Are you feeling the chaos yet!

The Reform Party Primary is just four contests in, and yet, it feels very close to being in the final stretch, especially after two candidates dropped out to consolidate support behind a middle-ground candidate in order to prevent a dogmatic figure from the Reform Left or the Reform Right from winning the nomination. Things are getting crazy. Let's see how we got there:

In the New Hampshire Primary, Former President Gravel would get his first win of the season. His main competitor, Governor of Louisiana Buddy Roemer, appeared to be competitive in statewide polling, but Roemer only finished third, squeezed on one side by the presence of Ron Paul on the ballot pulling away fiscally conservative voters and on the other by Richard Lamm and Tim Penny, the fourth and fifth-place finishers, splitting the anti-Gravel vote. Roemer polled well, but when the votes were cast, he couldn't consolidate enough anti-Gravel support to deny another victory from the former President.

Richard Lamm and Tim Penny are out the race. Buddy Roemer is the only Reform Party member left in this race to represent the anti-Gravel wing of the party.

However, Roemer righted the ship in Delaware, winning the State by a narrow margin over Gravel even with Paul, Lamm, and Penny on the ballot. Paul's staying power in this race is quite impressive, considering his refusal to campaign for the Reform nomination, but he is one of America's most well-known (and widely-beloved) political figures. Heading into the Super Tuesday slate of primaries, both Lamm and Penny would drop out to consolidate the anti-Gravel vote behind Roemer. Super Tuesday's contests include many Southern states where Gravel still has strong support. Lamm and Penny, both Northerners, had no shot at winning any of these states. Roemer, a Southerner, does. This is down to a three man race, which, weirdly enough, only two men are campaigning for. Buddy Roemer briefly slipped behind Gravel in the polls after his New Hampshire loss, but in the final pre-Super Tuesday polls, it appears he has regained the lead. Whoever wins Super Tuesday, whether it's Gravel, Paul, or Roemer, will be the unquestioned front-runner for the rest of this race. Every vote will be crucial.

As always, you can vote for your favorite HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Buddy Roemer	33	Delaware, Iowa
Mike Gravel	31	New Hampshire
Ron Paul	20
Richard Lamm (withdrawn)	19
Tim Penny (withdrawn)	3
Jack Gargan (withdrawn)	1
Donald Trump (write-in)	1

After wins in New Hampshire and Delaware, Tom Hayden is now the man to beat in the Green Party presidential race.

In a year full of crazy primary elections, the Green Party is determined to have the only normal one. After primaries in Delaware and New Hampshire, the field has slimmed down from four to three, with a two-man race between party juggernauts potentially on the horizon after the crucial set of Super Tuesday primaries, which are coming up soon. Here's how we got there:

In New Hampshire, strong support for Mary Alice Herbert, the Governor of neighboring Vermont and the contest's third place finisher, pulled a lot of support away from expected winner Paul Wellstone, helping the more moderate choice, Governor of California Tom Hayden, win by a slim margin. Dennis Kucinich placed fourth. Then, just days later in Delaware, Hayden won by an even larger margin in a state that swings towards more moderate Greens. Wellstone again placed second, Herbert again placed third, and Kucinich again placed fourth.

Dennis Kucinich has dropped out of the Presidential race to focus on re-election to the House. He's endorsed Paul Wellstone.

After receiving around 5% of the vote in both New Hampshire and Delaware, Kucinich dropped out of the race and endorsed Wellstone. However, Kucinich's endorsement wasn't able to stop Wellstone's slide in the polls. Tom Hayden is gaining momentum, and before Super Tuesday, most national polls are showing Hayden in the lead, a big shift from early on in this race, where Wellstone had a double-digit lead in the polls. Mary Alice Herbert is still hanging on, polling strong at around 20% nationally, but she still sits far behind the top two candidates and has mainly become a spoiler for Wellstone at this point.

Next up is the all-important Super Tuesday. The overall winner of this huge slate of contests will get a huge upper hand in this race. It could be Hayden, it could be Wellstone, and it might even be Mary Alice Herbert. If Herbert doesn't perform strongly during Super Tuesday, it is likely that this becomes a two-man race between Hayden, who represents the party's more moderate wing, and Wellstone, who represents it's more radical wing. That's pretty straightforward in comparison to some of the craziness happening in other primaries right now (yes, that was a shot at you, Mary Bono). As always, you can vote for your favorite HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Tom Hayden	40	Delaware, New Hampshire
Paul Wellstone	38	Iowa
Mary Alice Herbert	16
Dennis Kucinich (withdrawn)	9
Dan Hamburg (withdrawn)	3
Judith Bari	1
Cynthia McKinney (write-in)	1

CONTEXT (YOU'LL NEED IT)

After pre-polling confirmed that H.W. Bush was the frontrunner for the nomination, the official Republican primary has begun.

George H.W. Bush - Previously ran in the 1980 Primaries before losing to Ronald Reagan, Reagan decided to take Bush as his running mate. The ticket ended up losing anyway, but Bush is not going to give up so easily. However, his previous comments in the previous primaries might end up biting him in the ass.

Bob Dole - The Vice Presidential nominee for the Republicans in 1976 under the Ford ticket, Dole also ran in 1980, but lost. Bob Dole happens to be gaffe-prone and often refers to himself in the third person, which might push voters away from voting for him.

Paul Laxalt - Previously the Governor of Nevada before becoming Senator, he served in World War 2, and is a strong supporter of Reaganomics. He famously met with Goldwater in 1964 during his first campaign for Senator, which many credit as causing him to lose that election by 48 votes.

Jack Kemp - Jack Kemp was on Reagan's shortlist of running mate candidates, however, allegations that Kemp was a closeted homosexual stopped Reagan from picking him as his Vice President. Kemp is running again, but those allegations might keep popping up and hurt his chances.

William F. Buckley Jr - Brother of Former Senator of New York, James L. Buckley, William F. Buckley Jr has endorsed Laxalt and has made it clear that he has no ambition to run for President. However, that isn't stopping a Draft Buckley movement.

View Poll

The Iowa Caucus has come and gone. The results will have major impacts on the primary races for all four major parties. Each party will eventually get their own post describing the Iowa results and how they effected their respective races. For the Democratic Party, the Caucus itself helped a few candidates and hurt a fair amount of others. However, what's more important to the Presidential race was a major exit before the Caucus began, followed by a new candidate's entry. With seventeen candidates in the race - any change in the field is bound to be interesting, and it still doesn't feel as though the race will consolidate any time soon.

Pressured by his closest allies, including President Dick Van Dyke, to drop out of the race, Richard Celeste ended his campaign shortly before the Iowa Caucus.

Richard Celeste wasn't going to drop out of this race. Then, he suddenly changed his mind, just days before the Iowa Caucus. Reportedly, Celeste had been pressured by several prominent supporters to drop out of the race, including President Dick Van Dyke, who urged him to end his presidential campaign to save face for the party and the administration. Celeste would choose to withhold his endorsement until the list of candidates to choose from narrowed somewhat, smart, considering the field isn't getting any smaller.

Enter Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota

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Dorgan, a first-term Senator from North Dakota, had formed a presidential exploratory committee earlier in the race, but he abandoned his bid after two of his closest colleagues in the Senate, Tom Harkin and Skip Humphrey announced bids of their own. Now, with Celeste out of the race, Dorgan - one of the closest Democrats to Celeste ideologically - saw an opening.

Dorgan and Celeste largely agree on economic policy. Both are pro-union, cautious when it comes to free trade, supportive of targeted protective tariffs, and call for greater federal involvement in regulating the financial sector. Both are advocates for strong federal investment in education, infrastructure, and innovation. However, the platforms of Celeste and Dorgan also have a few key differences. A moderate on social issues, Dorgan's platform avoids cultural issues such as abortion and gay rights. Instead, he has pledged to campaign exclusively on economic policy during the Democratic Primary - his primary area of expertise. Dorgan is also more fiscally conservative than Celeste was. He's called for cuts to wasteful and unnecessary federal spending and promises not to increase the deficit if elected President. Perhaps Dorgan's most controversial position is on immigration - he voted for a bipartisan bill - vetoed earlier this year by Dick Van Dyke - which would dramatically reduce the flow of immigration into the United States. That vote will surely be fodder for his progressive primary opponents to criticize him on.

Who did you expect to win? Iowans love this man.

With Celeste dropping out and Dorgan jumping in, the Iowa Caucus proceeded with seventeen recognizable Democratic candidates on the ballot. Tom Harkin would be the winner, and by a comfortable margin too, due to his home-state advantage. Skip Humphrey again impressed, stealing second place away from Jesse Jackson. Al Gore, also rising, placed fourth. Ann Richards disappointed, placing fifth, proving that there's clear overlap between her voter base and the base of her populist rival from Iowa. Mario Cuomo and Bob Graham both had solid performances, placing sixth and seventh. Bill Bradley, counted out after a poor showing in Ohio, rebounded with a strong performance of his own in the Hawkeye State. Dorgan and Kathleen Sullivan Alioto would place ninth, and tenth respectively.

