Eternal Sunshine of the Democratic Mind

[The Other Castro]

Cory

May 5th, 2020

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. He had felt true power at one point, and really believed that he was going to be the nominee. Then his house of cards came tumbling down, and everything he thought would happen didn’t. The three-person race had been keeping him alive, and Warren's exit had handed Harris the nomination. Maybe he could have won in a brokered convention if he had the most delegates out of three candidates, but that was now just a forgotten hypothetical. Damn the caucuses. Damn the delegate rule changes. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

May 2
 
Guam Democratic Caucuses
Kamala Harris: 8 (3+5) / 53.4%
Cory Booker: 3 / 46.6%
 
May 5
 
Indiana
Kamala Harris: 48 (39+9) / 55.8%
Cory Booker: 31 / 44.2%
 

Total Delegates:
Kamala Harris - 1520
Cory Booker - 1389
Uncommitted - 566
 
3475 delegates allocated, 2242/4483 needed for a majority.

Cory Booker closed his eyes, and visualized how the rest of the race would go. The remaining Western states wouldn’t be friendly. He still had New Jersey left, but she had California. Of the remaining contests, the Booker campaign only felt comfortable about winning two. The rest looked like they were uncertain or going to Harris. No matter what, his advisers said that he was going to finish at a significant deficit of as many as 300 delegates heading into the convention, and with little momentum from the final primaries. Cory sat there for a few more moments, and then at last came to the harsh realization that the numbers were not there. He was not going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. He was not going to be the next President of the United States.
 
Though he had fought with her and disagreed with many of her positions during the campaign, Cory Booker respected how Elizabeth Warren had put the Democratic Party above her own ambition. Now, it was time for him to do the same. He wasn’t going to waste his and the party’s time and energy in a brokered convention fight that he probably wouldn’t win anyway. Cory exhaled, stood up, and asked his campaign manager for a phone and the number for the Harris campaign. He could always run again in 2024 or 2028, and he was still a U.S. Senator after all. However, depending on how this call went, perhaps he could reach higher office sooner rather than later. The Vice Presidency certainly wasn't a bad stepping stone.

[The Other Castro]

This is flawlessly formatted.

Thank you! Beauty above all else.

[The Other Castro]

Al

May 22nd, 2020

Two weeks had passed since Cory Booker dropped out and Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party, but the papers were already running stories on her VP selection. The Washington Post had a shortlist, CNN had a shortlist, and apparently Buzzfeed had a shortlist as well. Most of them had significant overlap, with the same faces of Governors and Senators showing up constantly. It wasn't until one of his staffers showed him one of the lists that Al found out he was among those faces.

Personally, Al wasn't very interested in the position, and had no reason to believe that he was seriously being considered. Perhaps it was just a result of the pundits rehashing the same talking points about how Harris needed to pick a man, and preferably somewhat white and from the Midwest. Al didn't know how true that was, but he did know that it would take more than just the right VP to win back the Obama/Trump states.
 

The convention wasn’t for another two months, but with the primaries having officially ended, the media had nothing else to talk about. Legislation had come to a complete standstill. Justice Thomas had officially retired, and Justice Kethledge had been sworn in following an acrimonious confirmation process. Trump’s daily Twitter chaos was increasingly shrugged off as Americans became more and more desensitized. Meanwhile, the investigation into Trump's potential obstruction of justice and collusion with Russia continued in the background, but a lack of public developments bored the media and they moved on to other topics like the Chipotle Hostage Crisis.

As it turned out, Al and other Democrats in Congress and leadership were fine with the shift from Russia to domestic policy, as it allowed for them to focus on their core message of jobs and healthcare. Al knew just as well as anyone the value of a hard fought campaign, and that Democrats were going to need to go all out if they wanted to defeat the behemoth that was Donald Trump.

[The Other Castro]

Kamala

June 9th, 2020

Presumptive nominee Kamala Harris. That was something she didn’t get tired of hearing. Though she had earned the moniker weeks ago, the Democratic primaries officially ended today with the votes of D.C. and North Dakota. Next month, she would achieve the title for real at the Democratic National Convention in Indianapolis. Her friends in the party leadership told her that the logistics of booking the convention center had been a nightmare, but that the scheduling conflict resolution with Gen Con had made things easier. Going into the race, she had never really expected the map to turn out like this.

