I Like Mike: A Biotimeline

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Decision 1976

 Speculation arose over who would face President Romney in the fall. Senator Ted Kennedy, whose efforts of stalling Romneycare in the Senate had fueled expectations of his own run for the White House, declined to run, over what some believed to be the incident at Chappaquiddick involving him an unmarried woman. Governor Jerry Brown, who succeeded Ronald Reagan as California's governor in 1975, briefly toyed with a run before he also declined. A little known former governor of Georgia who went by "Jimmy,"  threw his hat into the ring, along with Arizona Governor Mo Udall, who shared Romney's faith.  The real person everyone looked toward was the Senator from Maine, Edmund Muskie. He was a favorite to win in 1972 before he was hospitalized by a car accident before the Iowa Primary. He dropped from the race, but failed to endorse a candidate.

Edmund Muskie, tall and charismatic, was the only Democrat that polled better than the President in a hypothetical match-up. He easily carried Iowa and New Hampshire in an unprecedented sweep, and well secured his nomination in a matter of weeks.

Still, Romney enjoyed fair approval ratings. His advisors encouraged him to initially assumed an air of inevitability. That was, until Ronald Reagan began his challenger candidacy.

Reagan failed to garner enough support in Iowa and New Hampshire, but began to gain momentum in the Southern and Western States. By the time of the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Reagan nearly tied the President. The possibility of a sitting President being rejected by his own party became real, and those in the Romney camp became frightened.

One bright spot for the President during the Convention was that his son Mitt, who was attending Harvard at the time, had been selected as a delegate from Massachusetts. Mitt would also announce the vote totals from the Bay State's delegation. George invited his son to the Presidential suite at the Marriott...

George: Son!

Mitt: Hey, dad!

George: How are you, Mitt? How's Ann and the kids?

Mitt: We're all fine.

George: Son, I'm proud of you. Getting to call the votes from Massachusetts...

Mitt: It was a real honor, dad. How is the delegation situation?

George: Well, Reagan's guys won't have enough to get him the nomination since some states like Kentucky are supposed to nominate the President on the first ballot. What we do have to worry about is how Reagan's people will react. They want to change the Vice President as well as certain planks in the platform.

Mitt: What are you going to do?

George: (sigh) I don't know, Mitt. I don't know. Anyway, how's school?

Mitt: Great, dad. That new degree program combining business and law should come in handy...

George: When you decide to run?

Mitt: Aw, dad...

George: I can see the headlines now: "Successful Businessman Mitt Romney beats Ted Kennedy in Senate Race." How does that grab you?

Mitt: Well...

George: You may very well be President. I got a lot of confidence in you Mitt. Whatever you do, I'll always be proud of you.

Mitt: Thanks, dad. I hope I can live up to your expectations.

George: You will, my boy. You will.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I wonder what the map dynamic will be sans Carter. As well, who's Muskie's VP pick?

[Vote UKIP!]

I wonder what the map dynamic will be sans Carter. As well, who's Muskie's VP pick?

Don't count out Jimmy yet .

I call 1976 the "dying gasp" of the religious left. Jimmy Carter, a born again Christian, tapped into what would become a powerful voting block. When Carter seemed to be swayed more by hardcore liberal forces, Evangelicals left him in droves to Reagan.

Remember, George is a Mormon (I can't believe I forgot to touch on that). Coupled with his center-left dencies, southern conservatives, who have just barely became used to voting Republican, would have difficulty supporting Romney. Since George Wallace is out of the picture by his near assassination, the Democrats would have been in a better position to retake "Solid South."

Muskie, I think, would have to pick someone from the Midwest or South: someone that could appeal to
religious, rural voters. Two men come to mind: Jimmy Carter and Harold Hughes, Senator from Iowa and supporter of Muskie after his failed bid in 1972.

But that's all I will say...

[Vote UKIP!]

Mike Pulaski, the Early Years

 Michael Gabriel Pulaski, although born in Chicago, grew up in Central Florida. His father named him after the two archangels mentioned in the Bible, believing that his son was bound for great distinction.

Mike grew up as an introvert. He always felt different from the other children, maybe because of his Polish identity or his unusual intelligence. The young Pole felt more comfortable at home reading his father's Encyclopedia than playing with his classmates after school.

