The Race to Florida

[Jerseyrules]

Go Jeb!

Great timeline!

[JulioMadrid]

I know you won't let Gingrich win this primary :p

Otherwise, I'm loving this TL. Update soon, please!

[NHI]

Bush's Clean Sweep

Connecticut:

Bush: 60%

Gingrich: 28%

Paul: 11%

Delaware:

Bush: 66%

Gingrich: 29%

Paul: 4%

Rhode Island:

Bush: 70%

Gingrich: 24%

Paul: 5%

New York:

Bush: 54%

Gingrich: 39%

Paul: 6%

Pennsylvania:

Bush: 48%

Gingrich: 42%

Paul: 9%

"It's time for Speaker Gingrich to bow out gracefully and unite behind Governor Bush."

Indiana: Poll

Bush: 50%

Gingrich: 41%

Paul: 9%

North Carolina: Poll

Bush: 46%

Gingrich: 44%

Paul: 9%

West Virginia: Poll

Bush: 50%

Gingrich: 39%

Paul: 10%

Gingrich needed to win Pennsylvania and he lost. It's time to bow out." -- Karl Rove.

"We're going to see what happens on May 8th, and we'll make some decisions, but we're not bowing out just yet. I know those in the elite media and establishment want this race to end, but I think the people's voices need to be heard." -- Newt Gingrich.

May 8th:

Indiana:

Bush: 52%

Gingrich: 40%

Paul: 7%

North Carolina:

Bush: 47%

Gingrich: 44%

Paul: 8%

West Virginia:

Bush: 50%

Gingrich: 40%

Paul: 9%

The Primary Night:

Gingrich speaks to a crowd in West Virginia.

The Day After:

Gingrich suspends his campaign.

Bush, now the presumptive nominee shifts his focus to President Obama

Obama v. Bush:

Obama: 48%

Bush: 46%

[JulioMadrid]

I know you won't let Gingrich win this primary :p

Otherwise, I'm loving this TL. Update soon, please!

Hahaha I knew it

Well, at least we'll have an interesting Election Night! Continue!

[I'm JewCon in name only.]

Heck to the yes! Go Bush!

[Jerseyrules]

Heck to the yes! Go Bush!

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Heck to the yes! Go Bush!

[NHI]

Bush taps NH Senator Kelly Ayotte for VP

"I am honored by the opportunity to serve on the ticket with the man who will be the next President of the United States of America!"

"This is like the Palin pick four years ago, only this woman has got brains. Like they say in Boston, she's wicked smart and there is no doubt. She maybe a junior senator but she did serve as Attorney General, now we'll just see if she's a help on the ticket." -- Chris Matthews


"Vice Presidents don't matter, so I don't think she'll have much of a pick. It does create a balance though by having someone from the south and north." -- Lawrence O'Donnell

"Let's see if she's got what it takes for the big leagues and I think she'll wipe the floor up with Biden." -- Frm. Gov. Sarah Palin.


The reported shortlist for Jeb Bush included, Sen. Jim DeMint, Gov. Mitt Romney, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Gov. Mitch Daniels and Sen. Kelly Ayotte. The final two choices were between Ayotte and Christie and from their the campaign decided to pick a surprise pick, much like McCain did in 2008, only as one staffer said, "We've picked what Palin could have been".

Ayotte's Acceptance Speech: Excerpt

..."My fellow Americans, I speak tonight not only to Republicans here at our convention and gathered around this country, but to every America, of every background. Gov. Bush and I speak not for the one percent, nor the ninety-nine percent, but for the one hundred percent. For every American, and their concerns, their thoughts, their dreams and ambitions are going to be the framework for the Bush Administration to come.

[Cheers]

President Obama has failed this nation in the worst possible way. Our economy is crumbling, our image has been tarnished abroad and his response is: More government and more apologies to our allies around the world. Well, let me say this: More government is not the answer and apologizing for America is not the responsibility or duty of the President. His role is to stand up, to fight and preserve America!

[Cheers]

Instead of more politics of hope and change, we will user in a politics of solutions and proven results. Gov. Bush will defeat Pres. Obama and he will restore America!"

Bush's Acceptance Speech: Excerpt

..."We are united by our love of this country, and our commitment to saving America. Now I do not see the president as my enemy, this is not personal. I think he's a nice family man and decent father and husband, but he is not a leader, he is not a fighter for this country. He has failed when it comes to being president, you know as my father used to always say, sometimes you're just not caught out for the job and Pres. Obama fits that note to a tee!