You’re an elitist liberal snob from California, the pundits claimed. There’s no way you can compete in the Midwest or Northeast against people like Booker or Warren, let alone Trump in November. They were wrong the first time, and now Kamala had to prove them wrong once more. Kamala knew what she was up against in Donald Trump, and was preparing for the toughest and nastiest battle of her lifetime. To be in the best possible position for the coming war, she wanted a running mate that could sell her ideas to the public, and someone that could ruthlessly attack Trump as a failed president. The recommendations she received from the party, her staff, and individual Democrats like Elizabeth Warren had helped to narrow her private shortlist down to six.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH)
Gov. John Bel Edwards (LA)
Gov. John Hickenlooper (CO)
Sen. Chris Murphy (CT)
Gov. Ralph Northam (VA)
Sen. Cory Booker (NJ)

Her campaign had publicly floated some names like Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand, but they always knew that they were going to pick a man in the end. Of the three Senators and three Governors remaining, Kamala was having a hard time picking her guy. Each had their own set of positives and negatives, and her closest advisers were torn between several of the options.

Brown would be great as a progressive from the Midwest, but Governor Husted would fill his critical Senate seat with a Republican. Edwards would bring some political and regional balance, but it was unclear how much he would help in the South where not many states were in play. Hickenlooper was a respected two-term Governor from a light blue state, though her advisers wanted someone from a state not as close to California. Murphy had liberal credentials and Warren’s blessing, though a ticket with him could seem too young and not very experienced overall. Northam hadn’t been Governor of Virginia for very long and his voting record could be an issue, but his actions in the statehouse so far had won over many skeptical liberals. And lastly, Booker would go a long way in unifying the party and help her boost minority turnout, but she didn’t personally think he would he play the part well as her attack dog and second in command. At least she had some time before the convention to decide.

[The Other Castro]

It'll be one of the senators. Hey, how did the GOP Primaries go? Trump do anything crazy? Great tl!!

The GOP primaries were relatively boring. Since the midterms, Trump has grown increasingly secluded and has even limited his tweeting. Most of the campaign events have been run and attended by members of his staff, though he has come out for the occasional rally. His public schedule has been more often than not limited to a few public events a week. After Amash dropped out with little real support behind his candidacy, the party has largely re-coalesced around Trump in preparation for the convention.

I could see myself supporting Harris if she picked any of the three Governors. Has Northam kept up his Wyden-like policies?(That is, being very socially liberal, pro-free trade, and fiscally moderate.)

Since being elected in 2017, Northam has taken advantage of the dysfunction of the Trump administration to fight against the policies that many Virginians disapprove of strongly. He routinely appears on morning shows to come out against the White House and push his contrasting policies, especially in healthcare, mental health, treatment for substance abuse, and voting rights. While he has governed as more of a moderate in terms of Virginia's budget, he has also maintained an emphasis on funding for childcare, veteran employment, and making public colleges more affordable.

[The Other Castro]

John Bel

June 25th, 2020

"Thank you Kamala, and it’s an honor just to have been under consideration."

John Bel Edwards had never really expected to be the VP pick anyway, so he was not disappointed by the rejection. In fact, he was very surprised the first time he found out that he was on Senator Harris' shortlist. He agreed with her that a ticket of the two of them could make for a nicely balanced team, but in the end their differences in policy and vision for the campaign were just too far apart. He did, however, wish her the best of luck in making a decision among her remaining options. Harris had asked him for his thoughts between her three finalists in Booker, Murphy, and Hickenlooper, and he had responded frankly that he liked the idea of a governor on the ticket.

John Bel did believe that governors would make for better presidents than senators, but he had little doubt in the ability of Kamala Harris to serve as president. After all, considering the man they had in office currently, he couldn't imagine that she would be a worse leader. As the Democratic Governor of Louisiana, he had even considered running at one point. However, he liked the job he had, and running for office immediately after winning reelection wouldn't have been fair to his constituents.

He wasn't the only governor to turn down a run, albeit for different reasons. Governor Steve Bullock of Montana had almost entered the crowded field as well, but in the end he announced that he would run against Senator Steve Daines during the 2020 Senate elections. That had been one of the first of many key developments in the non-presidential races that year.

