A Lost Dream

[NickCT]

A LOST DREAM
CHAPTER TEN: AFTER TWELVE YEARS THEY STRIKE BACK

After twelve years of being locked out of the White House it was time for the Republican Party to strike back. The party was desperate for a change and they wanted to win. In December 1999, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee announced he was entering the race for President as a Republican. A former minister, Huckabee had wide appeal among Evangelical Christians hoping to restore a pro-life Republican to the White House. President Ferraro had gone her whole administration without appointing a nominee to the Supreme Court, and that was a relief, but it was time for the Republicans to make sure they had the opportunity to make the next round of appointments. Justice Rehnquist was aging and his seat would likely be vacated in the next few years, the Republicans needed to fill that seat. The conservative base was firmly behind Huckabee as he pursued a path to the White House and he finished second, only to John McCain, in polls. Only two weeks after Huckabee got into the race the conservative base was divided with Senator George Allen throwing his hat into the ring to challenge Huckabee for the the Republican Nomination.

Though the President already had two Republican challengers by January 21st her number one focus was on the State of the Union Address. In a prime time address to the American people Ferraro hit the ball out of the park. Her speech highlighted on the accomplishments of the Democrats and their minimum wage increase, speaking directly to middle class voters. It was a campaign speech, for sure, but what speech wasn't in this time of 24-hour news cycles and never-ending campaign cycles? The day after John McCain minimized Ferraro's post-SOTU bump by announcing his Presidential campaign in Phoenix, Arizona. Instantly, McCain rose to the front of the pack. He'd been defeated by Jeb Bush in 2000, but now he was back and he was ready to claim victory over the Republicans and ultimately Ferraro. Still, there was a lot standing in McCain's way with most Republicans feeling he was too close to the center for comfort. It was a tough campaign to swallow for the Evangelical base and as a result they went out and campaigned hard for Huckabee and Allen. Still, the moderates were united while the conservatives were united and it seemed that McCain could easily take the Republican Nomination. Then, Orrin Hatch entered the Presidential race, stealing support from McCain. Hatch had no legitimate path to the nomination but he had enough support to cost McCain the nomination.

By late February Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum had entered the presidential race as well and it was Allen who was leading the pack with McCain and Huckabee tied for second. The Republicans were dueling it out for the chance to take their message to the general electorate, but it seemed that none of them could defeat Ferraro's well-oiled machine. She had amassed a large lead in the electoral vote with Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Mexico, and Nevada on her side. Polls showed that Virginia could also be in play if Ferraro played her cards right. This election was Ferraro's to lose and her approval rating stood at 50%. Despite this the President wasn't comfortable expecting victory. She hit the campaign trail early, raising large amounts of money and fighting off Republican attacks. When Republicans would hit her on education, she'd fight back. When Republicans hit her on foreign policy, she had a response. It was a zig for every zag but the election was far from over.

Internally, the Republicans were fighting to stay alive. By March the contenders held their first debate where Allen cemented himself as the front runner. He was a social and fiscal conservative but he was a likable guy. Ultimately many Republican voters were satisfied with him, but Senator Santorum wasn't satisfied. He fought hard in Iowa and slowly his numbers grew and grew to the point where he was passing Allen in Iowa in some polls. It was a tough election for both sides, but they were eager to make victory happen. By the end of April the negative attacks started coming. Allen and Huckabee hit McCain for being a moderate, Hatch hit Santorum as being "too crazy for the general electorate", and McCain remained silent. It was that silence that reemerged his campaign in May and brought his name back into the spotlight where he regained control of the pack for much of the next few months, campaigning away he fought to keep his campaign on the right track, announcing a bus tour that would take him from Iowa to New Hampshire. He hit states that weren't early in the primaries, but were rich and delegates and by the time he got to New Hampshire there was nothing to stop him. "It's John's race now," remarked one Allen campaign member as the days got longer and the temperature got hotter.

When the candidates met for the second time in July 2003 in Iowa there was a lot of tension in the air. Santorum, Allen, and Huckabee were clearly fighting against each other in hopes of setting themselves apart from the other two conservatives while McCain and Hatch appeared states like. And then there were the less prevalent candidates: Tommy Thompson, Ron Paul, and Jim Gilmore. The debate allowed Allen to once again pull ahead over Huckabee and Santorum, making it a two-way race to the nomination between McCain and Allen. Both candidates were strong campaigners but it was Allen who could really fire up a crowd while McCain was more boring. Soon Allen started to gain big endorsements: Mitt Romney, Phil Gramm, and Sam Brownback. However there were two big shakeups in August of 2003. After months of deliberation Texas Governor George W. Bush, who had won in 1998, entered the race and so did Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee. Chafee wiped out momentum for McCain while Bush instantly rose to the front of the pack, leading in Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, and tied with McCain in Michigan. It looked as though another Bush would be the Republican Nominee in 2004.

The third and fourth debates for the Republicans were held in September. In the first one of the month it was Allen who stole the show, again. However Chafee set himself as the moderate choice instead of McCain and the race was starting to trend in his direction. He'd grown support in New Hampshire and there were rumors about him winning Florida as well. It was bound to be a close election but the issues were holding Chafee back. In the second debate of the month Bush did better than expected. Bush was not a natural debater and sometimes his answers seemed forced but in his second debate of the primary season he did well, well enough that Tommy Thompson dropped out of the race and endorsed him the next week and well enough that Tom Ridge and Kay Bailey Hutchison announced endorsements of him by the end of September. While the Republicans continued to fight it out the polls showed only one person who could beat Ferraro: George W. Bush. It was Bush's numbers who were surging and the country was connecting with him. It was time for the country to pick a person they could relate to it and they found that in George Bush.