Bill Nelson struggled in the Iowa Caucus. His poor performance there has badly hurt his campaign in the polls.

The big losers of the Iowa Caucus were Bill Nelson and Paul Pelosi. Nelson, who's brand of liberal centrism translates poorly to Iowa, where most Democratic voters live in rural areas, got less than 1% of the vote. Pelosi failed to win a single delegate, finishing with the fewest total ,votes of the sixteen major candidates, less than 1,000 in total. After the Iowa Caucus concluded, Pelosi would drop out of the race and endorse Kathleen Sullivan Alioto, mercifully cutting the crowded field down to sixteen candidates, which is where it stands going into the next major contest of the Democratic Primary: New Hampshire.

Jesse Jackson remains the leader in national polling despite a third-place finish in Iowa, with Tom Harkin jumping over Ann Richards into second place. Al Gore and Skip Humphrey, polling fourth and fifth, are both within striking distance of the nomination too. Behind them is a large second tier, consisting of Cuomo, Graham, Sullivan Alioto, Dorgan, Bradley, and Nelson - some rising, some falling, none really in serious contention. But, with how crazy this race has been, there's still time for one or more of these second tier candidates to become a real contender. I wouldn't bet on Nelson, however, as, he's slipped in the polls since Iowa, with a lot of his supporters drifting towards Bob Graham, who's run the better campaign of the two Florida moderates in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. However, with sixteen candidates still in the race, it's hard to get any conclusive results. Someone, please, drop out already!

As always, you can vote for your favorites HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Tom Harkin	40	Iowa
Jesse Jackson	40	Ohio
Ann Richards	33
Al Gore	23
Skip Humphrey	20
Doug Applegate	10
Mario Cuomo	10
Bob Graham	10
Bill Nelson	8
Chet Edwards	7
Bob Kerrey	6
Kathleen Sullivan Alioto	6
Bill Bradley	5
Byron Dorgan	2
Paul Pelosi (withdrawn)	2
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend	2
Richard Celeste (withdrawn)	1
Douglas Wilder	1

VOTE HERE

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Context

"IT'S SHERMAN BY A HAIR!"

Shouts the headline of the New York Tribune as Shermanites across the country celebrate the victory of the financial wizard of the Senate. It is the culmination of decades of work by Ohioan Senator to finally achieve the nomination of his party and the joy is only tempered by the knowledge it has come at the cost of his friendship with James Garfield. Perhaps one day the two men with reconcile but for now Sherman is focused on winning the ultimate prize in American politics.

No one is keen to drag the convention on any longer especially over the Vice Presidential nomination so the convention has only put forward two candidates. Both are from the Democratic wing, both are wealthy mining magnates turned Senators but one made his fortune in coal and the other in gold. Henry G. Davis has stood for the Vice Presidential nomination before as a Democrat in 1876 but was unsuccessful. Retiring from the Senate in 1883, Davis has continued to build out his mining operation and is well liked in the Appalachian region. From far out west is gold and silver mining magnate turned California Senator George Hearst whose personal connections offer a growing media empire to call on.

Both men offer deep pockets but also the chance to break into supposedly solid Farmer-Labor territory. Democratic-Republican leaders watched their rivals' convention with immense interest as the Miners faction proved to be a deciding swing bloc. With a silver sympathetic nominee and a mining magnate running mate, the party is hoping they can drive a wedge in the Butler coalition now that he's on the way out.

Candidates

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Former Senator Henry G. Davis of West Virginia

Originally from Maryland, Henry Davis rose through the ranks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad before the Civil War. A Unionist and admirer of President Lincoln, Davis participated in the Wheeling Convention which saw West Virginia secede from Virginia and become its own state and he was duly elected to serve in the new state's legislature. Since the end of the war Davis has systemically explored the Allegheny Mountains and built up the region's coal, lumber and railroad infrastructure and founded the Potomac and Piedmont Coal and Railroad Company which is one of the nation's largest suppliers of coal. He served as a Senator from West Virginia from 1871 to 1883 and his presence on the ticket would not only bring substantial campaign funds but also help Democratic-Republicans break into the formerly solid Farmer-Labor strongholds of the Appalachias.

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Senator George Hearst of California

A natural entrepreneur with an analytical mind, Hearst is one of the few men who can say they did get rich from the California gold rush. Making a decent living as prospector and businessman throughout the 1850s in California, Hearst would be one of the first to get in on the ground, or rather underground, of the Comstock load and amassed a huge fortune in silver mining. With millions made, Hearst has continued to invest in successful operations across the American west and beyond with enough left to spare to purchase the San Francisco Examiner, a base from which his son William is building out an even larger media empire. Spited by men of the Central Pacific Railroad in his political aspirations, Hearst built out a robust anti-monopoly coalition in California and became influential enough to replace the late Senator John F. Miller in 1887. With huge mining operation funding him, a growing media empire cheering him on and as a rare populist within the Democratic-Republican party Hearst links his candidacy is an offer the convention can't refuse.

A Magazine Full of Hope for Penn State Football, Unlike JoePa’s Presidential Campaign

“But for what purpose was the earth formed? To drive us mad.”

The Republican primaries opened in mid-January with the Alaska and Louisiana, with early victories for McCarthy and Evers respectively, however the small number of votes and delegates led these results to be dismissed as flukes while the “real” start of the season approached in Iowa. Despite polling indicating a 5-to-6-point lead for Paterno, it would be McCarthy that would come out on top with 35.4% of the vote to Paterno’s 30.7% and Cheney’s 29.6%. Concern would turn to alarm as McCarthy’s outsider campaign would pick up victories in New Hampshire and the following three states, with Paterno only finally achieving a win in South Dakota due to local Republicans memories of McCarthy’s prior relationship with Democrat George McGovern. The last few results before Super Tuesday would see Evers pick up another Southern state and Cheney finally pick up a couple of victories as the Paterno campaign was seemingly coming apart at the seams.

What had at first seemed to be in an insurmountable behemoth had been revealed as a house of cards, with infighting between the Bushes and other members of the Republican Old Guard leaving the politically inexperienced Joe Paterno left with the assumption that all was well in his camp, while in reality funds were being spread back and forth, ground coordination was nearly non-existent, and the upper echelons of the campaign were hiding it all from their candidate. After the defeat in Iowa, and subsequent under performances in New Hampshire & Delaware, reporters began to pick up on the fights going on within the campaign, which was how Paterno first found out about the sorry state of things, although he was already starting to have suspicions that he was being lied to.

Outraged and feeling betrayed by his friend, George H.W. Bush, he would attempt to “clean house,” bringing in his son, Jay, along with veterans of Sen. John Heinz’s campaigns, all in an attempt to turn the campaign around at Super Tuesday. However it would be too little too late, as he would fail to win any states and his support would fall dramatically in many of them due to the damage from the news reports. In his announcement of the suspension of his campaign later that night, he would call this foray into politics his “greatest failure,” saying that he “had been too trusting of the people around him” and that if he ever did run for any sort of office “it will be on my own terms, with my own people.” And so Paterno would head back to State College, vowing to make up for by “giving the fans an historic season,” with the first order of business being to hire a young Defensive Backs coach by the name of Nick Saban as the replacement for Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who would be welcomed as the new Head Coach at Michigan, following his leadership of the team throughout Paterno’s absences during their undefeated regular season and the playoffs, where the team would nearly make the national championship.

Once Charles Evers Was a Serious Force That Commanded Respect, Nowadays He Is Source Material for SNL

“There is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of man.”

With Paterno out of the race, attention shifted to another candidate whose campaign many were questioning, that being Charles Evers, who entered the year in the middle of a federal investigation. Between this and his own stubborn continued support of former Pres. Bob Dole already set him far behind the other candidates. While he would win in Southern states, with ever increasing numbers of Black participation in Republican primaries, as well as a positive reputation with the old guard of Southern Republicans, his ongoing federal investigations and other controversies weighed him down. While McCarthy would largely ignore Evers, the establishment, already having lost their star candidate, would focus its efforts on the “spoiler” candidate seemingly standing in the way of Sen. Cheney’s victory. However the continued assault on Evers would backfire, with him gaining over 25% in New York, with the aid of Jack Kemp and Herschel Walker as well, and another 20%+ in Missouri, with him continuing to post results in the 10-15% range.

