Blood, Sweat, and Gore: A 2008 Election Game by Aaron and Dat

[Cabbage]

Can I take Adam Putnam

You got it.

[RGM2609]

Des Moines, Iowa

Crowd cheers - RUSS!

Hello, Des Moines! I am so excited to be here with you! I am sure that tonight, we will start a movement which will win the White House in 2008!

My fellow Americans, we need change in this country! Real, structural change. And I know what you will say. You will say that Democrats have been controlling the White House for 16 years. And that is true. But while I respect the service of Presidents Clinton and Gore, and I do not want to think what would have happened if one of the plutocrats nominated by the Republicans like Cheney or Bush Jr. would have won, I must say that we need to do more then they did. Because, right now, in America, 20 million people are uninsured, and tens of millions more are underinsured. Because, right now, as we speak, in America, thousands of people are going bankrupt because of the medical bills while all of those billionaires have so much money and they feel like exploiting loopholes in our tax code to save more money for themselves, instead of paying their fair share to fund education, Medicare, our veterans healthcare and yes, our troops, while the working people are paying so much that they can not put food on their table. We are paying more for the loopholes of those billionaires then we are paying for Pell Grants! Does that sound fair to you?

Back to healthcare. GoreCare is a nice plan, but it does not do enough. After we implement it, millions of people will still not have insurance. As such, I will come up with a plan which really does the job of providing everyone with healthcare, because quality healthcare should be a right for everyone, not just for those wealthy enough to afford it! Our manufacturing jobs are leaving, outsourced by big corporations, and this was made much easier by NAFTA! That deal has to be negotiated again, from the scratch, or our jobs will continue to leave! You know who will not do that? Hillary Clinton! Not only did she support NAFTA in the 1990s, but she also brought an office specialized in outsourcing to Brooklyn, so the jobs in the great state of New York could also be outsourced like those in Ohio and Michigan! She is a radical supporter of outsourcing, and with her in the Oval Office, our jobs will continue to magically disappear!

Our troops are absolutely amazing, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their service! However, their Commanders still deploy them as if it was still the Cold War! For example, why are we having troops in Qatar? What are they doing there? Why are we having troops in Uganda? What are they doing there? Why are we having troops in Botswana? What are they doing there? We need to protect our country and our allies in a smart, effective way, not act like the guardian of the world. And if that was not enough, the corporate crooks ruling over the GOP want us to invade the Middle East! This would be insane, and it shows why the GOP can not win this election, or our working people will go through much suffering!

Thank you for coming and let 2008 be the year of the bold, progressive choices that will make America fairer and stronger then ever before! Let our journey begin! Thank you once again!

Crowd cheers - RUSS!

[RGM2609]

Russ Feingold @RUSS

I am officially creating my Twitter account, so I can communicate directly with you, the people, unfiltered by the biases of the corporate media outlets like FOX News!

[Brother Jonathan]

John McCain Announces Presidential Campaign

Country First

McCainInDenverMay29Of2008
T toes / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Phoenix, Arizona

Friends and my fellow Americans, I thank you all for joining me today on this journey. After consulting closely with my family and friends, I am proud today to announce my candidacy to be the next President of the United States.

What this country needs now is leadership. After fifteen years of the same tired leadership, the same ideas and the same talking points, this country needs straight talk, honest answers, and real leadership. I’ve been across this country, and wherever I go I hear the same call from Americans of all walks of life; this country wants, and more than that it deserves and needs a President willing and ready to step up and face the challenges we as a country face. There is no limit to what we can achieve when we harness the energy and spirit of the American people. I know, and the people of America know, that with the right leadership this country will not only overcome her greatest challenges, but can reach for a brighter future for all her citizens.

Friends, our political system is broken. Fifteen years of obfuscation, spin, double talk, back room wheeler dealing, and out of control pork barrel spending have seriously damaged Washington’s ability to get anything done for the American people. President Clinton promised that the “era of big government was over”, and yet today under President Gore we have more red tape, more pork barrel spending, and more waste than when the Democrats took office. President Gore promised to keep us safe, but al-Qaeda remains ever committed in its efforts, aided by its Taliban protectors, to attack our country and to kill innocent civilians. Presidents Clinton and Gore promised to work to reduce global stockpile of nuclear weapons, yet today in Iraq and Iran we have regimes, dangerous, radical, anti-American and authoritarian regimes, working to develop not only nuclear, but likely biological and chemical weapons, ignoring UN Resolutions and US sanctions. President Gore promised us a recovery and a more equal America, but today we see record inequality and sluggish job growth. We were promised  “a new day” for the middle class, and instead they have been left behind.

