The Long National Nightmare (Edition 2.0)

[LoneStarDem]

Is it true that the former Ethiopian Emperor was smothered to death by soldiers ? WTH ?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Is it true that the former Ethiopian Emperor was smothered to death by soldiers ? WTH ?

Allegedly by Mengistu himself, actually. Probably just an urban legend though.

[Lumine]

Note: This was copied and pasted from POTUS2036 during the 1972 campaign game we had a few years back in which I played Nixon. I thought this was too unique an opportunity to rehash Morgen’s candidacy in a timeline to miss, so credit to POTUS2036 for this.

Glad to see Fear and Loathing left a legacy of sorts, it was a fun game to host.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Update coming tomorrow or Monday.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XVII: Black September.

Monday, September 1st, 1975: The Socialist Party USA holds its national convention, which nominates former Milwaukee Mayor Frank Zeidler for President and gay rights activist David McReynolds for Vice President.
Wednesday, September 3rd, 1975: A new Gallup poll is released to the press, showing a shifting race for President. Notably, frontrunner Ted Kennedy's numbers have collapsed over the course of 1975 as he continues to dither on the sidelines about a potential presidential campaign.

1976 Democratic Primary.
Ted Kennedy: 24%
Birch Bayh: 20%
George Wallace: 18%
Reuben Askew: 13%
Henry Jackson: 10%
Lloyd Bentsen: 5%
Frank Church: 4%
Fred Harris: 2%
Jerry Brown: 2%
Ron Dellums: 1%
Calvin Rampton: 1%
Eugene McCarthy: 1%

1976 Republican Primaries
Gerald Ford: 50%
Ronald Reagan: 46%
Howard Morgens: 3%
Harold Stassen: 1%

Squeaky.

Friday, September 5th, 1975:

10:12 AM, Sacramento, CA..

1

If there was a quiz after one shoots a President, Squeaky Frome seemingly didn’t do her homework. From the bright red dress that made her stand out in a crowd to the fact that she didn’t chamber her gun, it seemed in hindsight that the Manson devotee and would be assassin was ever a threat to the President, who had just marked his first year in office. He was out of Washington for a handful of days, making a series of unimportant appearances to promote the upcoming bicentennial while also squeezing in a number of fundraisers for his reelection campaign on the side. Having already made stops in Seattle, Spokane, and Portland before making a final swing through Sacramento, the President was still bursting with energy. The athletic former football player was a physically active man, and insisted on making the walk from the Senator Hotel across the street to the State Capitol building, where he was due to meet with Governor Jerry Brown.

He did not know of the danger awaiting him; in fact, the prospect of assassination simply never occurred to him that morning. It rarely did, period - though the thought had penetrated his mind on an occasion or two.

Like most of Manson’s followers, Fromme had come from a stable, middle class home in California. However, her struggles with depression led her to turn to drugs in high school, and within a few years’ time she found herself homeless on Venice Beach. A chance encounter with the recently released Charlie Manson led her into the orbit of his cult, and she quickly became a devoted follower of the charismatic near-do-well. Though she did not involve herself in the infamous LaBianca-Tate murders, her presence in the following trial caused a stir when she and a few other female Manson followers carved Xs into their foreheads.

That was the least of her troubles; the increasingly troubled young woman romantically attached herself to a member of the Aryan Nations, and was subsequently questioned for a murder of one of the neo-Nazi gang's members after it was revealed he had been in talks with law enforcement. She was never charged. Afterwards, she again slipped through the cracks. She and a few other Manson associates had moved to Sacramento in order to be closer to Charlie, who was serving out his sentence at the infamous Folsom prison. He had given her the order himself through their written communication. She had to do it. She had to save the Redwoods.

So, with a Colt M1911 holstered to her thigh, she slipped into the crowd. A cheer arose as the presidential entourage began shuffling out of the hotel, and within a matter of seconds he was already in sight. A gaggle of Secret Service agents pushed through the throngs of well-wishers as State Troopers formed a moving human chain to keep the bulk of the masses at bay. Her heart pounded as adrenaline flowed through her body; she locked eyes with the President, and he in turn locked eyes with the attractive young strawberry blonde in the red dress. He moved with his hand extended to grasp her hand, but instead of reaching out, Squeaky reached in.

She withdrew her pistol and within a matter of micro-seconds raised the pistol upwards towards the President. This was her chance. This was her moment. This was her sacrifice. There, for one fleeting moment, the leader of the free world stood face to face with the woman who was there to kill him. He didn't he have time to fully realize the danger he faced.

She pulled the trigger. Click. A Secret Service agent heard the metallic sound, even though it was a pin drop in a sea of cheers and applause. He turned around rapidly from the well wishers behind the President to see the would-be assassin holding a pistol to the President's chest. It had only been there for no longer than a second or two, no more than three, but it was to Agent Larry Buendorf a serious oversight that had nearly cost the President his life. He raced into action, not even having time to recognize the adrenaline that propelled him. With one hand, he grasped the gun and jerked it from Squeaky's hand while using his right forearm and elbow to push her down. Pinning her to the ground with his weight, the Agent was joined by scores of others who surrounded her while the others rushed the President through the crowd into the State Capitol, where he went on to meet the Governor and didn't even bother

"Chill out! Chill!" yelled the woman as police ushered her into an awaiting police car, "it didn't go off man!"
Saturday, September 6th, 1975: In the wake of an assassination attempt on President Ford, Governor Jerry Brown proposes sweeping gun control legislation as well as raising the penalty for use of a firearm while committing a violent crime.
Sunday, September 7th, 1975: The Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and his wife, Second Lady Happy Rockefeller, formally dedicate the Naval Observatory in Washington's Embassy Row neighborhood as the official residence of the Vice President. The near miss in California weighs on the Vice President's mind throughout the event.
Monday, September 8th, 1975: Secretary of State Kissinger authorizes a change to American policy towards Cuba, allowing American ships the oppurtunity to refuel in Cuban ports if necessary. The overall embargo which prohibits commerce with Cuba remains in place.
Thursday, September 11th, 1975: The President attends a fundraiser in New Hampshire after spending the first day on the campaign trail following an assassination attempt. Under his shirt is a bulletproof vest, which he finds constraining and incredibly uncomfortable.
Saturday, September 13th, 1975: Under increased political pressure domestically since her ascension to the Presidency, Argentine leader Isabel Peron takes a temporary leave of absence from her duties. As a result, the President of the Senate will discharge the duties of executive in the interim.
Thursday, September 18th, 1975: Fugitive Patsy Hearst is arrested after spending over a year on the run for her involvement in a bank robbery. The kidnapped heiress had been brainwashed into joining the Symbolese Liberation Army, a domestic revolutionary outfit. It is one of the most early and prominent examples of "Stockholm Syndrome."
Friday, September 19th, 1975: In a New York Times op-ed, a hundred corporate leaders - two from every state of the union - sign a statement in support of the longshot candidacy of businessman Howard Morgens. It is the first sign of traction for the former Procter & Gamble CEO, who is challenging both President Ford and Governor Reagan for the nomination.
Sunday, September 21st, 1975: In an appearance on Meet the Press, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) stuns and shocks the Democratic Party and Washington establishment when he announces he will not be a candidate for President in 1976. He declines to endorse a candidate and confirms he will seek reelection to the Senate instead.

Sara Jane.

Monday, September 22nd, 1975:

3:30 PM, San Francisco, CA.

Pandemonium following the shooting.

2

"That little pipsqueak in Sacramento couldn't do it, but I can. I have too." Sara Jane Moore waited in the crowd, rehearsing her plan over and over again while reassuring herself that her actions were both morally right and necessary. The President had made his first trip back to California since the assassination attempt in Sacramento in order to address the World Affairs Council meeting in San Francisco. Security was tight around the venue and the Saint Francis Hotel, where the President had been staying.

Sara Jane Moore, aged 45, was a mother of four children who had been divorced five times. A native of West Virginia, Mrs. Moore had moved west to pursue a career as an accountant. Her mental health would later be called into question by those who lived by her or worked with her, with her near obsession with the Patty Hearst kidnapping and manhunt being frequently noted. Her personal and financial struggles compounded a siege mentality, and as a result she began to dabble in left-wing politics. Though she bore no association with Manson, the near miss in Sacramento had none the less inspired her to act in the name of revolution that even she was unable to truly define or fully articulate.

Some perhaps would be tempted to frame her actions as the manifestation of a sense of cynicism that that permeated the country after Watergate. Her actions were most certainly political in nature - she herself would express this in the aftermath. But there forces at work far greater than mere politics that compelled Sara Jane Moore to go downtown with a small revolver in her purse. And thus, at three thirty sharp, the President and his retinue embarked through the front door of the hotel. Sara had been tipped off by the arrival of the presidential convoy, as well as the limousine, while she waited patiently and quietly

A few feet down, perhaps ten or so steps away, Vietnam vet and Wisconsin native Oliver Sipple looked on. He too had come to grab a glimpse, and perhaps even a picture, of the President of the United States. A somewhat elderly woman in a black and white pantsuit with a matching hat stood out to him; her dyed orange hair reminded him, for one reason or another, of TV's Edith Bunker. He took no notice of the middle aged mother who stood behind the fashionable old woman.

Sara Jane heard the applause and cheers go up, and looked forward to see President Ford cheerfully acknowledge the small crowd. She reached into her purse, rapidly withdrawing the revolver and steadying her arm as she aimed directly outward towards the President. Oliver Sipple looked over, the reflection of the sun shining off the pistol and drawing his attention from the corner of his eye. Sara Jane Moore felt her finger freeze; she just couldn't bring herself to do it. He was a human being. He had a wife. He had children. He had -

"THE BITCH HAS A GUN!"

Without any further thought, she pulled the trigger.

BANG.

President Ford winces as he is struck by Sara Jane Moore's bullet.

3

[1] Taken from Wikipedia.
[2] Taken from The Advocate.
[3] Taken from Wikipedia.

[Robert California]

Uh oh...

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Bring back LoneStarDem & his What If articles.

What a poorly done sock account we've got here.

[Cold War Liberal]

PRESIDENT ROCKEFELLER WHEN

[erſatz-york]

Great TL, definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for updates. Events in the PRC are rather unnerving, leftists in Portugal setting a dangerous precedent re: Macau.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Over the coming days I'm going to replace the images with public domain ones, as well as correcting any errors caught. Afterwards, I'll resume the timeline. This first two posts have been done already.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XVIII: Cronkite.

Friday, September 22nd, 1975:

10:51 AM, CBS Studios, NYC.

1

Good morning, I'm Walter Cronkite and this is a CBS Special Report. We are interrupting our scheduled programming to bring you breaking news out of San Francisco, where we are receiving reports that President Ford has once again faced another attempt on his life. We are only receiving this information as it comes in, and the situation is still fluid. Here is what we know: about thirty minutes ago, as the President left the Saint Francis Hotel, a shot was apparently fired at the President. According to witnesses, the assailant was a woman, believed to be middle aged, and that only a single shot was fired. We do not know at this time whether or not the President was hit but we have heard from witnesses that he was immediately raced into a nearby limousine and that his current location is unknown.

Of course this is the second such attempt on the President's life, the first just taking place weeks ago in Sacramento, where a woman attempted unsuccessfully to shoot him as well. The alleged assailant in that case, Squeeky Frome, is awaiting trial currently for that incident and has been associated with convicted cult leader Charles Manson. Hold it...hold it.

.....I'm being told through the earpiece here that we do have footage of the shooting. We're going to air this now:

(clip plays, showing footage of the shot being fired)

It appears that the President was hit by the footage we just saw, but there has been no confirmation  of such and I refuse to report that officially at this time. But it does, going off appearance, seem to suggest that the President was injured due to the high volume of Secret Service agents surrounding him and the seeming slowness of their efforts to get him into the limousine. I believe.....my earpiece is talking again, one minute......I understand. I'll report that.

We can confirm at this time that President Ford has been hit and is currently undergoing preparation for surgery at a nearby hospital at this moment. We're joined now by our White House correspondent.....

11:12 AM, The White House, Washington, DC.

Betty Ford, a vibrant and popular First Lady, in happier times.

2

She wanted to faint, but was too stunned to do that or anything for that matter. Her mind went numb too, the reality sinking in with a force greater than she could have ever anticipated. She continued to stare into Cheney's mournful eyes. He repeated again. "I'm sorry Mrs. Ford. I'm sorry." Without a word, she turned and raced towards the liquor cabinet behind her, and shaking profusely, she poured herself a brandy and turned again towards Don. She took a sip, and immediately, as if a spell had been broken, she fell to her knees and began to wept.

"Jerry!" she sobbed, "oh my God! My Jerry!" Scowcroft watched, his stomach knotted by the scene playing out before him. He joined her on his knees and wrapped his arm around her. It was of little comfort, but it distracted him from the reality that his time in the White House was coming to a close. In the First Lady's private office, a phone rang, and a young intern darted behind them to answer it. She came back down the hall at once, and spoke to Mrs. Ford in a soft voice.

"Madame First Lady" she said, "President Rockefeller is on the line."

11:45 AM, The White House, Washington, DC.

Mrs. Ford was already bound for California on an air force plane, so that she could collect the President's remains and return to Washington on board Air Force One for a final flight. Joining her was her daughter Susan, who joined her mother at the last minute to avoid the onslaught of press that had arrived at the White House. Meanwhile, the cameras of all the big three networks were trained on the podium set up in the East Room of the White House, where President Rockefeller was set to be sworn in as the 39th President of the United States.

His road to the White House came not through electoral triumph but rather tragedy. 1960, 1964, and 1968 saw his prior presidential aspirations dashed, but his appointment as Vice President revived his career. Indeed, Rockefeller had one last run in him. He was eyeing 1980, seemingly convinced that Jerry Ford wouldn't hold against a Democratic challenger in the wake of his pardon of Richard Nixon. These plans were interrupted by fate once more; at long last, Nelson Rockefeller was President. Now he had to remain so.

Moore's bullet was graced by luck, and with one shot she had made a direct hit to the heart. It severed the President's aortic valve and died within seconds of being pushed into the limousine. With one single shot, the history of the United States had been altered by an assassin once again, with Ford joining the martyred ranks of the Kennedy brothers and Doctor King. Never before had a woman made such a direct and lasting impact on American politics; it was a political first, perhaps the loudest - and least lucid - political statement of the entire ERA period.

In her mind, Sara Jane Moore had believed herself to be a true champion of liberation, not just women's liberation but all people's liberation. To her, Gerald Ford, the unelected successor to President Nixon, was the figurehead who was controlled by a shadowy cabal of bankers, industrialists, fascists, and reactionary military officers. He was a legitimate target, one who had to be slain in order to launch the burgeoning revolution in America.

But in Nelson Rockefeller's mind, Jerry Ford was just a friend and good man. He never had the ambition to be President, but once in office, he found himself well inclined to the executive branch. He was a man of good moral character, a proud father and loving husband, and a skilled, athletic, youthful, and genuine. Which was why none of it made sense to Rocky. He could understand why a person could be driven to kill Nixon, but Jerry? What'd he ever do to anyone?

