Robert Kennedy Survives

Timeline

 * 1968: Robert Kennedy is not assassinated. He goes on to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency and win the election in November against Richard Nixon. Nixon later retires from politics.
 * 1969 - 1973: Robert Kennedy takes office in January 1969. The government orders the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam - the last are withdrawn mid-1970; extra money is given to NASA, which continues the Apollo program until Apollo 19 as well as beginning construction of the Space Shuttle and Skylab. More is done on issues such as racial equality and social improvement in American society. He is well-liked and is easily re-elected in 1972.
 * 1973 - 1977: In early 1973, Robert Kennedy officially recognises the People's Republic of China as a legitimate nation - an unpopular decision. In April 1974 Apollo 19 makes the last landing on the moon for several decades. The Space Shuttle is developed more quickly, with the Enterprise built by 1975 and the Columbia to be ready by mid-1977. Plans are made for a second lunar program that would establish a permanent base, while Mars landings are put on hold. In 1976, Republican candidate Ronald Reagan wins the presidential election as an economic reformer and anti-communist.
 * 1977 - 1985: "Reaganomics" are adopted by the United States fiscally. The second lunar program is cancelled, as are plans for Mars landings. The space shuttle Columbia is completed in early 1978 and launches the following year, taking Skylab into a higher and more stable orbit. The Iran hostage crisis begins in 1979; during campaigning for the 1980 presidential election, Democratic candidate Ted Kennedy (who has a spotless driving record) attacks Reagan's inability to handle this as a major point in his campaign, but the hostages are released in October 1980 - in time for Reagan to manage a victory over Kennedy and be reelected for a second term. At the end of his second term Reagan's vice-president Bob Dole is elected President.
 * 1985 - 1989: At first, President Dole runs the country much as Reagan did. In 1986 the Iran-Contra scandal occurs; Dole is unable to escape attacks from all sides and is impeached in 1987. Although he is not removed from office his name is mud in politics afterwards: in 1988 Ted Kennedy makes a political comeback and wins the Presidency in landslide.
 * 1989 - 1993: The end of the Cold War. President Kennedy revives the second lunar program, named Artemis (sister of Apollo). The Gulf War happens much as it did ITTL. In 1992 many of Kennedy's supporters are drawn to independent candidate Ross Perot, but Kennedy is still re-elected with a respectable majority and is able to just scrape getting the popular vote.
 * 1993 - 1997: The Artemis program begins. A permanent moon base is established in 1994 in the crater Clavius. The country's national debt is substantially reduced from the Reagan-Dole years but not eliminated. In 1996, Kennedy's vice-president Bill Clinton is elected President.
 * 1997 - 1999: The Monica Lewinsky scandal reaches the press - in this timeline, Clinton met Lewinsky while he was Vice-President. Clinton manages to avoid impeachment, but he is nonetheless tarred by the scandal.
 * 2000: Clinton decides to run for a second term despite public opinion shifting back towards the Republicans. Senator John McCain, who has substantial cross-floor appeal, wins the nomination to be the Republican candidate - in order to keep the Republican base satisfied, conservative Jeb Bush (son of former vice-president George Bush) is selected as McCain's running mate. McCain wins the 2000 election fair and square.
 * 2001 - 2002: Robert Kennedy dies in early 2001 at age 75 from natural causes; the USA mourns the passing of a modern-day legend and liberal icon. Later that year, following the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001, the USA invades Afghanistan and brings down the Taliban government in that nation: the first movement in what is termed the "War on Terrorism". Troops from the USA and its allies are sent in to lock down the country's borders and hunt down Al-Qaeda within. Terrorist suspects are arrested, charged and remanded in maximum-security American prisons; while there are movements within the Republican party for "extreme measures" to be taken, President McCain vetos any changes to civil rights or the criminal justice system.
 * 2002 - 2003: Having received intelligence that terrorist organisations were being funded by Middle Eastern governments, the USA decides not to invade them - resolving to have its troops remain in Afghanistan - but instead have all its allies (including those in Europe) place an embargo on these nations. Other nations are traded with for oil (such as those in South America) and alternative fuel sources are also utilised much more, reducing the demand. This "turning off the tap" effectively drains the terrorist organisations of their resources and results in several coups and revolutions in the Middle Eastern region; this includes the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq.
 * 2003 - 2004: Saudi Arabia becomes the Islamic Republic of Central Arabia - not too different except males have suffrage and the government is less rich. Syria absorbs most of the Sunni Iraq territory, while the Shi'ites seize power in the smaller now-Islamic Republic of Iraq. Meanwhile, the Kurdish areas in Iraq and Syria declare their independence as the Republic of Kurdistan - for protection, Kurdistan quickly allies with Israel. Meanwhile, a weakened Al-Qaeda is systematically hunted down in Afghanistan and finally Osama bin Laden is captured in August 2004. The Americans re-elect McCain and Bush in the 2004 election.
 * 2005 - present: The "War on Terrorism" continues, but in the same sense as the "War on Drugs" as it is not perceived as an actual war. The UN sends peacekeeping troops to the borders of the new Middle Eastern nations in order to prevent conflicts between nations such as Syria vs. Iraq, Iraq vs. Central Arabia, and Kurdistan vs. everyone else; American troops participate. A new program is begun by NASA in addition to the ongoing visits to Clavius Base: a Mars landing is scheduled for 2009, with the foundations for a permanent base to be made there too. In the 2006 midterm elections, the Democrats gain majority in the House of Representatives but not the Senate. At present, the American public are looking favourably on McCain but not on his more conservative colleagues - the 2008 election has victory guaranteed for neither side.

