The Presidency of America's Maverick

[JoeInator]

Great timeline! I'm really interested in seeing what you do with George W. Bush's Senate career.

[UWS]

Just wondering, what is the unemployment rate now in this scenario?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Just wondering, what is the unemployment rate now in this scenario?

5.5% so slightly lower than OTL thanks due to the infrastructure bill signed in early 2002

[OSR stands with Israel]

House Democrats select Nancy Pelosi to be their new leader after Dick Gephardt steps down after house losses in midterms



Woodruff: After last months disappointing defeat in the midterm elections, the Democratic leader Dick Gephardt stepped down from his role leading to a leadership election that took place yesterday between the moderate candidate in Representative Harold Ford from Tennessee and the more liberal candidate in Representative Nancy Pelosi and the election was won by Mrs. Pelosi who will become the first women to leader either party in congress. So Bill how was the choice viewed

Schnider: Well Mrs. Pelosi easily won the leadership vote but the question now is can she manage to help the Democrats get back on track to maybe not take back the house in two years but set out a clear road map to do so or will the fears of many blue dogs come true and lead house democrats further into the wilderness and put the party in a similar position the republicans were in for the 40 years before 1994 of seemingly being in the permanent minority. Only time will tell


Chair of NRSC , Slade Gorton to become new Senate Majority Leader after current Senate Majority Trent Lott resigns due to controversial comments about outgoing Senator Strom Thurmond



Shaw: After Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott resigned yesterday after controversial comments praising the presidential bid of outgoing senator and former Sergenationist Party Candidate Strom Thurmond, Senator Slade Gorton of Washington was named the new Republican leader of the senate after receiving backing for the job by President McCain and due to that will be the new Senate Majority Leader


Schnider: Senator Gorton was named to the head of the NRSC after President McCain took office and now will be the next Senate Majority Leader which is a dramatic rise from just two years ago when he didnt even chair a single major committee. The new Senate Majority Whip will be Arizona Senator John Kyl

[OSR stands with Israel]

Prescription Drug Reform Reintroduced in the House:




Woodruff: The chair of the subcommittee on health , Congresswomen Nancy Johnson reintroduced a prescription drug bill today in the subcommittee. If you don't remember the bill here are some of the details of the bill


-  Covers the cost of all prescription drugs above 15 dollars under medicare

-  Provides a subsidy for large employers to discourage them from eliminating private prescription coverage to retired workers

- Allows medicare advantage to offer part D plans

- it requires higher copays from wealthier seniors



Shaw: Yes with a new session , the President and Congress say it will be on the top of their domestic agenda to get this passed and also expect it to be bipartisan as well

[OSR stands with Israel]

Colin Powell makes case for why the UN should authorize an invasion of Iraq:



Powell: Thank You, Thank You. As you know 12 years ago this very body voted to authorize military action against Iraq to expel its forces from Kuwait and then let Iraq surrender in exchange for them agreeing to follow resolutions this body passed to ensure Iraq can never be a threat to its neighbors and the world again. Over the past 12 years its been clear that Suddam Hussain has never had any intention of following those resolutions and despite all the chances we have given him, he has refused to take a single one. Instead, he has kicked out Weapons of Mass Destruction Inspectors time and time again, funded terrorist attacks against nations he views as his enemy , has oppressed his people more than ever and shows to be a clear and present danger to the world. If we do not act, it will not be just Suddam Hussain we have to worry about but tyrants all around the world will take a message that they can get away with committing any crime they want and that message must not be allowed to be sent.


It is time we put an end to Saddam Hussain's reign as dictator of Iraq and free the people of Iraq and send a message to tyrants and terrorist groups all across the world, that we will sit by and stand by the atrocities you commit.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Excerpts from President McCain's 2003 state of the union address:



Souce: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/app/uploads/2019/02/RTX6LFXE-1024x683-e1549455385158.jpg

Speaker Hastert: Ladies and Gentleman , its my high honor to welcome to you , the President of the United States!!