The problems of the past and present do not determine our country’s future, what we do in the next few years will. I ask all of you today to join me in my campaign to provide America with the leadership it will need to proudly and confidently face the future, with all its challenges and promise. I know that with the right leadership we can create the jobs of the future, face the growing threat of authoritarianism abroad, and make Washington work for the American people again. We can, working together, ensure that every American lives to their fullest potential. As your President, I will work tirelessly to restore our American dream, revitalizes our nations economy, and protect our country from the growing threats it faces. I will, as President, restore that offices prestige at home, and restore the faith of the entire world in American leadership.

I am running for President not for glory or honor of that office, but rather to work for the American people. Throughout my career I have always sought to put my country first, and I shall take that creed to the White House. I spent 23 years serving this country in the United States Navy, six of those years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Like hundreds of thousands of young men, I watched our nation change over those years. When I graduated from Annapolis in 1958, we were a segregated nation, soon to be bitterly divided on issues of all kinds. While I was flying off Aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, a young President was shot in Dallas, shaking the moral core of our nation. When I was taken prisoner, our nation was growing ever more divided, as protests against the war, against our government, grew. In what may be one of the greatest regrets of my life, I sat in a dark prison cell in North Vietnam when this nation landed the first man on the moon. Shortly after I cam home, a President resigned and fractured our nation's trust in government. By the time I left the Navy, however, Ronald Reagan was President, and we as a country began to mend, began to rediscover our faith in the institutions of government and the promise of America. I became a Republican, and sought to continue my service to this nation in Congress, because I firmly felt that President Reagan was right, and like him whenever I look out at America, whatever our present troubles, I see a boundless and limitless future.

What we need now is to rediscover that faith and that promise once again. As President I will work to pass a middle class and small business tax cut to revitalize main street America. I will end pork barrel spending and cut the ever growing waste that is bloating departmental budgets. As the people of Arizona will tell you, I have worked tirelessly towards these aims in the Senate. I have led the fight for campaign finance reform, worked to make our government more transparent, and have fought to ensure that our nation's military is ready to defend us and serve the world when needed.

I am more than pleased to be here today, in sunny Phoenix, as I announce my candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. The people of Arizona, more than anyone else, know my character and my commitment to the values that have made this nation great. I thank you all for your support over these many years, and ask you once again to support me as I seek this nation's highest office.

Thank you all, and God Bless the United States of America!

After his announcement, Senator McCain mixed with the crowd in Phoenix, taking pictures and signing books, before departing for a flight to Manchester, New Hampshire where he met with campaign staff there and discussed strategy.  

(For my one free endorsement, I will take Senator Judd Gregg if he is available)

[Cabbage]

(For my one free endorsement, I will take Senator Judd Gregg if he is available)

Unfortunately, he's already endorsed Jon Huntsman.

[Brother Jonathan]

(For my one free endorsement, I will take Senator Judd Gregg if he is available)

Unfortunately, he's already endorsed Jon Huntsman.

Well, I guess I will go with John E. Sununu then, unless he gets taken as a candidate, but he is open right now. I can find someone else if you would prefer that.

[Cabbage]

(For my one free endorsement, I will take Senator Judd Gregg if he is available)

Unfortunately, he's already endorsed Jon Huntsman.

Well, I guess I will go with John E. Sununu then, unless he gets taken as a candidate, but he is open right now. I can find someone else if you would prefer that.

Sununu's good for now.

[OBD]

I'll request Steve King.

It's chaos time.

[Cabbage]

I'll request Steve King.

It's chaos time.

Got it.

[Evan H]

George Pataki Kick-off Speech in Albany New York

We are here in Albany New York, birthplace of the Republican party, Abraham Lincoln’s party who saved union and who brought the promise of freedom to all Americans;

Teddy Roosevelt’s party who fought for the square deal so that the rich and powerful couldn’t limit the freedom of working Americans; and,

Ronald Reagan’s party, who restored American’s belief in ourselves and in the transcendent value of freedom, the freedom that has given us the greatest country the world has ever known; the freedom that a man named Amos Tuck declared the foundation of that party right here in Albany New York.

The Republican party is the party of the working class. The party for the people looking for the bread and butter issues to be resolved.

