The Great 2020 Free-For-All (Signup/Info Thread)

[Peanut]

So, starting tonight, I'm going to be doing "news broadcasts" detailing the unfolding race; don't worry if you post something important shortly after the "broadcast"; it will be featured in the next one. I'm thinking of doing these every couple of days (with frequency changing depending on need), and just generally summarizing what's been going on the last few days (maybe detailing stops once the true campaign begins). Also, I may include updates from the Romney administration, in order to give candidates from both parties something to talk about in speeches/debates.

That sounds great, thanks! I assume turn 1 will be up soon, then?

The game begins January 21st; effectively, all news broadcasts before then are just showcases for candidates who declared/formed exploratory committees before the 21st, as well as give what I think would be the talking heads' opinions on some of the candidates. Also, the game's real time, so it's not really divided into "turns," per se, but rather players are allowed to make their campaign schedules for a range of anywhere from the next day to the next month.

Ok, great, thanks for clarifying.

[terp40hitch]

I am so sorry but can I actually switch back to Renacci. I just don’t think Gabbard has any chance and I would like to see competition in the gop field

[Cabbage]

I am so sorry but can I actually switch back to Renacci. I just don’t think Gabbard has any chance and I would like to see competition in the gop field

Ok. Will switch you back.

[Cabbage]

Election Update 2020
with your hosts, Lester Holt and Chuck Todd


Holt: Good evening. I'm Lester Holt, and I'm here with Chuck Todd to discuss the early developments of the 2020 presidential campaign. Chuck?



Todd: Thanks, Lester. Well, we have a slew of interested candidates already preparing campaigns. Some of them might surprise you a little, so we're going to go through them for you one at a time, so you can get a better picture of the upcoming race.

Holt: Indeed we do. Where to begin, would you say?

Todd: Probably with one of the more prominent candidates, Georgia Governor-elect Stacey Abrams, who's currently slated to take office in three days' time, but who, according to aides, may already be looking into an exploratory committee for President.



Holt: Yes, who can forget her stunning seven-point victory over Secretary of State Brian Kemp last November, which easily outstripped pollsters' predictions by 5 points or more?

Todd: And it appears to have given her enough confidence to take up the much-vaunted progressive mantle. Can she stand the pressure? We'll see.



Holt: Indeed. Next up, we have former President Obama thinking about running to become the first President since 1892 to win re-election to a second non-consecutive term.

Todd: I really don't know what to say about this one, Lester. I mean, no doubt Obama's still young enough to run a strong campaign, but is he already washed-up in the eyes of primary voters because of his defeat in 2012? Or will he take back a crown some Democrats say is still rightfully his?



Holt: Definitely something to watch. Next up we have Louisiana businesswoman and former TV host Celia Curtis, who recently came forward as a victim of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement.

Todd: Curtis is running a bit of an interesting campaign style: she's openly running on the fact she has no political experience.

Holt: Yes, she's running as an "outsider," and she'd be the first President without previous political or military experience, which would be an interesting first.



Holt: Next up we have Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio, who rode President Romney's six-year itch to a 10-point victory over Representative Jim Renacci.

Todd: Renacci having already formed an exploratory committee, which we'll be exploring a little bit later.

Holt: Brown, equally enthusiastic, is already drafting announcement speeches, according to an aide, and may fully announce his campaign very soon. Definitely something to watch there.



Holt: Last Democrat, we swear.

Todd: *Laughs*

Holt: A familiar face to our older viewers is John Kerry, who took the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, and who retired from his Senate seat in 2014.

Todd: I really don't think this one is going to happen. Look, he turned 75 last month, he had his moment against Bush, and he blew it.

Holt: The only thing I have to say to that is "never say never." Kerry may be a long shot, but he's already shown he can win a Democratic nomination.



Holt: And so we come to one of only two Republicans who've spoken up fairly regularly on a major level, Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Todd: Don't forget she served in the Georgia State Legislature back in the '80s.

Holt: She did indeed. Quite the interesting candidate for a party that's often accused of being racist.

Todd: Well, King has suggested that she's running for "The Party of Lincoln," so it's obvious she'll be much more pro-civil rights than a lot of her fellow Republicans.



Holt: I won't argue with you there. Someone more in line with mainstream GOP positions would probably be former Representative Jim Renacci from Ohio, who's already announced his exploratory committee.

Todd: Oh, wouldn't that be the rematch for the ages? Brown vs. Renacci Round 2!

Holt: And maybe Renacci will even campaign this time!

*Both laugh*

Holt: Before we go, we have a very special guest tonight, Oprah Winfrey. Tell us, Oprah, what do you think of all these candidates?



