Alternate History 🇺🇸 November 2, 1976: President Nelson Rockefeller wins election to full 4-year term and the aftermath

[Sergeant Foley]

FORMER ARGENTINE REPUBLIC PRESIDENT ISABEL PERON COLLAPSES; RUSHED TO HOSPITAL
*Friday, December 21, 1979: Spanish television station ETV reported that former Argentine Republic President Isabel Martinez de Peron was found unconscious by a housemaid and rushed to the hospital for medical attention. No other details were released.

COULD REPUBLICAN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION BATTLE POTENTIALLY BE DEADLOCKED?
*Saturday, December 22, 1979: Polling surveys have been all over the place in regards to who'll win the Iowa Caucuses. Political observers think there's a slight possibility that the battle for the Republican Party presidential nomination in 1980 might be deadlocked between former California Governor Ronald Reagan (R) and former CIA Director George HW Bush, which could mean the nomination battle might go all the way to the Republican Party National Convention in Detroit, Michigan.

Other candidates such as former US Treasury Secretary John Connally and United States Senators Howard Baker (R-TN) and Bob Dole (R-KS) will need to have something of a miracle to salvaging their respective campaigns.

PRESIDENT HOLTON DELIVERS CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE OVAL OFFICE

*Sunday, December 23, 1979: President Linwood Holton delivered the annual Christmas Message from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC. "1979 was the year of unfortunate circumstances, tragedy, personal losses and challenges that have tested our national resolve than ever before, but we should never forget that we're all Americans and living in the most powerful country on Earth," the President said during a televised address.

The Holton's will be spending the Christmas holidays at their residence in Roanoke, Virginia.

ANOTHER FAINTING SPELL FOR MEXICAN FIRST LADY FERNANDA ARIZMENDI

*Monday, December 24, 1979: Mexican First Lady Fernanda Arizmendi collapsed during communion in a private church ceremony in the outskirts of Mexico City. Reports circulate she was about to take communion when she fell to the floor; her brother, Wilson Arizmendi lifted her up and carried her into a private room somewhere in the church. Her cousin, Gertrudis Navarro tended to her cousin following another health scare. No other details were released to the public.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: SOVIET TROOPS OUST AFGHAN GOVERNMENT; KILL THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT

*Monday, December 24, 1979: The Soviet Union launches their invasion of Afghanistan with 6,000 combat troops of the 40th Soviet Army were flown to remove PDPA General Secretary Hafizullah Amin, who fell out of favour with the Soviet leadership in Moscow. Within three days, the Soviet troops invaded the capital city of Kabul by carrying out a bloodthirsty coup d'etat and killing Amin in the process; replacing him with Babrak Karmal, who became the new PDPA General Secretary.

Along with the international community, the Holton administration strongly condemned the invasion and deadly coup d'etat as serious violations of Afghan sovereignty. However, President Linwood Holton made it very clear that the United States under his leadership will not remain silent and will be considering various sanctions against the Soviet Union including the rebels, who participated in the coup. Holton also made it strongly clear that he had zero interest in turning Afghanistan into an ally of the United States and threatening the Soviets with American military troops there. It is unclear by this point, whether a potential meeting between Holton and Soviet dictator Lenoid Breznhev would take place in Poland in February 1980. Spokesperson for the White House said the President is considering terminating the meeting, should things continue to escalate.

TAIWANESE FREIGHTER CAPSIZES; RESULTS IN 28 DEATHS
*Tuesday, December 25, 1979: All 28 crew-members of the Taiwanese freighter Lee Wang Zin, were killed when the 714 foot (218 m) Taiwanese ore freighter capsized off the coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia.

RHODESIA CLOSER TO RESOLVING LONG-STALLED POLITICAL STATUS ON COUNTRY'S FUTURE
*Wednesday, December 26, 1979: In Rhodesia, 96 Patriotic Front guerrillas entered into the capital city of Salisbury to monitor a ceasefire agreement between the Anglo-ruled Rhodesian government and the Patriotic Front, which will begin on December 28th.

