Eagle in Peril: A 2004 Election Game (Gameplay)

[Orwell]

Wikimedia Commons

John Kerry for President

Campaign Schedule

June

June 1st to 4th: Attend to Senate business in Washington D.C., meet with leadership from the AFL-CIO, League of Conservation Voters, and other groups to gauge support for the campaign. He will also meet with Senate Democratic leadership and Senator Ted Kennedy to gauge their support for the campaign.

June 5th to 7th: Make a pre-campaign stop to New Hampshire, meet with Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen and reach out to her husband Bill to potentially lead the Kerry campaign in the state. Meet with local county Democratic leadership in Hillsborough and Rockingham. Reachout to local democrats who are ideologically aligned with Kerry to serve as precinct captains for the campaign. Return to DC on the 7th to attend President Bush's funeral.

June 8th: Announce that Senator Kerry will be seeking the Democratic nomination, focus on the issues facing the United States in the modern era, call for the expansion of healthcare and other policies, a call for unity in these times of deep peril in the United States. At the announcement other speakers include Congressman Ed Markey, Former Governor and 1988 Nominee Michael Dukakis, and Congressman Stephen Lynch.

June 9th to 11th: Attend the opening of the national campaign headquarters in Boston. Meet with top staffers to discuss the opening moves of the Presidential primary, and speak on the phone with Former Vice President Al Gore and begin courting his support for the 2004 campaign cycle. Meet with local Boston Democratic leadership and hold the first major fundraiser of the campaign.

June 12th to 16th:Attend to Senate business, meet with Senator Hillary Clinton and discuss the 2004 campaign. Attend  fundraising efforts for Senate Democrats and the DSCC, including Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle for the 2004 cycle. Meet with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) to seek his endorsement.

June 17th to 21st:Visit Iowa for the first time as a declared candidate, hold a fundraiser in Des Moines, and speak to students at the University of Iowa and Drake University. Meet with Governor Tom Vilsack, Secretary of State Chet Culver, Former Senator John Culver, Representative Leonard Boswell, Attorney General Tom Miller, and Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald. Focus on agriculture and kitchen table issues in Iowa, meet with local Democratic leaders in the Council Bluffs, Iowa City, and Des Moines areas.

June 22nd to 25th: Visiting New Hampshire, Senator Kerry will speak to students and anti-war activists in Manchester. He will later meet with Governor Jeanne Shaheen and her husband Bill who he will court to run his New Hampshire campaign. He will also speak to members of the Longshoreman's Union in Portsmouth. Finally he will meet with the editorial board of the Manchester Union Leader and Governor John Lynch.

June 26th to 30th: Attend to Senate business in Washington D.C., meet with Civil Rights and African American leaders in Washington, and work to gain the support of Councilman Jack Evans who is quite influential within the city. Senator Kerry will rally supporters from the D.C. Universities mainly Georgetown, American, and George Mason. Focusing on efforts to score a victory in the days before the Iowa caucus, and dampen the momentum of a potential challenger. Finally, Kerry will focus on building his online operation and approach Joe Trippi to lead his campaign's online efforts and join the campaign as a Senior Strategist. 

July

July 1st to 3rd: Attend to campaign duties in the office in Boston, meet with high level strategists and hold fundraisers with prominent supporters. Meet with Senator Ted Kennedy and other potential supporters in the State House and Senate. Call Vice President Al Gore, and Senator Clinton to discuss the election and their plans. Hold fundraisers each night to build the campaign war chest to begin placing local advertisements in key areas in Iowa and New Hampshire focusing on healthcare and the minimum wage.

July 4th: For Independence day, participate in a parade in Boston. Meet with local Democratic committeeman and organizers to develop an internet campaign for the 2004 cycle focusing on small donors and young voter outreach through this new medium. Speak on the importance of Patriotism to a group at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Laconia.

To me, being a Patriot means not just going above and beyond in service to your country. Being a patriot means going above and beyond in service of your fellow Patriot. I am running for President because I see myself as a Patriot, and I think I am the candidate best positioned to serve the American people and the global community. A veteran of the Vietnam war, a committed fighter for the middle class, and someone who wants to see America prosper. Not just large corporations."

July 5th through 8th: Travel to New Hampshire speak to supporters in Concord, Laconia, and Manchester. Meet with leaders of the state AARP, Unions, and local Democratic leaders including Fmr. Governor Jeanne Shaheen, Gov. John Lynch, and Mayor of Manchester.

July 9th through 15th: Attend to Congressional duties in Washington D.C. while also making appearances on nationally syndicated radio and satellite radio such as the Howard Stern Show. (Courtig Stern's endorsement)

Q: Senator Kerry is true that you killed babies in Vietnam and ate them to gain their strength?

A: No it is not Howard. A lot of bad things happened in Vietnam and lives were lost, but I did not eat any babies. How about your service in Vietnam?

