User:Scrawland Scribblescratch/sandbox/A World of Difference

1908
Roosevelt/Hughes, Bryan/Kern

In 1908, Theodore Roosevelt decided to seek a third term (a second full term) due to the outbreak of World War #. Roosevelt won a landslide victory over William Jennings Bryan. The election was largely about the war and other issues were neglected. Roosevelt's pro-war position and immense personal popularity secured the election for him early in the race.

1912
Hughes/Borah, Wilson/Marshall

Roosevelt declined to run for a fourth term, believing that the war would be ending soon, and instead encouraged everyone to support his Vice President, Charles Hughes. Hughes had been selected as Vice President in 1908 specifically with the intention of pushing his presidency in 1912. Roosevelt campaigned extensively for Hughes and Hughes ultimately won over Woodrow Wilson.

1916
Cox/Davis, Hughes/Borah

Although Hughes had been successful early in his term, his post-war presidency quickly became unpopular. This became apparent when the Democrats took the Senate in 1914. Hughes failed to push the Roosevelt legacy and he was defeated by James Cox in the election.

1920
LaFollette/Johnson, Cox/Davis, Harding/Allen

After the unsuccessful Hughes presidency and the decline of the Republican Party, Theodore Roosevelt decided to run for a fourth term as president in 1920. In 1917, he spoke with the Republican leadership, but they did not want to support him. Roosevelt left the Republicans with his supporters and formed the Progressive Party. The Progressives won many seats in the 1918 midterms and opened the way for a Roosevelt candidacy in 1920. However, Roosevelt died in 1919. Robert LaFollette picked up the torch and secured the Progressive nomination. LaFollette blamed the economic crisis on Cox and continuously banked on his connection with Roosevelt. He also attacked the Republican base for supporting Hughes in 1916. LaFollette and his vice presidential nominee, Hiram Johnson, campaigned extensively in the west and midwest and won these states. This marked the beginning of a new era in American politics, with the Progressives at the head of it.

1924
LaFollette/Johnson, Coolidge/Dawes, Underwood/McAdoo

The ever rising Progressive wave carried LaFollette and Johnson to victory in 1924, winning the Progressives a second term in the White House. Meanwhile, the Republicans continued to decline. LaFollette died in 1925 and was succeeded by Johnson.

1928
Smith/Reed, Johnson/Wheeler, Lowden/Hoover

President Johnson was over confident in the power of the Progressive wave and conducted a lackluster campaign. Meanwhile, the Democrats selected Al Smith and James Reed, who chipped away at the Progressive base by disassociating themselves with prior Democrats and promoting their own liberal image. Smith and Reed narrowly won the election, beginning the longest period of control any party ever had over the presidency.

1932
Smith/Reed, Wheeler/Wallace, Blaine/Curtis

The weakening of the Progressives in 1924 and the rising popularity of Smith and Reed won the Democratic candidates a second term. Meanwhile, the Republicans attempted to take back many of their constituents from the Progressives. The division between the Progressives and Republicans allowed the Democrats to seize many states that traditionally went to their opposition.

1936
Roosevelt/Garner, Landon/Knox, Borah/Long

In 1936, Vice President Reed was seen as an obvious choice to succeed Smith. However, early blunders in the Reed campaign as well as fierce attacks from New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt turned the tide in favor of Roosevelt. Roosevelt portrayed himself as being more prepared to deal with the war due to his experience as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The race remained narrow until the convention, where President Smith endorsed Roosevelt. Roosevelt went on to campaign primarily against the Progressives instead of the Republicans by calling on his relation to Theodore Roosevelt. Smith and Reed both came out in support of Roosevelt, and he won the election in November.

1940
Roosevelt/Barkley, Taft/McNary

Roosevelt based his re-election campaign on the ongoing war. His only opposition from within the party was Vice President John N. Garner, who he had frequent disputes with. Roosevelt secured the Democratic nomination and chose Alben W. Barkley as his running mate. The Progressives and Republicans launched a joint ticket, but Roosevelt still won.

1944
Marshall/Truman, Willkie/Bricker, Dewey/Stassen

Continued successes in the war increased popularity of the Democratic Party. Roosevelt declined to seek a third term, citing ill health, leaving the Democratic nomination open. The race eventually narrowed down to Vice President Barkley, General George C. Marshall, and Senator Harry S Truman. Marshall portrayed himself as a key figure in the war effort (which was true) and promised continued American victory in the war. Barkley eventually conceded the race to Marshall, who then took his party's nomination. The Progressives began to fade into obscurity in this election as the Republicans beat them both in the popular vote and by number of states.