PINTASILGO RESIGNS AS PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER, PAVING WAY FOR SA CARNEIRO TO TAKE OVER
*Thursday, December 27, 1979: Portuguese Prime Minister Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, the country's first female Prime Minister, officially submitted her resignation to Portuguese President General Winfield Gonsalves which clears the way for incoming Prime Minister Francisco Sa Carneiro to begin forming a new government.

FREAK ACCIDENT AT JONES & LAUGHLIN STEEL COMPANY RESULTS IN SIX DEATHS; TWELVE INJURED
*Friday, December 28, 1979: A freak accident at the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company occurred, when a ventilation fan suddenly stopped turning and the workers were overcome by deadly carbon monoxide from the blast furnace. Among the dead were people who attempted to close a valve in order to stopping the flow of deadly gas.

BENTSEN ENDORSING CAREY FOR DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

​

*Saturday, December 29, 1979: United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) , who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 before dropping out to successfully run for reelection that year, announced during a press conference that he was endorsing New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) for President, calling him "The right leader at the right time that this nation needs right now. We cannot afford to nominate an untested United States Senator with skeletons in the closet that the Republicans will aggressively attack him or her on." Observers viewed the worded statement as a small slight shot at United States Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), whose campaign is facing backlash due to some recent scandals popping up.

VIDELA NAMED TIME MAGAZINE'S MAN OF THE YEAR

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*Sunday, December 30, 1979: Time Magazine announced their selection of controversial Argentine Republic President Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla as its "Man of the Year" for 1979, to appear on the cover of its issued date for January 7, 1980, describing him as the individual who "has done the most to change the news, for better or worse." The magazine added that "As the leader of the successful bloodless March 24, 1976 coup d'etat which put him into the Presidency as well as aggressively launching the deadly Dirty War where political opponents ranging from entertainment industry figures, professional athletes, journalists, students, etc., have either been exiled, disappeared or killed, he gave the 20th Century an ugly deadly lesson in the shattering power of irrationally, of the ease with which torture and murder of anyone who opposes the Junta can be adopted as the official government policy," and that "The Coup that he successfully led to triumph threatens to upset the entire world balance of power more than any other political event since Hitler's conquest of Europe."

CITY OF PARIS, FRANCE TAKES OVER CONTROL OF THE EIFFEL TOWER

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*Monday, December 31, 1979: The Eiffel Tower, which has been operated as a private business since 1889 by the Societe' d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, came under control of the City of Paris, France and to a management group of private investors.

Gallup Polling Survey (December 31, 1979)
Job Approval of President Linwood Holton:
Approve: 63%
Disapprove: 25%

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING SOON IN THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
The love story of King Baudouin I and Queen Fabiola

​

 

[Red_Tornado]

How far are you planning to take this?

 

[Sergeant Foley]

How far are you planning to take this?

I plan on taking this as long as God gives me time here in this life. Plus besides being busy in my part-time job, etc., I typically post an installment during the weekends. Now I just began Chapter 8 and you can expect the upcoming Installments to be posted either tomorrow or during the weekend:
*Spring 1980
*Lots and lots of Personal PoV's 😎
*President Holton delivers his 1st State of the Union Address.
*Democratic Party Response.
*The 1980 Presidential Campaign: Iowa Caucuses.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

The comeback of the Gandhi's
Sunday, January 6, 1980
Suburbs of New Delhi, India

​

......"That uppity BITCH is back as Prime Minister again. What in the fuck? She almost drove this great Republic into an all-out civil war with the controversial Emergency Law from 1975. That old goat and her family have humiliated us for over 30+ years.
I will tell you this. That uppity bitch's days will be numbered one way or another. Mark my words: It won't be very long because that old goat will get what's coming to her. And when that happens, we will plot the biggest motherfucking takeover in this country that nobody's ever seen!"
------Colonel Winston Arevalo
Indian Marine Corps Reserve
73rd Squad Battalion
Spring 1980
Private secret diary.