Congress Floor: Standing Ovation


President McCain: Mr Speaker, Mr.President Pro Tempore, members of congress, and my fellow Americans over the past year and 4 months we have shown the world why the state of our union is stronger than it ever has(Applause). Despite being hit by the worst terrorist attack in history our nation has shown over the past 16 months that while they may have taken down one of our largest buildings , they have not only failed in taking down our nation but made us stronger than ever and now we are on verge of not only bringing justice for the vicitms of the attacks but making sure these types of terrorist groups are completely and utterly destroyed(Applause). We also must continue to let these groups now we will show them no quarter along with nations that harbor them(Applause) as they must never be allowed to rise again(Applause).

We will not view any difference between nations who directly  harbor terrorism and nations that abbett them by obstructing the global war on terror like Iraq has constantly done(Applause) . Instead of working with the international community to help destroy terrorism and follow the conditions of the Gulf War cease fire agreement , Suddam Husain instead has time and time again kicked out inspectors , and in the past has funded terrorists to murder former President Bush in attempt to get revenge for President Bush defeating him in the gulf war and despite all the chances the world community has given him he refuses to cooperate in the fight against terrorism . The time for waiting has come to an end  and we cannot afford to trust Suddam Husain to not support terrorism to advance his sick goals in the future because his history has shown he has done that in the past and will do it again if he wants to. That is why the United States is sending a Suddam Husain an ultimatum for which there will be no negotiation, either strictly follow the cease fire agreement and start cooperating with the world community in the global war on terror by the first of March or we will remove you from power (Applause). If you think you can win a war against the United States , well you were wrong the last time you thought that and you will pay the ultimate price if you believe you can risk war against us because we will end you regime if you force us to go to war against you(Standing Ovation).

Now while winning the global war on terrorism is critical to ensure the strength of our union , we must continue to deal with problems at home (Applause). Over the part couple decades the prices of prescription drugs have gone up by an astronomical number that for so many seniors they are unable to afford the medicine they need and to pay for them they have to cut down on other needs and that problem must be fixed (Applause). Which is why we must pass a bill which will cover  prescription drugs under Medicare so every senior can get the medicine they need (Applause). We also need to make sure that we reform the price structure of prescription drugs as a whole so working families can also afford the medicine they need(Applause) which is why should incentive more competition and we need to make sure to crack down on price gouging  as nothing is more despicable than gouging the prices of medicine people desperately need(Applause).

If we make these reforms we can ensure the strength of our union for generations to come and that is why I intend to make sure they get passed (Standing Ovation). Thank You , May God Bless you and May God Bless America

[OSR stands with Israel]

President McCain's Hopes for UN Security Council authorizing an invasion of Iraq to fall apart after Russia and China promise to veto such a resoultion



Woodruff: Hopes the McCain Administration had for the UN to authorize an invasion of Iraq fell apart after the leaders of China and Russia announced they would veto any resolution which would authorize such an invasion. President McCain hoped that he could convince Russia and China to take the same stand France did and decide to abstain on the resolution as if they did only 6 votes would be needed to pass a resolution on the security council.

Shaw: Despite the UN's decision, President McCain announced that the timetable he gave to Suddam Hussain has not changed and said if Suddam Hussain didnt agree to meet all the demands by March 1st he will be authorizing nearly 500,000 US troops to invade Iraq with the goal of removing Suddam Hussain from power. Many may be questioning why we need to send so many troops to invade Iraq and to answer that question is former Gulf War general and current national security advisor to the President, Mr. Norman Schwarzkopf. So General Schwarzkopf why does the US need that many troops

Schwarzkopf : The reason the President is sending so many troops is not only to ensure we can remove Suddam Hussain from power as quickly as power , but also to ensure the US can keep Iraq stable in the immediate aftermath of an invasion and not let any power vacuum be formed which in a region like the middle east could lead to really bad consequences. As for other reasons, I am not at liberty to say

Shaw: We understand but we are thankful for the reasoning

Schwarzkopf: No problem


Breaking News: UK Parliament authorizes invasion of Iraq



Shaw: We have some breaking news to report to you and that is the UK parliament has just authorized the invasion of Iraq as well by an overwhelming fasion with more than 425 MP's in parliment voting to authorize an invasion. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said in response this will show the world that the UK stands side by side with United States in their efforts and always will.

