NEWS: THE FIRST GENERAL-ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE OF 1859

📰 THE THERRANCE TIMES
AUGUST 23RD, 1859
Owned and operated by TWN — Therrance World News

Sheila Anderson — Head Editor

THE BERNSTEIN WAY

Strong headlines. Strong reporting. Clear writing.

🗳️ MORROW. REDDING. FACE TO FACE.
THE FIRST GENERAL-ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE OF 1859
ELAINE MORROW AND THOMAS REDDING CLASH OVER THE ECONOMY, WALLBERG'S LEGACY, HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, IMMIGRATION, ENERGY, THE FUTURE FUND — AND WHAT COMES AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS OF ONE PRESIDENT.
🔵 ELAINE MORROW — SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
🔴 THOMAS REDDING — THE OLD PARTY
90 MINUTES.
NO PRESIDENT WALLBERG ON THE STAGE.
BUT HIS FIFTEEN YEARS HUNG OVER ALMOST EVERY SUBJECT.

Morrow:

“I'M NOT RUNNING FOR JAKE WALLBERG'S FOURTH TERM.”

Redding:

“GOOD. BECAUSE I'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST HIS FOURTH TERM.”

Morrow:

“THAT WAS ALMOST CLEVER, THOMAS.”

Redding:

“I'VE BEEN SAVING IT.”

And with that—

the general election entered its final three months.

CAPITAL CITY — AUGUST 23RD, 1859

They finally stood beside each other.

After years of primaries, announcements, speculation and one outgoing President who somehow endorsed the nominee of the opposing party, Elaine Morrow and Thomas Redding met tonight for their first full general-election debate.

The debate began at 8:00 p.m.

It ended shortly after 9:30 p.m.

No audience questions were screened by either campaign.

Neither candidate received questions in advance.

Both candidates stood at separate podiums.

And the first question went directly to the issue neither campaign can escape.

JAKE WALLBERG.
🎙️ THE DEBATE
FULL TRANSCRIPT

MODERATOR: Good evening. Senator Elaine Morrow, former Governor Thomas Redding, thank you both for being here.

MORROW: Thank you.

REDDING: Glad to be here.

MODERATOR: Senator Morrow, you won the Social Democratic nomination. President Wallberg, a member of The Old Party, has endorsed you. Governor Redding, you are The Old Party nominee, but the most prominent member of your own party supports your opponent.

Redding smiled.

REDDING: We're starting gently, I see.

Morrow laughed.

MODERATOR: Senator Morrow, first question. Are you running on President Wallberg's record?

MORROW: I'm running on mine.

“Jake Wallberg has been President for nearly fifteen years.”

“I haven't.”

“There are things he's done that I strongly support.”

“There are things I would have done differently.”

“There are things I opposed.”

Then:

“I'M NOT RUNNING FOR JAKE WALLBERG'S FOURTH TERM.”

Redding immediately turned slightly toward her.

REDDING: “GOOD. BECAUSE I'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST HIS FOURTH TERM.”

Morrow looked over.

MORROW: “THAT WAS ALMOST CLEVER, THOMAS.”

REDDING: I've been saving it.

Laughter.

🏛️ REDDING AND THE WALLBERG PROBLEM

MODERATOR: Governor Redding, then let me turn the question around. You're running to succeed a three-term President from your own party who does not support your candidacy. Why should voters see you as the continuation of The Old Party?

REDDING: They shouldn't see me as a continuation of anybody.

“Jake Wallberg has his presidency.”

“I respect much of it.”

“I've supported much of it.”

“I've disagreed with parts of it.”

“BUT THERE IS NO INHERITED PRESIDENCY IN THERRANCE.”

“I won my party's nomination.”

“Elaine won hers.”

“Now the country decides.”

MODERATOR: Does Wallberg's endorsement of Senator Morrow bother you?

REDDING: Personally?

MODERATOR: Yes.

Redding thought.

REDDING: A little.

Morrow turned toward him.

MORROW: That's very honest.

REDDING: Don't get used to it.

Laughter.

REDDING: But Jake told the country what he believes. He's allowed to.

“I'd rather beat Elaine with Jake supporting her than have Jake pretend to support me because we share a party label.”

Morrow nodded.

MORROW: That's fair.

💰 QUESTION TWO
THE ECONOMY

MODERATOR: Senator Morrow, Therrance enters this election with the Future Fund protected, a zero gas tax, major energy revenues and historically low measured poverty. What would you change economically?

