Elliot Spitzer: A Second Chance

[sentinel]

   8:43 –Acting President Mitch Daniels says that he will step down as Acting President as soon as Secretary of State Bobby Jindal is able to fulfill his duties.
   9:15pm –Secretary Elliot Spitzer arrives at the secret bunker with Acting President Mitch Daniels.
   9:20pm –A federal judge arrives at the secret bunker.
   9:30 – 15 Senators are okay, 33 are hospitalized, 30 were killed and 22 aren’t accounted for.
   131 Representatives were killed, 96 aren’t accounted for, 65 are okay, and 144 are hospitalized.
   9:32 – Acting President Mitch Daniels calls for all non-hospitalized Senators and Representatives to be brought to an undisclosed location.
   10:30pm –National Security Advisors & the Joint Chiefs of Staff advise Acting President Daniels on a retaliatory strike against an terrorist base in Iran, where the attackers were thought to come from. National Security Advisors also say that since the United States was attacked, Article 5 of NATO’s founding documents was invoked. They also inform Acting President Spitzer that Israel has said they will strike Iran if found to be involved in the attacks. No one is claiming that they made the attack yet.

10:35 –Acting President Mitch Daniels orders extensive airstrikes on what are believed to be training camps for terrorists secretly sponsored by the Iranian Government. Forces will be in place to attack in 6 hours (from a base in Iraq and carriers in the Persian Gulf).

11:03pm – Secretary of State Bobby Jindal flatlines during a procedure to stop internal bleeding. Doctors rush to keep him alive.

11:04pm – A bomb goes off at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran. At least a dozen are dead or injured.

11:07pm – The Swiss and the European Union immediately condemn the attack.

11:10pm --Reuters and AP report that Israel is mobilizing its ground forces and that military aircraft took off around 10:40pm.

Remaining Cabinet Members in Line of Succession

November 8th 2017
12:05am

Vice President of the United States
Meg Whitman – Killed in the Attack

Speaker of the House of Representatives
Joseph Crowley – Killed in the Attack

President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Patrick Leahy – Killed in the attack

Department of State
Secretary Bobby Jindal – Alive, critical condition in GW Hospital

Department of the Treasury
Secretary Elliot Spitzer – Alive


Department of Defense
Secretary Stanley A. McChrystal - Killed in the Attack

Department of Justice
Attorney General Mike Pence – Killed in the Attack

Department of the Interior
Secretary Mitch Daniels – Acting President

Department of Agriculture
Secretary Chet Culver - Killed in the Attack

Department of Commerce
Secretary John Chambers  - Alive

Department of Labor
Secretary Killed in the Attack

Department of Housing & Urban Development
Secretary killed in the attack

Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Gary Johnson – Hospitalized

Department of Transportation
Secretary killed in the attack

Department of Energy
Secretary Arnold Schwarzenegger  - Alive (Not eligible for the Presidency)

Department of Education
Secretary Aaron Schock – Alive

Department of Veterans Affairs
Secretary killed in the attack

Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Kay Bailey Hutchinson - Killed in the Attack

Media outlets are given the death toll in the US Senate and House
25 Senators are okay, 22 are hospitalized, 53 were killed (32 Democrats killed, 21 Republicans)
203 Representatives were killed, 165 are okay, and 71 are hospitalized.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Very interesting, good TL

However, Spitzer should become Acting President now as he's outranking Daniels

[sentinel]

Very interesting, good TL

However, Spitzer should become Acting President now as he's outranking Daniels

I was unsure if Spitzer would immediately take over as Acting President,  but my plans will sort it out regardless

[jbm4pres]

Please, please, please do not kill of Bobby!!!

[HappyWarrior]

Which Senators of large importance made it out alive?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Please, please, please do not kill of Bobby!!!

I think otherwise

[sentinel]

Media outlets are given the death toll in the US Senate and House
25 Senators are okay, 22 are hospitalized, 53 were killed (32 Democrats killed, 21 Republicans)

203 Representatives were killed, 165 are okay, and 71 are hospitalized...

4:33am – Military Officials inform Acting President Mitch Daniels, the Federal Judge, and Secretary Spitzer that Secretary of State Bobby Jindal is being put into a medically induced coma.

4:34am – Secretary of the Treasury Elliot Spitzer is sworn in as Acting President.  Daniels is once again, Secretary of the Interior.
.
4:37am – The United States Air Force begins to bomb terrorist training camps in Iran.

