2024 - A Blank Canvas

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

I just thought it odd that any member of Congress would resign until their new term had commenced. Also Gimenez, Mast and Stewart are right to remain in situ, until confirmed. Whatever Donalds does, he can wait until before noon on January 20th, but separation of powers kicks in. I will check to see if the nominee to be Director of the C.I.A. requires Senate confirmation, because John Ratcliffe has to also assume his new seat before resigning, to run the shop at Langley
I just checked and the current CIA Director, William Burns was confirmed by Senate in March, 2021, so it's safe to say, that Ratcliffe will have to go through a confirmation process. Perhaps the process in Ratcliffe's case will be more speedier.

[SaintStan86]

The week has been filled with preliminary hearings on various legislative priorities of the new 119th Congress, as the Senate patiently awaits the appointments of President-elect Ron DeSantis's incoming Cabinet. But for these last days before the inauguration, the focus in Washington is on the final days of the Biden administration...

January 10, 2025
TRUMP TO ATTEND DeSANTIS INAUGURATION
On Friday, former President Donald Trump announced that he will be attending the inauguration of President-elect Ron DeSantis in a statement released to the media via his personal website, which has gone from "Save America PAC" to simply "Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States". In the statement, Trump writes "I am beyond honored to attend the inauguration of my good friend and your next President, Ron DeSantis, the following Monday after next week, January 20th. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing a whole new era begin in our wonderful country, and look forward to joining everyone in attendance on what will be a glorious day for America!".

As expected, Trump was critical of outgoing President Joe Biden, "Can you imagine all the damage that President Biden has done to our country? It is such a sad shame what Sleepy Joe has become over the years, all demented and out of touch with reality". But Trump saved his harshest criticism for outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris: "If you really think about it, it was really the President Harris administration all along - the puppet strings she had over Joe, the condescending attitude she showed everywhere she went, the whole darned "bossy lady" attitude she showed? No wonder people turned from her at the polls!" Trump, though, had a more measured purview of incoming Vice President and one-time frenemy Nikki Haley, even going as far as using her full name: "Nimrata Randhawa Haley is going to be an excellent Vice President for our country. She is going to defend our Constitution, stand with our military and police, marshal the troops in the Senate like no other Vice President has done!".

The former President has largely stayed in the background since DeSantis clinched the Republican nomination, save for a number of rallies including the penultimate one in Atlanta at the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves, Truist Park. However, Trump's old political and fundraising network continues to remain very active and stands to be a major influence for more nationalist- and populist-oriented Republicans (at least in comparison to more traditional conservatives aligned with the network of DeSantis), and Trump's own family has expressed interest in future political runs with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump (wife of Eric) potentially looking at a Senate run in North Carolina in 2026 (regardless of what incumbent Republican Thom Tillis's plans are) and his son Donald Trump Jr. reporting looking at running for the Senate in Pennsylvania in 2028 against Sen. John Fetterman, whom the elder Trump described as "just a sad sack of a Senator...is he still living in Mommy's basement?"

January 12, 2025
GEORGE W. BUSH: DeSANTIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT PRESIDENT
On CBS's long-running 60 Minutes, former President George W. Bush revealed that he voted for President-elect Ron DeSantis during his interview with correspondent Scott Pelley. During the interview, Bush pointed to DeSantis's "all-American persona, playing baseball as a kid, serving our country at Gitmo when other Ivy League grads like him sought to go into the legal profession, marrying a wife who often shared the local TV schedule with Jenna (referring to his daughter, NBC Today host Jenna Bush Hager in reference to DeSantis's wife Casey, a former daytime host at the NBC affiliate in Jacksonville), rising to Congress, then Governor and now President - he took a pretty standard and boring track to the White House". Bush then spoke of DeSantis's governance of Florida: "It's not exactly a storybook time as Governor, I probably would have done a few things differently, but he really galvanized the people of Florida to become the best they've ever had - and I never imagined anyone doing better than Jeb!", referring to his brother Jeb Bush who was Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.

When asked about why he chose to cast write-in votes for President the last two years as opposed to voting for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, Bush cited "Well you know the whole thing, him being drunk on his own power, slow to respond to those crazy KKK people in Virginia, you know...the whole isolationist attitude around his administration, it was just too much for me. All things said, why would I waste my time with two Senators who opposed me on most everything I did as President? I can say that what happened in Benghazi wouldn't have happened on my watch unlike Hillary - my dad mostly voted for her because he was best buddies with Bill (referring to his father, former President George H.W. Bush, who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016). And what Biden did over in Afghanistan? I wouldn't have pulled them out that quick...look at the can of whoop-ass he opened there...like he's done with most every foreign policy move he's made". Bush wrote-in "None of the above" in 2016 and for his former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, in 2020, but otherwise has largely stayed out of the spotlight.