MORROW: The question isn't whether the economy produces wealth.

“THE QUESTION IS WHETHER PEOPLE CAN BUILD A LIFE WITH IT.”

“Housing costs matter.”

“Childcare matters.”

“Healthcare costs matter.”

“Wages matter.”

“Education matters.”

“Whether somebody can start a business without drowning in paperwork matters.”

Morrow said she would preserve the Future Fund and would not support routine withdrawals from its principal to fund ordinary annual spending.

She also said she supports retaining the current zero gas tax.

MODERATOR: Governor Redding?

REDDING: Economic growth is not something government can order into existence.

“Businesses invest.”

“Workers create.”

“People take risks.”

“Government's responsibility is to create stable rules, infrastructure and conditions where those things can happen.”

Redding said his administration would emphasize private investment, manufacturing, technical education, infrastructure and trade.

REDDING: “I DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT RUNNING THE ECONOMY.”

MORROW: Neither do I.

REDDING: You want it involved more often than I do.

MORROW: Sometimes.

REDDING: That's what I said.

MORROW: And sometimes you're wrong.

REDDING: There she is.

🛢️ THE FUTURE FUND

MODERATOR: I'm going to force a direct answer from both of you.

The moderator turned to Morrow.

MODERATOR: Raid the Future Fund principal for routine government spending?

MORROW: “NO.”

Redding:

“NO.”

MODERATOR: Zero gas tax?

MORROW: Maintain it under current fiscal conditions.

REDDING: Maintain it.

MODERATOR: Petroleum dividends?

MORROW: Preserve them responsibly.

REDDING: Preserve them.

The moderator looked down at his notes.

MODERATOR: This isn't going very well for my argument segment.

Laughter.

🏠 QUESTION THREE
HOMELESSNESS

MODERATOR: In July 1857, the government declared homelessness at practical zero. It remains there today. Senator Morrow, what does a Morrow administration do differently?

MORROW: Hopefully very little that breaks it.

Applause.

“This is one area where ideology should get out of the way.”

“The system is working.”

“Permanent housing pathways.”

“Supportive housing.”

“Mental-health treatment.”

“Addiction treatment.”

“Employment assistance.”

“Rental stabilization.”

“Prevention.”

“YOU DON'T WIN AN ELECTION AND DISMANTLE SOMETHING BECAUSE THE OTHER PARTY HELPED BUILD IT.”

MODERATOR: Governor?

REDDING: Agreed.

Morrow looked toward him.

MORROW: Stop that.

REDDING: What?

MORROW: People are going to think we're friends.

REDDING: Elaine, we're ninety minutes from escaping each other.

Morrow:

“EIGHTY-ONE.”

Redding checked the clock.

“THAT'S CONCERNING.”

Redding continued:

“Practical zero is an achievement that must be maintained.”

“But maintenance means watching the system for waste, bottlenecks and changing housing conditions.”

“Success does not mean freezing every program exactly as it exists forever.”

Morrow:

“I agree with that too.”

Redding:

“THIS IS A DISASTER.”
🏙️ NEW HAVEN

MODERATOR: New Haven. Four hundred thousand residents. If you're President, does federal involvement continue?

REDDING: Yes, where appropriate.

“But New Haven must increasingly function as a city, not as a permanent federal construction project.”

Morrow nodded.

MORROW: Correct.

“The goal was never to build a dependency city.”

“WE BUILT A CITY.”

She stopped.

Then smiled.

MORROW: I can't believe I just sounded like Jake.

REDDING: It's happening.

MORROW: Don't.

🏥 QUESTION FOUR
HEALTHCARE

MODERATOR: President Wallberg signed catastrophic healthcare reform in 1851. What comes next?

MORROW: Affordability.

“Catastrophic protection means a medical crisis should not financially destroy a family.”

“That's essential.”

“But people also need ordinary care.”

“Preventive care.”

“Primary care.”

“Medication.”

“Mental healthcare.”

Morrow argued for strengthening affordability while maintaining a mixed public-private healthcare structure.

Redding said catastrophic protection should remain.

But:

“WE SHOULD NOT CONFUSE HEALTHCARE SECURITY WITH GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF HEALTHCARE.”

He argued for competition, transparent pricing, private-sector innovation and targeted public protection.

Morrow:

“I didn't propose government ownership.”

Redding:

“I didn't say you did.”

Morrow:

“You looked at me.”

Redding:

“You're standing there.”