By the winter of 2003 the field had been reduced to Bush, Chafee, McCain, Santorum, Huckabee, Allen, and Paul. The race was intense and it was anyone's for the taking, but ultimately the delegates would decide. As Ferraro watched it unfold from the Oval Office she was comfortable with her position. She had far more money than any of the Republicans and no one was beating her in the electoral college, though Bush, Chafee, and McCain were a little too close for comfort. The election was now a year away but the Republicans were just getting started.

 

[historybuff]

Getting good.
I'd vote for McCain if he'd won.

 

[NickCT]

A LOST DREAM
CHAPTER ELEVEN: IOWA PUTS THE WHEELS IN MOTION

The Iowa Caucuses were held on January 19, 2004. Republicans from all around the state appeared at their caucuses to nominate a candidate they hoped would take down President Ferraro during the general election. It was anticipated to be a close race and the results were uncertain. As the hour struck 8 and votes were counted it was clear a tight race between George W. Bush and George Allen was forming, but at midnight the reporters made their projections: George Allen had won the state of Iowa by a mere 400 votes. With Bush in second and Santorum in third it was Mike Huckabee who announced his withdrawal from the presidential race the next morning and so did several of the also-rans, dwindling the field to Chafee, Paul, McCain, Santorum, Bush, and Allen. As attention turned to New Hampshire the Republicans had a bitter fight on their hands. The polls in New Hampshire closed at 8:00 in the evening on Tuesday, January 27, 2004, and only two hours later the state was called for John McCain. George Bush finished second and Lincoln Chafee came in third. With that attention shifted to South Carolina where the only thing between New Hampshire and South Carolina was a prime time debate hosted by NBC.

The candidates gathered in a college auditorium in South Carolina for the last debate before the crucial South Carolina Primary - it was a sight for sore eyes. Governor Bush lashed out against Senator Allen, while Santourm also took it to Allen. Chafee hit McCain while McCain seemed to blast the entire field. Then there was Ron Paul who came across as some loon who appeared to side with President Ferraro on terrorism. In the end Allen was the clear winner. He stayed above the attacks and stuck to his message. In the end the people of South Carolina awarded him a crushing victory, beating George Bush by five percentage points. After South Carolina handed him another fourth-place finish, Santorum announced his withdrawal from the campaign. He subsequently endorsed George Allen. The next week, Michigan and Nevada went to the polls. When Senator McCain secured victory in both states the momentum had again shifted and Lincoln Chafee withdrew, refusing to endorse any of the candidates in the field. It was now time for a focus on Florida. The perennial swing state had since gained an enormous say in the Republican race for the nomination and they handed George W. Bush a victory, there was no clear front runner for the nomination with three major contenders and Ron Paul.

On Super Tuesday Allen and Bush split the earnings and McCain fell farther behind, though he took the State of Arizona. It was clearly a two-person race but McCain stayed in, hoping to have a say, in all likelihood it was probably his last Presidential campaign. Rising unemployment and rising concerns over foreign policy eventually gave George Allen the momentum he needed to take the Republican Nomination from George Bush. His victory in the primaries could be attributed to his experience and the pundits all agreed that Bush's campaign needed to do better in the early states to make a difference. With the race set it was time to turn speculation to who Allen would name as a running mate. Nothing was certain and the stakes were high.

Campaign insiders pushed Allen for Bush, but Allen flat out denied any interest in pursuing Bush as a running mate. In Bush's memoirs, written some time later, he would reflect on the possibility of his name being in consideration as "foolish" and said he wouldn't consider a vice presidential nomination. Luckily the feeling was mutual because Allen didn't want Bush on the ticket either. So the process of vetting began a few days after Allen locked up the nomination, just after Super Tuesday. Allen, his wife, and campaign staff were sitting in a crowded conference room at campaign headquarters in Washington, D.C. where they would sit and discuss what Allen wanted in a running mate. The first word that came to mind when Allen was asked what he wanted was "fiery" followed by middle-aged and Independent Thinker. He went on to say ideally he would find an African-American female but realistically that wasn't an option so he settled on a female, if possible. He also wanted someone savvy in foreign affairs. Ultimately the campaign took the criteria and went searching. As the Allen team began to create a list of possibilities, several names were mentioned.

The first was Jane Dee Hull, the recently retired Governor of Arizona who had endorsed Allen early on in the primary campaign, helping him get second in the State of Arizona. She had executive experience, but little foreign policy experience, and she was 69 years old. There were obvious faults with her nomination, but Allen had campaigned with her many times and seemed to believe she should be placed in high regard, despite urging from the campaign hierarchy to do the opposite. Also from Arizona, Senator John McCain was briefly considered but Allen ultimately ruled him out early on in the process.

Senator Jon Kyl, also from Arizona, was put into consideration as well. Kyl had served in congress since 1987 and though his areas of expertise were in finance, Kyl wouldn't be questioned on foreign policy. His experience in Washington was evident and he was 62 years old. Though Allen was confident in his abilities he still wasn't willing to settle on a nominee and so the campaign went back to the drawing board. They considered numerous other contenders and a few of the bigger names were also thrown into consideration. One name that received a lot of speculation was Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld had served in numerous capacities during his time and would be seen as someone who offered a lot of experience to the ticket, without overshadowing Allen on the campaign trail. That appealed to Allen and Rumsfeld was taken past consideration and moved to the short list. It was not an easy decision but the Short List had its first name: Donald Rumsfeld.

The second name added to the short list was Lisa Murkowski. While many thought she wouldn't get far in the vetting process as she could be easily attacked by the Democrats, Allen had met with her and trusted Murkowski to stand up to the attacks, no matter where they were coming from. Only a few days after Murkowski, another female was added to the short list: Carly Fiorina. Fiorina was CEO of Hewlett-Packard and her business experience appealed to Allen. She had never held elected office, but Allen was very serious about properly vetting her. As Allen's campaign manager would recall in his memoir's, "For some reason the Senator had a fascination and admiration for Carly Fiorina and despite strong objections from the campaign rank-and-file she was placed in strong consideration. We didn't know why, she matched almost none of that initial criteria he'd asked for, but what George wanted George got."

In the end over 20 people were vetted and a short list was comprised of five: Donald Rumsfeld, Lisa Murkowski, Carly Fiorina, Mark Sanford, and Sam Brownback. The decision rested with George Allen and it would be one of the five people his staff had vetted for months. The Republican National Convention was set to take place in Cleveland, Ohio and would begin on July 26th, 2004. Allen's campaign announced the selection of their running mate would be released at a rally in Tampa, Florida on July 23rd. The stakes were high and the nation was watching.

 

[historybuff]

Let's see who Allen's gonna pick.

 

[NickCT]

I've self-published this timeline into a book so I'll post the last update that was included in the book. Note: the book left off on a cliffhanger and I'll be self-publishing the sequel in a few months. The next update is where the first book (also titled a lost dream) ended off on.

 

[MrHuman]

I've self-published this timeline into a book so I'll post the last update that was included in the book. Note: the book left off on a cliffhanger and I'll be self-publishing the sequel in a few months. The next update is where the first book (also titled a lost dream) ended off on.

If there's a web page, could we have the link to that?

 

[NickCT]

If there's a web page, could we have the link to that?

web page for what?

 

[NickCT]

A LOST DREAM
CHAPTER TWELVE: THE FALL

With George Allen's announcement of Lisa Murkowski as his running mate and the subsequent media attention, the nation was eager to see where things were going. The stakes were high - the people wanted answers. Soon enough Geraldine Ferraro and George Allen would be locked in a fight for the future of the nation.

The Republican National Convention was the party's first chance to try and redefine Ferraro. The President was a woman most Americans respected, she was someone they looked-up to and admired. It was going to be difficult to try and get rid of an incumbent President, let alone the nation's first female Commander-in-Chief.

The Republicans used their podium to rail against the injustices of the Ferraro Administration. They attacked her banking reform, her unwillingness to work with the Republican Party. They fought her tooth-and-nail on every issue that had defined the primary fight and the MidTerm Elections from 2002. When there was an inch of doubt they blew it up, maximizing Ferraro's weaknesses for all in the nation to see. It was a smart and well-calculated convention and they had speaker after speaker after speaker talk about how terrible Geraldine Ferraro was. By the time Lisa Murkowski took the stage to accept her nomination most expected her to just talk about how bad Gerry Ferraro was, but she didn't. Instead, Lisa outlined the Republican vision for America. Her optimistic approach talked about a "New America" an America that all people could believe in. It was a speech to remember.

Allen rallied the conservatives on the next night. Attacking Ferraro for her positions on the most "liberal" issues, he was vicious and relentless. He didn't give up but his attacks were weaved into a well-crafted address, one that gave the appearance of a pro-Allen speech while being very much Anti-Ferraro. He hit the President on the issues she was weak and rallied conservatives by talking about how wrong Ferraro was on social issues as well as her shortcomings on other key issues. His speech was vague and unfulfilling but it filled its purpose and the Republicans left their convention with a narrowed race and a worried incumbent.

By the time the Democrats held their convention the Republicans had established momentum and the Allen/Murkowski ticket was on the stump campaigning against Ferraro left and right. It was becoming impossible to keep up. Finally, President Ferraro put her foot down and remained firm, resolving not to let the Republicans walk all over her. "The next election," she said, "would make or break America!"

The convention began with high profile speakers who talked about Ferraro's accomplishments on things like education and keeping the nation safe. They pointed to her experience and the fact that the nation was moving in the right direction. Still, voters were tired of twelve years of Democratic rule - did they really want sixteen? The answer for most was no. The Democrats had to convince a majority of Americans they deserved another four years. It wasn't impossible, but it wasn't going to be easy.

When Sam Nunn addressed the convention he was gracious, urging the party to unite and prepare for battle. "Man your stations," he said, "America is counting on you!" The war metaphor was brilliant and energized the liberal base. They were excited and ready to go. The enthusiasm gap had begun to narrow. More Republicans were expected to vote in the 2004 Elections because they'd been locked out of the White House for the better part of the last twenty years. They wanted a chance to reclaim what they felt was theirs. The Democrats were largely successful in using their convention to counter that, to produce a new reason for Democrats to get excited: to protect the hard work they'd done.

Leading up to Geraldine Ferraro's speech at the convention there was a lot of disagreement among senior staffers at the White House and campaign staffers on the trail. It wasn't a new matter for debate, it was a discussion they had had a lot in the past: should Ferraro promise universal health care? It would certainly be the priority of a second term so should she use the convention to catapult that ambition? It could be counter-productive. It could energize the Republicans to kick her out of office more than it would energize the Democrats to achieve universal health care. The stakes were high and the eyes were on Ferraro to make up her mind.