On 6 January 1980, parliamentary elections were held in the South Asian country of India for the 542 seats in the Lok Sabha, Indians were coming off of the economic crisis that engulfed the government of embattled Indian Prime Minister Charan Singh, who had been in office since 1977.

On election night, voters overwhelmingly chose to elect the Indian National Congress in control of the Indian government and therefore completing the comeback of Indira Gandhi to a fourth term as Prime Minister. The National Congress won 374 out of the 541 seats in the Lok Sabha, which is the lowest house of the Indian Parliament.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Charan Singh's Janata Party, who had undergone infighting during in the past few years, lost all but 72 seats of the 305 seats it had held since 1977.

The landslide victory of the National Congress placed Indira's son, Sanjay in an influential key role as well as being handpicked as his mother's successor to become Prime Minister someday; over the next couple of months, Sanjay ruthlessly purged state party officials and replaced them by appointing huge networks of friends, proteges and cronies in various local bureaucracies, judicial courts, law enforcement agencies and state party organization committees. He controlled the biggest state affiliates of the Congress Party including half of the Congress Party's majority in the Indian Parliament and much of the Republic of India Armed Forces including legak establishment.

News of Indira's landslide victory reached across the globe including over in the United States, where President Holton expressed cautious optimism in repairing the chaotic diplomatic relations between Washington and New Delhi. Knowing that his time as the 40th President of the United States was coming to a close by 20 January 1981, Holton decided to focus his long lame duck status by being heavily involved in foreign policy and working aggressively on improving ties with India by conducting personal diplomacy with an upcoming State Visit to India set for Summer 1980.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

SWEDISH ACT OF SUCCESSION CHANGED
*Tuesday, January 1, 1980: The Swedish government approved changes to the Swedish Act of Succession. First line to the Swedish throne will be Princess Victoria of Sweden, who will become heir to the throne and therfore Crown Princess.

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: PARKS OUT AS HOST OF THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT
*Wednesday, January 2, 1980: Bert Parks was fired as host of the Miss America beauty pageant after 25 years. Although Parks is known for closing out the pageant every year by singing "There She Is, Miss America", said that he "knew nothing about this at all." until being informed by a television reporter; the pageant's CEO said Parks had been sent a letter two weeks earlier that he wouldn't be retained to host the pageant nor rehired for another one-year contract.

APPLYING HARSH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS, HOLTON TERMINATES SALT II TREATY
*Thursday, January 3, 1980: During the latter part of December 1979 and the Christmas and New Years holidays, President Holton issued harsh economic sanctions against the Soviet Union and terminated grain sales to the country including ordering the explusion of Soviet diplomats from the United States effective immediately.

Holton asked the United States Senate to terminate ratification of the SALT II Treaty, the second agreement between the two nuclear powers from the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks to limit the number of nuclear missiles.

SALT II had been originally planned to be signed under then-US President Gerald Ford, but that pretty much ended on 5 September 1975 with his shocking assassination. Relations between Washington and Moscow quickly soured fast under Nelson Rockefeller's administration when upon ascending to the Presidency, he suspended the SALT II Treaty and dismantled Detente Policy with China and the Soviet Union; relations continued to deteriorate further under Holton, who basically continued Rockefeller's policies.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Campaigning hard in the Hawkeye State
11:57 AM CST, Tuesday, January 15, 1980
Somewhere in Des Moines, Iowa

​

Former CIA Director George HW Bush being interviewed by Karen Farhfitt of KXAS-TV Fort Worth.

