The Hunting Grounds: Turmoil in America

[America Needs R'hllor]

February 11th, 2006, Riviera, Texas

Vice President Dick Cheney was ecstatic. Hunting was one of his favourite activities, the excitement and the feeling of strength. Now he finally convinced George to come with him on a hunt of quail, and hoped it would help sooth the President's nerves in these hard times.

Indeed, George needed this- the economy was getting worse with inflation rising, and the War in Iraq was more and more unpopular. With the 2006 midterms heating up, President Bush was stressed, so Dick hoped that a day of hunting would help him. George was now retrieving a quail he shot down, and looked pretty happy about his success. "Hey!" One of his fellow hunters, lawyer Harry Whittington, shouted, pointing at a cluster of trees ahead. A covey steered there, clearly preparing to rise up.

Excited, Dick raised his shotgun and without much aiming, fired several quick bullets.

His mind took a few moments to process the shouts of pain that followed. "sh**t," he said as he realized what happened. He hit someone. But who? Could it be...? No, no way, he went in another direction...

Around him, the others rushed forward, dropping their shotguns. The Secret Service agents buzzed more than everyone, running around the cluster of trees. Dick himself stood frozen, too afraid to check who he hit. As the moments passed, a feeling of dread filled him.

It was Whittington who confirmed the Vice President's worst fears. "The President was hit!!!"

In a moment, he was surrounded. Secret Service agents grabbed him gently but firmly and rushed him away, towards the nearest vehicle. Dick Cheney realized the dreadful reality- with the President down, his condition uncertain, he was now the Acting President.

And in a bitter irony, it was all because of him.

[America Needs R'hllor]

So I was bored, and decided to start this new TL I'll probably advance slowly, especially as I'm still finishing up my Israel election TL (which I hope ya'll have read), but I'd appreciate some comments on what do you think about this idea. I hope it'll be an interesting account of an unlikely hypothetical scenario, leading to chaotic events. Yay, chaos!

[Pericles]

Interesting, this is a very unique idea and well-written start. It seems like it would create turmoil, or at least quite a few conspiracy theories. Looking forward to seeing how this goes!

[JoeyOCanada]

Ooooh this is gonna be good

[LoneStarDem]

Bush, Jr., better NOT die.

[Cold War Liberal]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I’m very excited for this

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Bush, Jr., better NOT die.

If he didn't, it wouldn't be as interesting.

[Big Boy Beto]

This looks fantastic. Always love your TLs.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Thanks, everyone! After the Israeli election (and following a period of mourning) I shall properly start this.

Still trying to decide the format, though- right now I'm thinking short excerpts from "news reports" as a way to deliver the events, but a point of view format is possible too. Any preferences?

[Big Boy Beto]

Thanks, everyone! After the Israeli election (and following a period of mourning) I shall properly start this.

Still trying to decide the format, though- right now I'm thinking short excerpts from "news reports" as a way to deliver the events, but a point of view format is possible too. Any preferences?

You could always use them interchangeably. It would be interesting, having the view of the public and media then of the characters themselves.

[New Jersey Moderate]

Oh my god I am so ready

[America Needs R'hllor]

February 11th, 2006: the day that changed America

17:46

BREAKING NEWS: President George W. Bush shot during hunt, taken to intensive care



MCALLEN - We've just received a report that George W. Bush, the President of the United States, has been shot during a hunting trip in Riviera, Texas. Bush was quickly escorted to the McAllen Medical Center, where he's currently receiving intensive care. The President is apparently in critical condition, and doctors are fighting for his life, hoping to stabilize his condition before performing further surgery. The details on the shooting are currently murky- we don't know whether this was an accident or an assassination attempt, who shot the President and how. Right now, the entire nation is praying for the President's health.

17:55

Vice President Cheney en-route to Washington, D.C., assumes role of acting President; details of the shooting still murky



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following President Bush entering intensive care after his shooting, Vice President Dick Cheney has assumed the role of acting President and is currently en-route to the White House in Washington. Cheney is being briefed by national security officials on immediate matters ranging from the situation in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and Iran's nuclear plans, to the delicate situation around Israel, where Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is still in a coma after a severe stroke, Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian parliament and new corruption investigations against acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rock his administration. The details around the Bush shooting remain murky, but new information appears to indicate the shooting was an accident- there is still heavy police presence in the forest where the President was shot, but no suspects are currently known. There are, reportedly, several police officers accompanying Vice President Cheney in his flight to Washington, D.C., leading to some speculation that Cheney might be an eye witness, and even some conspiracy theories that we will not delve into in these hard times for our nation.