4:50am – The Iranian Government calls the attacks on its soil an act of war by the United States and declares that they will take the war “to the United States.”

5:00am – Tehran is lit up by military aircraft, of an unknown origin.  Reports say that Iran’s attempt at a nuclear power plant has been leveled.

5:02am – Israel takes credit for the second series of bombings.

5:58am – A bomb explodes at a United States Embassy in Lebanon.

6:07am – A bomb explodes at the United States Embassy in Egypt.

7:00am – Syria mobilizes its forces on its southern border.

8:10am –Acting President Spitzer assembles the 25 Senators who were okay, and awaits the arrival of all 53 new ones that were appointed by their respective Governors. They were the only planes allowed to fly that previous night.

8:30am

 Acting President Spitzer relays a message to the Senators...they need to find a Republican to assume the position of Pro Tempore, and they must break the custom of the person of having the Pro Tempore be the longest serving member of the majority party. This would ineffect remove Acting President Spitzer from office.

Party composition of the 25 original Senators: 10 Republicans, 15 Democrats
Party composition of hospitalized Senators: 16 Republicans, 6 Democrats
The 53 newly appointed Senators are of the same party as the original seat holder.

Senators Present:
Democrats: 47
Republicans: 31
Hospitalized: 22


9:50am – Acting President Spitzer is moved to the White House, and is to give an address to the nation at 10:30am.
List of Surviving Senators:
Nebraska    Senator   Republican    Survived
North Dakota    Senator   Republican    Survived

North Dakota    Senator   Republican    Survived
Louisiana    Senator   Republican    Survived

Pennsylvania    Senator   Republican    Survived
West Virginia    Senator   Republican    Survived

Alaska    Senator   Republican    Survived
Florida    Senator   Republican    Survived

Maine    Susan Collins    Republican    Survived
Oklahoma    Tom Coburn    Republican    Survived

North Carolina    Richard Burr    Republican    Survived

Mississippi    Roger Wicker    Republican    Survived
Georgia    Saxby Chambliss    Republican    Survived

Alaska    Lisa Murkowski    Republican    Survived
Idaho    Mike Crapo    Republican    Survived

Wyoming    Mike Enzi    Republican    Survived
Nebraska    Mike Johanns    Republican    Survived

South Carolina    Jim DeMint    Republican    Survived
Idaho    Jim Risch    Republican    Survived

Wyoming    John Barrasso    Republican    Survived
Texas    John Cornyn    Republican    Survived

South Dakota    John Thune    Republican    Survived
Georgia    Johnny Isakson    Republican    Survived

Arizona    Jon Kyl    Republican    Survived
New Hampshire    Senator    Republican    Survived

Missouri    Senator    Republican    Survived
Delaware    Tom Carper    Democratic    Survived

Iowa    Tom Harkin    Democratic    Survived
New Mexico    Tom Udall    Democratic    Survived

Michigan    Senator   Democratic    Survived
Rhode Island    Sheldon   Whitehouse    Democratic    Survived

Ohio    Sherrod Brown    Democratic    Survived
Wisconsin    Russ Feingold    Democratic    Survived

Washington    Patty Murray    Democratic    Survived
Virginia    Mark Warner    Democratic    Survived

Montana    Max Baucus    Democratic    Survived
Washington    Maria Cantwell    Democratic    Survived

Virginia    Jim Webb    Democratic    Survived
Montana    Jon Tester    Democratic    Survived

Rhode Island    Jack Reed    Democratic    Survived
New Hampshire    Senator    Democratic    Survived

Illinois    Dick Durbin    Democratic    Survived
Arkansas    Blanche Lincoln    Democratic    Survived

Pennsylvania    Bob Casey, Jr.    Democratic    Survived
New York    Andrew Cuomo   Democratic    Survived

California    Barbara Boxer    Democratic    Survived
Minnesota    Al Franken    Democratic    Survived

*Generic “Senator” is what I’m using as a seat that changes at some point from 2009 to 2017, which I didn’t want to go and predict unless I have to, or I’ll come back and add a name in front of “Senator” if its relevant later. I made seat changes for almost everyone born before 1937 before killing anyone off.
(I spaced it out so its easier to read, its off my excel document)

I also didn’t include the results of Congress from the 2016 election, so here it is just so you know…

2016 Election Results for Congress --

Democrats: 53 (-2)
Republicans: 47 (+2)

In the United States House of Representatives:

Democrats: 220 (-11)
Republicans: 219 (+11)

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

4:34am – Secretary of the Treasury Elliot Spitzer is sworn in as Acting President.  In order to give Mitch Daniels (who is now a private citizen again), clearance to be in the bunker and hear military briefings with Spitzer, Elliot Spitzer temporarily makes Daniels his Chief of Staff

I think Daniels is rather returning to Secretarship of the Interior now, than became private citizen (Speaker and pro tem are required to step down in order to become Acting Presidents, but because they cannot serve in two branches of government at once. Secretaries are in executive branch already).