...."Former CIA Director George HW Bush is aggressively campaigning across the Hawkeye State in all 99 counties. His moderate-to-conservative approach to leading the country as President including showcasing his track record of experience ranging from Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief Liaison to China and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency has been received by voters a very impressive reception as we're getting closer to the Iowa Caucuses, which will take place in a few days.
Although former California Governor Ronald Reagan is currently the front-runner for the Republican Party presidential nomination, there has to be some areas of concern from the Reagan campaign that a loss in Iowa is looking more and more likely which means New Hampshire is heavily focused by Reagan."
------Excerpt from ABC News
January 15, 1980

It was an extremely cold day in the suburbs of Des Moines and there was no rest for the presidential candidates especially on the Republican side such as former CIA Director George HW Bush, whose record of experience and foreign policy experience, was gaining strong support among Iowans, who feared that Reagan's lack of national security experience or even foreign policy experience scared voters.

Bush also had to contend with facing another Texan in the battle for the Republican Party presidential nomination such as Connally, who was still facing massive pressure to drop out in order to unite behind one person (preferably Bush) to prevent Reagan or at least push for a deadlocked convention fight.

Polling details revealed more and more like Bush appearing more likely to win the Iowa Caucuses, which will give the Bush campaign a major shot in the arm heading into New Hampshire.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING SOON IN THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
The Assassination of Pope John Paul II and the ramifications on if this was part of a sinister conspiracy

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[Sergeant Foley]

Nap Time for Bonzo!
10:00 PM CST, Monday, January 21, 1980
Des Moines, Iowa

Former CIA Director George HW Bush greeting supporters after his shocking victory in the Iowa Caucuses.
​

...."Ladies and Gentlemen, with just about 73% of the precincts reporting, ABC News will indeed project former CIA Director George Herbert Walker Bush as the winner of the Iowa Caucuses tonight. Mr. Bush has shocked the political experts, pundits and observers by narrowly winning the Iowa Caucuses carrying 57 out of the 99 counties, while former US Treasury Secretary John Connally managed to surprise people by getting second place despite the lack of enthusiasm for his campaign over the past few months.

Former California Governor Ronald Reagan, who many view as the front-runner for the Republican Party presidential nomination, dropped to a disappointing and humbling third place. This has to be obviously embarrassing for the former California Governor, who will need to win New Hampshire or else his campaign is over.................."
-Frank Reynolds
ABC World News Tonight
21 January 1980

Pulling off one of the most shocking victories in the battle for the Republican Party presidential nomination, Bush easily placed first winning the Iowa Caucuses. He now emerged as the Ford/Rockefeller/Holton-style centrist alternative to Reagan; Senator Dole suffered an embarrassing fifth-place finish. In a rather distant second-place finish was Connally, the former US Secretary of the Treasury, surprising the political punditry with how much conservative votes he successfully siphoned off from the former California Governor, whose lackadaisical campaigning backfired, resulting in a humbling third place finish.

"They all said that we would finish dead last, and here we are.....right at Reagan's heels!" Connally gleefully told crowd of supporters in Charleston, South Carolina during the evening of the Iowa Caucuses. The night was looking very promising for Connally and most assumed his political career was fading. His surprising second-place finish including the delegate totaling numbers rivaled Reagan's, rejuvenated his efforts.

Originally hestitant, business interests who had funded Connally's campaign were beginning to feel more and more confident. Following the Iowa Caucuses, Bush and Reagan went to campaign in Manchester and Concord meeting with voters respectively in the nation's first presidential primary state. In the meantime, Connally flew to New York City, Miami and Houston in order to raise money. His assessments were blunt and up to the point.

"As far as I'm concerned, Governor Reagan is finished," Connally said. "You know his campaign staff and associates will wheel him out on the stage, put makeup powder on his face, dress him up and give him a speech to read, but there's no mistake about it. It's time for the Bonzo to take his nap! The question is do you want a milquetoast New England Yankee liberal flip-flopper named George Bush or do you want John Connally, who is a true dear friend of the capatlists and the conservatives alike? I don't think this isn't a hard question to answer." he said with a grin.

