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Lawrence J. M. Watson is an American politician who was born on February 11, 1950 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

BIOGRAPHY:

Watson was born the son of a railroad engineer and homemaker, the oldest of four brothers. Growing up in Pittsburgh's Mt. Washington, Watson watched Pittsburgh's industrial power in the post-World War world, deeply engaged in his city as a young child, he recalled fondly growing up with David L. Lawrence as Mayor (Whom he was named for) and watching Pittsburgh evolve both personally and industrially. He identified, even as a youngster with big steel and big industry. He would develop his love for rail travel when riding in a massive Allegheny type engine, which his father Mike ran. Large machines such as trains, ships and big cars were to become great passions. Indeed, physical sporting events such as football, hockey, boxing and pro wrestling would all become part of his many hobbies, which also included theater and consuming books.

As a teenager, Lawrence Watson was described by peers as friendly and charming, but also muscular, aggressive and intimidating. Already 6"2" and near 270lbs, he towered over classmates and gave the impression of an ebullient giant. A standout football player, he seemed to have little true interest in politics... That is until the 1968 election...

The election of '68 awakened a passion for politics in him. His preferred candidate was Hubert Humphrey, who would become something of a moulder of his own politics. Humphrey was big labor and popular in Western Pa. Indeed, he had not been charmed by RFK in the early goings. He became a leader of Students for Humphrey in Pennsylvania and discovered his talents as a political embryo. The defeat of Humphrey in 1968 was crushing, but he made important friends and contacts within the Pennsylvania Democratic Party which would prove important. Peter Flaherty, who saw in Watson a great deal of talent and in 1972 he chose the talented Pitt alum to head up his 1973 re-election campaign. Flaherty faced stiff primary competition from Richard Caliguiri, who received the endorsements of the city machine. Flaherty was victorious and his wunderkind Watson received a great deal of credit for it.

Watson chose to run for Pennsylvania's 20th Congressional District when Joseph Gaydos relinquished his seat to run for Lt. Governor in 1974. Although still technically under the legal age to serve, he was elected easily thanks to his high visibility and popularity among Western PA Democrats. He waited a month after the new Congress convened to swear in on his 25th birthday, February 11th, 1975.

In the House, Watson became a young satellite around the venerable Mo Udall. Udall was known to always have an eye peeled for young talent and he recognized the jumbo Pennsylvanian as a man on the rise. It was at this time, Watson, known among his peers as "Laughing Larry", became a heavy drinker and party animal. His penchant for holding his liquor was legendary among those who knew him best such as Montana's Scott Westman. In one night, it was estimated he'd tossed back nearly 20 cocktails and almost 50 shots of hard liquor. His friends would be stunned when he wouldn't get sick. Watson was moderately popular with women during his tenure, most of them drawn to his charisma. Watson was not one for one night stands, however and the frequency with which women broke his heart was immeasurable. Udall, sensing a derailment coming encouraged him to take a vacation.

In 1977, after having been re-elected, Watson took a trip to Sydney, Australia. While on the beach, he met Laura Ellen Imber, an engineer who worked to design new airplanes. Lawrence and Laura at first engaged in a happy friendship, Watson's Congressional phone bill went into the thousands of dollars. When Imber moved to the United States to work with United Airlines, Watson suggested they become a couple. On May, 11th 1979 the two were married. In December of that year, Watson announced he was running for Senate...

Election 1980

Watson met Williamsport Congressman Allen Ertel in the Democratic Primary. Scholarly looking former attorney Ertel savaged Watson during the primary for his high living and hard drinking lifestyle. Ertel implied that Watson was a drug user, something Watson denied vehemently. The centrist Ertel also complained of Watson's streak of social democracy. Well known in the House for his votes in support of Full Employment and Universal Health Care. He also opposed most free trade agreements unless the other nation met his standard of civil and worker rights. Ertel did win most of the rural counties and got close in Philadelphia. Watson formed an alliance with Philadelphia power broker Joseph Clark and held onto his Western power base. He defeated Ertel by just over 7,000 votes. Ertel would later become Governor and indeed became a close ally of Watson, burying the hatchet over the vicious campaign.

Everyone knew that 1980 was a hopeless year for the Democrats. Watson was expected to be another sacrificial lamb for the party. It was assumed that Watson would lose the race and return to Pittsburgh to run in the next Mayoral election. Barely 30 years old, his opponent was the invincible seeming Arlen Specter. "Snarlin' Arlen" was a big time Philadelphia attorney who was known for his temper and nasty attitude. By contrast, Watson was one of Pennsylvania's most well-liked leaders. He was a visible figure in the House and his huge frame and penchant in the 70s for growing a full beard and long hair made him look a bit like a massive bear. By 1981, he would abandon the facial hair and took on a more businesslike look.

Specter and Watson engaged in a slug-fest that saw both men brutalize the other. Specter's charges of Watson being too far left, too young and too much a lover of the night life. Specter alleged, though indirectly, that Watson had met his wife Laura at a strip club in Sydney. Laura Watson, politically inactive (Though she claimed she had supported Australian Labor in 1977) and both shocked and hurt over the attack withdrew from traveling with him to stay in Pittsburgh with their year old son, Brian. Watson and his manager, Jimmy Lewis, a bisexual former political op-ed writer, devised a serious of harsh attack ads on Specter. In Pittsburgh and the western half of the state, he portrayed Specter as a money-grubbing, over-privileged publicity hound. In Philadelphia and the east, they focused on Specter's more controversial cases, portraying him as dangerous and a flip flopper, bringing up his former Democratic affiliation.

The 1980 debate was a brutal one. Missing his wife and son, Watson was agitated and aggressive. Specter's position on unions in the workplace was cause for an angry slap from the younger man. Someone with less personal charisma would've seen their political careers destroyed from such an angry debate performance. Instead, Watson won the election...

And this is where we stand today...

"I don't think I can be beaten..."

Boastful as the statement was, winning the 1980 Senate election was certainly cause to be boastful. Squeaking through Specter by a hair's breath made him the youngest U.S. Senator in Washington. His friends were happy for him, but his wife fretted over the amount of time apart with a newborn baby. Even still, his happily boasting quote was regarded by political pundits as a Bigger than Jesus style comment. But in all, there was some truth to it.

"What can we accomplish if we continue to use the Senate for its longtime purpose? This chamber moves glacially and although it is the way of things, the fact that we move so slowly means that people in my state may suffer another lost job or another denial of health coverage! We cannot sit and allow this to happen!"

It is a major risk to upset the status quo of the sedentary Senate. Watson's early proclamation against the established system ostracized him from the old guard. However, his aggressiveness and ambition found allies in younger men who he found himself around ever more increasingly. Scott Westman and Ted Kennedy were early friends as were Jefferson Dent, Joe Biden and Dale Bumpers. Kennedy was especially helpful in tutoring Watson on how to weave his way through the Senate. Bumpers, not really a young man, was still new to Washington himself, so they admired each others newness. Biden was of a similar age, also in his 30s, and the two connected easily on a passionate dedication to rail. Westman though would prove to be his closest personal friend, but an odd ally. Libertarian and generally anti-union, Westman and Watson had partied together, having both gotten to Congress the same year. Both liked booze and girls and their friendship forged a willingness to meet the other man's needs. Westman needed some help getting support from labor? No problem. Watson was there. Watson needed to soften his economic message to get support from businesses? Westman was there to help out. Two very different men, though. Westman was an ex-hippie who still kept his 60s look. Always disheveled and rail-thin, he looked the complete opposite of the massive ex-football standout....

Dent was another close ally. A wily operator, Dent kept Watson in the loop with regards to working with the southern clique. Senator Russell Long, someone who immediately disliked Watson, was brought to work with him by the cagey Dent.

TIME

Article retrieved on January 24th, 1982

Ronald Reagan strode confidently through the Capitol Building today and why shouldn't he? Reagan vetoed a Democratic lead plan to continue to fun universal health coverage. Funding for the program, which had been temporarily enacted in in November of 1977, the Humphrey-Kennedy Health Care Act, which had been adopted from the House's Udall-Watson bill, one of Hubert Humphrey's final sponsored acts to be passed, funded universal health care for those making an income of under $100,000 a year for four years. The temporary act was to allow time for a more comprehensive one to be cobbled together. When that act finally came, President Reagan turned it down. Treasury Secretary Don Regan claimed that money for the program simply did not exist. This prompted an angry reaction from Democrats and pro-health care Republicans today. Jefferson Dent, the venerable southern liberal who has long been one of Alabama's top political figures (along with his longtime rival, George Wallace), chose to use a twenty minute Senate speech criticizing President Reagan.

The loudest voice from the chamber to heckle Reagan though, came not from a veteran leader, but rather from the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, not yet 32 years old. Lawrence Watson, a Pittsburgh born Democrat heckled Reagan (who is a year older than his own father) mercilessly not only in the Senate chamber, but when Reagan came to Capitol Hill.

"I told the son of a bitch what I thought of him," Watson said of the encounter. It wouldn't make any difference to him, after all, his health care is already paid for. Not everyone can be movie stars, though... But it's certainly gotten to the point that ANYONE can be President."

Although he was privately chastised by leadership, sources say that many Democrats generally agree with his comments.

"We just wouldn't have gone about it so publicly. Ah, to be youthful and aggressive again," said one anonymous Senator.

Although known for his jovial personality, those that remember his full beard from five years ago can state that upsetting him is akin to poking a bear. He towers over and as a former football player, could probably figure to be good in a bar fight. His friend, Senator Scott Westman confirmed that his angry outburst was not for show.

"He's angry. Most of us are..."

Polls show that the people are angry too. Numbers show Reagan's support (clinically high for the past year) has taken a double dip. Only 51% now approve of President Reagan, as opposed to about 65% four months ago.

May 11th, 1980

"It's our anniversary... Why can't you come home?"

"Honey, I can't... I have to keep going until November, you know that... Come with me on the road... Besides, everyone says I'm gonna lose anyway. I'll be home a lot more often."

"Why is your goddamn campaign more important than me? Why is it more important than your son?"

"It's not more important! I'm trying to make a better life for us. I'm trying to do it for everyone else in the state, too."

"Just stop... I can't take the things they say about you... What people think of me. My parents even hear things about it. They don't like you... They want me to come home."

"Rod and Joy never liked me from the get-go. Please come on the road with me. Bring Brian. I'll have Jimmy make arrangements for it... Please come."

"I hate politics... I can't..."

Laura Watson was by nature a shy girl. She was now 28 years old, about to turn 29 and with a son that was a year old, her desire really was just to spend time with her family. She had given up her career in Australia to marry the American politician she'd fallen in love with. Her desire was just to stay home and have her husband focus on Pittsburgh, the city he loved so passionately. Being a Senator would mean frequent trips around the state and more time apart in Washington. It would mean being around other politician's wives, none of whom she identified with. She hoped he would lose for his own sake. She knew that if he won, his ambition would only push him further. She knew he'd want to run for President someday. That was a life she did not want. She wanted him home where the two of them would focus on their massive new model railroad layout and he would obsess over the Steelers, who had just won Super Bowl XIV. She was a family oriented woman. He wanted to save the world and she admired that, but she just couldn't handle the price that it would entail.

