A Republican Obama

[Goldwater]

This is an awesome TL!

[Enderman]

Kay bay all the way!

Douglas/Baker all the way!!!

[progressive85]

Republicans ready to rally behind Douglas-Baker

After a long process of consideration and vetting, Tyson Douglas announces that he has chosen former Secretary of State James Baker to be his running mate.

"James Baker has a long history of exemplary service to this country. 

He wore our nation's uniform as a proud Marine and attained the rank of First Lieutenant and Captain in the Marine Corps Reserve.

He served as Chief of Staff to President Reagan and later as Secretary of the Treasury.  He also served on the Economic Policy Council, helping to pass Reagan's 1981 economic program, and on Reagan's National Security Council.

Under President Bush, he served as the United States' top diplomat.   

He managed Ronald Reagan's 1984 presidential campaign and was the chairman of George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign.

During the Persian Gulf War, James Baker helped to build an alliance of 34 countries to fight alongside the United States.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991.

He is the honorary chair of the James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy.

He was the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara from 1997-2004.

In 2000, he was the chief legal advisor for George W. Bush on legal issues.

Few have the experience that James Baker has in so many fields - law, domestic policy, economic policy, foreign policy, defense and national security, and peacemaking.  Few have such an impressive record.

It is an honor to share the Republican ticket with you, sir."

[Emperor Charles V]

Douglas/Baker 2008 and 2012! Let me guess, will Baker become the next Joe Biden and make many stupid gaffes that show that he lacks the ability to count?

[progressive85]

Analysts agree that choosing James Baker showed that Tyson Douglas has good judgement.  Baker is well-liked by the party establishment, with impeccable credentials.  He is more than just merely qualified for the job.  Despite his age (Baker is 78), people feel that he would be ready to be President if anything were to happen to Tyson Douglas.

There is also the race issue.  Baker is a white man over 50 and he will help to make the ticket more appealing to older white voters, who might be uncomfortable with the idea of a black president.

Also of issue is Douglas' youth (he is only 37), so by balancing the ticket with a 78-year-old, Baker provides it with all of the things that Douglas doesn't have - the wisdom of an insider and the experience of a diplomat that continues, even at his age, to be an influential voice in policy debates.

Baker is also adequately conservative, at least for the establishment, and mainstream enough to not alienate the middle.  In other words, he's a safe, reliable choice for Tyson Douglas.

Baker also has a high favorability rating with the people - 66% view him positively, while only 10% view him negatively.

The 2008 Republican Convention in New Orleans is going to be one for the history books, the first time a major party has nominated someone of color to be President.  Already, the image of the Republican Party has changed - from an old-fashioned, mostly white party stuck in the past to one that is diverse, progressive, and modern- a party ready to lead in the future.

In keeping with the theme of "Hope and Change," the message of the Republican Convention is full of optimism and American pride.  Tyson Douglas' hero is Abraham Lincoln, and so he asks the convention committee to show a short film about Abraham Lincoln.  Speakers also use Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, as a way to bring the struggle for civil rights full circle.

The Convention Speakers and Guests and Testimonials, in order of appearance are:

Testimonials:
A family who lost everything they had in Hurricane Katrina, but still had each other (a Katrina survival/family values theme)
A conservative college student speaking out on the issue of academic bias
A young mother torn whether to have her child or terminate her pregnancy who made "The Choice of Life"
Three young first-time voters (one white, one biracial, and one black) who were inspired by Tyson Douglas' speeches on the campaign trail
A Marine who fought against Al Qaida and who was very critical of the Gore administration's failure to escalate the war on terror
A female soldier who tells the story of how she was sexually abused in the military while Al Gore was Commander-in-Chief
A small business owner who lost his business because of high taxes (anti-tax theme)
A student born in poverty but who worked her own way through school to go to medical school (a Girl Power!/personal responsibility theme)
A family mourning the loss of a loved one who was told by their city government they couldn't put a simple cross made of flowers on a public memorial (Religious freedom)
A children's choir singing "God Bless America"

