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

[Sergeant Foley]

ELECTION RESULTS OF US STATE/TERRITORY GOVERNORSHIPS
(PART II)
Tuesday, November 4, 1980

*NEW HAMPSHIRE: Incumbent New Hampshire Governor Hugh Gallen (D) defeated former New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson, Jr., (R) very easily by double digits in their rematch, keeping Bridges House in Democratic control for the next two years.
Hugh Gallen (D-incumbent): 226,436 (58.96%)✔
Meldrim Thomson, Jr., (R): 156,178 (40.67%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*NORTH CAROLINA: Over inside the Tar Heel State, popular incumbent North Carolina Governor James Baxter "Jim" Hunt, Jr., (D) handily trounced State Senator I. Beverly Lake (R) by a resounding landslide victory making history as the first North Carolina Governor succeeding himself to back-to-back four year terms; Hunt also carried 91 out of 100 counties.
James Baxter "Jim" Hunt, Jr., (D-incumbent): 1,143,145 (61.88%)✔
I. Beverly Lake (R): 691,449 (37.43%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*NORTH DAKOTA: North Dakota State Attorney General Allen I. Olson (R) knocked off incumbent North Dakota Governor Arthur A. Link (D), flipping control of the Governor's Residence to the Republicans.
Allen I. Olson (R): 162,230 (53.61%)✔
Arthur A. Link (D-incumbent): 140,391 (46.39%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*RHODE ISLAND: Incumbent Rhode Island Governor J. Joseph Garrahy (D) handily crushed Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci (R) in a massive landslide securing a third two-year term sweeping all five counties in the Ocean State.
J. Joseph Garrahy (D-incumbent): 299,174 (73.71%)✔
Buddy Cianci (R): 106,729 (26.29%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*AMERICAN SAMOA: Incumbent American Samoan Governor Peter Tali Coleman (R) overwhelmingly won reelection virtually unopposed, securing a second term in the Governor's Mansion.
Peter Tali Coleman (R): 5,373 (100.00%)✔
REPUBLICAN HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Part III of the Election Night Coverage for Campaign 80.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

ELECTION RESULTS OF US STATE/TERRITORY GOVERNORSHIPS
(PART III)
Tuesday, November 4, 1980

*UTAH: Incumbent Utah Governor Scott Matheson (D) defeated former Utah Republican Party chairman Bob Wright (R) by double digits in the Beehive State, keeping the Utah Governor's Mansion in Democratic control.
Scott Matheson (D-incumbent): 330,974 (55.16%)✔
Bob Wright (R): 266,578 (44.43%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*VERMONT: Incumbent Vermont Governor Richard Snelling (R) easily defeated three-term Vermont State Attorney General M. Jerome Diamond (D) in a landslide victory securing a third two-year term in the Green Mountain State and keeping the Governorship in Republican hands.
Richard Snelling (R-incumbent): 123,229 (58.7%)✔
M. Jerome Diamond (D): 76,826 (36.6%)
REPUBLICAN HOLD

*WASHINGTON (OPEN): Politics inside the Evergreen State turned upside down when flamboyant and controversial incumbent Washington Governor Dixy Lee Ray (D) was defeated in the Blanket gubernatorial primary by State Senator Jim McDermott (D). It caused a backlash among several key sectors of the Washington Democratic Party, which resulted in longtime incumbent United States Senator Warren Magnusson (D-WA St) losing reelection to three-term Washington State Attorney General Slade Gorton (R) in the US Senate election; King County Executive John Spellman (R) won the Governorship defeating McDermott quite resoundingly.
John Spellman (R): 981,083 (56.7%)✔
Jim McDermott (D): 749,813 (43.3%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN

*WEST VIRGINIA: Over in the Mountain State, incumbent West Virginia Governor Jay Rockefeller (D), the nephew of the late President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller and the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller (R), avenged his 1972 defeat by winning reelection against former West Virginia Governor Arch Moore, Jr., (R) securing another four years in the West Virginia Governor's Mansion. Political observers inside the Mountaineer State including nationally strongly expect Governor Rockefeller to become a key national player in four years either for the Presidency or the United States Senate in 1984.
Jay Rockefeller (D-incumbent): 401,863 (54.15%)✔
Arch Moore, Jr., (R): 337,240 (45.44%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