January 14th, 1983

The first of the Presidential candidates on the Democratic side have begun to emerge today. Apart from the traditional gadfly candidates, Senator Dale Bumpers has announced he will be a Democratic candidate for President...

Bumpers chose the quick start to get into primary season with name value. Charismatic and moderate as well as southern, Bumpers seemed a strong candidate in what would appear to be a weak field. Of the group, Presidential timber consisted of Bumpers, Walter Mondale, Jeff Dent and John Glenn. Bumpers and Glenn were moderates. Mondale and Dent, liberals. Some held out hope Ted Kennedy would make a run, but his failure in 1980 against Carter soured him on running forever. Bumpers was from Arkansas, an electorally poor state and he had no experience with a national campaign. Mondale, the former VP was regarded as boring and an old hat. A strong willed VP, he had exerted great influence in the Carter administration, but was regarded as too much the machine man. John Glenn came from plum prize Ohio and was a national hero to boot, but he was disliked by quite a few people who were influential within the party. Perhaps too much of a maverick. Jeff Dent was highly regarded but unpopular with much of his own section, he also had more skeletons in the closet than would be politically advisable.

1984 would be a lost year for the Democrats, Lawrence Watson thought and what was worse, he had almost no influence. He liked all four of the major candidates, but none of them were winners against Reagan he thought. He failed to push Mo Udall into the race and settled into the realization that in fact, he still had very little power. He couldn't and wouldn't make a run himself, no matter how badly he wanted to. It was not his time, he thought. But he needed to decide on one of the four quickly. What was worse, no matter what... He would offend a friend...

As a junior Senator, but one rapidly gaining influence simply by being from a state with plenty of voters and being one of the few to not only survive a slaughter, but actually win in spite of it, Lawrence Watson's endorsement in the Presidential primary race was one worth attracting. All four of the major candidates agreed on that. The one deemed most likely to get his support was Mondale. After all, Mondale was a link with Watson's political idol, Hubert Humphrey. Mondale did still exert the greatest control over potential super delegates who were all important at conventions.

Still, Watson was not thrilled about Mondale. He sensed a desire not to be strong in campaigns. Not to go for the jugular of Reagan. He didn't sense it in the smiling Bumpers either. In fact, Bumpers was out because the union man in him could not reconcile Dale's pro-business leanings. John Glenn certainly was attractive, but in every private meeting, Glenn seemed to push him further away. Attempting to hedge on unions and especially social issues. A civil libertarian, Watson became further disgusted with Glenn's statements to him.

The one man he thought would be good was Dent.

"Jeff, tell me you're running..."

"Don't let it leak, Lawrence... I'm going to run..."

It seemed his mind was made up for him. He would hold back his endorsement until it would be expedient. The Greensburg Tribune though, long an enemy of Watson, played up his canny silence in a cartoon caricature of him being weighed down by indecision as he attempted to heave his heavy body to take another step.

()

Laura Watson was not impressed with the cartoon, but he laughed it off. She was pregnant again and didn't need the stress, so he quietly kept newspapers away from her unless they were positive. Lawrence meanwhile, read everything. His devoted manager, Jimmy Lewis frequently quizzed him to make sure Dent was the right candidate.

"All those skeletons. They just prove he's another slimy southern politician, just one we happen to agree with, no?"

"I don't think so. I think he's just had a lot of poor luck when it comes to familial relations. He's devoted to public service and so his private life has suffered. He's never been corrupt."

"Just be careful, Lawrence... Get tied to Dent and if his image takes a beating, yours will too. I still think Mondale's the way we should go..."

"No."

"Well, you do what you have to do."

The Primary Campaign

With the four major candidates announced and running under way, the campaign was nasty. Mondale attempted to bump off his three opponents quickly by collecting super delegate endorsements. However, Mondale received several high profile slaps in the face. Senator Lawrence Watson, another former Humphrey idolater, smacked Mondale down after remaining silent for a great deal of the campaign. His endorsement of Dent pushed the steelworkers union away from Mondale to Dent, a great blow in prestige. Other super delegates such as Ted Kennedy went with Dent as well and Mondale's "invincible" strategy was faltering.

Glenn suffered a series of gaffes, but survived into Super Tuesday by simple virtue of who he was. He was holding out hope for a couple of victories to keep him in the campaign. However, Super Tuesday divided between Dent and Mondale. Bumpers, having been kept from a victory as well, and not collecting many delegates, dropped out and endorsed Dent. Glenn's campaign similarly began to suffer from the lack of donors and he went broke. Glenn attempted to lend his struggling campaign money, but it wouldn't be enough to keep him in the race and he dropped out, refusing at that stage to make an endorsement.

The race between Mondale and Dent turned nasty and frequently nasty it was. Mondale accused Dent of being too divisive and brought up every scandal Dent had been implicated in. He said Dent was a failed southern "Big Daddy" sipping mint juleps while rocking on his porch as his family had long been in politics.

Dent accused Mondale of attempting to subvert the democratic process with his early strategy and called him unfit to carry Hubert Humphrey's luggage. The charge that Mondale was merely a less happy, less warriorlike version of the Happy Warrior stung hard and stuck to Mondale. However, with most of the unions still lined up for him, Mondale and Dent pressed each other into the convention at a virtual deadlock.

The Convention

Jefferson Dent had gone into San Francisco with a delegate lead, but by no means a majority. Walter Mondale held the majority of super delegates and was poised to push for a vote. John Glenn endorsed Mondale before the convention got underway and shifted to him the Ohio delegation. A group of Dent partisans such as Scott Westman and Lawrence Watson protested the move, but in the end, in amounted to naught.

Walter Mondale would be nominated over the boos and hisses of the Dent crowd and it literally caused much of the Dent delegation to walk out of the convention disgusted. Lawrence Watson chose not to speak in his scheduled slot, being bitterly disappointed by the outcome (Though Westman and many others did). Mondale, sensing a bitterly divided party attempted to heal the breach by offering the VP slot to Dent. The latter absolutely refused, but suggested one of his partisans take the post. When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

The result of Mondale-Westman was alternately a shocking one and a disappointing one. Mondale was not the preferred candidate by most of the Democrats, and the libertarian-esque Westman was not popular with core elements (Though he did provide balance) of the party. Ronald Reagan headed out of the conventions with a commanding 12 point lead, however it was implied that either Dent or a stronger third party candidate could win...

Quote from: CM Punk on August 02, 2011, 08:31:16 PM

Quote from: Kalwejt on August 02, 2011, 08:23:30 PM

Quote from: CM Punk on August 02, 2011, 08:08:27 PM

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

In your previous versions, Lawrence Watson was born in 1950, which means he's 34 in 1984. One year short of being eligible for President.

As of Westman, he was elected in 1976, which means he was just reelected in 1982. Unless, of course, you butterflied something.

Otherwise, great job as usual :)

Watson would be 34, but only between January 20th and February 11th... It matters not anyway lol.

Westman I have being elected previously in 1978. (He was in the House from 1972-1977) Only a minor butterfly.

Interesting.
I never really imagined Westman in the US House. I wonder, whose ass did he kick to get into the House? Please tell me it was Max Baucus!
You do understand though that the reason why Westman didn't run for re-election for the US Senate in original Americana had to do with Montana Election Law and not because the LP wouldn't let him, right? So presumably Montana Legislature would have had to pass some sort of LBJ rule in your TL in order for Westman to even think about "double-running" in 1984.
Just checking.

Quote from: The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels on August 03, 2011, 07:08:38 AM

Quote from: CM Punk on August 02, 2011, 08:31:16 PM

Quote from: Kalwejt on August 02, 2011, 08:23:30 PM

Quote from: CM Punk on August 02, 2011, 08:08:27 PM

When Watson made a positive refusal, Mondale contacted Westman about the opportunity. Westman accepted the VP slot on the condition that he could also run for re-election in his Montana Senate seat.

Sure it can be Max Baucus if you want! :D

Yes, I understand, however, I've butterflied the law away for my own convenience... I do little sh**t like that from time to time, though I try not to go overboard with them lol.

March 24th, 1984

Owen Samuel Clark Watson entered the world. Having taken time off campaigning for Jeff Dent's Presidential campaign to be there with Laura. Both Owen and Samuel were family names. Owen P. Watson was Lawrence's great-grand uncle. Samuel had been the middle name of Phillip Samuel Watson, a former Liberal MP from Plymouth who was the child's great-great-grandfather. Lawrence liked to use family names. The couple's first child, Brian also was named for a relative.

Watson took an extended leave from the campaign trail, determined to spend time with his family. His children were young and Laura was his personal priority. Although personally loyal to him, Watson's stubborn refusal to return to the stump irritated Jimmy Lewis who had taken a job on the Dent campaign. Lewis was devoted to the family, but Lawrence's obstinance sometimes made his life with the press and with important figures difficult. Watson didn't like to go out of his way to impress people. He was what they saw. Lewis was the one who made relations between his boss and the press or his peers workable.

Laura Watson was a happy mother. She blushed at press attention to her youth and good looks. Her husband made sure she didn't see the attacks on her husband nor the mean-spirited parodies of her Australian accent. If she'd seen them, she might've broken down in tears. Lawrence and Laura were essentially family oriented. Most of his peers were older and few had new children to raise. Politics was Watson's job. Not his life. But when Walter Mondale came away from California with the Democratic nomination, politics became an obsession. Watson would campaign with Westman but not Mondale. Instead, Watson went back to Pittsburgh, showing up in the Senate rarely for that year except to vote. He obsessed over political news and perhaps immaturely hoped for the mutual destruction.

"My family is always going to be my priority in life," Lawrence Watson would tell the press. Politics and everything else came second. In their plush, yet modest Mt. Washington home, the Watson family would busy themselves during the Presidential campaign with decidedly non-political matters. A new son and Steelers football consumed him for much of the early autumn. A frequent box guest of Art Rooney, Watson would watch the games with frequent disappointment in 1984. Terry Bradshaw was gone as was most of the original Steel Curtain. The Steelers were a playoff team that year, but not as good as they had been ten years ago when they won their first Super Bowl.

The Watson family also were preparing for a return trip to Sydney so her parents could meet the new addition. Still in all, Lawrence would watch the polls with disgust. The Libertarian Party under Ed Clark, making his second run, was emerging as a credible challenger to people who disliked the status quo third parties. Clark defined his brand as "low tax liberalism or classical liberalism". Watson had met Clark only once and briefly when both had attended a BBQ at the Westman Ranch in Montana.

President Reagan seemed headed for a victory though. Watson did campaign a few times for the MondaleWestman ticket, which did help the ticket a great deal in Pennsylvania, however it was doing little to boost the national poll numbers. When November rolled around, Mondale was crushed in election day.

(

)

Clark impressively won electoral votes in three small states while Reagan crushed Mondale in most of the battlegrounds. There were some positives for the Democrats. It was a better result than 1980 and both the Democrats won their home states. Scott Westman also kept his Montana Senate seat.

