Paradigm Shift

[Nagas]

SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1999 - GOVERNOR ALLEN IS IN, GOVERNOR BUSH IS OUT

Allen, sitting down to talk with supporters after his speech.


Bush, earlier on Meet the Press.

06.20.99 - RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - After Governor Bush announced on Meet the Press that he would not be seeking the Presidency to "finish up his duty to Texas," Governor George Allen (R-VA) announced that he would be a contender for the 2000 Republican nomination. These decisions come as a shock to many pundits, who expected Governor Bush to run for the Presidency and for Governor Allen to run against incumbent Senator Chuck Robb next year. It is believed that without Bush entering the race, other top tier contenders will run to fill the vacuum.

Governor Allen, in a speech to supporters:

"I'd like to thank you all for coming here this afternoon. It is time that we restore moral integrity to the white house and the streets of Washington! We will restore Washington to it's greatest and purist form and work to make America great. Working off the national welfare reform and what we did here in Virginia, we can continue to reform our welfare to be sure that our budgets stay balanced..."

[Nagas]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1999 - RACE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION HEATS UP: GOVERNOR THOMPSON IS IN!

Governor Thompson addresses a crowd of enthusiastic supporters

06.23.99 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - "2000 is the year the Republicans retake the White House!" announced Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) as he introduced the governor, acting as a surrogate for the Thompson campaign. With Bush's choice not to enter the race leaving the Republican nomination wide open, Tommy Thompson, 4-term governor of Wisconsin, has thrown his hat into the ring.

Thompson is a force to be reckoned with in Wisconsin politics (just recently trouncing Ed Garvery for his 4th term, 59 - 39). Enjoying enthusiastic support from Republicans and Independents, he has won all of his terms by large margins and scored many legislative victories. Never hesitating to work with the other side of the isle, Thompson recently passed BadgerCade to expand medical coverage to the citizens of Wisconsin. It is likely that if at the top of the ticket, Thompson could move Wisconsin back in the Republican column after supporting Dukakis and Clinton both times.

Present in a lower income neighborhood, a target for BadgerCade, Thompson called for " a government that works for the people. One that does not try to pass overreaching government healthcare like the Clinton administration, but one that works at the state and local level to create solutions that work! We must and we will create a smaller and more trustworthy government!"

Poll: ABC News
1,500 Respondents. Registered Republicans only
Who do you support for the Republican nomination?
Governor Tommy Thompson (R-WI) - 31%
Governor George Allen (R-VA) - 18%
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) - 13%
Steve Forbes (R-NY) - 8%
Undecided/New Candidate - 30%

[AmericanNation]

Nice.  Tommy would need something to catapult him nationally.  He was a dominant force, but to much of a "boy from Elroy" for the national spotlight.  A brilliant proposal like the Ryan budget would make perfect sense.  Somewhat controversial, but gold in a GOP primary and enough of a wedge in the general.  

He is basing his current Senate race on the debt bomb and specifically medicare reform (as an expert former HHS sec).  Literally "We can do for America, what we did for Wisconsin"

Maybe his school choice/voucher plan catches fire.  Thompson could pick off 40% of the black vote in his prime (in Milwaukee anyway).  Oooo,  he should give a speech at Mesmer HS in Milwaukee... "My reforms create the opportunity for youngsters to escape failed schools and get the education they seek... The education WE MUST offer.  100% of these students (95%+ black) graduate from this choice school AND 100% go on to some type of post high school training/school.  Compare those RESULTS to the 50% dropout rate of MPS and dozens of the largest districts across the country.  We not only think big in Wisconsin, we get BIG TIME RESULTs!!!  

*Remember Clinton and other republicans ripped off all his ideas in the 90s and early 2000s.  If he actually got credit for them...   "If you liked welfare reform, I'm the guy who invented it."
"If you liked my ideas, you'll really like them implemented correctly."  Joke:"why not go to the horse's mouth? and that horse is me."                      
            

[GPORTER]

Gore thinks he needs Clinton seeing that he has some stronger primary challengers. But, Clinton could backfire.

[Jerseyrules]

[Raises hand] Please, sir!  May I see what it's like to have a non-neocon Bush in the White House?