Captain Mikey, interesting scenario you have written. Very good.
Bush comes back from his razor thin defeat in 2000 to claim the Presidency in 2004.
Bush hammers Gore on the recession and the unemployment rate. He emphasizes that Gore himself campaigned in 2000 on what a vibrant economy he and Clinton were proud to take credit for.
Now, says Bush, Gore has taken this economy of which he was so proud, and has "run it into the ground."
Bush points to his very successful record as Governor of Texas, one of the largest states in the union, and pushes his credentials as a "uniter, not a divider."
As well, Bush takes Gore to task for not being strong enough in the war on terror, and that Gore's failure in that respect "threatens the security of America."
Bush therefore avoids becoming another Thomas Dewey, or the Adlai Stevenson of the Republican Party.
Your choice of Fred Thompson as Bush's running mate, by the way, is excellent. Thompson would be a big attraction on the campaign trail.
Although, he would have to take a huge pay cut to become VP, as he makes $100,000.00 per episode in the series he is currently in.
I do believe, however, that he would accept the nomination as an opportunity to continue to serve the country, and would serve with competence and distinction.
Thompson would outshine Lieberman, I believe.
Another aspect of this scenario, with Lieberman as VP for 4 years, he would no longer have been in the Senate, and there would not likely have been a bitter primary battle amongst Democrats in Connecticut for the Senate nomination.
Although, defeated Vice President Lieberman may have opted to run for the Connecticut Democratic Senate nomination in 2006.
Gore joins Bush Sr. in the "One Term President's Club."
Bush/Thompson 296
Gore/Lieberman 242