[sentinel]

4:34am – Secretary of the Treasury Elliot Spitzer is sworn in as Acting President.  In order to give Mitch Daniels (who is now a private citizen again), clearance to be in the bunker and hear military briefings with Spitzer, Elliot Spitzer temporarily makes Daniels his Chief of Staff

I think Daniels is rather returning to Secretarship of the Interior now, than became private citizen (Speaker and pro tem are required to step down in order to become Acting Presidents, but because they cannot serve in two branches of government at once. Secretaries are in executive branch already).

I'll make a quick fix, it won't effect the timeline.

[HappyWarrior]

I have no congressional representation

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

4:34am – Secretary of the Treasury Elliot Spitzer is sworn in as Acting President.  In order to give Mitch Daniels (who is now a private citizen again), clearance to be in the bunker and hear military briefings with Spitzer, Elliot Spitzer temporarily makes Daniels his Chief of Staff

I think Daniels is rather returning to Secretarship of the Interior now, than became private citizen (Speaker and pro tem are required to step down in order to become Acting Presidents, but because they cannot serve in two branches of government at once. Secretaries are in executive branch already).

I'll make a quick fix, it won't effect the timeline.

By the way, since I've been reading a lot about scenarios of succession, I believe that Jindall is now 46th President of the United States, as Crist is dead and he's highest ranking survivor. He don't need to taking an oath to become President.

But, since Jindall is unable to perform any duties, the next survivor and now first in line, Spitzer, is Acting President.

[sentinel]

7:00am – Iran launches several missiles at Israel, 10% of them hit their designated targets.

7:15am – Acting President Spitzer activates all military forces in the Middle East.  The Acting President threatens retaliation for the strike against Israel.

9:50am – Secretary of State Bobby Jindal dies. Pundits question whether he was the 46th President of the United States.

10:00am – All of the newly appointed Senators arrive, and after deliberation the Democrats appoint Russ Feingold as their majority leader, and the Republicans appoint Saxby Chambliss as their majority leader. Negotiations begin on who they will pick to be the next President of the United States, or the next interim one. The majority and minority leader receive a military briefing from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

10:30am – Acting President Spitzer addresses the nation. He expresses the anger that everyone feels about the tragedies of November 6th. He explains to the public who did it, what actions he and then Acting President Mitch Daniels took. He also explains how the new Senate is meeting, and deciding on the next President. 

During the speech, military officials confirm that Iran is mobilizing on its border with Iraq. The Democratic Iraqi Government condemns the buildup of forces saying Iraq “is a peaceful nation that will not be used as a pathway for war.”

More Syrian forces build up on its border with Israel.

11:00am – Israel issues a warning to Syria, stop building up or they will attack.

11:15am – Israeli Military Aircraft buzz the Prime Minister of Syria’s mansion

Senators Present at the Negotiations:
Democrats: 47
Republicans: 31
Hospitalized: 22 (16R, 6D)

Political Pundits: Most think that the Democrats will push for a moderate Republican President like Crist, and the Democrats would not let the Republicans push a very right wing candidate. Feingold has already pledged to vote in a Republican.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I think legally after Crist death and becoming highest living survivor, Jindall authomatically became President or Acting President (just a protocol matter) for the rest of the term. Now, Spitzer is President or Acting President for the rest of the term. Choosed President pro tem would not became then President.

So, IMO, the list is:

45th: Charlie Crist
46th: Bobby Jindall
Acting: Mitch Daniels
Acting: Eliot Spitzer
47th: Eliot Spitzer

[sentinel]

I'll try to get another update in after my midterms tomorrow.

[jbm4pres]

KEEP EM COMING!

[TommyC1776]

Interesting TL.

[sentinel]

If anyone wanted to know I did well on my midterms haha.

November 7th: The Day After - Continued

Political Pundits: Most think that the Democrats will want a moderate Republican President like Crist, and the Democrats would not let the Republicans push a very right wing candidate. Feingold has already pledged to vote in a Republican.

