2008 Presidential Election: Game Thread

[DKrol]

Question: Why are Bloomberg and Ventura still drawing double digit numbers in polls? Neither have posted for several rounds.

They really don't have to until both major parties have nominees IMO.

But double digits?

[DKrol]

OOC: I do not have time to write out a full SOTU this time, so instead I've come up with an overview of the policies Giuliani would be discussing.

2008 State of the Union Address

President Rudolph William Louis Giuliani

Agenda:
- Health Care - Senators George Allen and John McCain will present the "Healthcare for America Act" on February 1st on behalf of President Giuliani. The bill will follow the strategy listed below.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

- Foreign Policy - The United States will begin to withdraw troops from Iraq on the schedules below, subject to change at the advice of USCENTCOM.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

- Taxation - Senators Mitch McConnell and Tom Ridge will present the "Tax Relief for American Act" on March 3rd, 2008 on behalf of President Giuliani. The bill will follow the strategy below.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

- Appointments - President Giuliani will make the following appointments to the Executive Office.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[DKrol]

White House Press Secretary David Muir on This Week with George Stephanopoulos

"Normally, the White House Press Secretary stays out of Electoral disputes but I've just got to say this. That Clinton Ad made no sense. She essentially said there isn't a dime of difference between herself and Senator Lincoln - I think that that will hand the primary to Senator Bayh. If Hillary Clinton can't find differences between herself and Blanche Lincoln, I doubt that the voters will be able to. The ad is essentially telling voters to vote for Evan Bayh, because he's the candidate who's cut from a different mold. Regardless of who the Democrats nominate, President Giuliani feels confidant in his re-election prospects."

[DKrol]

Rudy Giuliani Campaign Schedule for Jan. 30th-Feb. 5th, 2008

President Giuliani's 2008 Campaign Staff
Honorary Co-Chairmen: Dick Cheney and Tim Pawlenty
Campaign Manager: Mary Matalin
Chief of Staff: Joe Allbaugh
Press Secretary: Dana Perino
Finance Director: Fred Malek
Chief Pollsters: Neil Newhouse and Bill McInturff

January 30th, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff

January 31st, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Cabinet Meeting

February 1st, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Meeting with RNC Leadership

February 2nd, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Meeting with the National Security Council

February 3rd, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Host dinner with all living former Presidents

February 4th, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Host dinner with all living former Vice Presidents

February 5th, 2008; Washington
-- Presidential Duties
-- Meeting with Congressional Committee Chairs

[DKrol]

Rudy Giuliani Campaign Schedule for Feb. 6th-12th, 2008

President Giuliani's 2008 Campaign Staff
Honorary Co-Chairmen: Dick Cheney and Tim Pawlenty
Campaign Manager: Mary Matalin
Chief of Staff: Joe Allbaugh
Press Secretary: Dana Perino
Finance Director: Fred Malek
Chief Pollsters: Neil Newhouse and Bill McInturff

February 6th, 2008; California
-- Lunch with Nancy Reagan
-- Rally at Candlestick Park with Gov. Schwarzenegger and Rep. Issa
-- Fundraiser in Vista, CA with Gov. Schwarzenegger, Rep. Issa, and Mr. Sheldon Adelson
-- Fly to Florida

February 7th, 2008; Florida
-- Meeting with Gov. Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp
-- Meeting with NSC aboard Air Force One
-- Tour Kennedy Space Center with Administrator Michael Griffin
-- Interview with “All Things Considered” over the phone

February 8th, 2008; Florida
-- Fundraiser with Fmr. Gov. Bush, Fmr. Pres. W. Bush, and Fmr. Pres. H.W. Bush in Tampa, FL
-- Tour MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL
-- Speech at the American Legion Post 111 in Tampa, FL
-- Fly to New York

February 9th, 2008; New York
-- Private Affairs in New York City
-- Rally at Madison Square Garden with Gov. Trump and Fmr. VP. Quayle
-- Meeting with Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris
-- Interview on “Hannity and Colmes”

February 10th, 2008; New York
-- Rally at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY with Gov. Trump and Fmr. Gov. Pataki
-- Meeting with the Cabinet aboard Air Force One
-- Meeting with Sen. Allen and Senior Campaign Staff via Skype
-- Tour Fort Drum
-- Fly to Ghana

February 11th, 2008; Ghana
-- Meeting with President John Kufor and Vice President Aliu Mahama
-- Pray with American Missionaries
-- Tour a gold mining operation
-- Fly to South Africa

February 12th, 2008; South Africa
-- Tour Robben Island with Graca Machel
-- Lunch with Desmond Tutu
-- Meeting with President Thabo Mbeki and Fmr. President F.W. de Klerk
-- Dinner with Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel

[DKrol]

Joint Statement from the White House Press Secretary and the Physician to the President
-- Press Secretary David Muir and Brigadier General Richard Tubb --

President Giuliani, while on a state visit to several African nations began to feel un-well. While in Johannesburg, South Africa that President went through a medical examination and several tests by a team of Air Force doctors, under the advise of the White House Medical Unit, in a local . Upon review, the President has been diagnosed with a severe case of pneumonia. It is the opinion of the WHMU that the President should remain on bed rest and, as such, will remain in Johannesburg until February 20th, at the earliest, pending further review.