Bush also was asked about other matters in the interim since his presidency, ranging from whether or not he was to blame for the rise of the national debt ("We did our part to lower taxes without affecting national security, but Democrats didn't do their part to cut spending"), to whether the bailouts of the banking system during the 2008 recession were worth it ("The alternative would have been seeing all of our banks go to default"), to his thoughts on former Rep. Liz Cheney ("Well her heart was in the right place, she stood for a strong military like Donald Trump wanted, except when truth became reality she took a big fall"), and even regarding the portrait of DeSantis unveiled at the Republican National Convention ("Ron told me afterward he really liked it, and they plan on hanging it somewhere in Florida, wherever their southern White House or whatever is located, I'm guessing next to the PGA Tour?"). The interview concluded with his reflection on the 2004 60 Minutes report by Dan Rather that questioned his service in the Texas Air National Guard: "Scott, you know you have to be grateful to not be in Dan's shoes...the poor old man thought so badly of me he forgot to check what time it is, but he probably was missing his chicken fried steak".

The interview, which took half the broadcast time, had a ratings share of 1.9 in the 18-49 demographic and 24 million viewers, also benefiting from an NFL Wild Card game that preceded it between the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, a game won by the former in Denver. The interview received wide media coverage the following Monday, not only on CBS but on other networks as well. Fox News host Tucker Carlson put it plainly on his namesake show: "Yes we all know, of course, that George W. Bush is and always will be a raging warmongering neocon, but you do have to give credit to him for voting for Ron DeSantis, which is the least he could do. This is after all, an America First Party, defined by prosperity, peace, liberty and justice for all - things that seemed so foreign to the very establishment that Bush and Cheney perpetuated, and as the new de facto leader of the Republican Party, both Bush and Donald Trump have no choice but to accept him as the leader of the Republican Party accordingly".

January 15, 2025
PARTIES SELECT NEW LEADERS FOR 2026 CYCLE
On Wednesday, in dueling meetings of both the Republican and Democratic parties in separate locations, both parties selected their new party chairs going forward for the 2026 cycle with Republicans looking to solidify their base behind President-elect Ron DeSantis and Democrats looking to regroup before a 2026 midterms that is widely expected to favor them given the conventional wisdom of long odds of Republicans gaining seats in the next Congress.

At the Hilton hotel in downtown Columbus, Ohio, Republicans congregated at their winter meeting to select their new Chair of the Republican National Committee, naming Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi to serve as the next Chairman of the RNC. As Chairman of the Texas GOP, Rinaldi rode the party to gains in both the Texas Legislature as well as sizable gains in the state's congressional delegation during his 3 1/2 half-year tenure while also holding all of the statewide offices despite aggressive efforts by Democrats to torpedo those gains. In his acceptance speech, Rinaldi remarked "With Ron DeSantis as President, Republicans are going to do great things if they haven't already, and as a party we are going to keep the good work that Ronna McDaniel has done going". Other Republicans Rinaldi beat out in the run up to becoming RNC Chairman included New Jersey GOP Chairman and 2018 U.S. Senate nominee Bob Hugin (who helped lead New Jersey Republicans to unprecedented gains in the last four years), former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York, and Oklahoma pastor and "Stop the Steal" hardliner Jackson Lahmeyer.

Neither Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (who recently turned a very young 78, is term-limited in 2026 and retiring altogether from politics) nor Sens. J.D. Vance and Jim Jordan were in attendance as all three were busy tending to matters both at the Ohio Statehouse and the Capitol. Rinaldi will succeed outgoing Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who is stepping aside after a record eight years dating back to the presidency of Donald Trump - a tenure that surpassed that of Ohioan Mark Hanna, a close ally of former President and Ohio Gov. William McKinley who served as Chairman from 1896 to 1904, if only by a few months.

Meanwhile, Democrats gathered for their own winter meeting at the Sheraton Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City - ironically the same hotel where former Republican Vice President Mike Pence spoke at a rally for his presidential campaign last year - where the party is seeking to "restock the cavalry" under new leadership after losing their trifecta gained in the 2020 elections. After much debating and voting that took several hours, as well as a "moment of appreciation" for outgoing Chairman Jaime Harrison and a rousing speech by newly sworn-in Missouri Gov. Jason Kander, the DNC elected former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, who vowed to "restore the trust of the voters" as the new Chairman of the DNC and also made it clear where his focus would be: "The resurgence of the Democratic Party will be fought, not in the echo chambers and safe spaces of so-called 'ivory towers' and shallow corporate forums that look more vanilla than what America is, but in the union halls and town squares of Middle America, the community schools and assembly lines that dot the heartland, and on military bases, in senior condominiums and other places where Americans desire to live the classic American life. By reconnecting with middle America and not letting cultural purists call the shots when our diversity - white, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Christian and non-Christian, straight and LGBTQ+ - speaks otherwise, we are going to come roaring back, take back the Congress, and make Ron DeSantis a one-term wonder."

The Democrats will be tasked with a monumental goal of 54 Republican-held seats to gain the majority in the House and 16 to gain back the Senate. While acknowledging that the road to the Senate is "virtually impossible", Ryan pointed to the fact that Republicans controlled more seats in the Class II seats up for consideration in 2026 - 20 compared to the Democrats' 15, as well as newly vacant Senate seats in South Carolina and Nebraska (both due to Tim Scott and Ben Sasse being appointed to Cabinet posts in the DeSantis administration, with the latter already up for election in 2026 and open as Sasse previously announced he would not seek re-election following the suspension of his presidential campaign on the same night DeSantis clinched the GOP nomination (even though Sasse himself had been mathematically eliminated weeks prior).

