All Stand Down

[badgate]

VIII: Any Jackass Can Kick Down A Barn

Democratic Presidential Candidates, announced 1/2007-10/2007.

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton


Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards


Wisconsin Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin


Illinois Senator Barack Obama


Deleware Senator Joe Biden


Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius


Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd

Democratic Primary Debate
The first primary debate was a cordial and tepid affair. No candidates really have a reason to attack each other at this point, so the 90-minute debate really amounted to chances for each candidate to introduce themselves and their strengths to viewers. Though Senators Obama and Clinton both have avid followings, neither candidate's star power stood out tonight. Clinton has been the frontrunner in polls since 2006 and that is not expected to change. Those at the bottom of the polls, with under 5% support, failed to make the kind of splash that would double their poll numbers or fundraising. All in all, the Democratic field is looking like the 7 Dwarves.


November, 2007 - First day of filing for Presidential race.
Democratic Primary Poll
Hillary Clinton - 32%
John Edwards - 16%
Barack Obama - 12%
Joe Biden - 9%
Kathleen Sebelius - 6%
Chris Dodd - 5%
Tammy Baldwin - 4%
Undecided - 16%






















December 16, 2007 - Last day of filing for Presidential race.

Former President Al Gore enters the Democratic primary for 2008.



Democratic Presidential Candidates
.....as of Jan. 1, 2008

• Former President Al Gore - 30%
• Hillary Clinton - 22%
• Barack Obama - 13%
• John Edwards - 11%
• Joe Biden - 6%
• Chris Dodd - 5%
• Kathleen Sebelius - 3%
• Tammy Baldwin - 1%
• Undecided - 9%

[badgate]

IX: I Came In Like A Wrecking Ball

Des Moines Register Iowa Poll
Barack Obama - 21%
Al Gore - 19%
Hillary Clinton - 18%
John Edwards - 13%
Joe Biden - 7%
Kathleen Sebelius - 3%
Chris Dodd - 3%
Tammy Baldwin - 2%
Unsure - 14%



Pre-Caucus Debate
With the Des Moines Register poll debuting this morning, the shocking results raised the stakes insurmountably for the pre-caucus debate. Former President Al Gore made a late entry into the race with much fanfare, but sharp reality set in when it became all too apparent how rusty the 43rd president was in the political arena. Meanwhile, upstart Senator Barack Obama has made humongous headway in the Buckeye state. Polls show him leading the pack in African-American, single women, and the youth vote. Senator Hillary Clinton, who has been seen as the frontrunner since 2005, is still going strong but has yet to top a single poll. Tonight's debate was a far cry from the Debate of the Seven Dwarves. Every candidate got attacks in on the three frontrunners, but it only served to keep those three candidates ahead of the pack. We'll see 24 hours from now who wins the Iowa caucuses...


Iowa Caucus
Barack Obama - 36%
Hillary Clinton - 29%
Al Gore - 21%
John Edwards - 10%
Joe Biden - 1%
Tammy Baldwin - 1%
Chris Dodd - 1%
Kathleen Sebelius - 1%

--Kathleen Sebelius exits Presidential race, no endorsement.
--Tammy Baldwin exits Presidential race, no endorsement.
--Chris Dodd exits Presidential race, endorses Hillary Clinton.
--Joe Biden vows to stay in through New Hampshire, endorses himself.


New Hampshire
Hillary Clinton - 40%
Barack Obama - 28%
Al Gore - 19%
John Edwards - 9%
Joe Biden - 4%

--Joe Biden exits Presidential race, no endorsement.


Michigan (uncontested because of when the state scheduled its primary)
Barack Obama - 37%
Hillary Clinton - 30%
Al Gore - 18%
John Edwards - 15%


Nevada
Barack Obama - 45%
Al Gore - 24%
Hillary Clinton - 22%
John Edwards - 9%


South Carolina
Al Gore - 33%
Barack Obama - 31%
John Edwards - 20%
Hillary Clinton - 16%


Florida
Hillary Clinton - 32%
Barack Obama - 29%
Al Gore - 20%
John Edwards - 19%

Illinois Senator Barack Obama - IA, MI, NV
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - NH, FL
Former President Al Gore - SC












Up Next: Super Tuesday

[badgate]

X: Throwing Down A Gauntlet

--Former candidate Kathleen Sebelius endorses Hillary Clinton.
--Former candidate Joe Biden endorses Hillary Clinton.