*PUERTO RICO: In the Free Associated State, incumbent Puerto Rico Governor Carlos Romero Barcelo (PNP/D) narrowly edged out former Puerto Rico Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon (PPD/D) by less than 0.19 percent. The New Progressive Party (PNP) received a plurality of the votes inside the Puerto House of Representatives, but the Popular Democratic Party won majority of the seats in the lower chamber and also won a majority of seats in the Puerto Rico State Senate; turnout was 88.30%, an all-time high for the 51st State of the Union. Political observers strongly expect another rematch between both Governors in 1984.
Carlos Romero Barcelo (PNP/D-incumbent): 759,926 (47.22%)✔
Rafael Hernandez Colon (PPD/D): 756,889 (47.03%)
NEW PROGRESSIVE PARTY HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC:
*Aftermath of Reagan's landslide victory.
*Democrats at a political cross-roads.
*Realignment of American politics
*The Transition: Holton to Reagan.
*Personal PoVs: International

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Aftermath of the Ass-Whooping!
3:07 PM CST, Wednesday, November 5, 1980

"The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt from the ground-up and needs to stop alienating Middle America if they want to be successful in future elections. Otherwise, at the rate the other side is pushing, we might NOT see the White House ever again probably around the mid 2030s, maybe when our great-grandkids are grown up."
------United States Senator Mark Wells White, Jr., (D-TX)
Audio recording: 5 November 1980
​

Once all of the votes were finished counting, the Democrats woke up in the early morning hours of 5 November 1980 and analyzed the results in all 51 States: they kept control of the US House of Representatives, but lost 35 seats which reduced their majority in the lower chamber; it's one thing to lose the fourth consecutive presidential election in a row, but Democrats lost 12 Senate seats in the United States Senate: Republicans now had the majority in the United States Senate which made United States Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) as the incoming Majority Leader, while outgoing Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV) was being downgraded to being Minority Leader which meant President-elect Ronald Wilson Reagan was likely going to appoint lots of conservatives to the judiciary including naming conservatives to the US Supreme Court.

This seemed an odd question for the Republicans, who were celebrating winning a fourth consecutive term keeping the White House for another four years and possibly beyond: one of these elections resulted in a 49-state landslide, then another election with a 45-state landslide and once again, winning 45 out of 51 States including winning the 51st State: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Republicans managed to survive the backlash from Watergate and Nixon's resignation on 9 August 1974, which resulted in the ascension of Gerald Rudolph Ford as the 38th President, who briefly enjoyed high approval ratings before his controversial pardon of his deeply reviled predecessor less than a month later and the strong backlash against Ford soon afterwards. Despite getting shellacked in the 1974 Midterms when Democrats won pretty much everywhere across America, there was some solace among Republicans that it wasn't that bad like 1964. Then suddenly the assassination of President Ford happened in Sacramento, California on 5 September 1975 and the ascension of Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller as the 39th President of the United States. Rockefeller turned out to be pretty popular among all sectors of the country and his administration generated lots and lots of achievements and accomplishments from domestic policy, economic policy, national defense, foreign policy and international affairs especially with the Good Neighbor Policy. Presidential historians viewed Rockefeller as one of the best Presidents in the Top 5; his approval ratings ranged somewhere between the high 60s and low 80s which ultimately was at 83% before his sudden death of a heart attack on 26 January 1979.

Linwood Holton ascended to the Presidency as the nation's 40th Chief Executive and finished out the remainder of Rockefeller's term and continued the majority of his policies while mixing several key policies with his own such as coordinating with zero-based budgeting and finding bipartisan ways of preventing government shutdowns. Despite the presidencies of Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller and Holton: the Republicans never controlled both houses of Congress within the period of 12 years (1969-1981).

Survey research and post-election polling revealed that Americans were aware Reagan was going to move the country into a more conservative direction and were obviously apparently wiling to give him and conservatism a chance in order to avoid a potential chaotic four-year presidency of Carey (more on him next).

Upon the fallout of the Reagan Revolution landslide, the infighting among Democrats began almost immediately, which was likely to escalate throughout the lame duck period: close associates of New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) demanded to know why other big-name Democrats hadn't been more diligent about getting out on the campaign trail and campaigning for the Carey/Busbee ticket. Asked why was he distancing himself from the National Democrats during the 1980 presidential campaign, United States Senator (and likely future 45th President) Mark Wells White, Jr., (D-TX) testily replied that he "had a day job to do in the United States Senate." Several moderate and conservative Democrats too, placed the blame on Carey for some bizzare mistakes on the campaign trail: Failure to respond to the ponzi scheme allegations that engulfed his second wife, New York State First Lady Evangeline Gouletas Carey when the Informer exposed damaging information about her personal life. What was also an irritant was the Carey campaign's failure to campaign harder in the South (which would've saved some down-ballot Democrats especially in the United States Senate in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina for example);

