washingtonpost.com
May 31, 2018
The Failure of Shallick and the End of Walkenism
In 2010, after 12 years out of the White House, the GOP regained its footing with the electoral victory of Glen Allen Walken, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives who famously served as Acting President in 2003 after the kidnapping of former First Daughter Zoey Bartlet. Walken campaigned on ending the war in Kazakhstan and trimming away the fat and excess of the spending-happy Santos Administration.
America bought in, and on election night, Glen Allen Walken was elected to be the 44th President of the United States. During his first term, the economy flourished and American troops began to withdraw from Kazakhstan. In 2014, President Walken survived a tougher than expected challenge in Democratic nominee Senator Fitzimmons, who inauspiciously became the first Democrat to carry Florida and Ohio and still be defeated. Walken's second term was much tougher than his first, and in 2016, a new challenge arrived.
When the time came for Walken to step down, who would succeed him?
Would it be faithful Vice President Liz Clark? Or brilliant Chief of Staff Henry Shallick?
In a nightmare scenario for the Walken wing of the GOP, both became candidates in the Republican Party's primary. After a personal attack towards her son, Clark withdrew from the race. President Walken was reportedly mixed about her decision, wanting to hand his Vice President the keys to the Oval Office, but relieved that he wouldn't have to make a choice between his Vice President and his top advisor. Clark's withdrawal ensured that the Walken Republicans would have a clear standard bearer in Henry Shallick, someone who was well respected within the White House and the national party. For President Walken, everything seemed set.
Until it wasn't.
No one thought this would be easy. It's incredibly rare for the same party to hold power for three consecutive terms. The last time it happened, when former President Santos shocked Arnold Vinick in 2006, was due to a perfect storm that included a nuclear meltdown in California, a surprising win in South Carolina, and a narrow decision in Nevada, which ultimately turned out to be the tipping point. Chief of Staff Shallick knew about the challenges he would face in November, and with the support of the establishment, the Shallick campaign, after a strong performance the same night Senator Sam Seaborn clinched the Democratic nomination, was just 40 votes away from its own victory. Pennsylvania, the largest remaining state, had 74 delegates. Shallick held a huge lead in the state. Nothing could stop the Shallick train from reaching the station.
One thing did. Indiana.
A heavily contested Indiana primary sent the GOP into a whirlwind. First, Indiana was won by Shallick, until it wasn't, until the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Lang, ruled that the votes Governor Peter Gault, Shallick's biggest opponent, were contesting were not valid, ultimately placing Indiana in the Shallick column. As much as this felt like a victory for Shallick and the Walkenites, it quickly turned into defeat. A populist wave rose in Pennsylvania, carrying Governor Gault to victory there. Shallick's frantic pivot to Nebraska and South Dakota proved not to be enough as Gault nearly ran the table, securing wins in both states, With Durham winning in Oregon, guaranteeing a contested convention, the first since 2006's Democratic Convention, which, after several ballots, the Santos-McGarry ticket was nominated. In another blow, Indiana's GOP chair, Patsy Sewell, announced that Indiana's 54 delegates would cross the floor back to Gault in the event of a brokered convention.
Sewell's announcement hurts Shallick even more, now that he managed to lose Pennsylvania, Oregon, South Dakota, and Nebraska. When the convention goes to a second ballot, Shallick delegate count will drop 54 votes — from 1,241 to 1,187 — while Gault's will increase 54, from 1,127 to 1,181, leaving an even thinner margin between the two. Gault heads into the convention with a full head of steam and even more momentum, with victories in three of four states. Shallick comes in as the deflated loser of four straight. Because of his failure to seal the deal, establishment support in Tampa to secure the nomination could dampen grassroots enthusiasm in key rural areas, effectively handing the White House to Senator Seaborn and the Democrats.
President Walken pinned his hopes and his legacy on Chief of Staff Shallick. Chief of Staff Shallick couldn't deliver and now the hopes of President Walken and the GOP establishment are hanging on by a thread.
So long, Walkenism. We'll never forget you.