Connally knew that New Hampshire was going to be difficult for him, so he focused on South Carolina instead because if he could win there, he could cause an all-out dragged-out primary battle. The big question is whether he could lobby Dole and Baker to drop out?

COMING SOON IN CHAPTER 8 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Democratic Party presidential nomination battle as results come in from the Iowa Caucuses.

Upcoming Installments of Chapter 8:
*"I am paying for this fucking microphone Mr. Breen": How the Gipper FINALLY found his voice.
*Explosive juicy sex scandal explodes in Mississippi.
*Personal PoV's on the campaign trail.
*President Holton delivers his 1st State of the Union Address.
*Lots of International Personal PoV's Spring 1980.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

ABC NEWS PROJECTIONS: CAREY WINS DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS IN ROUT; WIPES OUT THE COMPETITION
*Iowa Democratic Caucus Results (45 Pledged Delegates):
Hugh Carey: 59.16% (37 Delegates)✔
Edward M. Kennedy: 25.37% (6 Delegates)
Lawton M. Chiles: 13.25% (2 Delegates)

​

*Monday, January 21, 1980: Over on the Democratic side, the easy winner in the Iowa Caucuses belongs to New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) , who according to pollsters already predicted, won the first contest of the Democratic Party presidential primaries of the 1980 campaign. He crushed the competition by sweeping all 99 counties nearing 60% of the vote. However, the remaining candidates: United States Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Lawton M. Chiles (D-FL) came in second and third respectively, getting some delegates but there is amount pressure on some remaining candidates to drop out in order to achieving party unity ahead of the upcoming DNC Convention later this summer.

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: ASKEW DROPS OUT; ENDORSES CHILES

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*Tuesday, January 22, 1980: Former Florida Governor Reubin Askew (D) became the first major Democratic Party contender to drop out: Following a disappointing dead last place finish in the Iowa Caucuses last night, Askew officially suspended his campaign during a press briefing this morning. Many viewed his quest for the Democratic Party presidential nomination as a long shot and had been lacking major financial support due to the fact that fellow Floridan, United States Senator Lawton M. Chiles (D-FL) was already in the race which divided several key figures of the Florida Democratic Party. Several rank and file Southern Democrats have quickly united behind Senator Chiles' campaign. Askew told his supporters that he favors Senator Chiles to be the party's standard bearer.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

PRESIDENT HOLTON DELIVERS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS BEFORE JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

*Wednesday, January 23, 1980: President Linwood Holton delivered his annual State of the Union Address before a Joint Session of the 96th US Congress. He addressed the recent success of ending the Pakistani Hostage Crisis and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. "At this moment, massive Soviet troops are attempting to subjugate the fiercely independent and deeply religious people of Afghanistan." The speech lasted 37 minutes and 13 seconds and also contained 3,429 words. "While the invasion continues, we and other countries cannot continue business as usual with the Soviet Union."

The President said the United States' position must be "absolutely clear: an attempt by an outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States. It will be repelled by use of any means necessary, including military force." Due to the threat to the free world's oil supplies from the Middle East, Holton imposed an import ceiling of 8.6 million barrels per day for the United States, which was well below the level of oil imports. President Holton said he had spoken with the nation's governors about greater energy conservation efforts, with mandatory conservation goals possible if further reductions in petroleum consumption aren't made.

In the 1980s, President Holton said, there are three basic developments which shaped these detailed challenges:
*Steady growth and increased projection of the Soviet Union and their military power beyond their borders.
*Overwhelming dependence of the industrial democracies on oil supplies from the Middle East.
*Social, religious, economic and political changes in the developing world.

The Holton administration's plans in resuming the draft registration following five years of an all-volunteer forces, was the most major surprise in the annual message to Congress. Holton said he will ask Congress to approve quick passage of a new charter to defining clearly "the legal authority of our intelligence agencies. "We need to remove unwarranted, un-necessary restraints on our abilities to collecting intelligence and tightening our controls on sensitive intelligence information. An effective intelligence capability is vital to our nation's security," the President said.

