WI: George W. Bush is Selected as MLB Commissioner in 1992

In 1992, three years after buying the Texas Rangers, George W. Bush set his sights on becoming Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Bush discussed the job with outgoing Commissioner Fay Vincent, a friend of the Bush's, and he almost got the position. However, he was passed over in favor of Bud Selig and two years later Bush declared his campaign for Governor of Texas. What if Bush was able to clinch his dream job of MLB Commissioner and stayed out of politics?
 
The Al Gore/Ann Richards 2000 ticket resoundingly defeats the John McCain/Lamar Alexander one, largely thanks to the Reform Party's ticket of Pat Buchanan and a very reluctant Alan Keyes. President Gore's first term sees Osama Bin Laden's plot to attack the Twin Towers smothered in its crib (thanks to the work of one Secretary of Defense Sam Nunn). However, without the "rally-round-the-flag" effect that 9/11 and the Iraq War brings, President Gore is hampered by a recession early into his presidency and Democrat fatigue. In 2004, Rick Santorum makes a bid for the presidency fueled by the social conservatives who hop between the Reform Party and the Republicans. Not willing to be responsible for the rise of a third party, the Republican establishment backs Santorum with the caveat that their baby boy, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, is the Vice Presidential nominee.

Santorum/Bush beats Gore/Richards because as we all know, charisma is an incredibly important factor in presidential politics, and even a fucking rock with googly eyes on it is more charismatic than Al Gore. There's some conflict in the Middle East that gets stirred up because it's been a long time since the GOP cut loose, and it happens to coincide with the first rumblings of a recession, which is exacerbated because the Republicans have been waiting four long years for an equivalent to the Bush Tax Cuts, and Santorum delivers with aplomb.

The economy eats shit, and President Santorum is defeated for re-election by THE DREAM TEAM of Russ Feingold and Bill Richardson.

Also, President Santorum catches some heat for bribing his VP's brother to stack games in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who go on to win every world series until the heat death of the universe, thus proving that even under President Rick Fucking Santorum, the world wouldn't be a total dystopia.
 
The Al Gore/Ann Richards 2000 ticket resoundingly defeats the John McCain/Lamar Alexander one, largely thanks to the Reform Party's ticket of Pat Buchanan and a very reluctant Alan Keyes. President Gore's first term sees Osama Bin Laden's plot to attack the Twin Towers smothered in its crib (thanks to the work of one Secretary of Defense Sam Nunn). However, without the "rally-round-the-flag" effect that 9/11 and the Iraq War brings, President Gore is hampered by a recession early into his presidency and Democrat fatigue. In 2004, Rick Santorum makes a bid for the presidency fueled by the social conservatives who hop between the Reform Party and the Republicans. Not willing to be responsible for the rise of a third party, the Republican establishment backs Santorum with the caveat that their baby boy, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, is the Vice Presidential nominee.

Santorum/Bush beats Gore/Richards because as we all know, charisma is an incredibly important factor in presidential politics, and even a fucking rock with googly eyes on it is more charismatic than Al Gore. There's some conflict in the Middle East that gets stirred up because it's been a long time since the GOP cut loose, and it happens to coincide with the first rumblings of a recession, which is exacerbated because the Republicans have been waiting four long years for an equivalent to the Bush Tax Cuts, and Santorum delivers with aplomb.

The economy eats shit, and President Santorum is defeated for re-election by THE DREAM TEAM of Russ Feingold and Bill Richardson.

Also, President Santorum catches some heat for bribing his VP's brother to stack games in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who go on to win every world series until the heat death of the universe, thus proving that even under President Rick Fucking Santorum, the world wouldn't be a total dystopia.

IMO it's more likely that either A) McCain beats Gore or B) Jeb wins his Florida Governor's race in 1994 and goes on to challenge Gore in 2000.
 
IMO it's more likely that either A) McCain beats Gore or B) Jeb wins his Florida Governor's race in 1994 and goes on to challenge Gore in 2000.
I considered that, but I realized without the socially conservatives turning out for the GOP (they'd be less likely to support McCain than Bush imho), there's going to be a slightly larger Reform party presence. Not enough for Buchanan to win a state, but enough for the Republican vote to be split in states like Florida and New Hampshire. I know, you'd think McCain would be even more likely to win Florida than Bush, but you underestimate the power of very conservative old people.
 
but you underestimate the power of very conservative old people.

Um, John McCain was a very conservative old person. More conservative than Bush in certain respects, take foreign policy for example. But it is true that he attacked the religious right which did him no favors. If he doesn't extend an olive branch to them after winning the nomination then many would either sit out the election or endorse Buchanan. I find this outcome unlikely however, given McCain's willingness to change positions if it aided him politically. So with that in mind, Jeb Bush would have a strong chance of beating McCain in 2000 and then going on to face Gore.
 