As he paced around the Oval Office awaiting the Chief Justice to be ushered in, Rockefeller took in his surroundings. He was already eyeing where to place portraits and other changes he'd want made to the famed executive suite. The door opened, and Chief of Staff Cheney- whose position was now in question - entered with Chief Justice Warren Burger. "Mr. President" began the Chief Justice, "shall I administer the oath here privately? Or will you be willing to take it publicly." Without hesitation, Rockefeller replied "publicly, the people need to see the continuity of government in action. Even on days as dark as this."

The President and the Chief Justice, joined by an entourage of advisers and aides, marched together in silence to the East Room. There was quiet, polite, respectful applause upon their entrance. All of America watched in silence as the Chief Justice administered the oath of office to the man who at long last had obtained the title of President, the 39th to have done so. At his conclusion, Rockefeller said nothing as he departed the room with the Chief Justice as his aide George Hinman barked out to the press that a speech to a joint session of Congress would take place within a few hours time. Rockefeller, who had no prepared remarks, immediately ordered a draft for his planned speech to be written as quickly as possible as he retired to the Oval Office to make a slew of phone calls to other world leaders.

3

"When I assumed the Vice Presidency, I stated my belief that there is nothing wrong with America that Americans can't fix. Tonight, in this dark hour of tragedy, my belief in America remains unshaken. Once more we find ourselves in another unexpected period of a presidential transition. A spirit of cynicism and distrust has polluted our national dialogue as we prepare to mark our own bicentennial, and tonight, that discord manifested itself once again in a brutal display of inhumanity.

Tonight, though we mourn rightfully the loss of a transformational leader who did everything in his power to bring Americans together, we are strong. We are no less present on the world stage as we were yesterday, nor are we no less determined to move forward into the twilight of this century as one nation, united under God. The second tragedy today is that it took such a dreadful and universally appalling act of carnage to remind us of this.

But be not mistaken; America will always be strong so long as there are Americans. We are an innovative and inclusive people, unique for our equality of opportunity and for the universality of the American dream. Indeed, it is the American dream which across the world has entered into the lexicon as a word roundly associated with the promise of peace, freedom, and a fighting chance. So we will respond to this savage act of brutality, which has left so many of us feeling shaken and rudderless, as an opportunity to heal America, to restore and renew faith in our government, and to ensure that every American experiences the dream that has compelled so many millions of people to give up everything in pursuit of liberty.

Our thoughts remain with the First Lady and her children tonight; we, as Americans, have an obligation to this family that has given up so much for the good our country. We must ensure that Gerald R. Ford did not die in vain. We must ensure that his legacy likewise lives on, and we must ensure that the mission must be completed, the battle won, the greatest heights conquered, and the game is won. This is what Gerald Ford wanted for America ultimately. He laid down his life in pursuit of inspiring a to excellence a nation that has been scarred by scandal, eroded by inflation, and bogged down in foreign policy quagmires. We as Americans must live up to the legacy that President Ford has left behind, and though it is a tall order, I believe firmly that it is a challenge every American of any age, gender, race, or party can rise to meet.

Thank you, God bless you, God bless President Ford and his family, and may God forever bless America."
[1] Still from a YouTube video.
[2] Taken from Smithsonian Magazine.
[3] Taken from Wikipedia.
[4] Taken from Gerald Ford Presidential Library.

[Zharques]

Poor Gerald Ford, he dies in so many timelines. I'm just thankful that our one wasn't one of them.

[erſatz-york]

RIP FF

[NyIndy]

RIP FF

[Kingpoleon]

Poor Gerald Ford, he dies in so many timelines. I'm just thankful that our one wasn't one of them.

Er, I have some bad news to share...

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XIX: Rocky.

Tuesday, September 23rd, 1975:

7:00 AM, The White House, Washington, DC.

1

Nelson Rockefeller was hard at work in the Oval Office, having not left the White House grounds once since assuming the Presidency. It was still less than twenty four hours since Sara Jane Moore shot and killed his predecessor, and he was still coming to terms with the magnitude of what had happened. In spite of three failed ganders for the Republican nomination in the sixties, each candidacy more serious than the last, Rockefeller was haunted by the means which finally brought him his long desired title. He never liked Nixon naturally, though Ford was genuine, honest, and a thoroughly decent man. None of this made any sense. How could Nixon walk a free man while Gerald Ford became the fifth member of a club no one wanted him to ever join.

There would be changes, though. Some would be quicker than others. President Rockefeller had offered the Fords several weeks to remain in the White House as they grieved, and Betty Ford graciously accepted the offer to remain in the executive mansion for one more week until his state funeral. As the widowed former First Lady prepared to choreograph her husband's final farewell, the new President began to seize up the White House staff and the cabinet. Some would have to go. First on the chopping block was former Congressman and current Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld and his henchman Dick Cheney. The duo was loathed by the new President due to their conservative political views, their aggressive management style, as well as their combined ego, which was threatening to Rockefeller's equally well inflated sense of self.

To replace Rumsfeld wouldn't be George Hinman, which conventional Washington wisdom suspected. Hinman instead would take up the role as Senior Counselor to the President, effectively making him a broadly empowered adviser who could play a role in any issue of any nature at any time of the President's choosing. Instead, it would take someone with a strong executive personality and organizational skills to replace Rumsfeld. Though Hinman had all of these traits, having managed Rockefeller's previous presidential campaigns, the role of senior adviser gave him greater flexibility.

Rumsfeld and Cheney instead would be replaced by John Veneman and Ann C. Whitman. Veneman had previously served as Deputy Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Whitman, meanwhile, had been Personal Secretary to President Eisenhower before working in a number of roles for Governor and then Vice President Rockefeller. She would become the first woman to take on a senior role in an administration, an early sign that the new President remained vocally active in support of the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

White House Press Secretary Jerry terHorst was ready to leave; he had reluctantly agreed not to resign after Ford pardoned Nixon, a decision he was readily opposed to. With his former boss now in a casket bound for Washington, he no longer felt bound to Rockefeller and had decided to resign at the end of the week. Rockefeller chose Ford's communication director, Brian Lamb, to take on the role of interim press secretary until a new one could be chosen. Lamb would likewise retain his job as director of communications and would ultimately return to it within two weeks time. Brent Scowcroft was to remain as National Security Adviser, and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was likewise reassured by his longtime friend that he would be retaining his position. It was Rockefeller who had first introduced the German born Secretary of State to the political scene, and Kissinger was greatly relieved that he would at long last be working with someone who wasn't threatened by his global reach.

There were other less public jobs being filled. Stuart Spencer, a longtime friend and aide as well as campaign guru, was quietly named Chair of the Republicans for Rocky Committee within days of the President's ascension to office. This organization would serve as the skeletal organization for a possible presidential campaign and had the same effect and role as an exploratory committee, though this was not widely known or officially stated.

But the job everyone was talking about was the vacant Vice Presidency; for the second time in about two years, the President would once again have to nominate a Vice President for both houses of Congress to judge and confirm. There was greater flexibility, of course. Ford was hamstrung by the partisan tempers of Watergate, whereas the national grief over his assassination afforded Rockefeller a better, if not ghastly somber, political climate.

A memo on Rocky's desk - the Resolute Desk - asked him to narrow down a long list of potential Vice Presidents. With a red pen, he began writing names. All in all, six names would be added to the list. Each one offered their own set of advantages and obstacles.

Bush

Ed Brooke

Scranton

Bob Dole

Reagan?

