The Biden Express

[Whanztastic]

Holy crap. I started reading this as I flipped through the list of Turtledove nominees. I did that at 12:15 this afternoon.

It's 2:30 AM, I just caught up, and a good 7+ hours of that I couldn't spend reading for various reasons, so I read the thread in something like 5-6 hours. What a hell of a ride so far.

Not to vote either way in the 1992 general, as I would have been far too young , but my main thought is "If Cuomo wins, do you have a rough sketch you're comfortable with that lets the previously spoiled Presidents line up neatly? How about if Thornburgh wins?" If one of them makes the assumed sequence of elections more difficult to generate, the other would likely serve the TL better, and I'm in favor of whatever serves the story you want to tell.

Please keep this up. It's a hell of a TL, and since several of my other reads seem to be winding down, I'm happy to have a new (to me) one to sink my teeth into.

Thanks so much! Working on wrapping this up right. Have the Presidential election figured out, just doing down tickets and the fallout, one way another,

(I wrote this on my TV!)

 

[Stolengood]

(I wrote this on my TV!)

 

[THE OBSERVER]

Thanks so much! Working on wrapping this up right. Have the Presidential election figured out, just doing down tickets and the fallout, one way another,

Prepare for dispersal ASAP!

 

[Whanztastic]

Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. Administration

President – Joe Biden (DE)

Vice President – Rudy Perpich (MN) 1989 - 1991
- Claiborne Pell (RI)

---

Chairman of the Cabinet - William Gray (PA) 1992 - 1993

Secretary of State – Warren M. Christopher (CA)

Secretary of the Treasury – Lloyd M. Bentsen (TX) 1989 - 1992
- Robert Rubin (NY)

Secretary of Defense – Lee H. Hamilton (IN)

Attorney General – Richard Blumenthal (CT)

Secretary of the Interior – Bruce E. Babbitt (AZ)

Secretary of Agriculture – James Allen Hightower (TX)

Secretary of Commerce – Gerald L. Baliles (VA)

Secretary of Labor – Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) 1989 - 1990
- Robert Reich (MA)

Secretary of Health and Human Services – Dianne Feinstein (CA) 1989 - 1990
- Paul Tsongas (MA)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development – Ron Brown (DC)

Secretary of Transportation – Tommy Thompson (WI) 1989
- Michael Dukakis (MA)

Secretary of Energy – Lawton M. Chiles (FL)

Secretary of Education – Donna Shalala (NY)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs – Jim Webb (VA)

Secretary of Environmental Protection – Martha Layne Collins (KY) 1989 - 1991
- Carol Browner (FL)

White House Chief of Staff – Ted Kaufman (DE)

Trade Representative – Paul Tsongas (MA) 1989 - 1990
- Harold Ickes

Director of the Office of Management and Budget – Leon Panetta (CA)

Ambassador to the United Nations – Richard Holbrooke (GA)

Director of Central Intelligence – William H. Webster (MO) - 1989 - 1990
- George Tenet

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency – Martha Layne Collins (KY) – 1989 (Elevated into Cabinet position)

Director of National Drug Control Policy – Pierre S. du Pont IV (DE) - 1989 - 1990
- Lee Brown

National Security Advisor – Zbigniew Brzezinski 1989 - 1991
- Leslie Gelb

Solicitor General – Robert Reich (MA) 1989 - 1990
- Deval Patrick (MA)

Chairman of the Federal Reserve – Alan Binder (NJ)

 

[THE OBSERVER]

Thanks. Will a detailed legislation list be coming soon?

 

[Whanztastic]

Manifest Destiny

---

The Oregonian was certainly made an interesting read, James Carville thought.

“Packwood Accessed of Sexual Advances”

“Jesus,” Carville said out loud to the bathroom, “we might keep the Senate…”

---

Judy Smith had been brought onto the Thornburgh Campaign to put out one fire, but another one had just sparked in Oregon. Packwood, long-time women’s right activist, apparently had loose hands. So much for a safe campaign surrogate... Smith found Rollins with a bottle on his desk at 7am.