1948
Marshall/Truman, Vandenberg/Baldwin, Dewey/Warren

As the war came to a close, Marshall promised a swift resolution. The war in Europe ended during the campaign, allowing the President to bolster his image and strengthen his claims of imminent victory in Asia and the Pacific. Frequent news of victories in the last stages of the war won Marshall the election.

1952
Warren/Lodge, Truman/Kefauver, MacArthur/Dirksen

Marshall's successful post-war presidency led many to believe that he would seek a third term. However, he refused to do so, once more widening the Democratic field. This also opened the potential of a Republican or Progressive victory. The Democrats settled on Vice president Harry S Truman. The Progressives selected California governor Earl Warren. Warren promised a return to peacetime practices and proclaimed his intention to restore balance abroad. He also criticized the Marshall administration for continued occupation of Mexiquean territories. He promised to either grant Mexique statehood or independence. The occupation of Mexique was among the few unpopular policies of the Marshall administration, and Warren's constant attacks on it contributed to his victory. Warren managed to bring the Progressives back to the national stage and defeated both Democrats and Republicans.

1956
Warren/Lodge, Stevenson/Harriman, Bush/Romney

Warren had indeed brought peace back to America and presented the image of a safe and prosperous nation under his leadership. The new threat of a rising Russia and Japan prompted Warren to respond with promises of strong retaliation. Democratic candidate Stevenson failed to present the same strong stance against the rise of these foreign powers and lost the election to Dewey.

1960
Kennedy/Johnson, Romney/Miller, Lodge/Lloyd

Many viewed the 1960 election as an easy win for Vice President Warren. However, a recession in 1957-58 hurt his chances. Meanwhile, the Democrats chose the young John F. Kennedy, who had the support of Catholic voters a strong base in big cities. He also relied on his running mate, Senator Leonard B. Johnson of Texas to deliver the south. In the end, it was a close election, but Kennedy ultimately won. Lodge's unpopularity led to a crushing defeat for the Progressives, restoring the Republicans as the second major part for another 20 years.

1964
Kennedy/Johnson, Goldwater/Judd, Diefenbaker/Byrnes

Kennedy's progress with the Russians and bold promises with regards to the Space Race only served to heighten his immense popularity. However, his disagreements with Vice President Johnson caused friction inside the party. Kennedy wanted Terry Sanford as his running mate, but the party leadership insisted the Johnson stayed on the ticket. Kennedy and Johnson rarely campaigned with each other, leading to many predictions that the Republicans would win. Also, Kennedy's pro-civil rights stance was viewed as negatively affecting his chances, but the Republican response of nominating hardliner Barry Goldwater alienated large parts of the Republican base, driving them into the arms of the returning Progressives. This split in the Republican Party allowed Kennedy a second term in office.

1968
Rockefeller/Agnew, Johnson/Humphrey, McCarthy/Harris Many expected President Kennedy to run for and win a third term in office. However, the outbreak of the Third Pacific War shifted public opinion. Another reason for Kennedy not to run again was his health. Instead, he encouraged Vice President Johnson to seek the nomination, despite their differences. Kennedy believed that Johnson could be trusted to continue his policies with regards to civil rights, the Pacific, and the Cold War. With Kennedy's support, Johnson won the nomination and selected Hubert H. Humphrey as his running mate. However, the war continued to affect the Democrats. The people turned their attention to New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, who promised a swift and decisive end to the war and a stronger stance in the Cold War. Johnson and Humphrey lost the election to Rockefeller. Johnson went on to die later in 1969.

1972
Trudeau/Eagleton, Rockefeller/Agnew, McGovern/Muskie

Rockefeller had promised to end the Pacific War, but under his administration, the war had only expanded, and with it, American involvement increased. More and more American soldiers entered what was perceived to be a lost cause by the people. The Democrats knew they had a chance to win with the right candidate. The early favorite was Senator Robert F. Kennedy, brother of the former president. However, Kennedy's assassination during the primaries turned the Democrats towards Senator Pierre Trudeau of Quebec. Trudeau selected Thomas Eagleton as his running mate and a ran a campaign based on decreased involvement in the Pacific, bringing Americans back home, and continuing President Kennedy's policies with regards to the Space Race. This was especially important to the people as Japan, France, and Russia were thought to be passing America in space. Trudeau won a narrow victory over Rockefeller, but his running mate Eagleton was dropped from the ticket during the process of the election. Trudeau waited until he was in office to select the Vice President. His controversial choice was civil rights leader and African-American Senator Stanley W. King. This garnered both extreme criticism and widespread support. Former president Kennedy publicly supported King for Vice President, as well as many other key Democratic leaders. King was confirmed as Vice President.