President McCain responded by thanking Prime Minister Blair for backing the US in this effort and called the UK our closest friends in the world.


More than Two-Thirds of Americans support invading Iraq despite rallies of opposition in many parts of the US


Shaw: Despite demonstrations against the war in Iraq being conducted in many parts of the nation most polls show that the American public overwhelmingly backs the President in his effort as we see in this poll.


Do you support Invading Iraq:

Yes: 68%
No: 29%

President McCain's Approval:

Approve: 66%(+3%)
Dissaprove: 30%(-3%)

[erſatz-york]

Will McCain be able to get any countries on board with the invasion that weren't IOTL?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Breaking News: The US , the UK along with other nations invade Iraq as Suddam refuses to meet demands



Shaw:  The Deadline that President McCain set for Suddam Hussain to meet the demands of our nation has come and gone and due to that the US , the UK along with other nations such as Australia , Italy, the Netherlands and Poland have begun their joint invasion of Iraq. They began by bombarding Iraqi military infrastructure to weaken the Iraqis ability to respond to the ground invasion of nearly 500,000 US troops, 55,000 British troops  and another 5,000 from those other nations which will begin shortly.  Christine do we know when the actual ground invasion will begin

 Amanpour: We dont know the exact time but we do know it will begin very soon once this opening air operation is completed. The goal of this air operation is clear to destroy the iraqi military ability to properly commnicate with each other and destroy their supply lines as doing so would make an invasion much easier as well. What we dont know is when they will invade and of course we dont know how they will but we do know that it will be very soon.


Shaw: Stay with us as the President will be speaking from the oval office shortly

President McCain speaks from the oval office to announce invasion:



Note: Photshop done by DPK


McCain: My fellow Americans, today I have just ordered our military to begin the first stages of a operation to remove Suddam Hussain from power and liberate the people of Iraq. While this decision was not an easy decision to make, Suddam Hussain gave us no choice with his constant defial of the cease-fire agreement he agreed to 12 years ago and with his constant obstruction of the fight agaisnt terrorism. Over the past 12 years he has also further oppressed his people taking out his anger on two failed wars of conquest he began on the people of Iraq and I can tell the Iraqi people that soon they no longer will have fear from his evil as we will liberate Iraq and bring him to justice.

For the families of the men and women in uniform , I can assure you we will do all in our power to make sure that they return to you in good health and I can also assure you that we have dont every bit of planning possible to make sure that not only can we successfully remove Suddam Hussain from power with as little casualties as possible, but to stabilize Iraq with as little casualties as possible. To my fellow Americans, I want you tonight to include the men and women in uniform in your prayers tonight to guarantee their health and safety . Thank You and May God Bless our Men and Women in Uniform

[OSR stands with Israel]

US and Coalition forces take Baghdad after 3 weeks since the invasion begun:



Shaw: Today US and coalition forces were able to take Baghdad the capital of Iraq after just 3 weeks since the invasion begun on March 1st. On their way to taking Baghdad, coalition forces also took other major cities in Iraq such as Basra, Karbala, Fallujah and we are told that many coalition forces will be going north to Mosul too. In Baghdad, coalition forces faced the heaviest fighting since the invasion begun but at the end of the day it too fell within a week with every major area of the city including the palace now is in coalition hands. We are told that Suddam Hussain was able to flee the city before coalition forces arrived but other major figures from the Iraqi goverment have been arrested by coalition forces. They will be sent to the International Criminal Court where they will be tried for war crimes committed during the Iran-Iraq War and the Gulf War along with the atrocities they committed to the Iraqi people as well. To mark the liberation of Iraq , people in Baghdad along with help of US troops took down the statue of Saddam Hussain which stood as a symbol of his regime for decades. Now the question is what the coalition plans to do to help rebuild Iraq

CNN Military Analyst: Well the first goal of the coalition we are told is to ensure stability and not let a power vacuum form which is why divisions of troops will be sent to major cities around Iraq to secure them which could stop it from being breeding grounds of potential insurgency from Suddam Hussian Loyalists or Terrorists coming from other nations to take advantage of a potential power vacuum.  The most pressuring issue now is what will happen to the hundreds of thousands of  troops in the Iraqi military , will they be allowed to remain in the military or will it be disbanded to allow a new military to be built from the ground up and the same goes for the many bureaucracies. That question will be answered by Defense Secretary Tom Ridge in the coming days.