19:37

Several sources confirm Vice President Cheney is "connected to shooting", White House promises official statement "when the Acting President lands"



WASHINTGON, D.C. - The story of President Bush's shooting during a hunting trip continues to develop in a worrisome manner. After rumours that there are several police officers with Vice President Dick Cheney on Air Force Two, several administration sources knowledgeable on the matter confirm that Cheney is connected to the shooting "in an active manner", refusing to specify how. Some speculations include that Cheney tackled the shooter, distracted the President or somehow ran into the scene, though some darker thories claim Cheney himself was the shooter, either by accident or malice. The White House, facing many questions from the media, was forced to react, and Press Secretary Scott McClellan stated that the White House will release an official statement detailing the turn of events as soon as Cheney, who McClellan called "the acting President", lands and takes his place. Meanwhile, congressional leadership including Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi released a joint statement, saying that "we pray with all our hearts that the President will make a quick and full recovery, and we want to promise the American people that we will keep our nation united and stable in these hard and uncertain days". The omission of Vice President Cheney's name from the statement raised some brows.

20:42

President's condition continues to be unstable, First Lady and other family members arrive in hospital; Cheney to land in the White House in next minutes



MCALLEN - President George Bush's condition appears to be getting worse. The McAllen Medical Center spokesperson gave a statement to the press where he said that the President's condition is "still not stable", but cautioned that Americans "shouldn't panic" and that "we're doing all we can for him". However, signs seem worrying- sources inside the hospital indicate that President Bush's condition is "deteriorating" and the threat to his life is real. He reportedly suffered a strong heart attack due to the effects of the bullet's lead, further worsening his health. President Bush's family, including First Lady Laura Bush, daughters Barbara and Jenna, former President and First Lady George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, and brothers Jeb and Neil Bush, have recently arrived at the hospital as well, refusing to answer the questions of the press before entering the building. As conflicting and worrying reports continue flowing in, the American people are anxious to know anything, and reports of quiet but growing unrest are increasingly common. Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to arrive at the White House in the next minutes, where he will meet the Cabinet, officially assume the role of Acting President and then give or release a statement to the press, about what happened in the President's shooting. The Cabinet already assembled, from around the country and even the world- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice returned early from a foreign trip in Mexico, with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Treasury John W. Snow and the rest of the cabinet joining her to quickly assemble and prepare for the Acting President's arrival. Notable in his absense is Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

21:29

As Vice President Cheney arrives, the White Houses releases shock statement to the press: Cheney accidentally shot Bush during their hunting trip



WASHINGTON, D.C. - The nation was shocked and the ground beneath it shook today. Minutes ago, after Vice President Dick Chenet arrived in the White House and spoke to the assembled cabinet, after whifch he fully assumed the duties of Acting President. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan later released a shocking and sudden statement to the press: "This evening, in Riviera, Texas, at about 5:34 p.m., Acting President Richard B. Cheney accidentally shot his friend, Preisdent George W. Bush, three times in the thigh, in the stomach and in the middle of the chest while aiming at a covey of quails. President Bush is currently in intensive care at the McAllen Medical Center, and we ask you all to pray for him. We'd like to stress again that the shooting was an accident- Acting President Cheney is tormented by his mistake, and is praying for the President harder than anyone else." After that, the dam of silence broke- the public was sent into a panic, intensified by a dramatic media. Millions of Americans are unable to believe what happened, that their Vice President shot their President, and already there are calls for Cheney to immediately resign. FBI Director Robert S. Mueller already released a separate statement, sayingg that the incident will be "thoroughly investiaged" in the coming days, "after the dust settles". Cheney himself, meanwhile, refused to appear before the public, instead opting to command McClellan to release the statement, and there's already speculation, so far baseless, that he's planning to pardon himself. The nation goes to sleep with uncertainty- over the fate of its President, the fate of its entire executive branch, and its very future.

04:47

BREAKING NEWS: President George W. Bush proclaimed dead



MCALLEN - Grief consumed the nation, as one of the most shocking and bizarre twists in American history turned into a disaster. President George W. Bush, confirmed to have been accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney during a hunting trip, was proclaimed dead today, February 12th, 4:33 AM. This leaves a nation in shock and confusion, unable to see where we're going forward from now. Vice President Cheney will now become President by law, but the fact that his bullets were the ones that killed his predecessor will complicate his Presidency. Already many across the country are calling for Cheney to immediately resign, though major political figures are currently keeping a respectful silence. The nation is waiting to hear from several figures especially- Speaker Dennis Hastert, who would become President if Cheney were to resign, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales who will have strong influence on the President's legal future, and the freshly-widowed First Lady Laura Bush.