James Gavin
Wednesday, September 24th, 1975: Oliver Sipple, the witness to the Ford assassination who attempted to disarm Sara Jane Moore after she fired her fatal shot at the President, is revealed by the San Francisco Chronicle as gay. The veteran's personal life is thrown into turmoil by this, but the news about his sexual orientation does not deter President Rockefeller from personally calling Sipple and thanking him "on behalf of a grateful nation" for his valiant efforts.
Friday, September 26th, 1975: The State Funeral for President Ford is conducted in Washington; among the international guests attending services in the National Cathedral include Prime Minister Harold Wilson of the UK, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of Canada, President Valery Giscard d'Estaing of France, Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia, Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin of the Soviet Union. Secretary of State Kissinger delivers the eulogy, with former President Nixon, Senator Robert Griffin, and former Governor George Romney all delivering remarks as well. Afterwards, his body is flown to Michigan to be buried privately. Former First Lady Betty Ford begins preparations for the construction of a presidential library in Grand Rapids.
Sunday, September 28th, 1975: President Rockefeller appears on NBC's Meet the Press, praising President Ford's legacy and promising to "evaluate" each member of the administration as he moves forward. He also details plans for a state funeral, to be conducted in Washington on Wednesday. The President declines to comment on whether or not he will be running for President in 1976.

Former California Governor and presidential candidate Ronald Reagan meanwhile appears on CBS's "Face the Nation" and praises his deceased former rival's legacy and announces a week long suspension of all campaign activities. Though he promises to resume active campaigning, Reagan does not make any criticisms of President Rockefeller in the interview, claiming it's "too early to judge."
Monday, September 29th, 1975: The White House announces the official departure of Jerry terHorst, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney from the President's staff. Their replacements are also announced, with Ann Whitman drawing the most attention from the press.
Tuesday, September 30th, 1975: HBO gains notoriety and a considerable number of new subscribers after they obtain the rights to the scheduled fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, branding it "the Thrilla in Manilla." 
Wednesday, October 1st, 1975: In a widely viewed fight, Muhammad Ali maintains his title as heavyweight champion after beating Joe Frazier once again.
Friday, October 3rd, 1975: Senator Charles Percy (R-IL) tells the Washington Post that he is reconsidering his decision to stay out of the presidential race in the wake of the assassination of President Ford. Percy endorses Rockefeller and encourages him to run in 1976, but does not rule out running should the new President not seek another term.
Monday, October 6th, 1975: With President Isabel Peron on "a leave of absence," acting President Italo Luder of Argentina authorizes the military to "annihilate" leftist guerrilla fighters in the countryside. President Peron, facing popular discontent over inflation and joblessness, has taken a leave of absence due to health reasons, leaving the conservative Senate President Luder in charge as acting President.
Tuesday, October 7th, 1975: President Rockefeller signs legislation into law extending the school lunch subsidy; joined at a Rose Garden signing ceremony by children who have benefited from the program, Rockefeller strongly defends the policy and calls for Congress to pass a number of other anti-poverty programs.

An appeals court votes 2-1 to overrule the INS's deportation order for former Beatles musician John Lennon. The ruling ends a four year legal battle and allows him to stay in the United States, with his wife Yoko Ono set to give birth to a son in a matter of days.
Wednesday, October 8th, 1975: President Rockefeller signs legislation allowing for women to attend national military academies such as West Point.
Friday, October 10th, 1975: Soviet dissident and nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; however, he is unable to collect the esteemed honor as the Soviet government refuses to give him an exit visa. 
Saturday, October 11th, 1975: Congressman Bill Clinton (D-AR), who beat incumbent John Paul Hammerschmidt in 1974 by a narrow margin, marries law professor Hillary Rodham at their home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The intimate ceremony, which includes only family and friends, goes virtually unnoticed in the Washington gossip circuit.

Saturday Night Live debuts on NBC; the inaugural broadcast is hosted by comedian George Carlin, and musical guests include Janice Ian and Billy Preston. The show receives rave reviews from the onset.
Tuesday, October 14th, 1975: South Africa's military launches a covert Special Ops campaign designed to root out Marxist forces in Angola, which is transitioning to independence in less than a month with the help and support of the leftist government in Lisbon. Codenamed Operation Savannah, the South Africans are receiving covert support from the CIA, authorized by President Ford earlier in June.
Wednesday, October 15th, 1975: King Hassan II of Morocco announces he will personally lead a march of 350,000 Moroccans into the formerly Spanish territory of Western Sahara. The Polisario Front, a leftist outfit fighting for the independence of the small West African backwater, vows to resist the "invasion." 
Monday, October 20th, 1975: The USSR and the US announce a deal has been reached after extensive negotiations between the two superpowers over agricultural trade. Under the new agreement, which was negotiated by US Trade Representative Frederick Dent, the United States will sell 6,000,000 tons of grain a year to the USSR over the course of a five year period.

Rhodesian Special Forces, allegedly with South African assistance, destroy several stretches of the Tanzem railroad. The railroad, a joint project between the People's Republic of China, Zambia, and Tanzania, had been on hold since the PRC's inward turn. Realizing the strategic value of the railroad should it be completed, Rhodesian special forces infiltrated both countries and then successfully dynamited three bridges. The raids are condemned by most African countries, but Rhodesia staunchly denies being behind the acts of sabotage.
Tuesday, October 21st, 1975: Francisco Franco, Spain's long serving dictator known widely throughout the west as the "last" fascist, suffers a massive heart attack. Though he survives, the Spanish leader's health never fully recovers and preparations for the succession of Prince Juan Carlos.
Wednesday, October 22nd, 1975: President Rockefeller tells Walter Cronkite in an exclusive interview (his first major one since assuming office) that a Vice Presidential nominee would be put forward in the coming two weeks, and that he plans to work with Speaker Albert and Senate Majority Leader Mansfield in a "constructive" manner. He also vows to "never let New York City go," a promise that many New Yorkers interpret as support for a federal bailout.
Thursday, October 23rd, 1975: A bomb attached to the car of British MP Hugh Fraser explodes prematurely, injuring one passerby. Fraser and his wife were due to give Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of slain President John Kennedy, out to dinner in the said car on the night of the explosion.
Monday, October 27th, 1975: Cuba begins sending troops as "advisers" to Angola to assist the leftist MPLA ahead of their transition to independence.
[1] Taken from Wikipedia.

[Arson Plus]

Rocky/Brooke! but I guess it will be Rocky/Dole.

[Zharques]

Poor Gerald Ford, he dies in so many timelines. I'm just thankful that our one wasn't one of them.

Er, I have some bad news to share...

Sorry, I meant IRL and by assassination/in his presidency.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XX: Happy.

Monday, November 3rd, 1975:

7:00 AM, The White House, Washington, DC.

1

Happy Rockefeller had resided in the White House for all but two days, having previously been lodged in their private (and heavily secured) Washington residence. It took Mrs. Ford and the White House staff several more days than expected to catalog their personal items and move them back to Michigan, and planning for the state funeral further complicated these efforts. Happy Rockefeller, the wife whose relationship with Rockefeller had doomed his presidential campaign twelve years earlier, was already a controversial figure across the country upon the time of her husband's ascension to the Presidency. Compared at times to Wallis Simpson, the American debutante infamously associated with the abdication of King Edward VIII of Britain in the mid-thirties. Conservatives and evangelicals bulked at the new President's past history of infidelity and other controversial indiscretions.

