The Great 2020 Free-For-All (Signup/Info Thread)

[Peanut]

You know what, I guess I can handle like 200 games at the same time. I'd like to have Governor Abrams, please.

[Peanut]

It will also be understood that, from context, Governor Abrams's declaration is set in early June, not early January (she announced her gubernatorial bid on June 3, 2017, I believe).

Ok, that's fine. Just had a creativity surge for an announcement speech.

[Peanut]

You know... I really don't want to play in three election games at the same time, but the idea of President Obama trying to pull a Grover Cleveland appeals to me for some reason.

It's your call, but it'd definitely be an interesting thing to see.

I'd love to do it.

Just don't expect a perfect game (at least compared to the two games I'm playing as Hillary Clinton now...though I should be able to get out of one of them relatively soon).

Why? If you're gonna endorse someone in 2004, Gore wouldn't say no!

[Peanut]

By the way, wouldn't you be willing to have 2 endorsements per turn? I feel it's better for early coalition-building. It's your call in the end, of course, but endorsements are important to chart your strategy, and they're just a fun addition to the game.

[Peanut]

It will also be understood that, from context, Governor Abrams's declaration is set in early June, not early January (she announced her gubernatorial bid on June 3, 2017, I believe).

Ok, that's fine. Just had a creativity surge for an announcement speech.

I understand. The speech was actually really good, by the way.

Thanks! You know, I'm actually quite liking the idea for this game... an Abrams vs. Obama primary will be awesome. Looking forward to the game!

[Peanut]

You know... I really don't want to play in three election games at the same time, but the idea of President Obama trying to pull a Grover Cleveland appeals to me for some reason.

It's your call, but it'd definitely be an interesting thing to see.

I'd love to do it.

Just don't expect a perfect game (at least compared to the two games I'm playing as Hillary Clinton now...though I should be able to get out of one of them relatively soon).

Why? If you're gonna endorse someone in 2004, Gore wouldn't say no!

Still would be Shaheen or Lincoln, or maybe Kerry if he wins New Hampshire. I don't Hillary and Gore like each other much any more.

Oh, make no mistake, we probably hate each other, but still.

[Peanut]

It will also be understood that, from context, Governor Abrams's declaration is set in early June, not early January (she announced her gubernatorial bid on June 3, 2017, I believe).

Ok, that's fine. Just had a creativity surge for an announcement speech.

I understand. The speech was actually really good, by the way.

Thanks! You know, I'm actually quite liking the idea for this game... an Abrams vs. Obama primary will be awesome. Looking forward to the game!

If we have Obama...someone has to play as Hillary.

If you know anyone who's between games, hit them up. The more, the merrier!

This. Hillary vs. Obama vs. Abrams would be great (and anyone else, really.)

[Peanut]

By the way, wouldn't you be willing to have 2 endorsements per turn? I feel it's better for early coalition-building. It's your call in the end, of course, but endorsements are important to chart your strategy.

Well, it'll honestly depend on how many candidates actually enter the field. If there's, say, 15 or 20, having 2 people endorse a week this early is unrealistic, but if it stays fairly small (i.e. 5-10), then I'll ok two endorsements a week.

Maybe instead the number of people endorsing should depend on who the endorsement requests are for, or the endorsements could be based on polling numbers (i.e someone polling well would have a better chance of all of their endorsements getting through).

I think this is a good idea like if you want a Governor's endorsement then you only get one but if you want a former or current rep. then you can get two or three. I also like the polling idea

How about making it so that every candidate is given an amount of, say, "credits", based on their performance in polling, and can, from there, ask for endorsements according to the ones they have? Something like this:

3 credits= Obama Cabinet officials, Senators, Governors.
2 credits= Romney Cabinet officials, Congressmen, organizations, newspapers, other statewide offices.
1 credit= Lower-than-statewide offices, celebrities.

If the GM would like to work with a system like that.

[Peanut]

By the way, wouldn't you be willing to have 2 endorsements per turn? I feel it's better for early coalition-building. It's your call in the end, of course, but endorsements are important to chart your strategy.

Well, it'll honestly depend on how many candidates actually enter the field. If there's, say, 15 or 20, having 2 people endorse a week this early is unrealistic, but if it stays fairly small (i.e. 5-10), then I'll ok two endorsements a week.