May 31, 2018
The Failure of Shallick and the End of Walkenism
In 2010, after 12 years out of the White House, the GOP regained its footing with the electoral victory of Glen Allen Walken, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives who famously served as Acting President in 2003 after the kidnapping of former First Daughter Zoey Bartlet. Walken campaigned on ending the war in Kazakhstan and trimming away the fat and excess of the spending-happy Santos Administration.
America bought in, and on election night, Glen Allen Walken was elected to be the 44th President of the United States. During his first term, the economy flourished and American troops began to withdraw from Kazakhstan. In 2014, President Walken survived a tougher than expected challenge in Democratic nominee Senator Fitzimmons, who inauspiciously became the first Democrat to carry Florida and Ohio and still be defeated. Walken's second term was much tougher than his first, and in 2016, a new challenge arrived.
When the time came for Walken to step down, who would succeed him?
Would it be faithful Vice President Liz Clark? Or brilliant Chief of Staff Henry Shallick?
In a nightmare scenario for the Walken wing of the GOP, both became candidates in the Republican Party's primary. After a personal attack towards her son, Clark withdrew from the race. President Walken was reportedly mixed about her decision, wanting to hand his Vice President the keys to the Oval Office, but relieved that he wouldn't have to make a choice between his Vice President and his top advisor. Clark's withdrawal ensured that the Walken Republicans would have a clear standard bearer in Henry Shallick, someone who was well respected within the White House and the national party. For President Walken, everything seemed set.
Until it wasn't.
No one thought this would be easy. It's incredibly rare for the same party to hold power for three consecutive terms. The last time it happened, when former President Santos shocked Arnold Vinick in 2006, was due to a perfect storm that included a nuclear meltdown in California, a surprising win in South Carolina, and a narrow decision in Nevada, which ultimately turned out to be the tipping point. Chief of Staff Shallick knew about the challenges he would face in November, and with the support of the establishment, the Shallick campaign, after a strong performance the same night Senator Sam Seaborn clinched the Democratic nomination, was just 40 votes away from its own victory. Pennsylvania, the largest remaining state, had 74 delegates. Shallick held a huge lead in the state. Nothing could stop the Shallick train from reaching the station.
One thing did. Indiana.
A heavily contested Indiana primary sent the GOP into a whirlwind. First, Indiana was won by Shallick, until it wasn't, until the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Lang, ruled that the votes Governor Peter Gault, Shallick's biggest opponent, were contesting were not valid, ultimately placing Indiana in the Shallick column. As much as this felt like a victory for Shallick and the Walkenites, it quickly turned into defeat. A populist wave rose in Pennsylvania, carrying Governor Gault to victory there. Shallick's frantic pivot to Nebraska and South Dakota proved not to be enough as Gault nearly ran the table, securing wins in both states, With Durham winning in Oregon, guaranteeing a contested convention, the first since 2006's Democratic Convention, which, after several ballots, the Santos-McGarry ticket was nominated. In another blow, Indiana's GOP chair, Patsy Sewell, announced that Indiana's 54 delegates would cross the floor back to Gault in the event of a brokered convention.
Sewell's announcement hurts Shallick even more, now that he managed to lose Pennsylvania, Oregon, South Dakota, and Nebraska. When the convention goes to a second ballot, Shallick delegate count will drop 54 votes — from 1,241 to 1,187 — while Gault's will increase 54, from 1,127 to 1,181, leaving an even thinner margin between the two. Gault heads into the convention with a full head of steam and even more momentum, with victories in three of four states. Shallick comes in as the deflated loser of four straight. Because of his failure to seal the deal, establishment support in Tampa to secure the nomination could dampen grassroots enthusiasm in key rural areas, effectively handing the White House to Senator Seaborn and the Democrats.
President Walken pinned his hopes and his legacy on Chief of Staff Shallick. Chief of Staff Shallick couldn't deliver and now the hopes of President Walken and the GOP establishment are hanging on by a thread.
So long, Walkenism. We'll never forget you.
Last edited:
