Watson Timeline: Mark 2

[Dr. Cynic]

Reagan v. Dent race would be pretty amusing. A teflon President v. teflon Senator. Former Democrat v. former Republican.

However, 1984 is a lost cause.

Not necessarily Remember, this is my universe and anything can happen

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Reagan v. Dent race would be pretty amusing. A teflon President v. teflon Senator. Former Democrat v. former Republican.

However, 1984 is a lost cause.

Not necessarily Remember, this is my universe and anything can happen

Ah, true.

Anyway, I'm just an interested bystander

[Dr. Cynic]

I had a whole new entry ready and just as I hit post, it gave me an error message... Well, that's a heartbreaker...

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I had a whole new entry ready and just as I hit post, it gave me an error message... Well, that's a heartbreaker...

I was excites to see new post.

[Dr. Cynic]

I had a whole new entry ready and just as I hit post, it gave me an error message... Well, that's a heartbreaker...

I was excites to see new post.

The error issue put me off for today. I might post late tonight or tomorrow, though.

[Dr. Cynic]

The Primary Campaign

With the four major candidates announced and running under way, the campaign was nasty. Mondale attempted to bump off his three opponents quickly by collecting super delegate endorsements. However, Mondale received several high profile slaps in the face. Senator Lawrence Watson, another former Humphrey idolater, smacked Mondale down after remaining silent for a great deal of the campaign. His endorsement of Dent pushed the steelworkers union away from Mondale to Dent, a great blow in prestige. Other super delegates such as Ted Kennedy went with Dent as well and Mondale's "invincible" strategy was faltering.

Glenn suffered a series of gaffes, but survived into Super Tuesday by simple virtue of who he was. He was holding out hope for a couple of victories to keep him in the campaign. However, Super Tuesday divided between Dent and Mondale. Bumpers, having been kept from a victory as well, and not collecting many delegates, dropped out and endorsed Dent. Glenn's campaign similarly began to suffer from the lack of donors and he went broke. Glenn attempted to lend his struggling campaign money, but it wouldn't be enough to keep him in the race and he dropped out, refusing at that stage to make an endorsement.

The race between Mondale and Dent turned nasty and frequently nasty it was. Mondale accused Dent of being too divisive and brought up every scandal Dent had been implicated in. He said Dent was a failed southern "Big Daddy" sipping mint juleps while rocking on his porch as his family had long been in politics.

Dent accused Mondale of attempting to subvert the democratic process with his early strategy and called him unfit to carry Hubert Humphrey's luggage. The charge that Mondale was merely a less happy, less warriorlike version of the Happy Warrior stung hard and stuck to Mondale. However, with most of the unions still lined up for him, Mondale and Dent pressed each other into the convention at a virtual deadlock.

[Dr. Cynic]

Dent - Red
Mondale - Blue
Glenn - Green
Bumpers - Orange

(Didn't really do the map to be too accurate and decided to just mostly keep it a Dent-Mondale. Glenn and Bumpers win their home states)

[Mechaman]

Montanans for Dent!!

Woot!  Woot!

[Dr. Cynic]

The Convention

Jefferson Dent had gone into San Francisco with a delegate lead, but by no means a majority. Walter Mondale held the majority of super delegates and was poised to push for a vote. John Glenn endorsed Mondale before the convention got underway and shifted to him the Ohio delegation. A group of Dent partisans such as Scott Westman and Lawrence Watson protested the move, but in the end, in amounted to naught.

Walter Mondale would be nominated over the boos and hisses of the Dent crowd and it literally caused much of the Dent delegation to walk out of the convention disgusted. Lawrence Watson chose not to speak in his scheduled slot, being bitterly disappointed by the outcome (Though Westman and many others did). Mondale, sensing a bitterly divided party attempted to heal the breach by offering the VP slot to Dent. The latter absolutely refused, but suggested one of his partisans take the post. When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

The result of Mondale-Westman was alternately a shocking one and a disappointing one. Mondale was not the preferred candidate by most of the Democrats, and the libertarian-esque Westman was not popular with core elements (Though he did provide balance) of the party. Ronald Reagan headed out of the conventions with a commanding 12 point lead, however it was implied that either Dent or a stronger third party candidate could win...