1976
Rockefeller/Norris, Trudeau/King, Jackson/Church

Vice President King, despite his confirmation by the Senate, had not been elected by the people. Many Democrats urged Trudeau to select a different running mate, but he remained adamant on running with King. The Republicans seized the opportunity by nominating former President Rockefeller again. Rockefeller pointed out that Trudeau had failed to deliver on his promises about the Pacific War. However, Rockefeller's campaign primarily depended on taking away Democratic voters who did not want to support King. Rockefeller won by a large margin.

1980
Ferraro/Mondale, Bentsen/Biden, Dole/Connally

The aftermath of Rockefeller's resignation and Norris' impeachment left the Republican Party shattered. Speaker of the House Gerald Ford had become the Acting President, but refused to be acknowledged as an actual president and announced that he would not run for president. Ford ran for his seat in the House, which he was re-elected to, and ended up asssuming the position of House Minority Leader. Meanwhile, the Republicans were unable to find anyone bold enough to run for president. The party leadership eventually pressured Bob Dole of Kansas into accepting the nomination. Dole asked John Connally of Texas to be his running, and he reluctantly accepted. Meanwhile, the Progressives were certain this would be the year that they made a comeback and nominated Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas. The Democrats selected Representative Geraldine Ferraro, becoming the first woman to be nominated for president by one of the major parties. Ferraro picked Walter F. Mondale as her running mate. Before the election, many predicted that Bentsen would win, due to the Republican Party's loss of any popularity and Ferraro being a woman. Bentsen did come close, but Ferraro ultimately won, becoming the first female president. Dole did not win any states, the worst results for any nominee from a major party ever.

1984
Brown/Hart, Ferraro/Mondale

Ferraro proved to be a popular president. However, issues began to arise in the year before the election. A hostage crisis in ??? and the ??? War broke out. Also, the Democrats were split on what direction to take with the vanishing of the Republicans. Meanwhile, many noted Democrats were revealed to have been involved in the Rockefeller scandal. The Progressives took control of the Senate in 1982, a major shock to the Democratic leadership. By 1984, Jerry Brown had been noted as a popular choice for the Progressive nomination. His major opposition was Gary Hart of Nevada. At the Progressive Convention, Brown won by convincing Hart to drop out and be his running mate. Brown and Hart ran a fierce campaign in the west and the Mexiquean south and took advantage of the breaking of the Solid South. Without Republicans, states that were typical seen as red would probably sway to the Democrats, as they were not as left as the Progressives. The Progressives won a narrow victory in the election and also became the majority party in the House, establishing the Second Progressive Era.

1988
Brown/Hart, Kennedy/Clinton

The Progressive Revolution, as it came to be known, was in full swing. The Progressives began dragging the country's average political stance to the left with strong policies with regards to the environment and gay rights. American conservatives were left leaderless and unrepresented, resulting in many minor candidates. Many conservatives rallied to the Democrats, hoping to stop the Progressives by siding with the only other large party. However, the Democratic race was led by a fairly liberal man himself, Ted Kennedy. Kennedy was an early favorite and went on to secure the nomination. He balanced the ticket by selecting southern and more right Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas, as his running mate. Kennedy was joined on the campaign trail by his brother, former President Kennedy. Despite a close race, Brown won, cementing the status of the Progressive Party as the dominant party of the nation.

1992
Jackson/Gore, Dukakis/Hollings, Harkin/Haig

The Progressives remained in power. Brown initially supported Vice President Hart for the Progressive nomination, but rumors of Hart having an affair surfaced and severely handicapped his campaign. Hart struggled to fight against the ever more popular Jesse Jackson. Jackson defeated Hart in most of the primaries and had easily secured the nomination by the time of the convention. Jackson selected a southerner, Senator Al Gore of Tenesi, as his running mate. Jackson became the first black man to be nominated for president by one of the major parties. The Democrats nominated Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts and Senator Ernest Hollings of South Carolina. The Republicans finally returned to the field, nominating Tom Harkin and Alexander Haig. The 1992 election also saw the emergence of the new Whig Party, which put forth Ross Perot with James Stockdale. Jesse Jackson won and became the first black president.