“Jesus Ed, I know we’re not winning Oregon anymore but we’ve still got a chance tonight.”

“Well, either way I’m done.”

“Ed… what’s wrong?”

“I was pushing Packwood as Chairman of the Cabinet… I wanted to announce earlier… with this and Sipple… if we win tonight, I’m done. ‘There’s no place for me in the Thornburgh White House…’”

“Ed, I’m so…”

“And then he called…” Rollins paused for another pull.

“Who called?”

“Who the hell do you think? Atwood! That, viper… he did this. He did Packwood’s past, I know he did. Packwood passed vetting… Lee called to ‘apologize’ that he was ‘sorry’. Rubbing salt in the wound…”

“Why!?”

“I don’t know… I ‘wronged’ him in ’88, he blames me for getting kicked off the Bush campaign, and I think he blames me for Biden getting elected.”

“That’s crazy Ed,”

“That’s Lee…”

---

Cuomo Campaign Election Day Rally

---

“The first results are coming in from the east coast, and still some states are still to close to call.”

---

“I thank all our supporters and volunteers, fundraisers and donors, for the countless hours and resources Americans from every corner of our great country dedicated to our campaign. Matilda and I have been humbled by the outpour. This is a time of great challenges for our country, and I have prayed for guidance every day during this campaign.”

---

“Cuomo has won Louisiana, nine electoral votes, and the first real surprise of the night. Many eastern races are too close to call. Ohio, New Jersey, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Maine are all states both candidates campaigned heavily in and still none of them can be claimed by every campaign.”

---

“I believe in America, and I believe in the American people. The greatest leadership of this country is its citizenship, who work everyday to secure a better future for our children, so our children could experience the same dream that we have.”

---

“CNN can report that Missouri and Connecticut will go to Governor Cuomo, making it a electoral dead heat. Several states are still too close to call…”

---

“Tonight is just the beginning, our journey has just begun. There is still much work left to be done, and Washington must not quit on the American people, because the American people never quit, never back down from a fight. The people are why I serve, why I ran for Governor, why I ran for President.”

---

“We are now reporting that Thornburgh has won his home state of Pennsylvania, and Texas, the home state of Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Senator Lloyd Bentsen. No Democrat, except President Biden, has been elected to the White House without winning Texas. However, with polls in California now closed, Governor Cuomo is still winning the electoral count. New Jersey and Ohio are still too close to call.”

---

“I want to thank my family for putting up with the long hours and stress of days on the road. I want to thank Lloyd for being the best running mate a man could ask for.”

---

“As of 12:145 am, eastern time, CNN can now report that New Jersey will go to Democratic candidate Mario Cuomo. It comes down to Ohio, which at this time, CNN still has a toss-up”

---

“Last night was long, but this morning is bright with the new dawn. Many of you stood by our side as we waited for the results to trickle in. Let us appreciate what this new day has given us – a chance to start again. When I spoke with Governor Thornburgh a few minutes ago, and thanked him for a great campaign, and I wished him and his family well…”

---

“Well folks, this is the one we’ve been waiting for - Ohio. As of 7:28am, eastern time, CNN can now project that the next President of the United States will be…”

---

June 12, 1991

“I do… and let me ask you… if you don’t want to be President, what do you want for the future?”

Mario Cuomo let President Biden’s question sink in. He looked at the most powerful man in the world, who was stuck in a hospital bed. ‘Fightin’ Joe’ had not used the words, but Cuomo knew that the President needed him. The party needed him.

“I’ll do it for the party, for you Mr. President, but I’ve got one condition. I never really wanted to do run for President, put my family through the press, but if you need me, I’ll run – but for one term. I’ll run for one term, let you recover your health, and step aside when you can run again.”

A smile stretched across President Biden’s face. “Well, let’s cross that bridge when we get there.”

---

November 4, 1992

---

Mario Cuomo could not stop watching the television, James Carville had to pull him away.

“What do you want to do, Gov?”

“What can we do?”

Before Carville could answer, there was a knock at the door and it opened. Both men stood. “Mr. President,” they both answered in unison.

“Sit down guys, let’s talk.”