2020 Senate Elections

2020 Gubernatorial Elections

To earn some majorities, Democrats needed to pick up 12 House seats and 2-3 Senate seats, depending on who won the presidential election. Their gubernatorial gains in 2018 had brought control of the statehouses to a 25-24-1 split, and the Democrats wouldn't mind having a majority again for the first time in 10 years. These weren't impossible tasks, and they had recruited some decent candidates to run.

In addition to Bullock, they had Jared Polis and Anthony Foxx running for Senate in Colorado and North Carolina. There was also an open special election scheduled in Arizona, as John McCain had sadly succumbed to his brain cancer late last year. The gubernatorial map was smaller with just 11 states holding elections, and only about five of them were competitive. Republicans were eager to take back North Carolina, while Democrats were feeling better about Montana after Brian Schweitzer made a surprise return. With so many crucial races being held this year, the stakes could not have been higher.

[The Other Castro]

Third parties in general have suffered somewhat of a decline since the 2016 elections. Gary Johnson decided not to run again, and the Libertarian Party instead nominated Adam Kokesh. Meanwhile, Jill Stein ran for a third time, and it appears that she will easily win the nomination for the Green Party. The Constitution Party nominated Scott Copeland of Texas for president. It is still unclear whether Gary Johnson knows where or what Aleppo is.

The debates are scheduled for the following days:
First Presidential Debate: September 30 at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Vice Presidential Debate: October 8 at The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Second Presidential Debate: October 13 at Wright State University, Dayton, OH
Third Presidential Debate: October 19 at Rollins College, Winter Park, FL

The format overall remains unchanged from the previous cycle. However, the moderators have not yet been chosen for any of the debates at this time.

[The Other Castro]

Kamala

July 10th, 2020

The time had come for Kamala to pick a running mate. It had been an exhaustive process, but the extra time to consider her options had made her confident that she was making the right decision. This was someone that she needed to go into battle with and someone she could trust to have her back every step of the way for the rest of the campaign, and then hopefully four to eight years after that. Yes, she could have picked someone from a red state or a Midwestern state, but Kamala didn’t really buy the whole home state boost factor. That’s not to say that her advisers hadn’t been obsessed with the electoral map since they wrapped up the nomination.

They were going to learn from the successes and mistakes of previous presidential campaigns, and make sure that they left no stone unturned. They would see her in the high school gymnasiums, the automobile manufacturing plants, the cheese steak joints, and every last convention center they could find. If it took flying to Alaska and sleeping three hours a night, then that’s what she would do. No opportunity would be squandered in their fight to win this race. But first, she had to pick her partner for this adventure.

“Are we all agreed?” Kamala checked one final time with her senior staff members Nathan Barankin, Lily Kelly, and Sergio Gonzales.

“Yes.”

“Absolutely.”

“100%.”

“Okay then, let’s get him on the phone.”

Her campaign manager handed her a cell phone with a number entered into it. It rang two times before a voice answered. Kamala enthusiastically replied.

“Congratulations, Vice President John Hickenlooper.”

[The Other Castro]

Hey I didn't pick him, Kamala did.

[The Other Castro]

Elizabeth

July 20th, 2020

The stage and the lights might have been intimidating for some, but this wasn’t Elizabeth’s first Democratic National Convention. For the first night, the notable speakers would include herself, Cory Booker, and Chris Murphy. The theme for the night was “Working for a Better Future”, as part of the overall Harris campaign message of “Working for You”. Elizabeth had spoken with Harris just once since she announced former Governor Hickenlooper as her running mate, and she was getting frustrated. Elizabeth had provided her with several acceptable names as part of their agreement, but Hickenlooper was not one of them. Harris explained to her that she thoroughly examined the candidates Elizabeth recommended, but that Hickenlooper was the one she thought she would work best with. Well, the convention had begun and now there was nothing Elizabeth could do but give her full and unconditional support to the ticket. She waited backstage until it was her time to speak, while in the meantime catching bits of other speeches.

“The President of the United States should be someone who best embodies the highest standard of leadership, and who always has the best interests of the American people at heart. Over the last four years, Donald Trump has proven that he falls far short of those requirements, and is unworthy of the position he holds. When Kamala Harris become president, she will put a stop to Trump's radical policies, and lead us out of this recession that Trump has driven us into.