Cultural Effects

 * Bruce Springsteen doesn't write the song "Born in the USA", due to Vietnam veterans receiving better treatment on their return.
 * The suffix "-gate" is not added to every scandal by the press, due to there being no Watergate scandal.
 * Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford are not household names. Richard Nixon is only remembered for losing the presidential election twice, each time to a Kennedy brother.
 * The revived space program in 1990 triggers a renewed interest in science fiction. Movies made at this period include "Alien III" (a conclusion to the Alien trilogy, where the Aliens come to Earth) and a movie version of "2061" (the final novel in Arthur C Clarke's "Space Odyssey" series). This boost, while ebbing at the time, is what prompts the Sci-Fi Channel to buy the rights to the TV show "Babylon 5" from PTEN - Sci-Fi goes on to screen several telemovies as well as a spinoff series, "Crusade", from 1999 until 2003.
 * The Star Trek franchise is also changed somewhat: Deep Space Nine drops "Star Trek" from its title from the fourth season onwards, and becomes a kind of "sister franchise" to "Star Trek" - after its ending in 1999 it is succeeded by a series titled "Deep Space Nine: Alliance" which runs from 1999 to 2006. "Enterprise" also runs for five seasons, until 2006. "Deep Space Nine" is cancelled and given up on along with "Star Trek" in 2006.
 * The television show "Boston Legal" doesn't have the character Alan Shore becoming such a champion of liberal politics, due to there being less need for a statement to be made on such matters.
 * The television show "The West Wing" is not quite as popular (due to it having less of an escapist appeal) but remains mostly unchanged. The television show "Commander-in-Chief" never makes it past the pilot stage.
 * The movie "V For Vendetta" is considered much less controversial.
 * Emilio Estevez doesn't make the movie "Bobby".
 * Emo music is nowhere near as popular, and never makes it into mainstream.

List of US Presidents

 * 1961 - 1963: John F. Kennedy (Democrat)
 * 1963 - 1969: Lyndon Johnson (Democrat)
 * 1969 - 1977: Robert Kennedy (Democrat)
 * 1977 - 1985: Ronald Reagan (Republican)
 * 1985 - 1989: Bob Dole (Republican)
 * 1989 - 1997: Ted Kennedy (Democrat)
 * 1997 - 1999: Bill Clinton (Democrat)
 * 1999 - 2001: Al Gore (Democrat)
 * 2001 - 2009: John McCain (Republican)

List of US Vice-Presidents

 * 1961 - 1963: Lyndon Johnson (Democrat)
 * 1963 - 1965: vacant
 * 1965 - 1969: Hubert Humphrey (Democrat)
 * 1969 - 1977: Ralph Yarborough (Democrat)
 * 1977 - 1985: Bob Dole (Republican)
 * 1985 - 1989: George Bush (Republican)
 * 1989 - 1997: Bill Clinton (Democrat)
 * 1997 - 1999: Al Gore (Democrat)
 * 1999 - 2001: Joe Lieberman (Democrat)
 * 2001 - 2009: Kay Bailey Hutchison (Republican)