2004: How It Began

[Kingpoleon]

POD: John B. Anderson runs and wins the primary in 2000. His Vice Presidential nominee, businessman Ross Perot, Jr., boosts the ticket into the mid-twenties with a roaring speech at the convention followed by Anderson showing policy and power with a powerfully dealt speech. The Reform Party surges back with strong debate showings that give Anderson ~30% of the vote. Senator Dean Barkley, Senator Joe Lieberman, Senator John McCain, Representatives Tim Penny, Pat Choate, Ralph Nader, Ted Weill, and others give Reform 5 Senate seats and over 20 representatives.

George W. Bush and Elizabeth Dole win narrowly.

Come 2004, and Bush has abandoned many domestic projects. The American Party runs a populist campaign, and the Progressive Party runs a left-libertarian campaign. Bush's 45-42 approval ratings are pretty good for a country with so many viable parties.