We need someone that can stand up to bullies, and fight those who attempt to strengthen themselves by attacking those that cannot defend themselves. You’ve heard me say it before, and I’ve meant it every time. We need to rise up to defeat Trump, and to do that we need to show up at the ballot box this November. I still believe that our best days are ahead of us as long as we are united. Together, we will end the nightmare of the Trump presidency, and we will take back the White House with Kamala Harris!”

"Fellow Democrats, these past four years, I have had to come to work outraged every single day. Outraged, at the unending stream of malice and chaos flowing from this White House. This isn’t how politics is supposed to work, and it sure isn’t good for improving the lives of Americans. I’m sick of being outraged all the time. I’m sick of having a president that ignores the reality of the suffering around him. Now, I don’t want to feel this way anymore, and I know you don’t either.

Well, we can stop it. We can finally end that feeling, and we can remove that constant, empty pit sensation in our stomachs stemming from the fear that this man running our country can do any more damage. This year, we have a candidate that can put a stop to the madness and blatant disregard for the safety of our people. We have Kamala Harris, and together with Governor Hickenlooper, we have a ticket that can restore order and sanity to our government."

"I am so honored to be here addressing you tonight. And trust me, it is a special night. I’m here to talk to you about something very important, and that is doing everything we can to win in November! We all have a choice to make in this coming election. Whether we will reelect a man with no accomplishments in four years except for the intentional sabotage of America’s healthcare system and economy, or whether we pick a new leader. Someone who has proved herself as a dedicated public servant and a role model for our children.  We are here tonight because America faces a choice, the choice of a new president.
 
I am here today, and you are here today, because that choice is crystal clear. This election, the only candidate for president that deserves your vote is Kamala Harris. As an Attorney General, and as a U.S. Senator, she has a long and dedicated history of sticking up for the people that need help the most. Meanwhile, Donald Trump as President has shown that he has no problem stepping on everyone else just for a quick win for himself.

Americans are better than this, and we know better than to be conned by Donald Trump again. We need a president who will work for all of us, not just the rich and powerful that Trump caters to. We need a president who will move us beyond this toxic politics of hatred and division. People, if you believe that we should have a president that is always working for you, then let's come together and work to make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States!"

[The Other Castro]

What a great TL!

Thank you!

[The Other Castro]

This is great, waiting for the first one of Trump (I think it'd be the first).

I'll get to the Republicans soon enough as the focus turns toward the general election.

[The Other Castro]

Barack

July 21st, 2020

"There is only one candidate in this race who has devoted her life to securing a brighter future for America. She is a loving mother who knows what it takes to support our children, and a true leader with real vision to restore the American promise, and improve the level of opportunity for all Americans. That candidate, the woman who we must elect as the next President of the United States, is Kamala Harris.

In any role that she has served, whether it was District Attorney, Attorney General, or United States Senator, Kamala has fought tirelessly for the people that she has represented. Every step of the way, regardless of the challenges she faced, she overcame obstacles in order to deliver results. She has gotten things done at every turn, and I have no doubt that she will do the same as President.

I know from my time in the White House that you never know what kind of president you’re going to be until you actually get there. But, we have seen what happens when President Trump sits behind the desk in the Oval Office. We all know what kind of a president he is, and what kind of president he would continue to be if he is elected to another term. We have seen the disasters that have unfolded by his hand in our economy, our healthcare system, our education system, and our environment. The stakes are too high for anyone to sit out this election. So please, join me in working to elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States."

[The Other Castro]

Yes I've been meaning to get back to this. Just finished moving into a new apartment so it's been a little busy.

[The Other Castro]

John

July 22nd, 2020

Vice President of the United States John Hickenlooper. He liked the sound of that. He didn’t expect to be chosen as Kamala’s running mate, especially since everything he was hearing at the time suggested she wanted a liberal firebrand. John was grateful to have the opportunity to fill the role, but his selection had left some people disappointed. Almost immediately after the choice was announced, the mention of his name triggered a backlash from some of the more hardcore members on the far left. They bashed him for not being a true progressive, for being a “Kasich wannabe”, and even for being something called a corncob. That one was new. The criticism had waned however as the Democratic National Convention entered full swing.