But the First Lady had by that point gotten used to it. After twelve years in the public eye, attitudes towards divorce were beginning to change. Though their adultery alienated large swathes of the public, an even larger share were increasingly ambivalent to the Rockefellers. Capitalizing on the moment, Mrs. Rockefeller immediately set out to endear herself to the public. She made the cover of People Magazine, where she spoke frankly as did her predecessor. The First Lady spoke candidly about her divorce from her first husband, but denied rumors of an affair between the two as "damned lies," insisting that their whirlwind romance began only after their divorces.

The trip for Mrs. Ford was for closure, and her successor and friend was happy to oblige. After a meandering tour of the White House, which was halted frequently as the cooks, maids, maintenance, and staff all paused to pay their respects to the widowed Ford. "How did you do it?" asked the First Lady to her predecessor Betty Ford, who had come to the White House for the first time since she returned to Michigan. "How did we do it?" asked the First Lady to her predecessor Betty Ford, who had come to the White House for the first time since she returned to Michigan. "I think about that a lot, actually" replied the former First Lady, "I can't believe how hushed this was until now.....thousands of women....maybe millions...no one ever wanted to look at it." The two women were bonded by their experiences in the shadow of their husbands, but it was the fact that they were breast cancer survivors is what drew them together so closely. "Nelson wants to create a national council on cancer" Happy said, "and he asked me to ask you, if you're willing, we want you to chair it."

Tears welled in the widow's eyes, overcome with emotion at the chance to serve the country once more, knowing that's what Jerry would want her to do, "I'd be honored" she responded, "I think we have a chance to do a lot of good here......but the library?" Happy smiled; "don't worry about that, Betty, Nelson's going to take care of that too. In a couple days your foundation is going to receive a check." Betty could no longer hold back her tears; Happy extended out her hand to hold Betty's, knowing that another important endorser for her husband's reelection had been bought.
Sunday, November 2nd, 1975: The Brighton Pavilion, once the seaside retreat of the infamous British King George IV, is severely damaged by fire after an arsonist threw a molotov cocktail through the window. Damage is estimated to be in the range of $200,000 dollars.

Filmmaker Paolo Pasolini is shot and killed by a 17 year old boy who claims the famed Italian director was attempting to sexually assault him. The case goes to trial, where he is ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to serve ten years in prison.
Monday, November 3rd, 1975: President Rockefeller shakes up the cabinet for the first time since taking office. CIA Director William Colby is sacked and replaced by the current American liaison in China, George HW. Bush. Though no other major cabinet figures are fired or resign, the President had made it clear that he was his own man.
Tuesday, November 4th, 1975: Off year elections are held in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

1975 Kentucky Gubernatorial Election
(D) Julian Carroll: 65.16%
(R) Bob Gable: 34.84%
(Democratic hold)

1975 Louisiana Gubernatorial Election
(D) Edwin Edwards: 59.78%
(D) Robert Jones: 24.59%
(D) Wade Martin: 15.63%
(Democratic hold)

1975 Mississippi Gubernatorial Election
(D) William Winter: 55.00%
(R) Gil Carmicheal: 45.00%
(Democratic hold)
Wednesday, November 5th, 1975: Cuba dispatches 600 soldiers to Angola to aide and assist in the "training" of MPLA fighters, who are locked in a struggle with the American aligned UNITA for control of the African nation's government. When informed of this decision, President Rockefeller immediately requests a meeting with the main leaders of Congress to discuss another aide package to the anti-communist forces. Neither Speaker Albert nor Senator Mansfield have an appetite for this, and both express fears that the situation could dissolve into a quagmire not unlike Vietnam.

Governor Reagan resumes active campaigning after a week off the campaign trail out of respect for the late President Ford. Reagan refuses to attack Rockefeller in the interim, and keeps the tone of his campaign more positive until President Rockefeller's intentions are clear.
Thursday, November 6th, 1975: Over 500,000 people from Morocco march into the Spanish colony of the Western Sahara, spurred on by their King, Hassan II. Deemed the "Green March," the King's nationalistic rhetoric quickly gins up public enthusiasm for the plan. Despite threats from the Franco regime that they'd be shot, the mob peacefully move into the territory with no resistance from the local authorities. Spain threatens war, and dispatches their UN Ambassador to make an appeal before the UN Security Council.
Thursday, November 7th, 1975: Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) announces he is forming an exploratory committee to weigh whether or not a presidential campaign is feasible. He is the first prominent Republican politician to jump in, ignoring the establishment's demand for deference to President Rockefeller. Baker repeatedly reminds and insists upon the fact that his committee's formation doesn't explicitly mean he is a candidate for President.
Friday, November 8th, 1975: New polling by Gallup is released. In addition to the presidential primaries, the polling firm also sought the public's input on President Rockefeller, making it the first approval poll of his presidency. Due to the assassination of Gerald Ford and the confusion over whether or not President Rockefeller will seek the Republican nomination, the GOP race is thrown into chaos.

1976 Democratic Primary (Gallup):
Birch Bayh: 32%
George Wallace: 25%
Reuben Askew: 16%
Henry Jackson: 11%
Ron Dellums: 5%
Lloyd Bentsen: 3%
Fred Harris: 3%
Frank Church: 2%
Calvin Rampton: 1%
Jerry Brown: 1%
Eugene McCarthy: 1%

1976 Republican Primaries (Gallup):
Ronald Reagan: 52%
Nelson Rockefeller: 39%
Howard Baker: 6%
Howard Morgens: 2%
Harold Stassen: 1%

President Rockefeller Approval Rating (Gallup):
Approve: 40%
Disapprove: 37%
Neutral: 23%
Sunday, November 9th, 1975: At a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland mediated by Secretary of State Kissinger, the Moroccan and Spanish foreign ministers agree to allow Moroccan annexation of the Western Sahara in exchange for the protection of Spanish property rights in the region. The leftist rebel group known as the Polisario Front were not included in this meeting, and vow to carry on their resistance against the "Moroccan occupation."
Monday, November 10th, 1975: The Edmund Fitzgerald sinks on Lake Superior, resulting in all 29 crew members being killed. The cause of the ship's disappearance is unknown, and the event will eventually be immortalized in song by folk singer Gordon Lightfoot.
Tuesday, November 11th, 1975: White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dick Cheney resigns his position a month after announcing his departure plans. Though allegedly resigning at President Rockefeller's insistence, Cheney insists that he is doing so to consider running for Congress in his home state of Wyoming. He is replaced in the position by longtime Republican Party functionary Anne Armstrong, a former adviser to President Nixon, in that capacity. She is the first woman to serve as Deputy White House Chief of Staff. Ann Whitman, the former personal secretary to President Eisenhower and a longtime Rockefeller aide, is named as the new Press Secretary. Whitman had earlier been nominated to take on the role of Deputy to Veneman, but later requested the role of press secretary instead due to her extensive history with the press in her prior capacity of the then Governor's personal secretary.
Wednesday, November 12th, 1975: Alabama Governor George Wallace formally announces his presidential campaign during an interview on NBC's "Today Show." The widely watched interview makes official what was already well understood: Wallace was running for President again.
Friday, November 14th, 1975: Following the successful Green March, Spain officially surrenders their claim to Western Sahara, effectively allowing Mauritania and Morocco to divide the now stateless territory, much to the horror of the Polisario Front.
Tuesday, November 18th, 1975: After seven years in self-imposed exile, Black Panther leader and fugitive Eldridge Cleaver returns to the United States, where he is facing murder charges. Cleaver claims to have become a born again Christian and soon after joins the controversial Unification Church.
Thursday, November 20th, 1975: A report authored by the Senate Intelligence Committee implicates the CIA in the assassination plots against Fidel Castro, Patrick Lumumba, Rafeal Trujillo, and Ngo Dinh Diem. Despite an extensive amount of evidence supporting the CIA's role, there remains no credible evidence that proves these plots were directly orchestrated by the United States. Rather, the CIA aided homegrown plots in these global hotspots.