---

“As of 7:28am, eastern time, CNN can now project that the next President of the United States will be Richard Thornburgh. With his win in Ohio, Thornburgh has a total of 270 electoral votes, and although it is still being tallied, it appears he will win the popular vote as well. Nonetheless, this has been one of the closest elections in American history.”

---

“When I spoke with Governor Thornburgh a few minutes ago, and thanked him for a great campaign, and I wished him and his family well. I congratulated him on his victory and a campaign well fought. This is a time of great challenges for America, and I pray that the will be successful in guiding our nation.”

---

“Mario, Jim… it’s over, that’s what we do next. Nothing. We fought the good fight, but we lost. Recounts won’t change how people voted. You've got nobody to blame but me. Let’s end this right.”

​

---

There was a knock on Lee Atwater’s hotel room. Hopefully this would be the last time for a while that he would have to be in Philadelphia. He turned off the television, the news of course, of Dick Thornburgh’s win, and opened the door, to find Dick Thornburgh. “Mr. President-elect,” Atwater said with a grin, “what a surprise.”

“Hi Lee, I wanted to talk to you real quick. Seemed easier in person.”

“About what, sir?”

“The future, Lee. The future.”

---

“Together we will write the next chapter in our shared American story.”

​

 

[PistolSO]

When I had read that Cuomo had won Missouri, I thought he'd win.

Wow at that close Thornburgh win. Be interesting to see how the Senate and House races shake out.

 

[historybuff]

Great Biden cabinet. See when you can get a Thornburg cabinet list up.

 

[Whanztastic]

United State Senate Elections, 1992

---

Alabama
Richard Shelby (Democratic) 61.3%
Richard Sellars (Republican) 36.6%
Jerome Shockley (Libertarian) 2.0%

Alaska
Frank Murkowski (Republican) 55.4%
Tony Smith (Democratic) 36.4%
Mary Jordan (Green) 8.0%

Arkansas
Winston Bryant (Democratic) 48.2%
Mike Huckabee (Republican) 51.8%

California
Barbara Boxer (Democratic) 46.9%
John Seymour (Republican) 44.0%
Jerome McCready (American Ind.) 3.5%
Genevieve Torres (Peace & Freedom) 3.5%
June R. Genis (Libertarian) 2.2%

Colorado
Tim Wirth (Democratic) 50.3%
Terry Considine (Republican) 44.2%
Richard Grimes (Independent) 2.7%
Matt Noah (Christian Pro-Life) 1.5%
Dan Winters (Independent) 1.3%

Connecticut
Christopher Dodd (Democratic) 52.6%
Brook Johnson (Republican) 44.3%
Richard D. Gregory (Concerned Citizens) 2.4%
Howard A. Grayson, Jr. (Libertarian) 0.7%

Florida
Bob Graham (Democratic) 60.2%
James W. Grant (Republican) 39.8%

Georgia
Wyche Fowler (Democratic) 48.9%
Bob Barr (Republican) 51.1%

Hawaii
Daniel Inouye (Democratic) 53.3%
Rick Reed (Republican) 29.9%
Linda Martin (Green) 14.7%

Idaho
Dirk Kempthorne (Republican) 58.5%
Richard H. Stallings (Democratic) 45.5%

Illinois
Dick Durbin (Democratic) 51.3%
Richard S. Williamson (Republican) 46.1%

Indiana
Dan Quayle (Republican) 60.8%
Joseph Hogsett (Democratic) 38.2%

Iowa
Chuck Grassley (Republican) 69.9%
Jean Lloyd-Jones (Democratic) 26.9%

Kansas
Sam Brownback (Republican) 55.3%
Jim Slattery (Democratic) 42.4%

Kentucky
Wendell H. Ford (Democratic) 59.9%
David Williams (Republican) 38.8%

Louisiana
John Breaux (Democratic) 73.07%
Jon Khachaturian (Independent) 8.87%
Lyle Stocksill (Republican) 8.30%
Nick Joseph Accardo (Democratic) 5.44%
Fred Clegg Strong (Republican) 4.32%

