The Crusader (An Interview with Scott)

[Lumine]

February 2017 Election Update:

First Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 44.6%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 39.8%
Former Governor Maxwell (Ind): 9.6%
Former Governor Winfield (Ind): 4.8%
Write-In: 1.2%

Tentative Final Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 54.2%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 45.8%

[Lumine]

February 2017 Election Update:

First Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 45.7%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 38%
Former Governor Maxwell (Ind): 9.8%
Former Governor Winfield (Ind): 5.4%
Write-In: 1.1%

Tentative Final Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 54.3%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 45.7%

[Lumine]

I think it's time for this:

DFW (FED)
Atlasian Presidential Election - Projected Winner

The Crusader doesn't do projections, though. If other news media wish to do so they're welcome to, but a few cycles in the past some races got called beforehand and that caused something of a debate.

[Lumine]

February 2017 Election Update:

First Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 46.6%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 36.9%
Former Governor Maxwell (Ind): 9.7%
Former Governor Winfield (Ind): 5.8%
Write-In: 0.9%

Tentative Final Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 54.4%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 45.6%

[Lumine]

February 2017 Election Update:

First Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 45.5%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 40.7%
Former Governor Maxwell (Ind): 6.5%
Former Governor Winfield (Ind): 6.5%
Write-In: 0.8%

Tentative Final Round:

Governor dfw (Fed): 52%
Speaker NeverAgain (Lab): 48%

DFW ELECTED PRESIDENT

[Lumine]

Breaking:

Dfw defeats NeverAgain

Federalists rout Labor in historic victory despite the odds

An Election Editorial by former President Lumine:

About a couple of weeks ago, it appeared most of the Atlasian politicians gambled on the triumph of Labor in the February 2017 Election. Spurred by an almost unbelievable registration surge that placed Labor almost 20 voters ahead of their main foes, the nomination of the NeverAgain/SouthernGothic ticket and polling (weighted by party or not) showing Labor running ahead helped cement a credible and all too probable narrative of victory for the Labor Party, fresh from a tie in the October Election and in full control of Congress following special and regular Senate elections.

The Crusader (and by extension myself as editor) will be the first to admit that, close to the end of this process, it didn’t believe on the Governor. Finding President Yankee to be the worthy nominee of the center-right after an effective administration, it was with scepticism that I reacted as early days saw the Governor face a complex scandal with the eventual Labor ticket (scandal in which some truths may have been buried out), unexpectedly rise to be the Federalist nominee and begin a campaign which appeared to be doomed given the new demographics of Atlasia. Slowly, but surely, the Governor proved me wrong. Showcasing enthusiasm, persistence and commitment, he began to win support and turn what looked to be sure defeat into a competitive race.

Tonight, the Governor has been elected President despite facing what loomed to be an invincible voter disadvantage, putting together an unusually broad coalition of Atlasians of different beliefs and backgrounds which decided to believe in him. Through the last days, I may have also learned a potentially valuable lesson, one showing that my personal (and private) current view of Atlasia might have been a wrong one. There is a new generation of Atlasians out there. They haven’t gone through the vitriol of the past three to four years. Some haven’t even been around when there was a drive for a new constitution and Atlasia was falling apart.

They’re Atlasians like Peebs, or Mike Wells, or dfw to name a few. Born (in game terms, bear with me) in a time which is different to the time in which many of us veterans lived (and which, admittedly, made some of us bitter and grumpy at times), not only they have the usual enthusiasm that every new generation of Atlasian has, they’ve climbed the ranks quickly and with merit. They can craft a better Atlasia, a less manipulative one, a less vitriolic one, one which is what Atlasia should be deep down: more fun. Today we’ve elected a member of the newer generation as President, and that, I think, may not turn out to be a bad thing. With an historic result behind him (and possibly, the House of Representatives), the President-Elect will enter the White House facing huge challenges, and huge opportunities, and I wish him all the best.

There is also an unsung hero of the center-right in this struggle: outgoing President Yankee. Perseverant to the end, Yankee has never abandoned his post, always fighting for the particular cause he holds dear no matter the sacrifices. As editor of The Crusader I'm not going to pretend I haven't had many disagreements with the President, and that I don't support some of the causes he holds dear. But I won't shy away from noting the deep spirit of personal sacrifice Yankee has shown, even as he had to face the prospect of half a presidential term after the regrettable round of lawsuits after the past election. Someday, I hope, he might be back as well.

