7:00pm – Vice President Dick Cheney calls to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. The President does not call.
8:00pm – President-elect Joe Biden issues a somber statement regarding President-elect John McCain’s death. He says he will address the country again tomorrow.
The media beings to remember John McCain, as per the usual means, by documenting his life all over the 24-hour news cycle.
January 9th 2009
Public reaction to the fiasco seems be angry but spread out and the mass protests have stopped. Democrats are angry that Barack Obama did not win in the House –but happy they are getting a Democratic President. Republicans are obviously upset, as are Democrats, about the death of John McCain but are also angry about Joe Biden becoming President.
As one political pundit said “Everyone’s pissed off”
President-elect Biden says they will have cabinet announcements in the coming days.
John McCain’s funeral is set for January 12th.
January 10th 2009
An aide leaks that President Bush never called President-elect Biden to congratulate him. President-elect Biden begins returning calls from world leaders. President Bush’s approval ratings are in the single digits.
Pundits speculate on who Joe Biden will pick as his Vice President who will have to be confirmed in both the House and Senate. Some on the extreme end suggest that Joe Biden could pick Barack Obama as his Vice President, and then step down. Others suggest that would be going around the Constitution and would not be viewed well by the American people.
Reports are coming in that there is tension between the White House and the transition team, but it is not delaying the transition process.
January 11th 2009
President-elect Joe Biden announces a few cabinet positions:
Secretary of the Treasury: Paul Volcker Secretary of Defense: Chuck HagelSecretary of the Interior: Kenneth L. Salazar
Department of Agriculture: Thomas J. Vilsack
Department of Health and Human Services: Howard Dean
Department of Housing and Urban Development: Shaun L.S. Donovan
Secretary of Energy: Steven Chu January 12th 2009
John McCain’s funeral is aired on national television. President George W. Bush is seen shaking hands and talking to President-elect Joseph Biden, dispelling fears that there is much tension between the two…however, the Biden camp never confirmed that President Bush congratulated him.
January 13th 2009
The FBI issues a report on its investigation into election fraud. The three men that were caught in regards to the election fraud have connections with the Republican strategist, Frank Melville, who died in Seattle months ago. The FBI explains how Melville hired a group of criminals known for this kind of thing both domestically and abroad and they rigged voting booths in several states. The FBI says it has arrested over fifty people in connection with the fraud so far, spanning several states. The FBI Director says “There is a great likelihood that Senator Barack Obama would have won Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina had the voting process been legitimate.”
When asked, the FBI Director responded:
“As of right now, it does not look like Senator McCain knew of the fraud taking place, nor had anything to do with it. This was done with limited involvement from the campaign, but we will be subpoenaing campaign officials so we can be sure of this.”
“More specifics will come out during the trial that we cannot release at this time.”
The FBI puts out a warrant for the arrest of Former Congressman and DC Lobbyist Tom Loeffler in connection to election fraud. The FBI believes he might have fled the United States to avoid arrest.
A Grand Jury subpoenas Governor Sarah Palin, Campaign Manager Rick Davis as well as other high ranking McCain campaign officials. Senator Joseph Lieberman is also subpoenaed.
January 14th 2009
There is public outcry of the report and the fraud. The Republican Party begins denouncing and distancing itself from the campaign over fears that the voters will remember this in 2010, and in the future.
Sarah Palin issues a statement saying “Unfortunately I was not aware of this criminal activity occurring otherwise I would have brought it to the attention of the proper authorities. I will offer any information that could be helpful to the investigation.”
President-elect Joe Biden issues a brief statement regarding the fraud, and saying that justice will be served so that this may never happen again. Pundits note that Biden’s public comments have been very limited in the past few days.
The President-elect says that the Vice-Presidency will not be filled until after he takes office.
More cabinet announcements:
National Security Advisor: General James L. Jones
Secretary of State: John Kerry
Attorney General: Janet Napalitano
Department of Homeland Security: Lee HamiltonWhite House Chief of Staff: Greg Craig
January 20th 2009
President Joseph Biden Jr. is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
A senior aide leaks a list of Vice Presidential possibilities:
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico
Former Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois
Former Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia
Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut
Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania
President Bush leaves office with a 10% approval rating.
January 21st 2009
The US Congress speedily confirms most of the President’s nominees. John Kerry passes by a voice vote.
President Biden begins to revoke executive orders issued by President Bush, and issues an executive order calling for the closure of Guantanamo Bay within one year.
President Biden’s approval rating is at 73%.
January 28th 2009
The Governors of all 50 states meet with President Joe Biden at the White House. They agree that 435 representatives is too much at a Constitutional Convention. Instead, it will be 1/3rd the number, 143 members will attend, with a minimum of one delegate for each state. Each of these delegates will have one vote. The Governors agreed to select the party of their delegates based on the composition of the state legislature, as closely as possible. If only one or two delegates, then the delegates will be a member of the majority party.
February 6th 2009
President Biden announces the creation of the President’s Economic Recovery Board
February 7th 2009
President Biden announces his choice for Vice President:
Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania
Pundits:
If Governor Rendell is confirmed, which he will likely be, he will be another strong voice in the White House. He’s a tad more moderate than the President and extremely strong on domestic policy especially in Pennsylvania. Rendell is a conservative choice for Biden.
February 8th 2009
Senator Arlen Specter switches to the Democratic Party, bringing the Democratic Caucus to 59.
President Biden overturns the ban on funding for embryonic stem cell research
February 15th 2009
Governor Ed Rendell is confirmed as Vice President of the United States in the Senate 90 – 5 , then in the House by a large margin.
February 17th 2009
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 is passed (Senate 61-26, House 244-188)
February 26th 2009
President Joe Biden’s proposal for the 2010 Budget is revealed. Deficit hawks come spiraling down on him and start ripping the budget to shreds in the media. Biden’s economic advisors defend the budget proposal. His approval rating sits at 65%.
February 28th 2009
Sarah Palin testifies in front of a Grand Jury that she did not know about the voter fraud.
Campaign Manager Rick Davis, for the McCain Campaign, testifies that Loeffler came to him several times trying to tell him something, but Davis kept pushing him off. Davis testified that Loeffler hinted at something but never said flat out that he had orchestrated the rigging of the election.
March 2nd 2009
The three men who were arrested with connections to the fraud are indicted on several charges including the murder of the Republican strategist in Seattle.
March 3rd 2009
President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress. He advocates the idea of simple and pragmatic solutions. That is why he says he will make an executive order removing the “Don’t ask don’t tell policy” and will openly allow gays to serve in the military. He says doing otherwise is discrimination.
President Biden also goes on to outline his agenda to secure health care for every American and he will submit a bill for consideration to the United States Congress that will enable every American to get health care. The President explains how health care can be bipartisan, and that Republicans have supported the idea of universal health care in the past such as under Richard Nixon when he approached Ted Kennedy about it.
Even though his speech is a bit drawn out, it is generally accepted well. Debate in the media begins on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and health care.
Approval Rating: 59%
