November 2007

2007
11/11/2007 On the 11th of November 2007, Potential presidential candidate Senator Barak Obama was shot at close range during a social event in Illinois. The Democratic candidate, who had made known his intention to run for presidency in February, and was well-placed to stand in the next Democratic primaries, was shot three times in the chest after reaching out to shake the hand of Moriander Brown, a convicted felon who was noted for his extreme White Supremecist views. The Senator died almost instantly, and despite the efforts of paramedics who quickly arrived on the scene. If Barak Obama had stood in the primaries, he had a shot at becoming the first African American president of the United States. Brown, recently released from a state prison after serving a sentance for inciting racial abuse, later admitted he had made his way to the social event with the specific intention of shooting the candidate, having illegally bought and concealed a firearm for just that purpose. Security personnel pursued Brown through the crowd, apprehending him within two minutes of the shooting, due mostly to co-operation from the horrified members of the crowd. The following investigation revealed that special arrangements were being made to protect the presidential hopeful, over fears of just such an event occuring. However, the arrangements had been bungled, leaving Obama 'less than sufficiently protected' in the words of Mark Sullivan, director of the Secret Service. Despite this, Obama went ahead with several rallies and social events as part of his primary bid. At the time of the shooting, Obama was working his way through the crowd, shaking hands and talking on a personal level with his supporters. According to eyewitnesses, Obama turned to Brown and smiled, offering his hand out to the nervous-looking man. Brown drew a revolver from under his coat and shot the surprised Senator three times in the chest, rupturing a lung and causing arterial damage. Brown then turned and fled through the crowd, but his progress was hampered, and security officials quickly caught up to him, apprehending him with help from members of the public. Immediate Effects Following the recent death of her principle opponent, Hillary Clinton, another Democratic candidate, visited Obama's widow in a personal consolation. Media coverage of the assassination began to grow to an international frenzy, with many notable civil rights authorities bewailing 'the backward state of modern america' and calling for greater reform. The assassination was compared by many to the assassination of Martin Luther King. Over the next month, messages from the Clinton campaign began to promise tighter controls on gun ownership in response to the assassination, as well as beginning to guarantee a reform of civil rights law. In a speech delivered on the 18th December, Hillary Clinton stated "Not once more shall an African American, or any other ethnic minority, have their life prematurely ended for standing up and daring to dream"

2008
US Presidential Race The Republican Primaries were a quickly-decided affair, with Senator John Mcain gaining and maintaining an early lead. The Democratic Primaries were somewhat marred by the assassination of Senator Barak Obama. Hillary Clinton managed to gain an early lead over her opponents, the closest rival being John Edwards, who was finally outstripped during Super Tuesday. The presidential race came down to Hillary Clinton running as Democratic candidate, her Republican opponent being John Mcain. Hillary's campaign was leant vigor by her taking up of the gun control and civil liberties issues brought up by Senator Obama's assassination. Mcain seemed to regain some favour in the polls after announcing Sarah Palin as his Vice-Presidential nominee, but this edge faded as hints of personal controversy marred her popularity. Despite a reasonably event-free campaign, John Mcain lost out in the presidential elections, with Hillary winning a strong victory, and a vast Democratic majority in Congress securing her power. Hillary Clinton became the first female president of the United States, with a strong power base and the ability to pass a great draft of legislation.