[Lumine]

Breaking:

Blackmail from a Party Chair?

Just how much backroom dealing was attempted?

Due to our Editor not having enough time and resources, The Crusader had taken a bit of a rest for the past few days. Today we're back by popular demand, as many Atlasians have come forward to ask us to run a story (with evidence and testimonies from different yet reliable sources) which we simply couldn't refuse to do.

We have reported earlier on backroom efforts and questionable moves that took place regarding some of the campaigns in the last presidential election, and today we bring confirmed reports that the Chairman of the United Alternative, Kingpoleon, was involved in attempts to secure backroom deals for himself from several different presidential candidates, as well as "muddle the waters" on a potential scandal. Sources close to the two main presidential campaigns of President Dfwlibertylover and Speaker NeverAgain have come forward with proof that Mr. Kingpoleon either asked or demanded the position of Secretary of State, promising the endorsement of the United Alternative in return plus substantial support for the winning administration.

Furthermore, regarding our earlier reporting on the confused sequence of events that took place in the unsuccessful Dfwlibertylover and Southern Gothic, and the Labor primary's substantial intrigue behind the scenes we have it on good authority the UA Chair also made a significant personal push, offering his help to combat a series of allegations and/or scandals in order to muddle the waters and put those issues to rest. We understand no particular demands were made in return for this generous efforts, but we have been told veiled references to future treachery and/or potential treachery were made.

As a personal and ongoing rule we do not go beyond a point in The Crusader, but due to the identity of our sources and the reliability of the evidence presented we have put this story forward in confidence, and in concern regarding the questions surrounding this scandal. What promises were really made? What were the intentions of this remarkable public servant? Was Atlasia close to being influenced by a bizarre version of a smoke filled room?

Only time will tell.

[Lumine]

Griffin returns to Twitter:

Exclusive images of the former Prince of Darkness

[Lumine]

A Farewell to Arms:

United Alternative Dissolves

Editorial, by Lumine

Frustrated with the way political parties were working in Atlasia and bitter after the partisans struggles which poisoned his presidency, it was the editor of this newspaper who took the bold step of forming a party of its own seeking an alternative option for the center-right due to the decay of the Federalist Party over the past months. Civic Renewal, while small, was never a party to be ignored and remained relevant in the public debate, thanks to the tireless efforts of an Atlasian of such standing as Cris. As it became clearer there was large interest in a more powerful, more centrist party the United Alternative was born to accommodate Atlasians from the center-left to the center-right, succeeding in remaining an important factor in presidential politics despite never taking off as a major challenger.

Despite slight opposition, the absolute majority of party members have today decided to dissolve the United Alternative, thus completing the cycle of life for the most recent centrist third-party in the Republic. We in The Crusader pay tribute today to Civic Renewal and the United Alternative for their brave struggles in attempting to change the Atlasian party system, inject a sense of renewal into our politics, and deliver victory for brilliant and accomplished statesmen like Cris and Rpryor. But we also see an opportunity in this, an opportunity for the center-right to finally reunited after months and years of division that have often worked against the better interests of those of us who share a fundamental vision for Atlasia and its government.

Leaving the concerning views we can see in organizations like the Atlasian Conservative Party aside, it may well be the time for the center-right to reorganize, support our President and press ahead with our fight to make Atlasia the society based on liberty and common sense that we want it to be. Hopefully, with renewed institutions. Hopefully, with the renewed approach of the newer generations rather than a constant and unfitting nostalgia from certain parts of the past.

Carry On, Ken:

As Britain faces terror attacks, we must stand with our allies

Now more than ever, the Atlasia-UK relationship must be strong

A sickening display of violence and terror took place in London today, as the British Parliament itself was under attack by a terrorist attack which took the lives of at least three people, including a brave police officer and the attacker himself. We in The Crusader pay our respects to the victims and stand in solidarity with London and the United Kingdom on such trying times, condemning this vile act of murder and paying tribute to the spirit shown by emergency services and the police in the UK. The White House has also confirmed that President dfwlibertylover has been on the phone with Prime Minister Ken Clarke to offer his condolences, as well as working with other nations to combat the rising tide of terror attacks.