In addition to Scott's and Sasse's seats (the former of which whose next regular election is in 2028), many prognosticators are projecting competitive Senate races in Republican-held seats in Montana, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine, along with South Carolina's other Senate seat (held by Lindsey Graham), Kentucky and Senate Majority Leader John Cornyn's seat in Texas. For the Democrats, seats expected to be targeted by the GOP - looking towards a potential two-thirds partisan majority that would require a net gain of just two seats - include seats held by Senators in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia and Illinois.

January 17, 2025
HARRIS REPORTEDLY BUYS HOUSE IN MONTECITO WORTH MILLIONS
As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to leave Number One Observatory Circle and head back to California, rumors have abounded that the departing Vice President and her husband Doug Emhoff have reportedly put their house in the Brentwood neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles and bought a $10 million estate in Montecito, a wealthy enclave east of Santa Barbara that is home to numerous celebrities, businessmen and other high-income dignitaries, with the separated wife of former Vice President Al Gore, Tipper Gore, among the more notable political dignitaries that Harris will be joining.

The house, marketed by a local Sotheby's International Realty office, is a gated two-story mansion built in an Italian Renaissance motif with an Olympic-size pool, a hot tub and grilling cabana, a private "she shed" with a mezzanine floor in the background, and a large wine cellar in the bottom floor, among other luxuries. Though Emhoff's two children - for whom Harris is their stepmother and "Momala" - are now grown adults and living on their own, the Second Couple bought the large house with an intent to "entertain guests and friends we know by heart". The couple has a net worth of $8 million, mostly gained through endorsements, speaking engagements, Emhoff's heralded career as an entertainment lawyer, and Harris's connections as well as newfound involvement in a foundation that Harris intends to start with an intent to "empower young women of all colors and promote racial equity and justice in every corner of the world".

As expected, the reaction from neighbors in Montecito was quite celebratory (or not) depending on your politics. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, for instance, celebrated the move and announced they were "looking forward to giving them a royal welcome back home to California", while Tipper Gore (who herself shares a villa with her separated husband in Montecito) batted off a number of points of interest for the couple to "see in and around Santa Barbara". Chynna Phillips, one-half of the musical duo Wilson Phillips, expressed support for their "California homecoming" in a joint video with the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, while former Saturday Night Live player and comedian Dennis Miller was much less enthused, unsurprising considering his right-leaning political views: "Who knew that the Vice Presidency was a stepping stone to eternal wealth? Guess if you're a Democrat that what happens! So much for 'caring about the poor'...".

On Friday night, Vice President Harris made her final televised appearance as Vice President, appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she reflected poignantly (and of course, with a few cackles) on her four years as second-in-command to Joe Biden, with her name being "retired" into the rafters of the Ed Sullivan Theater where the CBS late-night show is taped. The night's cold open alluded to news of the real estate deal by Harris and her husband - set to the graphical style and theme music of the opening title card to the long-lost CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing, whose coastal Southern California setting has drawn comparisons to Montecito - albeit somewhat out of character as the soap opera spun off of another CBS primetime serial of yore, Dallas, was actually set in the San Fernando Valley.

January 19, 2025
BIDEN GIVES HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE NATION
On Sunday afternoon, President Joe Biden gave his farewell address to the nation as he reflected on "the tremendous progress that we have made as a country, restoring the soul of the nation". Throughout the nearly hour-long speech, carried on all of the major networks shortly after 1:00PM Eastern time (likely moved to the afternoon in order to accommodate NFL divisional playoff games), Biden made numerous references to his family including his first wife Neilia and daughter Amy, who were killed in a car accident in Hockessin, Delaware, in which Neilia reportedly drove into a tractor-trailer and where Biden's sons Beau and Hunter were critically injured just weeks before Biden was sworn into the Senate, as well as regarding the cancer battle of his late son Beau among other family struggles, and how they shaped his emphatic worldview on the world surrounding him. "Having lived through tragedy and survived with immense courage, it helped me to relate to the struggles of everyday Americans, to heal their wounds, and help guide our country back to the great position we were in under Barack Obama".

The outgoing President went on to also make reference to a number of accomplishments within his administration, including his aforementioned achieved goals in infrastructure, social spending, helping shepherd the country through the COVID-19 pandemic, making progress on racial and environmental justice, and "restoring the leadership the world comes to expect from Americans here at home and abroad". He concluded his farewell speech by alluding back to his deceased son Beau who died in 2015: "A major reason why I entered this race, was because I wanted to fulfill a promise I made to my son, my dearly beloved Beau, after his death, that I will work with every fiber of my being, to ensure that his death will not be laid in vein, to pursue a run for the presidency that I am sure Beau would have truly want to pursue carrying the Biden name. I am grateful for the journey I have gone on, and these four years, however exciting, chaotic, whatever you want (brief pause) want to call them, these are some of the most challenging but rewarding years America may ever see".

After the swearing in tomorrow of Republican Ron DeSantis as the 47th President of the United States on the West Side of the Capitol, Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden will then be guided by DeSantis and his wife Casey to the East Side of the Capitol opposite where DeSantis will be sworn in, as the departing first couple is escorted to a limousine that will take them to Union Station where the Bidens will hop onboard Amtrak's Acela train back home to Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden is expected to speak before his supporters at a "welcome home" rally in the afternoon, sometime shortly after the Inaugural Parade concludes. The rally will take place at Frawley Stadium, a minor league baseball stadium that is home to the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a farm team of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals, and which is adjacent to the Chase Center on the Riverfront, a convention center west and south of the train station where Biden held his presidential victory speech in 2020. Unlike the case with the 2020 events, which were drive-by rallies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a packed, over-capacity crowd is expected at the baseball stadium. According to one source, the Bidens will reportedly be held at the Amtrak/SEPTA train station that bears his name for at least an hour, while his family and other dignitaries arrive to join him in a motorcade that will take them to the stadium.

