2000 Timeline (COMPLETE)

[GLPman]

This is my first timeline, so I have absolutely no idea how it's going to turn out. Feedback and comments are welcomed.

December 1998: In the midst of Monica Lewinksy Scandal and the Impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore announces that he will NOT be seeking the White House in 2000. The field for the Democrat nomination for President was now open.

January 1999: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle announces that he will run for President.

A few weeks later, former New Jersey Senator and basketball player Bill Bradley announces that he will also will seek the presidency.

February 1999: President Bill Clinton is acquitted of impeachment by the United States Senate.

In front of a crowd outside of Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry announces that he will also be running for president.

Polls indicate that President Clinton's approval rating is at 64%

March 1999: Texas Governor George W. Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush, announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. So far he is the only Republican that has announced their candidacy.

In late March, President Clinton authorizes the use of American troops in the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. The operation is referred to as "Operation Allied Force."

April 1999: Businessman Steve Forbes announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination and makes a speech in New York City, in which he calls for a new wave of social conservatism and new economic strategies, such as a flat income tax.

Former United States Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander announces his candidacy for the presidency in Tennessee.

June 1999: The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia ends and Yugoslav troops withdraw from Kosovo. President Clinton's approval rating hovers in the high 50's.

On CNN, Dick Gephardt announces his interest in seeking the Democratic nomination for President.

A nationwide poll of the Democrat candidates is released:
Kerry 40%
Daschle: 38%
Gephardt: 14%
Bradley: 8%

July 1999: Off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crashes and he is killed. Senator Kerry makes a speech in Boston praising Kennedy's life and accomplishments. Other Democrats offer their condolences to the Kennedy family.

On MSNBC, Dick Gephardt claims that he is running because he believes it is time for a new, "social" America. The remark is greeted by George Bush as an attempt to socialize the country.

Howard Dean, the Governor of Vermont, announces his candidacy for the presidency. He emerges quickly as a Dark Horse and his candidacy is viewed in the Northeast as threatening to John Kerry's lead over the other candidates.

Senator Orrin Hatch and conservative activist Alan Keyes both announces their candidacy.

August 1999: A poll on the Republican candidates is released:
Bush: 49%
Forbes: 38%
Alexander: 9%
Keyes: 2%
Hatch: 2%

Senator John McCain of Arizona announces that he will be seeking the presidency and calls for a fight to take the government back from special interest groups and return it to the people.

September 1999: By September, most of the candidates had already begun campaigning heavily in Iowa. The caucus was only a few months ahead. George Bush's campaign quickly picked up momentum due to strong fund-raising efforts. John McCain's campaign did quite well, too, although it was suspected that McCain was focusing more on New Hampshire, Delaware, and South Carolina than New Hampshire.

On the Democrat side, John Kerry still maintained his lead over other candidates, although Tom Daschle and Howard Dean seemed to both be tied for a close second.

October 1999: Tom Daschle makes a speech in Iowa, explaining that the United States needed a leader to guide the country into the 21st century. The speech is well received and Daschle's numbers go up in the polls.

Two weeks later, Howard Dean makes a speech in Des Moines saying that voters must come together to prevent Republicans from winning the 2000 election and forwarding big business agenda's in the US. George Bush responds to the speech on a Fox News interview later that night, calling it "tasteless" and "empty."

November 1999: One year away from Election Night 2000, polls on both the Democrat candidates and the Republican candidates are released:

Democrat Nomination
Which Democrat do you support to become the next President?
Kerry: 42%
Daschle: 39%
Dean: 16%
Bradley: 2%
Gephardt: 1%

Republican Nomination
Which Republican do you support to become the next President?
Bush: 40%
Forbes: 27%
McCain: 26%
Alexander: 3%
Keyes: 2%
Hatch: 1%

President Clinton states that he will not officially endorse a candidate until after the New Hampshire primary. Clinton's approval ratings are at 58%

Vice President Gore, on the other hand, states that he will not endorse a candidate until the convention.

December 1999: The first serious Iowa polls are taken and released in early December.

IOWA POLL - DEMOCRAT
Daschle: 35%
Kerry: 32%
Dean: 28%
Gephardt: 4%
Bradley: 1%

IOWA POLL - REPUBLICAN
Bush: 45%
Forbes: 27%
McCain: 16%
Alexander: 5%
Keyes: 3%
Hatch: 2%

Many people are surprised at the results of the Democrat poll, in which Tom Daschle was narrowly ahead of Kerry, who had secured a strong lead up until now. There was no doubt that the Iowa Caucus was going to be close for the Democrats. And did Bush really have as much of a lead as he thought he did?

[GLPman]

January 2000: Both Democrat and Republican candidates viciously campaigned in Iowa. For the Democrats, Daschle and Kerry tried to break away from the tie they seemed to have developed. Dean was not far behind, though. On the Republican side, George Bush had a strong lead, but Forbes and McCain were right behind.

Right before the Iowa Caucus, a final straw poll was released.

IOWA FINAL POLL - DEMOCRAT
Kerry: 39%
Daschle: 37%
Dean: 17%
Gephardt: 5%
Bradley: 2%

IOWA FINAL STRAW POLL - REPUBLICAN
Bush: 40%
Forbes: 28%
McCain: 28%
Alexander: 3%
Keyes: 1%
Hatch: <1%

The Democrat poll showed Kerry back in the lead over Daschle, while the Republican poll showed a dead-tie for second between McCain and Forbes. Finally, the Iowa Caucus arrived.

IOWA CAUCUS RESULTS, DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 38%
Kerry: 34%
Dean: 15%
Gephardt: 10%
Bradley: 3%

In Des Moines, Daschle greeted a crowd of supporters to give his victory speech, in which he stated "America's journey into the 21st century begins here!" Half an hour later, Kerry gave a speech pointing out to his supporters that, although he lost, it was only by 4% and that he was hopeful the New Hampshire primary would be his campaign's time to shine. Gephardt had picked up more support than he had expected, mostly due to his midwestern ties, and used it as a reason to stay in the race. Bill Bradley dropped out following the release of the results.

IOWA CAUCUS, REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 41%
Forbes: 29%
McCain: 27%
Alexander: 2%
Keyes: 1%
Hatch: <1%

In Cedar Rapids, George Bush appeared next with his father, Former President George H.W. Bush in front of a tremendous crowd to give his victory speech. Bush's campaign financing and fundraising had certainly paid off, in addition to his connections to the former President. The Bush Campaign turned next towards New Hampshire, which is exactly where McCain and Forbes hoped to gain some ground. Alexander and Hatch quickly dropped out of the race following the results, while Keyes vowed to stay in.

Several polls were taken going into the New Hampshire Primary. For the Democrats, people wondered if Dean's entry into the race would really hurt Kerry's chances of winning, or if Kerry would simply push Dean out.

FINAL NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL - DEMOCRAT
Kerry: 35%
Dean: 34%
Daschle: 30%
Gephardt: 1%

FINAL NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL - REPUBLICAN
Bush: 37%
McCain: 35%
Forbes: 19%
Keyes: 9%

February 2000: On Larry King Live, Vice President Al Gore announces that he is interested in becoming the Governor of Tennessee.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry


Results:
Kerry: 36%
Daschle: 30%
Dean: 28%
Gephardt: 6%

Surprisingly, Dean had not proven a problem to Kerry's lead. In fact, Dean had come in third. Both Kerry and Daschle gave speeches that were well received and full of energy. Dean's speech, in Concord, seemed to have an angry attitude to it, however, and multiple news stations played the speech over and over, criticizing it. Many news analysts didn't understand why Dean didn't drop out and endorse Kerry, either. Dean had clearly expected to win New Hampshire and both the loss and the speech proved to be a terrible problem to his campaign. Gephardt decided to drop out, which made the Democrat race a 3-man sprint to the finish.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Arizona Senator John McCain


Results:
McCain: 47%
Bush: 37%
Forbes: 14%
Keyes: 2%

Many people were surprised by John McCain's finish in first in the New Hampshire Primary. McCain, considered the Dark Horse of the race, was now in a tight race with the popular George Bush. Bush's speech assured his crowd that there would be victories in Delaware and South Carolina. Forbes decided to remain in the race, despite the devastating blow.

