUT.
...
Hello! I'm sorry about him.
Hi? I'm thoroughly confused now.
Don't look at me. It's your internal monologue.
Well okay then.
What happened?
I was trying to tell him the hint to what this is about, beyond the title, lies in the title card.
How about just a simple question or two. I assume you're doing it about American politics again? POD and Time Frame?
Yes, it will be a largely political TL. The POD is in the late 60s, but it largely doesn't change things until around 1987. The first post, an introduction of sorts, will cover the POD and events up to when the story picks up, but everything is largely according to OTL. From there, we'll get down to the real part of the story.
Very interesting. Ready to start?
One more thing, actually. I'd like to give a huge shout out and thank you to NickCT. He and I wanted to do this as a collaborative TL, but he pulled out fearing he wouldn't be able to commit to it. Nevertheless, he helped a lot in the early stages of planning this, and I wanted everybody to know.
Noted. What next?
I think I'm ready to start, but I'd like to get a few commenters before I post the introduction.
Wait a second... Is that bridge what I think it is?
Perhaps.
What do you have up your sleeve, Statesman?
Our story begins on a warm summer night...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
I think you're a bit too excited...
Of course not!
You're using Smilies in internal monologues now?
Sure! Why not?
So what is this, anyways?
New Year, New Timeline!
How original... But what is it about?
Well I can't tell you that.
Is it the sequel to your TLIAW you've said you were going to do?
Well, no. This is more of a major work and -
You're just going to abandon that project? Very mature, kiddo.
Don't call me "kiddo". Or anything of the sort for that matter. And that sequel is still in development. It will be another TLIAW (I think) and should be coming out soon. Spring Break at the latest.
Oh, I'm sorry. How old are you?
Seventeen within the month!
So I'll call you "kiddo" if I want. Or anything of that sort if I want. Moving on, what is this about?
Well -
Are you going to tell me to scroll up to the title card?
Um... *shifts in seat* Maybe...
You see, when you did that for your TLIAW, you at least showed Eric Cantor eyeing John Boehner. THIS IS JUST A FUCKING BRIDGE!
You don't need to get so angry about -
ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, KID?
Well, it's a rather special bridge -
FUCK THIS. I'M OUT.
...
Hello! I'm sorry about him.
Hi? I'm thoroughly confused now.
Don't look at me. It's your internal monologue.
Well okay then.
What happened?
I was trying to tell him the hint to what this is about, beyond the title, lies in the title card.
How about just a simple question or two. I assume you're doing it about American politics again? POD and Time Frame?
Yes, it will be a largely political TL. The POD is in the late 60s, but it largely doesn't change things until around 1987. The first post, an introduction of sorts, will cover the POD and events up to when the story picks up, but everything is largely according to OTL. From there, we'll get down to the real part of the story.
Very interesting. Ready to start?
One more thing, actually. I'd like to give a huge shout out and thank you to NickCT. He and I wanted to do this as a collaborative TL, but he pulled out fearing he wouldn't be able to commit to it. Nevertheless, he helped a lot in the early stages of planning this, and I wanted everybody to know.
Noted. What next?
I think I'm ready to start, but I'd like to get a few commenters before I post the introduction.
Wait a second... Is that bridge what I think it is?
Perhaps.
What do you have up your sleeve, Statesman?
Our story begins on a warm summer night...
Considering that there are no major changes before the '80's that's likely.
Introduction
(from The Boston Globe; July 19, 1969)
After his brother was assassinated last year while running for President, many looked to Senator Edward 'Ted' Kennedy to one day fulfill the promise of President John F. Kennedy. He was widely expected to make his own run in 1972 or 1976 for the highest office in the land, but all such talk has been put to rest. On July 18th, Edward Moore Kennedy died in a car crash. The exact circumstances of the crash are yet to be known. At this time, what is known is that Senator Kennedy was driving home from Chappaquiddick Island when his car, a 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88, went off the road near Dike Bridge across Poucha Pond. Kennedy and a female passenger, whose identity is not yet known, both died as a result of the car diving into the inlet. While not yet confirmed, alcohol is assumed to have been a factor in the accident.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from The Kennedys: Dynasty, Doom, and Destiny by Larry J. Sabato; published 2001)
The death of Edward Kennedy marked a new time period for the Kennedy Family. For the first time in two decades, no one in the Kennedy family held political office. It would not be until 1986 before a Kennedy was elected to office again, when Joseph Kennedy II was elected to Massachusetts 8th Congressional District, and it would take nearly a decade before a Kennedy was back in the Senate chamber.