Despite this, Evers short rebound would come to an end as the months long federal investigation would end with “lack of conclusive evidence.” Evers would compare the sudden end of his investigation to that of Perot’s two years prior after his resignation as Governor of Texas, stating that “the President waited until I had no chance of victory to call of his dogs.” McCarthy would seize on this theme, stating that Pres. Chavez has been engaging in “blatant lawfare” and “manipulating” the opposition, with the Republican elite deciding not to call out these “unconstitutional” and “Hooverite” attacks because “they are only interested in protecting themselves and not those who stand with the citizens of this nation.” While Evers would not drop out, behind the scenes his campaign was making overtures to McCarthy’s in the case of a contested convention.

No One Doubts Sen. Cheney’s Knowledge of Foreign Affairs, but to Many He Is as Mysterious as the Inner Workings of the Reich

“Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.”

The stage was now set for a confrontation no one had seen coming, with Senate Minority Leader Dick Cheney leading the charge of the Magnavox Republicans against yet another version of change for the Republican Party. While still more preferable to the old guard, Cheney’s vision of the future would still nonetheless bring about the end of the old Republican Party. Cheney was also still a relatively mysterious figure, having only been the Republican Senate Leader for about three years, with his national recognition also having been overshadowed by other rising stars from more populated states, such as Hillary Rodham Bush and Joe Lieberman. Through his connections to his mentor, Sen. Henry Kissinger, he had become known by the politically literate populace as a foreign policy guru, which only made them more surprised at his campaign. Yet know it stood as the only thing between McCarthy and the nomination.

However, Cheney had never intended for things to reach this point, as he had little hope of a Republican victory against Pres. Chavez, rather he had just looked to expand his name recognition for a future campaign, as well as to be able to influence the party platform. Despite some similarities in his and McCarthy’s platform, albeit with a more moderate flair, he shared the same distrust that many elected Republicans had off McCarthy, due to his current official Independent status, past affiliations with the Democrats and the Socialist Party of America, and questions over the validity of his “conversion” from his previous beliefs. Between this and his own personal connections with many of the Congressmen and party leaders that made up the establishment, he had gained their support when they lost Paterno.

Despite notching key wins in Illinois, attributed to McCarthy’s endorsement from former Chicago Mayor Jesse Jackson, and Ohio, a comeback victory in California would turn things back in McCarthy’s favor, with him even managing to win late Southern primaries due to the continued decline of Evers increasingly moribund campaign, with credit to McCarthy’s late surge in the South also being given to his appearances at several NASCAR races, where he was pictured socializing with Cup champions and icons of the sport, such as Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, and A. J. Foyt. There was also some confusion on the part of Cheney’s supporters, as he seemed to not be putting up much of a fight, focusing on spending time in Senate committee meetings and relying on advertisements. In a way, this was Cheney’s way of blunting his own momentum, as he was still not convinced that a Republican had a chance of winning the Presidency and was still wary of taking the nomination now, likely removing any chance of him running again. This would only be amplified with the emergence of a new event overseas that would gain nearly all of Cheney’s attention.

One Score & Five Years Ago McCarthy Tried, and Failed, to Be a Voice of Reason in the Dying Days of the Socialist Party of America, Now He Is One of the Most Vocal Critics of the Platform He Once Sought the Presidency On

“There is no subjection so perfect as that which keeps the appearance of freedom.”

On May 12^(th), American TVs would be interrupted with shocking footage of Soviet Cosmonaut Alexander Lebed walking on the Moon, following in the footsteps of dozens of Germans & Americans that had also visited the lunar surface. This event blindsided both the U.S. and German governments, as the Soviets only maintained a measly six manned space stations, compared to the 21 German ones and 16 American ones. While both nations had been aware of the Soviet rocket, they believed that it was just a probe, not a manned mission, believing that they were not technologically capable of it. As a result, the Germans would accuse the Soviets of stealing their technology, while Pres. Chavez would face criticism for being the first President since Walt Disney to not oversee a manned mission to the moon, with the NASA budget having been cut and redirected to other areas.

Leading this charge of criticism would be the man now seemingly at the forefront of the Republican Primaries, Sen. Eugene McCarthy, a man who has staked his recent return to elected politics on populist sentiments, ever since returning to the Senate at the same time that Chavez entered the White House. It was originally his anti-Chavez rhetoric that had even gave him an opening into the Republican Primary, as the Democrat victories in the Midterms caused a groundswell of interest among the base for an attack dog, someone unafraid to take on this new goliath. The cerebral McCarthy made an unlikely figure for this role, not only because of his age, but also due to his academic manner of speaking. However now his sayings have become highly sought after quotations, with lines such as “The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency,” “It is dangerous for a national candidate to say things that people might remember,” and “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help” splashing the front pages of newspapers and the openings of television programs that have been desperately craving a sensational opposition to the President.

This, along with the other fortuitous developments over the course of the campaign, gave McCarthy the upper hand going into the last month of primaries, as one by one the final states would fall in his column as voters would see McCarthy’s public debate on the space program and other government policies as more “proactive” than Cheney’s cloistering within Senate committees. Out on the campaign trail, McCarthy would call out his opponent for “hiding from the people” and continue to attack the President and his “stooge,” AG Zell Miller, for “blatant violations of the Constitution” over the course of their “inquisition against the opposition.” He would frame Cheney’s overall muted tone and his focus on foreign policy as evidence that he “has no interest in restoring the constitutional order” and is simply a “for profit politician.” Meanwhile, he would continue to speak on his “conversion” from “radical socialism,” talking about how “mystifying” the “red opium” is and how that has only fueled his desire to “stand up for liberty and freedom” against the proponents of “big government.” As it turns out, this was striking the right chord with the Republican electorate, who had grown disillusioned with Dole’s brand of politics and frustration with the lack of action from the Republican establishment in standing up to Pres. Chavez. As the final primary results rolled in, it would be McCarthy, not Cheney, that would hold the most delegates, however he would still be a little under 200 away from the nomination, setting the stage for a contested convention.

McCarthy and his staff had already been planning for this scenario and had made several moves to aid in securing the nomination. First, Evers support had already been secured, bringing the hypothetical number of delegates to 1,108, leaving just four more needed delegates. After the 1^(st) Ballot however, Evers did not immediately release his delegates and achieved a net gain, causing him to hold on through the 3^(rd) Ballot, where he would start to bleed support due to people growing tired of his games. Finally realizing that he did not really have control, he would release his delegates with an endorsement of McCarthy, leading to him securing the nomination on the 4^(th) Ballot. Paterno would decline to make an official endorsement during the convention, however he urged his delegates to “vote their conscience” and “not be afraid to try something new,” which was interpreted as support for the Minnesotan. Additionally, Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Rosselló, who had been placed on the State’s ballot as a favorite son by supporters, would make history for being the first person from the island to receive votes in a political party’s convention for a Presidential nomination.

Following the confirmation of Eugene McCarthy’s nomination, cheers would erupt from his supporters throughout Madison Square Garden, with certain Republicans looking on in horror as old enemies such as Jesse Jackson taking the stage to celebrate alongside him and his family. They would resolve to block any candidates he put forward to be his running mate; however they would be denied the opportunity when he would decline to put in a nomination, with Cheney putting one forward instead. Despite the campaign rhetoric, he had met with his opponent following his nomination to find areas of agreement, with him secretly giving Cheney his blessing to vet a candidate to be his VP. Not wanting the job himself, he would instead look for someone that was more aligned with his interests, while still being palatable to both the establishment and McCarthy’s camp. The man he would land on would be a local New York hero, Sen. Al D’Amato, who was currently projected to cruise to re-election against Al Sharpton. While he would be able to continue his re-election campaign if placed on the ticket, he was hesitant to place his seat at risk if a McCarthy/D’Amato ticket somehow prevailed in November. At the same time, he had come to appreciate the new McCarthy and also saw that there were no volunteers rushing to accept the challenge, so he was eventually convinced to allow his nomination to be taken to the floor. With New Yorkers celebrating at the announcement, the convention would unanimously vote to make D’Amato their nominee for Vice President.

With all the voting finally completed, it was time for the man himself to make his speech on primetime television, an event that many were waiting for in either hopeful anticipation or dread. As the 76-year-old Senator stepped forward to give his first speech at a Presidential convention since the ill-fated ’68 Socialist Party of America convention in Chicago nearly 25 years prior, he was might with thunderous applause, but also a number of cold stares and boos.

“My fellow citizens of this great nation: With a deep awareness of the responsibility conferred by your trust, I accept your nomination for the Presidency of the United States. I do so with deep gratitude. I am very proud of our party tonight. This convention has shown to all America a party united, with positive programs for solving the nations problems; a party ready to build a new consensus with all those across the land who share a community of values embodied in these words: family, work, neighborhood, peace and freedom.