Next: Hail to the Chief, and some final words to wrap this story...

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

Will continue 2024 Blank Canvas,  with the sequel - A 2025-29 Blank Canvas

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

I can imagine that Kamala Harris moving to Montecito, to hang out with the rest of the Hollyweird celebrity elite, tells me, all I need to know about her and other Democrats, she and them haven't learned one scintala about why their political brand lost so badly! While Tim Ryan's selection as DNC chairman is a good move, I think those like Kamala Harris, who are politically tone deaf will basically ignore Ryan and still do what they've been doing, thus working-class Democrats will see this, and as a result the working-class/rural exodus from the Democrats will probably not only continue, but accelerate.
Rebooting A 'Special Relationship'
Another item not connected to the American political scene, but equally impossible. Five years to the day, Britain went to the polls, and the Conservatives under Liz Truss, secured another term at No. 10 Downing Street, albeitly with slightly reduced majority. Truss, originally not seen as
dynamic as former Prime minister Boris Johnson, came into her own, over the previous two years and capitalized on the Labor party's inability to "keep it real", another factor in the defeat of the Labor party, was Sir Keir Starmer's failure to connect on the campaign trail. Also Conservative policies were deemed to be working. Truss is expected to meet with President DeSantis sometime in  February or March.
Truss will likely be accompanied by Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on her trip. The ongoing war in Ukraine 🇺🇦 is the focus of British concern and there's speculation that Truss will want to impress on DeSantis and other key members of his team, including Robert O'Brien, Ken Braithwaite and David McCormick, that U.S. and NATO support has to continue, in what has become a war of attrition.

[SaintStan86]

Will continue 2024 Blank Canvas,  with the sequel - A 2025-29 Blank Canvas

The fat lady hasn't sung quite yet...but will look forward to it!

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

This just in! Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has died, after a reign of 70 year's, 7 months and 2 day's! An era concludes!

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

Will continue 2024 Blank Canvas,  with the sequel - A 2025-29 Blank Canvas

The fat lady hasn't sung quite yet...but will look forward to it!

Your collaboration, contributions and comments will be much welcomed,

[2016]

SaintStan86,
I would name Bob Hugin or Lee Zeldin Vice Chairman of the RNC if I can give an Advice

And while the Democrats already making rumblings about that the Republicans have more Senate Seats to defend in 2026 (20) to the Democrats' 15 I can guarantee you even if the Political Climate swings hard left they are not going to win a Senate Seat in Nebraska or South Carolina.

Even McMaster himself managed to beat back a Challenge from Jason Smith in 2018 and when Democrats had a D+8 Wave Year 54-46.

On the other hand Jon Ossoff and Gary Peters are Major Targets for Republicans particularly if outgoing RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel jumps into this Race.

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

If Democrats gain anything on the Senate side of the equation, I would guess Maine, Susan Collins calls it a day, then I reckon Kathleen Dillingham, the current Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives, might decide to throw her hat into ring; the new era of DeSantis will be a factor that can't be ignored. As most if not all Republicans will used as a vote getting template, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Republicans will overreach and lose ground in 2026.

You can't implement life sentences for rape victims and be seen positively.

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

Republicans will overreach and lose ground in 2026.

They couldn't be that dumb! But hubris is a dangerous infection! If DeSantis is smart enough to heed the lesson's of Obama's overreaching attempts in 2009-2010, with the bailouts and Obamacare, we all are acutely aware of what happened in the 2010 midterms, when Republican's won control of the House. So if I were DeSantis, and he doesn't want to sacrifice all the gains made in the 2022 and 2024 cycles, then maybe, it might be a good idea to remember what his mandate actually is, trying to offer his own translations.

[SaintStan86]

January 20, 2025 - The 60th Presidential Inauguration

It's a busy day in Washington, on a Monday unlike any other, as millions descend upon the nation's capital to witness history in the making as Ron DeSantis is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. All of the living former Presidents, save for the very aged Jimmy Carter, and their spouses are in attendance. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is standing shoulder to shoulder with the military bands and choirs, and dozens of marching bands from every state, territory and the District of Columbia, but with a good chunk of them from Florida and to a lesser extent South Carolina, are prepared to march up Pennsylvania Avenue on what also happens to be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America. The cherry blossoms may have not bloomed yet, and the site of what used to be RFK Stadium east of the Capitol still remains a patch of soil awaiting redevelopment, the Commanders (and Redskins of yore) having decided to settle in Virginia, but it's still a beautiful sight on the National Mall as noon approaches in Washington...


Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: IowaPolitics.com

The night before was filled with a number of inaugural festivities, not the least of which were an inaugural concert featuring a number of mostly country and classic rock acts, not unlike the sort of ceremonies that past Republican presidents had, a diplomats' luncheon where foreign dignitaries and ambassadors were introduced to the incoming administration, and a number of other events including a youth concert, various TV specials, and other events of relevance to the festivities commenced...