But beyond that, there was now no proper patriarch to lead the Kennedy family as there had always been before. The Kennedy Curse had left the family in the hands of the widows of the Kennedy Brothers and the Kennedy Sisters. Whenever the family came together, the closest they had to a leading male figure would be Sargent Shriver, the husband of Eunice Kennedy, and, in fact, John F. Kennedy, Jr. would later recount that he saw Shriver more as a father figure than his step-father, Aristotle Onassis.
However, the death of Edward Kennedy brought chaos to the Democratic Party. It was widely expected that the young Teddy would run for the Presidency in 1972, but with his sudden death, the Democratic race became an open contest that would see the little-known Senator from South Dakota George McGovern win the nomination and lead the Democratic party into a landslide defeat that year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from Sargent Shriver's eulogy of Sen. Edward Moore Kennedy; July 21, 1969)
My brother-in-law was a good and honest man. A true man. Someone worthy of respect from all. He sought to heal a broken world. A master of legislative policy, and an advocate for all, Ted Kennedy fought to make our nation a better place - a better place to live, and to work, and in which to raise a family. He will be remembered for the many causes he led, the many speeches he gave, and the many hearts he touched.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Senate Election in Massachusetts, 1970:
Sen. F. Bradford Morse, R: 52.83%
Gerald F. O'Leary, D: 47.17%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. House Election in MA-5, 1972:
John Kerry, D: 50.03%
Rep. Paul Cronin, R: 48.17%
Roger Durkin, I: 1.00%
U.S. Presidential Election, 1972:
Pres. Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew, R: 499 electoral votes (57.14%)
George McGovern/Kevin White, D: 39 electoral votes (41.06%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Senate Election in Massachusetts, 1976:
John Kerry: 53.97%
Sen. F. Bradford Morse, R: 46.03%
(from The Boston Globe; November 3rd, 1976)
Senator F. Bradford Morse has been defeated in his reelection bid by the young Congressman John Kerry. Kerry, 33, had previously been elected to two terms to the congressional district Morse once represented, before he was tapped to replace the late Senator Kennedy. Morse has said he was disappointed by the loss, but that he was happy to have served his country and his state while he could.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from The Boston Globe; November 7th, 1984)
Riding on the coattails of President Reagan’s landslide reelection against former Vice President Walter Mondale and Representative Geraldine Ferraro, the young businessman Mitt Romney has won the Senate seat currently held by Paul Tsongas. Tsongas opted not to run for reelection to his Senate seat after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Romney narrowly won the election facing off against the Representative from Massachusetts 5th District, James Shannon. The race was close, and for much of the race Shannon held the lead. However, analysts contribute a successful get-out-the-vote effort to Romney in the final days. Exit polls also revealed that Independents (the largest voting bloc in Massachusetts) chose Romney over Shannon the majority of the time. The young Republican Senator will be one of 54 that will lead a Republican Senate in the 99th United States Congress.
(from The Boston Globe; July 19, 1969)
After his brother was assassinated last year while running for President, many looked to Senator Edward 'Ted' Kennedy to one day fulfill the promise of President John F. Kennedy. He was widely expected to make his own run in 1972 or 1976 for the highest office in the land, but all such talk has been put to rest. On July 18th, Edward Moore Kennedy died in a car crash. The exact circumstances of the crash are yet to be known. At this time, what is known is that Senator Kennedy was driving home from Chappaquiddick Island when his car, a 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88, went off the road near Dike Bridge across Poucha Pond. Kennedy and a female passenger, whose identity is not yet known, both died as a result of the car diving into the inlet. While not yet confirmed, alcohol is assumed to have been a factor in the accident.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from The Kennedys: Dynasty, Doom, and Destiny by Larry J. Sabato; published 2001)
The death of Edward Kennedy marked a new time period for the Kennedy Family. For the first time in two decades, no one in the Kennedy family held political office. It would not be until 1986 before a Kennedy was elected to office again, when Joseph Kennedy II was elected to Massachusetts 8th Congressional District, and it would take nearly a decade before a Kennedy was back in the Senate chamber.