Threats to the Middle East oil supply means Congress must complete action on energy legislation, the President said during his speech to Congress. In addition to major conservation, development of solar power, realistic pricing based on the true value of oil, with strong incentives for production of coal and other fuels including synthetics is needed. "If we have a serious shortage, I won't hesitate to impose mandatory gasoline rationing."

Following President Holton's State of the Union Address to Congress, the Democratic Party Response was delivered by Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt (D).

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"I knew that things weren't looking good for Teddy. Having gotten his ass handed to him in the Iowa Caucuses, the Senator's campaign was punched hard but I was going to have to tell him in order to prevent more losses, he'll have to take the gloves off against Carey at some point.

We still had more primaries coming up, but we needed to be focused. And with the likelihood of the Republicans having split winners in Iowa, New Hampshire and potentially South Carolina, I figured it was important for Democrats to stay focused on the main objective: Ending 12 years of Republican control of the White House that included four consecutive Republican Presidents: Nixon (resigned in disgrace with Watergate lingering over him), Ford (assassinated by that crazy nutjob in Sacramento), Rockefeller (who died of a heart attack) and Holton (who chose not to run for any office)."
------United States Senator Juan H. Cinton (D-PR)
One-on-one Interview
"The Campaign Facing Tough Odds: Edward M. Kennedy and his vision for America"

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 8 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
"I am paying for this fucking microphone Mr. Green!"

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: REAGAN WINS ARKANSAS CONVENTION VOTE

*February 2, 1980: A huge win for former California Governor Ronald Reagan (R) as he rebounded with a victory in the Arkansas Convention Vote as the battle for the Republican Party presidential nomination continues to heat up. With a total of 22 Delegates at stake, Reagan won 15 out of 22 Delegates, while former CIA Director George HW Bush managed to win 7 delegates.

BUSH WINS PUERTO RICO PRIMARY AND MAJORITY OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S 20 DELEGATES

*February 17, 1980: Another win for former Central Intelligence Agency Director George HW Bush, who pulled off a major upset in the Iowa Caucuses on January 21st, continued his winning streak by winning the Puerto Rico Primary: winning 14 delegates, garnering 111,940 votes while United States Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) won 68,934 votes with no delegates.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

CAREY HOLDS OFF KENNEDY IN MAINE CAUCUSES

*February 10, 1980: In the Maine Caucuses, New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) held off a strong challenge from his nearest rival, United States Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). According to the final tabulations, Carey's victory margin was considerably smaller than what political pundits initially believed was the case. Out of the 22 delegates up for grabs, Governor Carey won 12 delegates including 14,528 votes (43.59%) while Senator Kennedy won 10 delegates including garnering 13,384 votes (40.16%) while United States Senator Lawton Chiles (D-FL) garnered 4,621 votes (13.87%).

Chiles didn't get any delegates coming out of the Maine Caucuses because he didn't receive 15% of the vote, the minimum necessary for getting any delegates under the specific rules. The DNC national convention delegates will be named at a state convention to be attended by the delegates elected following the Maine Caucuses.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING SOON IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
President Holton delivers his Farewell Address

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[Sergeant Foley]

"I am paying for this fucking microphone Mr. Green!"
February 23, 1980
Nashua High School Gymnasium
Nashua, New Hampshire

​

With former US Treasury Secretary John Connally effectively pulling out of the nation's first presidential primary by focusing on South Carolina instead, one of the Connally campaign strategists Eddie Mahe proposed an alternative suggestion: use some of the money by hammering Reagan on the airwaves therefore giving Bush an easy win in New Hampshire, and make it a one-on-one contest between the former US Secretary of the Treasury and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in South Carolina. It was during the five weeks between Iowa and New Hampshire that voters couldn't help but keep watching non-stop television advertising commercials blasting Reagan's fitness and even questioning his leadership skills for the nation's highest office.