Morrow:

“THAT'S GENERALLY HOW DEBATES WORK.”
🎖️ QUESTION FIVE
WAR AND FOREIGN POLICY

The room became noticeably quieter.

MODERATOR: Both of you watched President Wallberg take Therrance into war with Karsovia in 1851 after Therrancean citizens were detained and two were killed.

Peace has held.

What lesson do you take from that conflict?

Morrow answered first.

“Force sometimes becomes necessary.”

“But force must have an objective.”

“WAR IS NOT AN EMOTION.”

“You need to know why you're entering.”

“What success means.”

“And how you leave.”

Morrow referenced her own vote supporting the Articles of War while emphasizing congressional oversight.

Redding:

“A President's first obligation is the safety of the Republic.”

“But strength isn't measured by how long you can fight.”

“SOMETIMES STRENGTH IS KNOWING WHEN THE OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.”

He said the Karsovia conflict demonstrated the importance of military readiness followed by verifiable diplomacy.

Neither candidate proposed abandoning the current peace framework.

🇺🇸 THERRANCE–USA TRADE

MODERATOR: Continue the trade agreement with the United States?

REDDING: Yes.

MORROW: Yes, with continuous review of labor, domestic-industry and supply-chain effects.

REDDING: Also yes.

Moderator:

“I promise we have subjects where you disagree.”

Morrow:

“PLEASE FIND ONE.”
🏳️‍🌈 QUESTION SIX
MARRIAGE EQUALITY

MODERATOR: Same-sex marriage has been national law since July 1854. Would either of you support repealing it?

MORROW: “NO.”

Redding paused.

REDDING: No.

The moderator followed.

MODERATOR: Governor, you opposed the national enactment at the time.

REDDING: Correct.

MODERATOR: What changed?

“The law changed.”

“People structured their lives around it.”

“Families relied upon it.”

“Civil marriages exist.”

He continued:

“I AM NOT RUNNING TO NULLIFY EXISTING CIVIL MARRIAGES.”

Morrow:

“I'm glad.”

Redding:

“I suspected you might be.”

📶 QUESTION SEVEN
PUBLIC WI-FI

MODERATOR: The national public-space Wi-Fi project is still awaiting final completion verification.

Morrow laughed.

Redding laughed.

The moderator looked confused.

MODERATOR: Why are both of you laughing?

Morrow:

“BECAUSE JAKE IS WATCHING THIS SOMEWHERE.”

Redding:

“And he's angry you brought it up.”

Morrow supports completing the network and maintaining free access in qualifying public spaces.

Redding supports completion but said future expansion should be evaluated on usage, cost and technological changes.

Neither proposed shutting down the existing system.

🧑‍🏭 QUESTION EIGHT
WORKERS AND BUSINESS

Here the differences became sharper.

Morrow argued for stronger worker protections, family leave, apprenticeship expansion and enforcement of workplace safety standards.

“Economic growth means very little to a worker who gets injured because somebody decided safety was too expensive.”

Redding agreed on safety enforcement but warned against imposing unnecessary national requirements on smaller employers.

“A rule designed for a corporation with fifty thousand employees can destroy a business with six.”

Morrow:

“Then design the rule properly.”

Redding:

“That's my point.”

Morrow:

“Then we're agreeing again.”

Redding looked upward.

“SOMEBODY PLEASE ASK ABOUT TAXES.”
💵 THE MODERATOR DID.

MODERATOR: Taxes.

Redding smiled.

REDDING: “THANK YOU.”

Redding argued for keeping taxes competitive and resisting broad new business taxation.

Morrow said she would not pursue indiscriminate tax increases but argued that targeted revenues may sometimes be necessary to fund services.

REDDING: There we go.

MORROW: You're very excited.

REDDING: We found it.

MORROW: Congratulations.

🛂 QUESTION NINE
IMMIGRATION

Morrow supported legal immigration, faster lawful processing and stronger worker protections to prevent exploitation.

Redding supported legal immigration and streamlined work visas where labor shortages are documented but emphasized enforcement of eligibility requirements and border controls.

Morrow:

“A functioning immigration system should be capable of saying yes quickly when the answer is yes and no quickly when the answer is no.”

Redding:

“Agreed.”

Morrow looked exhausted.

“THOMAS.”
🎓 QUESTION TEN
EDUCATION

Morrow emphasized school funding, free school lunches, rural broadband, financial-aid simplification and expanded technical and university access.

Redding emphasized technical education, apprenticeships, local control and closer partnerships between education and private employers.

