Donald Rumsfeld (PJW)

Donald "Don" Rumsfeld was Acting President briefly in 1972 and Vice President from 1972 to 1981.

Part of a rising generation of politicians radicalized by President John Wayne's anticommunist rhetoric, Rumsfeld served as a Representative until being appointed by President Richard Nixon as his Chief of Staff. Together with his friend and fellow Representative Frank Carlucci, Rumsfeld became the face of the "Young Representatives" a group of moderate conservatives with a strong sense of patriotism and dedication to fighting communism at home and abroad. Following the seemingly weak and scandal-riddled presidencies of Wayne, Byrd, and especially Nixon, many voters believed fresh blood was needed in Washington. The Young Representatives rose to the top, and in the 1972 presidential election the Carlucci-Rumsfeld ticket were the Republican nominees.

The election was thrown into Congress with no side gaining enough electoral votes, and Rumsfeld narrowly won the Senate vote over Birch Bayh to become Vice President and therefore acting president. The Korean Crisis was in full swing, and having destroyed the Exiles with a nuclear strike, the radical South Korean dictatorship threatened to do the same to North Korea. While Acting President, Rumsfeld met with Soviet General Secretary Dmitry Ustinov and the reformed North Korean government to discuss the situation. Following Carlucci finally being elected president in the house, the United States destroyed North Korea's nuclear capabilities with a nuclear weapon of their own, setting the tone for the new presidency.

Carlucci and Rumsfeld ran policies of modernization and militarization, and led the country with increasing authoritarianism. The 27th Amendment was passed, allowing the president and vice president to remain in power until a President or Vice President is elected, to prevent the same mistakes of 1973 and 1965 from happening. The same ticket won the 1976 election amidst calls of voting fraud; the second term was violent, including growing brinkmanship with the Soviets, wars in Vietnam, South Africa, and South America - including nuclear strikes on Bolivia - and crackdowns on dissidents in America.

Rumsfeld was the Republican Party nominee for the 1982 election, and by that time the crackdowns had been so widespread that only the Citizens' Party was the remaining fighting force. The Citizens' Party and several state governors conducted the Governor's Plot; 10 state governors ran as favorite sons, throwing the election into Congress where it was planned for independent Citizens' Party vice presidential candidate and war hero James Stockdale to be elected. The plan failed when Carlucci and Rumsfeld arrested several senators on charges on espionage, preventing a vote. Due to the 27th Amendment Carlucci and Rumsfeld remained in power. Amidst widespread protests and riots, a military coup d'etat removed the administration and put Alexander Haig temporarily in charge.

While Carlucci killed himself, Rumsfeld was captured. The trial of Rumsfeld was highly covered, where Rumsfeld presented himself as doing what was best for America - no matter the cost. The trial would come to an inconclusive end in 1982 when President Jim Jones fired nuclear artillery at Washington DC in the midst of the Sino-Soviet nuclear exchange. Rumsfeld would be vaporized by a direct hit to the Supreme Court building.