Francisco Franco, the last fascist dictator, dies at the age 82. The successor is not immediately known, the Spain's exiled royal family had been favored by Franco. Prince Juan Carlos prepares to return to the country from exile, while Franco's lieutenants do their best to honor the late Generalissimo's wishes. Franco's death sends shock waves throughout Spain.
Friday, November 21st, 1975: As left-wing protests break out across the country ahead of Franco's funeral, Prince Juan Carlos is proclaimed King of Spain. He immediately announces that the new Spanish government will accelerate the transition back to monarchy.
Tuesday, November 25th, 1975: After a meeting with Speaker Albert and Majority Leader Mansfield, President Rockefeller is confronted with the reality that any conservative will not be confirmed by Congress as Vice President. Knowing that the appointment of a moderate or liberal Republican for the Vice Presidency would greatly impact his candidacy, he announces that the Vice Presidency will remain vacant until the "Democratic majority quits holding the Vice President of the United States as a political pawn.

Dutch Guiana gains independence and becomes the Republic of Suriname.
Friday, November 28th, 1975: Portuguese Timor declares it's independence, immediately installing a leftist government led by former liberation fighters. Alarmed by this turn of events, Secretary of State Kissinger immediately contacts Indonesian leader Suharto and offers the sanction of the United States should Indonesia strike against the leftist regime there.
Sunday, November 30th, 1975: Mathieu Kerekoe, the President of Dahomey, renames the country the People's Republic of Benin and declares the country to be a socialist state.
[1] Taken from Wikipedia.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XXI: Connally

Monday, December 1st, 1975:

7:00 AM, The White House, Washington, DC.

1

New Hampshire was coming 'round the corner, and John Connally was indecisive as to whether to either jump in or step back. He had always had dreamed of following in the footsteps of Lyndon Johnson, but there was one fundamental problem: he was no longer a Democrat. Connally's name seemed was often on the front pages in varying fonts, and his career's timeline could explain why. He was initially an aide to then Congressman Lyndon Johnson in the late 1930s, working for him in a variety of ways before being appointed Secretary of the Navy. There, he built his profile enough to be parachuted into the 1962 gubernatorial election,  which he won, and was reelected twice more. But Connally first came into the public eye when he was injured by Lee Harvey Oswald's bullets, the same bullets that slain JFK hitting him in the arm. In 1968, Humphrey vetted him for the bottom slot on the ticket before choosing Senator Ed Muskie, before being appointed Treasury Secretary by Richard Nixon. So competent and impressive was Connally's work that Nixon nearly booted Agnew off the ticket in favor of Connally. After his stint in Washington, he returned to Texas, where he was considered both by Ford and by Rockefeller for the vacant Vice Presidency. But those opportunities simply did not pan out.

With the New Hampshire primary just weeks away, Connally sat with the paperwork from the Federal Election Committee before him. If he ran now, and lost, his career would be over. If he waited, his time would pass. It was now or never. He signed the paperwork. He sighed a bit in relief, knowing that the decision had been made. A flight to New Hampshire, where his potential rivals were already waiting.

Only six hours later, before a smaller than anticipated crowd, he made his intentions clear: he too was running for President.
Tuesday, December 2nd, 1975: In an interview with Walter Cronkite on CBS, Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) confirms he has filed the paperwork necessary to begin a presidential campaign. Afterwards he travels to New Hampshire ahead of their primary, placing himself politically as being in the middle between Reagan and Rockefeller.

Pathet Lao forces take control of the capital city of Laos and proclaim the abolition of the monarchy; the new regime is basically a puppet of North Vietnam, and is primarily used as a buffer state to shore up the country's eastern border.
Wednesday, December 3rd, 1975: President Rockefeller and New York City Abraham Beame announce together at a White House press conference that a deal had been made to save New York from bankruptcy. The deal will result in a seven billion dollar bailout  and is immediately picked upon by members of Congress.
Sunday, December 7th, 1975: Conservative Senator James Buckley goes on Meet the Press, threatening to use the filibuster to stop a bailout of New York City.
Monday, December 8th, 1975: In a written statement published in all of the nation's major newspapers, President Rockefeller announces he will seek a full term in his own right, and will thus be a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. The President's poll numbers were lagging behind Reagan's due to the rightward drift of the Republican Party, though Rockefeller remains convinced that the conservative wing of the party are "merely a vocal minority"
Tuesday, December 9th, 1975: Former President Richard Nixon makes his first political comments since his resignation, endorsing his friend John Connally just days after he entered the race. Reagan was completely taken by surprise of the Nixon endorsement, which he expected to receive himself. Nixon's strong dislike of Rockefeller made many commentators expect that he'd support his fellow Californian as well.
Wednesday, December 10th, 1975: Gallup releases a new poll ahead of the first primaries and caucuses.

1976 Democratic Primary (Gallup)
Birch Bayh: 29%
George Wallace: 23%
Reuben Askew: 18%
Ron Dellums: 12%
Henry Jackson: 9%
Fred Harris: 3%
Lloyd Bentsen: 2%
Frank Church: 1%
Calvin Rampton: 1%
Jerry Brown: 1%
Eugene McCarthy: 1%

1976 Republican Primaries (Gallup):
Ronald Reagan: 40%
Nelson Rockefeller: 35%
Howard Baker: 10%
John Connally: 7%
Howard Morgens: 6%
Arthur Fletcher: 1%
Harold Stassen: 1%
Monday, December 15th, 1975: As Christmas nears, the presidential candidates scramble to rally support. In Iowa, Governor Askew and Senator Harris have been alone in contesting the caucuses there, while New Hampshire has garnered more attention, where both President Rockefeller and Governor Reagan are on the ground. On the Democratic side, the bulk of the candidates were present in New Hampshire, where frontrunner Birch Bayh held a small lead over his main rivals, Governor Askew
Tuesday, December 16th, 1975: Sargent Shriver, former Ambassador to France and Kennedy in-law, announces he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination and immediately files at the last minute to appear on the New Hampshire ballot.

Sara Jane Moore pleads guilty in a federal court on charges of assassination; Moore, who shot and killed President Ford in September, is sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Wednesday, December 17th, 1975: The Senate and House vote overwhelmingly against a $28 million dollar arms deal with Argentina. Senator Ramsey Clark (D-NY) rallies liberal Senators against the deal, citing the Argentine military's alleged involvement in human rights abuse.
Thursday, December 18th, 1975: One day after a major arms deal is sunk by Congress, several officers of the Argentine President Isabel Peron (still on a leave of absence) that they will mutiny and overthrow her by force should she not resign. Peron refuses, and threatens to fire the officers. Ultimately, she does not do so at the advice of her staff, and in return, the military agrees to hold off on any action...for now.
Sunday, December 21st, 1975: Eleven representatives of the OPEC nations are taken prisoner by militants connected to wanted terrorist/mercenary Carlos the Jackal in a daring raid in Vienna, Austria. After having shot their way into the conference and seizing the representatives, they demand a jet to fly them to Algiers, and then later to Baghdad, where a six day standoff begins. They are eventually release the hostages and are allowed into exile in Iraq after the Saudi and Iranian kings both contribute $50 million in ransom,
Thursday, December 25th, 1975: Christmas Day is observed worldwide.
Friday, December 26th, 1975: The BBC reports that a "top ranking" Chinese defector had escaped the radical regime of Mao Yuanxin and Jiang Qiang in late October. The defectors identity is known only to British and American intelligence and is kept from the public for years; his name is Deng Xiaoping. Having been initially rehabilitated by an ailing and increasingly isolated Mao Xedong, Deng relates his story of how the move was really a plot to lull him and his reform minded allies into a false sense of security.
[1] Taken from Wikipedia Commons.