In one of the controversial commercials, it showed Reagan, who was tired and worn out following his upset loss in Iowa by suggesting he doesn't need to seek reelection. The narrator asked: "After the last chaotic years, don't we want a President who can be ready serving out his full four-year term?" Connally's controversial advertising strategy gave more fuel to the Bush campaign's "Experience is needed" slogan.

The Gipper continued to fall further and further behind in the polling surveys.

What was worse for the former California Governor was that internal polling showed him trailing Bush badly by 21 percentage points in New Hampshire. Another loss in the nation's first presidential primary had some horrible flashbacks from 1976 when Rockefeller not only crushed Reagan but humiliated him non-stop by sweeping all of the remaining states which eventually resulted in Rockefeller winning the nomination and cruising to a massive landslide victory that fall to a full four-year term. Some inside the inner circle of the Reagan campaign had been worried, for good reason: if Reagan lost to Bush again, his campaign for the Presidency was over. For good!

Finally putting his foot down, Reagan obviously hated losing and impatiently told campaign manager John Sears that he was going to "campaign the way I like to campaign." This meant going to every corner of the Granite State; courageously speaking his mind on issues and debating as well.

While that was going on, the Bush campaign strategists were determined NOT to have all the other candidates such as Anderson, Baker, Dole and Crane in attendance due to low polling numbers. In his view, Bush specifically wanted a one-on-one debate with Reagan because giving attention to the other candidates would basically split the anti-Reagan vote, therefore hurting his campaign.

Another problem was the Federal Election Commission (FEC) ruling that the Nashua Telegraph couldn't be allowed to sponsor a debate because it excluded the other candidates. Desperate and realizing this third campaign for the Presidency was basically his last chance at the brass ring, Reagan said "Fuck it. Let's do this!" and the former California Governor's campaign agreed to footing the bill themselves by paying out of pocket....literally.

Upon hearing confirmation from New Hampshire campaign director Gerald Carmen that the debate would be only between Reagan and Bush, the other candidates were furious, angry and pissed off. Many of whom fired off angry telegrams and letters to Reagan, demanding "fairness" and "having the right to be included in the debate". All of this was weighing on Reagan and he knew it.

Fast forward to the morning of February 23rd, Reagan gave the Ok for his campaign associates to use tactics in changing the plans for the debate. Sears, whose job was on the line, needed one last Hail Mary touchdown pass for the Gipper to score; he called the other candidates: Anderson, Baker, Crane, Dole, all of whom agreed to be in attendance. Connally, on the other hand, knew better because he saw right through Sears' conniving political ploy in using the other candidates as political props on the debate stage. However, realizing this was a good idea of sticking it to Bush. Connally busted out laughing and said, "Brilliant strategy, but I ain't coming. Fuck him over once for me."

Later that afternoon, Bush stupidly took the bait and fell for the trick: hook, line and sinker. He staunchly refused to include the other candidates by saying "I was invited to by the Nashua Telegraph to participate in a two-man debate with Governor Reagan and I played by the rules." John Breen, the executive editor of the Nashua Telegraph, was angry when notified that Reagan was including the other candidates: "I was never consulted by Governor Reagan or any of his campaign advisers about including the other candidates. We had an agreement that this was only to be a two-man debate." Angry and also panicking, Breen and his Telegraph colleagues decided since it was their debate, they're preferring to double-down by sticking with the one-on-one format, no matter what the Reagan campaign was trying to pull.

Little did Breen realize that he was going to be apart of campaign history....infamous or not...

A crowd of 2,400 people packed into the Nashua High School Gymnasium later that evening to watch the debate, which was scheduled for 7:30 PM EST. However, nobody showed up when the time moved to 8:15 PM EST.