Q: Well Senator, as you know in Vietnam I had 11 kills. I was in a Village and I came upon a school house so I take one of the grenades off my belt and throw it right into the school house. I blew up the entire damn school house so I'm out there counting the bodies and I must have killed 200 kids. My Sergeant comes over and says, Stern those all count as One.

Q: Well Senator on a serious note what do you think of the War in Iraq and how it is progressing?

A: I'm quite concerned in all honesty, and if I'm elected President I will rethink much of our strategy in the region. I have a plan for Iraqi federalism that would guarantee political and civil rights to many of the Ethnic minorities in Iraq as well guaranteeing Sunni's who currently have no oil rights a proportional share of the oil revenue. We would also see an increase in funding for the rebuilding of infrastructure in Iraq. I think a phased withdrawal by the end of 2007 or the beginning of 2008 is realistic and that is what people on my Foreign Policy team have told me is possible, but at this point that is too far in the future to speculate.

Q: Well folks, there you have it Senator John Kerry.

July 16th to 20th: Travel to Michigan and meet with Senator Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, Representative John Dingell, along with Governor Whitmer. In Michigan he will highlight his opposition to tax incentives for companies moving jobs overseas, and how in the Senate he cast a vote creating 20 million new jobs. He will speak with African American leaders in Detroit, and speak to the large middle eastern community in Dearborn on how America needs to come together.

July 21st to 23rd: Kerry will go to California for a major fundraising push among Hollywood donors. He will meet with Director Steven Spielberg along with other major donors to court support for the 2004 campaign. He will also meet with Former Governor and now Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown along with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Finally he will speak with Civil Rights leaders in Oakland about the need for urban revitalization and his plans for it.

July 24th to 26th: Kerry will go travel to South Carolina and then Tennessee where he will meet with local civil rights leaders in Charleston and then meet with state party officials to discuss strategy in the 2004 cycle with vulnerable Democratic incumbents on both the local and federal level. He will speak with Senator Fritz Hollings at his home in Charleston to court his endorsement. Finally, in Tennessee he will meet with Former Vice President Al Gore at his home, following up on multiple phone calls laying out his plan to combat climate change and protect the environment to the Former Vice President.

 July 27th to 30th: Kerry will attend to Senate business while speaking with prominent officials within the AFL-CIO and other organizations to seek their backing. He will meet with Senator Ted Kennedy continuing to court his endorsement as the summer months continue. Kerry will also meet with Dick Gephardt on the issue of his endorsement hoping if the Missouri congressman backs him he will be able to receive the support of organized labor in his fight for the nomination. Kerry will also unveil his plan to expand medicare and medicaid coverage in the goal of having every American insured by 2010.

[Orwell]

Campaign Ad: Service

James Rassmann

John Kerry saved my life... I was thrown overboard, and John ordered his boat to turn around and pick me up, he reached out over the bow of his boat and picked me up out of the water. He deserved a helluva lot more than a Bronze Star. We were under fire, and he risked his own life to save mine. I can tell you that I wouldn't be here today without John Kerry.

John Kerry

I had already been wounded, and when Jim was thrown into the water we were under heavy fire from the NVA. He was trying to climb up the cargo net and he couldn't get up. So I got on my knees and lifted him over the bow. Jim was the real hero there.

James Rassman

John Kerry has been there, John Kerry has served, I know what I want in a President, and that is service. We lost brothers over there, and the men in Iraq and Afghanistan lost brothers there too. If you want someone who knows what sacrifice is like, you'll vote for John Kerry. He sacrificed his body to save mine.

We need a President who is calm under fire, with the September 11th attacks, and war in Iraq we need someone who understands what our soldiers are going through in the Middle East, and I'm that man. Im John Kerry and I approve this message...

all images from wikimedia commons

[Orwell]

1. An Opening Statement

Hello, I'm John Kerry. I'd like to introduce myself tonight to you the American people. I served in Vietnam and was awarded a silver star, a pair of bronze stars, and three purple hearts. But, I am not a hero. The true heroes were the men who served with me that didn't come home. Because it is not about the medals pinned on your chest, but the courage you show under fire. For the last 19 years I have served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts. and for the next four I ask to serve as the President of the United States. Because we need a uniter in the white house during this time of great turmoil. I worked with Senators Hagel and McCain to find the truth about the men that didn't make it home. And I am willing to work with anyone regardless of party to put make it easier for families to put food on the table, lower the cost of healthcare, and make it easier to achieve the American dream. I'm John Kerry, and I ask you to join me in making America stronger at home and respected abroad.

2. We stand near the site of the 9/11 terror attacks, where thousands of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans were killed. We're joined tonight by many tri-state Democratic leaders, and they, as well as New Yorkers, Democrats, and Americans across the country want to know how you will keep them safe from terrorism as President. So, as President, how will you keep Americans safe?