Now more than ever the Special Relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Atlasia bears special relevance, as we must join forces to fight back against terror as the allies we are, and should continue to be. As former British Prime Minister David Cameron once said, "we are all in this together". So The Crusader offers its congratulations to Prime Minister Ken Clarke for his courageous leadership and skill as an accomplished statesman, and hopes that all of Atlasia will take a stand with the UK to fight back against international terrorism so events like the one we witnessed in London become harder and harder to turn into a horrible reality.

Scandals and Fake News:

Kingpoleon fights back, The Red Flag publishing questionable material?

They do say the ride never ends...

Following an extensive report from The Crusader accounting reliable allegations from several distinguished Atlasians regarding the conduct of former United Alternative Chair Kingpoleon during the February 2017 Presidential Election, Mr. Kingpoleon itself has decided to fight back with a public statement. Titled, "My "Corruption"" and with echoes of former US President Richard Nixon, Mr. Kingpoleon has fully admitted the veracity of the allegations we published before, while describing himself as a "product of Atlasia". Arguing that all of his decisions were not seen by himself as "unethical", he has also attempted to deflect the blame back into the President and NeverAgain, by arguing neither called him up on his offers. He has also proposed an interesting "alternative theory" for the dissolution of the United Alternative, implying of a conspiracy of sorts to dissolve the party we find hard to believe.

Another newspaper has been published in Atlasia as well, directed by former President Blair (also Labor Party Chair) and going by the name of The Red Flag. This piece of extremely good news was, however, followed by more concerning developments. The first issue of this new media empire ran a story regarding a conspiracy surrounding President dfwlibertylover's approach to health care with an alleged desire to ditch the current bipartisan efforts on the area. Within minutes of this publication the President and Senator Scott himself came out to dismiss this report as "fake news", with the current and growing consensus over health care policy remaining in place. The Editorial Board of The Crusader warmly welcomes the entry of a new media source into Atlasian politics, but we also warn caution on the stories being published at the present time given the questionable merits of this disproved report over health care policy.

[Lumine]

Will you do profiles on various Atlasians?

Sorry I never replied to this, but no, not for the moment.

Just wanted to note that The Crusader isn't dead by any means, but I've been pressed for time due to university and other commitments. News coverage will resume at some point (we are open for interviews or leaks though, that's always fun).

[Lumine]

A interview with Senator Siren:

Questions on the Game and Presidential Politics

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Lumine: Senator, it’s great to be talking with you today.

Siren: It's my pleasure Lumine.  It's wonderful to have a program like this right here in Fremont.  I'm just happy to be a part of it.

Lumine: Before moving into the frenzy of an upcoming presidential race, I would like to ask about your time on the Senate. Of course, you’ve noted a few accomplishments on your office, but what is the accomplishment you feel proudest of?

Siren: The Come Out of the Shadows Act, without a doubt.  As you probably know, immigration reform is an issue that's near and dear to my heart.  It helps people desperately in need and really symbolizes the wonderful character of our country, but it's more than just that.  Honestly, after seeing so much failure to come together on this issue over the years, I'd become quite disillusioned with politics and society, to the point that I didn't even want to bother anymore.  The whole process of writing and working on that bill really restored my faith in people.  That there's a reason we're all doing this, you know?  We worked on the bill over the course of three and a half administrations with so many people involved.  When it finally passed with the support of Federalists, Labor, and everything in between, it really seemed like everyone was happy to vote 'Aye.'  That's definitely the thing I'm most proud of.

Lumine:  And on the opposite note, do you have any regrets regarding your time in the Senate?

Siren: Hmmm... good question.  No major regrets.  As a rule, I try to stay as positive as I can.  If I can make someone smile, I feel like I did my job for the day, and that includes myself!  I do wish I was better at motivating myself at times, especially when I'm less interested in a particular issue.  I know how hard everyone works on their bills, and I should give everything the same passion that I give my own bills.  That's not always easy, but I'd like to get better with it.  Sometimes you actually learn more when engaging an issue that you wouldn't normally think about.

Lumine: Senator, if I may ask, what motivated your decision to run as a candidate for the Vice-Presidency?