Next post - Delaware Primary (D & R), South Carolina Primary (R), Washington Primary (D)

[GLPman]

February 2000 (continued) All the remaining Democrat and Republican candidates rushed into the Delaware Primary in hopes of pulling away from competing candidates.

Days before the Delaware Primary, George Bush made a speech, in which he called for an end to eight years of Democrat-ruled government and the return to reductions in income taxes. Calling himself a "real conservative," as an effort to oust McCain and Forbes, Bush explained that he was the real candidate of the Republican Party and the candidate that would lead the GOP to victory if nominated.

On the Democrat side, John Kerry received a key endorsement from Delaware Governor Tom Carper, who explained that Kerry was clearly the best choice to lead the Democrats and the United States into the new century. At the same time, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, a long time member of the Senate, endorsed Tom Daschle, saying, "I've seen the excellent work this man has done for our country in the Senate, and he would make a superb Commander-in-Chief." Dean received no nominations.

McCain's campaign still waged ahead, and people no longer underestimated the Arizona Senator. McCain had surpassed everyone's expectations in New Hampshire, and he expected to upset Bush's lead in both Delaware and the upcoming South Carolina Republican Primaries.

Meanwhile, the media was still waiting for Bill Clinton's endorsement of a Democratic candidate, which Clinton had claimed he would make after the New Hampshire Primary. Clinton, whose approval rating still hung around 60%, explained that his endorsement would arrive soon.

DELAWARE PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry


Results:
Kerry: 45%
Daschle: 39%
Dean: 16%

DELAWARE PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 50%
McCain: 39%
Forbes: 8%
Keyes: 3%

Kerry had now won two primaries in a row and his momentum was building. The Daschle campaign knew that winning the Washington Primary on February 29th would be crucial if Daschle wanted to remain in the race. Daschle assured his supporters that his campaign would not lead to defeat. Dean, who had not won a caucus or primary yet, announced that he would be suspending his campaign until further notice. It was now Kerry and Daschle, and one of the two would be in the 2000 election.

"We may have lost tonight, my friends," John McCain announced from his podium in Dover, "but we have proven an upset to Governor Bush's campaign and I know that if we fight right, we will win the Republican nomination. Make no mistake, Mr. Bush, the only place my campaign is going is to the White House." Karl Rove pointed out to Bush that, in many ways, McCain was correct: Bush's lead was slowly decreasing and he had upset the Bush campaign's momentum. South Carolina would either make or break Bush's lead. Forbes dropped out of the race, which only increased the competition.

On February 10th, polls were released about nationwide support for the candidates.

DEMOCRAT NATIONWIDE POLL
Which Democrat do you support to become the next President?
Kerry: 54%
Daschle: 44%
Other: 2%

REPUBLICAN NATIONWIDE POLL
Which Republican do you support to become the next President?
Bush: 52%
McCain: 40%
Keyes: 8%

Under the advice of key Bush Campaign strategists, such as Karl Rove, the Bush Campaign released a series of negative attacks on McCain in the week leading up to the South Carolina Republican Primaries. The attacks called McCain a "manchurian candidate" and also accusing him of having a black child out of wedlock. McCain quickly responded to the attacks, calling them false and ridiculous. "Mr. Bush is making ridiculous accusations against me that just aren't true. Is this the type of man that you want running our country?" Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Bush swept the South Carolina Primary and handily defeated McCain.

SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 56%
McCain: 38%
Keyes: 6%

McCain vowed that he would not allow these attacks to push him out of the race. The Arizona and Michigan Primaries were only three days away and McCain knew he had a good chance of winning in his home state. Fox News, on the other hand, was already beginning to predict Bush as the winner of the Republican Nomination. Bush, knowing his chances of winning in Arizona were slim, decided to focus on Michigan instead.

One day before the Arizona and Michigan Primaries, Republican Majority Leader Trent Lott endorses Bush, calling him the "candidate of true conservatism."

Meanwhile, Daschle and Kerry were campaigning all throughout the country for support. The Washington Primary was coming up on February 29th, and 11 states would hold their primaries on March 7th. Kerry was much more popular in the Northeast than Daschle, which would help him with New York, but Daschle seemed to maintain a strong lead in the West.

ARIZONA PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Arizona Senator John McCain


Results:
McCain: 60%
Bush: 35%
Keyes: 5%

MICHIGAN PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 49%
McCain: 41%
Keyes: 10%

Bush had narrowly edged out McCain in Michigan, while McCain had crushed Bush in Arizona. Many Republicans expected the Arizona Senator to drop out out of the race, but McCain still pushed on. Bush once again identified himself as the true Republican candidate and continued attack ads against McCain, which the Arizona Senator reciprocated at this point in the race. The Virginia and Washington Primaries, as well as the North Dakota Caucus, were in a few days, which left the two Republican candidates scrambling to campaign for more support. The Republican race was now more tight than ever.

On February 28th, former President Jimmy Carter endorsed Senator Kerry.

WASHINGTON PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 53%
Kerry: 47%

Daschle's strong connections in the West aided him in a cruical win over Kerry. Daschle had finally won again. Kerry dismissed the win as nothing and the two candidates prepared themselves for March 7th.

VIRGINIA PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 54%
McCain: 40%
Keyes: 6%

WASHINGTON PRIMARY RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 58%
McCain: 39%
Keyes: 3%

NORTH DAKOTA CAUCUS RESULTS - REPUBLICAN
Winner: Texas Governor George W. Bush


Results:
Bush: 81%
McCain: 16%
Keyes: 3%

Bush had come out on top in three races and McCain was now left in the dust. On an interview with Larry King, McCain explained his confidence in the March 7th primaries. The Bush Campaign celebrated the three victories and, like McCain, turned their attention to the March 7th primaries. The McCain Camp desperately needed to win the majority of the March 7th Primaries to stay in the race.

March 7th could very well be the deciding factor for both parties.

[GLPman]

March 2000: February had been a long month for both the Democrat candidates and those of the GOP, but March would prove to be even more harsh.

The month began with Howard Dean endorsing Tom Daschle in front of a crowd of supporters in Los Angeles. The endorsement was seen by many as Dean merely giving the finger to Kerry for his victory over Dean in New Hampshire. CNN, MSNBC, and FOX analysts all bashed Dean for the endorsement, claiming that he should have waited until after March 7th to endorse a candidate.

The media still waited for President Clinton's endorsement, but Clinton continuously deferred and explained that his endorsement would come soon. On a CNN Special, Vice President Gore once again explained that he would not endorse a candidate until the Convention. Gore also highlighted his interest again in running for Governor of Tennessee.

Pre-March 7th polls were released on March 5th.

DEMOCRAT NATIONWIDE POLL
Which Democrat do you support to become the next President?
Kerry: 52%
Daschle: 48%

REPUBLICAN NATIONWIDE POLL
Which Republican do you support to become the next President?
Bush: 57%
McCain: 40%
Keyes: 3%

McCain knew that March 7th would either make or break his campaign.