Speakers:
LL Cool J
NBA legend Karl Malone
Dr. Ben Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital
Businessman Herman Cain
NFL Legend Emmitt Smith
Actor Dwayne Johnson
Actor Jim Caviezel
Actor Dean Cain
Angela McGlowan
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Former Congressman J.C. Watts
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Miss America 2003 Erika Harold
Rick Warren
Yolanda Adams
Pastor T.D. Jakes
George W. Bush
Laura Bush
Condi Rice
Colin Powell
Nancy Reagan
VP nominee James Baker
Tiani Douglas
Tyson Douglas

[progressive85]

Tyson Douglas, in his acceptance speech at the Convention, outlines his First 100 Days Agenda:

A constitutional amendment to give the right of life to unborn children, with an exception to save the life of the mother (Douglas' stance is that even babies born from rape and incest are innocent victims of tragic circumstances and still deserve the right to life)

Term limits for members of Congress

Ending government subsidies, including corporate welfare

Transferring some programs to private funding, like the Smithsonian, the National Endowment of the Arts, etc.

Reorganizing the federal government to make it more efficient

Cutting the excesses of the military budget (unpopular in his party, but necessary to free up money for other necessary areas)

Slashing foreign aid because taxpayer money should be spent more at home

Ending test-driven education policies

Abolishing the Selective Service Agency (a campaign promise to young voters)

Once the national debt is paid off and the budget is balanced, a promise to significantly lower taxes

A special review board to investigate sexual abuse in the military

[progressive85]

For the first time since 1955, the Republicans had a chance to control the Presidency, the House, and the Senate and they hoped that Tyson Douglas would be the leader they needed to pass a long list of legislation.  The party faithful rallied around Douglas-Baker and the cash began to flow into Republican coffers after the Convention to prepare for a billion-dollar ad blitz in swing states.

In his 2004 re-election, Gore had carried New Mexico, Iowa, and Florida (which he won in 2000), plus Ohio, Nevada, and Colorado.

This time around, the Republicans planned not only to win back all six of those states, but encroach upon Democratic territory and pick up some blue states.  This was known as the "50-state strategy," campaigning everywhere.

In the national pro-Republican climate, there are a lot of Democratic incumbents in the Senate that can be defeated with the right candidate:

Arkansas (Mark Pryor)
Colorado (Tom Strickland)
Illinois (Dick Durbin)
Louisiana (Mary Landrieu)
Massachusetts (Ed Markey)
Michigan (Carl Levin)
Minnesota (Walter Mondale)
Missouri (Jean Carnahan)
Montana (Max Baucus)
New Jersey (Frank Lautenberg)
West Virginia (Jay Rockefeller)

In addition, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Tim Johnson of South Dakota both announce their retirement.

Republicans have recruited the following Senate candidates:

Arkansas: John Boozman
Colorado: Jane Norton
Illinois: Mark Kirk
Louisiana: Bobby Jindal
Massachusetts: Scott Brown
Michigan: John Engler
Minnesota: Tim Pawlenty
Missouri: Ann Wagner
Montana: Denny Rehberg
New Jersey: Thomas Kean, Jr.
West Virginia: Shelley Moore Capito

[progressive85]

Things only get worse for the Democrats.

In the fall, the economy collapses and the Great Recession has begun.  Middle class anxiety shifts the debate towards economic issues and Tyson Douglas remakes himself into an economic populist and tells Republicans to capitalize on the anger from middle class Americans.

"The Gore Economy" now becomes "The Gore Recession," and its 1992 all over again, except this time, much worse, and this time, its the Democratic administration that is being blamed for being out of touch with average working people, long a theme among conservatives who have accused the Gore administration of being elitist limousine latte liberals who could never understand how tough it is for everyday people to make ends meet.

Douglas effectively ties the Gore administration to Wall Street and strongly opposes the bailout.  This costs him support from the financial industry, but they aren't going to support the Democrats either.  Douglas privately tells nervous Wall Street backers that his administration will be pro-business, but his rhetoric is very anti-Big Business.

Tyson Douglas wants to win a landslide.  John Kerry is a weak opponent and Douglas spends much of time ignoring him and instead campaigning on his theme of Hope and Change.  Once derided as just a slogan, it fits the mood of the country - tired of Gore, tired of the Democrats, wanting a change, and looking for new leadership.

Douglas offers the American people hope, faith, and optimism.  His TV ad campaign promises that good days are ahead and basically tells the American people that the Recession is not their fault, they did not create this mess, and they are hurting.  They have every right to be angry because they are asked to pay for it, and that's not right.