President Geraldine Ferraro was a woman of her convictions. She fought for what she believed in and at the 18-minute mark of her address she talked about a health care system that worked for all Americans. A health care system where younger Americans could be afforded the liberty to stay on their parent's health care, the ability to purchase health care across state boundaries, the ability of all Americans to have access to affordable health insurance. "This is the fight of our generation," Ferraro said, "and the work begins today!" Democrats rose to their feet in applause and Ferraro basked in the glory of her decision, at least in the short term it was paying off. And then the stakes got even higher. Near the end of her address Ferraro pointed out that 20 years earlier she had stood in front of the convention and accepted her party's nomination for Vice President of the United States. She reminded the delegates she had made a pledge, to make sure that all genders were treated fairly. Then, under the scrutiny of the media, Ferraro used her 2004 speech to highlight a rallying cry of the 1984 address: she promised to pass the Equal Rights Amendment if given a second term. Then she immediately apologized, apologized for not fulfilling the promise during her first term. Women burst into applause, delegates cheered, and George Allen was grinning. This was another issue where the candidates could not be more different and he was ready.

The people of the United States were eager for change but in the wake of the Democratic National Convention the polls didn't show it. President Ferraro led in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and even Virginia! Yes, George Allen's home state, a solidly Republican state, had turned light blue after the President's inspiring convention. The Senator of Virginia was in damage control: he needed to reassess his campaign. In the process of several days he reorganized his campaign staff and resumed an active schedule. We were on the road again in the race for the White House.

President Ferraro was on the road nearly every day, working hard to earn back the trust of voters. She loved campaigning, loved meeting people and hearing stories. She was confident in her ability to connect with the voters and she was optimistic about her chances at securing reelection. Despite this, the President's post-convention bounce faded and the race was a dead heat heading into the first presidential debate.

The first presidential debate was to focus on foreign affairs, mainly the War in Afghanistan. The President was able to defeat Allen by taking him to task on numerous issues and demonstrating that she had the national security experience, not Senator Allen. Ferraro regained the momentum after the first debate.

A few days later Lisa Murkowski and Sam Nunn met for their only debate. The Vice Presidential debate is truly insignificant and that was a relief for the Ferraro camp. Nunn was disengaged, appearing bored and unprepared. Murkowski was able to throw in one-liners without being challenged and was still able to answer the question directly. Murkowski looked prepared to be President, Nunn looked like an old man who was out of touch with middle America. Murkowski was praised by Republicans for her debate performance and Allen worked hard to capitalize on it, though it took a lot to move the polls.

Campaigning resumed. Ferraro and Allen and Nunn and Murkowski were making robocalls, filming ads, and making speeches. The President returned to Washington and right before the second Presidential debate she made a foreign visit to Afghanistan to meet with troops who were there on the ground as their mission was just beginning. The nation saw a strong Commander-in-Chief who was not going to let them down. They were confident in who they'd picked in 2000 and for most of them that image reasserted their previous thoughts: they made the right choice in 2000 and there was no reason to change their mind in 2004.

Ferraro continued to make national health care a major push of her campaign, reminding senior staffers she would rather lose trying to fight for something than winning on overused platitudes. Allen was quick to fight back, hitting the president hard and calling her a "socialist". This type of language and hostility was discomforting to Lisa Murkowski who was not eager to be out there calling President Ferraro anything but the President. Allen's closest advisers weren't satisfied. They pushed Murkowski to be tougher on Ferraro and urged her to hit the President hard. "We're losing credibility," Murkowski fought back, "and it isn't worth it!" Allen and his more conservative advisers disagreed. They argued the conservative base was rallying against Ferraro and that would pay off on Election Day.

The second debate is always tricky. It's usually the lesser-watched of the debates and it is usually in a town hall format. This year was no different. Ferraro and Allen fielded questions from angry citizens, upset about the lack of action from Washington. Allen was able to agree with these types of questions, coining the phrase "Ferraro hasn't done enough!" and gaining traction with its repeated use. The President was forced onto defense, arguing that her administration had done a lot for the nation including a minimum wage increase, education reform, and regulations of rogue banks. Ferraro was proud of her record and the second debate was a draw.

Following the second debate the polls were close. Allen led in Florida and Virginia while Ferraro held on to leads in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Oregon. The race was close in the popular vote but not close in the electoral vote: Ferraro was expected to win big. The race was getting interesting and Allen worked hard to grow his momentum.

The President hit the campaign trail, working day-in and day-out to take a stronger lead. She was confident she would need the support of the popular vote and the electoral vote if she wanted to push through health care reform in a second term. She brought out big names like Bill and Hillary Clinton to help her win the race. Fighting to keep the nation moving while Allen used a new slogan "It's Time to Reclaim America!" The slogan was an attempt to paint the Democrats and liberal as the group who "destroyed" America.

The trail was taxing on both candidates and both Allen and Ferraro were exhausted by the time the third, and final, debate arrived. Still, a candidate can never show they're tired. The President and Senator Allen answered questions on domestic policy, but the President's effort was lagging. She was exhausted, her makeup couldn't conceal the noticeable bags under her eyes and her general appearance. The President was physically and mentally drained and she later confessed she thought she was going to collapse from standing behind the podium for so long.