Maryland
Barbara Mikulski (Democratic) 67.9%
Alan Keyes (Republican) 33.1%

Missouri
Kit Bond (Republican) 51.9%
Geri Rothman-Serot (Democratic) 44.9%

Nevada
Harry Reid (Democratic) 50.1%
Demar Dahl (Republican) 41.1%

New Hampshire
Judd Gregg (Republican) 50.2%
John Rauh (Democratic) 43.3%
K. Alexander (Libertarian) 3.5%

New York
Al D'Amato (Republican) 47.7%
Caroline Kennedy (Democratic) 49.2%

North Carolina
Terry Sanford (Democratic) 44.3%
Lauch Faircloth (Republican) 52.4%

North Dakota
Byron Dorgan (Democratic) 56.0%
Steve Sydness (Republican) 41.9%

North Dakota Special: Class 1
Kent Conrad (Democratic) 60.3%
Jack Dalrymple (Republican) 36.7%

Ohio
John Glenn (Democratic) 49.0%
Mike DeWine (Republican) 49.3%

Oklahoma
Don Nickles (Republican) 56.5%
Steve Lewis (Democratic) 40.2%

Oregon
Bob Packwood (Republican) 48.1%
Les AuCoin (Democratic) 51.5%

Pennsylvania
Arlen Specter (Republican) 49.1%
Lynn Yeakel (Democratic) 46.3%
John Perry III (Independent) 4.6%

Rhode Island
Jack Reed (Democratic) 48.7%
Claudine Schneider (Republican) 51.3%

South Carolina
Ernest Hollings (Democratic) 49.1%
Thomas F. Hartnett (Republican) 47.9%

South Dakota
Tom Daschle (Democratic) 60.5%
Charlene Haar (Republican) 36.9%

Utah
Robert Bennett (Republican) 58.7%
Wayne Owens (Democratic) 36.4%

Vermont
Patrick Leahy (Democratic) 52.2%
Jim Douglas (Republican) 45.3%

Washington
Patty Murray (Democratic) 52.1%
Rod Chandler (Republican) 47.9%

Wisconsin
Bob Kasten (Republican) 52.4%
Jim Moody (Democratic) 44.9%

---

103rd Senate

48 – 52

Senate President: Terry Branstad (R - IA)
President pro tempore: Strom Thurmond (R – SC)

Majority (Republican) Leadership

Majority Leader: Alan Simpson (WY)
Majority Whip: Trent Lott (MS)

Minority (Democratic) Leadership
Minority Leader: George Mitchell (ME)
Minority Whip: Al Gore (TN)

---

United State Gubernatorial Elections, 1992

Delaware
Thomas R. Carper (Democratic) 62.6%
Gary Scott (Republican) 36.2%

Indiana
Evan Bayh (Democratic) 58.4%
Linley Pearson (Republican) 38.9%

Missouri
Mel Carnahan (Democratic) 55.3%
William L. Webster (Republican) 44.7%

Montana
Thomas Lee Judge (Democratic) 46.4%
Marc Racicot (Republican) 53.6%

New Hampshire
Steve Merrill (Republican) 53.2%
Deborah Arnie Arnesen (Democratic) 43.8%

North Carolina
Robert Jordan III (Democratic) 46.2%
Sue Myrick (Republican) 50.7%

Rhode Island
Bruce Sundlun (Democratic) 57.9%
Elizabeth Leonard (Republican) 37.5%
Joseph Devine (Reform) 4.5%

Utah
Ted Wilson (Democratic) 41.4%
Mike Leavitt (Republican) 32.4%
Merrill Cook (Independent) 26.2%

Vermont
Howard Dean (Democratic) 71.2%
John McClaughry (Republican) 24.9%

Washington
Mike Lowry (Democratic) 50.2%
Ken Eikenberry (Republican) 49.8%

West Virginia
Gaston Caperton (Democratic) 58.2%
Cleve Benedict (Republican) 41.7%

---

United States House of Representatives Election Results, 1992

---

Democratic Party 1990 - 244 1992 – 235 (Net -9)
Republican Party 1990 - 190 1992 - 199(Net +9)
Other 1990 - 1 (Net 0)