The same freedom that I fear is at risk today from an ever more powerful, more intrusive government in Washington. It is to preserve and protect that freedom for us that I stand here today. It is to preserve and protect that freedom for future generations that I speak. It is to preserve and protect that freedom that this morning I announce I am a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Every one of us growing up in that small town believed the American dream, believed in hard work, and believed in ourselves. We believed, no we really knew, that if we dreamed something we could do it if we worked hard, studied hard, had faith, family, and friends encouraging us, nothing could be beyond our reach. We believed in the American dream and it was real.

My parents never saw themselves as victims. They were Americans. And though they might not have had every real opportunity for themselves, they knew that their children could accomplish anything.

Today, too many Americans feel the best days of America are behind us. That our children aren’t going to have the same opportunities we did. Government has grown too big, too powerful, too expensive, too intrusive. Washington politicians and bureaucrats believe they know better than us and can tell us how to live our lives. From the health care that each of us must have to trying to dictate to every child in every school what they must learn.

A young mother seeking to start a small business is inundated with oppressive paperwork and regulations, and gives up. A small manufacturer seeking to build the next plant and create American jobs is faced with excessive taxation and forced to build that factory overseas.

Too many Americans feel the path of opportunity is closed to them. We must make sure it’s not.

I will tirelessly work to get oppressive government off the backs of Americans. I would fire every current IRS employee abusing government power to discriminate on the basis of politics or religion. That is not America! I will ensure no exemptions for politicians from laws they impose on us, no special rules for the powerful.

Let’s deliver a clear message to the politicians in Washington. You are our servants, not our masters.

Fiscally I am principled. In 12 years, New York went from the state with the highest tax burden, the lowest credit rating, and billions of dollars in deficits to a state with 143 billion in lower taxes, billions in surplus and its highest credit rating in generations. All it took was for me to get government out of the people’s way.

We are the party of the middle class; unless by middle class you mean someone who left the White House dead broke and 10 years later had $100 million dollars; unless by middle-class, they mean someone who charges a poor country $500,000 for a half-hour speech. That’s their party’s candidate. She speaks for the middle class? They are the party of privilege. We are the party of the middle class. They are the party of the past. We must be the party of the future.

If elected I will work for the working person for a safe secure prosperous future! Thank you Albany!

[NewYorkExpress]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

[McGovernite]

BOBBY JINDAL: TANNED, RESTED, READY.

Credit to Flickr for the Photo

New Orleans, Louisiana

My name is Bobby Jindal, I am the Governor of the great state of Louisiana, and I am running for President of the greatest country in the world – the United States of America.

44 years ago, a young couple who had never been on an airplane before left their home on the other side of the world to come to a place called America. They had never seen it, there was no Internet to search. But they had heard the legend that there was a place in this world where the people were free, and the opportunities were real. They weren’t really coming to a geographical place, they were coming to an idea…and that idea is America.

To them, America represented all that was good in the world, where you could get ahead if you worked hard and played by the rules. A place where what matters is the content of your character, not the color of your skin, the ZIP code you were born in, or your family’s last name.

My dad grew up in a house without electricity or running water, and he was the only person in his family to get past the 5th grade. He and mom came to Louisiana because they believed in America. And when they got here they found that the legend was true. They found that the people of Louisiana accepted them. And they found that America is indeed the land of the free and home of the brave.

37 years later, my parents’ oldest son became Governor of Louisiana. It was the aftermath of Katrina, our economy was locked in a downward spiral, our biggest city was reeling, and for 25 straight years more people had left this state than had moved into it. Louisiana was in big trouble … So we had to make big changes. We had to believe in Louisiana Again. And that is exactly what we did.

We reformed our ethics laws. We went from one of the worst states to one of the best.

We privatized our outdated government-run hospital system, we reformed education, with nearly 100% charter schools in New Orleans. And now we have statewide school choice – because every child deserves an equal opportunity for a great education.

Instead of the child following the dollars … we make the dollars follow the child … because we trust parents not bureaucrats to make the best decisions for our kids.

We did what they said could not be done – we shrank our government. We cut our budget by 26%. We cut the number of government bureaucrats by more than 30,000.

It was not easy, the big government crowd fought us every step of the way. They protested. They filibustered. They even took us to court. But we won.

Today we have more people moving into Louisiana than out of it, our highest population in history. Our kids are coming home.

And now we have more people working than at any time in our state’s history, with the highest incomes in our state’s history. A job for your family and a paycheck in your mailbox are the ultimate proof your state is doing things right.

But of course, there is another side to the story – the big government crowd hates what we have done – they say we have cut government more than anyone, and that government budgets are always running low on funds with me in the Governor’s office.