I know we have had a quarrel or two in our party, but only as to the method of attaining a goal. More than anything else, I want my candidacy to unify our country; to renew the American spirit and sense of purpose. I want to carry our message to every American, regardless of party affiliation, who is a member of this community of shared values. Never before in our history have Americans been called upon to face three grave threats to our very existence, any one of which could destroy us. We face an economy under threat of collectivization, a weakened defense, and an administration that holds zero regard for the founding principles of this great nation. The major issue of this campaign is the direct political, personal and moral responsibility of Democratic party leadership-in the White House and in Congress-for this unprecedented calamity which has befallen us. The President’s administration has been gradually working to unravel the constitutional order within our country, applying pressure on their political opponents and working to centralize power within the executive bureaucracy. Meanwhile, the Democrats in Congress have made themselves willing accomplices to this subversion of American liberty by rubberstamping the President’s dangerous policies. It is time for us to remind them that our government has no power except that granted it by the people. It is time to check and reverse the growth of government, which shows signs of having grown beyond the consent of the governed. All of us should remember that the federal government is not some mysterious institution comprised of buildings, files, and paper. The people are the government. What we create we ought to be able to control.

This is what I have come back to fight against, to raise the alarm bell on the encroachment on American liberty. I once believed that the bigger the government, the better off the people. But I have come to realize that is but a fallacy, a lie. While not necessarily a malicious belief, it is a misguided one, one that can be manipulated by those who seek power to enrich themselves and enslave the people for their glory. As John Locke wrote: ‘the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.’ And as we can plainly see with the actions of President Cesar Chavez, he intends to make himself a king, and the people of this country paupers. First he is destroying the financial institutions, then he will go after the companies that refuse to fall in line with his agenda, which will destroy the jobs and livelihoods of countless hard-working citizens. Then, he will continue his agenda against the political opposition, exercising the power of lawfare to eliminate the last safeguards keeping him from going after the people of this country. We must act today in order to preserve tomorrow. And let there be no misunderstanding—we are going to begin to act, beginning today.

I will not stand by and watch this great country destroy itself under mediocre leadership that drifts from one crisis to the next, eroding our national will and purpose. We have come together here because the American people deserve better from those to whom they entrust our nations highest offices, and we stand united in our resolve to do something about it. We need a rebirth of the American tradition of leadership at every level of government and in private life as well. The United States of America is unique in world history because it has a genius for leaders many leaders on many levels. My view of government places trust not in one person or one party, but in those values that transcend persons and parties. The trust is where it belongs in the people. The responsibility to live up to that trust is where it belongs, in their elected leaders. That kind of relationship, between the people and their elected leaders, is a special kind of compact; an agreement among themselves to build a community and abide by its laws.

Three hundred and sixty years ago, in 1620, a group of families dared to cross a mighty ocean to build a future for themselves in a new world. When they arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, they formed what they called a compact; an agreement among themselves to build a community and abide by its laws. The single act the voluntary binding together of free people to live under the law set the pattern for what was to come. A century and a half later, the descendants of those people pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to found this nation. Some forfeited their fortunes and their lives; none sacrificed honor. Four score and seven years later, Abraham Lincoln called upon the people of all America to renew their dedication and their commitment of, for and by the people. Is it not once again time to renew our compact of freedom; to pledge to each other all that is best in our lives; all that gives meaning to them for the sake of this, our beloved and blessed land?

Together, let us make this a new beginning. Let us make a commitment to care for the needy; to teach our children the values and the virtues handed down to us by our families; to have the courage to defend those values and the willingness to sacrifice for them. Let us pledge to restore, in our time, the American spirit of voluntary service, of cooperation, of private and community initiative; a spirit that flows like a deep and mighty river through the history of our nation.

As your nominee, I pledge to restore to the federal government the capacity to do the people’s work without dominating their lives. I pledge to you a government that will not only work well, but wisely; its ability to act tempered by prudence, and its willingness to do good balanced by the knowledge that government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us blinds us to its great power to harm us.

The first Republican President once said, While the people retain their virtue and their vigilance, no Administration by any extreme of wickedness or folly can seriously injure the government in the short space of four years. If Mr. Lincoln could see what has happened in these last three-and-half years, he might hedge a little on that statement. But, with the virtues that are our legacy as a free people and with the vigilance that sustains liberty, we still have time to use our renewed compact to overcome the injuries that have been done to America these past three-and-a half years.

First we must overcome something the present Administration has cooked up: a new and altogether indigestible economic stew, one part inflation, one part runaway taxes, one part deficit spending and seasoned by the ongoing destruction of the unique characteristics that have made America’s economy the greatest the world has ever seen. It is an economic stew that has turned the national stomach. It is as if Mr. Chavez had set out to prove, once and for all, that economics is indeed a dismal science.

Ours are not problems of abstract economic theory. These are problems of flesh and blood; problems that cause pain and destroy the moral fiber of real people. The head of a government which has utterly refused to live within its means, and which has, in the last few days, told us that this year’s deficit will be $60 billion. High taxes, we are told, are somehow good for us, as if, when government spends our money it isn’t inflationary, but when we spend it, it is. Our problems are both acute and chronic, yet all we hear from those in positions of leadership are the same tired proposals for more government tinkering, more meddling and more control all of which led us to this state in the first place.

Can anyone look at the record of this Administration and say Well done? Can anyone look at our reduced standing in the world today and say, Let us have four more years of this? I believe the American people are going to answer these questions the first week of November and their answer will be, No we’ve had enough. And, when the American people have spoken, it will be up to us beginning next January 20th to offer an Administration and Congressional leadership of competence and more than a little courage. We must have the clarity of vision to see the difference between what is essential and what is merely desirable; and then the courage to use this insight to bring our government back under control and make it acceptable to the people.

I believe it is clear our federal government is overgrown and overweight. Indeed, it is time for our government to go on a diet. Therefore, my first act as Chief Executive will be to impose an immediate and thorough freeze on federal hiring. Then, we are going to enlist the very best minds from business, labor and whatever quarter to conduct a detailed review of every department, bureau and agency that lives by federal appropriation. We are also going to enlist the help and ideas of many dedicated and hard-working government employees at all levels who want a more efficient government as much as the rest of us do. I know that many are demoralized by the confusion and waste they confront in their work as a result of failed and failing policies.

Our instructions to the groups we enlist will be simple and direct. We will remind them that government programs exist at the sufferance of the American taxpayer and are paid for with money earned by working men and women. Any program that represents a waste of their money a theft from their pocketbooks must have that waste eliminated or the program must go by Executive Order where possible; by Congressional action where necessary. Everything that can be run more effectively by state and local governments we shall turn over to state and local government, along with the funding sources to pay for it. We are going to put an end to the money merry go round where our money becomes Washingtons money, to be spent by the states and cities only if they spend it exactly the way the federal bureaucrats tell them to.

I will not accept the excuse that the federal government has grown so big and powerful that it is beyond the control of any President, any Administration or Congress. We are going to put an end to the notion that the American taxpayer exists to fund the federal government. The federal government exists to serve the American people and to be accountable to the American people. On January 20th, we are going to re-establish that truth. Everywhere we have me thousands of Democrats, Independents and Republicans from all economic conditions and walks of life bound together in that community of shared values of family, work, neighborhood, peace and freedom. They are concerned, yes, but they are the kind of men and women Tom Paine had in mind when he wrote during the darkest days of the American Revolution ‘We have it in our power to begin the world over again.’

Nearly one-hundred-and-fifty years after Tom Paine wrote those words, an American President told the generation of the Great Depression that it had a rendezvous with destiny. I believe this generation of Americans today also has a rendezvous with destiny. Tonight, let us dedicate ourselves to renewing the American Compact. I ask you not simply to Trust me, but to trust your values our values and to hold me responsible for living up to them. I ask you to trust that American spirit which knows no ethnic, religious, social, political, regional or economic boundaries; the spirit that burned with zeal in the hearts of millions of immigrants from every corner of the earth who came here in search of freedom. Some say that spirit no longer exists. But I have seen it I have felt it all across this land; in the big cities, the small towns and in rural America. The American spirit is still there, ready to blaze into life if you and I are willing to do what has to be done; the practical, down-to-earth things that will stimulate our economy, increase productivity and put America back to work. The time is now to limit federal spending; to insist on a stable monetary reform and to free ourselves from imported oil.

The time is now to resolve that the basis of a firm and principled foreign policy is one that takes the world as it is and seeks to change it by leadership and example; not by lecture and harangue.

The time is now to say that while we shall seek new friendships and expand and improve others, we shall not do so by breaking our word or casting aside old friends and allies.