House Leadership

Speaker: Richard Gephardt (D - MO)

Majority (Democratic) leadership
Majority Leader: David E. Bonior (MI)
Majority Whip: Nancy Pelosi (CA)

Minority (Republican) leadership
Minority Leader: Bob Walker (PA)
Minority Whip: Newt Gingrich (GA)

State Delegation Majorities
25 Democratic Majorities + 1 Independent Delegation Caucusing with Democrats
14 Republican Majorities
10 Divided Delegations without a Party Majority

 

[Nofix]

New York Senator Kennedy? Cool. Didn't care much for the general election itself thou (those uber close 1 EV wins piss me off to no end).

 

[PistolSO]

It'll be amusing to hear Majority Leader Simpson's sometimes crude remarks.

At least yay for House still being Democratic. Thornburgh administration will have to find common ground to get its agenda passed though. Be interesting to see what Thornburgh's Cabinet looks like.

Also, please remind me of who Biden's SCOTUS picks were.

 

[mr1940s]

wow just wow. That's going to take a long time to digest. Bravo!

 

[Whanztastic]

New York Senator Kennedy? Cool. Didn't care much for the general election itself thou (those uber close 1 EV wins piss me off to no end).

I wouldn't've done it if it hadn't seemed plausible. Given the two tickets, I think it would be close and play out like this. At least it isn't an alt-Florida 2000 situation or continuing recounts.

Also, please remind me of who Biden's SCOTUS picks were.

Dale Bumpers (Brennan) (89)
Amalya Lyle Kearse (Marshall) (90)
José Cabranes (White) (90)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Blackmun) (91)

 

[THE OBSERVER]

(those uber close 1 EV wins piss me off to no end).

Second that. But on the bright side, Biden will be Back on Track in 1996. Had to say it, since it looks like that'll be the title.

 

[THE OBSERVER]

Dale Bumpers (Brennan) (89)
Amalya Lyle Kearse (Marshall) (90)
José Cabranes (White) (90)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Blackmun) (91)

At least the Supreme Court is protected. One question though, why would Gingrich still have power after his failed strategy attacking Biden and his partial responsibility for Cheney's death. I figure he'd be politically blackballed.

 

[PistolSO]

Ok, wonder if I should start a "DBWI: Mario Cuomo Is President in 1992 instead of Richard Thornburgh" thread.

And I am uber glad that Thomas didn't become a Justice TTL.

 

[THE OBSERVER]

Ok, wonder if I should start a "DBWI: Mario Cuomo Is President in 1992 instead of Richard Thornburgh" thread.

And I am uber glad that Thomas didn't become a Justice TTL.

Was thinking the same thing! Also uber glad.

 

[DTanza]

Aw, well at least the Democrats snagged the House. But this is going to be interesting, I don't think there's ever been a Thornburgh Presidency and it's nice to have something fresh.

And if Biden manages to pull a Cleveland... Dis gon b gud.

 

[PistolSO]

Was thinking the same thing! Also uber glad.

Yes, the Supreme Court looks better with Stevens, Bumpers, Kearse, Cabranes and Ginsburg being the liberal wing and has occasional concurrence with O'Connor. I wonder if Kennedy is eventually going to do Lawrence type decisions ITTL or will he retire under Thornburgh since he won't be able to do his liberatarian stuff. Of course there's still Scalia and Rehnquist for the reactionaries.

 

[Nofix]

Second that. But on the bright side, Biden will be Back on Track in 1996. Had to say it, since it looks like that'll be the title.

Yay!

At least the Supreme Court is protected. One question though, why would Gingrich still have power after his failed strategy attacking Biden and his partial responsibility for Cheney's death. I figure he'd be politically blackballed.

I think that was an error.

Ok, wonder if I should start a "DBWI: Mario Cuomo Is President in 1992 instead of Richard Thornburgh" thread.

And I am uber glad that Thomas didn't become a Justice TTL.

Wouldn't that be the rare, nigh mytical, TBWI (Triple Blind What if)?

Amen brother, amen.