But now it was Monday, and two months and a half after the Empire State Building in New York City lit red for Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party, the 60th Presidential Inauguration is about to take place as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina commenced the ceremony with remarks filled with patriotism and stories embodying "the American Spirit". After Sen. Chris Van Hollen gave his own remarks to the nearly 2 million in attendance, he asks the entire audience to stand as the former Presidents, President Biden and Ron DeSantis, among others, enter the gallery on the West Front of the Capitol...

Moments later, Nikki Haley takes her oath with Justice Clarence Thomas holding the Bible...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Madame Vice President, would you place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand and repeat after me? I, Nimrata Nikki Haley...

NIKKI HALEY: I, Nimrata Nikki Haley...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend...

NIKKI HALEY: Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: The Constitution of the United States...

NIKKI HALEY: The Constitution of the United States...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Against all enemies foreign and domestic...

NIKKI HALEY: Against all enemies foreign and domestic...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

NIKKI HALEY: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: That I take this obligation freely...

NIKKI HALEY: That I take this obligation freely...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion...

NIKKI HALEY: Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: And that I will well and faithfully discharge...

NIKKI HALEY: And that I will well and faithfully discharge...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: The duties of the office on which I'm about to enter...

NIKKI HALEY: The duties of the office on which I'm about to enter...

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: So help you God.

NIKKI HALEY: So help me God.

JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: Congratulations and God bless you, Madame Vice President.

After South Carolina's Darius Rucker performs "America the Beautiful" with an acoustic guitar as the only other element of sound, Chief Justice John Roberts swears in the 47th President of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Mr. President, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Ronald Dion DeSantis, do solemnly swear...

RON DeSANTIS: I, Ronald Dion DeSantis, do solemnly swear...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: That I will faithfully execute...

RON DeSANTIS: That I will faithfully execute...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: The office of President of the United States...

RON DeSANTIS: The office of President of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: And will, to the best of my ability...

RON DeSANTIS: And will, to the best of my ability...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Preserve, protect and defend...

RON DeSANTIS: Preserve, protect and defend...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: The Constitution of the United States...

RON DeSANTIS: The Constitution of the United States...

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: So help you God.

RON DeSANTIS: So help me God.

JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

After being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Ron DeSantis takes his place in history as the first Italian-American President of the United States. Among the excerpts of his inaugural speech...

"Today is a monumental day for our country, a New Day for America, one of great opportunity and even greater promise. A day for all of us to take a stand and deliver on what unites us, by the principles and values that we share deeply as a nation..."

"The last four years have been one of uncharted struggle, as we struggled to navigate through a pandemic that everyone thought would be the end of humanity. Except the course it took us on didn't exactly work the way everyone hoped it would..."

"We are facing a deep and unsustainable hole in our federal budget, with a federal government that seemingly takes on more and more of the responsibilities we used to take for granted, while ordinary Americans are the ones constantly being forced to sacrifice against their will. This is why getting our out-of-control national debt in check matters, because when we've gone from $6 billion in debt on September 11th, 2001 to over $33 trillion today, something ain't right..."

"No one should be forced to sacrifice to make others - especially those whose ideals don't reflect what America should be - happy, even in situations where the sacrifice has nothing to do with protecting our freedoms and our shared patchwork quilt by which the contents of our character is paramount, when you have the few among us living it up beyond the means of everyone else..."

"No one should be forced into government-controlled poverty when they crave opportunity and the free market. No child should be forced to choose between having no opportunities and being subjected to uncomfortable situations. No seniors should be forced to choose between medicine and choosing their own doctor. No family should be forced to sacrifice against their will when government elites are holding them hostage..."

"When America looks forward more to the size of their welfare check or forces their kid to choose between an academic program or sport that brings happiness to them and their friends, when our own leaders continue to reward undeserving so-called reality TV drama queens instead of successful people with money and jobs, spouses and kids, cars and kids and pets - basically the American dream we must strive for at any cost without handing the reins to the government, that tells you where America has gone wrong..."

"While others sought to force government on the people, as Governor of Florida I sought to maximize freedom for everyone. That's why Florida has become the 'shining state on a hill'."

"As President of this great nation, it's time for the adults to be put back in charge again, and reward those who deserve to make it in this world..."

"It's time to start rewarding Americans who deserve to pursue the American Dream unconditionally and without any reservation. That doesn't mean children should disrespect their parents, but when government forces parents to drive a hard bargain, you know America has failed its citizens..."

"It's time to start rewarding entrepreneurs who want to unleash the American Dream, and rebuild our infrastructure into the greatest the world has ever seen. Real infrastructure. Not payoffs to favored parties, but solutions to get Americans to work and play without any effort..."

"It's time to unleash opportunity for millions of Americans, make America energy independent again from oil and gas and coal to nuclear and hydro and solar, stop letting China dictate to us how to live our lives, and start taking control of our national debt before it kills us..."

"It's time to create a justice system that protects and serves our country, instead of protecting from ourselves. One that respects law enforcement doing their best to fight crime, while at the same time delivering real justice for actual victims of crime, without overcrowding our prisons with minor offenders, and without letting the FBI abuse the constitutional and privacy rights of our fellow Americans..."

