A More Convenient Fate

On December 13, 2000, Al Gore conceded the presidency to George W. Bush a full five weeks after election night. Even more intriguing than the disputed Florida election results was the implication of Bush's win for the future of the country and the world. If the Supreme Court decision and the results of the hand recounts in four Florida counties had made Gore the winner, what would the world look like now? Gore and Bush championed exceptionally different policy proposals throughout the campaign. How would Gore's environmentalism, and his promise to "resist the temptation to squander our surplus," play out if he were president?

More importantly, how would Gore react to the worst terrorist attack in US history--or, would the tragedy of 9/11 have been avoided if Gore had been President? Would a Gore administration evoke War on Terror rhetoric, forever changing the way the world's leaders deal with national security with immense ramifications for personal privacy? Would President Gore choose to invade Iraq, and if not, how would the Middle East look today? Throughout this book, I explore these questions and many more.

A More Convenient Fate is an alternative history account of what could have been in the first few years of the new millennium. It will appeal to political scientists and average news watchers alike. Because the 2000 presidential election was so close, and the ensuing years so remarkable, it is difficult to encounter an American who hasn't asked themselves, at least once, "What if Gore had won?"