12:07pm – Israel bombs Tehran again, Iran demands that Israel stop the bombings or face complete annihilation. Israel’s foreign minister demands for the ousting of the current President and the Ayatollah. 

12:30pm – Reports come in that many of Iran’s missile sites have been bombed.
3pm – The Senators present agree unanimously to appoint Lisa Murkowski as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Murkowski will ascend to the Presidency upon the resignation of President Elliot Spitzer thereby removing Elliot Spitzer from office, and making her President of the United States, as well as the first women President. Congress is not required to call for a new election but in a joint statement Feingold and Chambliss say they reserve the right to do so.  President Pro Tempore is traditionally the longest serving member of the majority party, but the Senators present chose to do away with the custom in order to appoint Murkowski.

3:15pm – President Pro Tempore of the Senate Lisa Murkowski arrives in the White House, greeted by President Elliot Spitzer.

3:20pm – President Elliot Spitzer and President Pro Tempore Lisa Murkowski, with Senator Feingold and Chambliss enter the oval office and speak privately.

4:20pm – President Elliot Spitzer resigns from office, President Pro Tempore Lisa Murkowski ascends the Presidency. She is the first female President of the United States

44th President of the United States: Barack H. Obama~ – 1/20/2009 – 1/20/2017
45th President of the United States: Charles J. Crist – 1/20/2017 – 11/6/2017
46th President of the United States: Piyush “Bobby” Jindal* 11/6/2017 – 11/7/2017
47th President of the United States: Eliot Laurence Spitzer** 11/7/2017 – 11/7/2017
48th President of the United States: Lisa Ann Murkowski*** – 11/7/2017

~ - First African American President
*First Indian American President
**First Jewish President
***First Women President

4:30pm – President Murkowski enters the Situation Room and is briefed on what is happening in the global community and the response the United States and Israel has received. Intelligence informs her that Iran is hesitant to attack Israel because Iran does not know how the international community will respond.  Russia and China were supportive of the United States’ retaliation of the November 6th attacks, but not of Israel’s attacks.

   Russia and China are demanding that the United States condemn Israel’s “unwarranted” attacks on Iran. The European Union is supportive of Israel and the United States, even though it claims Israel’s provocation of Iran wasn’t a great idea.

   Intelligence believes that Syria will invade Israel within days and that Syria is the only real threat. Intelligence officials are confident that Israel can handle Syria. Iran is a threat via-missiles but Iraq has refused to allow military movement through their nation. Jordan and Egypt have condemned the Israeli attacks on Iran, while Saudi Arabia, a staunch US ally, and Turkey (now in the European Union) remain silent.

   Intelligence officials do not see Egypt or Jordan mobilizing in any way.

   However, the source of the attacks is a neo-Islamic fundamentalist wing of (the former) Al-Qaeda in Iran and they have claimed responsibility.

   Intelligence officials suggest that Murkowski ask India to investigate several organizations that are known to harbor these terrorists. Most of these places are located in western India on the border with Iran.

   Military officials say that there are more camps in Iran that need to be taken out. Murkowski orders the state department to demand Iran to bring them organizer of the attacks, and all the terrorists to justice. If they do so, as well as destroy the camps on their own, the United States will use its flexibility to ask Israel to stop the bombings.

6:30pm
   The remaining members of the House of Representatives meet 15 miles outside the capital at an undisclosed military location. The final headcount for the House of Reps is…

227 Representatives were killed (101 Republicans, 126 Democrats)
 185 are present.  (77 Democrats, 108 Republicans)
 and 27 are hospitalized (17 Democrats, 10 Republicans)

   The House of Representatives passes various motions expressing their anger and sadness about what happened on November 6th.

   The Republicans elect Cathy Rodgers from Washington’s 5th District as the Speaker of the House, and Paul Ryan as the House Majority Leader.

   The Democrats elect Chris Murphy from Connecticut’s 5th District as their Majority leader, and secretly elect Dan Maffei of New York’s 25th District to be their Speaker when they retake the majority.
   

[aaaa2222]

Ridiculous, but excellent. Well done.

[sentinel]

Thanks!

I also realized, Elliot is spelt Eliot, but I really like two L's better.