MARCH 7th RESULTS - DEMOCRAT

California Primary Results:
Daschle: 53%
Kerry: 47%

Connecticut Primary Results:
Kerry: 60%
Daschle: 40%

Georgia Primary Results:
Daschle: 55%
Kerry: 45%

Missouri Primary Results:
Daschle: 52%
Kerry: 48%

Rhode Island Primary Results:
Kerry: 61%
Daschle: 39%

Massachusetts Primary Results:
Kerry: 78%
Daschle: 22%

Maryland Primary Results:
Kerry: 56%
Daschle: 44%

Maine Primary Results:
Kerry: 61%
Daschle: 39%

Ohio Primary Results:
Daschle: 51%
Kerry: 49%

New York Primary Results:
Kerry: 57%
Daschle: 43%

Vermont Primary Results:
Kerry: 63%
Daschle: 47%

Kerry had crushed Daschle in all the New England states, and grabbed victories in Maryland and New York, too. He was barely defeated in Ohio, though. Daschle, on the other hand, had taken California, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri. The Kerry Campaign considered March 7th a victory, with Kerry announcing "You haven't seen anything yet!" Daschle, on the other hand, announced to his supporters, "Senator Kerry underestimates us! I've seen what we can do! I saw it tonight, in California and Georgia and Missouri and Ohio! We are here to stay and to win!"

Light Blue - Daschle

Dark Blue - Kerry

MARCH 7th RESULTS - REPUBLICAN

California Primary Results:
Bush: 63%
McCain: 35%
Keyes: 2%

Connecticut Primary Results:
McCain: 49%
Bush: 47%
Keyes: 4%

Georgia Primary Results:
Bush: 65%
McCain: 30%
Keyes: 5%

Maine Primary Results:
Bush: 54%
McCain: 44%
Keyes: 2%

Maryland Primary Results:
Bush: 56%
McCain: 36%
Keyes: 7%

Massachusetts Primary Results:
McCain: 58%
Bush: 40%
Keyes: 2%

Missouri Primary Results:
Bush: 58%
McCain: 35%
Keyes: 6%

New York Primary Results:
Bush: 50%
McCain: 45%
Keyes: 5%

Ohio Primary Results:
Bush: 56%
McCain: 42%
Keyes: 2%

Rhode Island Primary Results:
McCain: 62%
Bush: 36%
Keyes: 2%

Vermont Primary Results:
McCain: 70%
Bush: 29%
Keyes: 1%

Minnesota Caucus Results:
Bush: 59%
McCain: 39%
Keyes: 2%

Washington Caucus Results:
Bush: 69%
McCain: 29%
Keyes: 2%

Bush - Red

McCain - Yellow

Bush had emerged victorious over McCain in every primary and caucus, with the exception of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Keyes decided it was finally time to drop out of the race, so he did so. In Phoenix, Senator McCain announced that he would be suspending his campaign. Thanking his supporters, McCain explained, "Although this is not the result you or I wished for, we must now come together to support Governor Bush in the 2000 Presidential Election. He has my support, and I hope that he has yours, so that the GOP can be the party to move America forward."

Texas Governor George W. Bush was now the Republican nominee for President.

In his home state, the Governor gave a speech in which he called for a time in which "true conservatism" would lead the country. "The GOP will be the party of the future and the GOP will be the party to restore American government." Kerry and Daschle both congratulated the Governor, but knew that their own race was far from over.

[GLPman]

March 2000 (continued) Following his victory speech, Governor Bush spent the next week at his Crawford Ranch home in Crawford, Texas. Several new polls were quickly released by Rasmussen, which simulated a match up between the two Democratic candidates and Governor Bush.

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS - DASCHLE V. BUSH
Who will you vote for in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 50%
Daschle: 48%
Other: 2%

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS - KERRY V. BUSH
Who will you vote for in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 51%
Kerry: 47%
Other: 2%

It quickly became evident that the Texas Governor had a lead over both candidates, which worried the Democrats greatly. MSNBC released a poll a few days later, showing that Kerry and Bush were both tied at 48%, but the validity of the poll was questioned.

President Clinton decided he would campaign with both Kerry and Daschle in order to rally the support of the Democrats.

Clinton would campaign with both Kerry and Daschle.

More states were quickly approaching, beginning with South Carolina on March 9th, and then followed by Utah and Colorado on March 10th. March 12th would also be a packed day with Arizona, Michigan, and Minnesota.

SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 55%
Kerry: 45%

Very few were surprised by Daschle's victory in South Carolina - the South Dakota Senator had proven to  perform better in the South than Senator Kerry, who on the other hand had largely outperformed Daschle in the Northeast. Various CNN and MSNBC political analysts predicted that the great battle of the Democratic Primary would come down to the Midwest and West.

Following the South Carolina victory, Florida Senator Bob Graham endorses Tom Daschle.

COLORADO PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 52%
Kerry: 48%

UTAH PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 62%
Kerry: 38%

Daschle had won three primaries in a row and the momentum had boosted his fund-raising and campaign efforts immensely. Governor Bush began campaigning in the United States, beginning in Florida and Indiana.

ARIZONA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 53%
Kerry: 47%

MICHIGAN PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry


Results:
Kerry: 56%
Daschle: 44%

MINNESOTA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry


Results:
Kerry: 54%
Daschle: 46%

Daschle had no problem securing Arizona, but to many's surprise, Kerry came out on top in Michigan and Minnesota. Kerry's campaign had received a jolt of energy and both candidates now looked forward to March 14th, in which several states, including Florida and Texas, would hold their primaries.

Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, Governor Bush makes a speech at a rally of 15,000 people, in which he named the Democrats a "party of conflict," pointing out how they were failing to choose a candidate to run against him.


Bush was right: by mid-March, the Democrats were still battling over the nomination, Bush had a lead over both Democrats, and the race did not appear to be anywhere near over.

Dark Blue - Kerry

Light Blue - Daschle

[GLPman]

I'm on vacation now, so the next update won't arrive until this coming weekend.

I hope bush doesn't picks Cheney! Elizabeth Dole would be a real shocker!

Bush 2000!!!!!

Both Cheney and Dole will be on the list of possible VP picks for Bush, which will be released within the next few updates.

[GLPman]

March 2000 (continued) Both Kerry and Daschle realized that March 14th would be the defining point of their campaigns. The 14th held the primaries of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Kerry, who was behind Daschle, despite the recent wins in Michigan and Minnesota, would need to win Florida and texas in order to tie and even have a hope of surpassing his opponent. MSNBC's Chris Matthews labeled the 14th as "judgment day."

In hopes of ending the battle for the Democratic nomination, many Democrats came out and endorsed one of the two candidates. Daschle received several endorsements, including ones from North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Georgia Governor Roy Barnes, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, and former Vice President Walter Mondale. Kerry, on the other hand, received endorsements from California Senator Dianne Feinstein, former New Jersey Senator and presidential candidate Bill Bradley, Hawaii Governor Ben Cayentano, and former presidential candidate and Senator Minority Leader Dick Gephardt. It was clear that the majority of Democrats wanted this race to end soon. Kerry wasn't going to give up so easily, though.

Furthermore, the attacks had increased. Kerry and Daschle's attack ads quickly doubled and became more fierce. In one attack ad that aired on March 10th, a day before the Nevada Democratic Caucus, Daschle explained his service in the Air Force and then subsequently questioned Kerry's service in Vietnam. Campaigning in Dallas, Kerry called Daschle's tactics "slanderous" and the Massachusetts Senator staunchly defended his record. Daschle also brought rise to another question: was Kerry too liberal to continue another Democratic term in the White House?