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Also, what were results in Delaware and Rhode Island? I can't see it on the map.

Otherwise, great job as usual

[Dr. Cynic]

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Otherwise, great job as usual

Watson would be 34, but only between January 20th and February 11th... It matters not anyway lol.

Westman I have being elected previously in 1978. (He was in the House from 1972-1977) Only a minor butterfly.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Otherwise, great job as usual

Watson would be 34, but only between January 20th and February 11th... It matters not anyway lol.

Westman I have being elected previously in 1978. (He was in the House from 1972-1977) Only a minor butterfly.

Ah, OK. U.S. can be vicepresidenteless for some days

[Dr. Cynic]

Delaware and RI both went to Mondale... I know, it's kinda tough to see... Delaware didn't fill in properly because it would change the background color.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Delaware and RI both went to Mondale... I know, it's kinda tough to see... Delaware didn't fill in properly because it would change the background color.

I think you should consider using electoral votes calculator. Now it have more color options.

[Dr. Cynic]

Delaware and RI both went to Mondale... I know, it's kinda tough to see... Delaware didn't fill in properly because it would change the background color.

I think you should consider using electoral votes calculator. Now it have more color options.

I only just figured out how to do it on paint! I'm not changing that quickly lol

[Mechaman]

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Otherwise, great job as usual

Watson would be 34, but only between January 20th and February 11th... It matters not anyway lol.

Westman I have being elected previously in 1978. (He was in the House from 1972-1977) Only a minor butterfly.

Interesting.
I never really imagined Westman in the US House.  I wonder, whose ass did he kick to get into the House?  Please tell me it was Max Baucus!
You do understand though that the reason why Westman didn't run for re-election for the US Senate in original Americana had to do with Montana Election Law and not because the LP wouldn't let him, right?  So presumably Montana Legislature would have had to pass some sort of LBJ rule in your TL in order for Westman to even think about "double-running" in 1984.
Just checking.

[Dr. Cynic]

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Otherwise, great job as usual

Watson would be 34, but only between January 20th and February 11th... It matters not anyway lol.

Westman I have being elected previously in 1978. (He was in the House from 1972-1977) Only a minor butterfly.

Interesting.
I never really imagined Westman in the US House.  I wonder, whose ass did he kick to get into the House?  Please tell me it was Max Baucus!
You do understand though that the reason why Westman didn't run for re-election for the US Senate in original Americana had to do with Montana Election Law and not because the LP wouldn't let him, right?  So presumably Montana Legislature would have had to pass some sort of LBJ rule in your TL in order for Westman to even think about "double-running" in 1984.
Just checking.

Sure it can be Max Baucus if you want!

Yes, I understand, however, I've butterflied the law away for my own convenience... I do little sh**t like that from time to time, though I try not to go overboard with them lol.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Yeah, Mecha, House isn't interesting.

[Dr. Cynic]

March 24th, 1984

Owen Samuel Clark Watson entered the world. Having taken time off campaigning for Jeff Dent's Presidential campaign to be there with Laura. Both Owen and Samuel were family names. Owen P. Watson was Lawrence's great-grand uncle. Samuel had been the middle name of Phillip Samuel Watson, a former Liberal MP from Plymouth who was the child's great-great-grandfather. Lawrence liked to use family names. The couple's first child, Brian also was named for a relative.

Watson took an extended leave from the campaign trail, determined to spend time with his family. His children were young and Laura was his personal priority. Although personally loyal to him, Watson's stubborn refusal to return to the stump irritated Jimmy Lewis who had taken a job on the Dent campaign. Lewis was devoted to the family, but Lawrence's obstinance sometimes made his life with the press and with important figures difficult. Watson didn't like to go out of his way to impress people. He was what they saw. Lewis was the one who made relations between his boss and the press or his peers workable.