Allen won the final debate. Though his answers weren't the best in every category, and the President nailed the Senator on issues like education and the minimum wage, the President's appearance was hard to overcome. Some wondered if she was healthy enough to continue for another four years. The President took a few days off and returned to the campaign trail a new woman, but some felt it was too late. Allen had taken control in battleground states and was growing his lead.

The candidates worked hard, fighting for last-minute undecideds but by the last week of the campaign there was nothing more for them to do. All they did was work to remind their supporters to get out and vote, making sure that people who could vote did vote. The President's ground game was impressive. Democrats had registered thousands of new voters and they hoped that would guarantee them victory in some important states. The Republicans also had strong grassroots support, though. Allen had been getting conservatives fired up after being locked out of the White House for so long. If Allen lost the Republican Party would be shaken to the core. Allen's defeat would mean four consecutive losses. Bush was a more moderate candidate, Bob Dole was more conservative, Jeb Bush was more moderate, and George Allen was a fierce conservative. They tried everything and a defeat in 2004 would mean none of it worked. Allen wanted to win big, win big to prove he was the guy all along - the Republican the party needed to move forward. This election had a lot more riding on it than who would take the Oath of Office on January 20th, the future of the Republican Party was hanging in the balance.

The night before Election Night 2004 the polls were too close to call and the election was anyone's for the taking.

 

[MrHuman]

web page for what?

Like if you published it through Lulu or something, there's a page on the site for the book.

 

[NickCT]

Like if you published it through Lulu or something, there's a page on the site for the book.

I did use Lulu but I'm not really interested in selling it for profit (mainly because I don't feel right doing it because I used pictures for the cover that don't belong to me) if you're that interested in getting a copy I might be able to mail you one when it's done printing.

 

[MrHuman]

I did use Lulu but I'm not really interested in selling it for profit (mainly because I don't feel right doing it because I used pictures for the cover that don't belong to me) if you're that interested in getting a copy I might be able to mail you one when it's done printing.

No, that's fine. How long is it though, in pages?

 

[NickCT]

No, that's fine. How long is it though, in pages?

It turned out to be 67 pages and about 18,500 words and that's literally just condensing every update into a 6x9 piece of paper. I'm hoping the sequel will be over 100 but it'll require a lot of effort on my part

 

[NickCT]

No, that's fine. How long is it though, in pages?

Come to think of it, do you have any books on Lulu? Maybe it's better-known than I thought but I just figured it wasn't a very well-known website haha

 

[MrHuman]

Come to think of it, do you have any books on Lulu? Maybe it's better-known than I thought but I just figured it wasn't a very well-known website haha

I don't, but I looked into self-publishing once myself and that seemed like the best option. I'm thinking of self-publishing some stuff, and if I do it'll be on there.

 

[NickCT]

I don't, but I looked into self-publishing once myself and that seemed like the best option. I'm thinking of self-publishing some stuff, and if I do it'll be on there.

Cool, what'd you think of my last update?

 

[MrHuman]

Cool, what'd you think of my last update?

I thought it was very good. You did an election update while actually talking about the issues, which can be tough.

 

[Orville_third]

This is cool. Has Iraq changed in any way? (Please tell me they kept the inspectors in...)

 

[historybuff]

Great update.

 

[NickCT]

This is cool. Has Iraq changed in any way? (Please tell me they kept the inspectors in...)

The inspectors are there but in reality they're pretty weak by now (by 2000 IOTL their effectiveness was waning so I'd imagine that without any serious action by 2004 it would be even weaker).

And I'm glad you like it. This isn't my chief priority but I finished the last chapter for my book so I thought I'd post it. Depending on how much I like the end result of my book (once its printed and I receive it) will determine if I pursue the sequel in a shorter time span.

 

[NickCT]

A LOST DREAM
BOOK 2, CHAPTER 1: ELECTION NIGHT IN AMERICA

The Democrats were convened in Madison Square Garden. The President was offstage in a holding room, with family and advisers. Polls were closing on the East Coast and results began to come in. The campaign had been exhausting and now voters across the nation had decided whether Gerry Ferraro would receive another four years as President of the United States.

By 8:00 PM most states had closed their polls and Tom Brokaw took to the screen on NBC. The President and those with her leaned in to the television screen to hear the earliest calls. The President, her blonde hair shorter and grayer than before, her eyes with less color, and the wrinkles of her skin more defined, sat in awe, holding the hand of her husband: John Zaccaro.

"With polls closed on the East Coast we are now ready to make the following projections: In Illinois, 21 for President Ferraro. New Jersey and its 15 electoral votes go to President Ferraro. Massachusetts and its 12 electoral votes for Ferraro. Maryland, solidly blue, goes blue again - 10 electoral votes. In Tennessee, we can project George Allen the victor - 11 electoral votes. In Alabama, the South keeps going red with George Allen winning - nine electoral votes. Back to New England and Connecticut, seven electoral votes, in the Ferraro column. In Oklahoma, George Allen wins seven electoral votes. Returning to the Northeast, we are ready to call Maine for Ferraro. Maine awards its electoral votes based on proportionality. It has four and despite its unique system we are confident in calling all four for Geraldine Ferraro. In the District of Columbia and the State of Delaware, President Ferraro has won. The map is now 78 votes for John Kerry and 66 votes for George Allen."