The pressure was on him tonight. This was his first opportunity to prove himself to the American public as someone ready to fill the position as President at a moment’s notice. Not only that, but his speech tonight would be following Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, and the latter’s biggest fans hadn’t exactly been John’s strongest supporters to say the least. He and Kamala had a six point lead nationally going into the convention, and they needed a strong show of party unity to solidify the margin going into August.

"Kamala Harris knows that Americans working 40 hours a week deserve better, and should not be living in poverty. She understands that we must raise the minimum wage, and change it from this starvation wage to a living wage. And unlike Donald Trump, she actually knows what it takes to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure in this country, and has a great plan to do it while creating millions of jobs. Her opponent Donald Trump does not know what it takes to improve America, especially because he is directly responsible for many of the problems currently going on. He has been content to keep the minimum wage at its starvation level, while pushing for massive tax breaks for the millionaires and billionaires.

Donald Trump has governed on the economy like he has governed in every other policy area during his time as president. As a complete and utter failure, with the worst ideas for the worst reasons, all the while lying about his intentions. He turned his back on the middle class as soon as he was elected, breaking every campaign promise and joining forces with the Republicans in Congress to hurt working families across the country. Kamala Harris will not turn her back on you like Donald Trump did. I am proud to call Kamala my friend, and I know that she will make an outstanding president."

"Four years ago, I was incredibly honored and grateful to have had the chance to represent all of you. We ran on the basis of love and building a hopeful America, and since then we have never wavered in that quest. This year, we will once again have the chance to build bridges instead of walls, to vote for a stronger and fairer America, and to finally crash through that glass ceiling once and for all.

We don't have to accept Donald Trump’s divisive vision for America. We have the chance to make a different choice, and to make the right choice this time. This November, you can vote for a hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted America. I trust Kamala Harris, I believe in Kamala Harris, and with her as our candidate, I know that our core values will be protected. She will never stop fighting for you, and she will never stop working for you."

"If there is one thing that I’ve learned, it’s that success is sweeter when it’s shared. This is a view that I hold deeply, it is one that Kamala Harris shares with me, and it is one that will help get our country back on track. For this vision that we believe in, and for my good friend Kamala Harris, I humbly accept my party's nomination for Vice President of the United States.

This, however, is not a view that Donald Trump believes in, because simply put, he is not in it for everyone. Everything he has said, and everything we have seen him do as president shows that he is in it for himself and no one else. That is no way to run a country, and that is not the kind of person that we should re-elect as president.

This election comes down to who you trust, and who you believe in to run your country. Donald Trump has told us time and time again to believe him, and every time he has been exposed on his lies. We cannot begin to turn this country around unless we do it with a different leader, and with someone that we can trust to get the job done.

Tomorrow, after Kamala accepts your nomination for president, we’re going to get right down to business so we can win in November. We all have a job to do, and you can play your part by electing Kamala Harris as president so we can begin to recover as a nation."

[The Other Castro]

Kamala

July 23rd, 2020

It wasn’t as bad back here by the curtains. The lights were low and there weren’t several million sets of eyes on her. Not yet, at least. Kamala Harris stood and watched as her husband, Douglas Emhoff, fulfilled an unusual marriage obligation in recommending her to be the most powerful woman on Earth. However, as soon as he finished his speech, she would have to go out there herself and prove why she was the best person for the job. She was ready.

“I come here as a husband who loves my wife and believes she will be an extraordinary president. I come here as a father whose kids are the heart of my heart and the center of my world. As any parent knows, your kids are the first thing you think about when you wake up, and the last thing you think about when you go to bed. This is what is at stake in this election, not just your future or my future, but  the future of our children and their children after them.

Kamala will work for all of our children the way she always has — by bringing us together and reminding us not how we are different but how we are the same. She knows that the things we share, especially our belief in the greatness of America and the pride in our children’s future, will keep us all together even when it seems we are far apart. Let us work together to make their dreams possible, and let us stand together to elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States of America.”

Kamala saw her feet start to move forward towards the stage, and before she knew it she was at the podium. For a moment, she saw past the spotlights and caught a glimpse of the delegates. She spotted a sign saying “I’m a MAINEiac for Kamala!” Then, an elderly woman with tears in her eyes. Next, a young child on his father’s shoulders with a look of wonder on his face. It had all been for this, and it had been worth it.

