If 2004 were a mystery novel: the mother of all conspiracy theories

[wiggs]

Cathartic fiction writing follows....

No single scenario seems to fit what we've seen over the last 9 days. If Bush won the election fairly, how do we explain Zogby predictions, unusual exit polling, bad approval ratings for Bush just before the election, and a voting irregularities that consistently favor one candidate over the other? If there was massive fraud, why haven't we heard more from Kerry and the DNC and why haven't more cases cropped up?

There IS a storyline that works. It is insane. It is tinfoil. It is devious. It is embarrassing to float it out there. But it answers previously raised DU questions such as: Why did DNC not object to the device Bush wore during the last two debates? What did Bush and Kerry talk about in private after the third debate? Why have Kerry and DNC been invisible since the election? Why was Bush ready to go into Fallujah on November 3, regardless of election outcome? Why did Kerry allow withheld CIA report, withheld 9/11 report, Plame investigation, and Edmonds gagging to remain off the campaign table during the last month? Why were punches pulled in the Kerry camp, avoiding negative descriptions of the worst president ever? Why isn't Kerry's vast recount money being used? Why did Kerry concede so quickly? Why in God's name doesn't Colin Powell throw up his hands and just say that this administration makes his skin crawl?

An outline of this fictional novel would read as below. It has to be true...you can't make this stuff up.

1. After the first debate the WH sees that polls are showing landslide for Kerry.

2. Several investigations into illegal WH activities becomes fruitful. It looks like significant players in the administration are going to take a fall

3. The WH privately concedes that the Iraq situation is intractable. Whichever candidate is elected has enormous logistical, political, and PR problems to deal with there. There would have to be a sea-change in world attitudes in order for other countries to get involved.

4. Top white house officials learn that election fraud planning is taking place. They determine that there are three possible choices for action a) direct those involved in manipulation of the vote to cease, resulting in landslide Kerry, followed by possible investigation of the fraud and a dozen other administration problems. The Bush administration will be branded a criminal entity that threatened democracy all along the way. b) let the fraud continue and hope that it is not discovered. This offends some in the administration, both because of the threat to democracy and the threat of jailtime, or c) Orchestrate a carefully controlled transfer of power that saves everyone's ass, helps in Iraq, and let's everyone win. They choose c, The Deal, as follows:

5. The cooperation of Kerry is key. Kerry is approached with a deal after the first debate, when Bush virtually faceplants on stage.

6. A deal is made between Bush and Kerry.

7. Kerry is to pull punches before the election to allow WH credibility to stay above zero. Doesn't flatly state that Bush was drunk until age 40, or that he was AWOL, or that Bush's right hand man outed Plame, , that he's afraid of horses, or that Bush has totally screwed up everything he touches. Doesn't express outrage that ongoing investigations are being held up. Doesn't warn all of us, in detail, of the potential nightmare that could result from 2 or 3 Supreme Court judges being nominated by Bush if re-elected. (I know...I could go on and on)

8. Remarkably, Bush holds his own in the last two debates. Kerry knows that Bush is aided by a communication device that allows him to appear competent, and does not take exception, because of the Deal.

9. Just before the election, Bush tells Kerry that they have OBL in custody and are going to announce his capture. Kerry rejects this idea, and threatens to back off the Deal. It is determined that Kerry will announce his capture in 2005.

10. Kerry, with knowledge of potential election fraud, allows the election to move forward.

11. Bush appears to elected. Kerry, Edwards, the attorneys, and the recount money all but disappear, even in the face of highly suspicious and improbable results in many states. Kerry almost can't restrain himself when Ann Coulter gleefully notes that many democratic counties in Florida apparently voted overwhelmingly for Bush, but in the end he sticks to the Deal and doesn't say anything.

12. Bush cleans up loose ends in Iraq, sticking with a tough stance that he has promised, and levels Fallujah and Ramadi. Powell, who knows the plan, hopes that turning Fallujah into rubble doesn't inflame other Muslim countries (and all Muslims everywhere) into joining the fray before the Deal is fully implemented. But Powell backs the plan.

13. Bush announces to the world that he has personally discovered that members of the campaign, seeking to do good, instead stepped over the line and manipulated voter registration and the vote itself. Because of our great democracy, the deed has been discovered and the culprits have been caught.

14. Bush, appearing to not want to put American through another devisive election before the election system is fixed, RESIGNS before all electoral votes are certified in December. He asks that electoral delegates throw their weight to Kerry, who is snowboarding at the time of this announcement.

15. Kerry steps forward to compliment Bush and accept the delegates. Later, and privately, he notes to Theresa that he was real glad he videotaped Bush's statement admitting to fraud and the Deal.