"The one lesson we can take from 1984 is that the Libertarians now hold some real power. This country is clearly in a non-interventionist mood. That bodes well for Democrats who are more conservative such as Scott Westman, Dale Bumpers and Bill Clinton. It could practically be the death blow to liberals or social democrats like Jeff Dent, Ted Kennedy and Lawrence Watson."

Of all the parties that claimed to be big-tent outfits, the Democrats carried perhaps the biggest tent of all. From old-fashioned southerners like George Wallace to civil libertarians like Scott Westman to practical euro-style social democrats like Lawrence Watson, the gamut was wide. Although the Democrats gained on their 1980 performance and added some new blood, the party was really back to square one. No true unifying ideology like the Republicans or even the Libertarians who were emerging as a credible, though still small, third force now.

Pennsylvania is a boon for politicians who label themselves as "moderate". Governor Ertel was a "moderate". Senator Heinz was a "moderate". Senator Watson... He was not. He never would claim to be, either.

"I am what I am. Label me a leftist. A liberal. A social democrat. A socialist. I've heard all three. At the end of the day, I'm a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania. If my beliefs make me a left-winger, so be it. If Pennsylvania feels I no longer represent them, they can always kick me out."

But in saying that, he knew full well that Pennsylvania wasn't going to. With two years to re-election, he'd quickly established a power base. He'd worked on several pieces of legislation with John Heinz, his Republican counterpart. He had successfully manipulated the media and he was charismatic. People liked him. They saw the giant frame and the ready laugh. They heard the thundering voice and they saw the protection he brought to them when the steel industry left.

Lawrence Watson was a caring political leader. He did legitimately care for the people he represented, especially in Pittsburgh. It was HIS city as even John Heinz (also a Pittsburgh native) would admit. But he was also a clever and manipulative politician whose particular talent was an eye on his own advancement. Perhaps not always the grandest strategist in terms of a national agenda, he did however know how to get himself ahead and how to do so quickly.

"Jimmy... How does 1988 look?"

"I don't know... I still think 1992 is the better shot. My sources tell me that they want Dent next time around."

"I don't think so. Something tells me Jeff won't get in."

"If you're wrong," Lewis fretted in his high-pitched nasally voice.

"Then why not endorse him," Watson smiled. "We wait for Jeff to do what he's going to do. This economy is going to get worse and people are going to get angry. Whatever Democrat runs in '88, the election will be a hell of a lot easier."

THE U.S. SENATE AFTER THE 1986 ELECTION (99th CONGRESS)

Howell Heflin
Jefferson Dent

Mike Gravel
Frank Murkowski

John McCain
Morris Udall

Dale Bumpers
David Pryor

Alan Cranston
Pete Wilson

Gary Hart
Bill Armstrong

Lowell Weicker
Chris Dodd

Joe Biden
William V. Roth

Lawton Chiles
Bob Graham

Sam Nunn
Wyche Fowler

Daniel K. Inouye
Spark Matsunaga

James A. McClure
Steve Symms

Alan Dixon
Paul Simon

Richard Lugar
Dan Quayle

Chuck Grassley
Tom Harkin

Bob Dole
Nancy Kassebaum

Wendell Ford
Mitch McConnell

Russell Long
J. Bennett Johnston

William Cohen
George Mitchell

Barbara Mikulski
Paul Sarbanes

Ted Kennedy
John Kerry

Carl Levin
Jim Dunn

Rudy Boschwitz
David Durenberger

John Stennis
Thad Cochran

Tom Eagleton
John Danforth

John Melcher
Scott Westman

David Karnes
Bob Kerrey

Paul Laxalt
Chic Hecht

Gordon Humphrey
Warren Rudman

Bill Bradley
Frank Lautenberg

Pete Dominici
Jeff Bingaman

Dan Moynihan
Al D'Amato

Jesse Helms
Nick Galifianakis

Quentin Burdick
Mark Andrews

John Glenn
Howard Metzenbaum

David Boren
Don Nickels

Mark Hatfield
Rod Monroe

Lawrence Watson
John Heinz

Claiborne Pell
John Chafee

Strom Thurmond
Ernest Hollings

Larry Pressler
James Abdnor

Jim Sasser
Al Gore

Lloyd Bentsen
Phil Gramm

Orrin Hatch
Jake Garn

Robert Stafford
Pat Leahy

Paul Trible, Jr
John Warner

Slade Gorton
Daniel J. Evans

Robert Byrd
Jay Rockefeller

William Proxmire
Bob Kasten

Alan Simpson
Malcolm Wallop

White House Recordings: Reagan-Bob Dole-James Baker conversation on White House's efforts to get their new budget passed with increased defense spending

Dole: Well, Mr. President, we're looking at no way this bill passes. Not in the Senate as it stands now, anyway.

Reagan: Well, what can we do to get it across? Who's causing the trouble?

Dole: Kennedy's not letting anything through. He's got Dent going around and getting the Democrats to all fly straight. I'm having problems just keeping my own house in order. Weicker doesn't like it. Rudman doesn't like it. Heinz doesn't like it. John Warner doesn't even like it, but he's committed to it.

Reagan: Well, who's not committed of the people who don't like it? Is there anything we can do, to uh--maybe bring 'em around?

Dole: John Heinz. He and Watson met yesterday for lunch to talk about it. I can maybe stick a few southern votes in to replace him, he's not a big loss.

Baker: Bob, we need everything we can in there. How can we get him?

Reagan: He's close to Lawrence and that's caused a problem. Is there any... (unintelligible) We can't find a way to do that?

Baker: Watson's the most popular politician in Pennsylvania. He's got a personal vote and Heinz likes to associate with that and be seen with him doing dumbass things like opening Museums or the local K-Mart. If Watson ever got it in his goddamned head to fight with Heinz and put him out for some sh**tty Dem like Governor Ertel or old Pete Flaherty or something, we'd have a serious issue.

Reagan: We can make use of his alcoholism. Push Heinz away from him a bit, maybe? At least long enough to get his vote, right Bob?

Dole: He's been clean for almost ten years now though. We tried it already and it didn't work.

Reagan: He has affairs, doesn't he?

Baker: We can put someone on him and watch his moves, Mr. President.

Dole: He's squeaky-clean though. He never goes anywhere without that Australian wife of his. They're joined at the goddamn hip. I know her. She's very touchy when anyone badmouths his fat ass.

Baker: Maybe she's just the key we need?

Reagan: I don't like that idea, though. Shouldn't use his wife that (unintelligible)... We'd have all of those groups on our asses. See what you can do, guys. Get Heinz back in the fold, somehow, Bob.

Bob Dole would meet frequently with John Heinz over the next three weeks. Heinz, himself didn't like the budget to begin with. It increased spending in ways he didn't agree with. Particularly, it also lowered tariff rates. In that regard, the two Pennsylvania Senators would completely agree. Defense spending was increased again. Heinz worried it could escalate tensions with the Soviets. David Steel, the Prime Minister of Great Britain had phoned President Reagan earlier in the week expressing such a concern. Watson exhibited a great deal of personal influence on John Heinz. The two were erstwhile friends who happened to agree on a number of issues. One happened to be that the budget sucked.

In the meanwhile, Ted Kennedy knew he had his house in order. There were going to be rebellions, sure. Russell Long, John Stennis and Lloyd Bentsen all phoned Kennedy and Jeff Dent to inform them that they would be voting in favor of the budget. Those votes, they could expend. Kennedy felt confidant that the Senate would defeat that budget. He, Dent, Claiborne Pell, Mo Udall and Daniel Inouye all worked on a Democratic alternative budget. Kennedy chose his most popular speakers such as Gary Hart, Dale Bumpers, Watson and Udall out to sell the alternative. Kennedy himself thought that Reagan would sign as long as the Senate votes would hold out strong.

At the same time that the Democratic alternative was being sold to the public, James Baker hired private investigators to look into Senator Watson. Needing Senator Heinz's aye vote, to give him a reason to break with Watson would be the way. Watson, himself was wise to the plan. For several days he noticed two or three of the same individuals in the same cars following him either in Pennsylvania or Washington. In a bit of tongue-in-cheek impishness, Watson had one of his staffers provide coffee and donuts to the investigators. He didn't care if they followed him, anyway. Indeed, they found him to be squeaky clean. Going back to Baker, they told him, "This is a man behaving like a Presidential candidate. Either he's very careful or following him is not the way."

May 23rd, 1986

"YOU ARE NOT THE KING OF THE GODDAMNED WORLD, Y'KNOW!"

Jimmy Lewis, the nasal voiced wunderkind political manager and close friend of Senator Watson since childhood had lost his temper. Lawrence Watson was still his boss and still someone who it was universally believed, Presidential timber. Still at 36, Watson had already pushed himself into the Senate and House already. At 38, a candidate for President?... No, it would be too much for Lewis. He was stressed already from managing his boss' need to campaign. Wait until '92. 1988 was too soon.

"Just because you know they've put a tail on you, it doesn't make you omnipotent! I can't get a Presidential campaign ready for 1988! You've got this year's election to think about. You keep getting ahead of yourself! You don't need to be retired at the oldest, 46. Take your damn time!"

Watson couldn't understand it. He didn't think he'd win the nomination in '88 anyway. What he wanted was to raise his profile. Still, Lewis was exhausted from almost constantly having to plan some other campaign. Laura was totally against it. She was not naturally an extrovert and desperately wanted more time at home with him. Something that would be impossible with a national campaign. His children were still young and they had already been put through the tests of having him away in Washington as well as constantly on the road in Pennsylvania six days a week. He needed to check his overconfidence. In the 1986 election season, he would not have to face a primary. Instead, he spent the primary season catching up with his family and working on figuring out who to endorse in the gubernatorial campaign. Governor Allen Ertel, who Watson had thought was a good Governor, but he was facing three credible challengers for another term. All of whom wanted to be Governor. First, there was Bob Casey, the socially conservative, fiscally liberal Lt. Governor from Scranton. Pennsylvania law requires the separate primary elections and Casey had tapped into Pennsylvania's reputation for being moderate and had struck a chord with elderly labor voters and Reagan Democrats. Also in the contest were Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, a liberal through and through, though not one of the "social democrats" like Watson. Rendell did run to the left of the whole field though and the roly-poly Mayor, built like Watson, was hoping for his endorsement as Pennsylvania's kingmaker. The final major candidate was Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll. A conservative Democrat who was from and exceptionally popular in Western Pennsylvania, especially with women. Watson ruled her out from endorsement automatically due to her relatively right wing positions and the fact that if she did become more popular, she'd spoil his powerful base in Pittsburgh. He would have none of it and openly said so.