And the time is now to redeem promises once made to the American people by another candidate, in another time and another place. He said, for three long years I have been going up and down this country preaching that government federal, state and local costs too much. I shall not stop that preaching. As an immediate program of action, we must abolish useless offices. We must eliminate unnecessary functions of government, we must consolidate subdivisions of government and, like the private citizen, give up luxuries which we can no longer afford. I propose to you, my friends, and through you that government of all kinds, big and little be made solvent and that the example be set by the President of the United States and his cabinet. So said Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention in July, 1932. The time is now, my fellow Americans, to recapture our destiny, to take it into our own hands. But, to do this will take many of us working together. I ask you tonight to volunteer your help in this cause, so we carry our message throughout the land. I ask you now to join me in crossing our Rubicon, to save the American Republic from all enemies, foreign and domestic, so that we may achieve peace and justice for all mankind. I hope that you will all stand with me and reject the demagoguery of the Democrats. Good Night America, and Let’s Make America Great Again this November!

For President of the United States of America: Eugene McCarthy, United States Senator from Minnesota

For Vice President of the United States of America: Al D'Amato, United States Senator from New York

The Swastika's Shadow Link Encyclopedia

The Iowa Caucus has come and gone. The results will have major impacts on the primary races for all four major parties. Each party will eventually get their own post describing the Iowa results and how they effected their respective races. Next up is the Republican Party, who also saw an upset winner, with the conservative four-term Governor of Iowa losing to a more moderate candidate.

Tom Ridge stole the Iowa Caucus away from Terry Branstad with the help of Ron Paul. He's now this race's front-runner.

That candidate was Tom Ridge, who won not by exceeding polling expectations, but because Terry Branstad, Iowa's sitting Governor, underperformed. Ron Paul, who placed third, performed far better in the state than polling indicated, cutting into support for Branstad and helping Ridge claim an upset victory. Christine Todd Whitman, another moderate, finished a respectable fourth. George Voinovich and George W. Bush secured a few delegates each, enough to stay in the race but not enough to inspire confidence that they'll emerge as legitimate threats for the nomination. Connie Mack III, coming off a disastrous performance in the first two Republican Primaries in Alaska and Hawaii, failed to win a single delegate. Mack, citing poor primary performances and plummeting poll numbers, dropped out of the race after Iowa and endorsed Christine Todd Whitman.

Ron Paul is strong too, signaling this primary could soon become a rematch of the 1992 race.

A few days later, in Louisiana, caucusgoers would award the plurality of delegates to Ron Paul, who claimed his second victory of the primary cycle. Christine Todd Whitman would get her highest finish yet, placing second. George Voinovich also saw his highest placing of the primary season, as he narrowly beat out Tom Ridge for third place. Terry Branstad and George W. Bush pulled up the rear in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Bush's poor performance is a bad sign for his campaign, as Louisiana neighbors his home state of Texas. Of all the six remaining Republican candidates, his standing in the race is most precarious.

The polling reflects that too. With four primaries down, Tom Ridge has emerged as the race's new front-runner, although Ron Paul and Christine Todd Whitman are both still very competitive. Terry Branstad is still polling in fourth place - not really living up to his campaign's lofty expectations. Voinovich remains strong, but limited in fifth place, and Bush is on his way out of the race in sixth place. Of course, polling is always changing, but this race is shaping up to be a rematch of the Paul vs. Ridge race from 1992, with Whitman being the wild card. Next up are primaries in Delaware and New Hampshire, two states that lean a bit more moderate. This could be where Ridge pulls away or Whitman becomes competitive. Or, it could be where Ron Paul shuts the door on both of them.

As always, you can vote for your favorites HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Ron Paul	25	Alaska, Louisiana
Tom Ridge	20	Hawaii, Iowa
Christine Todd Whitman	19
Terry Branstad	11
George Voinovich	10
George W. Bush	5
Pat Robertson (withdrawn)	2
Connie Mack III (withdrawn)	1
Richard Petty (write-in)	1
Thomas Sowell (write-in)	1

More context: https://www.reddit.com/r/Presidentialpoll/comments/1vmkqld/recontructed_america_preview_of_the_2014_midterms/

It's time for the 2014 Midterms! Here is the House Election!

Let's take a look at the House of Representatives first.

Current state of the House

You would think that Speaker Norm Dicks's job shouldn't be that difficult. He is the Speaker under a popular President, and the country largely likes where everything is going. However, it is never easy for a Speaker. Dicks has to not only deal with the bills but also with the Party that is arguing with itself on what it should represent. The Speaker of the House needs to make sure that his own Faction doesn't rebel, which has been really hard recently, while trying to put up with the President's bs that he pushes. Dicks isn't a lackey for Ford; he is a servant of the people; he isn't putting a rubber stamp on everything that the President wants. There are also those Republicans who are annoying to him and make his position even more difficult. The Speaker has to juggle all these things together and make sure nothing falls. If it does, he may lose his job, and who knows who will succeed him? He needs to keep as many seats as he can to have a better shot to be able to balance everything together until he can't. What the voters need to decide is if Norm Dicks is worth it.

The House Minority Leader, Nick Fish, is a man who seems to be made for politics. It is in his blood. And so him working alongside everyone in such a political theater as Congress is something he is good at. That doesn't mean that his job is all sunshine and rainbows. After all, he has never been the Speaker, never held that gavel, and never had to actually control the process. Fish isn't the most popular leader; he doesn't even have a lot of influence right now, and he has to work with what he has. With all that being said, it is not like the Republican Party is the most united coalition. There are those who think Harrison Ford needs to be taught a lesson and those who think he is doing a tremendous job, despite the Party affiliation. The House Minority Leader himself is somebody more skeptical of the President, but he is also a pragmatist. Nick Fish knows that he needs a win if he wants his career to go anywhere. He knows that winning the House outright is a mountain of a task right now, but at least substantial gains would help.

As usual, there are those Third Parties. The biggest is the Green Worker's Party with 31 seats in the House. They made some controversy as some of its members were involved in the attempts of insurrections of state governments. That won't make them popular with Moderates, but their hardcore supporters are more loyal than ever. Who cares if they are called radicals? Maybe the Green Worker's Party is something that will bring down Ford's regime? Well, if you believe in these things, you maybe would like to support them.

The Pirate Party gained in the 2012 House Elections despite unusual Nominees for President and Vice President. With 14 seats right now, they are looking to increase their influence. With a clearer position, yet not the clearest position, of supporting free tech and its progress, they want President Ford to be even more open to the technologies and what they bring. That is an interesting approach, that's for sure.

The Prosperity Party benefited from Clancy Brown's relatively strong performance and stands with 12 seats in Congress. Many don't predict dominating results for it this time around, but the Prosperity Party has its loyal supporters who support their ideas of Center-Right Populism.

The Green Party is seen as a ghost of its former self. Since the Green Worker's Party formation, the regular Greens continue to lose and lose support. They only have 6 seats in their possession, and if they don't improve, they can face the same fate that the Patriot Party saw (btw, the Patriot Party literally is done after being wiped out in 2012, and it didn't produce any serious Candidates this time around).

(When you vote for either Party, please write in the comments which Faction are you Voting for/Support the Most. That way I can play with Faction dynamic and know what do you want.)

Once again we are in the Era of Factions. So the success of Factions matters as much as the success of Parties as a whole. Here is the reminder of all factions in both the Republican Party and the People's Liberal Party as a list:

Factions of the People's Liberal Party:

Commonwealth Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Left to Far Left
• Ideology: Socialism, Democratic Socialism, Wealth Redistribution, Dovish, Big Government, Populism, Reformism, Protectionism, Technoskepticism, Anti-Muslim (partially), Anti-Jewish (partially), Anti-Religion (partially)
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Governor of Massachusetts

Nelsonian Coalition

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Ideology: Neoliberalism, Fiscal Responsibility, Free Market, Interventionism, Technocracy, Futurism, Fordism, Social Progressivism
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The President of the United States

Rainbow League

• Social Policy: Center Left to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Center to Left
• Ideology: Social Democracy, LGBTQ Rights, Equity, Pro Drug Legalization, Immigrant Interests, Dovish, Feminism, Pro-Choice
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Connecticut

National Progressive Caucus

• Social Policy: Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Establishment Progressivism, Protectionism, State Capitalism, Gun Control, Reformism, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Abortion Reform
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The Vice President of the United States

Rational Liberal Caucus

• Social Policy: Center Left to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Progressivism, Fiscal Responsibility, Mild Protectionism, Gun Reform, Rational Foreign Policy, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Moderate on Abortion
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from West Virginia (Retires after this Election)

Third Way Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center
• Ideology: Third Way, Moderately Hawkish, Free Market, Fiscal Responsibility, "Safe, Legal and Rare", Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from Arkansas (Retires after this Election)

Factions of the Republican Party:

Libertarian League

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Right to Far Right
• Ideology: Libertarianism, Small Government, State’s Rights, Gun Rights, Pro Drug Legalization, Dovish/Hawkish, Free Trade
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from New Mexico

American Solidarity

• Social Policy: Center Left to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: State Capitalism, Latin American Interests, Christian Democracy, Reformism, Immigrant Interests, Social Moderation/Progressivism.
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Former Vice President of the United States

National Union Caucus

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Right
• Ideology: Neo-Conservatism, Mild State Capitalism, Hawkish, Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime Policies, Free Trade
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Indiana

National Conservative Caucus

• Social Policy: Right to Far Right
• Economic Policy: Left to Right
• Ideology: America First, Protectionism, Isolationism, Hawkishness, Religious Right, Christian Identity, Anti-Immigration
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senate Minority Leader

American Dry League

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center to Center Right
• Ideology: Prohibitionism, pro War on Drugs, Temperance, “anti-Vice”
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Pennsylvania

View Poll

More context: https://www.reddit.com/r/Presidentialpoll/comments/1vmkqld/recontructed_america_preview_of_the_2014_midterms/

It's time for the 2014 Midterms! Here is the Senate Election!