Super Tuesday
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - Alabama, Arkansas, Deleware, Kansas, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma
Former President Al Gore - Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Tennessee, Utah

Illinois Senator Barack Obama - 12 States
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - 10 States
Former President Al Gore - 6 States

February 9
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - Louisiana, Virgin Islands, Washington
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - Nebraska
Former President Al Gore - None



February 10
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - None
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - Maine
Former President Al Gore - None



February 12
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - D.C., Maryland, Virginia
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - None
Former President Al Gore - None

--Former candidate Tammy Baldwin endorses Barack Obama.


February 19
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - Hawai'i, Wisconsin
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - None
Former President Al Gore - None



March 4
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - Ohio, Vermont
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - Rhode Island, Texas
Former President Al Gore - None

--Former President Al Gore exits Presidential race, endorses Obama, giving him commanding delegate lead.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama - 20 States + D.C., American Samoa
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - 14 States
Former President Al Gore - 6 States (pledged to Obama)

March 8
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - None
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - Wyoming



March 11
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - Mississippi
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - None



April 22
Illinois Senator Barack Obama - Pennsylvania
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - None

--Senator Hillary Clinton ends Presidential campaign, endorses Barack Obama.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama - 29 States + D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, & Virgin Islands
New York Senator Hillary Clinton - 15 States (pledged to Obama)
Former President Al Gore - 6 States (pledged to Obama)
80% Saturation = Held after Barack Obama became unopposed

[badgate]

XI: Veepstakes

Obama's Final Shortlist for Vice President

• Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
• Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius
• New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
• Indiana Senator Evan Bayh

Watts' Final Shortlist for Vice President

• Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
• Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
• Former Massachusetts Governor/US Trade Rep Willard M Romney
• Maine Senator Olympia Snowe

POLL: Who should be the VP picks?

[Brewer]

Watts/Huckabee and Obama/Bayh

[Enderman]

Obama/Bayh vs Watts/Romney

[Flake]

Watts/Huckabee and Obama/Sebelius

[DKrol]

Watts/Romney and Obama/Kaine

[PPT Spiral]

Watts/Snowe and Obama/Bayh

[Brewer]

Watts/Snowe and Obama/Bayh

Are conservative blue-collar workers able to live with both a black guy and a woman on the ticket?

[PPT Spiral]

Watts/Snowe and Obama/Bayh

Are conservative blue-collar workers able to live with both a black guy and a woman on the ticket?

Watts won't win another term anyway.

[Brewer]

Watts/Snowe and Obama/Bayh

Are conservative blue-collar workers able to live with both a black guy and a woman on the ticket?

Watts won't win another term anyway.

Oh yeah. It seems I forgot the whole concept behhind the timeline.

[NewYorkExpress]

Arguably Watts could win... he's VP here, not President...

[Brewer]

Arguably Watts could win... he's VP here, not President...

True, but we'll have to see if the timeline is based on all presidents standing down, or their administrations...

[badgate]

XII: Solidarity!



"I am proud to announce my running mate for Vice President, a dedicated public servant and a severe conservative, the Governor of the great state of Arkansas Mike Huckabee!"

"Thank you Mr. Vice President. Thank you my fellow Republicans. Now let's go keep the White House for the GOP!"





"Joining this groundbreaking campaign, the Governor of the great state of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius!"

Democratic National Convention

"But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.

For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments."



Post-DNC Electoral Map

Illinois Senator Barack Obama / Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius - 289
Vice President J.C. Watts / Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee - 174
Toss Up - 75
Green = Toss Up
30% = Lean D/R
40% = Likely D/R
70% = Safe D/R



Republican National Convention

"America needs to be a place where all of us can feel a part of the American dream. But it will not happen by dividing us into racial groups. It will not happen by trying to turn the poor against the rich. It will not happen by asking Americans to accept what is immoral and wrong in the name of tolerance.