George Walker Bush

43rd President of the United States (2001-2006)
46th Governor of Texas (1995-2000)
Born July 6, 1946
Died February 12, 2006

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

I don't know what I expected, but I sure was shocked when Bush died.

[LoneStarDem]

I'm going to assume Bush, Jr., will be buried at the TX State Cemetery in Austin in this TL, making him the first US President to be buried there with full military honors.

I know that this will likely give TX Governor Rick Perry (R) a landslide win in 2006 based on what had just transpired.

[Lord Byron]

Yeah, 2006 will be a mess, especially if Cheney is forced to resign (he did shoot his predecessor) and Hastert becomes president and the skeletons come tumbling out of Hastert's closet...

2006 is gonna be a Democratic tsunami if that happens...

[LoneStarDem]

Yeah, 2006 will be a mess, especially if Cheney is forced to resign (he did shoot his predecessor) and Hastert becomes president and the skeletons come tumbling out of Hastert's closet...

2006 is gonna be a Democratic tsunami if that happens...

OMG. I forgot about Hastert.

Cheney was STUPID shooting his predecessor like that, I know the Bush family will want him in prison or something.

[Pericles]

Oh wow great update, looking forward to more!

[America Needs R'hllor]

February 12th, 2006

Nation left in mourning and uncertainty as it wakes up to a new era; calls for Cheney resignation increase



WASHINGTON, D.C. - A nation in grief. As Americans woke up today to work or college, they were struck with shocking news- President George W. Bush passed away during in the early morning hours, doctors unable to save him from wounds inflicted to him accidentally by his own Vice President. Now, Vice President Cheney has succeeded his boss, and has reportedly been sworn in to the Presidency by "an uneasy" Chief Justice John Roberts. While most of the nation is still shocked and confused, first signs of unrest are already showing. Several protests were today in major cities, including Washington, D.C., New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Austin. The main message of the protesters was a demand that fresh President Cheney resign, but their composition was very bipartisan- Republicans loyal to President Bush who were heartbroken over his death made a minority of protesters, calling Cheney a "murderer", while left-leaning protesters, a majority, protested against the new President taking office and chanted that "the warmonger" should resign. President Cheney still didn't give any public address, leading to White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan being the only one communicating with the American people. According to inside sources, Cheney is apparently not planning to resign and wants to govern.

February 14th, 2006

New details suggest Cheney didn't follow hunting safety rules; Rep. Maxine Waters becomes first official to call for Cheney to resign



DALLAS - While Americans slowly digest the grave news of their President's death, new details begin to emerge of the shooting. Kelly Armstrong, owner of the ranch where Bush and Cheney were hunting, said that it was "definitely an accident", ruling out any other option. The President was retrieving a quail he shot down, she elaborated, while the Vice President shot a covey of quails that rose up, hitting his boss. But experts are already arguing that the new President was irresponsible, violating hunting safety rules by not checking if there was anyone where he was aiming. The President, who is still leaving out public communication to Press Secretary McClellan, is increasingly under fire with the protests against him getting louder. Today, the first major U.S. official called for Cheney to resign, when Democrat Maxine Waters, a Representative from California, said that Cheney "has no right to sit in that chair after his irresponsibility and carelessness lead to it being vacated in the first place". Press Secretary Mclellan, dogged by aggressive questioning from journalists, said he had "no comment" about the reports on the President's violation of safety rules, and added that Cheney has "no plans" to resign, instead meaning to "continue the legacy of President Bush by governing responsibly and leading America to further prosperity".

February 17th, 2006

President Cheney to not attend Bush funeral out of "respect to the family"



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Days after the death of President George W. Bush, the nation continues mourning. Flags on public buildings throughout the country are still lowered to half-staff, and will continue to be for a month after the President's death, while the casket with his remains is currently laying in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Thousands of visitors have already flocked to visit the deceased President, including foreign and American politicians from both sides of the aisle. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, giving a statement shortly after her own visit, saying that Bush was "a great American patriot and a decent human being who we all respected despite disagreements". New President Dick Cheney also attended briefly, accompanied by First Lady Lynne Cheney and daughters Mary and Liz, and looked mournful as he stared down at the caskt, but he refused to later give a statement to the press. But in February 20th funeral, when the President's remains will be buried in his home city of Houston, the White House released a statement affirming that President Cheney will not be attending, out of "respect for the Bush family". Indeed, the Bush family, including former First Lady Laura Bush, refused to speak out so far on the shooting, but inside sources indicate that the family has grown very distant to Cheney, and many are livid he did not resign yet. Instead, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card will represent Cheney, as well as the rest of the cabinet.