My response to the big government crowd is simply this – yes. I am guilty as charged, and our state is better off for it today.

It’s time for the folks in Washington to admit the truth — You can’t grow the economy and the government at the same time. It’s an either or choice. Hillary Clinton wants to grow the government in Washington, but we want to grow the real economy out here in America.

Here’s the key difference – the Democrats evaluate success in terms of the prosperity of government. We define success in terms of the prosperity of our people.

My approach is different from most of the other people running for President.

The United States of America — was made great by people who get things done. Not lots of talk or entertaining speeches. To be sure, there are a lot of great talkers running for President already. But none of them, not one, can match our record of actually shrinking the size of government. If great speeches helped our country, we would be on easy street right now. The guy in the White House today is a great talker, and we have a bunch of great talkers running for President. We’ve had enough of talkers, it’s time for a doer. I’m not running for president to be somebody, I’m running for President to do something.

I will do the things that you cannot do in Washington, and say the things you cannot say.

I served two terms in Congress so I can tell you how it works in Washington — If you want to be with the cool kids, be liked by the media, and be invited to cocktail parties, you have to accept that there are things in Washington you just cannot do.

They say you cannot reduce the size of government or the number of bureaucrats. Oh, you may be able to cut the rate of increase here and there. But they say you cannot actually cut government spending. But we can, and we will.

They say the trillions of dollars we have in debt can’t really be addressed, and it’s just part of doing business, so it’s better not to talk about it. But we can and we will.

They know Social Security and Medicare are going bankrupt, but they are afraid to do anything about it, so they deny the math and pretend everything is fine. But we can reform and save these programs and we will.

In Washington they say term limits is a quaint idea that we are naive to believe in. They think we need a permanent class of elites. It’s safer to not rock the boat. But we can rock the boat, and we will.

In Washington they know that the voters want the border secured, but they refuse to do it. But you and I can, and we will.

Today's Republican Party in Washington has been beaten into submission and is increasingly afraid to speak the truth. It’s time to say what everyone is thinking — the emperors in Washington are not wearing any clothes.

In case it’s not clear by now, I’m running for President without permission from headquarters in Washington D.C. But rest assured — I’m tanned, rested, and ready for this fight.

Here’s the truth about most politicians – They are selfish, and they are followers not leaders. They worry more about their own fate than the country’s fate. They take polls, figure out where the public is headed, and then run out front and pretend to be leading the parade.

It’s easy to be a popular politician, don’t rock the boat, kiss babies and cut ribbons, and don’t make big changes. But I will not take the easy way out. If you want someone who will pretend that everything is fine and just make some small tweaks – then you want someone else.

I will never lead from behind.

I know that some believe that I talk too much about my faith. But I will not be silenced in order to meet their expectations of political correctness.

They don’t accept the idea that you can be both intellectual and Christian. They can’t fathom the notion that you can be both smart and conservative. But, they need to get out more. There’s a big country out here with millions of Americans who believe in God and are not ashamed to say so.

I would be wary of a president who didn’t seek wisdom from the Almighty. I don’t know about you, but I’ve met many very smart people who lack wisdom. Yet Christianity is under assault today in America. But the liberals have forgotten their history. Religious liberty is not some quaint notion from the past. It is fundamental to our freedom. That’s why it is protected in the First Amendment to the Constitution. I’m going to say this slowly so that even Hillary Clinton can understand it. America did not create religious liberty, religious liberty created the United States of America.

And it’s time we stopped trying to divide ourselves against each other. Hillary Clinton is already trying to divide us by ethnicity, by gender, and by economic status. As for me, I’m sick and tired of people dividing Americans. And I’m done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. We are not Indian-Americans, Irish – Americans, African– Americans, rich Americans, or poor Americans – we are all Americans.

While I’m at it, here’s another thing you aren’t allowed to say, but I’m going to say it anyway. We cannot allow people to immigrate to this country so that they can use our freedoms to undermine our freedoms. That’s exactly what has happened in Europe, where they have 2nd and 3rd generations of immigrants who refuse to embrace the values and culture of the countries they have moved into. We must not let that happen here.

It is not unreasonable to demand that if you immigrate to America, you must do so legally, and you must be ready and willing to embrace our values, learn English, and roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Let’s do something new, let’s endorse our own principles for a change and boldly speak the truth without fear.

As Republicans, we’ve already tried to appease the Left, to make the media like us better, to talk in politically correct language, to hide some of our beliefs by calling them distractions. We’ve tried to mask our conservative ideals, and we have failed.