Siren: I've always wanted to try a run on a ticket for the presidency ever since working on your campaign way back in 2013.  I've been asked to run more times than I can count, but I was never quite ready.  I was always more interested in the legislature or didn't think anyone would vote for me.  I wanted to build up experience and give everyone a chance to get to know me.  When Clyde asked me recently, it finally felt like the right time.  I feel like I have a unique background and have a lot to offer.  Hopefully we can really show that over the next few weeks and months.

Lumine: Of course, it’s very early in the cycle, but how would you rate the chances of Clyde and yourself at reaching the White House?

Siren: I'm not going to lie.  It's going to be tough.  Challenging an incumbent president is never easy, and President DFW is a very dedicated candidate.  I think that once the voters get to know us and our platform, that we have a real chance to sway some minds.  I'm used to being an underdog, and I think I really thrive in that role.  It's just kind of part of being me.

Lumine: There seems to be a common disagreement as to what the office of the Vice-President entails, what is your vision for that role?

Siren: I'd say there's three main things.  First, serve as a partner and confidant for the president, someone they can trust to get honest thoughts on the issues facing Atlasia.  Second, there's the duties as President of Congress, which are mostly administrative in nature - ensuring that bills flow between the two houses.  I feel like my experience as Speaker of the Southern Chamber of Delegates has prepared me for that, both the good and the bad.  Especially the bad.  Lastly, of course is the constitutional duty to be prepared to take office whenever necessary.  I know that's an obvious one, but honestly, I think a lot of people rarely consider the implications.  You have to really want to be president to do a good job.  Hopefully I would never actually have to take office, but if the need arose, I'd be prepared to do it.

Lumine: And, finally, Senator, as an accomplished veteran of the game I wonder if you could offer some thoughts on the current state of Atlasia. Is the game working as it should?

Siren: I'm optimistic for the future of Atlasia really.  There was a time when I wasn't so sure, but in the past few months we've had a lot of new players, whether it's just voters voicing their thoughts in a thread or even running for office in the regions and federal government.  That steady influx of new players is the real energy that powers Atlasia and the reason why it's lasted so long over the years.  When people are around for a long time, things can get stale, but new players always bring in new plans and ideas that help juice things up.  Sometimes it can be hard for a new player to break in, which might be our biggest problem.  That's one of the reasons why I'm not running for Senate again.  I'm excited to see who might run for my seat in the Senate, with so many new politicians here in Fremont.  I think that'll be a great race.  As long as we keep recruiting new players and encouraging them to jump in, I think we’ll be just fine.

Lumine: Senator, thank you for being here. Senator Siren, ladies and gentlemen!

[Lumine]

Close race for President?

Clyde / Siren: 44.8%
dfwlibertylover / Goldwater: 41.4%
Undecided/Other: 13.8%

After an early start to the June 2017 Presidential Election in the aftermath of the mid-term election, it appears we're in for a competitive race if polling is to be believed. The latest poll by The Crusader places challenger Clyde three points ahead of the President, both men being on the low forties as a high number of undecided voters is registered (alongside what appears to be interest in a more radical candidate from the left). Despite the notorious lack of reliability of polling in Atlasia, we believe supporters from both campaigns can find encouraging signs on this poll, both due to Clyde's apparent strength as a challenger for the presidency, and for the President holding steady onto strong numbers in the aftermath of an election which places control of the House in a theoretical right to center-right majority.

[Lumine]

Presidential Debates Announced:

After some talks, The Crusader is proud to announce that it will be hosting a historic series of Presidential debates over the course of the next two months. Rather than hosting a single, slow debate, it is our intention to host no less than 4 debates over the coming days, each based on a main topic of debate: The Economy, Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy and Constitutional Affairs. Both the President and Mr. Clyde will be taking part on these debates, with the chance opened for a potential Vice-Presidential debate as well. These extensive exercises, we believe, will be useful in ensuring that the upcoming election receives extra focus on the issues, and should allow some interesting ground for discussion.

Should another candidate for the Presidency arise, he/she is welcome to contact The Crusader as well.

[Lumine]

Anyways, I am excited for the debates

So sorry this didn't happen! It would have been great, but my state of mind made it impossible.