A new poll released the morning of the Nevada Caucus showed Daschle leading for the first time during the entire primary season.

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS
Which Democrat do you support to win the nomination?
Daschle: 52%
Kerry: 48%

NEVADA CAUCUS RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 53%
Kerry: 47%

The majority of Kerry's support had risen out of Clark County, but it was not an overwhelming majority to propel the Massachusetts Senator to victory. Following the conclusion of the Nevada Caucus, both candidates headed to Florida and Texas to campaign. The next three days would be very important.

During a rally in San Antonio, Daschle attempted to portray Kerry as a Far-Left candidate: "Don't get me wrong, folks: Senator Kerry is a good man and politician, but his policies and political beliefs would destroy the foundations of the programs that President Clinton has provided for Americans -- programs that I have supported. You and I must stop Senator Kerry from doing so." Similarly to Ronald Reagan's 1968 "Stop Nixon" campaign, Daschle's speech in San Antonio quickly spawned a "Stop Kerry" campaign.

President Clinton had stopped campaigning with both candidates. Some Kerry supporters suspected that the President supported Daschle and did not want to see his endorsement be the deciding factor in the primaries. A poll, although the question was phrased extremely vaguely, showed that the majority of Americans disapproved of Clinton's handling of the Democratic primaries.

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS
Do you approve of disapprove of the contributions President Clinton has made to the Democratic Primaries?
Approve: 39%
Disapprove: 42%
Unsure: 19%

In Orlando, Florida, Kerry told his supporters that they were "in the clutch" and that he needed their support to pull through and onwards. "If we do not perform well on the fourteenth, everything we've worked for, all of this, may not be enough to bring us to Pennsylvania Ave. And, even worse, we would face the possibility of losing the White House to the Republicans."

Governor Bush portrayed a very different message in Dayton, Ohio: "If you want four more years of big government, outrageous taxes, and sex scandals, then I suggest you vote for the Democrats in November," Bush explained, "if they even have a candidate by then."

March 14th - "judgment day" - was only one day away.

[GLPman]

Wow
I must say, you do excellent timelines.
I can't wait for the results.
Go Daschle!

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[GLPman]

March 2000 (continued): March 14th had arrived and as Senators Daschle and Kerry scrambled around the South to give last minute speeches, voters went for the ballots. Democrats throughout the country awaited the anticipated results.

MARCH 14th RESULTS:

FLORIDA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 51%
Kerry: 49%

LOUISIANA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle:  61%
Kerry: 39%

MISSISSIPPI PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 65%
Kerry: 35%

OKLAHOMA PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 68%
Kerry: 32%

TENNESSEE PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 61%
Kerry: 39%

TEXAS PRIMARY RESULTS - DEMOCRAT
Winner: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle


Results:
Daschle: 55%
Kerry: 45%

Daschle had swept every primary. Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi were carried by extremely large margins, too. Similarly to Ohio only weeks before, Daschle had barely won Florida. Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville metro areas had all voted strongly for Daschle, while support for Kerry in Miami had not been as strong as predicted. In Texas, the South Dakota Senator handily defeated Kerry by 10%. It was clear that Kerry's campaign had lost its momentum and was now grinding to a halt.

Dark Blue - Kerry

Light Blue - Daschle

In front of a large crowd in Boston, Senator Kerry announced that he would be suspending his campaign. "I've seen Senator Daschle do amazing work in the Senate, and I will always be a supporter of his. He will always have a Massachusetts friend in Washington." Following his concession speech, Kerry walked quietly off the stage.

South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle was now the Democratic Nominee for President. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Daschle happily greeted a large crowd that gave endless applause. In his victory speech, Senator Daschle not only congratulated the effort put forth by Senator Kerry, but he called for unity within the Democratic Party.

"Over the past eight years, our country has flourished through the ideals and proposals put forth by the Democratic Party. As we enter the 21st century, we have a budget surplus,  an outsanding military force that has successfully battled militants across the globe, most recently in Kosovo, and we remain a global leader. Our work, however is far from done: we have drugs to combat, we have children to educate, and we have the duty to keep lethal weapons off the street so that we may not face another 'Columbine' or 'Waco.' If George Bush is elected in November, our work over the past eight years will be for nothing. Let us face our new list of challenges together as the United States proudly marches in the 21st century." The 2000 United States Presidential Election would now be a battle between Senator Daschle and Governor Bush.

On March 26th, Vladimir Putin is elected President of Russia.

On March 30th, at the end of a very nasty month, Rasmussen released a poll for support between Daschle and Bush. The poll had Governor Bush ahead of Senator Daschle by quite a few points.

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 presidential election?
Bush: 52.2%
Daschle: 46.7%
Other: 1.1%

As March became April, Senator Daschle, along with the Democrats, knew that he would have to step up his campaign efforts if he wanted a chance to beat Bush in November. As far as the Bush campaign was concerned, though, that wasn't going to happen.

[GLPman]

April 2000: Governor Bush wasted no time in attacking Tom Daschle on numerous issues, including his support of President Clinton's healthcare reform, back in the early 90's. Furthermore, Bush was able to use President Clinton's scandal and impeachment trials in an attempt to slander Daschle. At a campaign stop in Nashville, Bush promised to "restore honor and dignity to the Oval Office."

The Democrats were now faced with a severe problem: should President Clinton campaign with Senator Daschle? Now that the primaries were over, the presence of Clinton became much more significant. The Democrats couldn't afford for voters to associate Clinton's scandal with Senator Daschle. On the other hand, though, Clinton would be able to gather a strong amount of support for the Senator, given his 58% approval rating. Top Democrats decided that, for now, Clinton would have to be out.

On April 3rd, in the case of United States v. Microsoft, it is ruled that Microsoft violated United States anti-trust laws.

Several new state polls were released from April 15th - 20th, showing citizens' support for the candidates.

NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL - APRIL 15 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Daschle: 49.6%
Bush: 48.3%
Other: 2.1%

IOWA POLL - APRIL 16 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 50.2%
Daschle: 48.9
Other: 0.9%

FLORIDA POLL - APRIL 16 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 52.6
Daschle: 45.4%
Other: 2.0%

OHIO POLL - APRIL 17 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 49.5%
Daschle: 47.2%
Other: 3.3%

PENNSYLVANIA POLL - APRIL 18 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Daschle: 50.6%
Bush: 47.9%
Other: 1.5%

INDIANA POLL - APRIL 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 53.6%
Daschle: 44.5%
Other: 1.9%

On April 22nd, Federal Agents, under the order of Attorney General Janet Reno, seize Elián González from his home in Miami and transport him to his Cuban father in Washington, D.C.. The order would spawn a great amount of media attention, including a picture of the agents seizing Elián, and controversy.

On April 25th, Vermont legalizes civil unions for same-sex couples.

May 2000: May began exactly how it would end: with speculation. On May 1st, TIME magazine released an issue which contained an article that investigated why Bush's campaign had been able to knock out the McCain camp so easily in the Republican South Carolina Primaries a few months later. The issue had largely gone undiscussed, spare for the week following the Primary, due to the heavy competition of both races. TIME Magazine's article highlighted the negative attack ads of the Bush campaign, headed by Karl Rove, and brought rise to the issue if the same type of attacks were being used against Daschle. On an interview with Larry King, Senator McCain explained how upset he was with the attacks, "Governor Bush was open to critcize my political views, my record, and any of the work that I have done in the Senate. His attacks against my family were tasteless, however, and I think it's a shame that he resorted to using dirty tricks in order to win." Several top Republicans criticized the McCain interview. McCain was definitely anti-Bush, but was he pro-Daschle?