Let's now discuss the Senate.

Current state of the Senate

Senate Majority Leader Neil Abercrombie succeeded former leader Daniel Akaka after he retired from the Senate. For the first time ever, a Senator from a State was succeeded by another Senator from the same State as the Senate Majority Leader. Despite this historic achievement, Abercrombie didn't have time to just relax and be happy with what he accomplished; he had to rule the Senate. Even with the Commonwealth Coalition and the Republican Party being irritating to him, he was able to help President Ford with his legislation without a lot of difficulty. The friction within the CC probably helped, and that Faction didn't put up as much fight as it did under Akaka. However, the Senator from Hawaii knows that the PLP's ability to win seats in the 2014 Midterms is pretty much nonexistent, as the Republicans only have 5 seats to defend when the People's Liberals battle to keep 6 times as many. If Abercrombie's goal is to gain a seat, his strategy may be to lose. What the Senate Majority Leader should probably do is go all in on a defense. He is not at any risk of losing his leadership, but his influence may be damaged if the coalition isn't held together.

Even if Abercrombie became the first Senate Majority Leader to gain that position after a Senator from the same State, Oliver North became the first Senate Leader in general to do so. He has been the Leader of the Republican Party in the Senate for 6 years now, and he has grown to be an efficient leader at that. Not to say that he became bipartisan, but he knows when to strike. North's prospects look good this time around, but he knows that he needs to be not too arrogant so everything doesn't blow up in his face. The Republicans are very likely to gain seats in the Senate, sure, but Senator North may want to win big so that he isn't seen as somebody who is all talk. He knows that Ford's influence in the Republican Party shouldn't go any further, and if the Party is to stand on any principles, they need to be established now. Senate Minority Leader North may try to shape this path in his own vision, or he may take a much more pragmatic approach and, although influential, let the Party itself figure everything out. He just needs victory.

There are Third Parties that look to win at least one seat in the Senate, but again, after the Great Merger, such a possibility has been less and less likely. Still, the Green Worker's Party, the Pirate Party, the Prosperity Party, and the Green Party all look to make a breakthrough. The environment is not in their favor, but who knows?

(When you vote for either Party, please write in the comments which Faction are you Voting for/Support the Most. That way I can play with Faction dynamic and know what do you want.)

Once again we are in the Era of Factions. So the success of Factions matters as much as the success of Parties as a whole. Here is the reminder of all factions in both the Republican Party and the People's Liberal Party as a list:

Factions of the People's Liberal Party:

Commonwealth Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Left to Far Left
• Ideology: Socialism, Democratic Socialism, Wealth Redistribution, Dovish, Big Government, Populism, Reformism, Protectionism, Technoskepticism, Anti-Muslim (partially), Anti-Jewish (partially), Anti-Religion (partially)
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Governor of Massachusetts

Nelsonian Coalition

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Ideology: Neoliberalism, Fiscal Responsibility, Free Market, Interventionism, Technocracy, Futurism, Fordism, Social Progressivism
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The President of the United States

Rainbow League

• Social Policy: Center Left to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Center to Left
• Ideology: Social Democracy, LGBTQ Rights, Equity, Pro Drug Legalization, Immigrant Interests, Dovish, Feminism, Pro-Choice
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Connecticut

National Progressive Caucus

• Social Policy: Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Establishment Progressivism, Protectionism, State Capitalism, Gun Control, Reformism, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Abortion Reform
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The Vice President of the United States

Rational Liberal Caucus

• Social Policy: Center Left to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Progressivism, Fiscal Responsibility, Mild Protectionism, Gun Reform, Rational Foreign Policy, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Moderate on Abortion
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from West Virginia (Retires after this Election)

Third Way Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center
• Ideology: Third Way, Moderately Hawkish, Free Market, Fiscal Responsibility, "Safe, Legal and Rare", Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from Arkansas (Retires after this Election)

Factions of the Republican Party:

Libertarian League

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Right to Far Right
• Ideology: Libertarianism, Small Government, State’s Rights, Gun Rights, Pro Drug Legalization, Dovish/Hawkish, Free Trade
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from New Mexico

American Solidarity

• Social Policy: Center Left to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: State Capitalism, Latin American Interests, Christian Democracy, Reformism, Immigrant Interests, Social Moderation/Progressivism.
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Former Vice President of the United States

National Union Caucus

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Right
• Ideology: Neo-Conservatism, Mild State Capitalism, Hawkish, Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime Policies, Free Trade
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Indiana

National Conservative Caucus

• Social Policy: Right to Far Right
• Economic Policy: Left to Right
• Ideology: America First, Protectionism, Isolationism, Hawkishness, Religious Right, Christian Identity, Anti-Immigration
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senate Minority Leader

American Dry League

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center to Center Right
• Ideology: Prohibitionism, pro War on Drugs, Temperance, “anti-Vice”
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Pennsylvania

View Poll

Governor of Louisiana Buddy Roemer would win the Iowa Caucus over Mike Gravel in a surprise upset.

The Iowa Caucus has come and gone. The results will have major impacts on the primary races for all four major parties. Each party will eventually get their own post describing the Iowa results and how they effected their respective races. Next up is the Reform Party, who saw their heavily-favored early front runner dethroned in Iowa by an up-and-comer who's emerged as the new front-runner for the Reform nomination.

In a surprising upset, Buddy Roemer would win the Iowa Caucus by a comfortable margin. Richard Lamm would finish a strong second and former President Mike Gravel, who still enjoys strong support in Iowa and was expected by many to be this primary's victor, fell to third. Roemer's victory and Gravel's third place finish indicate that voters want to move past the Gravel era and on to a candidate oriented more towards the future. Despite not actively campaigning for the Reform Party nomination in the state, Ron Paul finished a solid fourth place. Finishing in last was Jack Gargan, who has fallen far behind his more nationally-recognizable opponents. A few days after the Iowa Caucus, Gargan would drop out of the race and endorse Ron Paul. Gargan's exit from the race left the more conventional conservative wing of the party without a clear candidate to support. That hole was filled when a new candidate entered the race. He is:

Former Representative Tim Penny of Minnesota.

https://preview.redd.it/7n1bksd9f8jh1.png?width=540&format=png&auto=webp&s=d5ff85b6be6473930da0ca67b2797e7c5340d19b

Tim Penny, a then a State Senator, was first elected to Congress as a Democrat in 1984 as part of the Gravel landslide. He served five terms in the House of Representatives from 1985 to 1995. During his time in the House, Penny was a reliable ally of the Gravel Administration. Despite conservative stances on fiscal and social issues, Penny supported all of Gravel's budget proposals, with Gravel in return redirecting plenty of federal infrastructure funding to his Southern Minnesota-based district. When Dick Van Dyke was elected in 1988, Penny often voted against the administration on key votes. Then, after retiring from the House in 1995, he left the Democratic Party for good and joined Reform.

Penny runs for President as a fiscal conservative. He opposes the Paul-Whitman tax cut, supports protective tariffs, and advocates for balancing the budget. He is a social conservative as well, opposing abortion and gay rights and supporting a repeal of the Juan Romero Gun Control Act. Penny served on the Transportation Committee during his time in the House, and has called for extending the Gravel-era infrastructure and transportation bill that helped rural communities, including the ones he represented in Minnesota, spend millions on road, rail, and air transportation modernization. Penny is another candidate that can be best described as Post-Gravel: a Gravel movement veteran who wants to build on the Gravel Movement in some way. In Penny's case, that direction is fiscal restraint, something Gravel showed very little of while President.

As always, you can vote for your favorite candidates HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Buddy Roemer	19	Iowa
Richard Lamm	15
Mike Gravel	13
Ron Paul	9
Jack Gargan (withdrawn)	1

President Harrison Ford had to govern through some important events in his Second Term. He is a popular President, but not the one who doesn't have his critics. Not only the opposing Party, the Republican Party, has a goal of limiting his influence and somewhat controlling him, but some in his own Party. The People's Liberal Party is still divided over Policy. With that being said, the President had an easier time passing legislation during this term than the previous one. This is largely due to the opposition inside the PLP to him being less organized because of the internal disputes. Now it is time for the Midterms. What happens here may influence Ford's Term going forward. It also may set up what is going to happen in 2016, as the country will be deciding on who will succeed him. But now is now, and the 2014 Midterms are at hand.