Tiani Douglas evolves from a quiet, adoring wife into a political force of her own with her "I Believe" campaign, in which she acts as a cheerleader for working Americans, constantly appreciating them for their service to their communities.  She reaches out to "the down-on-their-luck, the brokenhearted, the hopeless" and asks them to keep fighting on.  She offers no policy solutions to their problems, but insists that her husband truly understands where they come from - unlike John Kerry, who symbolizes the wealthy elite, her husband is a simple man - who lives in a humble, suburban home - drives a beat-up minivan, pinches pennies to teach his children how to live within their means...

The story of Tyson Douglas' tragic, impoverished childhood offers Americans a folk hero for the times - a man who pulled himself up by the boot steps, against the odds, conquering poverty, racism, and moral decay along the way - to get to where he is today.

[Emperor Charles V]

I can feel a Douglas LANDSLIDE coming!!!!!!!!!!!! It's gonna be a complete blowout for the Democrats in the line of 1972 and 1984.

[progressive85]

To excite party base, Kerry takes a bold risk with running mate choice

John Kerry needed to choose a running mate and he needed to do something to energize Democrats and add some excitement to a boring campaign.

He also needed to add some diversity to the Democratic ticket.  He couldn't let the Republicans become the party of diversity.  He needed someone historic.  He needed a "game changer."

So he chose somebody totally unexpected, an unknown freshman Congresswoman from Hawaii.

Representative Kristi Kona

[/b]

[progressive85]

When cable news networks first showed her picture to America, people thought two things: she's pretty... and... WHO IS SHE?!!

Republicans instantly pounced.  This is the person that Kerry chooses to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency?

Was she even vetted?  She was chosen so hastily that people had to wonder...

A former Miss Hawaii with a degree in communications, Kristi Kona had been chosen to represent Hawaii's 1st congressional district only two years before.

The choice of Kristi Kona had shocked the country... but it did what it was intended to do: rally the base.

Kristi Kona had the most progressive voting record in the House.  She was outspokenly pro-choice, outspokenly pro-gay, and outspokenly pro-gun control.

She was also an agnostic who supported the legalization of marijuana.  She was the only member of the House to vote against a resolution supporting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, saying the Pledge was unconstitutional because it was government endorsement of religion. 

She proudly and passionately stood against Big Business, Big Oil, and Big Pharma.

She called for a huge tax hike on the wealthy, passage of Cap and Trade legislation, putting the Tobacco industry out of business, and supported amnesty for illegal immigrants.

She had called herself "a very proud liberal" and said she was proud to be "a tree hugger."

As soon as the media began to study her record and pry into her personal life, Kristi Kona became a polarizing, controversial figure.  She was instantly adored by progressives and loathed by conservatives.

Love her or hate her, by the end of her first day as a Vice Presidential candidate, she had become a political phenomenon.

[progressive85]

Relentlessly attacked right away by Fox News and conservative personalities like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, the war on Kristi Kona had begun.  Incensed Democrats and progressives, who had previously been on the losing end of a enthusiasm gap, came to the defense of Kona.

Nancy Pelosi called the attacks on Kona "sexist" and Democratic women in the Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus staged a rally in support of their colleague.

Suddenly, Tyson Douglas was no longer headline news.  Everybody wanted to talk about Kristi.

Meanwhile, the tabloids had a field day with Kristi Kona's personal life.  She was single and enjoyed the single life.  She also had been photographed at a club in Hawaii drinking cocktails and dancing.  As innocent as they were, they created an image that clashed with the one that most people had of female politicians. 

She also wore stylish clothes, sometimes with a bare trace of cleavage, a no-no in the conservative world of politics.

After being named as the nominee, Kristi Kona agreed to do an interview with Diane Sawyer:

You are being criticized, among many things, for having no experience in foreign policy.  What can you tell Americans about your foreign policy views?

"Well, I like, many Americans, want us to be at peace with countries around the world.  I want to see America... (pause)  I feel very strongly that we (pause) help countries that desperately need the help.  I also think that we need to use diplomacy to go out and say, 'Hey, the United States wants to work with you to make the world a better place.'  I completely believe that peace in the Middle East is achievable in our lifetime."

What is your opinion of the Gore Doctrine?