Further, the President has invoked Section 3 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution and declared his incapacity for the time being to discharge the duties of his office. Vice President Hutchison has been informed of this and is prepared to fulfill all duties as Acting President until the President can return to his duties.

[DKrol]

Rudy Giuliani Campaign Schedule for March 30th-April 6th, 2008

President Giuliani's 2008 Campaign Staff
Honorary Co-Chairmen: Dick Cheney and Tim Pawlenty
Campaign Manager: Mary Matalin
Chief of Staff: Joe Allbaugh
Press Secretary: Dana Perino
Finance Director: Fred Malek
Chief Pollsters: Neil Newhouse and Bill McInturff

March 30th, 2008; Washington, D.C. and Florida
-- Press Conference on absence due to illness
-- Meeting with National Security Council
-- Meeting with Cabinet
-- Fly to Florida
-- Rally at the Miami Orange Bowl with Gov. Crist, Fmr. Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen. Martinez

March 31st, 2008; Florida
-- Breakfast fundraiser in Miami with Gov. Crist and Fmr. Gov. Bush
-- Tour Kendale Elementary School
-- Read to students at Kendale Elementary school
-- Rally at Sun Life Stadium with Fmr. Pres. George W. Bush, Gov. Crist, and Fmr. Gov. Bush
-- Fly to New York

April 1st, 2008; New York
-- Rally at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with Gov. Trump and Lt. Gov. Joseph Bruno
-- Fundraiser in Manhattan with Gov. Trump
-- Appearance on “The Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer
-- Appearance on “Studio B With Shepard Smith”
-- Rally at Madison Square Garden with Gov. Trump, Fmr. Pres. George H.W. Bush, and Fmr. Gov. Pataki
-- Fly to Ohio

April 2nd, 2008; Ohio
-- Barnstorm in Lima, OH with Fmr. Gov. Taft, Fmr. Rep. John Kasich, and Sen. John McCain
-- Barnstorm in Dayton, OH with Fmr. Gov. Taft, Fmr. Rep. John Kasich, and Sen. John McCain
-- Fundraiser in Dayton, OH with Fmr. Gov. Taft, and Sen. John McCain
-- Fly to Washington, D.C.

April 3rd, 2008; Washington, D.C.
-- Private Affairs

April 4th, 2008; Washington, D.C.
-- Meeting with Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner
-- Meeting with Minority Leader Pelosi and Whip Hoyer
-- Lunch with Mrs. Giuliani and the First Family
-- Meeting with Sen. Kerry and Sen. Kennedy
-- Meeting with Sen. McConnell and Sen. Kyl

April 5th, 2008; Washington, D.C. and Virginia
-- Cabinet Meeting
-- Rally at RFK Stadium with Sen. McConnell and Sen. McCain
-- Lunch Fundraiser in Richmond, VA with Sen. Allen and AG McDonnell
-- Policy Speech at VCU
-- Rally at Richmond Coliseum with Sen. Allen, Fmr. Gov. Gilmore, and AG McDonnell
-- Fly to Nevada

April 6th, 2008; Nevada and California
-- Barnstorm in Fallon, NV with Gov. Gibbons and Sen. Ensign
-- Rally at Orleans Arena in Las Veagas, NV with Gov. Gibbons and Sen. Ensign
-- Fly to California
-- Meeting with Gov. Schwarzenegger and First Lady Schriver
-- Tour the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center with Gov. Schwarzenegger
-- Appearance on “The Tonight Show”

[DKrol]

((Not related to this game, but Lumine (Donald Rumsfeld) is starting a similar type of game based around Game of Thrones. We still need several characters, so if any of you want to join us come on over.

 The sign-up thread is here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=205237.0 ))

[DKrol]

I'll be honest with you guys. I've lost a lot of interest in this game. The 2004 game was great and a novel idea at the time, but we've been playing essentially the same game since March of 2014. I hoped that running for re-election would put the spark back into it, but it hasn't.

I think part of the blame for the decline in the "fun" aspect of the game lies with NHI. Every round the summary is essentially the same. "It's close, but President Giuliani is still favored". Literally. There are no October surprises, there was no Great Recession, there are no events outside of the election. That killed a lot of the fun for me.

[DKrol]

I'll be honest with you guys. I've lost a lot of interest in this game. The 2004 game was great and a novel idea at the time, but we've been playing essentially the same game since March of 2014. I hoped that running for re-election would put the spark back into it, but it hasn't.

I think part of the blame for the decline in the "fun" aspect of the game lies with NHI. Every round the summary is essentially the same. "It's close, but President Giuliani is still favored". Literally. There are no October surprises, there was no Great Recession, there are no events outside of the election. That killed a lot of the fun for me.

So do you want to replace NHI, or just kill the game?

I don't know that we need to kill the game, but I don't want to play anymore. If someone wants to take over as Giuliani I'd be more than willing to hand him over.

[DKrol]

I'll be honest with you guys. I've lost a lot of interest in this game. The 2004 game was great and a novel idea at the time, but we've been playing essentially the same game since March of 2014. I hoped that running for re-election would put the spark back into it, but it hasn't.

I think part of the blame for the decline in the "fun" aspect of the game lies with NHI. Every round the summary is essentially the same. "It's close, but President Giuliani is still favored". Literally. There are no October surprises, there was no Great Recession, there are no events outside of the election. That killed a lot of the fun for me.

It's April in the game...

In either 2004 or the 2008. Nothing happened outside of the elections themselves.