"It is with great humility and responsibility that I accept your nomination for President of the United States. Tonight, I am asking you to join me in a plan to put this country on a better path. To help me on this journey, I have chosen a man who knows what it takes to get America the better deal that it needs and that it deserves. That man is my friend, and America’s next Vice President, John Hickenlooper. We have a plan to create millions of good-paying jobs with higher wages. We have a plan to lower the costs for American families everywhere, and we have a plan that can build an economy capable of giving Americans the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.

Four years ago, many Americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president. That president was not the choice of our party, but we gave him a chance because that is what our greatest virtues as Americans demand of us. But today, four years later, that excitement has devolved into fear and anxiety, and the struggles of not knowing whether we can offer our children a better future. This is not how we should be living our lives, and this is not what we were promised four years ago by the president.

We were promised jobs, and we were promised higher wages. On the President’s watch, we have entered a recession that has cost millions of Americans their jobs while lowering the wages for others. We were promised better healthcare, but instead we got a President, so embarrassed by his failure to repeal the existing system, that he deliberately sabotaged it and caused your premiums and deductibles to skyrocket. We were promised that things would be safer and more secure, but our diplomacy with key international actors has been reduced to Twitter feuds. These past four years, their plans have been to distract you and hope you don’t notice that they actually haven’t done a single thing on your behalf. That is what they do, that is what they will continue to do, and that is their way. My fellow Americans, we have tried it their way, and their way has failed us.

This is why I entered this race, and this is why I want to be your President. Life in America is more dangerous now than it was four years ago, and life is not as prosperous as it was four years ago. We cannot afford to retreat into the shadows and let ourselves be run over for another four years. We need to fight back. Now more than ever, we need to come together in fighting for the very essence of America. Together we can bring jobs back to this country and get our economy moving again. Together, we can create a universal healthcare system that will provide for every American. Together, we can raise the minimum wage to a living wage, and take care of those that work hard. You deserve better than what you have right now from our leaders in the White House. You deserve a President that will never stop working for you to accomplish the hopes and dreams that you know we can make a reality. My fellow Americans, tonight I will make you a promise. As your President, I will always be working for you!”

[The Other Castro]

Just a little appreciation now and then for dedicated followers of this.

[The Other Castro]

Great job so far, I cannot wait for the first one with Trump.

The Trump chapter was pretty fun to write to be honest.

[The Other Castro]

Donald

July 30th, 2020

He was going to win. He had to. Donald Trump knew it, and he knew that everyone else knew it too. Who were these failures that thought they could go up against him? With all of his accomplishments and achievements? The best the Democrats could do was send him Lazy Kamala. That was a funny name, Donald thought to himself. He was always good with coming up with nicknames that stuck. Well, he would have to show them once again that he was better.

He destroyed those weak Republicans in 2016, demolished Hillary, and showed all those spineless critics just how wrong they were about him. He didn’t even have to lift a finger to take down that baby Justin. He had long made Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell his bitches, and they practically jumped at the chance to help him. How pathetic they all were, he thought, as he went onto the stage to help them win due to his own hard work once again.

"My fellow Americans, I accept your nomination for President of the United States. Together, we have lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace. After four years as your president, I have guaranteed that we are once again a country of generosity and warmth. We are now a country of law and order. We have accomplished more over the last four years than perhaps any other president ever in the history of our country. When I first came into office, we were as you all know on the brink of disaster. Our economy was crumbling, healthcare was imploding, and other countries thought we were a joke. My first promise to you was that I would make America great again. Well folks, we have done just that, but that was just the easy part. We have a much bigger road ahead of us, with a big, massive goal. What we need to do now is to not only make America great, but keep America great!

Now, I know you’ve heard all the carefully-crafted lies from the Democrats and their pals in the fake news media, but you cannot believe the stuff they’re throwing at you. Just last week, they put on, honestly, what I would call an anti-American convention. They don’t love America, not the way you and I love America, and anyone that watched that show of theirs could see that. They’ve said to me over the past four years, oh Donald please don’t make America great again, or we’ll never be able to get back into power. We’ll have nothing to run on in four years please please please. That’s all they want really, it’s more power because they still don’t realize why they lost in that beautiful landslide in 2016.