As a tentative sign of a future comeback:

For want of a Chair:

Exclusive images of Labor HQ and upcoming Chair election

[Lumine]

Losing the Plot:

An utter mess in Foreign Policy

Editorial, by Lumine

A return to Atlasia after not having followed matters closely means one has to get up to speed on a lot of events, particularly on the areas of policy one has more interest on. As most of you  probably know by now, I've made a point of taking a keen interest and role on foreign policy ever since I was first elected to the Senate, leading the charge for a more interventionist and hawkish (without going neo-conservative) role for Atlasia in the world. And when I was President, I delivered on that world view by successfully dealing with Saudi Arabia and other Middle East nations in the fight against ISIS, delivering effective blows without ceding to the temptation and pressure to sending boots on the ground.

And then I found, to my utter shock and horror, that not only we launched a sloppy, near incompetent and failed first strike on North Korea, followed by an unholy mess of franctic negotiations even as the White House changed hands like it was "tag, you're it!". Well, surely we will be able to finally confront the tyranny of North Korea as we should, I thought when I read the updates, even if the start of this conflict was a failure. To my shock, I was even more wrong. Deals have been closed with China and Russia which are being hailed almost as "peace in our time", at the cost of betraying our brave friend and ally in Ukraine, removing crucial sanctions which are one of the few things keeping Russia in place, and opening trade to the Chinese as if our economy mattered little (and it seems to be the case, as we're about to shutdown).

What exactly is going on in Atlasia? When did people lose the plot on foreign policy to such an extent? When will someone step in to correct the course? It is nothing short of frustrating to see a Federalist Administration achieve failure at war and failure in peace, and so one wonders what exactly those in power believe will happen when we leave China and Russia to act as they please while we fight a conflict in North Korea with one hand tied behind our back, to a point in which bloodshed will create bloodshed as a quick end to this conflict might become a fantasy.

I implore those in Nyman to start considering more closely the impact of their actions on the foreign stage. None of us on this nation wishes for World War III or a conflict we cannot control, but screwing things up and then withdrawing and surrendering to pretend this hasn't happened is not exactly the responsible road.

A bit more responsibility on foreign policy, please. That is all what some of us ask.

[Lumine]

Lumine made me a GM, which alone makes him one of 3 top Presidents.

Easily the best choice I've made as President (that and making Dr. Cynic GM as well)

[Lumine]

Yankee, I understand your argument, and I can agree with at least one of the points you make: it is good to see an engaged Game Engine team posing challenges for an administration indeed, and kudos to the current GM and Deputy GM for their hard work.

I could, however, make the argument that under Kalwejt and Dr. Cynic my own Administration engaged to a very significant degree with them, and it wasn't fan-fiction or the land of eternal accomplishment, we were pushed to make tough decisions on Ukraine and the Middle East. And that was almost three years ago. I'm really glad things are working out now, but that is not to say they didn't at some moments in the past.

Having said that, my point goes to a different area, which is to say that you cannot justify bad decisions by virtue of saying an Administration was facing a bad situation and that the fact that they took what they believed is the "least bad" option is a diplomatic triumph.

And in that context, this is nothing short of a disaster in policy terms. I am not privy to the intelligence the White House has at the time they made their own decisions, yes, but I feel entitled to question why we chose to go forward with a sloppy, unsuccessful first strike on North Korea without seemingly proper diplomatic support. I also feel entitled to question why we caved to the Chinese and the Russians with so many concessions, which looks more like giving in to demands than a negotiation.

I'm grateful for the State Department and the White House for avoiding World War Three, but we shouldn't even be on this mess of a position! I cannot express how deeply it disappoints me that an administration which purports to be from the center-right has put us on this context, I find it rather embarrassing.

In short: It's awesome that there's a complex foreign policy situation coming from the Game Engine, but I absolutely question the judgement displayed by at least the last two administrations on the matter.

[Lumine]

I am not privy to the intelligence the White House has at the time they made their own decisions

Indeed, and if new info was to prove me wrong I would certainly have no issue with admitting it, I've been wrong in the past. All I know what I can see in public, and what I can see looks rather awful.