Shaw: The President released this statement about the news of the fall of Baghdad

McCain: Thanks to the work of our troops and the troops of the many nations who took part in this coalition we were able to end the reign of one of the worst tyrants on the planet and free the Iraqi people. Now our mission to help create a democratic republic in Iraq has just begun and I am sure we will succeed.


Defense Secretary Ridge: Members of the Iraqi military will be allowed to remain part of the Iraqi military on a case by case basis.




Ridge: Since the fall of Baghdad , there have been many questions of what we plan to do of the members of the Iraqi military and many other government agenices. After consulting with generals on the ground and with the President we have decided that we will let members of the Iraqi military stay in the military on a case by case basis . The new military will be led by new leadership for the provisional government of Iraq and later a new Democratic state in Iraq and we believe many members of the military can help us in our mission to create a stable Democratic state in Iraq.

As for other government agencies, we will decide again whether to keep them on a case by case basis where agencies that were used mainly to enforce the dictatorship of Saddam Hussain will be abolished  while agencies that are essential to govern any nation will remain in place and people who worked in these agencies will be kept or removed again on a case by case basis.


Media Members: Wouldnt keeping the military and other agencies hamper the ability to create a democracy as it keeps the remnants of Suddam Hussain's Iraq in charge


Ridge: Agencies that were used for the main purpose of enforcing Suddam Hussain's tyranny will be abolished and only agenices that are used for basic governance will be kept as the only way you can create a democracy is if you have stable goverance.  As for the military regiments such as the Republican guard will be abolished but other parts of the military will be allowed to stay on a case by case basis.

This is similar to what we did in post war Japan as if you remember during the occupation of Japan following WW2 we kept many agencies in place to ensure governance while abolishing the ones that were there mainly to promote the tyranny of that goverment and eventually we were able to build a democracy there. I believe the Occupation of Japan is the model we should follow in the coming years in Iraq.

[UWS]

Japan is indeed an good example to follow to restore democracy and security in Iraq.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Former Vice President Al Gore and New York Senator Hillary Clinton both announce they will not be running for President




Woodruff: Earlier today both former Vice President Al Gore and New York Senator Hillary Clinton announced they will not be running for president. They made these comments

Clinton: Over the past many months, many of you have asked if I would run for President and the answer to that is no I will not be a candidate for President of the United States. I promised the voters of New York that I would serve a full term if I was elected senator and I intend to keep that promise. That does not mean I wont help do all I can to make sure that whoever our nominee is wins the election next November as our party has the better policies to help our nation move forward in the future and we have many great potential candidates who can implement those policies.


Gore: After thinking long and hard about a potential run for the Presidency of the United states, I have decided that I will not be a candidate for the presidency. It is time to pass the torch of leadership to a new set of leaders and the only way to do that is if we step aside and let them have the chance to lead. It was the honor of my life to be a senator for 8 years, Vice President for 8 years and the candidate of the Democratic party in 2000 and I will always be thankful to be given that opportunity but now its time for new people to get that chance.