Following his landslide defeat, Carey finished out his second term as New York State's 51st Governor and announced he wouldn't be seeking reelection to a third term in 1982 which opened the door for New York State Lieutenant Governor (and future US Federal District Court of Appeals Judge) Mario Cuomo (D), who was successful in winning the Governorship, succeeding Carey on 1 January 1983 as the Empire State's 52nd Governor serving 12 consecutive years, winning reelection in 1986 and again in 1990 before losing reelection during a bid for a fourth term in the 1994 Republican Revolution landslide. As for Carey, he announced he was Pro-Life and supported anti-abortion leaders in signing the "A New American Compact: Caring About Women, Caring for the Unborn." He would also work as counsel for the law firm Shea and Gould including continuing practicing law at the Harris Beach law firm; Describing his second marriage as a "complete failure", he and Gouletas later divorced in 1989 after 10 chaotic years of marriage. Carey died on 7 August 2011 at the age of 92 surrounded by his family at his summer residence in Shelter Island, New York State, and was buried with full military honors at the Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery in Dering Harbor, New York State, next to his first wife, Helen Owen Carey and three of their 14 children: Peter G. Carey, Hugh L. Carey, Jr., and Paul Robert Carey.

The Democrats needed to do some soul-searching and with the 1982 Midterms coming around the corner, they were going to need it considering they would be defending some US Senate seats and Governorships.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908-January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1975 until his death in 1979. He previously served as the 41st Vice President of the United States from 1974 to 1975. Following the assassination of President Gerald Ford, he became the 39th President of the United States, the first New Yorker to hold the Presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Rockefeller would win in a massive resounding landslide to a full four-year term in his own right in 1976, defeating Alabama Governor George Wallace with the largest number of popular votes (61 million) and garnered 67 percent of the nationwide votes as well as 470 Electoral Votes carrying 45 out of 50 states. Having signed legislation, The Stability in American Government Act of 1978, which repealed the 22nd Amendment, Rockefeller would have been eligible for second and third full terms in 1980 and 1984 had he lived according to historians, but died before he would launch a reelection campaign and would be succeeded by fellow Republican Vice President Linwood Holton of Virginia.

A member of the Republican Party and wealthy Rockefeller family, he previously served as the 49th Governor of New York from 1959 to 1973, for four terms totaling 14 years. He also served as the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs for Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman (1944-1945) including stints as Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1954). The son of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller as well as the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the co-founder of Standard Oil, Rockefeller was also a noted art collector and served as the administrator for the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, New York City, New York State.

Rockefeller's record as President is rated as excellent and viewed by historians as one of the nation's Top Five Greatest Presidents. Among his accomplishments was the Good Neighbor Policy, which made fostering and having bilateral relations with many countries in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia: the Rockefeller administration also staunchly supported military dictatorships in Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, the Argentine Republic. During his presidency, Rockefeller's most controversial choice was implementing Operation Condor which gave South American military governments the green-light in exterminating any opposition against their regimes. In mid-September 1975, he dismantled the Detente Policy with China and the Soviet Union upon ascending to the Presidency and maintained close diplomatic relations with the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, Iran, France, United Kingdom, Spain among plenty of countless countries. Rockefeller made history in 1978, becoming the first American President to make official state visits to Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria and Liberia. Unlike his predecessors, Rockefeller took a strong stance against white minority rule in Rhodesia and South Africa, where Daniel J. Evans, Rockefeller's ambassador to the United Nations, led successful efforts in the United Nations passing Resolution 418, which placed arms embargo on the South African government. Key parts of the Rockefeller Foreign Policy Doctrine: Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which resulted in peace between the two neighboring nations; Rockefeller successfully negotiated the Torrijos-Rockefeller Treaties, which transferred the Panama Canal to the Panamanians. Rockefeller and General Omar Torrijos, the Commander of the Panamanian National Guard signed the treaties in a televised ceremony at the Pan American Union Building on September 7, 1977. His administration also established the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Education. Under his administration, Rockefeller appointed a large number of women, Hispanics, African Americans and other minorities; initiated affirmative action programs for women and minorities in the federal government; and signed legislation that resulted in the admittance of women into the United States Military Services Academies.

Rockefeller died suddenly while working in his office at Rockefeller Center on January 26, 1979. As of this day, there's more unsolved mysteries regarding the details of his death, which have never been resolved. Following State Funeral services in Washington, DC and Albany, New York State on February 6, 1979, he was originally buried at the Rockefeller Family Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York State on the grounds of the Rockefeller family mansion, but sometime in the Spring of 1983, he was exhumed and entombed at the Nelson Rockefeller Presidential Museum in Albany, New York State.