Every Republican will say they are for school choice, shrinking government, cutting the government workforce, and getting rid of Common Core. But talk is cheap. Talk is just talk. I haven’t just talked about doing these things, I’ve actually done these things.

It’s time to level with the American people. This President, and his apprentice-in-waiting Hillary Clinton, are leading America down the path to destruction. Economically, culturally, and internationally. But the most devastating thing they have tried to do is redefine the American Dream.

Instead of the dream being to have opportunity and freedom to control your own destiny and make your own way, their dream is for the government to take care of you and make people dependent on the government. We want to guarantee equal opportunity, but they want to guarantee equal outcomes.

The simple fact is they are trying to turn the American Dream into socialism. The folks in Washington may call that the American Dream, but out here in America, we call that the European Nightmare. To be clear, we are not simply trying to reclaim the past, no, quite to the contrary, we are laying our claim on the future, a future where America leads the world.

This is not a cause any of us can resist. It is our destiny, it is our mission. As America goes, so goes the world. We are the light of freedom in a dark world, and it’s time we start acting like it. I will not be intimidated from talking about the fact that radical Islam is evil and must be destroyed.

I’m not asking you to simply join my campaign, I’m asking you to join a cause.

If you are looking for a candidate who will politely manage America’s descent into mediocrity, I’m not your man.

But… if you are chasing a dream and looking for a land where the people are free, and the opportunities are real, I’m asking you to believe.

My dad told me as a young kid that Americans can do anything. I believed him then, and I believe it now.

I know that in your heart you believe it too, I am asking you to Believe again.

Believe in what we can do. Believe in what America can do.

Thank you, may God bless you, and may God bless our great country.

[adamevans]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

It's a little awkward, but previous candidates have made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during their own separate campaigns. Bobby Jindal is also gonna have to run for re-election, and I believe George Allen also made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during his 2006 Senate campaign, so it's not unprecedented to campaign for President and Governor. The GM told me Ernie will win re-election regardless.

[John King wannabe]

Hillary Clinton Presidential Kick-Off Speech

New York, New York

Credit to USA TODAY for Photo

Hello Manhattan! I am absolutely honored to be here with all of you to officially kick-off history! Here we stand together ready to provide 'Solutions for America!'

I am honored to be here today with my daughter Chelsea who is an inspiration to me, and who has been a beacon of light through the darkest times. And of course the 42nd President of the United States of America! And my husband Bill Clinton! Who has been my best friend and my partner for the past 30 years and who I believe is one of the greatest Presidents in American History!

And of course, my mother Dorothy who is here today! A woman who has always been a role model to me and my daughter. You have taught me the values of hard work. Values I will keep dear for the rest of my life. My mother is my personal superhero!

My mother did not have the best childhood. But she made sure I had the best childhood any child could have. She raised me and my younger brothers with love and compassion. And I want that for every child in America. And I will do everything in my power to make it that way!

I want to be a leader that little boys and girls can look up to. Where fathers can look at their daughters and point to me and say 'You can be anything you want to be' that is the American dream. That if you work hard and play by the rules you should have all the opportunities you need to succeed. That is the basic American bargain!

But too many Americans see themselves in a position where that is not possible. They can't find enough jobs. Or get proper education for their children. We are the richest and strongest country on earth, but what does it say when our citizens can't get proper healthcare? Or proper education? That says we have done something wrong and we must fix it!

That is why I am announcing my candidacy for President of the United States of America!

That is also why I am introducing my '3 Universals Plan' We will create and pass Universal Health Care in a Clinton Administration! We will expand Universal Background Checks to a national stage and we will provide every child with Universal Pre-K!

These may seem bold but these are the issues as they stand. We must tackle these issues if we wish to make an America that is better for everyone, not just those at the top. Now is our moment! Now it is our time! Let's make history together my fellow Americans!

Thank you! May God bless you! And may God bless the United States of America!

[NewYorkExpress]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

It's a little awkward, but previous candidates have made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during their own separate campaigns. Bobby Jindal is also gonna have to run for re-election, and I believe George Allen also made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during his 2006 Senate campaign, so it's not unprecedented to campaign for President and Governor. The GM told me Ernie will win re-election regardless.

Fair enough. I would point out that Allen lost reelection in 2006 OTL, but if one or both GM's told you that Fletcher will win anyways, I guess I really can't complain much further.

