I Feel as Strong as a Bull Moose!

[Don Vito Corleone]

The Campaign of 1912

The Campaign was set to be a extreme one. Not only was it the first genuine opportunity in more then 20 years for a Democrat to win the white house but the fact that both canidates held very different opinions from each candidate. Champ was born to a poor Southern Family and held rather conservative democratic views. Roosevelt on the other hand was a Former one term president (Minus him serving out the rest of McKinley's term after his assassination) born to a Rich northern family.

Meanwhile each candidate choose a VP. Clark choose Wilson and a concession to the more liberal Bryanite wing of the Democratic Party even though he was his former Rival. Roosevelt chose Progressive from California Hiram Johnson on the other hand. This was a move on his part to fill the void the nomination of Clark had on the Liberal Wing of the Party in a attempt to win over them and unite all Progressives under his campaign. More Conservative Republicans and most of the North Eastern Establishment were furious at this move and some members threaten a third party run.

After third party speculation died down due to fear that it would lead to a Democrat Victory however. In late October a faction of the more establishment republicans lead by Philander C. Knox decided it was best for conservatism if they actively backed the Democrat candidate which they did. They reasoned that Clark was more conservative and so backed him. Roosevelt's lose among these types of Republicans however were balanced with the Progressives he gained from the Democrats.

Clark was a Progressive and believed in reform, however not radical to help the worker which even though improving was still poor with still no 8 hour work day and minimum wage. Clark decided to appeal to the south in which he was from and win the greater south and eastern coast to edge out a victory. He spent most of his time in these areas and campaigned heavily in the crucial swing state of New York. This was a must win for Democrats and was a do or die if the Democrats wanted a chance. The Last Democratic President Grover Cleveland knew this and succeeded in winning the election by winning New York though that was from a little help from the Tammany Hall Machine.

Clark set his views in place and ran on a classic Democratic Campaign up to that point in which was to campaign very little though when he does do it in the swing states and advocate Classical Bourbon Democratic Ideals. Theodore Roosevelt decided to stick to his Progressive views calling the election pivot that Clark performed towards disaffected Urban and Suburban Republicans in a Detroit Campaign event "a open political lie that everyone knows about"

By October the Republicans had consolidated the Progressive base from both party. Meanwhile persuaded by Clark, Conservative Republicans switched to him. Progressives filled the void in the republican party and at least for now were dominant there and vice versa for the Democrats. In the Fall of the Campaign saw the first real nationwide and state polls ever in American Politics. In a experimental poll by the New York Times to see how the election was up to that point found:

Nationwide - Roosevelt 51%, Clark 49%

Key Swing States -

Missouri - Clark 55%, Roosevelt 44%

Indiana - Clark 53%, Roosevelt 47%

Ohio - Roosevelt 49%, Clark 48%

Arizona - Clark 53%, Roosevelt 44%

New Mexico - Roosevelt 50%, Clark 45%

Idaho - Clark 47%, Roosevelt 47%

Kansas - Clark 50%, Roosevelt 50%

Utah - Clark 49%, Roosevelt 48%

New York - Roosevelt 54%, Clark 44%

Pennsylvania - Roosevelt 51%, Clark 45%

New Jersey - Clark 49%, Roosevelt 47%

Delaware - Roosevelt 52%, Clark 46%

Wyoming - Roosevelt 50%, Clark 43%

Massachusetts - Roosevelt 54%, Clark 46%






The race was close with a small Roosevelt lead. If added by who is in the lead then Roosevelt came on top with 298 Electoral Votes to Clark's 233. When the poll was released both campaigns went on Hyper drive. Roosevelt didn't want to wish on a close election and was actually determined to win in a landslide like in 1904. Clark also was worried about losing but this poll was good. It meant that the Democrats could win again.

They began to campaign hard in the western states and in the New England Area seeing Roosevelt's Weakness. Throughout the rest of September and Early October Roosevelt campaign on both his record and calling his opponent a puppet to Tammany Hall. Clark called him a Thin Skinned Radical. Small fights occurred until a So called 'October Surprise' Came upon when it was revealed by the Washington Post that he was involved in the block to overthrow the Panama Government to build the canal in his Term as president.

The original source was never known however it is believed it came from the Clark Campaign. Nevertheless it hurt him. Clark pounced on it calling it 'Disgraceful a President would personally overthrow another country's democracy'. Roosevelt called it unneeded controversially and say he had to do it for the safety of the country.

He said it was a personal attack from the Clark campaign and
unneeded. It did hurt him in the polls and the next NYT poll showed him ahead only by 3% with him at 43%, Clark at 40%, and Surprisingly Little known Socialist Eugene V. Debs at 16%. He bolstered in support saying he was a alternative from the two party infighting.

He called Roosevelt "a disgrace to any Progressive cause" and "a Democrat handpicked by the Klu Klux Klan". Roosevelt responded to this by saying he will implement in his campaign a pledge to start a minimum wage at a living wage for the time at around 2$ and support for Suffrage.

This was praised by progressives but did little to dealt with Debs. A final poll before the election was held with Roosevelt and Clark at a Dead Heat of 40% and Debs at 19%. And this ended the campaign of 1912. Only the Election could decided who should lead the country.

Why would he accuse the Republican of having ties to the Klan when in 1912 almost 100% of Klansmen were Democrats?

[Don Vito Corleone]

What's Robert Lafollette up to?

[Don Vito Corleone]

If Progressives and Unions support the Republicans, and Conservatives support the ACP, then who supports the Democrats, and how are they leading?

[Don Vito Corleone]

Is NYC a Republican stronghold ITTL?

[Don Vito Corleone]

Is the ACP a one election breakaway party (Think TR and Robert Lafollette's Progressive Parties, or George Wallace's AIP), or is it going to be a permanent fixture on the political scene?

[Don Vito Corleone]

A) Does the ACP draw more supporters from the Republicans or the Democrats?
B) Are the Republicans left of the Democrats at this point?

[Don Vito Corleone]

How far along from the POD do you plan on taking this TL?

[Don Vito Corleone]

I think you have the wrong picture for Frank B. Brandegee; That's a picture of Upton Sinclair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upton_Sinclair).