1996
Jackson/Gore, Cuomo/Powell, Quayle/Kemp

Jackson and Gore ran for a second term in office. The Democrats nominated Joseph Cuomo with Colin Powell. This marked the first time black men were on the ticket two of the three major parties. The Republicans nominated Dan Quayle and Jack Kemp. Ross Perot ran on the Whig ticket again, this time with Pat Choate. Jackson easily won his second term. However, the Democrats took control of the House in this election. An emerging figure was young Francis J. Underwood, a Carolina Congressman who became the House Majority Leader after this election.

2000
Underwood/Darnell, Gore/Lieberman, Cheney/Hatch

The Progressives nominated Vice President Gore, as expected. Gore was expected to easily win the election in November. Meanwhile, the Democrats nominated House Majority Leader Frank Underwood. Underwood put a fresh face on the party and had established himself in the four years since the last election. As a southerner, Underwood was sure to win in the south, and he did, reuniting the Solid South for the first time in a generation, with the exception of Gore's native Tenesi. Underwood picked Malcolm Darnell of Cascadia as his running mate. Cascadia had a history of being Progressive since the days of President LaFollette. At the time of his election, Darnell was the first Democratic Senator from Cascadia in 32 years. The Republicans nominated Dick Cheney and Orrin Hatch. Underwood won over Gore in one of the greatest upsets in history. At 41, Underwood became the youngest man ever elected to the presidency.

2004
Underwood/Darnell, Kucinich/Nader, McCain/Harper

Underwood and Darnell easily secured the Democratic nomination for a second term. The Progressives nominated Senator Dennis Kucinich, while the Republicans attempted to win over votes in both north and south by choosing war hero Senator John McCain and Congressman Stephen Harper. Underwood defeated his opponents with large margins and won every state in the south, continuing the repeat successes of the Democrats in the south. The Democrats also took control of the Senate, now having control over both houses of Congress.

2008
Darnell/Cuomo, Kerry/Obama, Romney/Giuliani

Vice President Darnell won the Democratic nomination. He selected Anthony Cuomo of New York, son of 1996 Democratic nominee Joseph Cuomo, as his running mate. The Progressives nominated Senators John Kerry and Barry Obama. The Republicans had another poor year with Will Romney and Rudolph Giuliani. Darnell won the election.

2012
Darnell/Cuomo, Price/Pawlenty, King/Leibowitz

Darnell and Cuomo ran for a second term in office. The Progressives nominated Michael King and Jon Leibowitz. The Republicans, in response to the Democrats move more toward the right, moved even farther right in an attempt to take back the conservative south. This conservative revolution had swept the south in 2010, breaking the Democratic hold over the region by taking the most conservative states, such as Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansaw, and Louisiana. At the head of this neoconservative movement was Ronald Price. Price came forth with belligerent far right stances, constantly spewing racist statements. This attracted many new voters in the south to come forth and rejoin the Republicans. Price unexpectedly became the Republican nominee. In the election, he became the first Republican since Rockefeller to beat the Progressives.

First POD: 15th century England
In 1398, Richard II died. The cause of his death remains uncertain, although most suspect foul play, most likely committed by the king's uncle, John of Gaunt. John moved quickly to take the throne for himself, ascending as John II and bypassing the heir presumptive, Edmund Mortimer. Edmund and his brother Roger were kept at Windsor Castle. Upon John's death in 1405, Owain Glyndwr, the Percys, and Edmund's uncle Edmund arranged to abduct the younger Edmund and his brother from Windsor. Near Cheltenham, the boys were almost caught, but Edmund managed to escape. Nothing is heard of Roger after this point. It can only be assumed that he died. Regardless, Edmund successfully reached Wales where he was declared rightful king of England as the heir of Richard II. Edmund agreed to recognize Owain Glyndwr as the independent Prince of Wales. Edmund's cousin, Edward, the Duke of York, declared his support for Edmund. Edmund and his various allies moved south toward London, winning multiple victories against the opposition. Henry IV fled south and was followed by Edmund. The two armies had a battle at Southampton in 1411, which was a victory for the Mortimer faction. However, Edmund died there. Henry fled to France where he was briefly hosted by Charles VI. The Treaty of Troyes was surrounded for Charles VI, making Henry IV and his heirs the heirs to France, disinheriting the son of the king, Dauphin Charles. In England, Richard, Duke of York, brother of Edward, Duke of York, assumed the throne as Richard III. Richard waited until Charles VI died to invade France, declaring his support for Charles VII. Charles agreed to concede Normandy to England in exchange for their support. Richard III died at Agincourt and was succeeded by his son as Richard IV. The alliance between Richard and Charles succeeded and Henry was defeated. He left behind only an infant son, Henry, who was taken back to England by the new king Richard.