WI: Assassinations of US Presidents...

[Asami]

So I've been wondering about the effects of an obvious connection to a a foreign nation/foreign ideology/movement and the assassination of a US President.

Truman being assassinated by Puerto Ricans, Kennedy getting shot by Chinese, North Koreans or some other commie group, Reagan or either Bush getting killed off by some Arabs or something, or even Obama getting shot by a white radical group.

What kind of effect would these have on US foreign/domestic policy, especially if it's Kennedy getting assassinated by someone with ties to the P.R. China or Cuba, or something.

 

[Wendell]

So I've been wondering about the effects of an obvious connection to a a foreign nation/foreign ideology/movement and the assassination of a US President.

Truman being assassinated by Puerto Ricans, Kennedy getting shot by Chinese, North Koreans or some other commie group, Reagan or either Bush getting killed off by some Arabs or something, or even Obama getting shot by a white radical group.

What kind of effect would these have on US foreign/domestic policy, especially if it's Kennedy getting assassinated by someone with ties to the P.R. China or Cuba, or something.

Well, for one thing, Oswald was sympathetic to Cuba, so that's OTL.

 

[DTanza]

I have to wonder who Biden would choose as VP in the event of succeeding to the Presidency like that. Someone older or otherwise unlikely to seek elected office in order to avoid accusations of milking an assassination to trump up the credentials of a potential 2016 candidate?

Maybe former Senator Sam Nunn or General James L. Jones? Hell, maybe even John Kerry?

 

[OnlyAlb]

I have to wonder who Biden would choose as VP in the event of succeeding to the Presidency like that. Someone older or otherwise unlikely to seek elected office in order to avoid accusations of milking an assassination to trump up the credentials of a potential 2016 candidate?

Maybe former Senator Sam Nunn or General James L. Jones? Hell, maybe even John Kerry?

What about trying to appear bipartisanship and choosing someone like Colin Powell.

 

[Lemon flavoured]

What about trying to appear bipartisanship and choosing someone like Colin Powell.

Would Powell even want the job though?

The "obvious" choice would seem to be Hilary Clinton, especially if it were to happen pre-2012.

Another interesting one is who Cheney would pick if Bush was assassinated c. 2005.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

Another interesting one is who Cheney would pick if Bush was assassinated c. 2005.[/QUOTE]

I always assumed Cheney would have picked John McCain. hHe was the Republican Crown Prince.

 

[DTanza]

I always assumed Cheney would have picked John McCain. hHe was the Republican Crown Prince.

Not happening, they despised each other and still do.

 

[KorgusCyborgus]

I always assumed Cheney would have picked John McCain. hHe was the Republican Crown Prince.

Would he really pick another sickly old man?

 

[OnlyAlb]

Would he really pick another sickly old man?

I'm assuming Cheney picks someone who would be in a good position to win in 08. Maybe Romney, Giuliani, Jeb Bush, Bill Frist, or someone else.

 

[UncleDynamite]

Not happening, they despised each other and still do.

Bingo. From my knowledge of Cheney, politics is very personal to him. It'd have to be somebody he liked and trusted.

 

[JVM]

IIRC, it was said in another thread that Bush had talked about selecting Bill Frist of Tennessee as a running mate in 2004 if Cheney refused to run again. So I think if Bush dies in 2005, Frist could become VP.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

I'm assuming Cheney picks someone who would be in a good position to win in 08. Maybe Romney, Giuliani, Jeb Bush, Bill Frist, or someone else.

He would not pick Giuliani. tThat would alienate much of the Republican base.

 

[BigDave1967]

How would it have effected things if Guiseppe Zangara assassinated FDR as well as the Mayor of Chicago in 1933?

 

[Paul V McNutt]

How would it have effected things if Guiseppe Zangara assassinated FDR as well as the Mayor of Chicago in 1933?

No New Deal, so maybe Norman Thomas wins in 1936.

 

[Emperor Charles V]

Another interesting one is who Cheney would pick if Bush was assassinated c. 2005.

Condoleezza Rice. Yes she was pro-choice and all but the nation was in a crisis, their president was just shot and especially if Bush's assassination involved a foreign country, Cheney would pick Rice as she's an expert on foreign policy. Also, she's both a woman and African American so this would be breaking history twice here.

 

[Lemon flavoured]

Condoleezza Rice. Yes she was pro-choice and all but the nation was in a crisis, their president was just shot and especially if Bush's assassination involved a foreign country, Cheney would pick Rice as she's an expert on foreign policy. Also, she's both a woman and African American so this would be breaking history twice here.

It would make sense as a choice, but it comes back to the same question as with Powell, would she want it?

 

[ChazMo]

Well, for one thing, Oswald was sympathetic to Cuba, so that's OTL.

A solitary loon partial to a foreign power is a whole different ball game to a commissioned hit by a sophisticated international / ideological entity.

 

[Tom Colton]

I honestly doubt that any major international power, especially during the Cold War, would assassinate the President as that's an incredibly "loud" target - with the associated risks of open war over discovery - and there's only so much that would achieve comparing to sabotaging their covert operations and attempts to extend their sphere of influence.

If it was by a terrorist or paramilitary group, then maybe they'd go for it, but they'd surely realise that whatever retaliation would be with the full force of the American military given they literally killed the most popular* elected figure in the entire system.

*Literally as in the presidential election literally involves the largest number of votes.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

Condoleezza Rice. Yes she was pro-choice and all but the nation was in a crisis, their president was just shot and especially if Bush's assassination involved a foreign country, Cheney would pick Rice as she's an expert on foreign policy. Also, she's both a woman and African American so this would be breaking history twice here.

I too doubt she would want the job. eEven a time of crisis pro choice still alienates much of the Republican.

 

[Dayton Kitchens]

Bush was a poorly thrown grenade away from dying in office.