(Check this post for more context about Ford's Second Term so far: https://www.reddit.com/r/Presidentialpoll/s/uLGTHLgxvp )

Let's take a look at the House of Representatives first.

Current state of the House

You would think that Speaker Norm Dicks's job shouldn't be that difficult. He is the Speaker under a popular President, and the country largely likes where everything is going. However, it is never easy for a Speaker. Dicks has to not only deal with the bills but also with the Party that is arguing with itself on what it should represent. The Speaker of the House needs to make sure that his own Faction doesn't rebel, which has been really hard recently, while trying to put up with the President's bs that he pushes. Dicks isn't a lackey for Ford; he is a servant of the people; he isn't putting a rubber stamp on everything that the President wants. There are also those Republicans who are annoying to him and make his position even more difficult. The Speaker has to juggle all these things together and make sure nothing falls. If it does, he may lose his job, and who knows who will succeed him? He needs to keep as many seats as he can to have a better shot to be able to balance everything together until he can't. What the voters need to decide is if Norm Dicks is worth it.

The House Minority Leader, Nick Fish, is a man who seems to be made for politics. It is in his blood. And so him working alongside everyone in such a political theater as Congress is something he is good at. That doesn't mean that his job is all sunshine and rainbows. After all, he has never been the Speaker, never held that gavel, and never had to actually control the process. Fish isn't the most popular leader; he doesn't even have a lot of influence right now, and he has to work with what he has. With all that being said, it is not like the Republican Party is the most united coalition. There are those who think Harrison Ford needs to be taught a lesson and those who think he is doing a tremendous job, despite the Party affiliation. The House Minority Leader himself is somebody more skeptical of the President, but he is also a pragmatist. Nick Fish knows that he needs a win if he wants his career to go anywhere. He knows that winning the House outright is a mountain of a task right now, but at least substantial gains would help.

As usual, there are those Third Parties. The biggest is the Green Worker's Party with 31 seats in the House. They made some controversy as some of its members were involved in the attempts of insurrections of state governments. That won't make them popular with Moderates, but their hardcore supporters are more loyal than ever. Who cares if they are called radicals? Maybe the Green Worker's Party is something that will bring down Ford's regime? Well, if you believe in these things, you maybe would like to support them.

The Pirate Party gained in the 2012 House Elections despite unusual Nominees for President and Vice President. With 14 seats right now, they are looking to increase their influence. With a clearer position, yet not the clearest position, of supporting free tech and its progress, they want President Ford to be even more open to the technologies and what they bring. That is an interesting approach, that's for sure.

The Prosperity Party benefited from Clancy Brown's relatively strong performance and stands with 12 seats in Congress. Many don't predict dominating results for it this time around, but the Prosperity Party has its loyal supporters who support their ideas of Center-Right Populism.

The Green Party is seen as a ghost of its former self. Since the Green Worker's Party formation, the regular Greens continue to lose and lose support. They only have 6 seats in their possession, and if they don't improve, they can face the same fate that the Patriot Party saw (btw, the Patriot Party literally is done after being wiped out in 2012, and it didn't produce any serious Candidates this time around).

Let's now discuss the Senate.

Current state of the Senate

Senate Majority Leader Neil Abercrombie succeeded former leader Daniel Akaka after he retired from the Senate. For the first time ever, a Senator from a State was succeeded by another Senator from the same State as the Senate Majority Leader. Despite this historic achievement, Abercrombie didn't have time to just relax and be happy with what he accomplished; he had to rule the Senate. Even with the Commonwealth Coalition and the Republican Party being irritating to him, he was able to help President Ford with his legislation without a lot of difficulty. The friction within the CC probably helped, and that Faction didn't put up as much fight as it did under Akaka. However, the Senator from Hawaii knows that the PLP's ability to win seats in the 2014 Midterms is pretty much nonexistent, as the Republicans only have 5 seats to defend when the People's Liberals battle to keep 6 times as many. If Abercrombie's goal is to gain a seat, his strategy may be to lose. What the Senate Majority Leader should probably do is go all in on a defense. He is not at any risk of losing his leadership, but his influence may be damaged if the coalition isn't held together.

Even if Abercrombie became the first Senate Majority Leader to gain that position after a Senator from the same State, Oliver North became the first Senate Leader in general to do so. He has been the Leader of the Republican Party in the Senate for 6 years now, and he has grown to be an efficient leader at that. Not to say that he became bipartisan, but he knows when to strike. North's prospects look good this time around, but he knows that he needs to be not too arrogant so everything doesn't blow up in his face. The Republicans are very likely to gain seats in the Senate, sure, but Senator North may want to win big so that he isn't seen as somebody who is all talk. He knows that Ford's influence in the Republican Party shouldn't go any further, and if the Party is to stand on any principles, they need to be established now. Senate Minority Leader North may try to shape this path in his own vision, or he may take a much more pragmatic approach and, although influential, let the Party itself figure everything out. He just needs victory.

There are Third Parties that look to win at least one seat in the Senate, but again, after the Great Merger, such a possibility has been less and less likely. Still, the Green Worker's Party, the Pirate Party, the Prosperity Party, and the Green Party all look to make a breakthrough. The environment is not in their favor, but who knows?

Once again we are in the Era of Factions. So the success of Factions matters as much as the success of Parties as a whole. Here is the reminder of all factions in both the Republican Party and the People's Liberal Party as a list:

Factions of the People's Liberal Party:

Commonwealth Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Left to Far Left
• Ideology: Socialism, Democratic Socialism, Wealth Redistribution, Dovish, Big Government, Populism, Reformism, Protectionism, Technoskepticism, Anti-Muslim (partially), Anti-Jewish (partially), Anti-Religion (partially)
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Governor of Massachusetts

Nelsonian Coalition

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Ideology: Neoliberalism, Fiscal Responsibility, Free Market, Interventionism, Technocracy, Futurism, Fordism, Social Progressivism
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The President of the United States

Rainbow League

• Social Policy: Center Left to Far Left
• Economic Policy: Center to Left
• Ideology: Social Democracy, LGBTQ Rights, Equity, Pro Drug Legalization, Immigrant Interests, Dovish, Feminism, Pro-Choice
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Connecticut

National Progressive Caucus

• Social Policy: Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Establishment Progressivism, Protectionism, State Capitalism, Gun Control, Reformism, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Abortion Reform
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

The Vice President of the United States

Rational Liberal Caucus

• Social Policy: Center Left to Left
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: Progressivism, Fiscal Responsibility, Mild Protectionism, Gun Reform, Rational Foreign Policy, Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Moderate on Abortion
• Attitude towards Ford: Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from West Virginia (Retires after this Election)

Third Way Coalition

• Social Policy: Center Right to Center Left
• Economic Policy: Center Right to Center
• Ideology: Third Way, Moderately Hawkish, Free Market, Fiscal Responsibility, "Safe, Legal and Rare", Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Influence: Minor
• Leader:

Senator from Arkansas (Retires after this Election)

Factions of the Republican Party:

Libertarian League

• Social Policy: Center to Left
• Economic Policy: Right to Far Right
• Ideology: Libertarianism, Small Government, State’s Rights, Gun Rights, Pro Drug Legalization, Dovish/Hawkish, Free Trade
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from New Mexico

American Solidarity

• Social Policy: Center Left to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Left to Left
• Ideology: State Capitalism, Latin American Interests, Christian Democracy, Reformism, Immigrant Interests, Social Moderation/Progressivism.
• Influence: Major
• Attitude towards Ford: Mixed, Mostly Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Former Vice President of the United States

National Union Caucus

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center Right
• Ideology: Neo-Conservatism, Mild State Capitalism, Hawkish, Pro War on Drugs, Tough on Crime Policies, Free Trade
• Influence: Moderate
• Attitude towards Ford: Mostly Pro-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Indiana

National Conservative Caucus

• Social Policy: Right to Far Right
• Economic Policy: Left to Right
• Ideology: America First, Protectionism, Isolationism, Hawkishness, Religious Right, Christian Identity, Anti-Immigration
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senate Minority Leader

American Dry League

• Social Policy: Center to Right
• Economic Policy: Center to Center Right
• Ideology: Prohibitionism, pro War on Drugs, Temperance, “anti-Vice”
• Influence: Minor
• Attitude towards Ford: Anti-Ford
• Leader:

Senator from Pennsylvania

(When you vote for either Party, please write in the comments which Faction are you Voting for/Support the Most. That way I can play with Faction dynamic and know what do you want.)

The Midterm Polls will be up very soon!

Paul Wellstone was victorious in the Iowa Caucus for the second straight primary cycle.