Officials at the Bush camp, however, claimed that they had been misinformed and merely brushed off the issue. In a new wave of attack ads released throughout the Midwest, Bush called Daschle a "softy on drugs," referring to a vote in the Senate in November 1999, in which Daschle had voted "NO" on increasing penalties for drug offenses. Daschle released attack ads of his own, claiming that Bush wanted to weaken the government and that he did not support the US troops in Kosovo. Daschle also played on the attacks that Bush had used on McCain in the South Carolina Primary, and pointed out to viewers that the same attacks were being used to smear his campaign.

The South Dakota Senator spent most of May campaigning in Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. On May 23rd, a new poll was released that showed growing support for Daschle, but Bush was still ahead by many points.

NATIONWIDE POLL RESULTS
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 election?
Bush: 52.0
Daschle: 47.1
Other: 0.9%

By the end of May, there was a great amount of speculation about VP picks for the candidates.

Possible VP Picks - REPUBLICAN

Richard "Dick" Lugar - Indiana Senator

Elizabeth Dole - former Secretary of Labor and wife of 1996 presidential candidate Bob Dole

Dirk Kempthorne - Governor of Idaho

Dick Cheney - Former Secretary of Defense

Connie Mack - Florida Senator

Tommy Thompson - Governor of Wisconsin

Tom Ridge - Governor of Pennsylvania

Trent Lott - Mississippi Senator and Senate Majority Leader

POSSIBLE VP PICKS - DEMOCRAT

Bob Graham - Florida Senator

Gray Davis - Governor of California

John Kerry - Massachusetts Senator and former presidential candidate

Howard Dean - Governor of Vermont and former presidential candidate

Dick Durbin - Illinois Senator

Evan Bayh - Indiana Senator

Harry Reid - Nevada Senator and Senate Minority Whip

Daschle and Bush continued their fight towards November as May concluded.

[GLPman]

Why is Indiana so close? It voted for Bush by 15 points in real life...

Because of heavy Daschle campaigning, as mentioned above, and due to the fact that Daschle is seen as a Midwestern candidate. It's still early in the season, though; it's only May. I'm aware of Bush's large victory over Gore in real life, too. Bush definitely has a large advantage in Indiana, don't worry...

[GLPman]

Quick Point GLPman: Daschle is not pro-choice, at least not to the extent that Kerry or someone else is. Actually he is probably as mainstream as it gets: 50% rating by NARAL, opposed to partial-birth abortions, supportive of stem-cells. Other than that, Great TL!

My mistake, thank you for correcting it. I've edited it. Glad you enjoy the TL.

[GLPman]

June 2000: Campaigning kept going as June arrived. Both candidates started the month out by trying to appeal to voters in Iowa, a state that had constantly had very close results when polled over the past few weeks. Clinton, whose approval ratings were still at 58%, stuck to the advice of top Democrats to not campaign with Daschle. Campaigning with Daschle was suggested to Vice President Al Gore, however. At a rally in Des Moines, Vice President Gore greeted a large crowd of supporters and had the honor of introducing Senator Daschle.

Gore was a good campaigning tool and his presence definitely unified the Democrats that had been split on Daschle and Kerry. Similar to Senator Daschle, Governor Bush also had a campaign tool of his own: his father, former President George H.W. Bush. Bush's connection to his father, who hailed over the success of the Gulf War in the early 90s, ensured that the majority of US Veterans were supporters of Bush.

By mid-June, there had been enough polls to finally determine which states were tossups and which wons would be claimed by the Democrats or the GOP. It was still only June, however, and there were still many campaign stops to be made.

Red - Safe Democrat

Pink - Leaning Democrat

Light Blue - Leaning GOP

Blue - Safe GOP

NATIONWIDE POLL
If the United States Presidential Election was held today, who would you vote for?
Bush: 52.1%
Daschle: 47.1%
Other: 0.8%

On June 14th, Governor Bush was seen meeting with Trent Lott and Tom Ridge at his Crawford Ranch in Texas. The scene created speculation among the media that the Bush was considering choosing one of the two men as his Vice Presidential candidate. There were no sources to back this up, however, and Bush said the men were only talking about campaigning.

On June 20th, with the party conventions a little over two months away, several new polls were released.

IOWA POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 50.2%
Daschle: 48.6 %
Other: 1.2%

MISSOURI POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 52.9%
Daschle: 46.1%
Other: 1.0%

NEVADA POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 51.8%
Daschle: 45.2%
Other: 3.0%

NEW MEXICO POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Daschle: 50.3%
Bush: 48.2%
Other: 1.5%

PENNSYLVANIA POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Daschle: 50.9%
Bush: 47.5%
Other: 1.6%

WISCONSIN POLL - JUNE 20 2000
Daschle: 50.8%
Bush: 47.7%
Other: 1.5%

The addition of Vice Presidential picks would obviously affect the polls and outcome of the election, as well. Campaigning and polling continued as June came to a close and July rolled around.

(VP picks will be in next update)

[GLPman]

July 2000: For the first three weeks, July was not as busy and intense as some of the previous months had been. Bush continued to attack Daschle's policies and Daschle continued to attack Bush's policies. Speculation about possible VP picks for both candidates continued, but there was never any supporting evidence. Vice President Al Gore continued to campaign with Senator Daschle while Clinton sat out. All in all, the first three weeks were very much of the same thing.

On July 26th, Governor Bush announced that he would be making his VP pick the following morning. The media quickly once again began the VP speculation. Many analysts at FOX News endorsed a Bush/Lott ticket since Lott's experience in the Senate would put him in competition with Daschle. Opponents of the Bush/Lott ticket turned to a Bush/Ridge ticket, in which the Pennsylvania Governor could help Bush capture the Keystone State. Senator Daschle was also eager to see Governor Bush's VP pick, since it would affect his.

On the morning of July 27th, in Milwaukee, Governor Bush announced that his running mate was Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.

Thompson would help Bush's performance in the midwestern states, specifically in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa - places that he had consistently been behind Daschle. Thompson was the only Governor in Wisconsin's entire history to serve an unprecedented four terms. Several news stations praised the VP pick because the ticket was comprised of two hard-working and well-liked Governors, and the ticket had enough balance to appeal to moderates, as well. Thompson made a speech, in which he thanked Governor Bush for his selection and called for voters' support to carry the Bush/Thompson ticket to victory in November.

The Republican National Convention began on July 31st in Philadelphia. The convention's first speaker was Colin Powell. The Republicans rallied throughout the night as the Bush/Thompson ticket, as well as the concepts and ideas of the Republican Party, were praised.

August 2000: The Republican National Convention continued into the first few days of blistering August. On August 2nd, Governor Thompson gave his address to the convention.

"We've all seen the work of the Democrats over the past eight years. We've seen our government expand and our Oval Office abused. In Wisconsin, programs were so bad that I had to reform them myself, with little aid from the government. We need to restore America! Governor Bush and I need your support in November so that the 21st century can begin very differently than how the 20th century ended. This country needs new leadership, and Governor Bush and I are here to take on the challenge of bringing this wonderful country into the next century!"

Crowds went wild, holding up signs that read "Tommy" in bold letters. Bush's VP pick had been a good one and now the Democrats had to either top it or match it. The next day, following his nomination, Governor Bush delivered his speech.