He demonstrated a unique ability for retention of information, as well as articulating that information in writing. At age thirteen, he wrote the manuscript to a historical novel that earned much acclaim from his teachers, and was urged to publish it. Mike, embarrassed from the attention, continued to write, but in secret.

His father, although not one to give out complements, took great pride in his son. George and Mike enjoyed more of a "silent bond," simply enjoying the other's company. Mike admired his father's resilience and piety, hoping to emulate both as an adult. Mike would always have a picture of his father with him, constantly reminding him of his idol.

He graduated as a valedictorian from Bartow High School in 1965, and went to University of Florida. There, he promptly joined the College Republicans, and quickly rose to become the state chairman once he began graduate school.

As chairman, he met another leader of the College Republicans who would also rise to prominence...

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Edmund Muskie announced that he has chosen the little known governor from Georgia,  Jimmy Carter. Carter's down-to-earth manner, and Evangelical image reassured the South that the Democrats had not forgotten the South, and still believed it to be key in their overall strategy.

President Romney, on the other hand, agreed  to modify the Republican platform to suit the Reaganites' demands, but refused to budge on his VP. "Pat's my choice, and I'm sticking with him." It took all Reagan could do to prevent his own delegates from walking out of the convention.

In his acceptance speech, Romney challenged his opponent to an unprecedented debate, the first one featuring a sitting President. Muskie agreed.

A series of three debates were held, but proved to be inconclusive.

Throughout most of the race, both the President and Muskie tied in the polls. Romney ran on a "don't change horses in midstream" campaign, while Muskie ran on a "change" campaign. Romney emphasised his reform credentials, while Muskie urged further change. Muskie further charged that Romney lacked a consistent message, citing the President's "hodge podge" cabinet, and failures in healthcare reform. However, Romney seemed to be made of teflon, brushing off the criticism as "the desperate attacks of an equally desperate candidate."

In mid-October, stories of cabinet fights between Moynihan, Jackson, and Hatfield made their way to the press. Rumors of shouting matches and threatened resignations seemed to confirm Muskie's narrative of an incoherent, unfocused administration. Further stories also seemed to paint Romney as an unruly, angry manager as he joined in the fights as another combatant than as a mediator. Muskie promised cool, competent leadership without the rancor and vitriol of "Mad George," referencing King George III's bout with mental illness.

This October surprise only provided a modest boost to Muskie, and the race still proved to he close up until the election...

Muskie won the election by narrow margins, carrying the South, New England, and several Midwestern states. Conservatives howled immediately, claiming that Reagan would help carry key votes in the South were he on the ticket.

Meanwhile, Democrats celebrated. Once again, the Democrats would be in a better position to fulfill their vision for the country. With Watergate and Romney's failures seeming to pave the way for a solid Democratic majority, Muskie's supporters had high hopes for the future. After the electoral votes were counted before Congress, nothing seemed to stand in the way.

That was until December 27...

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The map I would propose, though it doesn't exactly fit your description/

Muskie/Carter: 337
Romney/Moynihan: 201

[Vote UKIP!]

More like this, although yours works:

Muskie/Carter: 351
Romney/Moynihan: 187

[Jerseyrules]

The map I would propose, though it doesn't exactly fit your description/

Muskie/Carter: 337
Romney/Moynihan: 201

I do think that the liberal GOP Romney would have a good shot at the west coast with Mark Hatfield on the stump.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The map I would propose, though it doesn't exactly fit your description/

Muskie/Carter: 337
Romney/Moynihan: 201

I do think that the liberal GOP Romney would have a good shot at the west coast with Mark Hatfield on the stump.

Ford barely captured it and Muskie is a much stronger candidate outside the South than Carter, so I decided to hand it to Muskie. I see the GOP doing very well in the industrial mid-west however in this election.

[Vote UKIP!]

I think I might add an extra thread to cover the minutiae (profiles, cabinets, wikiboxes, etc.) in the near future. For those of you who are members of AH.com, expect this to also show up.

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I'm going to backtrack a little on Mike's bio. The writing style has been haphazard at best, and will be improved if I do a second version.

Mike Pulaski (Continued)

Before he enrolled at the University of Florida in 1965, he had his heart set on acquiring an English degree, and to live out his life as a fiction writer. The previous year's presidential election radically changed his ambitions.

