From Alternative History

March 5th, 2004- (POD) Emily Miller, the former fiancee of Michael Scanlon fails to tip off the FBI to his illicit activities, as payback for Scanlon cheating on her. Thus the investigation into Scanlon and Jack Abramoff is delayed for almost a year and a half. Senate Indian Affairs Committee investigations slow as well. Abramoff and Scanlon WILL eventually be tried and convicted, but in Spring 2007.

August 4th, 2006- (POD) Brian Ross of ABC News continues to work on a story on New Orleans reconstruction fraud cases, setting aside information he received on Congressman Mark Foley and "unusual" e-mails that he sent to House pages. The story is broke by the Washington Post, but not until December 2006, well after the November midterms.

November 8th, 2006- Wednesday morning arrives and the results are in, the Republicans as expected lose seats, but only 5 and retain the majority in the House. In the US Senate, Rick Santorum loses, but George Allen and Conrad Burns retain their seat. Joe Lieberman, fresh off his victory over primary challenger Ned Lamont, is secretly offered a key Committee Chairmanship by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and becomes a full-fledged Independent.

Meanwhile, Democrats, faced with still losing despite some of the best circumstances in years for a victory, try to pick up the pieces and analyze what happened. In other words, they turn on each other.

On the Left, bloggers and Howard Dean blame Rahm Emmanuel and the DCCC for "not working hard enough for to inspire the base". Emmanuel and the DLC Democrats blame Dean for his "50 state campaign" as wasteful and failing to concentrate on races that the Democrats could have won. Calls for Dean's resignation as Chairman of the Party are heard by pundits like James Carville, Leon Panetta, and even Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

November-December 2006- The Democrats appear to be in full "melt-down". Fighting between the blogs and the "Inside-the-Beltway" Dems reachs full bore when Arianna Huffington of the "Huffington Post" suggests that the DLC Democrats "sabotaged the 2006 midterms" to try to isolate the Party's liberal base and render them powerless.

More prominent centrist Democrats (but none with 2008 Presidential aspirations) come forward and say Howard Dean should resign as Party Chair. Emmanuel proposes making former US Senatorial candidate Harold Ford Jr. the new Party Chairman. This is seen as both an appeal to the African-American vote AND to the more centrist wing of the Party.

December 11th, 2006- Howard Dean resigns as Party Chairman. He says he doesn't wish to be the focus of inter-party fighting and that, though he still feels his "50 state strategy" is good for the long-term growth of the Party, that it can be better managed under "new leadership". Harold Ford Jr. of Tennessee becomes Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

December 13th, 2006- More information about Congressman Mark Foley and his IMs and e-mails to young pages are revealed. Speaker Hastert's involvement in "covering up" for Foley is discussed and some talk of the Speaker's resignation is bandied about. Eventually the story dies out going into Christmas, after Foley resigns and the Florida Governor calls for a special election in February. Democrats hope to pick up the seat, but it is a strongly Republican district.

December 2006-January 2007- As the Democrats try to re-organize, President Bush meets with Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader McConnell. Leaks hint at a plan for a "troop surge" in Iraq of up to 20,000 more GIs. Washington Democrats hold criticism of such a surge, driving a further wedge between the "Establishment Democrats" and the Blogosphere Left. Daily Kos and Move On.org both post editorials claiming that Democratic "waffling" on Iraq and the "Murtha Plan" for withdrawal of US forces is what cost the Dems the election.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton prepares for her 2008 campaign. Temporarily, she faces a potential rival in freshman US Senator Barack Obama, but Obama is seen as "fence-straddling" by both the "Beltway" AND "Blog" for failing to clearly support or even oppose a withdrawal from Iraq. Early trips to New Hampshire register some up-tick in his polling, but still 30-35% down from Senator Clinton. John Edwards announces his intention to run on December 27th, but he embraces the "Murtha Plan" and a speedy withdrawal, with caveats.