[Lumine]

Breaking:

Scandal at the Federalist Convention

The Federalist Party has had its own history of contested primaries (Duke v. Reaganfan) or behind the scenes maneuvering (February 2017), but it would seem that this presidential cycle features a dangerous yet exciting mixture of both elements. The insurgent challenge of Mr. Oakvale to suddenly appointed President Fhtagn has drawn attacks and criticism from both sides of the issue as the Federalist Party surges in membership in ways not seen before, the conflict reaching a new point of instability today following Mr. Oakvale’s publication “An Assault On Democracy?”, a harsh indictment of his rivals.

Politically charged attacks have been the norm of the past days, with the Oakvale camp denouncing the primary being brought forward early with a month to go before the main election as well as not allowing delegates from beyond a certain date to vote. On the other side of the issue, the President’s Campaign* and the Party Leadership (which has openly sided with the President against Mr. Oakvale) have charged the Oakvale Campaign (and particularly his running mate) from offering administration jobs in return for votes, allegations repeated in The Nyman Questioner and which the Oakvale Campaign has angrily denounced as false.

The start of the balloting process was even more chaotic when the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced that the electronic voting machines of the Federalist Party had been compromised by a Russian aligned group, placing the contest in doubt as the vote was to begin. Early results show nothing less than a commanding lead for the President, as she leads Oakvale by 21 to 2 votes as almost a third of the party has already voted. This would suggest a lead virtually impossible to overcome, thus making it likely that the Federalist Party will indeed close this contentious, controversial process by nominating the President for a full term.

And yet the situation has turned even more controversial following the open publication of “An Assault on Democracy?” by Mr. Oakvale, in which he attacked the President’s camp from being the source of the “vote buying” allegations (which apparently former President dfw has privately come to believe are false), and naming SoIA Young Texan as a culprit. Mr. Oakvale has gone even further, asserting that the whole process has been compromised and that the very least the White House must fire the Secretary. The final bombshell dropped was the news that although Oakvale was planning on endorse the President should he fail to win the nomination, such a road seems unlikely now, signaling the potential for a split.

This was directly addressed by the President on a public response, stating she was “disgusted” by Oakvale’s comments and claiming no knowledge of dirty tactics or questionable behavior from the SoIA.

We in The Crusader will keep our thoughts on the matter private for now, but we wonder just why the Federalist Party won’t keep its act together.

*Erratum: At the President's request, we note that the phrasing "the President's Campaign" is outdated and somewhat inaccurate in light of recent, newer info. At the moment it would probably be something along the lines of "senior Atlasians close to the President's Campaign".

[Lumine]

We in The Crusader will keep our thoughts on the matter private for now, but we wonder just why the Federalist Party won’t keep its act together.

The Crusader: we'll keep our opinion secret

Also The Crusader: *immediately shares opinion*

I just couldn't avoid doing that joke, lol (after all, our slogan is In Bias we Trust)

On the other side of the issue, the President’s Campaign and the Party Leadership (which has openly sided with the President against Mr. Oakvale) have charged the Oakvale Campaign (and particularly his running mate) from offering administration jobs in return for votes, allegations repeated in The Nyman Questioner and which the Oakvale Campaign has angrily denounced as false.

Excuse me?

For the record, my campaign has done absolutely nothing of the sort. If you had even bothered to pay an ounce of unbiased attention, you'd know this.

Well, Madam President, at the very least people close to the campaign appeared to have made such allegations, so the phrasing is perhaps a bit outdated on light of new info. I'll refine the phrasing on request, of course, but the idea remains rather similar.

[Lumine]

Federalist Primary, General Public:

Which ticket would you prefer to lead the Federalist Party?

fhtagn / PiT: 50%
Oakvale / Potus: 45%
Undecided: 5%

An interesting poll with a sizable sample of 40 Atlasians, showing quite a competitive judgement of both tickets among the General Public despite the commanding lead currently on the hands of the President at the Federalist Primary itself. It would seem to suggest the Oakvale / Potus ticket is more popular among the general public (and possibly swing voters) than inside the Federalist Party itself, but then again, we fully recognize this is not the most serious of polls and we ask not to read much into it (hint: you know what we mean by that).

[Lumine]

Going for the kill:

Exclusive images of Speaker Yankee preparing a striking posting barrage last night

[Lumine]

In other news, interviews are making a return! Our first guest will be the most esteemed Simfan.

[Lumine]

For the record, The Crusader will be suspended as long as I am a Presidential Candidate, the conflict of interest would be too blatant, even for me. I hope I'll get to publish the Simfan interview though.