With me as your President in Washington, character does count. For too long we have gotten by in a society that says the only thing right is to get by and the only thing wrong is to get caught. Character is doing what's right when nobody is looking..."



Post-RNC Electoral Map

Illinois Senator Barack Obama / Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius - 257
Vice President J.C. Watts / Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee - 217
Toss Up - 64
Green = Toss Up
30% = Lean D/R
40% = Likely D/R
70% = Safe D/R

[badgate]

Crap, I accidentally clicked "Post" instead of "Preview." Well, enjoy this, and I'll update the thread later when I have added the RNC to the above post.

[Enderman]

Crap, I accidentally clicked "Post" instead of "Preview." Well, enjoy this, and I'll update the thread later when I have added the RNC to the above post.

Well I think this way would be better:

XII: Solidarity!

XIII: Confinement!

[badgate]

Crap, I accidentally clicked "Post" instead of "Preview." Well, enjoy this, and I'll update the thread later when I have added the RNC to the above post.

Well I think this way would be better:

XII: Solidarity!

XIII: Confinement!

Solidarity refers to both parties uniting. Can you imagine the right being behind Watts without Huckabee?




BTW, updated.

[badgate]

XIII: Game Change

Post-RNC Poll
Obama/Sebelius 48%
Watts/Huckabee 48%



September 3, 2008 - Obama proposes universal healthcare, drawing contrast with Watts' market-based plan.


September 15, 2008 - President McCain drew ire and scorn for declaring "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" after Lehman Brothers announced it would file for bankruptcy.


September 21, 2008 - McCain hosts Obama in the Oval Office for a Bailout Summit before going to a larger meeting with Congressional leaders and top McCain administration staff, including VP Watts.


Significant Events of the 2008 Fall Campaign (September)

• Obama proposes universal healthcare, drawing contrast with Watts' market-based plan.
• Lehman Brothers announces that it will file for bankruptcy.
• Following President McCain's statement, Obama paints the administration as out of touch in new ad.
• Former Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul endorses Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin, giving conservatives who did not feel Huckabee did enough to allay their concerns a second option.
• President McCain draws ire for declaring "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" from the press briefing room.
• August Jobs report revised from +11,000 jobs to -150,000 jobs.
• Watts suspends campaign; declares he won't debate Obama until the bailout is passed.
• McCain hosts summit on bailout with Obama representing the Democrats. Watts drops in polls further because he is sidelined.
• The first Presidential debate is held on foreign policy. Watts defends the administration's broken promises on Iraq, while Obama highlights his opposition to Iraq and promises a new GI expansion in his stimulus package. Watts highlights free healthcare for all veterans, a component of both candidates' healthcare plans.

First October Poll
Obama/Sebelius 50%
Watts/Huckabee 44%



September 25, 2008 - First debate is held on foreign policy.


October 1, 2008 - Bailout is passed, with Senators Obama & Clinton on the floor whipping the vote and Vice President Watts presiding over the vote "in the event of a tie."

Significant Events of the 2008 Fall Campaign (October)

• Sebelius and Huckabee debate, with pundits calling it a tie for the two tickets. In a preview of the Al Smith dinner, Huckabee makes many attempts to steer the conversation toward abortion.
• Both candidates address the Al Smith dinner. Watts calls Obama pro-abortion and delivers a fiery defense of "all life."
• The economy sheds 350,000 jobs in two weeks, new report announces.
• In the town hall debates, both candidates find ways to connect with the audience. The second debate is declared a tie.
• Watts airs viscous ad highlighting Reverend Wright's 9/11 speech, and positioning himself as a man of God.
• Third Party debate is held between Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin, Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, Independent Ralph Nader, and Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr.
• Final debate is held ten days before election day. Watts fumbles his answers on the economy, and Obama makes his famous inquiry: "Honestly, what are you even talking about?"
• In final days, Watts draws criticism for not denouncing a supporter who calls Obama "a Muslim," and "an Arab."

Vice President Watts stormed the swing states hard, but nothing could repair the damage his campaign has undergone in the last two months.


Obama drew record crowds in Virginia and Iowa on the final day of campaigning.