[OSR STANDS WITH PALESTINE]

Putnam for America!


https://3o15h033zmpwracwx2i00rqx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Adam-Putnam-2-1.jpg
Miami, Florida-
*Congressman Putnam walks on stage, applause*
“Hello! Thank you all so much for coming today. I look at this crowd, I see citizens of all kinds. I see citizens who want change, who are tired of the way things have been. I see young, I see older. You’re all gathered here today, as Floridians, and also, as Americans. I realize I don’t have the highest name recognition in the race. But this is a good thing. We can and we will prove that Americans are ready for a new generation of leadership. We will show that all Americans, no matter what background, are ready for a new generation. You have so many people running, and I have tremendous respect for them all, but they don’t understand the youth the way I do. I stand here today to tell you, I am running for President!
*cheers and applause*
I’m not doing this for me. I’m not doing this for one particular person. I’m doing this for this country that I love so much. We are the greatest country in the world, with the best people. But, we cannot stand for this. The Democrats have so many candidates who don’t want to stick up for the average American, the working class. We will do our best to have our message heard, and take our message to the White House.
I pray every single day for the well-being of this country, and I don’t plan to stop. There are some pretty rough things going on, and I ask each and every one of you, join our movement. Nominate me for president, and I will get the message out there, that so many people believe in but cannot stand up for. I will give a voice to those people. God bless you, God bless America, and let’s go to the White House!”

[Orwell]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

It's a little awkward, but previous candidates have made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during their own separate campaigns. Bobby Jindal is also gonna have to run for re-election, and I believe George Allen also made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during his 2006 Senate campaign, so it's not unprecedented to campaign for President and Governor. The GM told me Ernie will win re-election regardless.

Fair enough. I would point out that Allen lost reelection in 2006 OTL, but if one or both GM's told you that Fletcher will win anyways, I guess I really can't complain much further.

Allen losing in 2006 wasn't the fault of him campaigning in New Hampshire in 2006, he had some accidental choice words with a tracker from the web campaign.

[NewYorkExpress]

The Elephant in the Room

Ernie Fletcher would be faced with a minor dilemma in a bid for the Presidency. For at least the beginning portion of the campaign, he would have to balance a re-election campaign with a Presidential campaign. Though he's the easy favorite for another term, thanks to an expected Republican wave, he will still have to fend off mildly challenging competitors to hold the Governor's mansion. Ernie Fletcher would run for President in all but name by February 2007, publicly announcing an exploratory committee and expressing interest in national media interviews, though shying away from any actual announcement. He would garner endorsements, donors, fundraising and staff in preparation for a run, as well as making appearances with conservative groups and at conferences, but he would publicly express the need to "put Kentucky first" before "national ambitions." He would use the Governor's race to his advantage, using the extra media coverage to advance his profile as a staunch social conservative, hoping to become a national darling of the Religious Right over the course of his Governor's campaign without doing much national campaigning.

Honestly, in this scenario it would make more sense for Fletcher to not run for reelection. Sure, he might win, but it's possible he'd draw a primary challenge from another Republican who's upset about his blatant run for President (Rand Paul for example comes to mind here.).

It's a little awkward, but previous candidates have made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during their own separate campaigns. Bobby Jindal is also gonna have to run for re-election, and I believe George Allen also made appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire during his 2006 Senate campaign, so it's not unprecedented to campaign for President and Governor. The GM told me Ernie will win re-election regardless.

Fair enough. I would point out that Allen lost reelection in 2006 OTL, but if one or both GM's told you that Fletcher will win anyways, I guess I really can't complain much further.

Allen losing in 2006 wasn't the fault of him campaigning in New Hampshire in 2006, he had some accidental choice words with a tracker from the web campaign.

It probably didn't help Allen's chances for reelection that he was seen as an obvious Presidential candidate...but you are correct.

[Continential]

Can I have Tom Daschle or Sam Nunn

[Cabbage]

Can I have Tom Daschle or Sam Nunn

Daschle's taken; you can have Nunn

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Have enough players posted their announcement speeches to begin the game or do we still need to wait for a few more to officially start?

[Cabbage]

Have enough players posted their announcement speeches to begin the game or do we still need to wait for a few more to officially start?

Gameplay thread will be up tomorrow.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

Have enough players posted their announcement speeches to begin the game or do we still need to wait for a few more to officially start?

Gameplay thread will be up tomorrow.

Alright.

[NewYorkExpress]

My very early prediction for the Democratic Primary.

Red is Obama, Green is Clinton, Blue is Lieberman, Gray is Daschle, Yellow is Schweitzer, and Dark Yellow is Feingold.

[RGM2609]

You will be surprised