February 20th, 2006

President George W. Bush's remains buried in Houston funeral



HOUSTON - In the last of the memorial services in honour of the late President George W. Bush, his remains were buried in Houston, Texas. Many major figures gave heartfelt eulogies, including Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, his wife and former First Lady Laura Bush, brother former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former President Bill Clinton. Many more attended the services, including former President and First Lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady and Senator Hillary Clinton, former Vice Presidents Al Gore, Dan Quayle and Walter Mondale, political advisor Karl Rove, the entire cabinet, and others. There were also many foreign dignitaries in attendance, such as British Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair, new Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former Prime Minister Paul Martin, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, new Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Speaker of the Israeli Knesset Reuven Rivlin, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzō Abe, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.

February 23rd, 2006

Calls for Cheney resignation continue to pile on; FBI Director Mueller beginning shooting investigation



WASHINGTON, D.C. - After the interment of deceased President Bush, the political winds begin blowing again- and they're blowing hard at President Cheney's face. As Americans begin to recover from the initial shock of their President's death, much anger is beginning to stir against Cheney accompanied by increasingly large protests, as reports of his irresponsibility at the time of the shooting, as well as drinking beer a few hours before, continue to arrive. Many politicians are already calling for Cheney to take responsibility and resign, too- they begun with strong left-wing politicians like Maxine Waters, independent U.S. Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ). But the calls for Cheney's resignation from the mainstream are beginning to pile on- U.S. Reps. John Lewis (D-GA), Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Mike Castle (R-DE), Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), as well as many others. But the main trouble for Cheney might come from a legal direction- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales confirmed today that the FBI, lead by Director Robert Mueller, has begun investigating the shooting, and the President will likely be invited to testify soon. Even if Mueller finds no doubt for the shooting being an accident, an indictment for manslaughter could still be in the cards, spelling massive trouble for Cheney as he tries to settle into the office of the Presidency.

February 26th, 2006

Former First Lady Laura Bush calls for Cheney to resign; Press Secretary and Chief of Staff abruptly resign



HOUSTON - Sparking a storm, former First Lady Laura Bush, widow of the deceased President George Bush, spoke out for the first time following her husband's death by Cheney's bullets. She said that she understands "it was an accident", but added that "[Cheney] took my George from me, and from the American people and he should take responsiblity and resign immediately". Following the speech, major political figures, especially Republicans, felt much more comfortable calling for the President to resign, and so House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL), Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) all added their voices to the calls for Cheney to resign. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), who would become President if Cheney choses to resign, stopped short of calling for it, saying that it's not "[his] place" because of the "obvious conflict of interests", but said that "Dick has to take responsisiblity for his disastrous mistake that harmed, and will continue to harm, the American people". With the political headwinds blowing strong against the new President, two key members of the administration abruptly resigned from their posts- White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, who was already expected to depart in the next few months, and Press Secretary Scott McClellan, who has been reportedly bitter as Cheney "threw him to the dogs" and refused to speak out publicly. The resignations further damaged the Cheney administration's ability to respond to the mounting criticism against it.

[LoneStarDem]

I have a few things to nag:

1.) Bush, Jr., would NOT be buried in Houston. I tend to think he'll be buried at the TX State Cemetery in Austin.

2.) Would Bush, Jr., lay in repose at the TX State Capitol Rotunda in Austin ?

3.) Jeb was still FL Governor in this 2006 TL since his 2nd term would end on January 2nd, 2007 when he was succeeded by then-State AG Charles Crist (R) as Governor.

4.) 2006 Midterms might be impacted in a huge way.

5.) Big question is whether the Joint Chiefs of Staff will form a coup d'état ?

[LoneStarDem]

Cheney might pull a Charles Logan.

[BigVic]

Mueller investigating the Cheney hunting incident.

Can’t wait for the rest of this TL

[Lord Byron]

This could be known as the year of four presidents, if Cheney has to resign and Hastert becomes president, with his scandals coming out...

As I've said before, 2006 was a Democratic wave IOTL; it'll be a tsunami ITTL if all this comes to pass...