[Cheers]

It is time to reverse the pessimistic attitude that America is in decline. Our country is not in decline, our country will carry on throughout this century and beyond as the leader of the free world. A the champion of liberty. Our system is not broken. Our people are not broken. America is not broken. It is the leadership which is the problem and that is nothing a good election can't fix, so let's have one! Let's get this country back together, by having new ideas, new solutions, new energies and a president in the White House!"

Obama v. Bush:

Bush: 49%

Obama: 45%

Bush/Ayotte: 239

Obama/Biden: 222

Some Battleground Polling:

Ohio:

Obama: 48%

Bush: 48%

New Hampshire:

Bush: 50%

Obama: 47%

Missouri:

Bush: 49%

Obama: 46%

Virginia:

Bush: 48%

Obama: 47%

Colorado:

Obama: 48%

Bush: 47%

North Carolina:

Bush: 49%

Obama: 47%

Does George W. Bush's Presidency Affect your Opinion of Jeb Bush?

Yes: 38%

No: 50%

No Opinion: 12%

[Jayhawker]

Well, I would too.

(Brownie points to whoever gets it)

[NHI]

Well, I would too.

(Brownie points to whoever gets it)

I'm the one who wrote it and I just put it into context. lol.

[Jerseyrules]

Go Jeb!  Again!

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Go Jeb!  Again!

[NHI]

Jeb Bush hits the campaign trail:

Bush outlines his plan for education reform.

Education Reform Plan:

1. Downsize Depart. of Education

2. Create school choice

3. Reduce influence and strength of teacher's union

Obama campaigns in Ohio.

"Gov. Bush is a nice guy, but there is something familiar about him, or wait his last name is Bush. Do we really want to take a trip down memory lane? Come on."

Obama v. Bush

Obama: 48%

Bush: 48%

[NHI]

The debates proved to be relatively insignificant. Bush and Obama stuck largely to their talking points, though the most memorable spat came during the third and final debate where Obama started by saying of Bush, "You're promising to return America to the troubles of the last four years. I haven't been in the trenches, fighting, trying to reverse what was caused and I mean no offense to this, but by your brother."

"Mr. President, I'm not my brother and I make no excuses for my brother. He served this country, he defended this country, but I'm my own man, I have my own beliefs and principles. I have a vision for this country and it is smaller government, lower taxes and less spending."

Obama v. Bush: Rasmussen

Bush: 49%

Obama: 48%

Obama v. Bush: CNN

Obama: 48%

Bush: 48%

Obama v. Bush: Gallup

Bush: 48%

Obama: 47%

"Good Evening America, I'm Wolf Blitzer and welcome to Election Night Coverage, here on CNN. We have the best political coverage on television tonight and we're not going to waste a second, the polls have closed in a few states and we are ready to make our first projections."

South Carolina:

Vermont

"As we look at the map going into tonight this race is truly a coin toss." -- Wolf Blitzer

"Some polls have Bush leading, some Obama. It's anyone's game tonight." -- John King

"The focus is going to be on Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, Iowa and some states in the south west. If President Obama is able to carry Ohio he should be fine tonight." -- Gloria Borger

"The polls in Virginia have closed but we cannot project a winner at this time. With only one percent of the vote counted at this time It is Governor Bush with a small lead." -- Wolf Blitzer

Virginia: 1%

Bush: 49.3%

Obama: 48.8%

"We can now project that Indiana will go for Governor Bush."

Indiana:

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 20 52.7%

Pres. Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 3 46.2%

[Jerseyrules]

Dammit JB!  Let's go!  You coulda won Vermont! 

[Reaganfan]

GO BUSH!

[NHI]

7:58:

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 49 55.4%

Pres. Barack Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 3 43.2%

"Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina remain too close to call." -- John King.

Virginia: 25%

Bush: 49.5%

Obama: 49.0%

Ohio: 10%

Obama: 48.7%

Bush: 48.5%

North Carolina: 15%

Bush: 50.1%

Obama: 48.7%

9:12

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 180 53.9%

Pres. Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 127 45.0%

"We now project that New Hampshire will be won by Gov. Bush." -- Wolf Blitzer.