January 12th, 2007- President Bush announces that 21,500 new troops will be sent to Iraq. "The Surge" as it is known receives harsh criticism from some key Democrats and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, but many say they will "wait and see" to the escalation.

January 22nd, 2007- Hillary Clinton, fresh from a tour of Iraq, returns to announce her "Presidential exploratory committee". Many see this as a pre-emptive move to stunt the Barack Obama momentum in the Party. Senator Clinton praises the efforts of the troops in Iraq, but fails to comment on the proposed "surge" by the President. Polling into January shows little support for the plan or the war, but Clinton refuses to say if she would support any pull-out.

January 30th, 2007- Democratic Party Chair Harold Ford consults with Rahm Emmanuel and Chuck Schumer and announces that the DNC will be "targetting key states" for 2008. This is seen as a total rebuke of the Dean "50 state strategy" and many DNC state chairs in "Red States" say they feel "abandoned by the Party leaders".

Meanwhile, Republicans choose a new Party Chairman as Ken Mehlman steps down. Though fresh off a victory in keeping the Congress, many feel that Mehlman is not doing enough to keep the base happy. He is replaced by Robert "Mike" Duncan.

February 2nd, 2007- Senator Joe Biden announces his "exploratory committee for the Presidency". Biden touts his "three-state" solution for Iraq, with a pull-out of US troops only AFTER the Kurdish, Sunni, and Shiia states of Iraq have been established.

February 9th, 2007- Barack Obama officially enters the 2008 Democratic Primaries race. Seemingly trying to "split the difference" between "centrist" Hillary Clinton and "populist" John Edwards, Obama speaks in generalities and promises of "a new politics".

February 12th, 2007- Tim Mahoney wins Mark Foley's seat in the Florida 16th Congressional District. Mahoney running very "centrist", promises his constituents that he would "work with the Republicans where he could".

March 6th, 2007- The Congress passes Bush's supplemental spending bill for Iraq over the objections of the Democratic minority. No amendments are allowed to be offered and an attempt by Maxine Waters to introduce one that would say that the President would need Congressional authority before attacking Iran, is not put on the floor for debate.

March 8th, 2007- The Washington Post reports on the firing of several US Attorneys by the Justice Department. Calls by Democrats to investigate this as "politically motivated" are brushed aside by Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter. The issue continues to be raised in some media outlets for the next week, but quickly dies out.

March 11th, 2007- Hillary Clinton, in an interview with the NY Times, states that while she supports a pull-out of troops in Baghdad eventually, she also supports a "contingent force" of unknown size remaining in Iraq for some time (i.e. well into her Presidency).

April 5th, 2007- Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Democratic candidate for President, tries to introduce bills of impeachment against President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. Speaker Hastert ignores the bill and Kucinich is mocked on right-wing radio for days. As the Republicans control Congress now until 2008, the final hope of those who support impeachment fades from the Blogosphere.

May 2nd, 2007- Breaking from his Democratic rivals, former Senator John Edwards calls for a complete withdrawal from Iraq by September 2008. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who voted for the supplemental spending bill back in March, both state that the withdrawal needs to be "over a period of time" and "after Iraq can secure itself". Outraged, the liberal base of the Party give Edwards a tick up in the polls that come out later in May.

June 1st, 2007- Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana is indicted on charges of bribery. Though some rally to his defense, and others point to potential Republican corruption, the news gives the GOP a boost (as polls have been slipping since the election) and Democrats flounder to try to recapture the "high ground" on working against corruption in government.

June 19th, 2007- Revelations that several Republicans are linked to "Abramoff-gate" come out. Those involved are still 16 months away from election and FBI investigations seem to promise no further convictions.

July 2nd, 2007- Minority Leader Harry Reid asks President Bush for an explanation of the failures of the Iraqi Government to reach any of its "benchmarks". Spokesman Tony Snow says that "there are indications of a potential positive aspect that will be seen by the Fall". The matter is quickly dropped, though Maine Senator Susan Collins says on CNN that she too would like more "positive news" from "the Surge". Support for the war drops to 31% nation-wide.