Winfrey: Well, Lester, I'm not entirely sure whether or not I'll be joining them.

Holt: So you haven't ruled out a 2020 bid?

Winfrey: No, no I haven't. But that doesn't mean I'm anywhere close to ruling it in, either. If I had to pick among the candidates you just mentioned, I'd probably say Governor Abrams.

Todd: Not Obama?

Winfrey: Oh, don't get me wrong, Barack is a wonderful man with a great heart, and I will always respect him as our country's first black President, but the fact of the matter is, he's been out of office for eight years. The people want a fresh new candidate, I think, and that fresh new candidate, to me, is Governor Abrams.

Holt: Oprah, thanks for being on.

Winfrey: My pleasure, Lester.

Holt: *Turns to face camera.* Well, that's a big way to end the night: Oprah Winfrey tentatively endorsing Stacey Abrams for President, but Abrams far from the only major competitor, by the looks of it. I'm Lester Holt.

Todd: And I'm Chuck Todd.

Holt: And this has been your Election Update.

[TrumanJohnson]

Yeah the Republican side looks absolutely pathetic right now. No doubt it will pick up though.

[Cabbage]

Yeah the Republican side looks absolutely pathetic right now. No doubt it will pick up though.

Most likely, yeah.

[NewYorkExpress]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

[Cabbage]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

[TrumanJohnson]

Also by the way I haven't yet openly declared. Maybe a couple of rumors through leaks here and there. I plan to announce in March.

[NewYorkExpress]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

[Cabbage]

Also by the way I haven't yet openly declared. Maybe a couple of rumors through leaks here and there. I plan to announce in March.

Well, this is all meant to be speculative, and they're mostly just making observations based on behavior (i.e. talking about being an outsider in, say, South Carolina).

[Cabbage]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

Got it. Will add him to the next news broadcast (currently scheduled for Jan. 13).

[Cabbage]

Can I switch to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard?

Was this based on her actual declaration, by the way?

[terp40hitch]

Can I switch to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard?

Was this based on her actual declaration, by the way?

Actually no, didn’t know she was running till right after I asked for her

[Cabbage]

Can I switch to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard?

Was this based on her actual declaration, by the way?

Actually no, didn’t know she was running till right after I asked for her

[TrumanJohnson]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

I've a feeling there's going to be quite a game of musical chairs in the coming weeks.

[Cabbage]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

I've a feeling there's going to be quite a game of musical chairs in the coming weeks.

I've a feeling you're right.

[terp40hitch]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

[Cabbage]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

Got it. And he's a badass.

[TrumanJohnson]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

Got it. And he's a badass.

I have to be honest I don't know anything about him besides the eyepatch.

[Cabbage]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

Got it. And he's a badass.

I have to be honest I don't know anything about him besides the eyepatch.

Ex Navy-SEAL, too.

[terp40hitch]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

Got it. And he's a badass.

Very true

[TrumanJohnson]

Renacci wishes for the pre endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw

Got it. And he's a badass.

I have to be honest I don't know anything about him besides the eyepatch.

Ex Navy-SEAL, too.

Just read up on his wiki page. I like what he said about immigration reform. Found somebody I might actually partially agree with. Thanks terp.

[NewYorkExpress]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

I've a feeling there's going to be quite a game of musical chairs in the coming weeks.

While I can't control the actions of another player, I will say that running against Obama in this scenario is more of a Hillary thing than a Biden thing.

[TrumanJohnson]

Damn. Obama didn't get the coveted Oprah endorsement this time?

Since Abrams will probably get enough credits from the first poll to make Oprah's endorsement a possibility, I went ahead and let Peanut have it (she'd be worth 3, in this case). If anyone else wants one pregame endorsement, I will allow those, as well.

Assuming no one claims Biden in the next ten days, I'll take him. Serving as a loyal VP for four years has to count for something.

I've a feeling there's going to be quite a game of musical chairs in the coming weeks.

While I can't control the actions of another player, I will say that running against Obama in this scenario is more of a Hillary thing than a Biden thing.

I can admit I can get really nitpicky and I'm going to do another nitpick right now. Last one for a while I promise. We're in a universe where Romney is the incumbent outgoing President, its way less opportunistic for someone like Joe Biden to run compared to the opportunity of defeating Trump. That being said I can see a lot of the old guard of the Democrats deciding it's time for fresh blood and choosing to call it quits in terms of Presidential politics. We really have no idea what's happened under the Romney Presidency, but it has to be way more stable politically speaking then the Trump Presidency OTL right now.

This is just a game though and people are going to have way different views on realism than I do.