[erſatz-york]

I was wondering what happened on December 7th! I wonder if Buckley will figure prominently in the future.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XXII: The Hawkeye State

Thursday, January 1st, 1976:

10:00 AM, DesMoines, IA.

Governor Askew greets Senator Carter on the runway.

1

Governor Askew awaited eagerly the arrival of his latest surrogate, one whom he'd believe would be effective candidate in such a rural state. Senator Jimmy Carter, who once pondered his own run for the Presidency before taking the seat of the late Eugene Talmadge in the Senate. Though Carter was out of the campaign, his presence on the trail in sleepy Iowa was of note. The caucuses for years were self-governed affairs in which slates of delegates were elected with no outside help. Reuben Askew changed that. He didn't see the caucuses as an internal affair, and he was determined to show that. At the advice of Jim Bacchus, his campaign manager, he decided to contest the Iowa caucuses and displayed the same enthusiasm on the campaign trail there that his rivals were showing in New Hampshire state.

Later that afternoon, after a whirlwind tour of several Main Streets in several small towns, the two were set to speak to a large crowd of curious potential caucus-goers. "What this country needs" began Senator Carter, "is a government that is as good as it's people." It was Carter's quip, but Askew would go on to shamelessly steal it and employ it liberally on the campaign trail. "And that is why I am here today, because I know that Governor Askew is able to deliver on that. And I know that too has a servants heart." Askew was a bit more cosmopolitan than his own campaign would care to admit, but he knew Carter, a farmer by trade, would be a good asset on the trail.

Another supporter, former Senator Harold Hughes, also campaigned for Askew across Iowa. The retired Senator, who left the upper chamber to fight his battle with alcoholism. His plight made him a highly popular and sympathetic character in a state where he was already so wildly popular, and his endorsement of Askew was a major boost. As the trio of Democrats worked the rope line, an elderly woman leaned in and whispered into Askew's ears. "Thank you for coming out here, it's about time." Askew smiled and told her that he agreed, but even he was unaware just how transformational of an impact his campaign was having in the politics of the Hawkeye State.

After a long day on the campaign trail, with several stops further, the Governor waited with his aide at the bar of the hotel they were staying in. Pat Caddell, a self trained pollster, came rushing in with a thick bundle of papers. "What are these?" asked Agnew, putting on reading glasses as he leaned in to read the smaller than usual font. "Are these numbers for real?" asked the Governor. "Realer than anything you've ever seen." Dumbfounded and excited, all the Governor could say in response was a simple "wow!"
Monday, January 5th, 1976: The Pol Pot regime in Cambodia establishes a new constitution, in which the monarchy is finally abolished. Sihanouk, a one time ally of the communist insurgents, is sent into exile in North Korea.
Wednesday, January 7th, 1976: Seeing little traction in New Hampshire, Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) announces he will end his presidential campaign and instead will seek reelection to his Senate seat. He endorses Governor Askew for the nomination in his withdrawal remarks.
Thursday, January 8th, 1976: Zhou Enlai, the former Chinese Premier who had been under house arrest since his dismal, dies from stomach cancer. Zhou was denied proper medical care on the orders of the ailing Mao Zedong.
Friday, January 9th, 1976: Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY) announces she will challenge incumbent James Buckley (C-NY) in the 1976 Senate election in New York.
Saturday, January 10th, 1976: First Lady Happy Rockefeller announces a major anti-drug use campaign directed at school children. Over the next year, the First Lady will become a leading figure in the effort to educate children about addiction.
Sunday, January 11th, 1976: Famed novelist Agatha Christie dies at the age of 85.
Monday, January 12th, 1976: Former Senator Eugene McCarthy tells the Washington Post that he is considering suspending his campaign for the Democratic nomination and may instead run for President on the Peace & Freedom ballot line.
Thursday, January 15th, 1976: Turkish Prime Minister Alsparan Turkes makes a high profile visit to Moscow, where he is hosted by General Secretary Suslov himself. Though Turkes is a right wing nationalist, Suslov believes his rogue nature could lead to a splintering of NATO in the Balkans and the Dardanelles.
Monday, January 19th, 1976: The Iowa Caucuses are held

1976 Iowa Democratic Republican Caucus: 35,636 Votes, 47 Delegates.
Reuben Askew: 33.96%-12,101 votes, 29 delegates.
Uncommitted: 18.41%-6,560 votes, 18 delegates.
Birch Bayh: 12.25%-4,635 votes.
Fred Harris: 10.05%-3,581 votes.
Henry Jackson: 7.69%-2,740 votes.
George Wallace: 6.77%-2,421 votes.
Ron Dellums: 4.00%-1,425 votes.
Ellen McCormack: 2.34%-833 votes.
Sargent Shriver: 2.10%-758 votes.
Calvin Rampton: 1.20%-427 votes.
Frank Church: 0.88%-323 votes.
Eugene McCarthy: 0.35%-124 votes.
1976 Iowa Republican Caucus: 30,825 Votes, 36 Delegates.
Ronald Reagan: 44.67%-15,918 votes, 19 delegates.
Nelson Rockefeller: 39.90%-11,011 votes, 17 delegates,.
John Connally: 10.62%-3,784 votes.
Howard Morgens: 2.25%-801 votes.
Hoard Baker: 1.39%-495 votes.
Arthur Fletcher: 0.97%-345 votes.
Harold Stassen: 0.20%-71 votes.

1976 Democratic Primaries.
Reuben Askew: 29 delegates.
Uncommitted: 18 delegates.

1976 Republican Primaries.
Ronald Reagan: 19 delegates.
Nelson Rockefeller: 17 delegates.
Wednesday, January 21st, 1976: The first commercial flight of the Concorde jet from Paris to Rio de Janeiro is completed.
Monday, January 26th, 1976: Coretta Scott King endorses Congressman Dellum's campaign for the Democratic nomination; the California Congressman has steadily improved in the polls, making him the most successful African American candidate for the Presidency.
[1] Taken from Wikipedia Commons

[Flyersfan232]

Poor Gerald Ford, he dies in so many timelines. I'm just thankful that our one wasn't one of them.

Um.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Poor Gerald Ford, he dies in so many timelines. I'm just thankful that our one wasn't one of them.

Um.

They meant as President.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Chapter XXIII: The Gipper in the Granite State

Tuesday, February 3rd, 1976:

12:40 PM, Rockingham, NH.

[1]

Reagan had taken his Iowa momentum and used it to sustain a prolonged blitz through New Hampshire, something that the incumbent Nelson Rockefeller was incapable of doing. He during this time eschewed rallies, instead focusing on door to door canvas's, walk abouts through diners, town hall meetings, and plenty of press conferences. Having successfully halved the President's once strong lead in the polls, Reagan was now within striking distance of overtaking him again in the first formal primary.

Congressman Bo Calloway had been brought on board to manage the Rockefeller campaign, with George Hinman as his deputy. The two had a difficult task ahead of them, as most southern Republicans among both the party elite and the rank and file grassroots were enthralled by Reagan. But the two had the assistance of a young Georgia Professor by the name of Newt Gingrich. Though Gingrich was a candidate for the House of Representatives, he meticulously managed to continue his work both as an academic and on the side, a semi-professional political consultant, and had become Rockefeller's "Dixie" czar. He successfully lured a handful of southern Republicans alongside Bo Calloway, but their efforts were mostly rebuffed. Realizing that the race nationally was slowly tightening, Rockefeller decided to throw his energy in denying Reagan a victory or even a close call in New Hampshire.