The results were comforting, but not surprising. Still, the Ferraro campaign was pleased. Exit polling was suggesting victory in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and other swing states. If the President won those three states she was basically guaranteed the election. Barbara Kennelly was calm. She had been Chief of Staff for four years and she was a chief strategist for the President's reelection campaign. She held a great amount of love for Ferraro. This election was personal for her, she wanted Gerry to do well. It showed.

Pacing around the room, Kennelly began to make the President nervous. Occasionally, the President would lean in to her husband and whisper, "Do you think Barbara knows something I don't? Do you think we're in trouble here?" Zaccaro had no idea. In his four years as First Gentlemen he had been silent. There was little to no mention of him in the press. He attended state dinners and formal functions but he gave three speeches for the President the entire campaign. He hated politics, it wasn't his game - it was Gerry's.

Back and forth. Kennelly was going back and forth, circling the couch where Ferraro was sitting with her husband and children. Unsure of whether or not the President could really pull it off, Kennelly gnawed the tip of her pen.

"Barbara! Sit down, you're making me nervous, and that's an order!" the President joked.

Kennelly shook her head and sat on a stool, in the back of the room. She strained to see the television which looked more like a blurry colored dot from her vantage point. Then the President's Chief Pollster burst into the room, nearly knocking Kennelly off her bench. "President Ferraro, Mrs. Kennelly, Mr. Zaccaro: I have some big news."

* * *​

George Allen's political career was on the line. Once you received your party's nomination that was basically it - if you failed you didn't rebound and Allen would waste away his career as a member of the United States Senate. He had achieved maximum potential and that was exactly why he was so nervous as results began to come in and the election faded from being a sure thing for the Senator: his career was on the line. Every time a state was called for him Susan Allen would turn and kiss her husband on the cheek, but every time the President won a state the energy was sucked out of the room and Susan sat still, the Senator growing nervous.

All signs suggested that the election would be close. The bald man hugging a clipboard close to his chest was Allen's chief strategist. For the better part of two years voters were rallied, candidates gave speeches and shook hands, and the news anchors talked about the election when people woke up until they went to bed, and in most cases the reruns during the middle of the night focused on the election as well. Senator Allen was tired, but he was optimistic. He honestly believed he would win, that he could succeed in ending twelve consecutive years of Democratic rule.

His advisers agreed, informing the Senator that the odds were in his favor. The exit polling wasn't going how Allen had planned. White, male voters weren't turning out like they said they would and Ferraro was getting over 60% of the female vote in some of the key states, if that held up it would be deadly to the Allen campaign and it would mean another four years of a Democratic President, another four years of the alleged socialism that Senator Allen railed against on the campaign trail.

* * *​

The President was calm. She stood tall, her left arm erect, her left hand clutching the end of her chin as her right arm tucked under the left. Her pale pink lips pressed tightly shut, her head nodding. Kennelly was less contained. She wore a large grin on her face, frantically bobbing her head up and down as she looked around the hallway just outside the holding room. John was emotionless. He shrugged and put on a fake smile for his wife. The three of them returned to the room, Zaccaro first and then Kennelly, followed by the President. As Barbara entered the room the President grabbed her by the arm, "Barbara we don't tell anyone this, okay?" Kennelly nodded in agreement.

They entered to loud applause. "President Ferraro holds a lead in Florida and that lead can be attributed to female voters, the President has done very well with them. As you can see on your screen the President is at 52%, George Allen is at 47%, and Ralph Nader pulling just under 1%. The race is close, my friends, but Florida is giving Gerry Ferraro a five point lead." Tom Brokaw's words were of great comfort to a nervous room.

Ferraro stood in the back of the room, quietly chatting with Barbara Kennelly as the rest of the room celebrated the great news from Florida. "I want you to get the team ready to review cabinet officials, I think we're going to need to move a few people around," the President said.

"Of course, who were you thinking?"

"Well Barbara deserves an appointment. Commerce was a hold over, I really want her in Treasury," Ferraro pressed, "She's done a good job -"

"Excuse me Madame President," Kennelly said before turning to everyone in the room, "For God's sake: they haven't called Florida! If you jinx that state I'm going to have you out in front of everyone apologizing for costing us the Goddamn election now shut up" Kennelly barked before turning to face the President, "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"I was saying that Mikulski deserves a promotion and Treasury is an awesome fit for her. You know that, Barbara, she's tough on banking reform, she'd be perfect."

"I agree, Madame President. She fits in with what you want to push for a second term agenda. Just remember that second terms are harder than first terms, traditionally, and I doubt yours will be the exception. But yes, I'll make sure that's added in. What else were you thinking about?"

* * *​

"Senator Allen, can I see you?" It was one of the Senator's top campaign advisers, Terri Hauser.

"Of course, Terri, what is it?" the Senator said, rising from the couch to head to the back of the room.

"It's Ohio, sir."

"Good?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid not. Young voters - their going for Ferraro almost two to one. It's not a good sign," Hauser said, her face grim with disappointment.

"Well, young voters? I mean, they're not the end of it, are they?"

"Women voters, too. African-American turnout is higher than ever and you're only going to get about 4% of the African-American vote nationwide. It's not - it's not your year, Senator."

Allen turned away from the conversation. "Is it really over?"

"I don't know sir, but I know it's not going to be as easy as we had thought when we woke up this morning."

Allen's ears perked up, "So we're still alive?"

"Yes, Senator. Still alive, albeit barely."

"Okay thanks, Terri," Allen said, patting her on the back and heading back into the hotel room he was staying.