Maybe instead the number of people endorsing should depend on who the endorsement requests are for, or the endorsements could be based on polling numbers (i.e someone polling well would have a better chance of all of their endorsements getting through).

I think this is a good idea like if you want a Governor's endorsement then you only get one but if you want a former or current rep. then you can get two or three. I also like the polling idea

How about making it so that every candidate is given an amount of, say, "credits", based on their performance in polling, and can, from there, ask for endorsements according to the ones they have? Something like this:

3 credits= Obama Cabinet officials, Senators, Governors.
2 credits= Romney Cabinet officials, Congressmen, organizations, newspapers, other statewide offices.
1 credit= Lower-than-statewide offices, celebrities.

If the GM would like to work with a system like that.

Romney Cabinet officials wouldn't be able to endorse anyways, as they'd be violating the Hatch Act.

Speaking of the Romney Cabinet, who currently is in the Romney Cabinet?

I meant former Romney Cabinet officials, just like it's former Obama Cabinet officials. Having a two-term Cabinet with no turnover is, well, rather unrealistic.

[Peanut]

By the way, wouldn't you be willing to have 2 endorsements per turn? I feel it's better for early coalition-building. It's your call in the end, of course, but endorsements are important to chart your strategy.

Well, it'll honestly depend on how many candidates actually enter the field. If there's, say, 15 or 20, having 2 people endorse a week this early is unrealistic, but if it stays fairly small (i.e. 5-10), then I'll ok two endorsements a week.

Maybe instead the number of people endorsing should depend on who the endorsement requests are for, or the endorsements could be based on polling numbers (i.e someone polling well would have a better chance of all of their endorsements getting through).

I think this is a good idea like if you want a Governor's endorsement then you only get one but if you want a former or current rep. then you can get two or three. I also like the polling idea

How about making it so that every candidate is given an amount of, say, "credits", based on their performance in polling, and can, from there, ask for endorsements according to the ones they have? Something like this:

3 credits= Obama Cabinet officials, Senators, Governors.
2 credits= Romney Cabinet officials, Congressmen, organizations, newspapers, other statewide offices.
1 credit= Lower-than-statewide offices, celebrities.

If the GM would like to work with a system like that.

Romney Cabinet officials wouldn't be able to endorse anyways, as they'd be violating the Hatch Act.

Speaking of the Romney Cabinet, who currently is in the Romney Cabinet?

Former Romney Cabinet officials, just like it's former Obama Cabinet officials. Having a two-term Cabinet with no turnover is, well, rather unrealistic.

The difference wasn't specified.

A list of current and former Romney cabinet officials would be very much appreciated.

...I know, it was a mistake.

[Peanut]

If you're going to create a Walmart substitute, just use the Chairman of Walmart (Greg Penner) or the CEO of Walmart (Doug McMillon). It quite frankly is unneeded to create a whole new corporation out of whole cloth.

You're right. I'm quite one to play outside the box and that has me thinking. What has exactly happened under the Romney presidency. How did Hillary lose to Romney? I should have waited to hear about that before deciding about joining the game.

I'm pretty sure Obama still won in 2008...which would mean Romney defeated him in 2012.

As far as I understood, Obama beat McCain, Romney beat Obama, Romney beat Clinton.

[Peanut]

If you're going to create a Walmart substitute, just use the Chairman of Walmart (Greg Penner) or the CEO of Walmart (Doug McMillon). It quite frankly is unneeded to create a whole new corporation out of whole cloth.

You're right. I'm quite one to play outside the box and that has me thinking. What has exactly happened under the Romney presidency. How did Hillary lose to Romney? I should have waited to hear about that before deciding about joining the game.

I'm pretty sure Obama still won in 2008...which would mean Romney defeated him in 2012.

As for how Hillary lost to Romney in 2016, he had the incumbency advantage, and a pretty good economy (I presume) so I find it hard to believe he would've lost to anyone in 2016.

That said I hope you switch to Hillary.

BTW, I'm in as Obama regardless of whether someone plays as Hillary. I just think the game would be better if someone did play as Hillary.