"It's time to rebuild and strenghten our military into a well-oiled, lean, mean machine. One committed to defending our country against all enemies foreign and domestic who hate our freedoms. Not one mired deep in woke programming that serves no one except those who wouldn't even pass a physical or mental fitness test, nor one beholden to the whims of predatory defense contractors and lobbyists who seek big payouts while our active duty military and veterans are left to languish in hospitals with substandard care..."

"It's time to bring our border under control, finish the wall that Donald Trump promised to finish, use the latest technology to further enhance our border security, and finally clear the air when it comes to those who desire to become U.S. citizens, including those Dreamers who only know America and have contributed and paid their dues in society. The difference between my predecessor and I will be clear: not a free-for-all even for those who haven't put in their dues, but a deserving pathway to citizenship for those work hard to strive and contribute to the national conversation."

"It's time to create a culture of life that respects all life from first conception to the last breath, create pathways to reduce abortions, increase adoptions and improve the quality of life for mothers, fathers and children, and build a second-to-none healthcare system where you keep your doctor and the coverage is the same high-quality, low-cost coverage that we get as President and members of Congress..."

"They all say that sunshine is the best medicine, and for four years sunshine has been hard to come by. But as your new President, sunshine is going to be abundant, and ethical and transformative leadership that respects our principles and respects our traditions is what I will fight for..."

"Lastly, on this great day - 36 years to the day that George Herbert Walker Bush called for a thousand points of light to serve our country's greater good - and on a momentous day for this country named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - I am calling today for a National Day of Service and Opportunity to our country, working to fill the gaps in underserved communities where these little points of light are going to shine for the millions who need it..."

"I am more than honored to be your President, and together we are going to create a culture that truly stands for our shared national fabric, defend our communities from peril, and work to rebuild communities that have suffered for too long. Because your life matters..."

"We are going to build a strong economy with opportunities for everyone, whether you're a college grad, have a trade certification, are in the military or even if you're just out of high school, in an economy with good wages, high standards and a no-nonsense work climate that puts America first. Because your future matters..."

"Our country is going to be strong again in the world, showcasing peace through strength instead of the dangerous extremes of wokeness and empire-building that neither secures our country nor strikes fear in our enemies. Because your country matters..."

"Together, we are going to do great things to bring America's new golden age to reality and stand by our Constitution, for prosperity at home, peace abroad, and liberty and justice for all. Because freedom matters!"

"Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God Bless You! And God may Bless our Beautiful America!"

After the customary playing of "Hail to the Chief", benedictions from several dignitaries including Franklin Graham, the standard 21-gun salute and Enrique Iglesias - who lives in Miami - performing "The Star-Spangled Banner", President Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis walked across the Capitol as they escorted now-former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to the East Front of the Capitol where a limousine is waiting to take the Bidens to Union Station, hopping onboard Amtrak's Acela train - the very same train Biden commuted to Washington on for decades - back to Wilmington, Delaware, at the very same train station now bearing his name to begin his post-presidential career and sunset years, while Nikki Haley and Michael Haley wished Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff well on their quick helicopter ride to Joint Base Andrews and eventual Air Force Two flight back home to San Francisco and eventually their new home in Montecito, outside Santa Barbara...

President DeSantis returned to the Capitol and entered the President's Room to officially submit his Cabinet and other picks to the Senate for confirmation along with declaring his inauguration a "National Day of Restoration and Greater Opportunity". After he and Casey signed the first signatures on the guest book for the President's Luncheon in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall, they embarked upon a delectable three-course meal, which included selections of relevance to DeSantis's home state of Florida including an inspired version of Key Lime Pie, along with plenty of standing ovations and bursts of humorous roasts, at their President's Luncheon. DeSantis, Haley and their spouses finally embarked on an inaugural parade, alongside high school and college marching bands, horse troupes, first responders, veterans and other groups of people, up Pennsylvania Avenue NW from the Capitol all the way to the White House, packed with thousands of onlookers and hundreds of security personnel and military stationed throughout to protect the new President and Vice President from potential threats, as they proceed to walk the entire course of Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

Upon reaching the Oval Office, the new White House website already intact for a few hours, President DeSantis proceeded to sign his first set of executive orders - including a mandatory repeal of whatever COVID-19 restrictions remain on the books at the federal level and mandate for state and local governments to follow suit, the restoration of the cancelled Keystone XL pipeline proposal, the restoration of the Mexico City Policy banning the use of NGO funding for abortions outside of the United States, the repeal of automotive emissions mandates imposed by the Biden administration, and the restoration of travel restrictions for foreign countries viewed as "national security threats" including Iran, North Korea and Afghanistan, among other executive orders, in addition to also officially submitting his Cabinet and other picks to the Senate for confirmation along with declaring his inauguration a "National Day of Restoration and Greater Opportunity". (The Biden administration, of course, ended its presidency with a series of pardons for various minor criminal offenders, along with a few notable controversial commuted sentences...)

Lastly, the day of celebration concluded with a multitude of inaugural balls including the "Freedom Ball" where the DeSantises danced the night away to the sounds of jazz standards and rock classics, a youth ball with young conservative professionals and DeSantis campaign staffers not wanting the FOMO factor when it comes to their new President, and an Armed Services Ball where military and first responders capped off a celebratory night with the new President. They will be attending a national day of prayer at the Washington National Cathedral tomorrow morning, with a Catholic bishop and Protestant minister, a Jewish cantor and Muslim imam (among other religious dignitaries) presenting calls to prayer.