[UWS]

I guess that Kerry too might decide to forgo a presidential run this year due to his friendship with McCain.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Alabama Governor Don Siegelman announces Presidential Bid:



Sieglman: Thank You Thank You. Today we stand at a critical moment in nation's and it is critical we meet up to a moment like this and that is why I have decided to seek the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. Not only do we face abroad with the War on Terror but we face a crises at home with a struggling economy where more and more working-class Americans find it harder to make ends meet and that is something that is unacceptable. Over the past two decades, we have seen factories all across our nation shut down , workers laid off while they jobs get shipped overseas just so the largest corporations in our nation can make a profit. If we want to keep our nation the strongest nation on earth  we must make our economic system fairer for all Americans and to do that it is time we reinvest in our communities by increasing funding for education, incentivize companies to build products here rather than overseas, pass universal healthcare and rebuild the American family. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America


Vermont Governor Howard Dean announces Presidential Bid



https://www.c-span.org/video/?177134-1/governor-howard-dean-d-vt-presidential-campaign-announcement

Dean: Thank you all for coming today and it is an honor to have all of you here today as we today begin a long journey to make our nation remain prosperous for the foreseeable future and that is why I have decided to run for President. We face many crises from the  threat of terrorism, to the increasing costs of healthcare and to meet those challenges we must try new solutions. We must rely on the strength of our diplomacy more if we really want to deal with this terrorist threat rather than use force every single time. At home we must pass a bill that makes healthcare affordable for all Americans, we must rebuild our middle class and the way to do that is to once again embrace our liberal legacy FDR and his new deal and that is exactly what I plan to do. Thank You may god bless you and may god Bless America

[Left Wing]

Siegelman running is very interesting... if he did win the nomination, the 2004 election would likely be a reversal of the trends we saw irl in 2004.

[UWS]

Just by curiosity, when approximately do you think McCain should announce re-election bid?

[Tron1993]

It would be nice to see an OSR timeline where the Republican president does not overwhelmingly re-elected.

I appreciate McCain will get re-elected and I'll even say that's a good thing but let's maybe not have a washout like you had with Goldwater or Romney being re-elected

[Snazzrazz Mazzlejazz]

Siegelman would be very interesting to see.

[Pericles]

It's good to see the Iraq War being managed better, that is an idea that is underexplored. 2004 won't be too different from real life, but 2006 and 2008 could be very different, which could be hugely consequential.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Just by curiosity, when approximately do you think McCain should announce re-election bid?

probably some time, early summer which is usually when Presidents I believe  announce their reelection bids

[OSR stands with Israel]

Longtime Deleware Senator Joe Biden announces Presidential Bid:



Biden: Thank You, Thank You it is sure great to be back in the great city of  Scranton, Pennslyvania and Im honored for all of you to come out too. As we all know , we as a nation face many problems that must be addressed to ensure our success in the decades to come and that is why I have decided to run for President. For too long the problems facing cities like Scranton all across the nation have been ignored to the benefit of the people on wall street and on the boards of large corporations and that is wrong. Workers in factories, steel mills, and all across the nation built our nation not large corporations, and places like this are the soul of this nation and if we want to succeed we must keep our soul strong.  The key to success both in our economic future and in this global war on terror depends on our success to make sure Americans no matter where they come from can succeed and that is why I have decided to run for President . Thank You, May God Bless You and May God America


Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt announces Presidential Bid:


Gephardt: Thank You Thank You, as all of you may know we face a critical time in our nation with us facing both an war abroad and slow economic times here at home. It is my belief for us to solve the many problems facing our nation today we need to implement economic policies that benefit not just the well off but many working-class Americans across the nation, strengthen our ties with nations all across the world so we can defeat terrorism which Is why I have decided to run for President. It is my belief that too meet the challenges facing us today we need a leader with the experience needed to pass the policies needed to be required to truly make our future better for our kids than it ever has been before. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America

[UWS]

I can see McCain getting an even bigger Democratic support than Bush did in real life with the support of not only Miller but also Joe Lieberman and Ed Koch.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Senator Mary Landrieu announces Presidential Bid:



Landrieu: Thank You Thank You. Today we face an important moment in our nation, from fighting a global war against terrorism aborad to economic problems at home and a potential energy crises as well which is why I have decided to run for President. We need a leader who can bring both parties together not to solve the problems of the past but today and that’s what I pledge to do as president of the United States . We need to pass healthcare reform that can make sure every American can afford good quality private health insurance and I believe I have the ability to bring both parties together and do that. Thank You, may God Bless you and May God Bless America