George Pulaski, as a leader in the Republican Party of Florida, was selected as a delegate to the 1964 Republican National Convention in San Francisco. Wanting to share this historic moment with his son, George arranged for Mike to come with him. The excitement and emotion of a political convention riveted and thrilled Mike unlike anything he had experienced before. he felt as if he were in the middle of history. indeed, he was.

A conservative revolt within the party launched their hero, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, to the nomination. The hard line, gritty, bespectacled Arizonan was well known for his strong, anti-communist position, which appealed to the Polish expatriate. His book Conscience of a Conservative became an runaway best seller four years, also a favorite of the senior Pulaski. George felt that he had found his ideal candidate in Goldwater, and he was determined to win Florida for Goldwater.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, the 1964 Convention turned out to be disastrous. Barry Goldwater's no-vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 allowed him to be caricatured as the candidate of the Klan and the John Birch Society. In response, civil rights groups protested outside the Cow Palace, the convention's venue. Also, hostility between GOP conservatives, and liberals and moderates resulted in New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, a prominent liberal Republican and Goldwater's primary opponent, being interrupted several times in his speech by Goldwater's delegates (George being one of them). When Goldwater officially secured the nomination in the vote tally, Michigan Governor and future President George Romney stormed out of the convention hall with his teenage son, Mitt. Finally, those in the GOP leadership felt their candidate's doom to be secured for sure when Goldwater stated in his acceptance speech that "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice,...and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."

George and Mike did get to meet one of the speakers, an actor and activist Ronald Reagan. Afterwards, George confided to his son, "that man will be president someday."

Also during the convention, Mike ran into a young Mitt Romney. The two chatted briefly, with young Mike being absolutely fascinated by Mitt's dad being a governor and a rising star within the party. Mitt, on the other hand, took unique interest in Mike's family's history. The two, although being from two different wings of the party at the time, enjoyed a great rapport. It would not be the last time their paths crossed. If George thought Reagan would be President, Mike thought Mitt Romney would be.

to be continued...

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By the way, here are some signs from the period.

1968

1976

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Mike Pulaski (continued)

Johnson's incumbency and Goldwater's radical image allowed the Presidency to coast to victory in '64.

Although crushed by this defeat, Mike felt the need to become more involved in politics. Upon his acceptance into the University of Florida, Mike joined the College Republicans and began to pursue a degree in political science.

He worked on his first campaign in 1966, volunteering for Claude Kirk's successful bid for Governor of Florida, the first Republican to be elected to that position since Reconstruction.

In 1968, Mike had the privilege of being a delegate to the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami. Rumors abounded over who would be Nixon's running mate. The former Vice President emerged from the fray caused by the fighting between George Romney and Nelson Rockefeller, and many presumed he would choose someone to his right. Florida Governor Kirk, Democratic Governor of Texas Jack Connally, Michigan Congressman and House Minority Leader Gerald Ford, and even the newly elected California Governor Ronald Reagan were rumored to be on Nixon's short list for Vice President. Ultimately, George Romney was announced for VP, a decision which shocked many conservatives.

Although Mike tried to lobby for Kirk as VP, he felt comfortable with Romney on the ticket, after having
met the Michagan Governor's son four years earlier, and who was now in France as a missionary. Still, Mike could not help but be impressed by California's favorite son candidate. Unlike Goldwater, he seemed to be far more amiable, and might just be the one to articulate the conservative message. Mike kept a "Reagan for President" button from the convention, just in case...

[Vote UKIP!]

I found this great picture. I should have used it earlier.

^{President George Romney meeting with Fmr. Governor of California during the deadlocked 1976 Republican National Convention}

By the way, I am beginning posting on AH.com.
http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=235743

Any suggestions, comments, guesses about where this timeline is going?

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Readers:

Don't worry, I haven't abandoned the timeline. I've just hit writer's block, but I'll need to make at least one change.

I alluded earlier to Mike meeting a young Karl Rove. To keep the story moving, I will need to drop thar element.

Expect one more chapter involving Mike's personal life before we get to the cliffhanger a while back.

Thank you for your patience,

MasterSanders

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

FYI, my man Karl was president/chairman/whatever of the college republicans 1973-1977.

[Vote UKIP!]

FYI, my man Karl was president/chairman/whatever of the college republicans 1973-1977.

Since Mike will be made the leader of the University of Florida's College Republicans, I was thinking I could have Karl meat Mike. Other than that, Karl's and Mike's paths won't cross again, so that would just weigh down the story.