He did not particularly know Casey, but his pro-life position ruled him out. Casey was bitter at not getting the endorsement from someone just as pro-labor as he was and the two would eventually become enemies. So the choice boiled down to Ertel and Rendell. Ertel had once been a rival, though cordial relations had been re-established. Rendell was closer politically, but to campaign for him meant more frequent appearances in Philadelphia, far from his home and a city he did not feel completely comfortable in. An eastern seaboard city with a New England-like mindset, Philadelphia did not rely on labor and industry as much as Pittsburgh, a mid-west minded city did. The two cities really belonged in different states. Pittsburgh was more like Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. Philadelphia more like Boston, New York and Baltimore. When he'd run his first statewide campaign, he hated being in Philly. His attitude had moderated a great deal, but he didn't care to be there longer than he had to. He felt out of place if he attended Eagles games when invited by his loyal machine in Philadelphia. He chose to compromise and root for the Eagles in the NFC while his beloved Steelers would be his overall favorite. He desperately wanted a Pennsylvania Super Bowl for the interest and attention it would generate for the state. He did keenly want to see a match-up between Chuck Noll and Buddy Ryan, two defensive geniuses.

He decided to back Rendell, but begged off making any more than three or four appearances for him. He allowed his loyal staffers to help out Rendell's campaign. However, he discovered Rendell to be a absent-minded and a bit haphazard of a campaigner. In the Lt. Governor's primary, he endorsed a loyal lieutenant, State Rep. Allen Kukovich, a Westmoreland county native. He also endorsed Mark Singel to take over his old House seat, which was gerrymandered into parts of powerful Jack Murtha's territory. With Watson's backing, Singel barely squeezed by Murtha.

An Interview with Senator Lawrence Watson, recorded October 9th, 1986

Interviewer: Our readers have had some basic questions for you. Such as when and where were you born?

Watson: February 11th, 1950. In Pittsburgh.

Interviewer: You're of Scots-English ancestry, are you not?

Watson: I am. My great-great-grandfather, Phillip Watson was a British MP. My grandfather Fred was the first Watson born in America in 1886.

Interviewer: You've never lost an election. You won surprising victories to Congress in 1976 and you defeated Arlen Specter in a huge upset in 1980 to win the Senate seat. What's made you so successful, do you think?

Watson: I think Pennsylvania identifies with me. I think I am someone who they consider just like them. I really am not wealthy and never have been. I only owned two suits when I campaigned for Congress. When I played football for Pitt, I injured my back and had to have a surgery on it and of course campaigning just flamed it up. I don't regret it though because I love campaigning and I really enjoy serving in Congress. I like the give and take and the chance I have to make someone's life better.

Interviewer: You had a very public bout with alcoholism in your first years in Congress, how did you get clean and do you still drink?

Watson: Well, let's be clear. I was an alcoholic before I went to Washington. I just found more places to party. The reason I'm sober now is my wife Laura. She helped me out and I haven't had any alcohol since 1977.

Interviewer: You're wife is foreign, isn't she?

Watson: She was born in Brisbane, but lived in Sydney Australia.

Interviewer: And you have three children. How often do they see their relatives in Australia?

Watson: We go there once a year before Christmas.

Interviewer: What do you do to unwind at home?

Watson: Well, I have a large model railroad layout at my home in Mt. Washington and I always like to go to football games. I don't get to watch much TV, but I do like Night Court and Cheers on Thursdays.

Interviewer: Will you be running for President in 1988?

Watson: No, I won't be. I can say that unequivocally. I enjoy the Senate, so I think I'll stick around there.

D. Michael "Mike" Fisher was widely regarded in the Republican Party and was liked in Pennsylvania as a moderate and friendly man who got on well even with opponents. He had been a State Senator and although he had originally been touted for Lt. Governor, he chose to run for U.S. Senate. Legislating was always more comfortable an idea to him. Fisher and Watson debated twice. Once in Philadelphia and again in Pittsburgh. They were merely elementary. Senator Watson could rightly point to a record of bringing jobs and influence to Pennsylvania. He crowed especially over the population spike that occurred in Pittsburgh since taking office in 1981. Republican outlets and mailings portrayed Watson as a petulant child, arrogantly patting himself on the back, sometimes for things he didn't do. Fisher was not especially dynamic though and Watson already was becoming Pennsylvania's controlling power.

Watson regarded his 1986 victory as his least impressive. He had been well ahead the entire campaign, but it should be noted he was the very first Pennsylvania Democrat of the modern era to win his seat with over 60% of the vote.

"Still a nice one, boy," Mo Udall told him.

The Watsons would spend their winter recess in Sydney before getting back home in January in time for him to take up his seat. His earliest piece of legislation was written with Georgia's Wyche Fowler. The Watson-Fowler Act was an appropriation bill creating a high speed rail connection between Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Macon. It would create 2100 permanent jobs. It was passed and signed by President Reagan in April of '87. Though they'd voted for it, Republicans joked that Watson spent so much time by Fowler's desk because of the candy.

1987 would turn out to be a very important year for the Watson family. Ruling out a 1988 Presidential run was a simple decision for him. His eye was closer to 1992 and 1996. He judged 1988 would not be a good year to run because of who else was running. Jeff Dent would certainly take another crack at it, he felt and it was possible that Gary Hart and Joe Biden would make runs too. He didn't feel like he was prepared to challenge them, despite having national exposure.

At age 37, his 36 year old wife became pregnant for the fourth time. His oldest son, Brian was barely 9 and two other sons, Owen and James were younger. James was only 3. The fourth child was a girl whom they chose the name Sarah Anne Lauren for. The Watson children were always favorites, particularly because they were so much younger and it made many Senators feel younger to be around them, especially those with grown children. A new baby for a Senator was big news and especially in Pittsburgh, where he was most popular, it was covered by all three news outlets, much to Laura Watson's embarrassment. None of the other children were so heavily covered, but ever since he'd been a national figure for President, it became big news.

Sarah Watson was born in Sydney while they were visiting and the couple would return to the States as soon as Laura was healed and prepared to fly again. Negative attention was thrust upon him by those who were angry that he now had "a foreign wife and a foreign baby, yet he preaches for America!" Many threats came to him, but he kept them quiet. His wife was not the type to handle it. He kept a low profile and many of his colleagues, especially Ted Kennedy, agreed to help shield him from the public eye until everything died down.

July 7th, 1977

Lawrence Watson had been in Sydney only a couple of days. Mo Udall had convinced his young Pennsylvania protege to take a vacation. He had been in Washington less than a year and had gone on a rampage. Nothing really in terms of legislation, but rather in terms of treating D.C. like a big party ground. Young Representative Watson, over six feet tall, over 300lbs, and with a bushy beard and long hair, looked rather like a boozed up bear when he'd grab cocktail waitresses asses or hit on Georgetown students who were only a few years younger than he was. In the House, he was told to find someone older to shepherd him for awhile. He gravitated toward Arizona's venerable Morris Udall who was in the midst of a Presidential run. Udall took time for him and he appreciated that and worked on the Udall for President campaign. Udall did not win the '76 nomination, but took the loss in stride. He saw the dangers that Watson was falling into and told him to get the hell out of Washington and get his life back into perspective.

So, there he sat. Musing to himself that it was 7-7-77. He lived for days like that. Something about months, days and years that lined up amused him. Something interesting happening was what he hoped for. He would get it.

He stood on the Northern Beaches eating a hot dog and drinking what resembled a Coke. He watched four women playing volleyball and thought about when to go over and introduce himself. However, his eye was caught by a girl who was sitting on the beach by herself. She was watching the volleyball game as well. Unlike everyone else, she wore a hooded jacket that hid the top half of her bikini. He was just intrigued because she seemed rather unlike the others, so he walked over to her and sat down.

"How come you're not playing too?"

She turned around startled and didn't answer him at first. "Another American in my country..."

"I'm just here on vacation."

"So, that gives you the impetus to just hit on any Aussie girl you see? Want to have some fun and something to brag about to your friends when you go back to America?"

"No, that's not exactly it. I just am curious. Why are you wearing a jacket? It's like 75 degrees out here."

"No, it's 23 degrees."

"Honey, I'm from Pittsburgh. I know what 23 degrees is, and this ain't it."

"It's winter here."

"You don't have winter here in paradise. There's no snow."

Watson extended his hand to her. "I'm Lawrence Watson."

"Laura Imber"

"Imber?... That's an interesting name. So, what do you do, Laura Imber?"

"I'm an engineer. I'm working on designing new aircraft. For your country's military, I might add."

"Was I in on that," he mused aloud to himself.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm in Congress. Actually, it probably wasn't me," he paused and then playfully joked, "I'm not on the Defense Committee."

"What ones are you on?"

March 16th, 1879
Devonport, England

Philip Samuel Bowden Watson was an ill man and his wife Elizabeth knew it. Philip was one of the two MP's for the Plymouth Devonport constituency. He had previously been a shipwright and had been elected in the 1857 General Election as a Liberal. He spoke rarely in Parliament except on matters of trade and the Navy, which were of keen interest to him. Thin, often wearing a rumpled suit, with a bald head and long beard, he bore a bit of a likeness to American editor Horace Greeley. A bad case of the flu had turned into serious pneumonia and his time was now short. Elizabeth had sent word to their five sons: Frederick, Alfred, Percy, Rodney and Owen to be at their home of 13 Morice Square so they could say their goodbyes. Frederick was a burlesque performer who worked with his wife, Edith and he was the toughest to get a hold of as they were in Edinburgh. Alfred was a minister in Cornwall where his wife lived. Percy and Rodney both still lived in Plymouth, Percy as a plumber and Rodney as a dockyard worker. Owen was only 16, but was studying to be a teacher in London. He was also a fine piano player.

After Philip Watson's death, his assets would be divided up between his sons. One of them, Percy, had only just married his wife Ada. He wanted to use the money to buy passage and live in the United States. This desire caused a family argument, but Percy Watson was unmovable. America would be his opportunity to start anew.

Making passage over was difficult. He had to put his plans off several times, but finally in 1882, Percy and Ada Watson set out for America, by way of a stop in Canada. Ada Watson was already pregnant with a baby boy whom they would name Frederick for his elder brother.

--Source: Interview with Senator Lawrence Watson on his family origins--

"FINALLY! FINALLY!"

Watson was extraordinarily excited on this particular day. The summer of 1986 offered him the opportunity that he could not pass by. He had been invited by his second cousin, Thomas "Rod" Watson to visit him in Plymouth. Lawrence and Rod had been conversing through letters for several months previous and because it was nice, the Englishman invited the American and his family for a visit. Upon arrival in Plymouth, Rod expressed surprise at rambunctious brood. He, himself was slightly older and a widower.

"I thought you and your family would like to visit where the Morice Square home was. They turned it into a parking lot for the Royal Fleet Hotel some years ago. Your family could comfortably stay there. Who are your lads?"

"Brian's the oldest. Then, this one with the green shirt is Owen and the little one here with the hat is James."

"Of course, this must be Laura..."

"I don't know if it must be, but yes, it's me," she replied jestingly.

"Oh, I didn't know you were from Australia..."

"Yep... Unlike your cousin, I like Blackadder and 'Allo 'Allo! and Are You Being Served?"

"I like Spitting Image..."

"You would, it's political," she teased. "Also, we both know that u's are necessary for words like "labour".

"Unnecessary," the Senator stood his ground playfully.

Taking in the sites was much more enjoyable to him. Senator Watson took pictures almost constantly and had insisted upon not bringing any staff or assistants on the vacation. He was there purely to get in touch with his family roots. To do that, Rod told him he'd also have to visit Cornwall.