Redding:

“A university degree is valuable.”

“SO IS KNOWING HOW TO BUILD A BRIDGE.”

Morrow:

“Agreed.”

Redding:

“Please stop.”

🚚 AND YES.
THE FOOD TRUCK TOUR CAME UP.

The Farewell Food Truck Tour established under Wallberg's sixth and final executive order has been running through the summer.

Its final phase concludes this month.

MODERATOR: President Wallberg's final executive order pays qualifying customer tabs during designated visits to five local food trucks. Good use of executive authority?

Morrow started laughing.

Redding rubbed his forehead.

MORROW: “WE'RE REALLY DOING THIS?”

MODERATOR: Absolutely.

MORROW: Limited program. Public spending caps. Transparent reimbursement. Small-business benefit.

Pause.

“AND I GOT FREE FOOD.”

Redding:

“There it is.”

Morrow:

“I disclose my conflict.”

MODERATOR: Governor Redding?

REDDING: I attended one.

Morrow immediately turned.

MORROW: “YOU DID?”

REDDING: Yes.

MORROW: Which one?

REDDING: I'm not telling you.

MORROW: Why?

REDDING: Because apparently this is now opposition research.

MODERATOR: Was the food good?

Redding:

“Very.”

Morrow:

“BIPARTISANSHIP.”
😂 “WAS EXECUTIVE ORDER SIX CONSTITUTIONAL?”

MODERATOR: Senator Morrow?

MORROW: I'm not litigating tacos on live television.

The room erupted.

Redding bent over his podium laughing.

REDDING: “THAT'S THE HEADLINE.”

Morrow:

“No, it isn't.”

Somewhere inside THE THERRANCE TIMES newsroom, Head Editor Sheila Anderson reportedly said:

“IT IS NOW.”
🏛️ QUESTION ELEVEN
EXECUTIVE POWER

The joke led into a considerably more serious discussion.

MODERATOR: President Wallberg will leave after fifteen years having signed only six executive orders. Do either of you intend to follow that model?

Morrow:

“I'm not setting a quota.”

“Executive orders are legitimate tools within executive authority.”

“But they should not become substitutes for Congress.”

Redding:

“Agreed.”

“If Congress has legislative authority, the President should not simply bypass Congress because legislation is inconvenient.”

Neither candidate promised a specific numerical limit.

⚖️ QUESTION TWELVE
WHAT WOULD YOU REVERSE ON DAY ONE?

MODERATOR: Name one Wallberg-era policy you would reverse immediately.

Morrow paused.

Redding paused.

Neither answered immediately.

MODERATOR: Senator?

MORROW: I wouldn't invent a reversal just because you asked me for one.

MODERATOR: Governor?

REDDING: Same answer.

MODERATOR: Nothing?

Redding:

“There are policies I would change.”

“There are regulations I would review.”

“There are priorities I would alter.”

“BUT GOVERNMENT IS NOT A WHITEBOARD YOU ERASE EVERY FIVE YEARS.”

Morrow nodded.

“Exactly.”

🗳️ QUESTION THIRTEEN
WHAT IS THIS ELECTION ACTUALLY ABOUT?

The moderator gave both candidates two uninterrupted minutes.

Morrow first.

🔵 ELAINE MORROW

“This election is not about whether Jake Wallberg was a good President.”

“He isn't running.”

“It isn't about whether Thomas Redding is a good man.”

“I believe he is.”

Redding nodded.

“It's about what comes next.”

“Can we maintain zero homelessness?”

“Can we make housing affordable?”

“Can we protect healthcare?”

“Can we educate children for an economy changing faster every year?”

“Can we protect workers without suffocating enterprise?”

“Can we protect rights without treating every disagreement as hatred?”

“Can we remain strong without looking for wars?”

Then:

“I HAVE SPENT FIFTEEN YEARS WATCHING THIS REPUBLIC CHANGE.”
“I'M ASKING FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD WHAT IT BECAME.”
🔴 THOMAS REDDING

“Elaine is correct about one thing.”

Morrow:

“One?”

Redding smiled.

“The election is about what comes next.”

“Therrance is prosperous.”

“It is innovative.”

“It is peaceful.”

“It has enormous resources.”

“It has a government capable of doing extraordinary things.”

Then:

“THE NEXT CHALLENGE IS MAKING SURE SUCCESS DOES NOT BECOME COMPLACENCY.”

“We need private investment.”

“Competitive industry.”