In 1992, three years after buying the Texas Rangers, George W. Bush set his sights on becoming Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Bush discussed the job with outgoing Commissioner Fay Vincent, a friend of the Bush's, and he almost got the position. However, he was passed over in favor of Bud Selig and two years later Bush declared his campaign for Governor of Texas. What if Bush was able to clinch his dream job of MLB Commissioner and stayed out of politics?
Bush is tougher on 'roids. Heck, the US government did more about roids than the MLB. Ultimately there is no stopping the cheating, but McGwire and Sosa might have had their chase cut short by sudden testing or something. Bonds only roided according to his mistress because of the attention Mcgwire and Sosa were getting, so this butterflies his later accomplishments. Pedro Martinez will be slightly more dominant, but not much, as steroids will be still out there--testing will just be tougher.
 
Bush is tougher on 'roids. Heck, the US government did more about roids than the MLB. Ultimately there is no stopping the cheating, but McGwire and Sosa might have had their chase cut short by sudden testing or something. Bonds only roided according to his mistress because of the attention Mcgwire and Sosa were getting, so this butterflies his later accomplishments. Pedro Martinez will be slightly more dominant, but not much, as steroids will be still out there--testing will just be tougher.

By the time his contract is up and he retires, GWB could go down as one of the greatest MLB Commissioners in history. The fact is that Dubya lived and breathed baseball and that's what he was cut out for - not politics.
 
If Bush were anything of a purist or old school baseball fan, he'd have pushed--HARD--to abolish the DH in all of organized baseball (yes, including the minor leagues). As a bone to throw to the players' association, he could move for an increase in roster size by one player. Ideally, he'd also have pushed for / overseen a more rational expansion and realignment (keep Houston in the NL; Milwaukee in the AL) and perhaps teams in Montreal / Washington (depends whether the Expos move or not) and Vancouver. In turn, 16 teams in each league would mean a more rational playoff structure, ideally without wild cards.
 
Um, John McCain was a very conservative old person. More conservative than Bush in certain respects, take foreign policy for example. But it is true that he attacked the religious right which did him no favors. If he doesn't extend an olive branch to them after winning the nomination then many would either sit out the election or endorse Buchanan. I find this outcome unlikely however, given McCain's willingness to change positions if it aided him politically. So with that in mind, Jeb Bush would have a strong chance of beating McCain in 2000 and then going on to face Gore.

I remember at the time feeling conflicted about the Bush-McCain race because I figured that McCain would be a better President if Gore ended up losing, but that McCain winning the nomination almost certainly meant that Gore would lose, whereas he'd have a shot against Bush. I don't necessarily think there'd have been an election-deciding defection of social conservatives to Reform if he were the nominee, and I suspect McCain would have made up some ground among the swing voters (perhaps those swayed by arguments based on experience or intelligence) who voted for Gore over Bush in OTL.

OTOH, without Bush in the race, does somebody like Orrin Hatch or Lamar Alexander stay in longer (and perhaps pick up some religious right support from social conservative activists who figure that supporting Bauer or Keyes would be a waste of time and money)? If not, perhaps that opens the door for McCain to make peace with the religious right relatively easily - he was still right-of-center on most cultural issues, even if his rhetoric was softer.
 
OTOH, without Bush in the race, does somebody like Orrin Hatch or Lamar Alexander stay in longer (and perhaps pick up some religious right support from social conservative activists who figure that supporting Bauer or Keyes would be a waste of time and money)? If not, perhaps that opens the door for McCain to make peace with the religious right relatively easily - he was still right-of-center on most cultural issues, even if his rhetoric was softer.

With neither Bush in the race, the Republican establishment would find somebody else and annoint them their candidate. But if Dubya doesn't run in 1994, that means the Bushes can devote all their resources into electing Jeb in Florida. Given how close that race was, he more likely than not wins as expected and runs for President in 2000.
 
If Bush were anything of a purist or old school baseball fan, he'd have pushed--HARD--to abolish the DH in all of organized baseball (yes, including the minor leagues). As a bone to throw to the players' association, he could move for an increase in roster size by one player. Ideally, he'd also have pushed for / overseen a more rational expansion and realignment (keep Houston in the NL; Milwaukee in the AL) and perhaps teams in Montreal / Washington (depends whether the Expos move or not) and Vancouver. In turn, 16 teams in each league would mean a more rational playoff structure, ideally without wild cards.

Bush could end up being MLB Commissioner for a long time. Probably during all four or eight years of brother Jeb's presidency if he runs and defeats Gore in 2000.
 
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