What if Gore Had Won in 2000?

international | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis Sunday March 18, 2007 23:46 by Idle Speculation

Would history be different?

We can speculate on alternative scenarios that may have arose if Hitler had won WW2 or JFK had not been shot in Dallas or Cantona had not attacked a spectator with a kung fu kick.

But the most important question we must speculate about is the great "what if" of our times.

"What if Al Gore had won the US Presidential Election in 2000?"

This is what I think might have happened:

Al Gore had served in the United States House of Representatives (1977–85) and the United States Senate (1985–93) representing Tennessee. He was the Democratic nominee for President in the 2000 election — one of the most controversial and highly contested presidential elections in U.S. history. Although Gore won a plurality of the popular vote, with over half a million more votes than the Republican candidate George W. Bush, the final result was only decided by a month of ballot recounts and court challenges in the state of Florida led the Supreme Court to end the highly disputed contest with its final ruling of Bush v. Gore, handing the electoral college victory, and consequently the presidency, to Gore.

President Gore was sworn in for his first term on January 20, 2001.
The Gore Administration began immediately with bitter controversy and partisan divisions in Washington as the President announced a sweeping legislative reform of environmental laws particularly in relation to industrial and domestic greenhouse gases emissions.
This aroused intense opposition from the Republican dominated Senate and Congress. Gore's initiatives were not helped by his poor public image especially his speaking style which gave rise to the nickname "President Bore."

However in the summer of 2001, Republican credibility was soon in tatters when some of his most vocal critics were immersed in scandals. Dennis Hastert, House Speaker resigned after revelations of corruption and attempts to frustrate Federal investigations. Tom De Lay resigned as two of his aides were implicated in the Jack Abramoff affair. Abramoff and other lobbyists were accused of illegally giving gifts and making campaign donations to legislators in return for votes or support of legislation.
Yet another Republican, Mark Foley was implicated in a sex scandal involving congressional pages and also resigned.

Nonetheless Gore's environmental reforms remained stalled for the remainder of his administration. Gore also abandoned proposals to legalise gay marriage and stem cell research after angry demonstrations in Washington by Christians and other conservative groups who also claimed that Gore had “stolen” the Presidency.

On April 1, 2001 US/China relations were severely strained as a US spy plane and a Chinese fighter plane collided off the Chinese coast. The Chinese pilot was killed and the crew of the damaged US plane forced to land on Hainan were released on April 11 after the Gore administration apologised to the Chinese authorities.
Gore was heavily criticised by former Presidential candidate Governor of Texas George W. Bush among others.

Suffering in the polls President Gore made numerous visits to Europe meeting French President Chirac, German Chancellor Shroeder, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to organise an international conference to discuss the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, international drug and people trafficking, AIDS and poverty in Africa.

President Gore also met with ailing pontiff, Pope John Paul II who sternly criticised him for his support for abortion and homosexual marriage. The President continued his predecessor's involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process but in 2001 Sinn Fein and Unionist politicians still stubbornly refused to come to political agreements and little progress was made. President Gore was enthusiastically welcomed on a visit to Dublin and Belfast.

In early September, the Israel/Palestine conflict spiralled out of control. Palestinian suicide bombings and Israeli targeted assassination drew equal international condemnation. Vice President Joe Lieberman visited the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to encourage a ceasefire and peace negotiations but was unable to make headway.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers led by Egyptian Muhammed Atta took control of four passenger airliners armed with cheap knives they smuggled on board the aircraft. Two of the planes were crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York killing thousands of civilians, fighter fighters and police officers. The third and fourth planes turned for Washington D.C. Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon killing hundreds of people.
President Gore was in the act of addressing the American people on television when his speech was interrupted by the secret service who hurriedly evacuated him to the bunker underneath the building. Minutes later Flight 93 impacted with and destroyed the White House.

Vice President Joe Lieberman was in Tel Aviv meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon when news came through of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and that the fate of President Gore was unknown. Lieberman shaken by the news immediately returned to Washington D.C under fighter escort.

Hours of confusion followed in Washington before President Gore emerged unscathed from the attack on the Executive Mansion. He immediately addressed the nation again and promised that America would not rest until terrorism was defeated and that those who had thought they could break the will of the American people were gravely mistaken.

America’s shock and grief turned rapidly turned to anger.
President Gore received overwhelming bipartisan support for a military campaign to hunt down the suspected mastermind of the attacks, Osama Bin Laden who for several years had lived in Afghanistan where he operated terrorist training camps with the consent of the ruling Taliban government. On October 7 the US military began operations against the Taliban government and by December they had been ousted from Kabul and replaced with a new American backed government led by Hamid Karzai. In the battle for the Tora Bora mountains where Al-Qaeda was headquartered, US forces had failed to capture Osama Bin Laden who had fled across the Pakistan border. NATO forces remained in Afghanistan to provide security in preparation for democratic elections and for the country to be rebuilt. The Gore administration was heavily criticised by vocal Republicans especially Senator John McCain for “not fighting the war aggressively and letting Bin Laden off the hook.”