When the Senator entered the room again his wife got up, "George: is it bad? Can you win?"

"We can win Susan, we can win."

Whether George Allen believed the words or not he said them. There was a chance for an upset, a middle-of-the-night upset, but the exit polls were telling a different story. Democrats were the ones who showed up to vote. Women showed up to vote. African-Americans showed up to vote. White men showed up to vote too, but they weren't so overwhelmingly for George Allen as women and other minorities. The results of an election are not determined by what the polls say, the results are determined by who shows up to vote and how they vote. Any candidate who takes a race for granted is going to lose.

"With 29% of the vote in here's where we're at in Florida: President Geraldine Ferraro at 55%, Senator George Allen at 45%, and Ralph Nader now well under 1% with a negligible portion of the votes. We can't call the state yet but it is pretty solid for the President right now," said Wolf Blitzer on CNN.

There was a collective sigh throughout the room and an awkward silence. Without Florida it was going to be very difficult for the Allen campaign to win the election. The state had 27 electoral votes, more than most states and it was absolutely critical to winning the election. Then the biggest shock of all.

"About 33% of the vote is in from Virginia and it is a bad sign for Senator George Allen. President Ferraro holds a one point lead in the state, the Senator's home state. If he can't win the state he represents in Congress how can he expect to win the presidency?"

The words stung Senator Allen. It hurt George Allen. If the Senator lost his home state he wasn't going to win the election and he would be even more embarrassed about his defeat. Virginia had to go red, for the sake of George Allen's pride.

Finally a bright spot, "We are ready to call the state of North Carolina and its 15 electoral votes for Senator George Allen of Virginia. That's right, Senator Allen winning the state of North Carolina by a healthy margin, a good sign for the Senator who will begin the work of catching up right now."

Loud shouts rang from across the room. Staffers ran up to embrace Senator Allen and pat him on the back. Various, "Atta boy, Senator!" and "It's only the beginning!" came from those that approached him. Allen was happy, hope for a victory was still alive and Allen believed it could happen. The electoral count was 81 for Allen and 78 for Ferraro. The race was tightening.

A few moments later there was another break from the bad news in Ohio and Florida, "We're now ready to call the state of South Carolina for Senator George Allen. Yes, Senator George Allen winning South Carolina and its eight electoral votes."

Senator Allen was grinning. Though South Carolina and North Carolina were states he fully expected to win he was still happy to hear good news after hours of receiving discouraging reports from Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

* * *​

"Bad news for President Ferraro in Florida," Tom Brokaw began as NBC returned from a commercial break, "as it appears Senator George Allen is playing catch-up. Here are the latest numbers with about 35% of the vote in. You have Geraldine Ferraro at 54% and George Allen at about 46% that shows Florida moving in Senator Allen's direction at the moment."

The President bit her lip. She grabbed Kennelly and brought her outside. "Run down the hall and get me the latest numbers from Florida. I want statistics on female voters, now." Kennelly was off to the war room where computers cluttered one room and television sets covered the walls. The room was the mother ship for exit poll collection and hard vote tabulation. Kennelly needed to print off the latest from Florida.

Back in her room, Ferraro was stressing. She turned to an aide, "Florida isn't slipping away, right?"

The aide shrugged, "It could go either way, but you don't need it, Madame President. You can easily win this race without Florida. If you take the state you prevent an Allen victory, but I assure you: you don't need Florida."

"Okay, thanks," Ferraro said, but it wasn't hardly enough. The President wanted Florida - it would deliver the knockout punch she badly wanted to hit Allen with.

* * *​

"We're now ready to call the state of Pennsylvania for President Geraldine Ferraro. Those 21 electoral votes will be pivotal to a Ferraro victory tonight. Though the state has gone Democrat in recent years, Allen was hoping to pick it off from the Ferraro column. High turnout among women voters and young voters kept the state blue for the President."

* * *​

"Breaking news at this hour! Ladies and Gentlemen though the state has been trending for Senator Allen the whole night we are ready to call the state of Florida and its 27 electoral votes for President Geraldine Ferraro. It is a state she lost in 2000, but it is a state she will carry tonight, a major victory for the President and a startling blow to the Allen campaign at this hour. President Geraldine Ferraro is one electoral vote away from reaching the magic number of 270 electoral votes."

Shouts went up across the room and people came to shake the President's hand. It was late and though the President was tired she was ready to assess the information. Things were going smoothly and she expected a landslide reelection. It was just past 11:00 and she was only a handful of electoral votes away from another four years. She grabbed Barbara, "I need the victory speech. Get me the victory speech, I need to look it over."

The President ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She combed her hair with her fingers and reapplied some of her makeup that had smudged and worn-off. She straightened her blazer and put on a necklace. She had won the election and Democrats had maintained control of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, making gains in each body. The American people were ready for the health care reform she had promised, but first there was a victory speech to deliver, a cabinet to reassess, and a nation to unite.

"MOM, GET IN HERE!" the President's daughter Laura yelled.

The President raced to the holding room. "We have a major projection to make at this hour. We can now project that the state of Ohio, and therefore the Presidency will go for President Geraldine Ferraro at this hour. President Geraldine Ferraro has won this election. We can also call the states of Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsin for the President. This is a very good night for Democrats across the nation," Tom Brokaw proclaimed.