Nelson Rockefeller

39th President of the United States
In office
September 5, 1975-January 26, 1979
Vice President None (Sep-Oct 1975)
Linwood Holton (Oct 1975-1979)
Preceded by Gerald Ford
Succeeded by Linwood Holton
41st Vice President of the United States
In office
December 19, 1974-September 5, 1975
President Gerald Ford
Preceded by Gerald Ford
Succeeded by Linwood Holton
49th Governor of New York
In office
January 1, 1959-December 18, 1973
Lieutenant Malcolm Wilson
Preceded by W. Averell Harriman
Succeeded by Malcolm Wilson
1st Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
In office
June 11, 1953-December 22, 1954
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Herold Christian Hunt
1st Assistant Secretary of State forAmerican Republic Affairs
In office
December 20, 1944-August 17, 1945
President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1944-45)Harry Truman (1945)
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Spruille Braden
Personal details*
Born Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
July 8, 1908
Bar Harbor, Maine, US
Died January 26, 1979 (aged 70)
Rockefeller Center
Manhattan, New York City, New York, US
Resting place Nelson Rockefeller Presidential Museum
Albany, New York, US
Political party Republican
Spouses Mary Todhunter Clark (m. 1930; div. 1962)
Margaretta Large Fitler(m. 1963)
Children 7, including Rodman, Steven, Michael, and Mark
Parents John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,Abby Aldrich
Relatives Rockefeller family
Education Darmouth College (AB)​

 

[Red_Tornado]

What is Jay Rockefeller and his father in law Charles percy doing in this timeline?

 

[Sergeant Foley]

What is Jay Rockefeller and his father in law Charles percy doing in this timeline?

*West Virginia Governor Jay Rockefeller (D) just got reelected. He'll be included sometime in Chapter 11 at some point.

*United States Senator Charles Percy (R-IL) is serving his third term in the United States Senate in this timeline: having won reelection in 1978.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Secret operation and the cover-up
5:25 PM CST, Friday, November 7, 1980
Somewhere inside Los Pinos
On the Suburbs of Mexico City, Mexico
​

The situation regarding the health of Mexican First Lady Fernanda Arizmendi was rapidly deteriorating fast.

Doctors had to create a make-shift operating theatre inside a back room of Los Pinos (Residence of the Mexican President); the security for this secret operation was so tight that an armed guard overlooked the proceedings. Dr. Jefferson Banacek of Seattle, Washington had been asked by Mexican President General Oscar Robles to "perform this secret operation" on his dying wife, who had suffered recent setbacks. Depending on whom you ask, Banacek first performed lobotomy on several prisoners at Oscar's request. Clearly, he obviously wanted his wife to survive the secret operation.

Following his examination of Fernanda for the first time in February 1980, Dr. Banacek performed the controversial lobotomy on her in secrecy and flew back to Seattle; Oscar adamantly refused to tell his wife the truth about her illness and fainting episodes. However, upon returning to Mexico in July 1980, Banacek performed extensive surgery because the cervical cancer had spread to the adjacent pelvic organs and he stayed until Fernanda was stable.

The Mexican military government declined to disclosed details or even the nature of Fernanda's illness. Conflicting press reports gave contradicting views on whether or not she had cancer. Following his overwhelming landslide victory for a historic third term Oscar continued to keep the cover-up going while Fernanda was recuperating from surgery, she resumed limited political activities and even attended in what was her final attendance of the Independence Day festivities from the National Palace in September 1980.

But when the severe abdominal pain returned in mid-October 1980, Mexican doctors confirmed, again without ever telling Fernanda on Oscar's strict orders, that the cervical cancer had returned with striking rapidity.

Although the cancer had shrank temporarily with additional chemotherapy treatments, the pain aggressively returned in early November 1980. Again, under Oscar's orders, Fernanda was told she had a routine operation which included removal of the uterus that would correct the bleeding.

In the final months of her life, Fernanda's last months on Earth were especially tragic. The once beautiful former beauty pageant contestant, bejewilded powerhouse of Mexico, was in constant, agonising pain and had withered away to just 73 pounds. 73 pounds! In order to manage her pain, she underwent a final secret operation, where she was lobotomized again by Dr. Banacek, who remained until she fully recovered from the secret operation.

Oscar, on the other hand, found the casket to place Fernanda in when the inevitable time comes; Dr. Banacek informed him that his wife would have less than eight months to live. "Thank you very much for everything Dr. Banacek," Oscar told him and personally wrote a check for construction of the medical center in Seattle, Washington.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
November 21, 1980: President-elect Ronald Reagan arrives in Washington, DC to meet with outgoing President Linwood Holton

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

During the weekend: I'll be working on the following Installments of Chapter 10:
*Personal PoV's (Fall 1980)
*The Transition begins: Holton to Reagan
*National and International Headlines (Fall 1980)

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"With Reagan winning in such a large resounding blowout victory, there were signs that his incoming administration was going to be more supportive of our government as far as combatting these outside agitators were concerned.