"I don't know if you knew," Rod told him. "But you have Cornish blood in you. Half of the family came from Cornwall... Veryan... Your great-grandmother Ada was born in Cornwall and so had her father and his father and on back. That's what my Gran'father told me."

"Fascinating... Think we might go there?"

"Ah, sure."

Lawrence had a grand time investigating his past. He liked seeing Plymouth and Cornwall and Devon. Laura had British roots as well. Her family had lived in Brede, Sussex. Laura had never had the great desire to discover her family roots, knowing that someone had been a criminal, deported to Australia, she found it secretly embarrassing and did not want her sons finding this past shame out. Lawrence, of course, remained cavalier about the whole thing. His whole "Oh, what's the big deal?" attitude had always been what she thought, his most charming and his most agitating attribute.

Family life had always been something Watson enjoyed. He was close with his sons and he would always be devoted to his beloved wife. In politics, he was a different sort. Scott Westman, his erstwhile libertarian friend from Montana, had once remarked that "Lawrence, you always know exactly how to survive".

It wasn't an idle compliment. Lawrence Watson had a knack for political tactics, at least where his own survival in electoral office was concerned. Part of that knack was not pushing himself for jobs on important committee's. He took what he was assigned and seemed not to mind when it was something menial. However, as 1987 rolled around, he now had some seniority and with it, came better jobs. His favorite, by far, was his spot on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. Because Chairman (and Majority Leader) Kennedy liked him (Watson had endorsed Kennedy's 1980 attempt at the Democratic nomination) and loved the thunder that Pennsylvania's junior Senator brought to the table. Watson would continue to debate Republican rivals (A favorite opponent was John McCain. The two would lay into each other on the floor) over universal health coverage and what would become his pet issue, universal college tuition.

"Every young person has the right to go to college. We see right now in nations such as England, where I recently visited some family, that university attendance is much higher in proportion to our country. Even my wife, attended the University of Sydney at a much lower rate than I paid to go to Pitt. This cannot and should not be allowed to go on. All too often, American students who have the grades are excluded because of their economic situation. How can we say we want this nation to better itself when those who have earned a college education to do so, can't get one? How are they expected to better their situation?"

Watson was reminded by Republicans that he had a football scholarship to go to the University of Pittsburgh. Watson would state it was irrelevant. If he hadn't have gotten one, he wouldn't have gone to college at all was his honest reply. Republicans thought he was being dishonest and manipulating results to suit his views and 1988 Republican nomination contender, Bob Dole said as much. Dole, Vice President Bush and several others still viewed Watson as a threat for the '88 Democratic nomination. It was early and though he'd pronounced himself out of the contest, it could've simply been candidate coyness.

In the meantime, Watson was watching his own party's field. Jeff Dent was an early possibility, as was Joe Biden, or his friend from Illinois, Paul Simon. 1988 would shape up to be a difficult choice for him.

()

STOCK MARKET COLLAPSES---REAGAN TO ADDRESS NATION---

Stock Market indicators collapsed last night and the night before all over the world. Hong Kong lost 45% of it's market. Australia lost 41%. The hits in the UK and US have been milder at 22 and 26%. President Reagan will address the nation to attempt to ease the tensions created by this global downturn.

Meanwhile, in the Watson home, the stock market collapse held deeper implications. Australia's massive losses caused heavy layoffs, including that of Laura Watson's father, Rod. The Imber family felt the sting quickly and there was no way to help them. Home foreclosure came eventually. Lawrence had done his best to shield the Imbers with cash from the States, but much of it arrived too late to be of any help. The Imbers left Sydney and moved to Western Australia, a sharp contrast from the affluent east coast.

Laura had become sullen and moody because of the difficulties. She refused to deal with any politically motivated appearances and withdrew into a shell of quiet depression. There was nothing Lawrence could do now, he realized. Laura's moods were seldom sullen, but when they became so, trying to cheer her up would only make her feel worse. He decided to bring them to Washington to avoid the long commutes home to Pittsburgh.

In the meantime, Jeff Dent, the mercurial Alabaman had decided to contest the election. Emerging as the clear cut favorite, Dent savaged Reagan policies and attacked not only the Vice President, but potential Republican nominees Dole, Robertson, Laxalt and Haig. Dent's hard driving campaign had virtually locked up his nomination. Watson had seen the boat and kept his promise, endorsing Dent soon after he got in the race. Privately, he offered occasional advice or opinion, hopeful that Dent would choose a Pennsylvanian to run with him. Possibly one of his own charges such as Congressman Mark Singel, a telegenic young Representative who had ousted John Murtha from his long held perch. He didn't want the job, himself, but recognized it could be offered. He preferred the Senate far and away. It allowed him to stay in Pittsburgh and stay politically powerful.

"I don't wanna do any campaigning. The last thing Laura needs is me on the road all the time," he said sadly.

He often brought Scott Westman around his family. Westman's free-wheeling attitude often would cheer up his family, but privately he felt the stresses. Soon enough, he ended up at Rocket Bar when his Steelers, who were suffering a bad year, played the Washington Redskins, who were one of the top teams in the league. It was a rare inter-conference game, but the Senator took football seriously, having played once himself, and having a brother assistant coaching the team. He began drinking excessively and was belligerent toward Redskins fans.

"God damn it! hit that son of a bitch!"

He punched the air accidentally knocking a Redskins fan senseless. His action caused a brawl. Being as big as he was, he certainly held his own, but ending up with a bloody nose and busted lip, he still was put in handcuffs when the police came. Until, that is, he reminded them of who he was.

"You're not above THAT, I see," Westman would later tease him.

This, of course, only depressed Laura further. He was off the wagon, disappointing her immensely and he had started a bar brawl. Her innate shyness worried about what the other wives thought of her. She already believed that the other wives didn't like her based on her uniqueness. She didn't have the same sort of accent and she didn't dress like they did. She was embarrassed as well that her husband was drinking again. For him, it was a powerful addiction. By Christmas, he was sauced almost all the time.

"You've got to stop this," Mo Udall counseled him. "You have a wife now and children. Quit being such a prick. This isn't 10 years ago."

Holding an icepack to his head, he prepared for the inevitable lecture from not only his wife and Senator Udall. He prepared to hear it from just about everyone else, including Senator Kennedy, whom he had utmost respect for.

"I uh-was considering supporting you for the uh-Majority Whip if Jeff is elected. You've uh-disappointed me," Kennedy said.

He had to calm down and he knew that, but lure of alcohol was a strong one for him. He didn't want to be totally abstinent from alcohol, but Laura did. She didn't like to drink and she hated wine. The occasional beer was all she'd ever mustered. Although he tried hard to cut back, he would inevitably try to find ways at getting liquor. Including sneaking advocaat into the eggnog at Christmas time.

In the meantime, his political life was being caught up in two things. The first was obviously the 1988 election. Watson only saw Dent occassionally as 1987 would begin coming to a close. He knew his role. He offered him opinions and help in Pennsylvania. Dent was a friend, but he did not want to presume himself upon Dent. Instead, he encouraged Paul Simon to drop out and work with him directly. Simon was an intelligent, bookish looking man who constantly wore bow ties. Watson liked the eccentricity and deemed Simon someone he could work with.

In the Senate, Watson became obsessed with the idea of Universal College Tuition. It was something he had seen in Britain as the Alliance Government had begun offering such programs. Watson liked the British idea, but wanted it on a much grander scale. He was warned that such an idea would gain little traction in the Senate.

"Then, we go to the public," he said, beginning to lose his temper. "I'm sick of the goddamned Republicans thinking they can outmaneuver us at every turn by changing public opinion! Let's give them some hell! FOR ONCE!"

Republican strategists had an answer for Pennsylvania's dynamo, though. It took the form of an intense looking, short man. His name was hardly unknown in Washington, but yet he would become something of a Democratic boogeyman. His name was Lee Atwater, and he was going to find ways to bring down Dent, Watson and whatever Democrat stood in the way.

DO YOU TRUST A MAN WHO STARTS BAR BRAWLS?
DO YOU TRUST A MAN WHO WOULD MARRY A FOREIGNER?
WAS IT JUST SO SHE COULD BE A CITIZEN?
WOULD YOU TRUST THIS MAN WITH THE EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILDREN?
paid for by The Real America Committee

Watson was up in arms over the whole ad. What had really pissed him off though was that it debuted in the Pittsburgh market first. His home city where he remained considerably popular. Laura Watson though was frightened by the whole situation. Not only she, but their daughter, who was only a few months old and had been born in Australia, was a target. This whole situation also caused a relationship strain with Australia. Because Watson's temper was so inflamed, he took his grievance public, something that even Lewis advised him against. Australia's Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, a former trade union leader who had formed a friendship with Watson and was very strongly pro-American, voiced his displeasure with the ad's tone once he heard about it.

"Watson needs to calm down. That temper of his is going to get him into trouble," Ted Kennedy sighed.

"I don't blame him. Those fukwits are going after his family," Jeff Dent stated bluntly. Dent promised Watson support during this time and spent at least a portion of one campaign appearance doing so.

Scott Westman was also upset. Politically, he didn't give two sh**ts about US-Australia relations, but he did care about Lawrence and Laura Watson, as well as their children, to whom he was like an uncle. Westman decided that he should take a more dismissive attitude toward it, hoping and feeling that it would simply blow over. But the ads kept coming.

"Who is responsible for them?" Watson wondered. The answer would soon be made clear to him.

Sorry that took so long...

"You are a very stupid man."

The phrase set off like an atomic bomb and brought a hush to the dinnertime conversation. Scott Westman had seen and heard enough.

"Let this sh**t blow over, you enormous FU**KING idiot!"

"Well what the goddamn hell was I going to do, Scott?! Let 'em go with it?!"

"YES! It is nonsense!"

"You know, Lawrence," Senator Udall piped in, "For someone so extraordinarily perceptive, you continue to bite off your nose to spite your face. Nobody but a bunch of xenophobes cares about all this bullsh**t anyway. You've got one of the highest approval rates in the country."

"Your temper is what will do you in," Lewis finished. "I'll get you a prescription for Valium and happy endings at the massage parlor in West End..."

"Hey! Damnit, Jimmy!" Laura Watson swatted his arm, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

"Seriously though, my team has done the data. This goddamn state loves you. So shut the hell up and don't make the rest of the country see an image of you as this raging bull. It's not sound and it's not healthy," finished Lewis.

Lawrence sunk into his chair and after a moment of silence all around, he threw his napkin into his plate and stormed off. Laura sighed and rubbed her temples.

"He didn't finish," she nearly cried.

"That means something is seriously wrong. Keep him home and away from the TV for awhile."

"But Mo... What if he's drinking again?"

"Then pour it down the drain," Udall said sharply.

After another long, quiet pause, Laura Watson excused herself to look to her husband. Westman coughed and shrugged at Udall.

"He's a nice guy and everyone likes him. But when he's in a mood, he's a pissy, arrogant, self-centered little sh**t, isn't he?"