The Gore administration announced sweeping new legislation to give law enforcement agencies new powers to pursue and detain terrorist suspects on American soil in order to prevent further terrorist attacks. Meanwhile members of Al-Qaeda captured in Afghanistan were transferred to a new prison installation at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba drawing international criticism from the international community.
Following the 9/11 attacks billions had been wiped off the American stock markets the world economy experienced a global downturn and oil prices rose dramatically but recovered gradually in 2002.
In his 2002 State of the Union address Gore vowed to continue the so-called “Struggle Against Islamic Extremism” and offered the hand of friendship to governments of the Middle East who co-operated with the US.
The Arab League replied that unless America forced Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza, America would receive no co-operation in the fight against Islamic extremism because its root cause was US and Israeli aggression against Muslim nations. Mass demonstrations by Islamic fundamentalists in Mecca, Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, Teheran and Karachi condemned America and Israel. In Us cities such as New York, Washington and San Francisco and European capitals such as Paris, London, Rome and Berlin millions of demonstrators protested against American “war crimes” in Afghanistan and condemned “imperial wars of aggression.”

Gore put intense pressure on Sharon’s government to cease targeted assassinations of Palestinian terrorist suspects and withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza. Sharon and other Israeli leaders rejected US demands while the Israelis public held mass protests. Israel also assassinated Palestinian PM Yasser Arafat in a helicopter rocket attack on his car.

The years 2002 to 2003 saw a rise in Islamic extremism in Europe and Asia and a series of bombings and other atrocities in a number of cities such as Madrid, London, Moscow, Istanbul and Moscow. Riots occurred in Paris and other French cities and martial law was declared French President Jacques Chirac.
On 14 July, 2002 President Chirac was assassinated with a rifle during the annual Bastille Day parade by a right wing extremist named Maxime Brunerie.
Gore travelled to Europe urging unity in the so-called " War Against Islamic Extremism." European governments, press and anti-war demonstrators rejected his rhetoric as misleading misguided and simplistic and blamed American support for Israel for inciting Islamic extremism in the first place. NATO forces gradually withdrew from Afghanistan as the strength of the resurgent Taliban insurgency increased. Hamid Karzai pleaded with the Gore Administration to send more US troops.

As a result in the November 2002 elections Republicans regained ground after the scandals of the previous year and won massive majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives. America they claimed had lost its prestige internationally.

In April 2003 the President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was assassinated by his unstable son son Uday in an attempted coup. Uday’s naked grab for power and his continuation of the brutal Baathist regime aroused further Republican criticism of President Gore. for failing to intervene in the Middle East.

The following year’s Presidential election was dominated by Iraq. The Republican candidate was Senator John McCain who advocated military intervention in Iraq. He believed that establishing a “foothold” in the Middle East would allow the United States to halt terrorism in the region and put a stop the growing power and nuclear threat of Iran.
President Gore and his new Vice Presidential running mate John Kerry (Joe Lieberman had publicly accused Gore of “cowardice and appeasement” before he resigned) pointed out the Iraq would “become another Vietnam.” Kerry asked “how many Americans are going to die for a mistake?” John McCain’s campaign was seriously wounded after it was alleged that he gave classified information to the Vietnamese about American air tactics while in captivity in Hanoi to receive preferential treatment. After a bitter campaign Gore was returned to the White House by a narrow margin.

Uday Hussein was assassinated in early 2005 by senior Iraqi generals and Iraq was soon torn apart by bloody civil war between Sunni and Shia Muslims. By early 2006 hundreds of thousands had been massacred in daily car bombings or by marauding death squads and as millions of refugees fled it soon became clear that Sunni extremists were being supported by Saudi Arabia and Syria while the majority Shia led by Muqtada Al-Sadr were being supported by the government of Iran. Al-Qaeda was also rumoured to be operating in Iraq. Terrorist bombing attacks occurred in the cities of Cairo, Damascus, Riyadh, Beirut and Kuwait.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke in early 2006 and was replaced by Ehud Olmert. In the summer of 2006 Israel fought an inconclusive war with Lebanon and specifically Hezbollah after the Iranian backed terrorist group kidnapped Israeli soldiers and began bombarding Northern Israel with rockets. Israel responded with air attacks and a ground assault with tanks and troops into southern Lebanon. The month long war ended in a shaky ceasefire after Israeli failed to defeat Hezbollah and the Lebanese economy was shattered. Hezbollah ceased its rocket attacks and negotiations began to release the hostage soldiers. Thousands of Lebanese and scores of Israelis had died.

In 2006 yet public anger at what they perceive is Gore’s “appeasement” was responsible another Republican majority returned to both houses.
Political analysts predicted the Gore administration could “no longer ignore reality no longer.”

President Gore, Secretary of Defence Wesley Clarke, Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, National Security Advisor Leon Fuerthe and CIA Director George Tenet were savaged in the American press for “a foreign policy meltdown on a catastrophic scale.” Republicans demanded and forced the resignation of both Clarke and George Tenet. The Baker Commission headed by former Secretary of State James Baker produced a report recommending US military involvement in Iraq to halt the ongoing civil war.
American public opinion had swung in favour of military intervention though international opinion especially in Europe was extremely hostile. President Gore is regularly portrayed in Europe as a “warmonger” or “Blood & Gore” while in America he is portrayed by Republican pro-war demonstrators as “The World’s No. 1 Appeaser.” Rumours still circulate that Gore stole the 2000 election and a minority fringe claim the 2004 election was also questionable.

As of 2007 both North Korea and Iran have tested nuclear weapons and refused the negotiations with the US. Military action has been opposed at the UN Security Council by France, Germany, Russia and China. However bending to US public pressure President Gore has authorised a strong US Navy carrier presence in the region. War seems likely in Iraq and is eagerly expected by the US media to be winnable. The new CIA director Robert Gates predicts a “cakewalk.”