United States Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) went to speak with Bush campaign manager Jim Baker (who got his ass handed to him in the 1978 campaign for Texas State Attorney General by Price Daniel, Jr., by double digits). Humphrey told Baker the following: "I have a message for Mr. Bush that the one-on-one debate is not going to happen," and that Bush had to let Anderson, Baker, Crane and Dole be included in the debate. Baker stepped away to speak with Bush; when he came back, he told Senator Humphrey "the answer is still no". Charlie Black continued applying the pressure, but Baker was furious and telling him: "God damn it, you guys are not going to FUCK this up! This is going to be a two-man debate and you're not going to do anything to change it!"

Upon finding out what happened, Reagan, who was standing with the other candidates, "Dammit! This is unbelievable. I'm going to get you all in there!"

Senator Humphrey made another attempt of including the other candidates when he tried speaking with Bush, who loathed and despised him shot back: "No fucking way! I've worked all my life for this and I'm not giving it up...... I've done more for my party unity than you'll ever know!"

When the debate began, Reagan invited Anderson, Baker, Crane and Dole to join him on the debate stage, which the crowd cheered. Bush, on the other hand, sat in his seat awkwardly embarrassed while writing some notes on a notepad. Reagan, who was at his best when angry, commanded the room and the crowd cheered him non-stop; unfortunately for Mr. Breen, he was being booed and rightfully so when he attempted to have the other candidates kicked off the stage.

Governor Reagan spoke into the microphone: "I am the sponsor, and I suppose I should have some right," he said as Breen tried unsuccessfully to cut him off.

"Would the sound-man please turn Governor Reagan's microphone off?" Breen asked while being hissed by the angry crowd inside the high school gymnasium.

Already too angry and pissed to be sitting down, Governor Reagan stood up with the microphone. "Is this thing on?" he asked. The audience was cheering and watching the entire scene, the Reagan campaign associates were smiling backstage "He's gonna be the next President!" Reagan continued speaking: "Mr. Green, you asked me......" he was beginning to say before Breen asked again: "Would you turn that microphone off please?"

Putting all of the energies and thundering his voice, Reagan angrily bellowed: "I am paying for this fucking microphone, Mr. Green!" The crowd cheered loudly and continued as Anderson, Baker, Crane and Dole clapped and smiling while Bush sat there completely dumbfounded, learning one of those harsh lessons of politics: The art of theater!

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"The night Governor Reagan pulled that annoying stunt during the New Hampshire debate, it was obvious the intent was to humiliate and embarrass Dad, who staying focused on the task at hand.

I couldn't believe this overhyped Hollywood actor used this scheme by manipulating the crowd to his side. It was disgusting and what also angered me was Congressmen Anderson and Crane including Senators Baker and Dole were happily clapping along, egging Reagan on ,who continued insulting Mr. Breen by misspelling his last name, etc.,

We learned a valuable lesson afterwards. Politics turned into theater and everything that was traditional in the past, pretty much got thrown into the trash following that debate. I always wonder what would've happened if we had altered someone to prevent that dirty trick from happening...."
-John Ellis "Jeb" Bush
Spring 2019
43rd Governor of Florida
January 5, 1999-January 2, 2007

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"We will never know why United States Senator Jimmy Carter (D-GA) dropped a shocking political bombshell following the 1978 Midterms that he won't be seeking reelection to a second six-year term in 1980. Theories suggest the following: stressful commutes from Plains to Washington, DC; lack of political fire following the spanking he and Governor Wallace got in 1976; family considerations coming to play.

Although Georgians appreciated Senator Carter's hardworking accomplishments and achievements in sponsoring and co-sponsoring over 71,000+ pieces of legislation ranging from the Puerto Rico Statehood Act of 1977; Panama Canal Treaty Accords; Invest in American Energy Act; Protecting American Farmers Act; Religious Freedom Act among countless examples.

Thank you Senator Carter for representing the State of Georgia well with honor, integrity and honesty."
------Excerpt from Atlanta Journal Constitution
February 24, 1980.