"He's still young. The young make mistakes," Udall concluded. "Like you."

The old man smiled wryly at Westman.

Lawrence Watson stared at the bottle of Captain Morgan spiced rum for what must have seemed to him as hours, but really was only a matter of five minutes. Sweat poured from his brow and he absently tugged at his shirt as if to let out the humidity condensed against his body. Laura stood in the kitchen doorway watching him silently with a pained expression on her face, ready to leap in to stop him in case he opened the bottle. Finally, she swallowed up all her courage (always shy) and spoke up to him.

"Sarah is a baby, you know. The boys are young. How much time do you think you'll have with them if you start back on the bottle? Huh?... Answer me, damn you!"

Watson clenched his fists and glared at her. Staring at the bottle one more time, he held the neck and proceeded to smash the bottle against the sink hard enough to break it. He dropped the neck into the trashcan and then turned back to her.

"I don't need it."

"...And who do you suppose is going to clean all this up? I'm sure as hell not!"

"Make Jimmy do it," he teased her. "He does everything else."

December 1987

Watson's public appearances picked up in lieu of turning away from the bottle. The plants in his crowds also became more vociferous. He controlled himself well though. Stumping for Dent and controlling what people around him called 'Krakatoa', became increasingly difficult as protestors went even further. One in particular in Cleveland went to carrying a massive poster of Laura in a form fitting bikini on the beach in Sydney (The picture had been taken almost five years ago during a rather happy vacation where the Senator learned how to swim and had snorkeled off the Great Barrier Reef) with the words "Slut 4 Senate" plastered on it. The protestor had hidden the poster remarkably well and he was not caught by security. Unfurling it as Lawrence spoke, he paused mid-sentence and just stood there staring before he could collect himself.

"You want to step up here and stand in my face with that damn thing instead of hiding back there like the little pussy coward you are?! Huh?"

The protestors shouts were almost unintelligible.

"Bring him up here and give him a f**king mic!"

Standing off to the side, Watson watched and then took in a great realization that for some reason had alluded him before, even though he'd been told half a dozen times. He and his family were loved. Especially by blue collar Democrats. (Odd for a social liberal to be so most of the time). Audience members heckled and more than one shoved the protestor, trying to claw at the poster. As the heckler unlisted every grievance upon reaching the stage, he was booed mercilessly. Watson finally held himself in check and basked in his audience's adoration. When he was through, Watson had him escorted safely out and upon taking his mic back let loose almost a gleeful laugh.

"You thought I was gonna hit you, didn't ya?! You must be sorely disappointed! So get your ass out of here and let's hear what the REAL AMERICANS have to say about it!"

Ever the showman, he pointed his mic to the crowd, who roared their approval. One person wasn't happy though. When she saw the outburst on the news, Laura Ellen Watson felt the urge to hide and cry. Instead of getting this man off quietly, he'd made a scene of it. HE, her husband had stood passively while someone called her a slut and a whore. It still hurts, she reasoned.

"I know you did what was right," she told him. "But letting him say all that still hurts... It hurts, Lawrence, don't you get it? I cannot take this much longer... It's killing me..."

"It's not killing you, babe. Don't be so dramatic."

"But it is... It makes me feel so second class. Like I'm not even a person... You're always defending me and there's never anything I can do for you because I'm always so afraid."

"But what are you afraid of," he said gently, finally sitting down at the kitchen table next to her, wrapping his arm around her. "Nobody'll do anything."

He kissed her forehead and she rested her head on his massive shoulder. "In 1981, I thought you were having an affair with the woman who lived down the block; Kaitlyn Evans..."

He froze, unable to speak, almost finding that if words had attempted to come out, they just formed little lumps in his throat as Laura continued. "I was going to divorce you... I thought you were cheating on me and didn't want me anymore..."

He could hardly even remember Mrs. Evans. The thought hurt him deeply that he could even be considered an adulterer. He thought of making a joke about Scott, but then... What was funny about it?

"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not now, nor have I ever even considered cheating on you... Never. Besides, who but you would want me?" He couldn't resist a joke if it presented itself. But Laura was far more deeply troubled. That was only the first of a litany of fears and complaints about being in the public eye. She said that the "Slut" comments were giving her thoughts of self-harm... This was now something more serious... All Lawrence could do was listen. Finally he said to her, "No one is going to ever do this again. I'll make sure of it."

Going to the telephone, he picked it up and began to call Jimmy Lewis. "I want to see if you can get some operatives inside of any conservative circles. I need to find out who is really behind these ads."

"I'll see what we can do, but it's not gonna be easy. I honestly don't think we have a strong enough organization for that sort of reach..."

"Well, Dent's people are busy with the campaign... Call Teddy... If anyone has reach, it's him... Jimmy, listen... Laura's been having a lot of really bad thoughts lately. This needs to end before it kills her... I'm done with this game."

"How did this happen?"

"Well, looks like an accident. It was a bad idea to drive on these roads. Poor Taddeo..."

Watson plopped down into his chair and picked up his younger son, James who was playing with GI-Joe's on the floor.

"Don't lay down there, Jamie. People are trying to walk. Sit up here."

He positioned his young son on his desk and allowed him to continue to play, which only added to the noise of the overly crowded office. Picking up the telephone, he put through another call to Kennedy, explaining the situation. Kennedy told him not to worry about it and that he could pick up the papers after the recess, but Watson remained adamant. He was desperate for Ted's organization and the phone numbers and contacts and leads listed in each paper were just far too numerous for he and his group to handle.

He also called Scott Westman, whom he had not spoken to in more than two weeks. Westman and Watson had broken company over his own drinking and Westman tiring of the whole issue. Clear-headed and sober again, he called his lanky Irish friend.

"I wanted to tell you that my courier died en route to Teddy. Black ice on the road. I've got to go to the funeral next week, but do you think you'd be willing to be my gofer this one time, Scott?"

"Don't you know I'm above menial sh**t jobs like that, Senator Watson," Westman kidded.

"Listen, Laura's in a bad state and I'm not going to get to see Teddy until after the winter furlough's over. You will... I was wondering if you could pass some papers on to him for me. It's about trying to find out who's behind the slut ad."

Westman's tone was slightly troubled over the phone. "Yeah, sure. I'm still in my office, I can come by right now... How are Laura and the kids?"

"They're okay in general. Laura's just getting sick of it and it's causing her to lapse into some of those mental issues I told you about. Thanks a million for this, Scott. I owe you one."

"You damn sure do."

TIME

HAPPY NEW YEAR: AN ELECTION YEAR!

In a world of increasing uncertainties, 1987 is finally over and done with and 1988 is on the way. This promises to be the year of elections. Not just the Presidential election here in the U.S. which is currently upcoming, but also elections will happen in Britain and Canada and possibly Australia. First, in Canada, we'll see a three way race between Brian Mulroney, the Prime Minister of the Progressive Conservatives, John Turner and his depleted Liberals and finally Ed Broadbent and his surging NDP. Mulroney has a massive advantage in the Canadian House of Commons and a loss would be unlikely. Obviously, Mulroney doesn't have to call an election until next year, but sources say he's feeling fairly confident to do it sometime this coming year.

In Britain after the stunning 1983 loss of Margaret Thatcher's Tories and the victory by the SDP-Liberal Alliance, an election will need to happen in Britain this year. Everything will likely look different as Thatcher is no longer in the House of Commons and the Alliance's merger to become the Democratic Party. There will be a new method of voting as well. STV\Proportional Representation which will drastically change the makeup of the British Parliament and help out smaller parties as a result (This is a system also used in France). The main candidates are Prime Minister David Steel for the Democrats, Mr. Michael Heseltine for the Tories and Mr. Neil Kinnock for the Labour Party.

In Australia, Bob Hawke of the Labor Party and John Howard of the Liberals will once again square off as they did last year. Howard has been anxious to paint Hawke as being too close to the United States and Labor certainly will be damaged by the economic downturn in November. Howard can count on help for his center-right leaning Liberals from the more strident National Party. Although they are not strong vote getters throughout the country, Labor could form a pact with the Australian Democrats. This election, which will certainly take place in hopes to give Hawke the mandate he needs, have an odd connection to this country. Hawke is close friends with Pennsylvania Senate power-broker Lawrence Watson, who's wife is from Sydney originally. Coincidentally, her home area in the Northern Beaches is solid Liberal territory.

Finally, we're going through the painful primary season which will see someone new enter 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Jefferson Dent, arguably the second most powerful Democrat in the country behind Ted Kennedy, will undoubtedly be the Democratic nominee as no serious challengers attempted to deny Dent the nod. Meanwhile, several Republicans have taken the steps to replace President Reagan after the Vice President stated his intention not to run. Bob Dole and Paul Laxalt are the strongest tier candidates while Pat Robertson and Alexander Haig occupy the second rung of the ladder. Gadfly candidates in this election abound on both sides, particularly the Democrats. Right now, Senator Dent has a commanding lead in the polls thanks in part to the economic recession and he has lots of strong Democratic talent to choose his running mate from. His team is undoubtedly vetting several contenders who we'll examine over the next few weeks.

Lawrence Watson's 70th Birthday Interview

Taped on February 11th, 2020

Interviewer: Describe how you grew up. What was your life like?

Watson: I spent the first few years of my life in Elliott which is one of the Pittsburgh suburbs. At the time, it was on the decline. A really really poor neighborhood. They used to call it "dog town". Everyone had a dog in that neighborhood and that's where one bit me which gave me a deep scar on my arm, which you can still see. After we left there, we moved to Carrick and then finally to the North Side. My old man worked for the B&O Railroad.

Interviewer: What did he do for the railroad? I thought everyone in that era was a steel worker?

Watson: He was an engineer. He started as a fireman in 1938 and became an engineer in 1944. He ran a lot of the gigantic steam engines. These massive engines called Alleghenies were the largest in the eastern United States. He frequently drove engine number 1650 which was scrapped when steam went out. I know diesel and electric will always be more efficient, but I was far more enamored with steam. When I was younger, I started a model railroad and today, my model is the largest in Pittsburgh.

Interviewer: They featured you in Model Railroader magazine, didn't they?

Watson: In 1992, yes.

Interviewer: What else?

Watson: In Pittsburgh, we played football. I had three brothers and a bunch of us would get together with our friends and play on the sandlots. Because I was so much bigger than everyone else, I played on offensive and defensive lines. We also played baseball and we went to boxing and wrestling matches. Everything was about competition and we all had to grow up to be tougher. Preparing for life in the mills or something like that.

Interviewer: And none of you became mill workers...

Watson: Nope.

Interviewer: So what then? You went to Pitt? How did you afford it?

Watson: Football scholarship. It was the only way at the time, but I was considered one of the top 25 Centers in the country. I was 6'3" 330lb. In my last year I played for Johnny Majors. Then won the national title a couple years after I left, which disappointed me. I was going to go to the NFL, but in the Fiesta Bowl, I had my knee broken and my pelvis twisted. So, I never made the NFL.

Interviewer: So how did you end up in Pennsylvania politics?