As a historic first day in Washington concluded, Ron DeSantis spoke to Casey in the President's Bedroom on the second floor of the White House:

"You know Casey, I never imagined I would have dreamt of being anything beyond being a baseball player when I was growing up back in Dunedin, but then again I don't think anyone thought they'd end up either. But here we are, under the moonlight on the Potomac, ready to enjoy the best years of our life. I am honored to be the President of the United States, but it will never top being the love of your life, and together - God willing - we are going to fill that blank canvas beyond our wildest imaginations. I love you my dear Casey, and we are going to see those happy little trees come to life", President DeSantis spoke to his wife in the President's Bedroom as the two kissed each other goodnight, their three kids already tucked in bed at the White House for the first time ever, and dimmed the lights as Washington shut down for another night, waiting for the sun to rise over the Potomac..."

[SaintStan86]

EPILOGUE

As Ron DeSantis fulfills his duties as the 47th President of the United States and Nikki Haley takes over as Vice President, former President Joe Biden returned to his beloved Delaware to begin his golden years and write his presidential memoirs, reflecting on a life of public service well-lived as an icon of sorts in the Democratic Party, one who never strayed from his long-standing goal of defending the "soul of the nation".

Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to California and settled in her new estate in Montecito, where her first few days are spent entertaining celebrities and other guests in private, with an interview from fellow Montecito resident and talk show legend Oprah Winfrey waiting in the wings. Her vice presidential running mate, Sen. Gary Peters, returns to serving the people of Michigan in the Senate as he gears up for a likely intense 2026 Senate reelection bid.

Former Vice President Mike Pence returned to his home north of Indianapolis, where he and his wife Karen also begin to embark upon retirement once again, with Pence now serving as an elder statesmen amongst Republicans and his state suddenly now led by a Democrat, Tom McDermott.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren returns to the U.S. Senate to begin her role as a progressive "thorn in the side" of the new DeSantis administration, vowing a series of "probing" and "intense" congressional hearings for all of DeSantis's incoming picks.

Likewise, Sens. Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio and Ben Sasse return to the Senate to continue service to their states in the "world's most exclusive club", as Sasse awaits confirmation as Secretary of Education. Their former colleague, former Sen. Ted Cruz, temporarily takes up residence in a Washington hotel suite awaiting his confirmation as Attorney General - likely to be the most explosive of all the nominees.

Former Sen. Amy Klobuchar returned home to Minnesota earlier in January with an "open arms" welcome in Minneapolis, but it remains unclear what her future holds, including whether or not to pursue a run for Governor in 2026 should incumbent DFL Gov. Tim Walz not pursue a run.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned home to Kansas as he continues to do speaking engagements on foreign policy matters, in addition to appearances on Fox News and a new book outlining his hopes and visions for what American foreign policy should look like going forward.

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg goes back to private life with his husband Chasten in Traverse City, Michigan, where the latter's parents reside and help out with childcare for their adopted twins. He plans to embark on a speaking tour with former late-night host David Letterman and his sidekick, Paul Shaffer, as potential guests.

As is the case with Pompeo, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie returns to ABC News as a political commentator, and is also set to become the lead guest host on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, in a move that some argue "cancels out" Stephanopoulos's Democratic bona fides.

Gov. Jared Polis returns to Colorado and his duties as Governor of the Centennial State, where he is term-limited in 2026 and speculation of a 2028 presidential run lingers on the horizon. A Senate run is virtually off the table, given his closeness and similarities to his predecessor as Governor, current Sen. John Hickenlooper, who is up for reelection that year.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan retires to his residence in Davidsonville, Maryland - outside Annapolis, where Hogan returns to post-government life and is working on a new book aimed at "creating a political climate that unites all Americans regardless of political stripes". He has announced plans to devote his political activism to "broad electoral and policy reform where both sides of the aisle stand to benefit", with an emphasis on empowering first responders and military.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper retires to his post-gubernatorial residence in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, where Cooper and his family plan to spend more time together as the 67-year-old former Governor begins his tenure as a CNN contributor aimed at providing "a Southern Democrat perspective on politics sorely missing in our political lexicon".

Conservative commentator Candace Owens returns to Tennessee to spend more time with her young family in Nashville, returning to her work as a commentator and host on Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire and continuing to advocate for her Blexit movement, including a new book coming out on "the emerging Black Republican majority".

Former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo returns to Rhode Island and joins a number of corporate boards where her expertise on business matters dating back to her pre-government days up to her work in the Biden administration is being sought to whichever degree possible. She also has become an ambassador of sorts to Biden administration alumni, seeking to consult future Democratic candidates looking to pursue public service from a socially liberal, economically left-of-center perspective.

After his quixotic Constitutional Party run, Mike Lindell returns to his company in Minnesota, MyPillow, which is now run by his four children and has recently expanded to include a number of new products over the years, including the newest items: MyShed and MySheShed, primarily advertising on Fox News and Newsmax, but also on direct response commercials across various television and streaming platforms. And while Lindell is no longer directly running the company, he remains as a consultant and Chairman of the Board as he works on his newest entrepreneurial pipe dream: MyHouse, aiming to replicate the old-school Craftsman House experience of over a century ago. Whether or not it succeeds, time will tell. As for the political world, let's just say - literally - his ambitions are way out there...