Final Pre-Election Poll
Obama/Sebelius 51%
Watts/Huckabee 46%
Not Sure 3%

[badgate]

XIV: Election Night 2008, pt.1

7:00pm

Georgia is too close to call

Indiana is too close to call

Kentucky for J.C. Watts

South Carolina for J.C. Watts

Vermont for Barack Obama

Virginia is too close to call

Good evening! It looks like it's going to be a slow evening, at least until 9 o'clock rolls around. Democrats have a realistic shot at getting just shy of a super majority in the Senate tonight. Polls all this last week have shown Vice President J.C. Watts down between three and nine points from Democrat Barack Obama. This has been a historic election, with both Presidential candidates being African-American and the first time either party nominated a person of color for the top of the ticket. Later tonight we'll be making some more history. But we can now call Georgia for the Vice President. Vice President Watts now has 31 electoral votes to Barack Obama's 3.


Georgia for J.C. Watts

7:30pm

North Carolina is too close to call

Ohio is too close to call

West Virginia for J.C. Watts

Vice President Watts has risen to 36 electoral votes, while Barack Obama remains at 3. In North Carolina, the Senate race is too close to call but Kay Hagan is leading. Mark Warner has already officially won the Virginia senate race, and Senator Rob Portman of Ohio narrowly leads his challenger.




8:00pm

Alabama for J.C. Watts

Connecticut for Barack Obama

Deleware for Barack Obama

Florida is too close to call

Illinois for Barack Obama

Maine (state-wide) for Barack Obama

Maine (ME-1) for Barack Obama

Maine (ME-2) is too close to call

Maryland for Barack Obama

Massachusetts for Barack Obama

Mississippi for J.C. Watts

Missouri for is too close to call

New Hampshire is too close to call

New Jersey for Barack Obama

Oklahoma for J.C. Watts

Pennsylvania is too close to call

Rhode Island for Barack Obama

Tennessee for J.C. Watts

Washington, D.C. for Barack Obama

Whew! Senator Barack Obama has taken a giant leap to 81 electoral votes! Vice President Watts is now running behind at 69.



8:30pm

Arkansas for J.C. Watts

We should be seeing some more states being called between now and 9, stay tuned!

[badgate]

XV: Election Night 2008, pt. 2

9:00pm

Too Close to Call States Called: Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and ME-2 for Barack Obama

Arizona is too close to call

Colorado is too close to call

Kansas is too close to call

Louisiana for J.C. Watts

Michigan is too close to call

Minnesota is too close to call

Nebraska (state-wide) for J.C. Watts

Nebraska (NE-1, NE-3) for J.C. Watts

Nebraska (NE-2) is too close to call

New Mexico for Barack Obama

New York for Barack Obama

South Dakota for J.C. Watts

Texas for J.C. Watts

Wisconsin is too close to call

Wyoming for J.C. Watts

Barack Obama is clearly headed toward victory at this point. With even the state of his VP pick, Kansas, too close to call right now, we can call a few more states for both sides. Missouri will go to Vice President Watts' column, while Michigan and Minnesota go to Barack Obama. Watts has 139 electoral votes, and Barack Obama has 144.



10:00pm

Iowa is too close to call

Montana is too close to call

Nevada for Barack Obama

Utah for J.C. Watts

Looking at the senate, we now have victories for the Democrats in Montana, Virginia, North Carolina, and Colorado. Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor and Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu look good in their races as well, though Landrieu must keep her percentage above 50% to avoid a runoff election that could work against here in the long run. Watts has climbed to  144 electoral votes, and Barack Obama now has 149. Close, but it looks like we have a few outstanding states to call in. Virginia, Wisconsin, Iowa, for Democrat Barack Obama. Kansas, and the home state of President John McCain to Vice President J.C. Watts. The electoral count now stands at 179/160. Well, would you look at that, Obama has widened his lead. This is probably the turning point where he will gain more and more ground until all 50 states have been called.

11:00pm

Too Close To Call States - Montana for J.C. Watts, Ohio for Barack Obama

California for Barks Obama

Hawaii for Barack Obama

Idaho for J.C. Watts

North Dakota for J.C. Watts

Oregon for Barack Obummer

Washington for Barack Obama

Well. With Ohio being called, and the west coast states in, Barack Obama has sealed the deal and now stands at 276 electoral votes. Tomorrow, a new era beings for America.