The President had passed 305 electoral votes, an overwhelming victory. Three states had yet to be called: Virginia, Iowa, and Colorado. Victory in any of those states would only add to the President's enormous electoral college victory. As Ferraro was engulfed by hugs and handshakes Barbara Kennelly made her way to the President. "First off, congratulations Madame President. Secondly, and more importantly, I have Senator George Allen on the line to concede."

Ferraro grabbed the phone, "Hello?"

"Madame President, it's George."

"Hello, Senator, how are you?"

"Well, I'm fine, Madame President, but I'm sure you're doing a hell of a lot better. Congratulations, Madame President."

"Thank you, Senator, and you know what, I want you involved, George. I want you working with me over the next four years. You ran a tremendous and clean campaign and for that you should be proud," Ferraro said as she stood in the hallway, pressing one finger against her ear and holding the phone in her other hand. Nodding to whatever it was Senator Allen was saying, Ferraro motioned for Kennelly and mouthed the words, "Get it on the prompter." "It" was the victory speech that President Ferraro was ready to give now that she had won the election, now that another four years were her.

First, it was time for Senator Allen to deliver his concession speech. Introduced by Lisa Murkowski, Senator Allen approached the podium.

Motioning for quiet, Allen began.

"Thank you. Those two words can never be overused in a campaign. As I always do on election nights: I want to thank God. I want to thank God for the ability to have represented those Republicans who put me forward as their nominee and I want to thank God for this incredible opportunity. I want to thank my dedicated staff for their help throughout this campaign. I want to thank my wife and my children for their help and support. I want to thank everyone who made a phone call or who knocked on a door to help out my campaign, it truly made a difference," it was the opening of a deeply upset man with nowhere to turn but his faith.

Later on Allen said, "Whether or not we won is not the issue. We made a difference. We fought for what we believed in. We advocated for a better America. I got into this race to make a difference but making a difference can be done in other ways, and I'll use those ways. The road ahead won't be easy, but we must work together to unite a deeply divided America."
In the conclusion of his speech Allen congratulated the President, "Finally, I'd like to congratulate President Ferraro on a hard fought campaign. We were able to hold a clean, honest, and open election and that's something American politics has been lacking for awhile now. Congratulations on another for years, Madame President. Thank you all for being here and for your support these last two years. Thank you all and God bless America!"

Ferraro nodded and cracked a smile. She turned and embraced John Zacarro, they had done it! Before she went to the stage to deliver her speech to about 20,000 people she dragged Vice President Nunn outside and talked to him in private. "Thank you, Sam, for your dedication to my administration. If you want to start worrying about 2008, you have my support. Clear?"

"No worries, Madame President. I'll be 70 years old, I have no interest in running for President."

"Well, thank you, then. Thank you for your help the last four years and your help in the next four."

"Anything, Madame President," Sam replied.

"Well, great, this is great. Okay let me grab everyone and let's get a move on!"

Ferraro raced inside, "Barbara, get over here! John, Donna, Laura, John Junior: let's go!"

Barbara, the family, and the staff raced out, and the entourage made its way to just off stage where roaring supporters waved royal blue signs with the words "Ferraro/Nunn: Keep America Growing" typed in Times font.

Nunn walked out first and congratulated the President on her victory and promised the American people that the reelected team of leaders would get to work. And then the moment everyone waited for. Nunn said, "Ladies and Gentlemen: the President of the United States: Geraldine Anne Ferraro!"

Madison Square Garden was seating about 20,000 people that night. Many were crying, many were waving signs, and many were taking pictures, but everyone was either screaming or chanting "Gerry!" or "Four More Years!" at the top of their lungs.

The President shed a tear as she walked out and waved, holding her husband's hand. She approached Nunn and shook his hand, smiling. Then she hugged John and then her children who stood behind her and turned to the audience in front of her. There she stood behind a wood podium with a blue top and the Presidential seal hanging in the front. The President of the United States - it was a title Ferraro had never quite gotten over.

"Thank you!" Ferraro repeated every so often. The crowd wasn't going to stop their cheering. The first female President was going to have to wait. She had just been reelected and women everywhere rejoiced in another four years of leadership from the women they admired.

Several minutes later the President began by thanking her supporters, her volunteers, her family, her campaign staff, and Vice President Nunn. She followed the thank you's with a tribute to her mother who she wished was here to see the events of that night, Antonetta would've been proud of her daughter, Gerry.

Ferraro addressed numerous promises she'd made:

"We promised to pass the ERA. By the end of my second term the Equal Rights Amendment will have passed the House and passed the Senate and it will, hopefully, have been ratified by enough states. It is time to reaffirm our commitment to equal rights among the sexes. My being here isn't enough, the work goes on and I will not stop until the ERA is Amendment number 28 to the U.S. Constitution!"

"The American people voted to send me back to the White House. They voted to send back a more Democratic congress. Ladies and Gentlemen: the American people have been clear that health care reform must be passed so that every American can receive access to affordable health insurance!"
"I will not abandon you as long as you keep faith in our goals and our mission. This will be an ambitious second term and I am glad for you to make it with me. Thank you all, Good night, and God Bless America."

Ferraro turned to embrace her family and Barbara Kennelly and then she grabbed Sam Nunn's hand and they threw up their middle arms and waved with their free hand.

The audience roared its approval, the red, white, and balloons, fell and the work of the next four years was not, at the moment, a burden to the reelected President. Supporters were chanting "Gerry!" and the American people watched on television as their beloved President prepared for the next four years. It was an election to remember, America had chosen sixteen years in a row of Democratic rule.