"America prospered under the administrations of Reagan and Bush, and yet, now, under the reign of the Democrats, we feel and see our presence throughout the world diminished. At home, Democrats have failed to deliver the promises that they outlined so many years ago. Elect the man who you know, from experience, will keep his promises and deliver leadership. I am your man, America."

Several polls were released following the end of the convention on August 3rd.

IOWA POLL - AUGUST 5 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 52.4%
Daschle: 46.5%
Other: 1.1%

NEVADA POLL - AUGUST 5 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 53.0%
Daschle: 44.2%
Other: 2.8%

WISCONSIN POLL - AUGUST 6 2000
Which presidential candidate will you support in the 2000 Presidential Election?
Bush: 52.4%
Daschle: 46.1%
Other: 1.5%

Daschle knew he would have to make a good VP selection. He had narrowed it down to three excellent candidates and just had to make the final selection. The Democratic National Convention, in Los Angeles, was only two weeks away...

[GLPman]

August 2000 (continued) On August 5th, in front of a huge crowd of his supporters in Pennsylvania, Senator Daschle slammed President Bush's nomination speech and described the Governor as "confused" and "misleading." Daschle's numbers in the polls had been slipping ever since the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, which had concluded only two days before, but the South Dakota Senator knew it was because he hadn't selected his VP yet, nor had the Democratic National Convention happened yet. Daschle announced that he would announce his VP selection on the 10th of August in Des Moines.

On August 10th, in Des Moines, Senator Daschle announced that he selected Vermont Governor Howard Dean as his running mate.

Dean's experience and accomplishments as a Governor made the double-Governor Republican ticket seem shaky. Senator Daschle brought experience from the Senate, while Dean brought his experience from the Governor's Office of Vermont. Democrats everywhere applauds the selection because it brought balance to the ticket. Additionally, it kept the New England Democrats happy, most of whom had been upset about the loss of Senator Kerry in the Democratic primaries. Dean had been in the first few contests of the Democratic Primaries, so voters were aware of who he was, too. It was believed that the addition of Dean of the ticket may help bring New Hampshire to the Democrats, as well.

On August 14th, the Democratic National Convention began in Los Angeles. The keynote speaker was Tennessee Representative Harold Ford, Jr. Vice President Al Gore made a speech praising the Daschle/Dean ticket. President Clinton, who made his speech on the second night, right before Governor Dean, delivered a similar message:"There is no doubt in my mind that these two men can carry out the prosperity that our country has seen over the past eight years."

Governor Dean delivered his speech to the Convention shortly after.

"I know exactly what you're thinking -- another Governor? Yes, I'm afraid we now make up seventy-five percent of the two main tickets running for the White House," Dean joked. "But let me explain to you how the two-Governor Republican ticket falls short: in Vermont, I have been elected to four two- year terms. When I first entered office, Vermont had a $60 million budget deficit, yet we now have a nearly-perfect balanced budget. I also established a healthcare system for children and pregnant women and, as a result, child abuse and teen pregnancies in Vermont dropped by almost fifty percent. This past April, Vermont signed a law legalizing same-sex unions - something the people of Vermont called for and desired. No other Governor pulled off such amazing results during their terms - especially not Governors Bush and Thompson."

Supporters throughout the Convention all cheered "DEAN!" at the end of the Governor's speech. The Vermont Governor was clearly the right choice for the ticket. The following night, the last night of the Convention, Seantor Daschle delivered his nomination speech.

"A few weeks ago in Philadelphia, Governor Bush delivered a speech to his supporters in which he  made the claim that the United States prospered only under the Reagan and Bush administrations, and that our presence in the world is now 'diminished.' We must live in different countries; let me tell you what I see in the United States of America as a result of the past eight years: I see a deficit that has turned into a surplus, I see 22 million new jobs, I see a nation that has reached out and provided support to nations in jeopardy. Therefore, I would say the past eight years have indeed been some of the most prosperous of our history. As President, I will continue this prosperity."

As August concluded, polls were constantly released.

INDIANA POLL - AUGUST 20 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 56.1%
Daschle/Dean: 42.5%
Other: 1.4%

NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL - AUGUST 20 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Daschle/Dean 51.2%
Bush/Thompson: 47.1%
Other: 1.7%

MICHIGAN POLL - AUGUST 23 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Daschle/Dean: 53.4%
Bush/Thompson: 45.0%
Other: 1.6%

OHIO POLL - AUGUST 23 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 49.2%
Daschle/Dean: 48.8%
Other: 2.0%

WISCONSIN POLL - AUGUST 24 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 50.3%
Daschle/Dean: 48.2%
Other: 1.5%

If the polls were correct, the election was going to be very close.

[GLPman]

Good timeline, looking forward to election night.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I was originally going to continue the TL until the 2004 election, but if there is enough interest, I may keep it going all the way until present day.

[GLPman]

September 2000: Not too much happened in September, spare for more polls and additional campaigning. Governors Thompson and Dean served as good campaigning tools to Bush and Daschle respectively. Democrats also made the decision to allow Bill Clinton to slowly become involved in campaigning with the Daschle/Dean ticket. It was thought that the President's presence would increase the number of supporters, unlike the primary season, since he now maintained an approval rating of 61%.

President Clinton attempting to rally voters in Miami.

On September 15th, the Summer Olympics begin in Sydney, Australia.



NATIONWIDE POLL - SEPTEMBER 21 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 50.1%
Daschle/Dean: 47.9%
Other: 2.2%

In late September, Rasmussen released a "No Tossup States" map, which was based on the results of all the polls that had conducted and gave the state to the ticket that was currently leading.

Bush/Thompson - Blue

Daschle/Dean - Red

October 2000: The 2000 Summer Olympics conclude in Australia.

Election season was closing in. On October 3rd, the first presidential debate was held at the Washington University in St. Louis. Both Daschle and Bush came off looking quite professional and well-informed. Daschle argued that the United States was enjoying a time of prosperity, the foundation of which was established by eight years of Democratic rule. Bush, on the other hand, argued that the country was headed in the wrong direction and that conservatism and values had to be restored. Polls showed Daschle won the debate, but only narrowly.

POST-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE POLL - OCTOBER 4 2000
Who do you think won the first Presidential debate?
Daschle: 51.6%
Bush: 48.4%

On October 5th, the first and only Vice Presidential debate was held in Danville, Kentucky. Viewers agreed unanimously that Howard Dean, who appeared younger and more in touch with voters, trumped over Tommy Thompson.

POST-VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE POLL - OCTOBER 6 2000
Who do you think won the Vice Presidential debate?
Dean: 58.2%
Thompson: 41.8%

The second presidential debate occurs on October 11th and is considered a win for Governor Bush.

On October 12th, the USS Cole, stationed in Yemen, is attacked and damaged by two suicide bombers. The attack was interpreted as an act of terrorism against the United States. It is later determined that the terrorists were part of an organization known as Al-Qaeda.


On October 17th, the final debate between Daschle and Bush took place. The debate is considered a win for Daschle.

POST-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE POLL - OCTOBER 19 2000
Overall, do you think Senator Daschle or Governor Bush performed better in the debates?
Daschle: 52.6%
Bush: 47.4%

While Bush had come off as young, Daschle was viewed as more experienced. People who wanted a change from the Clinton years had no problem placing support behind the Texas Governor, but people who had enjoyed the Clinton presidency and wanted to see his policies continue rushed to support Daschle. By the end of October, Election Night was the only thing on everybody's mind. Some polls were released right before the month ended.