Congressman Dennis Kucinich announces Presidential run:



Kucinich: Thank You Thank You. For far too long we have heard politicians from both parties talk about the same things in a different way and it is time that changes and that is why I am running for President. It is time we as Democrats stand for something again, stop being afraid of the word liberal and reclaim the legacy of FDR and bring forth a new new deal to solve the problems facing our nation today as well as end these offensive wars in the middle east. It is time we stop policing the world and instead spend that money on passing a bill that expands medicare to every American in the nation, and help Americans out in these tough economic times. It is also time we stand up for the rights of Americans again and restore the right to privacy by repealing the patriot act and restore our constitution. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America


Al Sharpton announces Presidential Bid on Meet the Press:



Russert: So I have heard you have an important announcement you would like to make

Sharpton: Yes and that is I will be seeking the Democratic nomination for President of the United States

Russert: So why are you running

Sharpton: Well my belief is one we have to make our party proud to be democrats again instead of running away from our core principles as remember when our party was proud to be democrats and proposed bold ideas we passed the New Deal, The Great Society , The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights act all great pieces of legislation that greatly improved the lives of marginalized people in this nation

Russet: So what are some core ideas you think the Democrats should run on now

Sharpton: One is that we need to be the party of urban renewal as the fact is for two long we have allowed the urban centers that helped make our nation great decline greatly to create gated communities in sububs and it is time that stopped. The decline of our cities has hurt minorities and poor people all across the nation and it is time our party embraces policies such as cheaper housing , more infrastructure to rebuild cities , and reforming our justice system

Russert: Ok last question what will be your policy on the war

Sharpton: My beleif is we need to withdraw from Iraq as one Suddam Hussain has nothing to do with 9/11 and my belief is we should only go to war in self-defense and this was not one of them. Second we accomplished our goal in Iraq of removing Saddam and now it is time for us to ask the UN to come in and rebuild Iraq because it should not be our job to police the world .

[OSR stands with Israel]

Florida Senator and Former Vice Presidential Nominee Bob Graham announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?114075-1/florida-senate-campaign-debate

Graham: Thank You , Thank You. Today we stand at an important moment in our nation's future and it is critical we meet this moment like we have in many similar moments throughout our history. We need to improve our relations with nations across the world to win this global war on terror , and at home we need to reform our education, healthcare, save our environment in an efficient and fiscally responsible way at thats why I have decided to run for President. As governor of Florida we were able to improve our education , our healthcare systems, protect our environment all while creating one of the best business environments out of any state in the nation and I believe we can do it again . As senator we worked with members of both parties to solve problems and that is what I also intend to do as President. Thank You , May God Bless You and May God Bless America .


Senator Zell Miller announces Presidential Bid:



Miller: Thank You Thank You. Over the past few decades we have seen the Democratic party move away from its southern working class roots and move towards liberal elitism letting the Republicans the party of big business become the party of the south. It is time we have someone truly represent the working class values embodied by Southerners and that is why I have decided to run for President. The Democratic party also used to be a party that believed in tax cuts to stimulate both business growth and consumer spending and used to understand that putting more hands in people helps our economy grow and it is time we reclaim that legacy of being the party of tax cuts and not just the party of government bureaucracies. We used to be the party that used to believe in strong American presence in world affairds and we will reclaim that legacy as well. Thank You , May God Bless You and May God Bless America


Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold Announces Run:



Feingold: Thank You Thank You. As you know over the past two decades and a half we have seen our party slowly lose power and in a time like this we cannot afford for that to continue and that is why I have decided to run for President. We need a Democratic Party that stands strong for the working men and women of this country and stand once again the elite who layoff workers and outsource their jobs overseas just to make more profits. We need to be once again the party of Unions as they are the ones who built are middle class and that is exactly what I will do as President and we must renew the effort to fulfil President Truman's dream of expanding healthcare to every American. Lastly we also must stand strong for the individual liberties our constitution guarantees and to do that we must repeal the patriot act, reform are criminal justice system and i we do all of that we can also  restore our great party to its former glory as well. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America