[sentinel]

November 8th
9:00pm – President Lisa Murkowski addresses the nation in a very somber tone. She pays respect to the Senators, Congressman, staffers, and servicemen that died in the attack on the US Capitol and says the Senate and House of Representatives will return to the Capitol, and the United States is doing everything in its power to find the people that did this. Live on television, she asks our allies abroad to do all that is necessary and proper to immediately track down terrorists in their backyards, saying that terrorist are not only a threat to the United States, but everyone who values freedom.
   She says that she will serve the remainder of the term, and she recognizes that she was not elected to be President. She thanks Eliot Spitzer for graciously stepping down from the Presidency to allow a member of the opposing party, the party that was originally elected, to take the Presidency. She calls him a redeemed man of virtue and a true American.
   President Murkowski lets the people know that she will address Congress in the following weeks about her plans for the Presidency

November 9th 2017
.Syria invades Israel but Israel immediately strikes back and pushes back their assault. Iran fires more missiles at Israel, but most of them are inaccurate and miss. Israel bombs more strategic sites in Iran.
The Rest of November:
   Lisa Murkowski keeps most of Charlie Crist’s staff, the ones that stayed, and has her staff start a Vice Presidential search.
   The Wall Street Journal leaks rumors that the new administration is considering landing forces in Kuwait, in case of an Iranian invasion of Israel through an uncooperative Iraq.
   
Polling:

Murkowski Favorability Rating: 85% Favorable, 10% Unfavorable
Spitzer Favorability Rating: 65% Favorable, 25% Unfavorable
Who would you rather see running National Security?
      30% A Democrat, 27% A Republican, 43% Doesn’t Matter

December 20th 2017
   President Murkowski addresses both chambers of Congress, including the newly elected members of the House of Representatives.

   Current Composition:

In the United States Senate:

Democrats: 53
Republicans: 47

In the United States House of Representatives:

Republicans: 229
Democrats: 211
Democrats lose 9 seats in the special elections.

   At the address to Congress, she announces her nominee for the Vice Presidency, Secretary of the Interior –Mitch Daniels.

   She also starts a moment of silence in the beginning and the end of her speech for the people who lost their lives, including President Crist, Vice President Whitman, and President Jindal. She also states her policy plans for the next three years including energy reform,  and national security concerns. She also announces the capitol will be nearly completely renovated and rebuilt.

January 2018

Murkowski goes more in depth in policy description in her state of the Union Address.
Job Approval Rating: 60%
Favorability Rating: 79%
Iran sits down for multilateral negotiations with Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the European Union.

[HappyWarrior]

This is an excellent TL, if a bit off the wall.

[sentinel]

February 2018

   Multilateral negotiations continue and a ceasefire has been reached between Israel, Syria and Iran.

   Murkowski’s administration is questioned on why they are not part of the negotiations and their response is “our presence in the negotiations in the past 20 years and more has not solved the problem yet; maybe our absence from it will remove tensions. Also, if any of the sides ask for our involvement, we will join the negotiations as a mediator.”
   Murkowski gets mixed reviews. Republicans are silent in their disapproval, and some Democrats applaud Murkowski for taking a different step while others take advantage of this new strategy.
   

Job Approval: 58%

March – June 2018
   Murkowski manages to pass several moderate health insurance reform bills that modify the Obama Health Care Plan passed in 2010.

   She also forms two independent bipartisan commissions; one to review how amendments are added to bills, and to see if there is a more efficient way for Congressman to add funding for their districts. Pundits ask if substantial reform like this would be able to pass the House, and the other to write a constitutional amendment or bill (depending on their findings) that would modify the line of succession and procedures relating to that based on the Continuity of Government Commission in 2003.

   Murkowski also begins the push for a large federal school voucher program to get passed this year.

   Former President George W. Bush dies at his ranch in Crawford, Texas from natural causes. He is given a state funeral.  Former President Barack Obama (57), Former President Bill Clinton (72), the only two living former Presidents both attend. The Former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Evan Bayh also attend.

   Israel threatens to leave the multilateral negotiations if Iran refuses to recognize Israel. Egypt, Iraq and Jordan join the negotiations.

   Job Approval June: 55%

July – October
   Vice President Mitch Daniels is accused of nepotism after he “suggests” the appointment of several family friends to government positions.
   Vice President Mitch Daniels refuses to apologize and defends his “suggestions” saying that they are qualified individuals.

   Senate Majority Leader Russ Feingold slams Daniels for nepotism and for not apologizing.
   Other Democrats hint that Daniels may be corrupt.

    Russ Feingold visits Iowa, campaigning for a fellow Senator, starting a media-frenzy on if he might run for President.