"Do you mean by that (pause) his worldview?  Well, I certainly support what our President has been trying to do around the world.  He's such a wonderful leader on so many issues, especially his work with educating people about the dangers of global warming and climate change.  He's waking up the world to this very important crisis."

You voted against a symbolic resolution supporting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Republicans have accused you of being anti-religious.  Are you and can you tell you a little about your own religious beliefs?

"I'm very proud of that vote, Diane.  I don't have anything against people practicing whatever religious or spiritual beliefs they have, but I don't believe that children should be asked to say "under God," especially if they come from families who do not believe in God."

Are you ready to be President of the United States?

Absolutely.  I'm so excited to be a part of this campaign.  To get out there and meet so many Americans.  You know, Diane, people are struggling right now and they're having such a hard time making ends meet.  Me and John Kerry?  We're going to help those people, help those people have the American Dream."

What kinds of magazines do you read?

I read People.

[progressive85]

With many critics questioning her intelligence, Kristi Kona decides to prove them all wrong by giving a really good speech at the Democratic National Convention:

"Thank you!  Thank you!  Mahalo Nui Loa.  I am honored to be your vice presidential nominee.

I'm not afraid to stand up to the powerful, wealthy special interests.  I'm not afraid to make my voice LOUD and CLEAR, and I will NOT BE BULLIED.  (thunderous applause)

To those of you out there who wonder who I am and where I stand, tonight, give me the chance to tell you..."

She uses humor to effectively attack the Republican positions and her speech has a lot of good one-liners.  She tells the audience not to run away from the "liberal" label, but rather to take it back.

Polls show that she is extremely polarizing and she has a problem with independent voters, but still, everywhere she goes to give a speech, the crowds are growing bigger every day.  While her views may be far to the left of the mainstream, she does not apologize for them.  Instead, she goes on the offensive.

Her views make her extremely popular with the party base- with feminists, the gay community, and environmentalists.

Kristi Kona "goes rogue," overshadowing John Kerry, through the fall campaign.  In her debate with James Baker, she is expected to be easily beaten, but the debate is actually considered a toss-up.

Once the presidential debates begin, and Americans see that the election is between Tyson Douglas and John Kerry, people become less focused on Kristi Kona, and more on who's going to be President.

The Great Recession has made President Gore and the Democratic brand very unpopular.  In the last weeks before Americans go to the polls, Tyson Douglas gives a lot of great speeches, has huge rallies, and campaigns on the economy - pushing forward a plan to lower taxes and create jobs.

[progressive85]

