WI: Donald Rumsfeld Becomes President on 9/11

Based on an infobox I made, I ask the people of AH.com the following question, what would have happened had events transpired a little differently in and around the timeframe of 9/11, that is; transpired in a way that would see George. W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Dennis Hastert, Strom Thurmond, Colin Powell and Peter O'Neill all killed as a result of the attacks (or alternatively, Thurmond living and then resigning); leading to the rise of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to the Presidency?
 

TinyTartar

Banned
If that many people in the line of succession die, I don't think it matters who is President. There is going to be huge retribution, and rightfully so, and there is going to be a lot of unease and communication issues as well trying to make the bureaucracy work with such an unlikely succession.

Rumsfeld, at his age, might not even want the job and would pass it up, or a Special Election would be pushed for.

I think however that you'd likely see a very heavy response to 9/11. As for other policy questions, I think the economy might not get the tax cuts, but the regulations after Enron would still come in from the outcry.

One area he would DEFINITELY differ with Bush on is the border. Rumsfeld would lock it down, while Bush didn't, partly out of his own beliefs on the topic (and his brother's), and partly out of shrewd reasoning about appealing to Hispanic voters. Rumsfeld would have no hesitation about shutting it down.
 
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