The foreign policy priorities of the incoming administration was going to also be more friendly toward other military governments like in Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, El Salvador, Guatemala for example. While Holton was somewhat supportive of some of us, there was also a bit of resistance due to those asshats in the US Congress.

Another irritation which drove us nuts was non-stop their virtue signaling bluster about controlling foreign policy. It annoyed us to no end! Slow-walking economic and military aid to in helping us fight these outside agitators.

Robles of Mexico had gotten annoyed with the slow-walking of the proposed USMEX Economic Development Trade Deal of 1979 because some overgrown jerk in Congress kept bitching about "human rights violations", after weeks and months of stagnant slow-walking, the trade deal got done finally.

South Africa was happy about Reagan's landslide victory because they strongly preferred him in the White House and not Carey, who would've taken US/South Africa diplomatic relations into a different direction.

The one big question mark was Haig, whom many assumed was going to be heading to State under incoming President Reagan. We knew he served under Nixon and Ford under many different roles, but seeing him being tapped to serve as Secretary of State was somewhat of a surprise. The 1980s were going to be a decade of stability.....or so we thought!"
-Audio recording
From Anonymous Argentinian Army General Officer
Suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic

 

[Sergeant Foley]

AUTHOR'S NOTE ON CHAPTER 10: I'll also be working on the Wiki-esque Infobox on Holton once his Presidency ends on 20 January 1981.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

FOOT REPLACES CALLAGHAN AS LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT
*Monday, November 10, 1980: Members of the British Labour Party of the House of Commons, voted for a new leader replacing former British Prime Minister James Callaghan as the Leader of the Opposition with Michael Foot narrowly defeating former Chancellor of the Exchequer Denis Healey by vote of 139-129.

DISCOVERY OF ATHLIT RAM IN ISRAEL

*Tuesday, November 11, 1980: The Athlit Ram was discovered by a scubadiver in the waters off of the coast of Atlit in Israel.

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: 811 POLITICIANS IN REPUBLIC OF KOREA BANNED FROM HOLDING POLITICAL OFFICE
*Wednesday, November 12, 1980: In a major sweeping purge of any political opposition, ROK President Chun Doo-hwan announced a list of 811 politicians will be banned from holding any political office for seven years.

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

BREAKING NEWS ALERT: HOLTON NOMINATES BREYER TO SERVE AS JUDGE OF THE US COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
*Thursday, November 13, 1980: Stephen Breyer is nominated by outgoing President Linwood Holton to serve as the Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He would go onto being confirmed by the outgoing Democratic-controlled United States Senate by a vote of 80-10 on 9 December 1980.

CBS SPECIAL REPORT: COUP IN GUNIEA-BISSAU
*Friday, November 14, 1980: Bissau-Guinean President Luis Cabral, who's been in office since 1973, was ousted from office by Prime Minister Army Major Joao Bernardo Viera. Cabral and his family were vacationing on the island of Bubaque at the time of the coup.

SUCCESSFUL NUCLEAR PUMPED LASER TESTS
*The first successful tests of nuclear pumped laser were being conducted by scientists of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California.

SPORTS: CHANDLER WINS WBA BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
*Jeff Chandler knocked out Julian Solis in the 14th Round to win the World Boxing Association bantamweight championship in Miami, Florida.

PONTIFF VISITS WEST GERMANY IN HISTORIC VISIT
*Saturday, November 15, 1980: Pope John Paul II made history by being the first Roman Catholic Pontiff to visit Germany for the first time in 200 years when he arrived in Koln.

SPORTS: NOTRE DAME ACCEPTS BID FOR SUGAR BOWL
*In College Football, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish accept an invitation to play in the 1980 Sugar Bowl set for 1 January 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana; this comes following their 7-0 victory over Alabama. While #1 Georgia Bulldogs effectively clinched the SEC Championship and automatic bid for the Sugar Bowl following their 31-21 victory over Auburn Tigers.

60 PEOPLE KILLED, 400 INJURED IN ARMY MUNITIONS EXPLOSIONS IN THAILAND
*Sunday, November 16, 1980: At least 60 people were killed and 400 others injured due to series of explosions at an Army munitions depot in Bangkok, Thailand. Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda had blamed the explosion blast on a chemical accident.

AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND PALAU
*Monday, November 17, 1980: An agreement was reached between the United States and Palau, a set of islands part of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Under the agreement (consisting of 75 pages), the Republic of Palau would become an independent nation on 1 January 1981 with the right of managing their own internal and foreign affairs while the United States pledged to be responsible for Palau's defense and security.

CAREY UNDECIDED ON POLITICAL FUTURE IN AFTERMATH OF LANDSLIDE DEFEAT IN 1980 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
*Tuesday, November 18, 1980: In his first public appearance since conceding the 1980 Presidential election to former California Governor and President-elect Ronald Reagan on November 4th, New York State Governor Hugh L. Carey (D) held his first post-campaign press conference inside the Executive Chamber of the New York State Capitol Building in Albany, New York State; he listed off the specific issues that his presidential campaign brought up: the budget deficits, inflation crisis, foreign policy hot-spots, etc.,; Carey also was asked about his political future and whether he would be seeking reelection in 1982: "I have no comment about that, my focus will be on the 1981 legislative session coming up in less than two months from now." Sources in the Empire State are indicating that Carey seems more likely heading for the exits which will open the door for New York State Lieutenant Governor Mario Cuomo (D), who all but is assured to be the Democratic Party nominee for the Governorship.

BEGIN SURVIVES CONFIDENCE VOTE ABOUT HIS GOVERNMENT IN ISRAELI PARLIAMENT
*Wednesday, November 19, 1980: Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin narrowly survived a vote of confidence by just three votes (57 in favor of keeping his government in power, while 54 voted against). This was the narrowest of the 20 no-confidence motions, which was filed against his government throughout 1980.

LAKE PEIGNEUR FRESHWATER LAKE DRAINED
*Thursday, November 20, 1980: Lake Peigneur, a freshwater lake in Louisiana, was completely drained following an oil drilling rig which inadvertently bored a hole into the roof of a salt-mine. The Texaco oil company was doing exploratory drilling when it punctured the roof of the underground mine, operated by the Diamond Crystal Salt Company.


MGM FIRE RESULTS IN THE DEATHS OF 85 GUESTS; PRESIDENT HOLTON TOURS THE DAMAGE

​

*Friday, November 21, 1980: A fire broke out inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, which resulted in the deaths of 85 guests and 650 injuries; According to local news reports, fire had broken out in one of the hotel's restaurants on the ground floor, The Deli at 7:07 PST in the morning. The fire then quickly spread upward through the entire building; fire investigators from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Fire Department determined that an electrical fire began inside the attic above the restaurant and had been smoldering for almost three hours. 18 people in the Casino lost their lives, while other perished of smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning as the fire continued spreading between the 19th-24th floors of the hotel. The next day, President Linwood Holton accompanied by Nevada Governor Robert List (R) including members of the Nevada congressional delegation toured the damage and met with the first responders, law enforcement officers, survivors, etc.,

17TH ANNIVERSARY OF JFK'S ASSASSINATION
*Saturday, November 22, 1980: The nation commemorated the 17th anniversary of the assassination of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated during a parade while riding in an open limousine in Dallas, Texas.

EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTHERN ITALY
*Sunday, November 23, 1980: 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Irpinia, Italy resulted in the deaths of 2,483 people and injuring 8,934 others. Main shock with an epicenter at Eboli, struck at 7:34 PM; Among the casualties were over 100 people, who were attending Mass at a Roman Catholic Church in Balvano, who were buried alive when the front wall of the building collapsed as they were trying to escape and get out.

ELECTIONS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
*Monday, November 24, 1980: First elections for the 12-member Tobago House of Assembly were being conducted as the small island received autonomy within the nation of Trinidad and Tobago; the Democratic Action Congress won 8 out of the 12 seats.

LEONARD RECLAIMS WBC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

​

*Tuesday, November 25, 1980: In the rematch for the World Welterweight Boxing Championship (WBC) held inside the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana between defending WBC champion Roberto Duran and former WBC champion Sugar Ray Leonard, whom Duran had beaten four months earlier; The rematch ended abruptly in the closing seconds of the 8th Round when Duran quit the fight, resulting in Leonard reclaiming the WBC welterweight boxing championship.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Presidential Transition: Holton to Reagan
3:26 PM EST, Thursday, November 20, 1980
Oval Office, White House
Washington, DC.

President Holton and President-elect Reagan during the Transition Period.​

This was considered a quite intriguing moment: for the first time since LBJ 12 years earlier, an lame-duck outgoing incumbent President, who chose not to seek reelection despite amazing job approval ratings, was facing the prospect of a lame duck transition period for his successor, with Republicans keeping control of the White House. However, he along with fellow Republicans Nixon, Ford and Rockefeller never had his party control either house of Congress because Democrats had previously held super-majorities in the US House of Representatives and United States Senate within the 12 year period.