Election Night in America

Indiana: Douglas 79%, Kerry 21%

Kentucky: Douglas 75%, Kerry 35%

Vermont: Kerry 54%, Douglas 46%

Georgia: Douglas 89%, Kerry 11%
`
South Carolina: Douglas 92%, Kerry 8%

Virginia: Douglas 89%, Kerry 11%

North Carolina: Douglas 85%, Kerry 15%

Ohio: Douglas 71%, Kerry 29%

West Virginia: Douglas 69%, Kerry 31%

Alabama: Douglas 90%, Kerry 10%

Connecticut: Douglas 51%, Kerry 49%

Delaware: Douglas 53%, Kerry 47%

Florida: Douglas 65%, Kerry 35%

Illinois: Douglas 57%, Kerry 43%

Maine: Douglas 54%, Kerry 46%

Maryland: Douglas 65%, Kerry 35%

Massachusetts: Kerry 53%, Douglas 44%

Mississippi: Douglas 93%, Kerry 7%

Missouri: Douglas 72%, Kerry 28%

New Hampshire: Douglas 57%, Kerry 43%

New Jersey: Douglas 56%, Kerry 44%

Oklahoma: Douglas 84%, Kerry 16%

Pennsylvania: Douglas 64%, Kerry 35%

Rhode Island: Douglas 52%, Kerry 47%

Tennessee: Douglas 79%, Kerry 21%

District of Columbia: Douglas 85%, Kerry 15%

Arkansas: Douglas 80%, Kerry 20%

Arizona: Douglas 75%, Kerry 25%

Colorado: Douglas 64%, Kerry 36%

Kansas: Douglas 82%, Kerry 18%

Louisiana: Douglas 86%, Kerry 13%

Michigan: Douglas 71%, Kerry 26%

Minnesota: Douglas 60%, Kerry 37%

Nebraska: Douglas 79%, Kerry 20%

New Mexico: Douglas 62%, Kerry 32%

New York: Douglas 52%, Kerry 43%

South Dakota: Douglas 85%, Kerry 12%

Texas: Douglas 89%, Kerry 8%

Wisconsin: Douglas 62%, Kerry 34%

Wyoming: Douglas 92%, Kerry 7%

Iowa: Douglas 67%, Kerry 32%

Montana: Douglas 78%, Kerry 21%

Nevada: Douglas 59%, Kerry 39%

Utah: Douglas 90%, Kerry 9%

California: Douglas 54%, Kerry 45%

Hawaii: Kerry 52%, Douglas 48%

Idaho: Douglas 91%, Kerry 9%

North Dakota: Douglas 85%, Kerry 13%

Oregon: Douglas 57%, Kerry 43%

Washington: Douglas 53%, Kerry 47%

Alaska: Douglas 83%, Kerry 15%


******

African-American turnout was very high.  89% of blacks came out to vote and mostly all of them vote for Douglas, even though he is a Republican.

States with a high percentage of black residents, especially those in the South, saw Republicans win in the 80s and 90s.

Evangelical and conservative Christians swarm the polls, deeply offended by Kristi Kona's opposition to "Under God".   Tyson Douglas' faith-based GOTV campaign is successful in mobilizing both white and black evangelicals.

Latinos vote for Tyson Douglas as well, and he wins his coveted group, as many Latinos are Catholics who perceive Kristi Kona as anti-religious.

Tyson Douglas is elected the 44th President of the United States in a massive landslide.

He wins every state except Vermont, Massachusetts, and Hawaii.

He even wins the District of Columbia.

Douglas wins all age groups, including young voters.

There are long coattails for Douglas in the congressional races:

Senate Results

Republicans pick up 12 seats from the Democrats.

Arkansas: John Boozman defeats Mark Pryor, 68-32

Colorado: Jane Norton defeats Tom Strickland, 60-40

Louisiana: Bobby Jindal defeats Mary Landrieu, 63-37

Iowa (open): Tom Latham defeats Tom Miller, 58-42

Massachusetts: Scott Brown defeats Ed Markey, 51-49

Michigan: John Engler defeats Carl Levin, 54-46

Minnesota: Tim Pawlenty defeats Walter Mondale, 55-45

Missouri: Ann Wagner defeats Jean Carnahan, 65-35

Montana: Denny Rehberg defeats Max Baucus, 60-40

New Jersey: Thomas Kean, Jr. defeats Frank Lautenberg, 53-47

South Dakota (open): Mike Rounds defeats Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, 68-32

West Virginia: Shelley Moore Capito defeats Jay Rockefeller, 62-38

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

OK, those presidential results are stretching it a bit.

[progressive85]

Republicans now control the Senate 64-36.

House after 2006 midterm elections: 226 Republican, 209 Democratic

Republicans pick up 47 seats in the House.

House after 2008 elections: 273 Republican, 162 Democratic

Republicans have had not had such huge majorities since the 1920s.

All of the black Democrats were reelected, showing that Black voters chose a black Republican President but also chose to reelect their representatives.

Tyson Douglas has been elected the 44th President of the United States, the country's first African-American President, with sweeping Republican majorities in both houses of Congress.

Douglas wins the electoral college 519-19.

[progressive85]

OK, those presidential results are stretching it a bit.

Well, with blacks defecting from the Democratic Party, the Democratic vote is mostly white, and most whites in this election voted overwhelmingly Republican for the black candidate.

President-elect Douglas has won a landslide similar to that in 1984 but this time carrying the black vote.

The point is, its a huge landslide. lol

So basically the Republicans are in a position to ram through pretty much any legislation they want to... they have 60+ votes in the Senate to end a filibuster and in the House, they have a huge majority, and they have a President to sign conservative legislation into law.

However, there are a few Senate Republicans (Collins, Snowe, Specter, and Chafee) that might not be on board with everything, particularly the pro-life constitutional amendment.

So, what happens next?  Well...as we will see the Republicans go overboard and by 2010, they are extremely unpopular because the Recession has not gone away.  The extremely conservative agenda causes a backlash from progressives, and guess who is there to lead this backlash movement... you guessed it, Congresswoman Kristi Kona.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Will Snowe and the gang eventually force Douglas to sign a watered-down version of the pro-life amendment? Will John Kerry be the Democratic nominee for President 2012?

[Emperor Charles V]

I'm loving this! This is one of the best timelines I read on this forum! GO TYSON !!!!!!!

I wonder how SNL treated Kristi Kona:
"I can see Japan from my house!"

[Emperor Charles V]

This is beautiful!!!

[progressive85]

At their victory rally in Ohio, President-elect Tyson Douglas and his wife, Tiani, and their three children bask in the glory of this truly historic moment.

America is now a sea of red...and analysts predict a new era of Republican ascendancy.

Exit polls showed deep middle class anxiety, a strong desire for change, and in general, a perilous and toxic environment for the Democrats.

Now though, after the partying and celebrating, comes the hard work ahead.  The United States is in the Great Recession.  People are losing their jobs and their homes.  Businesses are forced to close down.  Main Street is hurting.  Corporations are reporting losses and are laying off their workers.  The American auto industry is on the brisk of collapse.  College students are drowning in debt.  Young people are delayed from entering the workforce.  The unemployment rate is soaring.  State governments are broke.  Health care costs are climbing and the average American family can't afford insurance.  The Great American Middle Class is shrinking.  The wealthy are the only people immune to the Recession.

Douglas has to make some very important choices.  He ran on a platform to cut taxes and reduce spending, but with Americans needing help, he has to choose between a rigid and unyielding conservative ideology or a more pragmatic, more moderate course.

Suddenly governing becomes a lot harder than he thought it would be.

After spending months on the campaign trail listening to Americans tell stories of losing their jobs and being unemployed unable to provide for their families, having no health care and being rejected by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions, and losing everything they had in the Recession, Tiani Douglas has come to believe that what Americans need is a helping hand.  She counsels her husband to reach out to them as a Christian and propose a emergency aid bill to provide them with relief.  In other words, a new New Deal.

The Republican leadership in the Congress - Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell - want to seize this opportunity the Republicans have been given to pass a wish list of conservative dreams.  They urge the President to steer the ship of state rightward.  Instead of adding onto the New Deal and the Great Society, conservatives now have their first chance to undo these Democratic programs.

Follow the example of Margaret Thatcher, and enact sweeping conservative reforms.  Destroy the greedy public unions.  Gut job-killing regulations on small businesses.  Pass the largest tax cut in American history.  Cut the deficit by defunding expensive entitlement programs.  Wean the American people off the government and let the free market be free.  Save the economy by putting money back into the pockets of the rich and it will just trickle down to everyone else.  We have the political capital, we have the mandate, now let's use it.

Tyson Douglas takes office with a high approval rating and a hopeful country looking to him to solve its problems and pull us out out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Somethin's makin' the page wide, dawg, makin' it harder to read.

[Person Man]

It seems like this could be the chance to do what W wanted to do tenfold. That is, to cancel the New Deal and replace it with a faith based social infrastructure that unifies church and state and totally separates state and industry in one fell swoop.

[old timey villain]

wow, that's quite a landslide. I'm not sure those results are believable but this is your thing and it's certainly interesting.

The TL seems to completely mirror the 2008 election, so I have a question. Since Obama IRL won handily but still underperformed in some ancestrally D areas, like the rural upper south and coal regions, do we see the same thing with Tyson flipped? Like, I can imagine a lot of old white southerners who are still registered Ds but have been voting Republican for decades at the national level switch back to Kerry in 2008 because he's white.

It's just that in the deep south it's really not possible to have 90% of blacks and 80-90% of whites voting for the same candidate, which is what it would take to get those results in the south that you posted. There's just too much racial polarization.

!!!! Maybe for President Tyson's first term, you can create kind of a Dem tea party. A groundswell of conservative Dems in the south suddenly start a movement that claims to oppose Tyson's policies but also has tinges of racism. It would be really cool to see a return of conservative southern Dems winning the south in the 2010 midterms.

Ok, too much commentary. I'll stop. But very interesting TL!

[old timey villain]

Also Kristy Kona sounds like a fun girl to hit the bars with. I'm sure we'll see her hosting a show on Bravo