When I came into office, and they won’t tell you this on the fake news, but when I came into office it was all just a disaster. Today, we have accomplished things that nobody ever thought we would get done. Our economy is working again, healthcare is affordable and sustainable again, illegal immigration is way way down, and our allies trust us again, and more importantly our enemies fear us again and take us seriously. And, I am proud to announce, here tonight, that our terrific Director of Peace Talks Jared Kushner has brokered a peace deal with Israel and Palestine. That’s right, they said it couldn’t be done, but we’re going to be rolling out the details of that over the next few weeks. We're going to make peace folks, and we have to do it, but we can only do it if we have another four years to see it through. Don’t you want to keep all this going? But let me tell you, Lazy Kamala Harris doesn’t want this for you. She and the crooked Democrats want to take all of that away from you. She is part of the same breed of politicians that got us into this mess in the first place, and she will put us right back there if you give her the chance.

She and the Democrats and the fake news media are lying to you to try and rig this election, making up phony jobs numbers and bogus talks of recession. They still don’t know what makes America great, and that’s why they’re not going to win and why we cannot afford to let them win. Only I can keep this greatness going, and only with us can America stay the great country that we all love. Lazy Kamala Harris will give up on you, and have you sent back to the death and destruction of rule under the Democrats, and will reap chaos on our streets and homes. If you vote for me, we can work together to keep delivering victories for America. The answer is clear, and we have no choice but to protect America this election. Together, we can keep America strong. We can keep America proud. We can keep America safe. And friends, we can keep America great!”

[The Other Castro]

Steve Mnunchin is probably going to be under heavy fire in 2024, huh?

Spoilers...

[The Other Castro]

Mike

August 9th, 2020

To be completely honest, Mike thought he’d be president by now. He remembered when everyone thought he was crazy to take the running mate position, and that he was giving up the Indiana governorship for a few months of embarrassment. Maybe he was crazy, but it had worked and he was elected vice president. And now here he was, attending the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and representing the country that he loved.

Sure there had been moments over the last four years where it all appeared to be crumbling down, but they always bounced back as something new came along to take the story away. The Comey firing, the Trump Jr. meeting, the Manafort indictment, the Flynn indictment, and of course the famous Jesus-gate fiasco. Trump survived, and with him Mike Pence survived. Mike wasn’t an idiot though, and he knew exactly what kind of a monster Trump was. He was the manageable kind, the kind that would stay on your good side if it thought you were friendly, and would do things that you could not to take down your enemies. He needed that monster back, because their post-RNC bump had only brought the national polls down to Harris +2. Granted, they had won last time while losing the popular vote by 2, but this was supposed to be their polling peak, and there were far too many toss-up states for Mike’s taste.

Kamala Harris/John Hickenlooper - 222 Electoral Votes
Donald Trump/Mike Pence - 216 Electoral Votes
Toss-Up - 100 Electoral Votes

They still had plenty of time, and there were many more cards they could still play. For one thing, they had revealed at the RNC a plan for a middle east peace summit. Assuming nothing catastrophic happened that made the meeting plans fall apart, they could actually announce something in time for the election. Then there were other, more dramatic tactics the campaign had discussed for defeating Kamala Harris. Mike remembered the last conversation they all had in the Oval Office, planning the next move towards victory. What Hope Hicks said about her plan near the end of the meeting is what stuck with Trump the most.

“We can win, and we can do it right now. But, you’re going to need a new Treasury Secretary.”

Then, as the closing ceremony was wrapping up, a siren blared and filled Mike’s head. He felt the arms of Secret Service agents around him, and in minutes he was in a car heading to a secure location far away from the stadium. One quick secure call later explained the situation. North Korea had fired a missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean, with the missile passing directly over Tokyo and nearly colliding with a commercial plane. Such an action, especially with the Vice President of the United States present, would greatly exacerbate whatever diplomatic progress they had made, and Mike could only imagine what Trump was thinking at that moment.

[The Other Castro]

The next chapter better be Mattis.

He may make an appearance, stay tuned.

[The Other Castro]

Keith

August 22nd, 2020

We weren’t going to blow it this time, not with him there. Since joining the DNC leadership, Keith Ellison and Tom Perez had made dramatic changes to the internal structure of the committee, especially in cybersecurity. Nobody’s potentially damaging emails would be showing up on WikiLeaks this time, especially since there was no particular favorite or enemy of the DNC in this year’s primaries. Anything they did that could blow back in their faces, they did without any way of linking back to them or the Harris campaign. One operation in particular would hopefully bear fruit very soon, though there would be outrage if anybody ever found out that members of the DNC were involved.