With his incoming successor having a friendly Republican-controlled United States Senate, things were going to be dramatically changing. Holton was watching the election results inside the Residence of the White House (3rd floor) on the evening of 4 November 1980 and invited Reagan for a visit to the White House, 16 days after the election of course. On the afternoon of 20 November 1980: the Holton's and Reagan's met face-to-face to begin the full-scale transition plans, while outgoing First Lady Jinks Holton was giving incoming First Lady Nancy Reagan a tour of the Executive Residence on the 3rd floor, their husbands toured the West Wing and met for several hours inside the Oval Office as Holton expounded his thoughts on domestic and foreign policy concerns. The incoming 41st President of the United States was quite impressed with Holton's knowledge of the domestic and foreign policy issues, while Holton was impressed about the Gipper's sunny optimism with a staunch conservative bent.

Soon afterwards, reporters gathered inside the Oval Office to see the 40th President and the incoming 41st President address the White House Press Corps pool of reporters:

President Holton: "Good afternoon my fellow Americans, I would like to say that while members of the press are here that we've had a very enjoyable and very productive hour or so together, not only describing to one another the commitment that we share for a good transition period, but also I've outlined to Governor Reagan some of the issues I've faced as President that will be shared with him in the transition period and inherited by him on Inauguration Day.

One of the wonderful things about this great country, being a democracy, is the orderly transition of authority and responsibility. He and I understand very well that I will be the President in the fullest sense of the word until Inauguration Day January 20, 1981, and then instantly at the time he takes the oath of office, he will have full responsibilities. We have a very good working relationship personally going back to our days as fellow Governors together in Virginia and California respectively including serving on the National Governors Association and also a very fine transition commitment, which has been in effect for several weeks now.

I also understand that Jinks and Nancy have had a good visit, too, and Mrs. Reagan has had a chance to look at the White House and the place where they will be living in the future.

But I'm very grateful to Governor Reagan for having come this afternoon and permitted me to sharing with him some of the common commitments we have as the President and future President of our Nation. It's been a delightful experience for me and very gratifying.

Governor Reagan?

Presidet-elect Reagan: "I want to express my strong and sincere appreciation to the President. He has been most gracious and most cooperative, he and his people, with regard to this transition and has certainly made it a much easier time than it could otherwise have been. And we're deeply grateful, appreciate it very much."

President Holton: "Thank you, sir. Good luck. I'll be seeing you in the future often."

President-elect Reagan: "Thanks very much. I hope so."

Nancy Reagan: "Thank you so much."

 

[Sergeant Foley]

EXIT POLLS FROM THE 1980 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FROM 4 NOVEMBER 1980:
*(Liberals)
Carey: 60%
Reagan: 28%
Anderson: 11%

*(Moderates)
Reagan: 49%
Carey: 43%
Anderson: 7%

*(Conservatives)
Reagan: 73%
Carey: 23%
Anderson: 3%

*(Democrats)
Carey: 67%
Reagan: 27%
Anderson: 6%

*(Republicans)
Reagan: 85%
Carey: 13%
Anderson: 2%

*(Independents)
Reagan: 59%
Carey: 28%
Anderson: 12%

*(Men)
Reagan: 63%
Carey: 23%
Anderson: 12%

*(Women)
Reagan: 47%
Carey: 46%
Anderson: 7%

*(Union)
Carey: 48%
Reagan: 45%
Anderson: 7%

*(Non-Union)
Reagan: 56%
Carey: 36%
Anderson: 7%

*(Anglos)
Reagan: 63%
Carey: 29%
Anderson: 7%

*(African Americans)
Carey: 79%
Reagan: 16%
Anderson: 5%

*(Latinos)
Carey: 60%
Reagan: 33%
Anderson: 7%

*(18-21)
Carey: 45%
Reagan: 44%
Anderson: 11%

*(22-29)
Carey: 44%
Reagan: 44%
Anderson: 12%

*(30-44)
Reagan: 55%
Carey: 38%
Anderson: 7%

*(45-59)
Reagan: 57%
Carey: 39%
Anderson: 4%

*(60+)
Reagan: 60%
Carey: 35%
Anderson: 5%

*(East)
Reagan: 48%
Carey: 43%
Anderson: 8%

*(Midwest)
Reagan: 51%
Carey: 42%
Anderson: 6%

*(South)
Reagan: 57%
Carey: 40%
Anderson: 3%

*(West)
Reagan: 71%
Carey: 21%
Anderson: 7%

 