16. Kerry is inaugurated. Kerry, fulfilling his end of the Deal, pardons Bush, Rove, Cheney, Ashcroft, and anyone who has ever worked for Halliburton.

17. With things being put right in America and in the eyes of the rest of the world, Kerry floats into office a restored hero. Many countries support his efforts to stabilize Iraq, and offer help. The stock market soars. The price of oil plummets. Bush is looking good too, having taken the high road for the first time in his life. His only worry is that John McCain is still pissed. Everyone wins, except the evangelists who, as it turns out, didn't turn out to vote in any numbers at all.


What other explanation can there possibly be?

[David Dunham]

1. Simple. More Americans chose to vote for Bush over Kerry.

I worked hard for Kerry, but most Americans became convinced he was a weak flip-flopper who could not adequately defend the country. Kerry lost because he never effectively countered the Bush flip-flop charge.

[chimpymustgo]

2. By golly, you've figured it out!

Fat chance, but great novel.

[troubleinwinter]

3. Tooth Fairy says, "Hahahahahahahaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!"

[SheilaT]

4. As a novel it would work.

But nothing like that is going to happen, at least not the resignation of Bush and Kerry's becoming president. Nope, we're stuck with living in a fascist dictatorship for at least the next four years.

[ihaveaquestion]

5. I'd buy it.

I don't even have a problem with Kerry pardoning Bu$h, et al. Whatever gets them out of power is fine by me.

[Zan_of_Texas]

6. The bar is now open for other versions.

I think you've gathered an impressive list of the ways the Dems have stood down. You didn't even mention the amazing number of inconsistencies and impossibilities in the official 9-11 story, and the BushCo reluctance to even seat a 9-11 commission or fund it or testify before it under oath etc etc etc.

I would be interested in other versions of why Kerry isn't fighting.

Is he being blackmailed? Were members of his family threatened? Did he not believe that it was worth fighting for? Cam Kerry, in an email sent in response to people writing to him, says there were 17,000 attorneys who helped the Kerry campaign. Where are they? Where IS the recount money?

[Zan_of_Texas]

7. The bar is now open for other versions.

I think you've gathered an impressive list of the ways the Dems have stood down. You didn't even mention the amazing number of inconsistencies and impossibilities in the official 9-11 story, and the BushCo reluctance to even seat a 9-11 commission or fund it or testify before it under oath etc etc etc.

I would be interested in other versions of why Kerry isn't fighting.

Is he being blackmailed? Were members of his family threatened? Did he not believe that it was worth fighting for? Cam Kerry, in an email sent in response to people writing to him, says there were 17,000 attorneys who helped the Kerry campaign. Where are they? Where IS the recount money?

In fact, according to one blogger, there was not enough money for signs etc. in Tampa Florida, to save money for legal challenges. WTF?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's the blogger, who I don't know:

While I'm playing the blame game, let's shine the spotlight on the Democratic campaign. I was in the Tampa headquarters for most of the four weeks prior to the election. Tampa, according to Kerry himself, was "Ground Zero" for the campaign. But do you know what hundreds of supporters heard when they showed up at Ground Zero headquarters begging for yard signs, buttons and bumper stickers? They were told there wasn't any more! They ran out over a week before the election. We were told the campaign was setting aside money for legal actions after the election so they couldn't print up any more campaign materials. But John Kerry conceded the election in less than 24 hours when there were reports of disparities and fraud coming in from all over the country! What happened to all those "legal action" plans?

©2004 Jeeni Criscenzo Send all comments and suggestions to [e-mail]

[SmokingJacket]

8. You SHOULD write the book!

Political thriller, it would be awesome. Change a few names.;)

I hope yours is right. I'm more cynical, though I'm with you until #4. Here's another Fictional Scenario: What if election fudging has been part of the overall repub strategy for a long time. Remember, Whatever It Takes. First, get friends in the voting machine industry, openly mock computer programmers who insist paper trails are necessary, etc.

So maybe there was a deal with Kerry, which was that he wouldn't contest if the vote margin was big enough -- like more than two points. He was like, Sure, no problem, secretly believing there was NO WAY B** would get a big margin. He was stunned, as we all were.

Kerry thought that if there was vote fudging, it was small-time, here and there. But it's not, it's big (and practically unprovable, IMHO. All the quasi-legal voter suppression/challenging was just muddying the waters).

Kerry probably thinks that massive voter fraud can't be proven and it's in everyone's (and his career's) best interest to move forward.

He didn't question the wire, or bring up the cocaine allegations, because he truly thought that he had a chance of winning honestly, and that by not getting in the gutter he was improving his chances.

Edwards wanted to fight. Kerry didn't, does not, but he'll go along with some recounting if it doesn't make him look bad.

B**'s not worried about Plame or Iraq or whatever. He thinks he's untouchable. As long as the media are his ho's, he might be right.