FLORIDA POLL - OCTOBER 24 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 51.5%
Daschle/Dean: 46.5%
Other: 2.0%

IOWA POLL - OCTOBER 24 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 49.3%
Daschle/Dean: 49.3%
Other: 1.4%

INDIANA POLL - OCTOBER 24 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 56.1%
Daschle/Dean: 42.5%
Other: 1.4%

OHIO POLL - OCTOBER 25 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Bush/Thompson: 49.1%
Daschle/Dean: 48.9%
Other: 2.0%
Other:

OREGON POLL - OCTOBER 25 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Daschle/Dean: 50.3%
Bush/Thompson: 47.6%
Other: 2.1%

PENNSYLVANIA POLL - OCTOBER 26 2000
Which presidential ticket will you be supporting this November?
Daschle/Dean: 52.7%
Bush/Thompson: 45.0%
Other: 2.3%

October came to a close with both tickets holding rallies. An interview with Governor Bush on Fox News arose interest, particularly due to the sound bite from the interview that was played constantly. In the interview, Governor Bush was asked if he was worried about a Democrat victory in November. To this question, Bush calmly responded, "Absolutely not. I think we all know what happened the last time a Senator from South Dakota ran for President."

[GLPman]

November 2000:

Election Night 2000 - Pre-6:00pm EST
"Welcome to Election Night! This evening we will be following the much-anticipated Presidential Election and be reporting the results to you as the evening progresses. A quick recap for those who are not big on politics and are tuning in: Vice President Al Gore decided not to seek the Democratic nomination for President. South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle won the Democratic Primary last March and selected Vermont Governor Howard Dean as his running mate. The Democrats face Texas Governor George W. Bush, son of former President George H.W. Bush, as the challenger to the White House. Governor Bush selected Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson as his running mate.

South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle

Texas Governor George W. Bush

If we look at our map, as we will be throughout the night, we see that a GRAY STATE indicates that a state has not been called yet; a GREEN STATE indicates that a state is too close to call; a RED STATE indicates a state called for the Democrats; and a BLUE STATE indicates a state called for the Republicans. 270 electoral votes are required to win. We will also be reviewing Senate election results throughout the night, as well."

Election Night 2000 - 6:00pm

"We're back and ready to report some results that we are receiving right now. We are now ready to make a projection at this time. We can call the state of Kentucky for Governor George Bush. At this time, the state of Indiana is too close to call."

Kentucky

Governor George W. Bush

Election Night 2000 - 6:30pm

"At this time we are ready to project that the state of Indiana, a state that has traditionally been Republican in recent years, will continue its trend. Indiana will go to Governor George Bush.

Indiana

Governor George W. Bush

In thirty minutes, the polls close in multiple states, including the swing states of Florida and several districts of New Hampshire. We will return in just a minute, folks."

Election Night 2000 - 7:00pm

"We have several projections to make at this time. We can now call the states of Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia for Governor Bush. We can also project the state of Vermont, the home state of Governor Howard Dean, Senator Daschle's running mate, for the Democrats. Florida and New Hampshire are too close to call at this time."

Georgia

Governor George W. Bush

South Carolina

Governor George W. Bush

Virginia

Governor George W. Bush

Vermont

Senator Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle - 3

Governor George W. Bush - 54

[GLPman]

November 2000 (continued)

Election Night 2000 - 7:20pm

"We're going to take a quick look at Florida and New Hampshire now and see the results so far. Not all districts of New Hampshire have closed yet, nor have the counties in the Panhandle of Florida, a region that is very Republican. In only ten minutes, polls will close in Ohio, West Virginia, and in various counties of North Carolina."

FLORIDA - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
18% precincts reporting
Bush: 50.7%
Daschle: 47.2%
Other: 2.1%

NEW HAMPSHIRE - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
27% precincts reporting
Daschle: 49.2%
Bush: 48.9%
Other: 1.9%

ELECTION NIGHT 2000 - 7:30pm

"Welcome back! Polls have just closed in West Virginia and Ohio, as well as several counties in North Carolina. At this time, Ohio and West Virginia are too close to call, but we can project North Carolina will go to Governor Bush.

North Carolina

Governor George W. Bush

This increases Governor Bush's electoral votes to 68.

"So, Jim, let's take a closer look at Ohio and West Virginia. What's the deal here?"
"Well, Rob, Ohio is a very crucial state because a Republican hasn't won the White House without taking Ohio. If we see George Bush take Ohio tonight, it's very likely that he will be the next President. The last poll in Ohio showed Senator Daschle and Governor Bush basically tied in the Buckeye state, however, so I don't think we're going to be ready to call this one for a while - it's going to be a tight race. West Virginia, on the other hand, is a state that voted for Bill Clinton in both '92 and '96. While polls have showed West Virginia heavily trending towards Governor Bush this election, I think we're playing it safe by waiting a while to call this one."

ELECTION NIGHT 2000 - 7:48pm

"I'm going to have to cut you off, Jim, because we have another projection to make. We are now able to call West Virginia for Governor George Bush. This is a state that has voted Democratic since 1984, so this is pretty big. Once again, West Virginia goes for Governor George Bush. The Texas Governor now holds 73 electoral votes to Senator Daschle's 3.

West Virginia

Governor George W. Bush

Florida, Ohio, and New Hampshire are still too close to call."

ELECTION NIGHT 2000 - 8:00PM

"Welcome back to Election Night 2000. We have several projections to make right now. We can project that Governor Bush will carry Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and his home state of Texas. We project that Senator Daschle will take Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. At this time, we add Michigan, Missouri, and Pennsylvania to the states that are too close to call.

Alabama

Governor George W. Bush

Kansas

Governor George W. Bush

Mississippi

Governor George W. Bush

Oklahoma

Governor George W. Bush

Tennessee

Governor George W. Bush

Texas

Governor George W. Bush

Connecticut

Senator Tom Daschle

Delaware

Senator Tom Daschle

District of Columbia

Senator Tom Daschle

Illinois

Senator Tom Daschle

Maine (state)

Senator Tom Daschle

Maryland

Senator Tom Daschle

Massachusetts

Senator Tom Daschle

New Jersey

Senator Tom Daschle

Governor Bush still has the lead of Senator Daschle with 146 votes to 80."

Senator Tom Daschle - 80

Governor George Bush - 146

ELECTION NIGHT 2000 - 8:23PM

"We have two very big projections to make right now, only seven minutes before the half-hour mark. We can now call Michigan and New Hampshire for Senator Tom Daschle.

Michigan

Senator Tom Daschle

New Hampshire

Senator Tom Daschle

This increases Senator Daschle's electoral votes to 102. We also can show the results so far that are coming in from Missouri."

MISSOURI - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
26% precincts reporting
Daschle: 49.3%
Bush: 48.8%
Other: 1.9%  

ELECTION NIGHT 2000 - 8:28PM

"We're back from a quick break and ready to make another projection. We can now call the state of Florida for Governor George Bush."

Florida

Governor George W. Bush

Senator Tom Daschle - 102

Governor George W. Bush - 171

[GLPman]

November 2000 (continued)

Election Night 2000 - 8:33PM

"Polls closed just three minute ago in the state of Arkansas and we are ready to project that the state, the home of President Bill Clinton, will go for Governor George Bush. This brings Bush's electoral count to 177."

Arkansas

Governor George W. Bush

Election Night 2000 - 8:50PM

"Welcome back, folks. We can now project that Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, will cast its 23 electoral votes for Senator Daschle. Despite the fact that Governor Bush performed better than expected, this is no surprise as polls showed Daschle in the lead numerous times. So there you have it -- Daschle wins Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania

Senator Tom Daschle

Missouri and Ohio are still too close to call. Senator Daschle seems to be performing quite above expectations in Missouri. Let's take a quick look at Ohio's results so far, with 49% precincts reporting."