But beyond that, there was now no proper patriarch to lead the Kennedy family as there had always been before. The Kennedy Curse had left the family in the hands of the widows of the Kennedy Brothers and the Kennedy Sisters. Whenever the family came together, the closest they had to a leading male figure would be Sargent Shriver, the husband of Eunice Kennedy, and, in fact, John F. Kennedy, Jr. would later recount that he saw Shriver more as a father figure than his step-father, Aristotle Onassis.
However, the death of Edward Kennedy brought chaos to the Democratic Party. It was widely expected that the young Teddy would run for the Presidency in 1972, but with his sudden death, the Democratic race became an open contest that would see the little-known Senator from South Dakota George McGovern win the nomination and lead the Democratic party into a landslide defeat that year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from Sargent Shriver's eulogy of Sen. Edward Moore Kennedy; July 21, 1969)
My brother-in-law was a good and honest man. A true man. Someone worthy of respect from all. He sought to heal a broken world. A master of legislative policy, and an advocate for all, Ted Kennedy fought to make our nation a better place - a better place to live, and to work, and in which to raise a family. He will be remembered for the many causes he led, the many speeches he gave, and the many hearts he touched.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Senate Election in Massachusetts, 1970:
Sen. F. Bradford Morse, R: 52.83%
Gerald F. O'Leary, D: 47.17%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. House Election in MA-5, 1972:
John Kerry, D: 50.03%
Rep. Paul Cronin, R: 48.17%
Roger Durkin, I: 1.00%
U.S. Presidential Election, 1972:
Pres. Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew, R: 499 electoral votes (57.14%)
George McGovern/Kevin White, D: 39 electoral votes (41.06%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Senate Election in Massachusetts, 1976:
John Kerry: 53.97%
Sen. F. Bradford Morse, R: 46.03%
(from The Boston Globe; November 3rd, 1976)
Senator F. Bradford Morse has been defeated in his reelection bid by the young Congressman John Kerry. Kerry, 33, had previously been elected to two terms to the congressional district Morse once represented, before he was tapped to replace the late Senator Kennedy. Morse has said he was disappointed by the loss, but that he was happy to have served his country and his state while he could.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from The Boston Globe; November 7th, 1984)
Riding on the coattails of President Reagan’s landslide reelection against former Vice President Walter Mondale and Representative Geraldine Ferraro, the young businessman Mitt Romney has won the Senate seat currently held by Paul Tsongas. Tsongas opted not to run for reelection to his Senate seat after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Romney narrowly won the election facing off against the Representative from Massachusetts 5th District, James Shannon. The race was close, and for much of the race Shannon held the lead. However, analysts contribute a successful get-out-the-vote effort to Romney in the final days. Exit polls also revealed that Independents (the largest voting bloc in Massachusetts) chose Romney over Shannon the majority of the time. The young Republican Senator will be one of 54 that will lead a Republican Senate in the 99th United States Congress.
Last edited:
Afraid not, pal. Hope you like it anyways.
You've got what the bridge is, but I decided to take it the other way, in terms of what happened there.
Good guess, though.Not exactly.
Thank you so much Nick.
Anyways, those are all the most significant changes up until 1987/1988...
And that was only the first update!
Thank you, though, I'd rather this didn't get too predictable.He didn't have to replace his VP candidate, primarily. Without Ted Kennedy around, he looks at other options quicker (instead of spending so much time trying to court Kennedy) and he ended up picking Boston Mayor Kevin White to try to get some of the same voters Kennedy would bring into the ticket. It doesn't work nearly as well as he had hoped, but it allows the Democrats to do better in the Northeast.