I'll disagree with Senator Lieberman here, he is going after Islam. These attacks were political. This is not a question of religion, terrorism comes in all shapes and sizes, white or black, muslim or christian, man or woman. These attacks were not done by a religion, or by all 1 billion people on our Earth that practice Islam. They were done by ideologues with similar goals and aims as Adolf Hitler. The eradication of free thought, the eradication of women's and gay rights, and the eradication of the United States of America. What we need to do is go after the perpetrators of these attacks and not after our allies in Saudi Arabia. We need to focus on supporting democratic initiatives in the mideast including strong Democracies as seen in Israel and Turkey. We need to keep troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but expand the coalition with greater participation by the United Nations and NATO. Finally, we need to work on healing our relationships with local tribal leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan so we can see the United States out of Iraq by 2010.

3. What should the timeline be for American withdrawal from Iraq? Should there even be a timetable at this time with so much uncertainty?

   I don't think we have enough information for a concrete withdrawal from Iraq, but I truly believe with changes to our current strategy implemented we will be able to leave Iraq by 2008. At the moment the President should request a larger coalition be involved in the occupation Iraq by involving the United Nations and NATO allies. We should repair our relationship with the locals and increase funding to the Iraqi government to utilize for anti-corruption and humanitarian relief. We must allow for all ethnic groups in Iraq to have a measure of autonomy within their own region, allowing the central government to collect oil revenues and defending the nation's borders. We would also guarantee the Sunnis who currently have no oil rights a proportional share of Iraq's oil wealth. We would increase humanitarian assistance to Iraq and tie the funding to job programs and the protection of minority rights. Begin a redeployment of American troops, and a gradual withdrawal until a small force is left for policing and security by 2008.

4. Use one phrase to describe what we can expect from your presidency.

Stronger at Home, Respected Abroad.

To Senator Kerry: Was your vote to authorize use of force in Iraq a mistake?

As the truth has been revealed, I would say it was. I would say the United States Congress, The President of the United States, and most importantly the people of the United States were misled by the intelligence community into the invasion of Iraq. If the vote were held today with what I know, I would strongly oppose the invasion. Today, we have men overseas dying in a war seen by many in the United States and across the globe as a quagmire rivaled only by Vietnam in our nation's history. I have proposed my plan to end Iraq by the end of my term as President, to quote Mahatma Ghandi, "Forgiveness is not for the weak, forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." I ask the American people, who after the last 4 years are the among the strongest in the world to forgive me.

[Orwell]

Kerry attacks Marriage amendment, calls for Congressional action on Civil Unions

Today, Senator and 2004 Presidential candidate John Kerry (D-MA) attacked Arkansas Governor and 2004 candidate Mike Huckabee (R-AR) and South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) for what Kerry said in San Francisco's Castro district was, "Little more than saber rattling and a thinly veiled attack on the gay community in the United States." Kerry would later go onto push for Congressional action on the issue calling for Congress to back Civil Unions and personally guaranteeing to introduce legislation once Congress returns from recess. Earlier this summer the United States Supreme Court decided in a landmark ruling to declare laws banning sodomy in the United States unconstitutional. In the 6-3 decision the court found that laws such as these violate the equal protection clause and right to privacy of the 14th amendment.

   Senator Kerry has been vocal in his support of gay rights since at least 1996 saying the following in response to attacks from then Governor Bill Weld in a campaign for United States Senate, "I am fully for total civil rights for gay and lesbian couples. I personally believe marriage is between one man and one woman, but we need to ensure that gay and lesbian people are not discriminated against by the government for who they love." Earlier in the campaign, Kerry also commented on how he believed that the constitution protected the right for same sex couples to enter into civil union partnerships. In relation to the DeMint-Huckabee amendment he is the first Democratic candidate to voice his opposition and one of the first members of Congress to do so. Kerry holds a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign indicating that he is supportive of civil rights for Gay and Lesbian Americans.

Iowa AG Tom Miller backs Kerry in 2004 campaign

Today, in an announcement in Des Moines, longtime Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller (D-IA) officially announced his endorsement of Senator John Kerry for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2004. Miller who endorsed fellow Iowan early on in the 1992 contests, before endorsing Vice President Al Gore early in the 2000 cycle. Miller said of Kerry that, "He is what a President should be, he wants to work for the American people and he is like many Iowans in that he is proud of to be from this nation, Senator Kerry is a patriot and will make a great President." Miller was joined in his announcement by Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver, the son of Former United States Senator John Culver. Culver said of Senator Kerry, "He is a great friend, a great Senator, and is the best candidate not just to serve the people of Iowa, but the entire nation as President."

    Culver and Miller are slated to appear at a rally with Senator Kerry Thursday night in Ames where they will speak with an assembly of Iowa State College Democrats. This is a major boon for the Kerry campaign and this means that the Senator will be gaining some much needed momentum in Iowa, as he will have access to the extensive connections of both AG Miller and Secretary Culver. Another major endorser Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA) was subject to speculations of a run of his own, but he has declined so far in 2004. The biggest prize in Iowa though, is Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) the longtime Senator and 1992 Presidential candidate was long thought to be favoring Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, but the entry of his Senate colleagues John Kerry and Joe Biden along with retired Four Star General Wesley Clark have shooken up the race for the Senators support.