1920 Conventions (The Hearse at Monticello)

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Hopes for continued American neutrality in the Great War were dashed in the early months of 1917, when the Fairbanks Administration made public an intercepted German telegram to Mexico offering that nation a slice of US territory in exchange for their support in a war with the American Republic. Enraged, Congress quickly complied with President Fairbanks' request for a Declaration of War on Germany, plunging the United States into its first war in nearly forty years. By November 1918 it was all over, American intervention having tipped the scales in favor of the Allied Powers.

Fairbanks himself would not live to see the American victory. On June 4, 1918, just five months before the cease-fire of November 11, the Hoosier statesman passed away at his home in Indianapolis. The presidency of the nation therefore fell to Hiram Vespian Johnson, a Californian who, next to Robert La Follette, was the most prominent progressive in the country. Firmly opposed to further inserting the United States into the affairs of Europe, Johnson's involvement in the peace negotiations held at Versailles in 1919 was limited, though he did secure US ratification of the treaty.

Johnson has announced his intention to seek a second term in the 1920 Election, running on a platform calling for a "return to normalcy" after the tumultuous war years. His lone opposition is Minister Aaron S. Watkins of Ohio, who supports reestablishing nationwide prohibition. In the Populist camp, meanwhile, former Vice President Underwood and former Secretary of State Marshall are once again the front runners. While relatively similar in terms of their foreign policy views - both support the formation of a "League of Nations" to serve as an arbitrator for future international disputes - they differ when it comes to the focus of their domestic policies. While Marshall has strong ties to labor unions and is the foremost opponent of child labor in the nation, Underwood represents the agricultural wing of the party that remains suspicious of organized labor and prioritizes tariff reform above other issues. Senators John S. Williams and Gilbert Hitchcock are also seeking the nomination, the one running almost entirely on support for tariff reform, the other on calls for a "League of Nations".

Though the candidacy of Jeanette Rankin allowed the Democrats to widen their base four years ago, the party's bench remains depressingly short as many of its leaders retire from the public stage. Of the four candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in 1920, only one - Senator Carter Glass of Virginia - holds national office. A mix of isolationists and internationalists, progressives and conservatives, the Democratic field is united only in its desire to revive their party's relevance in national politics.

This should be interesting.

[Mr. Smith]

Johnson

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Marshall/Roosevelt!

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Marshall/Roosevelt!

Franklin Roosevelt's political affiliation is in flux at the moment. He started out as a Democrat out of allegiance to his father, a life-long member of the party, but he might be drawn to the Americans if the party remains in the hands of Johnson's supporters. In any event, the failure of cousin Teddy to win two terms in office has made "Roosevelt" a much less powerful name in the world of politics.

[Zioneer]

Hiram Johnson seems like a good candidate.

[PPT Spiral]

I was initially going to post "Al Smith so we can repeal Prohibition," but then I realized that already happened under Debs. Al's still cool, though.

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

Underwood!

[Türkisblau]

Went with my boy Hiram.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Underwood/Marshall

[Zioneer]

All of the front-runners seem like pretty good progressives.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

The general election will be up in a moment.