“Strong infrastructure.”

“Technical education.”

“Responsible spending.”

“National security.”

“A government that works without believing it must run everything.”

Then:

“I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO REJECT THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS.”
“I AM ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE THE NEXT FIVE.”
⚡ RAPID FIRE

The final portion became considerably less dignified.

MODERATOR: One-word answers where possible.

Morrow:

“Dangerous.”

Redding:

“Agreed.”

MODERATOR: Favorite city other than Capital City?

Morrow gave hers.

Redding gave his.

MODERATOR: New Haven?

Morrow:

“I knew you'd say it.”

MODERATOR: Morning person?

Morrow:

“No.”

Redding:

“Yes.”

Morrow:

“FINALLY. A FUNDAMENTAL POLICY DIFFERENCE.”

MODERATOR: Coffee?

Both:

“YES.”

Morrow:

“Unity restored.”

MODERATOR: Food truck or restaurant?

Morrow:

“FOOD TRUCK.”

Redding:

“Restaurant.”

Morrow pointed at him.

“THE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR CHOICE.”

MODERATOR: McBurger or BurgerFly?

Both candidates stared at him.

Morrow:

“Are you trying to destroy us?”

Redding:

“NEXT QUESTION.”

MODERATOR: One person from the other party you respect.

Redding answered:

“Elaine Morrow.”

The room became quiet.

Morrow looked surprised.

Then:

“Thomas Redding.”

Redding:

“Well, now it looks coordinated.”

Morrow:

“YOU RUIN EVERYTHING.”
🏛️ FINAL QUESTION
WHY SHOULD THE PERSON WATCHING TRUST YOU WITH THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE?

Morrow went first.

She looked directly into the camera.

“Because it isn't mine.”

Pause.

“If you give me that office, I will remember every day that you can take it back.”

“THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE BELONGS TO YOU.”

“I am asking to borrow it.”

Redding followed.

“Because the presidency isn't a reward.”

“It isn't a trophy.”

“It isn't something a party owns.”

“IT IS WORK.”

“If you choose me, I will do the work.”

“And when my time is finished—”

“I WILL GIVE THE HOUSE BACK.”

The moderator looked toward the camera.

“ELAINE MORROW.”

Morrow nodded.

“THOMAS REDDING.”

Redding nodded.

“THANK YOU BOTH.”

They walked toward the center of the stage.

They shook hands.

Morrow said something quietly.

Redding laughed.

Microphones caught it.

MORROW: “You stole the house line.”

REDDING: “Your friend Jake stole it first.”

MORROW: “Fair.”

🏛️ WALLBERG WATCHED FROM THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE

President Jake Wallberg did not attend.

He watched from the People's House.

TWN caught up with him shortly afterward.

Reporter:

“Thoughts?”

Wallberg:

“Two serious candidates.”

“Who won?”

Wallberg smiled.

“NICE TRY.”

“Were you impressed with Morrow?”

“Yes.”

“Redding?”

“Yes.”

“You still support Elaine?”

“YES.”

“Anything surprise you?”

Wallberg:

“Thomas went to one of my food trucks.”

Reporter:

“That's your takeaway?”

“I WANT TO KNOW WHICH ONE.”
😂 MORROW CALLS HIM AFTER THE DEBATE

Morrow confirmed she spoke briefly with Wallberg afterward.

Reporter:

“What did he say?”

Morrow:

“Good job.”

“Anything else?”

Morrow stared.

“HE ASKED WHICH FOOD TRUCK THOMAS WENT TO.”
🔴 REDDING REFUSES TO SAY

Reporter:

“Governor, which truck?”

Redding:

“THIS INFORMATION WILL DIE WITH ME.”
🗳️ 90 DAYS UNTIL ELECTION DAY

The choice is now fully defined.

🔵 ELAINE MORROW

Social Democratic Party

versus

🔴 THOMAS REDDING

The Old Party

Johnny Sedakis is not running.

No major independent candidacy has emerged.

Election Day:

NOVEMBER 21ST, 1859.

Tonight did not decide that election.

It did something simpler.

For ninety minutes, voters saw the two people asking to become the Republic's 30th President standing beside each other.

🚚 FAREWELL FOOD TRUCK TOUR
FINAL MONTH

Wallberg's five-stop Farewell Food Truck Tour concludes this month.

The administration says complete cost and reimbursement figures will be published after the program closes.

The President continues insisting there will be:

NO EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 7.