[NHI]

10:37

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 227 52.0%

Pres. Barack Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 169 45.9%

"Gov. Bush is holding a commanding lead in the electoral and popular vote at this time, a much different scenario then what was expected." -- Wolf Blitzer

"Right now the odds favor Gov. Bush, but in the same breath, Ohio is still close, North Carolina is still close. Iowa is leaning Obama as is Colorado." -- John King

Ohio:

Bush: 49.35%

Obama: 49.29%

North Carolina:

Bush: 49.87%

Obama: 49.42%

Iowa:

Obama: 49.6%

Bush: 49.2%

Colorado:

Obama: 49.9%

Bush: 49.6%

"CNN at this time can now project that Gov. Bush has won the state of North Carolina."

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 242 51.7%

Pres. Barack Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 169 46.8%

10:50

"Can Pres. Obama be reelected at this point, having lost North Carolina?
 -- Anderson Cooper.

"Yes. Ohio is the key to his victory, that and state like Iowa or Nevada or Colorado will put him over the finish line, but if he does in fact lose Ohio then victory becomes much tougher." -- Daivd Gergen.

Nevada:

Bush: 50.0%

Obama: 49.1%

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

GO BUSH!

Dammit JB!  Let's go!  You coulda won Vermont! 

[GPORTER]

Its no surprise that its Ohio thats key. Good news for Bush, but honestly expected, is his carrying the state of Virgnia. When I say expected, the Bush is a long time part of the republican establishment and Virgnia is a long time republican state at the presidential level. I think a Bush could beat Mark Warner in Virgnia.

[NHI]

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 249 50.9%

Pres. Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 240 48.7%

"It is getting closer, only a few states remain undecided." -- Wolf Blitzer

"This is what we expected it to be, a close election and President Obama and Governor Bush are fighting it down to the wire." -- John King

Ohio:

Bush: 49.40%

Obama: 49.37%

"CNN can now project that Governor Bush will be the winner in the state of Nevada." -- Wolf Blitzer

"This now makes Governor Bush fifteen delegates away from the magic number of 270 and Wolf, all eyes are on Ohio." -- John King.

"We are getting word that the Obama campaign is planning on calling for a recount in the state, on the basis of the extremely close margin between Governor Bush and the President."

Pres. Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 256 48.9%

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 255 50.3%

"President Obama captures the lead in the electoral vote for the first time tonight, though Governor Bush still leads by a significant margin in the popular vote." -- Wolf Blitzer.

Iowa:

Obama: 49.88%

Bush: 49.60%

Ohio:

Bush: 49.40%

Obama: 49.38%

"We are now joined by David Plouffe, from the Obama campaign who is commenting on the status of the race in Ohio."

"Governor Bush is ahead by a few thousand votes, but once we have an official recount and the overseas ballots are counted and tallied we believe there will be enough to swing Ohio away from President Obama."

"CNN can now project that President Obama has won the state of Iowa." -- Wolf Blitzer.

1:41 AM

Bush Elected Pres. -AP.

Gov. Jeb Bush/Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 276 49.9%

Pres. Obama/Vice Pres. Joe Biden: 262 48.6%

Ohio Recount:

Final Tally:

Bush: 49.44%

Obama: 49.35%

Bush claims victory as the 45th President of the United States

[JulioMadrid]

Bah, this was obvious from the beginning.

[Jerseyrules]

Bah, this was obvious from the beginning.

That's like all 2012 scenarios depicting an acurate interpretation of Obama's presidency .  Except, of course, in the AH scenario that Palin or Santorum gets the nomination (shivers).

[JulioMadrid]

Bah, this was obvious from the beginning.

That's like all 2012 scenarios depicting an acurate interpretation of Obama's presidency .  Except, of course, in the AH scenario that Palin or Santorum gets the nomination (shivers).

That means that NHI should write TL about other years... like 2024, 2000, 1972... This ones about 2012 have become pretty predictable. I like the way he writea, but if I already know the result...

[Jerseyrules]

Bah, this was obvious from the beginning.

That's like all 2012 scenarios depicting an acurate interpretation of Obama's presidency .  Except, of course, in the AH scenario that Palin or Santorum gets the nomination (shivers).

That means that NHI should write TL about other years... like 2024, 2000, 1972... This ones about 2012 have become pretty predictable. I like the way he writea, but if I already know the result...

It's fun to know how it happens .  Don't be cynical