Though it was only late August, everyone was ready for this campaign to be over. They remembered the prolonged agony of the 2016 campaign, and didn’t want this to get any uglier than it had to. Plus, Trump's RNC bump had mostly faded and Harris was back to her usual 5-6 point leads. Nevada was back to leaning Democratic, Arizona was now a toss-up, and the numbers looked strong in many of the other toss-up states like Florida and Michigan. Of course, there was no expectation that the race would end this way without going through some major twists and turns first. Keith turned his attention to a nearby television where Trump was speaking at a rally.

“Lazy Kamala is never going to win over the hard working Americans. They love us, they’re not going anyway, we’re gonna be just fine. Believe me, the Midwest isn’t going to roll over for some California liberal who was best buddies with Wall Street. And, I hate to say this but I have to say, frankly she got where she was by breaking the law and sleeping her way into power. She is so utterly unqualified. It’s true, no it’s true, I hate it but that’s what she did. Horrible, horrible woman”

Well, their digital fundraising team was going to have a field day with that one. Keith often questioned whether Trump knew what he was doing, but that wasn’t as important as actually beating him. If they lost to Trump again, it didn’t matter how many crazy, racist, sexist things he said. Like with the pussy-grabbing or fake war hero comments, everything would fade out of the public consciousness given enough time. Hopefully, after they defeated him November, Trump himself would one day fade away from their minds as well. Even if they won, Keith knew that it would take many years before America could truly enter the post-Trump political era.

[The Other Castro]

Jim

August 31st, 2020

The adult in the room. That’s what they called him. Some days, Secretary Jim Mattis couldn’t agree more. Other Cabinet members came and went, but Jim had stayed through it all. He hadn’t exactly mourned the exits of Price, Sessions, Zinke, Chao, and Perry, though he was disappointed to see Tillerson and Kelly leave. He stayed because he had a sense of duty and an obligation to serve his country, but he did not like what the campaign was about to do.

Last night, they had suffered a major foreign policy blow as the Palestinian National Authority announced that they would refuse to participate in any peace summit with Israel and the United States. President Trump was furious, and had spent the better part of two hours yelling at his senior staff. Some questioned how their plan had fallen apart so easily, while others theorized about who was behind the collapse and claimed the Democrats may have been responsible. The ones that got the president’s attention, however, were those that suggested plans for how they hit back and prevent any polling drops against Harris due to this news. In the end, they went with Hope’s plan, much to Jim’s chagrin.

“Mr. President, we all agree that this is the best course of action,” Hope Hicks stated with conviction.

“Right now, the plan is to send out the memo next weekend, give it enough time to fully develop before the first debate,” David Urban concurred.

Nobody seemed to feel sorry for what was about to happen to Steve. It seemed like a lifetime ago since Steve had made that ridiculous offer to form a resignation suicide pact with him and Rex, which was immediately rejected of course. In Jim’s opinion, there was enough chaos in the world already without them having to make their own. For one thing, it had taken everything in Jim’s power to talk the president down from further escalating the situation in North Korea a few weeks ago. Luckily, the president listened to him, pushed for increased sanctions, and only sent out a couple of “Rocket Man” tweets. Now, he just had to get the president to stop calling him “Mad Dog”.

[The Other Castro]

Daniel

September 12th, 2020

“The next Robby Mook my ass, I’m going to actually win this thing,” Daniel Lopez thought to himself. At 31 years old, he was one of the youngest presidential campaign managers ever, and had a lot of expectations to meet. Right now, however, he was on the path to winning a presidential election and putting a woman in the White House for the first time in U.S. history. Last week, they celebrated with pizza and beer as Trump’s ridiculous Middle East deal fell apart as fast as it had been announced. They were on a roll at Harris headquarters, and planned to keep the momentum going through the debates. The things Daniel hated more than anything, however, were surprises. At that moment, just as Daniel finished humming the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette, a news alert appeared on his iPhone Z.

“Oh you have got to be f**king kidding me. Where is the Senator? She needs to see this right now!”