More that not, the incumbency reason may be why Romney won in 2016. It just feels weird to me I guess with OTL 2016 and all. I mean 2004 is a good way to look at it. I don't know how I feel about Obama and Clinton running against each other though. I feel like if Obama's in, then the party would gather around him and he'd be crowned heir apparent. I mean he is a former President and all.

[Peanut]

But seriously, hop on as Hillary! It'll be fun.

[Peanut]

I’ll play. Not as Hillary though. She’ll be 73 on Inaguration Day, and honestly I think it’s over for her in OTL and this ATL.

So, as your original character, or as a different outsider?

Actually, can I play as an endorser? If that’s possible? If it’s not, then I’m going to have to do some more thinking.

I believe your original candidate was rather good, though. And playing as an endorser is certainly... unprecedented.

[Peanut]

I’ll play. Not as Hillary though. She’ll be 73 on Inaguration Day, and honestly I think it’s over for her in OTL and this ATL.

So, as your original character, or as a different outsider?

Actually, can I play as an endorser? If that’s possible? If it’s not, then I’m going to have to do some more thinking.

I believe your original candidate was rather good, though. And playing as an endorser is certainly... unprecedented.

I’m just really so used to playing as OCs from my time at AH, and I had a perfect one until what Dat said about not wanting high level positions for OCs.

If you're more comfortable that way, perhaps you could talk to Dat to see if he could allow you to use your OC (as long as it doesn't interfere with other players)? If not, then you could play as your other one, or as an endorser as you suggested.

[Peanut]

I’ll play. Not as Hillary though. She’ll be 73 on Inaguration Day, and honestly I think it’s over for her in OTL and this ATL.

So, as your original character, or as a different outsider?

Actually, can I play as an endorser? If that’s possible? If it’s not, then I’m going to have to do some more thinking.

I believe your original candidate was rather good, though. And playing as an endorser is certainly... unprecedented.

I’m just really so used to playing as OCs from my time at AH, and I had a perfect one until what Dat said about not wanting high level positions for OCs.

If you're more comfortable that way, perhaps you could talk to Dat to see if he could allow you to use your OC (as long as it doesn't interfere with other players)? If not, then you could play as your other one, or as an endorser as you suggested.

If I play as an endorser I want to play as Jimmy Carter. If I play as an OC I’d absolutely love to play as a psuedo-Trumpish outsider now like the one I had created, but I really need more info about what’s happened under Romney. The culture wars and all that.

Well, now that the GM has said he might allow it, you could play as a Trumpish outsider. The undercurrents that propelled Trump to power would not have stopped under a Romney Presidency, and the latent drive for a loud, anti-establishment candidate would always be there. It's really just a question of rhetoric, no need to fill it out with so much information, in my opinion.

[Peanut]

So, starting tonight, I'm going to be doing "news broadcasts" detailing the unfolding race; don't worry if you post something important shortly after the "broadcast"; it will be featured in the next one. I'm thinking of doing these every couple of days (with frequency changing depending on need), and just generally summarizing what's been going on the last few days (maybe detailing stops once the true campaign begins). Also, I may include updates from the Romney administration, in order to give candidates from both parties something to talk about in speeches/debates.

That sounds great, thanks! I assume turn 1 will be up soon, then?

[Peanut]

So, starting tonight, I'm going to be doing "news broadcasts" detailing the unfolding race; don't worry if you post something important shortly after the "broadcast"; it will be featured in the next one. I'm thinking of doing these every couple of days (with frequency changing depending on need), and just generally summarizing what's been going on the last few days (maybe detailing stops once the true campaign begins). Also, I may include updates from the Romney administration, in order to give candidates from both parties something to talk about in speeches/debates.

That sounds great, thanks! I assume turn 1 will be up soon, then?

The game begins January 21st; effectively, all news broadcasts before then are just showcases for candidates who declared/formed exploratory committees before the 21st, as well as give what I think would be the talking heads' opinions on some of the candidates. Also, the game's real time, so it's not really divided into "turns," per se, but rather players are allowed to make their campaign schedules for a range of anywhere from the next day to the next month.

Ok, great, thanks for clarifying.

[Peanut]

Governor Abrams's Inaugural Address

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Crowd Cheers!

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