   Presidential Job Approval Rating: 50%

November: Midterm Elections 2018

In the United States Senate:

Democrats: 51 (-2)
Republicans: 49 (+2)

In the United States House of Representatives:

Republicans: 228 (-1)
Democrats: 211 (+1)

Democrats lose seats in both chambers.

Murkowski’s school voucher program is voted down in the Senate, after a huge national campaign against it by the DNC. The Republicans who voted against it said there was too much fine print for the vouchers to be effective.

Senate:

Yea: 40
Nay: 58
Not Voting: 2

Presidential Approval Rating post-vote: 48%

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

February 2018
Former President George W. Bush dies at his ranch in Crawford, Texas from natural causes. He is given a state funeral.  Former President Barack Obama (57), Former President Bill Clinton (72), the only two living former Presidents both attend. The only Former Vice President still around, Evan Bayh, also attends.

I know it's not so important, but does that mean that Gore, Cheney and Biden are all dead? (not to mention Mondale). When they and Bush Sr. and Carter passed away?

And what looks Obama and Clinton retirement?

[sentinel]

February 2018
Former President George W. Bush dies at his ranch in Crawford, Texas from natural causes. He is given a state funeral.  Former President Barack Obama (57), Former President Bill Clinton (72), the only two living former Presidents both attend. The only Former Vice President still around, Evan Bayh, also attends.

I know it's not so important, but does that mean that Gore, Cheney and Biden are all dead? (not to mention Mondale). When they and Bush Sr. and Carter passed away?

And what looks Obama and Clinton retirement?

Biden resigned due to health complications, more specifically, heart complications from eating all those burgers with Obama during the Presidency. I probably should have included it, but lets assumed he died within a year of resigning. He would have been given a state funeral.

In my TL, Cheney also passes away during the second term of Barack Obama's Presidency. It is noteworthy that a few weeks before his passing, he appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Obama would have praised Cheney for his commitment to national security and to the nation.

Carter died on November 6th 2017, but for good reason, didn't get much media attention.

Bush Sr. died in the beggining of Charlie Crist's administration.

Gore...I forgot about him...he's around...I'll fix that...

I'll think about the Obama post-presidency and Clinton's before I say anything.

[sentinel]

January  2019

President Lisa Murkowski’s second State of the Union Address. She doesn’t have many accomplishments that appeal to the Republican base but has appealed to some moderates. Her approval rating is back up to 50% and her favorability is higher.
She outlines broad policy goals in her State of the Union, and mentions the continue effort for energy reform but her policies for that still are vague and she hasn’t pressed it much in the past year due to the preoccupation with school vouchers.
She also announces that she will run for “election.”

Senate Majority Leader Russ Feingold announces he will run for the Democratic Nomination for President. He is 65 years old.

Congressman Glenn Nye of Virginia announces that he will run for President. He is 44 years old.

Democratic Primary Polling:

Russ Feingold: 45%
Glenn Nye: 15%
Undecided: 30%

February 2019
   Israel leaves the negotiations, and the Murkowski Administration protest at Israel’s actions and demand they go back to the negotiating table.

   Murkowski is criticized by Republicans and Democrats for not supporting Israel but the administration says it wants the problem in the middle-east solved for good this time.

   The report from the new commission on the continuity of government comes back, and recommends the addition of several people in the line of succession outside of Washington, including 3 Governors that would be recommended to the Senate by the President and then approved by the Senate. The 3 Governors would appear in the line of succession after the Homeland Security Secretary.

   The second commission is due to report in June.

   Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin announces that he will run against Murkowski saying that she basically is a Democrat and what America needs is a true conservative.

Republican Primary:

President Lisa Murkowski: 68%
Scott Walker: 8%
Undecided:24%

Approval Rating: 52%

March – June

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Former Vice President Al Gore all endorse Russ Feingold for the Democratic Nomination.

NYT: Rumors that Spitzer is planning a big move. White House Press Secretary denies.

Israel does not break the ceasefire but tensions are stirring up again. The European Union is demanding Israel to return to negotiations.

Vice President Mitch Daniels is kept out of public view for the most part after his mishap with “nepotism.”

The commission on “pork” returns and recommends reforms for how to add amendments and pork to bills by going through the bureaucracy and government departments instead of just attaching funding to bills.

Approval Rating (June): 54%

Hypothetical General Election Matchups:

Murkowski: 45%
Feingold:  40%

Murkowski: 55%
Nye: 25%

Feingold: 58%
Walker: 23%

Nye: 27%
Walker: 20%