[Lumine]

A interview with Simfan: (I)

Lumine and Simfan sit down to discuss the past Federalist Primary and other political events

Lumine: Mr. Simfan, thanks for joining us, it’s been a long time.

Simfan: It’s been a long time indeed, Lumine-- too long! As for what I’ve been up to, I’ve spent the past few years as a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. I’ve also had the chance to take part in a couple of exciting ventures, particularly as non-executive chairman of the board of Woolsthorpe Partners, which is a British venture capital firm that invests in renewable energy startups, particularly in emerging economies-- solar in India, waste-to-energy in Ethiopia, geothermal in Kenya and Northern England. So I’ve not wanted for things to do.

Lumine: The most relevant issue at the moment is, of course, the contentious Federalist Primary. What do you make of the present situation?

Simfan: Well, since that now appear to be just about over, I have to register my obvious disappointment with the outcome. The polls showed Oakvale had considerable support and that the race was competitive. Of course, this was considerably at variance with the final outcome. I don’t wish to call the results into doubt, especially given Oakvale’s gracious concession, but I do feel that the fairly sudden change in the primary timetable, compounded by the independent reports of attempted Russian interference, could have had an effect on turnout, even if this impact might not be directly discernible.

I was disappointed to see the level of vitriol coming from Sen. Yankee, who of course is someone I respect immensely-- even if we’ve had our disagreements over the years. In fairness, you had vitriol and recriminations being traded on both sides, which is why I felt the need to put out a statement on my own part to try and de-escalate the situation. I had people on both sides reach out to me and express their appreciation for that effort on my part, and in the end I think everyone saw reason and recognized the imperative to maintain a united front going into the general election. That’s why you saw, as I said, such a magnanimous concession from Oakvale, which I think reflects the seriousness in which he made his bid, contrary to the claims of some of his critics.

Lumine: I feel bound to ask, what is your opinion of both President fhtagn and Mr. Oakvale?

Simfan: Well, let me start with the easier half of that question-- Oakvale is a personal friend of mine and a long time political associate. We stood side by side in both iterations of The People’s Party and he in particular was instrumental to success of the Pacific Recovery, which paved the way for today’s Fremont Region. When I learnt that he would be running for President my support was immediate and automatic. I hope he can return to a higher profile role in Atlasian political life, and I would look forward to supporting him if he does so.

As for the President, I recognize and admire the historic nature of her Presidency as Atlasia’s first woman President. I think she is someone with a fundamental sense of duty and good political sense, a compassionate person as well as a savvy political operator. I don’t know her particularly well on a personal level, but from what I have seen I can say that much.

That being said,there are some parts of her record, some unanswered questions that prevented me from supporting her in the primary, even if I were to look at that independent of my support for Oakvale. The President was, as we all know, once a member of the Labor Party and was elected to public office in the South as such. I am convinced-- and I do not say this lightly-- that there remain legitimate questions about her commitment to the values of the Federalist Party, and, more importantly (to a certain extent I am in no position to judge her commitment to the values of the Federalist Party, having spent no portion of my political career as a member)  towards a set of values that could reasonably be called conservative.

Before joining the Federalists she espoused a set of political views that placed her well left of center, if not on the far left! While professing a change of views she has been rather vague on what those new views actually are, while freely continuing to denounce several viewpoints common amongst those who do hold right-of-center politics. There is a valid question as to whether her political transformation had less to do with ideological principles and more to do with her personal support for former president DFW. Now, it’s to be expected that any leader will, to a certain extent, bring their own people with them when they come into office, and avoiding excessive partisanship in doing so is laudable.  But if that is the case, we are entitled to openness and forthrightness about it, just as we were entitled to a fully informed decision during the primaries.

I will say, on a personal, I still remain deeply shaken by the political desertion of former Governor Ted Bessell, who was able to take advantage of the strong base for pragmatic and right-of-center politics--and I feel I can make such a proud claim-- I had built in Pacific during my tenure as governor. This was the political base that enabled me to be re-elected three times as governor, and it in turn enabled his election. To see him cross over in such a matter felt, on a certain level, like a personal betrayal, and as such I am keen for us to avoid a repeat performance-- which is why the President must be honest with the Atlasian people.