[LoneStarDem]

This could be known as the year of four presidents, if Cheney has to resign and Hastert becomes president, with his scandals coming out...

As I've said before, 2006 was a Democratic wave IOTL; it'll be a tsunami ITTL if all this comes to pass...

Slightly similar to FOX's "24"

1.) John Keeler (R), 45th POTUS from January 20th, 2005 to April 5th, 2006: killed in Air Force One Crash

2.) Charles Logan (R), 46th POTUS from April 5th, 2006 to August 22nd, 2007: removed from office due to his complicity & involvement in the assassination of former POTUS David Palmer & other terrorist attacks.

3.) Hal Gardner (R), 47th POTUS from August 22nd, 2007 to January 20th, 2009: ascended to the Presidency upon Logan's removal; likely lost election bid for 1st full 4-year term in 2008 elections.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Richard

The sound of his ring tapping on the table was hallow, the only noticeable sound in the quiet, empty Oval Office. Dick Cheney always secretly wanted to sit in that chair, authoritatively gazing over the most important room in the world... but not like this. Christ, not like this. The images haunted him, day and night- George excitedly running to retrieve the quail he shot, a covey rising up, Dick aiming and, without giving it much thought, shooting several times... And the worst was the sound, the small shout of pain. He never imagined such a short, weak sound could change the world so much.

Sure, he was always a cold person. He didn't care about any of this sons of a b**ch around the world who dared threaten American domination. He was willing to invade them, do whatever was possible to help them embrace the model of liberal democracy that did so much to advance the world. But this... this wasn't it. It was his fault- his gun, his carelessness, his bullet that killed his Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States. And now, he was President.

Dick was torn- on the one hand, he knew he didn't deserve this office. He killed to to get it, for Pete's sake. And the pressure to resign was increasingly unbearable. It wasn't just moderates like John McCain now, it was also major figures like Laura Bush. But on the other hand, the nation needed a leader who knew what he was doing, who could manage the war in Iraq successfully and protect America from those who would do it harm. Besides, giving Speaker Hastert the Presidency was problematic. He didn't trust him, and worse, he... heard things. Unsavoury things, best kept hidden. He was worried that if Dennis was President, it might not stay hidden.

His phone suddenly rang. When he answered, the secretary spoke coldly, as she always did since he became President. "Mr. President, you have a call from Speaker Hastert."

The President frowned. What could Dennis want from him right now? "Put him on, please."

After a few seconds, the Speaker's voice sounded from the other side. "Dick. Hello. There's something we need to discuss."

"Alright then, go on." Cheney said. "What do you want?"

"Resign." Dennis said curtly. "There's no choice left. Your approval ratings are in the teens, it'll destroy us in the midterms. We can't have that!"

"What, and give you the Presidency?" Cheney replied aggressively. "This is absurd. You're reaching too far, Dennis, check your position before you fall down. We both know you have skeletons in the closet, and these are some particularly small-size skeleto-"

"Shut up, Dick," Dennis said with a tired tone, "and listen. Tomorrow morning, Bush Senior and Barbara will call for you to resign. They'll be followed by Bill, who's now with John, leading the charge of most of the Senate caucus denouncing you. I'll be foreced to follow shortly. Of course, I won't do it myself because of the conflict of interests, but Boehner will lead most of the House caucus to call for resignation, too. You don't have any choice. So just do it, tomorrow morning, before all of us. It'll help you save face."

Dick stayed silent for a few long moments. The realization fell- it was out of his hands. He couldn't remain in office against the opposition of the entire party, not while he's so popular with the public. He had to think about himself and his family, now.

"One condition," the President of the United States said quietly.

"Yes?" The Speaker asked.

"Pardon me when you take office."

President Dick Cheney job approval (March 1st)
Approve- 14%
Disapprove- 79%
Unsure- 7%

Generic Congressional Ballot- 2006
Democrat- 55%
Republican- 32%
Other\Undecided- 13%

Who will you support in the 2008 Presidential election? (Cheney)
Generic Democrat- 58%
President Dick Cheney- 27%
Others\Undecided- 15%

Who will you support in the 2008 Presidential election? (Other Republican)
Generic Democrat- 46%
Generic Republican- 42%
Others\Undecided- 12%

Who do you support for the Republican nomination in 2008?
Other Republican- 44%
President Dick Cheney- 39%
Undecided- 17%

[KaiserDave]

"Particularly small skeletons"

Excellent writing, and I almost appreciate Cheney's wit there.