The Iowa Caucus has come and gone. The results will have major impacts on the primary races for all four major parties. Each party will eventually get their own post describing the Iowa results and how they effected their respective races. For now, we'll start with the Green Party, who saw their nomination's front-runner win the Iowa Caucus, but by a far tighter margin than predicted.

For the second election cycle in a row, Paul Wellstone won the Iowa Caucus. Hailing from neighboring Minnesota, Wellstone has strong campaign infrastructure in the Hawkeye State. It's no surprise he won there. It is surprising how much he won by - only three percentage points. California Governor Tom Hayden would finish just a few thousand votes behind Wellstone, close enough to call into question whether Wellstone's renomination is as inevitable as some within the party expect it to be. Hayden's campaign should be optimistic going into the next two contests in Delaware and New Hampshire, where Green Party voters tend to be higher-educated and more moderate overall.

Dan Hamburg, seen here addressing the Iowa Environmental Caucus, dropped out of the race, endorsing Tom Hayden.

Mary Alice Herbert should also leave Iowa feeling good. While she placed far behind the two front-runners, the consolidation of the party's left wing helped her narrowly beat out Dennis Kucinich for third place in Iowa. Kucinich's fourth-place finish was frustrating. He's spent decades as one of the party's most prominent figures, but he's losing moderate Green Party voters to Hayden and economic populist voters to Herbert. Kucinich may be slowly squeezed out of the race if he can't correct course in the coming contests. Dan Hamburg, who finished with just under 5% of the vote in Iowa, dropped out of the race soon after. Hamburg would endorse fellow Californian Tom Hayden, but some of his more radical supporters instead drifted to Judith Bari, an environmental activist seen as a minor candidate in this race. She was on the ballot in Iowa, but she received less than 1% of the vote. Her support may increase now with Hamburg out of the race.

As always, you can vote for your favorites HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Paul Wellstone	20	Iowa
Tom Hayden	18
Mary Alice Herbert	8
Dennis Kucinich	7
Dan Hamburg (withdrawn)	3
Cynthia McKinney (write-in)	1

If Cuomo did run in 1992, there is a strong possibility he would've been carried to the nomination against Clinton, Brown, Tsongas, etc, so what if he did?

The Ohio Caucus completely altered the trajectory of the Democratic primary race. Richard Celeste entered as a front-runner and exits with his campaign in free fall. He's not alone. In a crowded field, many other Democrats have seen their once-promising campaigns fade. Others saw their odds of winning the nomination improve, benefitting from the rapid fall of candidates Richard Celeste and Kathleen Sullivan Alioto. Heading into the next contest, the Iowa Caucus, here's where all the candidates stand according to aggregate polling:

A few months ago, Vice President Richard Celeste was seen as the favorite for this nomination. He's now in need of a massive reversal of fates in Iowa just to stay alive in this race.

Early February 1996 polls show two clear-front runners: Jesse Jackson and Ann Richards. Polling close behind the top two is Tom Harkin, holding strong in third place. Al Gore has risen to fourth, replacing Kathleen Sullivan Alioto as the field's top moderate, while Skip Humphrey has jumped to fifth, pulling in a lot of former Celeste supporters. Kathleen Sullivan Alioto still has an outside shot herself, but she's polling solidly in the middle tier, below Bill Nelson but above Bob Graham. Mario Cuomo is in that tier too, and just below Cuomo is a battered Richard Celeste. Celeste insists his slip in the polls is only temporary, but he loses more and more support each day now and is seen by most Democrats as a tainted candidate after the Bono blunder.

The bottom tier of candidates includes Bill Bradley, who's quietly fallen out of serious contention, Paul Pelosi, Bob Kerrey, Chet Edwards, Doug Applegate, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, polling at the lowest percentage since she entered the race, as her father hasn't made any public appearances in quite a while. Douglas Wilder is hanging on too, but his support is negligible, as he's lost a lot of ground among African-American voters to Jackson.

Chris Dodd has dropped out of the race and endorsed Kathleen Sullivan Alioto.

One candidate dropped out after Ohio. Senator Chris Dodd ended his campaign, which had been struggling to fundraise or gain new supporters for months due to a myriad of financial and personal conduct scandals surrounding the candidate. As he exited the race, Dodd endorsed Kathleen Sullivan Alioto, who also has the support of his close friend Ted Kennedy. With a whopping seventeen candidates still left in the race heading into Iowa, the question is less who will win the Iowa Caucus, as it seems to be a formality it will go to Tom Harkin. Instead, it's who will drop out of the race? Bill Bradley, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Douglas Wilder, and yes, even Richard Celeste, need a big momentum shift in their favor in the Hawkeye State. Otherwise, they may be out of the race by New Hampshire. It's well apparent that there won't be seventeen Democrats in this race for long.

As always, you can vote for your favorite candidates HERE.

State of the Race

Candidate	Delegate Count	Contests Won
Jesse Jackson	31	Ohio
Ann Richards	28
Tom Harkin	25
Al Gore	15
Skip Humphrey	12
Doug Applegate	9
Bob Graham	8
Bill Nelson	8
Chet Edwards	7
Mario Cuomo	6
Bob Kerrey	5
Kathleen Sullivan Alioto	5
Bill Bradley	3
Paul Pelosi	2
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend	2
Richard Celeste	1
Douglas Wilder	1

[Convention Rules]:

• Takes place over multiple rounds and posts (with usually small changes as the convention goes on).
• In 5-person contests, the minimum requirement to move on is 18% of the vote. 4-person, 21%, and 3-person, 30%. 
• If no candidates are eliminated in a given round, a “compromise” or “dark horse” candidate may rise to take the nomination instead, and will participate in the next round of voting. Conventions will go through up to 6 rounds, but could be done after a single round if one candidate absolutely dominates the others.

[Context Here]

Hannibal Hamlin

Senator from Maine since 1848, Congressman from Maine from 1843-1847 (Pro-Native, Pro-immigration, Abolitionist, Aged 47)

An architect behind the dissolution of Florida and Maine's separation from Massachusetts, Senator Hannibal Hamlin is a natural parliamentarian who is likely to get stuff done. A rabid Abolitionist, Hamlin is looking for avenues to end the practice of slavery as soon as viable.

William Dayton

Vice President since 1853, Senator from New Jersey from 1842-1851 (Political Centralist, Abolitionist, Pro-Native, Aged 49)

The mastermind behind the dissolution of Florida, and the man who helped convince President Hamilton to take black rights and the issue of slavery more seriously, William Dayton is a front runner for the first Democratic nomination. Dayton has a history as a parliamentarian in the Senate, meaning he is likely to be able to get things done in a divided Congress.

Nathaniel P. Banks

Congressman from Massachusetts since 1853, Member of the MA Legislature from 1847-1853 (Political Centralist, Anti-Native, Anti-immigration, Abolitionist, Aged 40)

A master parliamentarian, he knows how to use his connections in Congress to get things done; notable lately for his work on getting the Force Act and Sedition Act passed. Banks is strongly against immigrant influence in the party, nearly destroying the effort to allow more immigrants into the country. A Presidency of the young Nathaniel Banks would likely mean a reversal on immigration policies, a stronger stance in favor of freedmen suffrage, and being able to get things done despite what is likely going to be a divided Congress.

Charles F. Adams

Ambassador to Texas from 1845-1854, Member of the Massachusetts Senate from 1843-1845, Member of the MA House from 1840-1843 (Political Decentralist, Pro-Native, Abolitionist, Boring, Aged 49)

Son of the late, famous Congressman and State Secretary John Quincy Adams; grandson of the late, famous first Chief Justice John Adams, Charles Francis Adams seeks the Democratic nomination for President. Adams has a lot of foreign policy experience, and worked directly under the great Henry Clay during his tenure. He's known to be a fantastic writer, having written several histories and biographies of important figures (including that of his family), with a primary downside being how disconnected he is from domestic politics. Despite this, he offers a Presidency focused on ensuring American dominance diplomatically, alongside keeping the peace at home while seeking the gradual abolition of slavery.

Cassius Clay

Senator from Ohio since 1853, Member of the Kentucky House from 1835-1841 (Political Centralist, Veteran, Radical Abolitionist, Wild, Tough-guy Reputation, Aged 46)

A radical through-and-through, the cousin of the late, great Henry Clay is in the running for the first Democratic nomination. Clay was from one of the richest slave-owning families in the country before freeing his slaves, and more recently became a major backer of Berea College, the first co-educational college in the south. A veteran of the Anglo-American and Patriot Wars, Clay has a history of leadership alongside his history of unapologetic abolitionism. He also has a reputation of that of a bear, for facing several attempts on his life, in both duels and assassination.

[Vote Here!]

Would say he survives assassination and wins the Democratic nomination who would he pick for VP?