Watson: I really became active in 1968. We were big admirers of Hubert Humphrey and I was a junior volunteer for the Humphrey-Muskie campaign. But I really got an active start when Pete Flaherty hired me right out of college. He was looking for someone who could handle PR and communicate with the press and things of that nature for the re-election campaign. In 1973, he was facing Richard Caliguiri who was a Councilman at the time. Caliguiri was very good with the press. Of course the machines hated the both of them, but they wanted to get Pete out. So, I went to work for Pete and he got a moderate victory.

Continued....

Present Day....

Sitting up in bed opposite his latest conquest, Scott Westman rubbed his eyes and turned to view the alarm clock that read 7:00AM. It's too early for this, he thought. The woman opposite him was flame-haired and resting peacefully. Scott got up and opened the window revealing a stark Montana morning. Big sky country looked beautiful on that wintery morning and Westman was happy to be out of Washington for a change. Screw politics today, it was time for a vacation... And what better vacation than being in Erin O'Brien's arms?

She was a young, up and coming reporter who had been charmed by Scott during his VP run in '84. Westman didn't mind losing as much because he had no desire to be second fiddle under a domineering President like Dent would undoubtedly be. Westman had come to closely see Dent's strengths and weaknesses on the campaign trail. Sure, Dent was brilliant, charismatic and made of Teflon. But he was also somewhat impulsive, thin-skinned and irascible as well as completely dominant. Dent demanded Westman's endorsement in 1988, but Scott held back at first, opening a small but bridgeable rift between the old friends.

Meanwhile

The Presidential campaign was just heating up even though a winter storm froze much of the northeast. Lawrence Watson didn't mind the cold weather as much as his wife did. It took her several years to get used to the idea of snow, let alone anything else. While he stayed in Pittsburgh, his Washington office was being kept up by his senior staffers. The winter storm had turned Washington into a veritable ghost town. One of the few members of Congress who chose to show up, Ed Clark, the lone Libertarian who had slipped in during a big California election, was content to form contacts with more libertarian leaning Democrats and Republicans in Washington in hopes of gaining some respect. Clark was playing the fortunate hand he'd been dealt.

Jefferson Dent was not nearly so at ease as Scott Westman nor Lawrence Watson. His time was being spent obsessing over convention details. Dent wanted to plan ahead this time, rather than run a campaign like his impulsive 1984 effort. His mind was on a running mate, but who should he pick? He wanted Watson. But it was doubtful he'd go for it. Although while in Pittsburgh, he gave Dent the ok to vet him, he spent just as much time on the phone pushing for others. He pushed for Paul Simon and he pushed for Allen Ertel, Pennsylvania's bookish Governor whom he'd once had a blistering Senate primary fight with, but who had turned into a strong ally. He pushed for Representatives Bob Edgar and Mark Singel, both loyal lieutenants in his Pennsylvania machine. He knew neither would be considered by Dent because they were loyal to Watson in ways men such as Dale Bumpers, Claude Harris and Ben Jones (the actor who had once played a scruffy mechanic on The Dukes of Hazzard but was now a well liked junior Congressman) were to him. Indeed that was part of the reason why Dent wanted Watson. He knew Watson inspired tremendous loyalty, but he also worried that he was becoming another Pennsylvania "Boss". Pennsylvania was a state where this happened over and over, be it the Cameron family, Boies Penrose, or his Democratic predecessor, David Leo Lawrence. Dent could see some danger in that and wanted it broken. Making Lawrence Watson his running mate would be one way to do it. But Watson, completely oblivious to it and thinking mainly of his current career satisfaction, tried to deflect the job to someone else. Dent's other serious candidates were Joe Biden, John Kerry and Lloyd Bentsen.

Lawrence Watson's 70th Birthday Interview

Continued...

Interviewer: Describe for us the world of Pittsburgh politics in the early 1970s...

Watson: Rancorous. There were different forces that had been trying to control everything ever since David Lawrence had died. On one hand you had the Democratic machine, which was filled with a bunch of old men who had been loyal to Lawrence and who had basically pushed Joe Barr around through the 60s. Then you had two camps of reformers. You had Flaherty, who I worked for and you had Richard Caliguiri with his own faction. It stirred up all kinds of trouble with the Irish and Italian communities in Pittsburgh. I never had a preference for either because I'm Scots-Cornish.

Interviewer: The 1973 Democratic Primary was the first you worked on, yes?

Watson: Yeah. Caliguiri got the machine endorsement because Flaherty had just pissed them off to no end. He also wanted to bring a world class airport to Pittsburgh, which we didn't have. It was outmoded and dated and small. He didn't get it, but he fought for it and even tried to use the budget surplus to get it. It was a no-go. So, in the meantime, I'm doing a lot of canvassing and making contacts. Pete put me out with the press corps to try to woo them because Caliguiri always had an advantage in that department. I think Caliguiri held me responsible for losing the press advantage.

Interviewer: You worked closely with Flaherty after that and you were elected to Pittsburgh City Council?

Watson: In 1974 just to fill a vacancy by a member who had died.

Interviewer: In 1976, you ran for Congress. The seat being vacated by John Heinz. Describe your thoughts on it.

Watson: A whirlwind. I don't remember a lot about the campaign, but I know my opponent was a man named Robert J. Casey. The thing about running for a House seat is that it's almost like running for Mayor. Everything is local, but you have to tailor your local politics to a national scale. It's an odd sort of thing to campaign for. Constituents have national questions rather than local ones.

Interviewer: What was your national policy at the time? What did you campaign on?

Watson: I campaigned on labor issues, which were issues I knew. I also wanted to get maybe some national funding for a new airport in Pittsburgh and I wanted to help raise the minimum wage. Apart from that, I had no real policy yet.

Interviewer: Talk about your campaign manager. I know he's been with you since the beginning.

Watson: Jimmy Lewis is brilliant. He come up with the ad spots, He tailored the message. He coordinated my office. He did almost everything himself. He's a brilliant strategist and he's got a mind for the chess of politics, but he could never make it as a politician. He doesn't have a personal touch. He's very much a manager.

Interviewer: Now we come to the period of your personal life that most people are undoubtedly familiar with... Your four years in the House of Representatives. This is when you met your wife, is it not?

Watson: That's right.

Interviewer: But before that, you also picked up a mentor and a few close allies. But you really picked up on partying. Did you party a lot in college?

Watson: Not really. I did some, but Pitt was not a big party school at the time and I was really deep into all things football. So I did party some, but not much.

Interviewer: What got you into the late night scene?

Watson: More like who. Scott Westman and I were both young guys and I guess because we were so close in age, it was easy to form a close friendship. We both liked to go out to the bars and we both had our fair share of drinks. He can really hold his liquor. I probably could too if I didn't down 20-25 cocktails a sitting. Bottles of wine just to myself. I had a real problem. Scott was a hit with women. Those young college girls all flocked to him. Tanned, blonde, perky, eager. They were drawn to him. Those same girls were drawn to me for different reasons. So, some nights we'd both leave with three or four women at a time. I know I couldn't have kept up that lifestyle for long. Mo Udall told me to take a trip and relax and so we got some work done at the same time. I was a junior member of the Defense committee and we used a little pretense when I went there on an "official fact finding trip". It didn't cost any taxpayer money for me to go to Australia at least.

Interviewer: Where did you meet Laura?

Watson: On a beach in Sydney. She was reading in the sun and I sat down to bother her.

Interviewer: Would you describe it as life changing?

Watson: Certainly, but not right away. I was still recovering and I was recovering until at least 1981...

Continued...

Watson's conversations with staffers and friends on the Rehnquist assassination....

Watson: No sh**t... Who are they saying did it?
Jim Lewis: Some delusional DeLeonist bent on some sort of worker's revolution.
Watson: Well, that doesn't sound good. Was he in the IWW?
Lewis: They don't know yet. Harry, have you got anything?
Harry Eckhardt, union go-between: None of my people have heard anything. The union obviously isn't going to take responsibility for this.
Watson: Politically, what kind of damage am I looking at, if any?
Lewis: Is that all you care about?! A man was just killed!
Watson: By a union activist. Unions are my biggest constituency. I can't have something like this hurting me in the future. We need to put out some press releases to nip this in the bud the minute we find anything out.
Lewis: Fine, I'll take care of it, but I don't like how cavalier you are. Even if you didn't like him. It's no more likely that you'll get along with the guy Reagan nominates.
Watson: Good point, Jimmy. How can we delay a nomination. Can we get a meeting with Dale. He's on the judiciary committee...
Lewis: Jesus Christ...

Two weeks later....

Dale Bumpers sipped on his drink as he sat in the cloakroom, looking absolutely incredulous at Watson's request.

Bumpers: Well, we can delay anyone Reagan nominates, but it's almost certain they'll get through anyway. Why the paranoia?

Watson: I'm concerned about the union blow-back I'm going to get. First off, because of Rehnquist getting killed by some goof with a union card, I'm going to get hammered by Republicans back home...

Bumpers: Since when has that ever concerned you? You were mistaken to throw your lot in so strongly with any special interest group anyway...

Watson: Dale, do me this favor... I know you're not a union guy, but we can't let Reagan put someone on who's going to roll things back to the 1800s with some new archaic labor laws!

Bumpers: Well... I guess I'll see what I can do to help....

Bumpers sets his glass down and gets up to go to the chamber.

Bumpers: Y'all comin' inside?

Watson: Not right now. (Checking his watch) I promised I'd meet with Bill Bradley at Bistro Bis.

Bumpers: Alright boy, take it easy.

TIME

June Issue 1988

How Pittsburgh Became The Center of the Universe

In days gone by, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was a dirty, smoky, smoggy city. Street lights flickered on before the end of the school day. Baseball and football games were played in the dark as the sky glowed a frightening dark-orange color. It was "Hell with the lid off". It was in that depressing, Gotham-like world that Lawrence Watson began growing up. With his father often absent as a railway engineer, his homemaker mother did the best to install the Watson children with the values of the people of the city. Hard work, loyalty, family. He and his two brothers played sandlot football with a group of neighborhood kids. One of whom, James Lewis, is now his most trusted adviser. All three Watson brothers were popular among their peers. David, Lawrence and Thomas Watson were talented athletes and good students. All three had a certain level of personal charisma. David Watson was a ruggedly handsome man who at first pursued a military career, but ended up in broadcasting. Thomas, the least athletic of the brothers, found his niche working as a professional wrestling promoter in Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Philadelphia markets. Lawrence appeared destined for the NFL as an All-American center for Pitt. However, a severe back injury conspired against him and he now finds himself the most powerful man in Pennsylvania politics.

Stories like the Watson brothers are only half of it. Pittsburgh has turned around remarkably since the smoky steel mills dotted the rolling hills of the landscape. Today, Pittsburgh is first in population growth and second in green jobs. It's in the top ten in economy and although it doesn't provide the steel that drove the national economy as it used to, it's been reinvented as the place to be for educators, health care and even the film industry. A new auto manufacturer is set to open its doors and business staples such as Heinz are hiring more than ever. Politicians point to it as a shining example of success for the nation to follow. Both Senators for the state are well loved locals. Pittsburgh now exerts more control on state matters than Philadelphia. A first. But how did it happen?