Final Map

Illinois Senator Barack Obama / Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius - 365
Vice President J.C. Watts / Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee - 173

[OAM]

"Oregon for Barack Obummer"

*Ahem*

[badgate]

Presidents of the United States (1975-present)
39. James Earl Carter, Jr.....................1975-1981
40. Ronald Wilson Reagan...................1981 - 1989
41. George Herbert Walker Bush..........1989 - 1993
42. William Jefferson Clinton.................1993 - 1997
43. Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.....................1997 - 2001
44. George Walker Bush.....................2001 - 2005
45. John Sidney McCain III.................2005 - 2009
46. Barack Hussein Obama.................2009 - Present


Vice Presidents of the United States (1975 - Present)
42. Walter Frederick Mondale..........1975 - 1981
43. George Herbert Walker Bush..........1981 - 1989
44. James Danforth Quayle.................1989 - 1993
45. Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.....................1993 - 1997
46. Joseph Isadore Lieberman...............1997 - 2001
47. Richard Bruce Cheney...................2001 - 2005
48. Julius Ceaser Watts.......................2005 - 2009
49. Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius................2009 - Present

[badgate]

XVI: Change

Barack Hussein Obama, 46th President of the United States


Kathleen Gilligan Sebelius, 49th Vice President of the United States


111th Congress
Senate
Republican - 40
Democrat - 59
Independent - 1 (Caucuses with Democrat Party)

House
Republican - 178
Democrat - 257

The Cabinet of President Barack Obama (2009-Present)

• Secretary of State - Susan Rice (D-D.C.)
• Secretary of Defense - Joe Lieberman (I-CT) (2009); John Kerry (D-MA) (2010-Present)
• Attorney General - Eric Holder (D-NY)
• Secretary of Treasury - Timothy Geithner (I-NY)
• Secretary of Health & Human Services - Howard Dean (D-VT)
• Secretary of Labor - Joe Sestak (D-PA)
• Secretary of Education - Arne Duncan (D-IL)
• Secretary of Interior - Ken Salazar (D-CO)
• Secretary of Agriculture - Tom Vilsack (D-PA)
• Secretary of Housing & Urban Development - Shaun Donovan (D-CA)
• Secretary of Commerce - Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
• Secretary of Energy - Steven Chu (D-CA)
• Secretary of Homeland Security - Janet Napolitano (D-AZ)
• Secretary of Transportation - Ray LaHood (R-IL)
• Secretary of Veteran's Affairs - Eric Shineski (D-HI)

-------------------------------------------------

Significant Events of Barack Obama's First Term (2009-2010)

• 2009 - President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 46th President with a 72% approval rating.
• 2009 - Obama proposes "a new new deal for America," Republicans begin shouting loudly that they are being left out of the discussion.
• 2009 - McCain's nomination of Samuel Alito now null and void, President Obama nominates Leah Ward Sears to replace Sandra Day O'Conner.
• 2009 - In his first week, Obama signs into law with broad bipartisan support the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the S-CHIP expansion vetoed by President McCain, and a revenue-neutral committee appointed to oversee the use and timely repayment of TARP funds.
• 2009 - Vice President Sebelius is tasked with drafting alongside HHS Sec. Howard Dean the President's health care legislation, to be introduced later in 2009 after the stimulus has been passed.
• 2009 - Leah Ward Sears is confirmed by the Senate 98 - 0.
• 2009 - The March job report indicates 2 million jobs have already been lost in 2009. In the weeks that the stimulus will be written up and brought through the legislative process, President Obama travels the country targeting local and state media to emphasize the financial disaster is becoming bigger than anyone thought.
• 2009 - 8 hours after Sen. Al Franken was sworn in, he cast his first vote on cloture to proceed to a final vote on the President's $999 billion stimulus package.
• 2009 - The House takes up the Obama administration's health care legislation, which creates a national exchange with a public option. $25 billion is set aside for states that wish to supplement their existing exchanges or create their own instead of the federal exchange. Republicans blast the bill as socialism.
• 2009 - Sonya Sotomayor is sworn in as Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
• 2009 - During the August recess, the Tea Party movement that gasped its first breaths in 2008 showed up en masse to town halls across the country, angry at the health care law being considered in Washington.
• 2009 - Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy passes away.
• 2009 - President Obama is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 2009 - 13 people shot dead at Ft. Hood, TX. President Obama directs HHS Sec. Dean to see what healthcare could have done to prevent the tragedy.
• 2009 - After a new provision enabling lifetime access to all veterans and their families to the public option, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is sent to President Obama's desk for his signature.
• 2009 - On Christmas Day, Flight 253 is almost bombed. Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for the failed attack.