August 20th, 2007- Several Republicans and two Democrats go to Iraq to see for themselves the effect of "the Surge". They return with optimistic reports, though the Democrats are still "concerned" about what will happen after the strategy is ended. Left-wing bloggers immediately attack the Democrats for "surrendering to Bush" on the war. Meanwhile, right-wing talk radio plays up the perceived success and says "it indicates that liberals want us to lose, on the verge of success." There is a small (1-2%) uptick in President Bush's poll numbers.

September 5th, 2007- Congressional approval dip to 19%. Democrats attempt to show that this is based on public disapproval of the war (down to 28%) and of Bush (holding at 30%). Speaker Hastert promises new efforts to get more of the Republican agenda passed before Christmas.

September 20th, 2007- After a favorable report by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, Congress passes another supplemental spending bill for Iraq and the War On Global Terrorism of $120 Billion. Democrats hold together a substantial bloc of votes against it and three Republican Senators initially are reserved about it, but many "Blue Dogs" vote with the Republicans and the GOP Senators end up voting for it. It passes with what is called "bipartisan support". Hillary Clinton misses the vote as does Senator Barack Obama, though both criticize the lack of "oversight" and the failure of Iraqi leaders to meet any goals.

October 3rd, 2007- Former Tennessee US Senator Fred Thompson announces that he is running for President in 2008. His poll numbers show a solid third to Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney.

October 15th, 2007- Former Vice-President Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Immediately on the blogs and on liberal talk radio Air America, a call begins for him to run for President and challenge both Clinton and Obama. Gore spokespeople continue to insist that "The Vice-President has no plans for another Presidential run."

October 24th, 2007- Wildfires begin to ravage Southern California, near San Diego.

November 4th, 2007- With a year to go before the Presidential election, Gallup produces a poll which shows that fully 60% of voters feel that the country is moving in the "wrong direction". 15% feel it is moving in the right direction. Pundits predict an easy defeat of any of the Republican hopefuls, even popular NY mayor Rudy Giuliani.

December 2007- Florida and Michigan move up their Presidential primaries. DNC Chairman Howard Dean punishes them by saying their delegates will not be seated. All the Democratic candidates eventually promise not to campaign in Florida or Michigan, though Hillary Clinton keeps her name on the ballot in both states, while Barack Obama removes his in Michigan.

January 2008- Barack Obama wins the Iowa caucus, with Hillary Clinton coming in third. A few weeks later, Hillary Clinton narrowly loses the New Hampshire primary. Word spreads that she will "make her stand on Super Tuesday", already considering South Carolina a lost cause.

February 5th, 2008- Hillary Clinton narrowly loses the California primary 49-51% to Barack Obama, as well as the majority of the "Super Duper Tuesday" primary states. Still holding out hope for the Texas and Ohio primaries, the numbers look bleak for the former First Lady, as she'd have to win all the remaining primaries to have a shot at the nomination. Polling analysis shows that her links to the Republican agenda (primarily her vote for the war and vote for the Bankruptcy Bill, as well as demand for "change" among the electorate helped the neophyte Senator Obama.)

February 15th, 2008- With polling in Texas showing Hillary Clinton far behind Senator Obama, and only a 2% lead in Ohio, open calls for her to end her candidacy (on-going since losing California) are heeded by the Clinton campaign and she "suspends" her candidacy (as John Edwards had done after South Carolina). She pledges her "whole-hearted support" for Senator Obama, now, along with Senator John McCain, the presumptive nominees. Rumors fly that she will seek the Vice-Presidency under Obama, but non-committal responses are given by his campaign.

February 22nd, 2008- Senator Obama gives a major speech on ending the war in Iraq in Dallas, Texas. Senator McCain responds with a counter-speech two days later.

(Work in progress.)