Look to the two Senators. John Heinz and Lawrence Watson are both champions of Pittsburgh. Though in very different ways. Heinz and Watson are at odds on matters of economic policy, but they both brought jobs into the city. Heinz has helped to convince other companies that Pittsburgh is a good base of operations by continuing to run his business there. Heinz handled negotiations with 24 different firms to open offices in Pittsburgh. 16 did so, adding several thousand jobs.

Watson was responsible for convincing university's to lower their tuition in the city (as well as statewide) to attract more students. Watson also used foreign connections to help negotiate trade deals to help the new firms locating in Pittsburgh. Watson was also a major force in getting the new car maker, Hart Motor Company into the city thanks to his influence with labor unions allowing the fledgling company to get off the ground without difficult union negotiations.

Philadelphians need not worry. Watson and Heinz are both there frequently. Both of Pennsylvania's Senators are working on making Philadelphia a hub for clean air travel. But then, that's not what this article is focusing on. Another new feature that could be coming to Pittsburgh is a bullet train. The big snafu causing the holdup? Cost. Watson and Heinz disagree on how much federal funding should be provided as well as what cities to connect to. Governor Ertel, meanwhile is anxious to end the stalemate by offering more state funds to invest. Either way, the citizens of Pittsburgh are enjoying the prominence. They like having Presidential candidates visiting town more often. Jeff Dent and Bob Dole were both in town last week. Watson appearing with Dent and Heinz appearing with Dole.

Pittsburgh has become the center of the political universe. John Heinz is in the middle of an election himself. if Watson has his way, Heinz will be ousted. Watson is pulling out all the stops for one of his Pennsylvania lieutenants, Williamsport Congressman, Bob Edgar. Edgar is a liberal ex-minister who has been self-described as coming from the "Watson wing of Pennsylvania's Democratic Party". Note that Watson's powerful name is being used in place of "left" or "liberal". Pennsylvania still likes self-professed moderates like Heinz. Edgar is facing an uphill battle. Heinz is leading the race by a comfortable, but by no means safe, 6 points. Pittsburgh figures to play prominently down to the wire.

Truly, it's become the new center of the political universe.

July, 1988

The Republicans

By virtue of holding their convention first, the Republican Party (and President Reagan) dominated the first and second week news cycle in July. The biggest issue going into their convention being held in sunny San Diego was the fact that the party did not have a Vice Presidential nominee. Bob Dole and Paul Laxalt had done battle in the primaries when Vice President Bush refused to be a candidate leaving the door ajar for someone new. Because the primary battle had gone into mid-June, Dole had gotten almost no time to pick a running mate, though both he and Laxalt had been vetting potential prospects since April. Paul Laxalt was leaning towards picking Thomas Kean, the moderate New Jersey Governor who would provide a good balance in most areas of need. Kean was not averse to running for the spot, but played coy with Laxalt because he was also being talked to by Dole. Not knowing Dole or Laxalt well, Kean saw no reason to discourage either.

Of course, Kean didn't realize that he wasn't the top man on Dole's list. Dole's first choice was his Senate colleague John Heinz, whom he thought to be dynamic and who came from important Pennsylvania. Heinz was popular in the state, excepting the heavily Democratic Philadelphia, but did not provide executive experience balance. Lamar Alexander, the Governor of Tennessee was being touted as well.

On the convention's second day, President Reagan electrified the faithful with his address condemning such things as the Democratic education plan, recent union extremism, lack of compromise during the global recession and also veiled but harsh condemnations of foreign influences in American elections (A slap which was only detected by those close in the know). Reagan warned that a President Dent would be a corrupt, slimy, weak leader who could easily be bought and influenced.

"Having dealt with Jefferson Dent over the course of my Presidency, I can assure you all at home something that most of us here at the convention already know. There is no issue Jefferson Dent has ever endorsed without seeing a specific benefit in it for himself".

Of course, hyperbole like this ran rampant in San Diego, but the unity and cheerful feelings among the delegates was replaced on the last two days by a long nomination wrangle for both offices. At least long in today's terms. It took 10 roll calls before a choice was made for President and almost 30 for Vice President. Bob Dole went into the convention with a small lead in the delegate count. Meanwhile, the convention bounced back and forth between the first choices of Kean and Heinz. Alexander was also touted, but quickly removed his name when he sensed a protracted fight that he wouldn't have a spot in. Kean came close, but the Heinz group cut a deal with both Dole and Laxalt that allowed him to finally be the choice. Kean was furious at this and he left San Diego perplexed over his loss.

The Presidential nomination process for the Republicans was a shorter affair. Although it took some time to dispense of the pledges, there was little doubt that eventually Dole would be the nominee as his total increased on each ballot. Dole's acceptance speech was well received but on the whole dry. He kept his remarks fairly short, only 19 minutes. In that time he made the case for unity, even though the nomination had been a fight, he urged the delegates and Republicans to remember the unity they had shared earlier in the week as well as drawing a deep contrast between his image and that of Dent's.

Jim Lewis calls from his law office in Richmond, VA to the Watson's Pittsburgh home.

Watson: Hello?
Lewis: Hey, it's Jimmy. I just got a call from Dent's managers. They wanna know if you'd be willing to be vetted.
Watson: Is it worth it to be?
Lewis: Yeah, there's no harm in it. You'd be a longshot to be picked. Everyone says he's leaning toward Biden.
Watson: Well, if they wanna talk to me, I don't see any harm in it. We could go for it.

Watson calls Scott Westman, who is back in Montana.

Watson: (To himself) Damn long distance charges. You'd think Scott would have found someplace closer with more women to stay the whole damn summer in...
Laura: Well, he's got his whole family up there.

Westman: Yeah?
Watson: You were chosen by the Dent people last time. How do they vet? Cause they asked me if I was willing. I was wondering if you had any advice?
Westman: Aw hell, his people were all over me because of my personal life. They figured that everyone knew anyway so it wasn't a big deal. You got anything to hide?
Watson: Ummm... Well, there was the drinking....
Westman: It wasn't the best kept secret in the beltway, bro. Anything else?... Come on, you're the King of Pennsylvania. How the hell did you get the throne? Were you really honest in everything that you did?

Watson pauses for a long while. Thinking back to any moment that might have been.

Westman: Well, okay fine. Be silent....
Watson: Oh no, it's not that I'm ignoring you... I was just trying to think.
Westman: Well, Dent's got some top notch people there. They'll find out whatever they need to.
Watson: Well, it's not like I'm going to be picked anyway. He wants Joe Biden.
Westman: (laughing) Who told you that line of bullsh**t?!

The Watsons and Jim Lewis entered the meeting with Dent's vetting team with a certain degree of ambivalence. The Senator wanted the job. Laura didn't want to go on a national campaign. Jim Lewis was anxious to raise his profile among top Democratic Party activists. He was well known with the Irish Catholics, but completely unknown to other operatives. Jeff Dent sat off in the corner. He listened mostly and said little while drinking a vodka tonic. The vetters were an odd looking trio. Henry Bolt, a well known Beltway operator who was known to have dirt on just about ever politician in the country. Tom Girardi, a lawyer from Chicago who Dent often called for legal advice, and finally Barry Obama, a Harvard Law graduate who worked for Girardi.

Girardi: Senator... Mrs. Watson... I believe you know Henry Bolt, and this is my assistant, Barry.
Watson: Hiya.
Obama: Good to meet you, Senator. You have a very pretty wife.

Laura blushes slightly and thanks him for the compliment. Lewis leans in to speak to Lawrence.

Lewis: Be very careful what you tell Bolt.
Watson: It'll be alright...
Girardi: So, who's this with you?
Watson: Jimmy Lewis. He's my top guy.
Girardi: Oh okay. How long have you worked for Senator Watson?
Lewis: 14 years.
Girardi: So, you won all the campaigns you've managed for him?
Lewis: Undefeated.
Girardi: How nice. What would you say his greatest strength and weakness are? I take it you know him better than most people.
Lewis: His greatest strength as a candidate is charisma and ability to connect with the average voter. I've seen Lawrence do incredible things as a campaigner.... His greatest weakness I'd say is his temper. He can get very angry. I've seen him explode before.

Laura shifts in her seat uncomfortably. Lawrence is poker-faced.

Obama: Explode? Like how?
Bolt: Like starting barroom brawls! How about screaming at a protester at a campaign rally?... How about the time you attempted to choke a fellow member of the House in 1977?
Watson: I don't deny I have a temper. But I've mellowed out a lot since my sobriety.
Girardi: Mr. Lewis, that's all the questions I have for you for the moment... Could you be kind enough to wait over by Senator Dent?...
Obama: Mrs. Watson, you were born overseas?
Laura: Yeah.
Obama: I spent a lot of my childhood overseas. I was born in Hawaii... Where were you born?
Laura: Brisbane, Australia. But I lived in Sydney most of my young life.
Obama: What did you do in Australia? What was your occupation?
Laura: I was an aeronautical engineer. I designed aircraft, more specifically helicopters for the Australian military.
Bolt: Were you aware that the trip your husband took to Sydney was paid for by the taxpayer? It was all a ruse set up by Congressman Udall and Senator Kennedy to help him "take a vacation" to recover from his drinking problem. To get him out of the beltway.
Laura: No, I wasn't aware. He sat on the Defense Committee, I thought it was perfectly legitimate for him to be there.
Bolt: Not many people know the truth of it, but it could get out and damage Senator Dent's campaign.
Laura: I don't believe it's an issue. My husband was in Australia for legitimate reasons...
Bolt: So you would think. What about the issue of yourself? He's been attacked before for marrying you, hasn't he?
Watson: My wife is not the one being vetted!
Obama: Mrs. Watson... Do you have any children?
Laura: Yes.
Bolt: One of them born in Australia?...
Watson: Yes, our daughter was born in Australia.... These are really piddly sh**t issues, if you ask me.
Girardi: We just need to cover our bases. You all want to live in Blair House, don't you?
Laura: I don't. I don't want my children growing up there, either....

Later.... After the Interview...

Girardi: Well, that was an interesting interview... Well, who do you like so far, Jeff?
Dent: I'm not sure. I want Watson. He's got PA's fat votes and he's good with policy and with people generally. But then, so is Biden, I guess.
Bolt: That wife of his would be a problem, though. She's an introvert. She's smarter than most voters with that fancy engineering degree... And she's foreign. So is one of their children and that's open to subtle attack.
Obama: I like them. He seems like a good running mate for you, Jeff. Biden is too gaffe prone and Delaware isn't a big vote bloc.
Girardi: I'm not sure. My gut says Biden's the right choice in all ways except electoral math.
Dent: I'll think on it...

Dent took a drink and Girardi took a drag off his cigarette. Having finished his job, Bolt left his folders on the table and left. No doubt off to some dark corner of the Beltway. Obama also took his leave given that he was a junior partner. Dent and Girardi would lay out all the folders and discuss the options further.

Talk Elections

General Discussion => Alternative History => Topic started by: Dr. Cynic on July 24, 2011, 11:03:08 PM