The only problem was that Rockefeller was President now, and still had to mind 49 states on top of his responsibilities already.

Reagan knew this, which is why he spent as much time there as possible, campaigning on a micro-level that took him often to the voters, face to face, one on one. Reagan relished the opportunity to cast himself as an outsider, and being a former actor, he was able to perform the role to near perfection. Rockefeller, who had the duties of the Presidency to attend to, could only counter through one medium: television. The President's vast and seemingly endless wealth ensured he could remain competitive on the airways, and with the help of the best minds from Madison Avenue, kept the President afloat.

One ad in particular was effective and memorable; one interspersed footage of Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" broadcast for Goldwater with soundbites of Spiro Agnew, Goldwater, George Wallace, and Curtis LeMay. The ad was meant to imply that Reagan was too radical, the candidate of the John Birch fringe of the party. The Reagan campaign had a steady flow of donors, and were far from being underfunded. But Rockefeller's own wealth made it impossible for them to keep up. Reagan responded by claiming on the ground and at the doors that the President was trying to "buy" a second term. This argument helped minimize the damage that the Rockefeller campaign was inflicting on Reagan's image, and kept him competitive.

"I always have an answer" he joked to his wife as the campaign bus drove through blizzard conditions. "You know what you should do if Rockefeller knocks us out of the racing?" asked Nancy, "do you have an answer for that?" Reagan chuckled; "host the Tonight Show!" The former Governor and First Lady of California enjoyed the quiet time that they finally had after a long day, relaxing in bed as they watched the television news broadcasts.

"The next big prize is Florida" advised Reagan; "I'll be glad to be out of this cold" he went on. "It's freezing here!"laughed Nancy, "it's colder than I ever expected." "Don't you worry" Reagan advised, "Florida is right around the corner."
Thursday, February 5th, 1976: Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) ends his presidential campaign, and chooses to endorse "the eventual nominee" rather than any of his competitors.
Friday, February 6th, 1976: Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith calls for the expansion of the Rhodesia Defense Forces in the wake of increased insurgent activity by black rebel groups; though Smith claims that only a thousand suspected members of these various groups, led by Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe among others, are actually in the country. However, 15,000 rebels remain in Mozambique, where the leftist government is sheltering them.
Thursday, February 12th, 1976: With the New Hampshire primary approaching, Senator Ed Muskie (D-ME), perhaps the second most visible Democrat from New England spare Kennedy, endorses Birch Bayh for the nomination at a rally in Concord, NH.
Friday, February 13th, 1976: General Murtala Mohammed, the military ruler of Nigeria, is killed in an ambush on his limousine during a violent coup d'etat led by Buka Suka Dimka, a Lt. Colonel. Condemning the high level corruption and mismanagement of the country under his predecessor, Lt. Colonel Dimka proceeds to basically further mismanage the country and embezzle the national wealth in the same manner as his predecessor.
Sunday, February 15th, 1976: Cuba votes (99%-0%, naturally) in a referendum to adopt a new constitution; Fidel Castro abandons the position of Prime Minister and now takes the supposedly figurehead position of President. Yet he remains the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party and supreme commander of the army, and remains in power as the undisputed leader of the country.
Friday, February 20th, 1976: Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) introduces the Toxic Substances Control Act, which would empower the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the disposal of chemical, biological, and radioactive waste. He is joined by
Sunday, February 22nd, 1976: In a historic turn of events, Flora MacDonald is elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada after she surprisingly gains the support of right-leaning populist MP (and fellow leadership candidate) Jack Horner, defeating Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney by the skin of her teeth by the final ballot.
Tuesday, February 24th, 1976: The New Hampshire primaries are held.

1976 New Hampshire Democratic Primary: 81,525 Votes, 17 Delegates.,
Birch Bayh: 28.43%-23,177 votes, 7 delegates.
Reuben Askew: 22.66%-18,473 votes, 6 delegates.
Henry Jackson: 17.15%-13,981 votes, 4 delegates.
Sargent Shriver: 12.13%-9,888 votes.
Ron Dellums: 8.65%-7,051 votes.
George Wallace: 3.39%-2,763 votes.
Frank Church: 1.79%-1,459 votes.
Fed Harris: 1.55%-1,263 votes.
Calvin Rampton: 1.43%-1,165 votes.
Ellen McCormack: 1.42%-1,157 votes.
Eugene McCarthy: 1.40%-1,141 votes.
1976 New Hampshire Republican Primary, 74,229 Votes, 21 Delegates.
Ronald Reagan: 43.59%-32,356 votes, 11 delegates.
Nelson Rockefeller: 42.44%-31,502 votes, 10 delegates.
John Connally: 8.41%-6,241 votes.
Howard Morgens: 3.71%-2,753 votes.
Arthur Fletcher: 1.20%-890 votes.
Harold Stassen: 0.65%-482 votes.

1976 Democratic Primaries.
Reuben Askew: 35 delegates.
Uncommitted:18 delegates.
Birch Bayh: 7 delegates.
Henry Jackson: 4 delegates.

1976 Republican Primaries.
Ronald Reagan: 30 delegates.
Nelson Rockefeller: 27 delegates.

Newt.

Wednesday, February 25th, 1976:

12:40 PM, New York City, NY.

Newt Gingrich, circa 1976.

[2]

Newt Gingrich was summoned by the President, who retired to his penthouse on Fifth Avenue after delivering his concession speech in New Hampshire. The defeat was a stunning humiliation for the President, who desperately needed a victory to keep his campaign alive. Hinman was equally concerned, having warned the President that his base of support could shift towards Connally if his candidacy no longer appeared viable.

The good news for Rockefeller was the next primary was Massachusetts, where he enjoyed the support of Senator Edward Brooke (R-MA). Reagan wasn't expected to perform particularly well in any case, but the President couldn't help but be disappointed. The primaries in Massachusetts and Vermont were supposed to give him an extra boost heading into Florida; instead, they became a form of life support as Reagan took the lead in the sunshine state.

"Newt" said the President, swiveling around the area behind his desk in his chair, "what are we doing wrong?" The premises of the question startled the Professor, who was in addition to his academic work a candidate for Congress from Georgia and an occasional consultant of sorts to the Rockefeller campaign. "Mr. President" he began, "I believe this campaign would benefit more by specializing your outreach."

"How so 'ya mean?" asked the President, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, your people....your people have you running on a national platform in what is basically a local election. Now, the good news is that there is still a solid core of Republicans who can see the bigger picture, but not every state is New Hampshire. I think you need to make clear to voters what it means, directly, to have you as their President rather than Reagan."

Newt was a party man through and through. Though he personally believed in Reagan's brand of conservatism, which was new, refreshing, and electable, he also knew that Rockefeller had was the better candidate to take on the Democratic nominee. There were no results without victory first. For all of Reagan's sunny optimism, it was Nelson Rockefeller who could deliver.

"I guess screaming "Reagan can't win!" from the rooftops wasn't the best strategy for New Hampshire after all" he quipped, "we'll try something else in Florida."
Friday, February 27th, 1976: Businessman Howard Morgens announces his departure from the presidential race, endorsing Governor Reagan for the nomination after concluding that his candidacy was no longer viable. Likewise, Utah Governor Calvin Rampton drops out of the Democratic primaries and endorses Senator Bayh for the nomination. Former Senator Eugene McCarthy is also considering dropping out and continuing his candidacy as an independent or third party candidate.
[1] Taken from Wikipedia Commons.
[2] Taken from Wikipedia Commons.