[Sergeant Foley]

FINAL RESULTS FROM THE 1980 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
4 NOVEMBER 1980

Former Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA)/Former CIA Director George HW Bush (R-TX): 45,913,925 (57.13%)✔ Projected Winner
453 Electoral Votes (including Puerto Rico)
Governor Hugh L. Carey (D-NY St)/Governor George Busbee (D-GA): 29,481,573 (35.16%)
90 Electoral Votes (including District of Columbia)
Congressman John B. Anderson (I-IL)/Former Governor Patrick J. Lucey (I-IL): 6,715,883 (6.73%)
0 Electoral Votes​

*House of Representatives: beginning 3 January 1981
244 Democrats
191 Republicans

*United States Senate: beginning 3 January 1981
53 Republicans
49 Democrats

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 10 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Personal PoV's

 

[Sergeant Foley]

....."It was pretty shocking when news reports got confirmation from the Transition Team that United States Senator Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson of Washington was going to be tapped as the next US Secretary of Defense. Many of us were dumbfounded by President-elect Ronald Reagan naming Jackson, who's a Democrat to serve in the Cabinet.

Considering Jackson's hardline positions on foreign policy and national defense in his 27 years in the United States Senate, it wasn't a surprise to any of us that he would be running things at the Pentagon; Bad news was we would lose another Senate seat to the Republicans with incoming Washington Governor John Spellman was more likely to appoint a Republican to Jackson's US Senate seat upon Scoop's confirmation by the Senate.

Word on the street was Weinberger would be serving as Deputy Secretary of Defense, which wouldn't be a problem. Although I assumed that Weinberger would get Defense, seeing Jackson tapped to lead Defense completely came out of nowhere.

With our outgoing majority in the Senate winding down, there was going to be internal debate amongst us on how the 1980 Presidential election turned into another epic disaster for us: We only kept control of the US House of Representatives despite losing 35 House seats. Yet we suffered another defeat in the Presidential race; then losing control of the United States Senate by losing 12 Senate seats across the country. On the Governorships: we lost four Governorships and I'm still shocked Clinton lost reelection in Arkansas."
Anonymous Audio Recording
27 November 1980

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"Ronald Wilson Reagan, the Smooth Hollywood Superstar kicked the Brooklyn Boxer's ass in a resounding blowout victory last month. Carrying 45 out of 51 States with 57 percent of the nationwide vote: WOW! Looks like we'll see more conservatives serving in the Federal Judiciary branch especially the Circuit Courts, District Courts of Appeals and yes: the Supreme Court

This has major ramifications as the political realignment in the United States will be forever changed as the conservatives will reshape policy and priorities forever."
-Excerpt from "Public Service in a Political Realignment of the 1980s"
Autobiography from L. Douglas Wilder
Former Governor of Virginia

 

[Sergeant Foley]

*Disclaimer: The following Installment will be NSFW-erotic. Viewer discretion advised
Personal PoV's: The Final Escapade
10:00 PM, Friday, November 28, 1980
Somewhere inside Los Pinos
Suburbs of Mexico City, Mexico
​

Mexican First Lady Fernanda Arizmendi was inside her secluded room inside the private quarters of the Presidential Palace. She was in the midst of one final escapade with Edith Vaulkner, who was a hermaphrodite woman working as a special nurse; both were naked and barefoot on the bed.

Realizing that her time was getting very short, Fernanda was laying on her back with her legs spread wide as she kissed Edith "Please give it to me baby.....Ohhhhh" as she quietly moaned while Edith's large penis thoroughly penetrated Fernanda's vagina by stretching it wide open.

This final escapade continued all evening long. Fernanda closed her eyes as she felt the stinging abdominal pain while being penetrated by Edith, who calmly replied "Does it hurt?" Fernanda responded that sometimes the pain comes and goes.

For the two secret lovers, this was likely to be the final escapade as neither knew how much time they would have together.
-Excerpt from "Secret Life of Fernanda"
Summer 2002

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"The situation in Nicaragua was getting more worse. Hostage Crisis had been dragging on since the fall of the Somoza family in mid-Fall 1979, when the Sandinistas rampaged into the US Embassy in Managua and held prisoner about 371 personnel employees of the Embassy including holding mock trials with threats of killing the hostages if their demands weren't met.

The world's attention was elsewhere for obvious reasons. I couldn't comprehend why the neighboring countries wouldn't send in military reinforcements in order to ending the conflict.

We were shocked when news broke in Asuncion, Paraguay that Somoza was assassinated by the Sandidistas via explosives and other violent methods."
Excerpt from Nicaraguan Hostage Crisis: The international crisis the world ignored.