May/August, 2009 - Leah Ward Sears & Sonia Sotomayor are sworn in as Associates Justice to the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts. Though Roberts is the Chief Justice, with Sears and Sotomayor's addition to the court, the conservative wing is now in the minority.


August, 2009 - The Tea Party movement scared Congressional Republicans into once again having a spine.


December, 2009 - President Barack Obama signs into law his historic healthcare reform.


Significant Events of Barack Obama's First Term (2009-2010 cont.)

• 2010 - Massachusetts elects Republican state Senator Scott Brown to replace Ted Kennedy in close special election against Democrat Martha Coakley.
• 2010 - In his State of the Union address, President Obama calls on Congress to approve a second stimulus including a payroll tax holiday during the "J" months and the month of December for the next 10 years, appropriations from the transportation and education bills, to "revitalize the nation's roads and bridges, schools and bus fleets. His final proposal was an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for incomes under $250,000/year until the end of 2012, ensuring that the cuts would expire at the end of 2010 for incomes over $250,000/year.
• 2010 - The Supreme Court rules in favor of the FEC in Citizens United vs. FEC.
• 2010 - Troop withdrawal begins in Iraq, and the surge deployments into Afghanistan end.
• 2010 - Obama signs into law the Tax Cut Extension and Economic Revitalization Act, funneling billions of dollars to schools and construction projects, along with his other economic priorities, and ensuring that the deficit would fall by 1/3 in 2011.
• 2010 - The 2010 Winter Olympics are held in Vancouver, Canada. Michelle Obama goes to represent the United States.
• 2010 - Unemployment begins dropping at a pace of .1-.3% a month.
• 2010 - The 2010 United States Census begins. 308,745,538 residents are recorded to be living in the United States.
• 2010 - The Deepwater Horizon oil platform explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers. The resulting Horizon oil spill, one of the largest in history, spreads for several months, damaging the waters and the United States coastline, and prompting international debate and doubt about the practice and procedures of offshore drilling.
• 2010 - The FIFA World Cup is held in South Africa, and Spain comes out the winner.
• 2010 - Wikileaks releases thousands of documents.
• 2010 - Unemployment hits 8.9% in August.
• 2010 - In an East Room address, President Obama announces that 90% of Guantanamo Bay detainees have been secretly moved over the first 19 months of his term, and the prison will close at the end of the year. There is debate in Congress about what to do with the prison building and the land.
• 2010, Midterms - Democrats narrowly hold both houses of Congress. Unemployment is 8.56% on election day.
• 2010 - The Arab Spring begins.
• 2010 - During the 111th Congress' lame duck session, the Don't Ask Don't Tell law was repealed, a CR to fund the government is passed, but the DREAM Act failed. Disappointed immigration activists accused the White House of scuttling the law to keep the issue alive in 2012.
• 2010 - The White House announces that President Obama will be joining Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Jan. 5, 2011 at a "Congress on your Corner" event in her Arizona district.

112th Congress
Senate
Republican - 48
Democrat - 51
Independent - 1 (Caucuses with Democrat Party)

House
Republican - 214
Democrat - 221

April, 2010 - The Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, killing 11. An estimated 4.9 million barrels (210 million US gal; 780,000 m3) spill into the Gulf of Mexico.


July, 2010 - Protestors support WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.


January, 2011 - A day that will shape President Obama's legacy.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

I love this new Obama. I tried to do something similar with him in one of my TLs, but I got writers block. I look forward (reluctant and sadly) to seeing how his Presidency ultimately fails.