OHIO - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
49% precincts reporting
Bush: 49.2%
Daschle: 48.8%
Other: 2.0%

Election Night 2000 - 9:00PM

"As you can see, it's 9:00PM, which means polls have closed in several states and we are ready to make some projections! We can project that Governor Bush will carry the states of Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming. We can also project that Senator Daschle will take New York and Rhode Island. Several states at this time are too close to call, including Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wisconsin."

Louisiana

Governor George W. Bush

Nebraska (state)

Governor George W. Bush

North Dakota

Governor George W. Bush

Wyoming

Governor George W. Bush

New York

Senator Tom Daschle

Rhode Island

Senator Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle - 162

Governor George W. Bush - 197

Election Night 2000 - 9:17PM

"Hold on, guys, we have three projections to make. We can now project that Missouri, South Dakota, and Arizona will go Republican. South Dakota, Senator Daschle's home state, has been a Republican stronghold over the past decades, so this does not come as a surprise, despite his popularity there."

Arizona

Governor George W. Bush

Missouri

Governor George W. Bush

South Dakota

Governor George W. Bush

These states bring Bush's electoral count to 219. The Texas Governor only requires 51 more votes to win the election. We're watching Colorado, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin very closely at this time."

Election Night 2000 - 9:58PM

"We have a big projection right now. We can now project that Ohio - the Buckeye State - will go to South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle. This is a big win because no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio, which puts George Bush's campaign in a bit of a squeeze. Senator Daschle must be very pleased with these results. Once again, after a tight race in Ohio tonight, the Buckeye State  will go to Senator Daschle. We will be right back with our 10:00 projections."

Ohio

Senator Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle - 183

Governor George W. Bush - 219

[GLPman]

November 2000 (continued)

Election Night 2000 - 10:00PM

"Okay, so as I mentioned just a few moments ago, the Ohio has been called for Senator Tom Daschle. We are continuing to watch Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Wisconsin very closely at this time. It's now 10:00 on the East Coast and we have several projections to make. We can now call Idaho, Montana, and Utah for Governor Bush. These states have typically been Republican strongholds in past years, specifically Idaho and Utah, so these results are not at all surprising. Iowa, Nevada, and Oregon are too close to call at this time. Governor Bush now has 231 electoral votes.

Idaho

Governor George W. Bush

Montana

Governor George W. Bush

Utah

Governor George W. Bush

Election Night 2000 - 10:41PM

"Okay, we have breaking news in now. Governor Bush has defeated Senator Daschle in Colorado. That's right -- Colorado has gone for Governor Bush.

Colorado

Governor George W. Bush

Senator Daschle - 183

Governor George W. Bush - 239

"We're also getting results in from New Mexico and Wisconsin, the latter being the home state of Governor Tommy Thompson; these states are VERY close, folks."

NEW MEXICO - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
38% precincts reporting
Bush: 49.1%
Daschle: 48.6%
Other: 2.3%

WISCONSIN - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
40% precincts reporting
Daschle: 49.6%
Bush: 49.2%
Other: 1.2%

Election Night 2000 - 11:00PM

"Welcome back! This night is beginning to look like it will be a long one, as don't have any further projections to make on states that are too close to call. We do have some other projections to make, however, but none of which are surprises. We can now call the states of California and Hawaii for South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle. The addition of California and Hawaii's electoral votes brings Senator Daschle's count up to 241, compared to Governor Bush's 239, which means that Senator Daschle is ahead of Governor Bush for the first time this night. At this time, we are placing Washington in the "too close to call" category."

California

Senator Tom Daschle

Hawaii

Senator Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle - 241

Governor George W. Bush - 239

Election Night 2000 - 12:00AM

"This is definitely going to be the long night we predicted, Jim. We have two projections for you viewers here at the midnight mark, and here they are: Alaska for Governor Bush and Washington for Senator Tom Daschle. Governor Bush is now ten electoral votes behind Senator Daschle.

Alaska

Governor George W. Bush

Washington

Senator Tom Daschle

It is becoming increasingly clear that this presidential election has come down to the West and Midwest. We're seeing very close results in the Upper Midwestern states, such as Minnesota and Wisconsin, but also in Western states such as Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. I think we can all agree that this night is going to be extremely interesting."

Election Night 2000 - 1:04AM

"We now have a projection to make: Iowa for Senator Daschle. Daschle seems to have done better than expected in the state. Daschle now has 259 votes, compared to Bush's 242.

IOWA - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
96% precincts reporting
Daschle: 50.9%
Bush: 46.9%
Other: 2.2%

Iowa

Senator Tom Daschle

Election Night 2000 - 1:42AM

"Hold on, we have another projection to make. After several hours, we are now ready to tell you that Wisconsin, the home state of Bush's VP pick, Governor Tommy Thompson, has cast its electoral votes for the Republican ticket. This is really turning out to be a remarkable election, Jim. The Republican ticket is now back down by 6 electoral votes, with 253 votes to the Democrats' 259. We're going to a quick break, but don't go anywhere, folks, because we still have four states to call and we expect this contest to be over sometime in the next hour or so."

Wisconsin

Governor George W. Bush

Senator Tom Daschle - 259

Governor George W. Bush - 253

[GLPman]

You're EV count is off. In 2000, Minnesota had 10, Oregon had 7, New Mexico had 5, and Nevada had 4. All together, that equals 26 EV's, when technically, there are 27 EV's somewhere up for grabs. I beleive, the EV count should give Bush a 255-257 edge.

If so, I'm going to call it. Oregon and New Mexico go for Bush, while Nevada and Minnesota go to Daschle, creating a tie.

Edit: Found the problem and fixed it. Thanks for pointing it out. EV count is now correct.

[GLPman]

How is Congress coming along?

All Congress results will be released following the completion of the Presidential Election and announcement of the 43rd President.

[GLPman]

November 2000 (continued)

Election Night 2000 - 1:57AM

"And we're ready to make another projection: New Mexico for Governor Bush. This state was VERY close and now the state's five electoral votes now go to the Republican ticket. That brings Bush's electoral vote count to 258. He is only one vote behind Senator Daschle."

New Mexico

Governor George W. Bush

Election Night 2000 - 2:10AM

"We can project Minnesota will go to Senator Daschle. Similarly to New Mexico, Minnesota was very close.

MINNESOTA - ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
99% precincts reporting
Daschle: 49.9%
Bush: 48.0%
Other: 2.1%

Minnesota

Senator Tom Daschle

Senator Tom Daschle - 269

Governor George W. Bush - 258

This creates a very interesting situation right now. Senator Daschle is only one vote away from winning, so Bush MUST win the next state if he hopes to remain in the race. If Daschle wins both states, he wins the election. However, in a must unusual circumstance, if Bush wins both Nevada and Oregon, Bush and Daschle will both tie with 269 votes each. This is a most peculiar situation and we'll be right back after a short break."

[GLPman]

November 2000:

Election Night 2000 - 2:19AM

"We're back. We now have received news that 99% of the precincts in Nevada are in and the state has gone for Governor Bush. That's right: Nevada has gone for Bush. Nevada's four electoral votes brings Bush's  count up to 262. It looks like this race has come down to Oregon. If Bush wins Oregon, then both candidates will be tied with 269 votes each. If Daschle wins, he will win the election. We expect to receive Oregon's results in the next five minutes."

Nevada

Governor George W. Bush

Senator Tom Daschle - 269

Governor George W. Bush - 262

(Next update: Oregon Results, Election Results, Congressional Election Results)