The Fateful Flight

[MRX]

Do you have another update for us as a Christmas present Snowstalker?

[CathKhan]

Please?

[Senator Snowstalker]

With the Democrats having lined up behind Senator Wellstone, the general election campaign had begun. Wellstone's first task was to select a running mate. The general consensus among his campaign was that he needed a more moderate or at least respected figure to balance the ticket's progressive leader. Though over a dozen names had been suggested, it was eventually trimmed down to a shortlist of five candidates.

GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON OF NEW MEXICO



GENERAL WESLEY CLARK OF ILLINOIS



CONGRESSMAN DICK GEPHARDT OF MISSOURI



GOVERNOR JANET NAPOLITANO OF ARIZONA


GOVERNOR MARK WARNER OF VIRGINIA



The first advertisements of the general election campaign were sent out by Wellstone. Despite the perceived focus of the campaign on Iraq, the 30-second slots attacked President Bush on outsourcing, and were aired in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Michigan. The president responded with ads highlighting the candidates' contrast on abortion, aired in some of the more socially conservative swing states--Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Iowa.

POLLING AVERAGE AS OF APRIL 15th, 2004:

Wellstone: 45%
Bush: 44%



Safe D: 22
Likely D: 112
Lean D: 80
Tossup: 118
Lean R: 38
Likely R: 86
Safe R: 82

Total Wellstone: 214
Total Bush: 206

What worried the Wellstone campaign the most was California. Having gone from a swing state to a Democratic stronghold starting in 1992, those 55 electoral votes were now within Bush's grasp, likely due to the strong military presence in Southern California. Wellstone needed to consolidate his hold on the Golden State, and fast. Though a relative break from the vigorous campaigning for the Democratic nomination, Wellstone would spend the next week in California as well as three battleground states in the Southwest--Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado.

[MRX]

I think Wellstone would pick either Richardson, Napolitano, or Warner for geographic reasons and to have a VP who is a moderate.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

A: Clark is from Arkansas
B: Wrong photo.

[Senator Snowstalker]

A. Reading up on him, I've seen both Arkansas and Illinois.
B. It said it was Clark. I'll change it.

EDIT: Aaand changed.

[JulioMadrid]

Yes, I also searched Clark on google images because I didn't think that man was him. But then I thought, well, maybe he's a bit fatter and older right now hahaha...

[MRX]

Happy New Year Snowstalker. Do you have the next update ready for us yet?

[MRX]

Next update ready to go yet Snow? Please don't forget this TL!

[Senator Snowstalker]

Trust me, I'm not. The conventions will hopefully be done over the weekend.

[MRX]

Have you made a final decision on a VP choice? Is he gonna choose Warner, to balance out the ticket?

[Senator Snowstalker]

"I decided that Clark was the perfect balance. He of course had real military experience unlike the chickenhawks. Not only could I attract the swing voter with a principled military man, but I knew that he could step in to be Commander in Chief."
-Paul Wellstone, Decision Points (2014)

The 2004 Democratic National Convention opened on July 26th in ex-candidate Kerry's hometown of Boston. The keynote speech was delivered by Senate candidate Barack Obama of Illinois. Already recognized for his speaking prowess, the up-and-coming state senator wowed the convention with a feel-good speech promoting national unity and opposing the conflict in Iraq.



General Clark was nominated by acclamation and addressed the convention on the second day. He emphasized his military record while criticising "basic, fundamental errors" in the War on Terror and compared the "humanitarian intervention" in Kosovo to the conflict in Iraq. Finally, he vowed to be ready to advise President Wellstone and to be able to step into the role of Commander-in-Chief.



For the top of the ticket, Wellstone was unanimously nominated, delivering his acceptance speech on the final day of the convention. With the Democratic base solidly behind him, the senator used the speech to appeal to moderates and independence with a populist message. True to the name of the DFL, Wellstone chose to spend only a couple minutes on foreign issues to hit Bush on issues of outsourcing while vowing to protect farmers and manufacturers, two key voting blocs in the Midwest.

Though the Democrats recieved a slight poll boost from the convention, it was lower than expected due possibly to the polarized nature of the electorate.

Wellstone 47%
Bush 43%



Total Wellstone: 263
Total Bush: 202

(Yes, the election will end up closer. Next is the RNC)

[MRX]

Except the Republicans!

[MRX]

Still thing you should've chosen Warner, would've brought moderates and conservatives in, as well as Virginia and West Virginia, plus other states!

[Senator Snowstalker]

Remember that this is a timeline; just because I think something would help Wellstone the most doesn't mean I'll do it. Sometimes events in this timeline will hurt Democrats, other times Republicans.

[MRX]

How much longer until the next update. I can't wait to see the General Election and who Wellstone chooses for his cabinet. Bet it will be very progressive and left, ala "A Very British Coup."

[BOSSFAN]

Please update it soon. I want to see President Wellstone, his cabinet, and a successful effort to transform the United States into a social democracy! Can I name some cabinet picks? Jim Hightower for Secretary of Agriculture!

[ChairmanSanchez]

How much longer until the next update. I can't wait to see the General Election and who Wellstone chooses for his cabinet. Bet it will be very progressive and left, ala "A Very British Coup."

How do we know if he wins

[Senator Snowstalker]

I hope to have something this weekend.

[MRX]

I hope to have something this weekend.

I hope it's delicious!

[Jerseyrules]

This is great!

[Senator Snowstalker]

I'm gonna be honest; I can't write debates or even debate summaries for crap. The GOP convention is pretty much the same as OTL, debates are relatively even (generally, Wellstone wins on economics and Bush on foreign policy). After two convention bumps, the poll numbers settle by November and by election day, Wellstone is ahead in the RCP average by 0.6%.
_____________________________________________________________

With that, Election Night 2004 will definitely be finished.

[MRX]

Onward to the results and Inauguration Day 2005! Have you made the final picks for the Wellstone Cabinet yet?

[BOSSFAN]

I'm still dying to see who you have chosen for the Cabinet. I wonder if Wellstone is gonna make intensive labor reform a priority in his first term? And do you think Howard Dean would be a good Secretary of Health and Human Services? He is a physician you know.

[MRX]

What happened to this TL? I hope that  it isn't dead.