"Never give in".... President John McCain Timeline

[MRX]

Onto the debates and elections. Can't wait for that? Who do you have in mind for a McCain Cabinet?

[Jerseyrules]

Crossing my fingers for a secdef Colin Powell and maybe secstate Lieberman... Great TL!

[MRX]

Crossing my fingers for a secdef Colin Powell and maybe secstate Lieberman... Great TL!

A la Roguebeaver's Duty Honor Country? Wonder what's planned for 9/11!

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

Great debut, Clarence, keep it coming

[Jerseyrules]

Great debut, Clarence, keep it coming

[Jerseyrules]

No 9/11 please...please...please?

[Jerseyrules]

Bumping

[MRX]

How much longer until we get to the General Election?

[BOSSFAN]

I don't mean to be rude, but it's been a while since the last update. Do you have a post on the General Election ready yet?

[MRX]

What the frak happened? I hope this TL isn't dead. It's great.

[Jerseyrules]

What the frak happened? I hope this TL isn't dead. It's great.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

What the frak happened? I hope this TL isn't dead. It's great.

[Jerseyrules]

What the frak happened? I hope this TL isn't dead. It's great.

It deserves to be said twice.

[Jerseyrules]

Dammit!  Don't die on me!  Breathe!

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Dammit!  Don't die on me!  Breathe!

[Senator Clarence]

Wow- I did not realize you all enjoyed... I will post again later today

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Wow- I did not realize you all enjoyed... I will post again later today

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Thank you!

[Senator Clarence]

The Republican National Convention in Philadelphia shows a party united behind Senator McCain. The focus is on the standard bearer’s integrity and heroism. “When others ran, he served” said Congressman JC Watts as the keynote speaker. General Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf, and 1996 nominee Senator Bob Dole all spoke to Senator McCain’s status as an American hero- specifically in contrast to President Clinton. The message is clear- McCain is the anti-Clinton. A President McCain would act the same way Commander McCain and Senator McCain have acted- with integrity and courage.



Both Senator McCain and Senator Gramm give well-received speeches. Notably, neither man attacks the Democratic ticket in their speech. The GOP ticket sees poll numbers surge especially when Americans are asked “which ticket are the stronger leaders?” Three days after the Republican convention closes, the Gallup national poll shows as follows-

53 McCain/Gramm
40 Gore/Shaheen

Disgraced former Clinton political strategist Dick Morris tells CNN- “After two terms of Clinton, the American people want to see strength, courage, and readiness. John McCain embodies those words.” Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich agrees- “There is no candidate who can provide a greater contrast to Bill Clinton then John McCain.”

On the other side of the spectrum…Former Senator Bill Bradley- Gore’s primary opponent- urges voters to wait for the Democratic convention- “These events are showcases of the candidates. A convention bump is typical and when American s get to know Al Gore beyond the fact that he has been a dedicated Vice President to Bill Clinton, he will surge on his own.”

[Jerseyrules]

That's what I'm talking about!  Thank you!

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

That's what I'm talking about!  Thank you!

[MRX]

Inspirational!

[Jerseyrules]

Inspirational!

Outdeed!

[Senator Clarence]

The Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles comes at the heels of the highly successful RNC and the Democrats aim to match the Republicans in enthusiasm and unity. Vice President Gore and his team have the difficult task of taking credit for the Clinton Administration’s successes while presenting the VP as his own man. On the early nights of the convention- President Clinton and Tipper Gore give well-received addresses but it is Governor Shaheen, in her VP acceptance speech, who truly shines.

Vice President Gore’s speech is criticzed for being too safe when he truly needed to change the game. His pre-speech smooch with his wife Tipper earns him points for personality but he fails to distinguish himself from Clinton.



In his speech he references his opponent only briefly- “Senator McCain is a good man who has heroically served our nation- but this election is about who will fight for the middle class, who will work to preserve our environment, who will protect social security and Medicare for generations to come, who will care about the issues that matter to the everyday American…Senator McCain has too often been on the wrong side of these issues and on the wrong side of history.”

Gallup shows that the convention did not produce the bump the Gore/Shaheen campaign would have preferred but did create some movement-

52 McCain/Gramm
43 Gore/Shaheen

The race has tightened slightly as the campaign moves into debate season…

[MRX]

This race looks like it'll be close, like IOTL, or McCain will win big.

[Jerseyrules]

I don't think it'll be quite as close as last time.  Here's to a Republican landslide!