Laura Watson was a happy mother. She blushed at press attention to her youth and good looks. Her husband made sure she didn't see the attacks on her husband nor the mean-spirited parodies of her Australian accent. If she'd seen them, she might've broken down in tears. Lawrence and Laura were essentially family oriented. Most of his peers were older and few had new children to raise. Politics was Watson's job. Not his life. But when Walter Mondale came away from California with the Democratic nomination, politics became an obsession. Watson would campaign with Westman but not Mondale. Instead, Watson went back to Pittsburgh, showing up in the Senate rarely for that year except to vote. He obsessed over political news and perhaps immaturely hoped for the mutual destruction.

[Mechaman]

Man, good luck Mondale/Westman.
They're going to need it, what with half of the party pissed off at Mondale and a good chuck upset at Westman's pretty libertarian views (with exception of healthcare).

Meh, I guess it's kind of like Dukakis/Bentsen.  Except that of course Westman has a lot less experience and if anything is more divisive than Walter Mondale.

Good luck Democrats of 1984!

[Dr. Cynic]

Man, good luck Mondale/Westman.
They're going to need it, what with half of the party pissed off at Mondale and a good chuck upset at Westman's pretty libertarian views (with exception of healthcare).

Meh, I guess it's kind of like Dukakis/Bentsen.  Except that of course Westman has a lot less experience and if anything is more divisive than Walter Mondale.

Good luck Democrats of 1984!

Yeah, there are some pretty pissed off people. Westman being on the ticket though isn't nearly half the bother of a lot of the Democrats. Many are bitter that Mondale went into the convention trailing and came out the nominee, even those who would be predisposed to support him. Much of Dent's following aren't enthusiastic anyway because Reagan seems a bit unbeatable despite the row over health care.

[Dr. Cynic]

I'll update this tomorrow... Tonight's a little too hectic to be creative.

[Dr. Cynic]

"My family is always going to be my priority in life," Lawrence Watson would tell the press. Politics and everything else came second. In their plush, yet modest Mt. Washington home, the Watson family would busy themselves during the Presidential campaign with decidedly non-political matters. A new son and Steelers football consumed him for much of the early autumn. A frequent box guest of Art Rooney, Watson would watch the games with frequent disappointment in 1984. Terry Bradshaw was gone as was most of the original Steel Curtain. The Steelers were a playoff team that year, but not as good as they had been ten years ago when they won their first Super Bowl.

The Watson family also were preparing for a return trip to Sydney so her parents could meet the new addition. Still in all, Lawrence would watch the polls with disgust. The Libertarian Party under Ed Clark, making his second run, was emerging as a credible challenger to people who disliked the status quo third parties. Clark defined his brand as "low tax liberalism or classical liberalism". Watson had met Clark only once and briefly when both had attended a BBQ at the Westman Ranch in Montana.

President Reagan seemed headed for a victory though. Watson did campaign a few times for the MondaleWestman ticket, which did help the ticket a great deal in Pennsylvania, however it was doing little to boost the national poll numbers. When November rolled around, Mondale was crushed in election day.

Clark impressively won electoral votes in three small states while Reagan crushed Mondale in most of the battlegrounds. There were some positives for the Democrats. It was a better result than 1980 and both the Democrats won their home states. Scott Westman also kept his Montana Senate seat.

[Mechaman]

lol @ Montana going 60% Democratic.

It makes sense, but it's still kind of funny considering how well Reagan did there IRL.
What a difference a Montana Democrat makes to the ticket.

[Dr. Cynic]

lol @ Montana going 60% Democratic.

It makes sense, but it's still kind of funny considering how well Reagan did there IRL.
What a difference a Montana Democrat makes to the ticket.

I actually forgot to play with those buttons until after I'd finished lol Ah well... For the sake of pretend, we'll say Montana's a bit more Democratic than IRL lol.