FINAL WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR:

It has been my joy, and one of immense personal sacrifice both from a time and financial perspective, to provide everyone with a detailed, comprehensive and relevant timeline of what could potentially be in our political horizons going forward. As always, I do not expect all of these predictions to come true - who even thinks like that anyway?, but it does not hurt to speculate what the future could be, could have been and can be. Because for me, it has been therapy in the face of the everyday personal struggles and triumphs I face, just like every other American, and I hope each and every one for you enjoyed this wonderful timeline.

I am grateful to President Stanton, 2016 and others who enjoyed this little piece of my mind over the length of a pregnancy and then some, and look forward to consulting with them on a timeline that they have chosen to continue that most likely will be completely - as they call it on this forum - retconned. And in real life, it has motivated me to get more involved than before, if I haven't already, in the time-honored political process that shapes our worldview as American citizens, and I look forward to seeing you sometime in the future as I focus on spending more time with my wonderful family and staying active in our public discourse back home in Fort Bend County, Texas - the Heart of the New America!

God bless you all, and may God bless our wonderful republic of a Nation that we all dearly love.

Best regards,
SaintStan86

[2016]

@SaintStan86,
From the Bottom of my Heart THANK YOU for this fantastic piece of Artwork

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

@SaintStan86, have appreciated the opportunity to participate in this TL 😊

[BigVic]

This was a 1980-redux. A Ron, an unpopular incumbent and a third party candidate

[2016]

@SaintStan86,
I have to say one thing: KUDOS to you. You picked that DeSantis might flip Miami-Dade. Might not happen in a Presidential Election just yet but all indications are that DeSantis could flip Dade on Tuesday during the 2022 Midterm Elections.

You must have something of a CRYSTAL BALL in your hand

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

@SaintStan86,
I have to say one thing: KUDOS to you. You picked that DeSantis might flip Miami-Dade. Might not happen in a Presidential Election just yet but all indications are that DeSantis could flip Dade on Tuesday during the 2022 Midterm Elections.

You must have something of a CRYSTAL BALL in your hand

Crist might suffer not just a loss, but a complete county shutout! I think DeSantis's polling averages is being underestimated by between 5 to 7%. I think we are looking at tsunami territory here! The early indicators that by early vote tabulations, that DeSantis is possibly overperforming across the board!

[2016]

@SaintStan86,
I have to say one thing: KUDOS to you. You picked that DeSantis might flip Miami-Dade. Might not happen in a Presidential Election just yet but all indications are that DeSantis could flip Dade on Tuesday during the 2022 Midterm Elections.

You must have something of a CRYSTAL BALL in your hand

Crist might suffer not just a loss, but a complete county shutout! I think DeSantis's polling averages is being underestimated by between 5 to 7%. I think we are looking at tsunami territory here! The early indicators that by early vote tabulations, that DeSantis is possibly overperforming across the board!

Crist will almost certainly win Gadsden County, Leon County & Broward County. He will also likely win Palm Beach County and Orange County.
Pinellas & Hillsborough are Toss Ups.

[2016]

@SaintStan86,
Wow, you picked it. Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade & Palm Beach County.

DeSantis has to run for President now!

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

@SaintStan86,
Wow, you picked it. Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade & Palm Beach County.

DeSantis has to run for President now!

Funny how he got FL right but was a complete GOP hack everywhere else.

[SaintStan86]

@SaintStan86,
Wow, you picked it. Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade & Palm Beach County.

DeSantis has to run for President now!

Funny how he got FL right but was a complete GOP hack everywhere else.

Except the GOP either picked underwhelming candidates, complete Trump puppets or ran into some unexpected headwinds outside of Florida and New York (and to a lesser extent, Ohio). Dr. Oz would have been Senator-elect if not for Mastriano + some slip-ups of his own regarding Pennsylvania name brands and sports schedules, and I'll be surprised if Kelli Ward is still the Queen Bee over in Arizona after what has transpired there.

The message is clear: It's DeSantis or bust for the GOP. And seriously, no one cares about 2020 anymore. Roe v. Wade has been overturned, our deficit is out of control, Dr. Fauci has given his last update and Trump is trailing in primary polls. What a difference a month makes!

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

@SaintStan86,
Wow, you picked it. Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade & Palm Beach County.

DeSantis has to run for President now!

Funny how he got FL right but was a complete GOP hack everywhere else.

Except the GOP either picked underwhelming candidates, complete Trump puppets or ran into some unexpected headwinds outside of Florida and New York (and to a lesser extent, Ohio). Dr. Oz would have been Senator-elect if not for Mastriano + some slip-ups of his own regarding Pennsylvania name brands and sports schedules, and I'll be surprised if Kelli Ward is still the Queen Bee over in Arizona after what has transpired there.

The message is clear: It's DeSantis or bust for the GOP. And seriously, no one cares about 2020 anymore. Roe v. Wade has been overturned, our deficit is out of control, Dr. Fauci has given his last update and Trump is trailing in primary polls. What a difference a month makes!

While this is true, I think you are overestimating how much the American people care about the deficit. If they did care we'd have done something about it.