Reporter:

“Even if Redding won't reveal the truck?”

Wallberg:

“I'm considering emergency powers.”

Pause.

“THAT WAS A JOKE. PRINT THAT IT WAS A JOKE.”

We have.

📶 PUBLIC WI-FI
FINAL VERIFICATION CONTINUES

The national public-space Wi-Fi network remains overwhelmingly deployed, with final verification concentrated in the most technically difficult locations.

Wallberg still refuses to declare it complete before final confirmation.

Morrow and Redding both said tonight they would finish remaining work if any is left when the next administration begins.

Wallberg, informed of that:

“THERE WON'T BE.”
🏠 HOMELESSNESS
PRACTICAL ZERO CONTINUES

The national practical-zero standard remains in place.

Both nominees committed tonight to maintaining the systems supporting it.

The policy disagreement is increasingly centered not on whether practical zero should continue, but on how federal programs should evolve to preserve it over the long term.

📈 THE MARKET
AUGUST 23RD, 1859 — CLOSING BOARD

Markets were largely steady ahead of tonight's debate, with investors finding relatively broad continuity between both nominees on the Future Fund, energy revenues, international trade and maintaining existing major infrastructure.

SYMBOL COMPANY PRICE DAY
BOT Bank of Therrance 506.42 T ▲ 0.6%
SRSE Sunrise Pictures 267.18 T ▲ 1.1%
GLXY Galaxy Industries 358.74 T ▲ 0.9%
RIVR RIVER Corp. 345.28 T ▲ 0.8%
VNBK Vanderbilt National Bank 361.46 T ▲ 0.5%
MCBG McBurger Group 152.38 T ▲ 0.4%
BFLY BurgerFly Holdings 154.72 T ▲ 0.7%
WYNN Wynn Mobility 136.84 T ▲ 1.0%
THRA Therrance Air 233.58 T ▲ 0.7%
TGME TGames Interactive 218.42 T ▲ 1.3%
WKUP WakeUP Group 94.16 T ▲ 0.8%
STAY StayTherrance Hotels Index 197.44 T ▲ 0.6%
📊 TCX — 13,346.72
▲ 0.68%
MARKET MOOD:
🟢 STEADY

A debate is not legislation.

A campaign promise is not enacted policy.

And an election remains three months away.

The Times reports market activity.

It does not recommend investments.

🍔 BURGER BOARD
THE ONLY DEBATE WITH NO CIVILITY

McBurger:

“MORROW AND REDDING BOTH REFUSED TO CHOOSE.”

BurgerFly:

“Cowards.”

McBurger:

“Agreed.”

Long pause.

BurgerFly:

“Did we just agree?”

McBurger:

“DELETE THIS.”

BurgerFly:

“UNITY.”
📦 THE BOX
MORROW vs. REDDING

Date: AUGUST 23, 1859

Election: NOVEMBER 21, 1859

Days remaining: 90

🔵 SDP

Nominee: ELAINE MORROW

🔴 TOP

Nominee: THOMAS REDDING

Sedakis: NOT RUNNING

Major independent candidate: NONE ESTABLISHED

Debate length: ~90 MINUTES

Wallberg on stage?: NO

Wallberg watched?: YES

Wallberg endorsement: MORROW

Wallberg praised both?: YES

Asked who won?: YES

Answered?: NO

More interested in Redding's food-truck visit?: APPARENTLY

Redding revealing truck?: NO

Executive orders: 6 — FINAL

EO7: STILL NO

Farewell Food Truck Tour: FINAL MONTH

New Haven: ~400,000

Homelessness: PRACTICAL ZERO

Public Wi-Fi: FINAL VERIFICATION

Future Fund: PROTECTED

Gas tax: 0

Karsovia peace: HOLDING

USA trade: ACTIVE

TCX: 13,346.72 ▲0.68%

FROM HEAD EDITOR SHEILA ANDERSON
TWO

For fifteen years, presidential politics in Therrance has revolved around one unavoidable name.

Jake Wallberg.

Tonight it didn't.

Not really.

His record was discussed.

His policies were discussed.

His endorsement was discussed.

His food trucks were discussed far more than any reasonable civilization should permit.

But Jake Wallberg was not standing behind either podium.

ELAINE MORROW WAS.
THOMAS REDDING WAS.

That matters.

Morrow did not present herself as a fourth Wallberg term.

Redding did not present himself as a repudiation of the first three.

Both argued for continuity in some places.

Both argued for change in others.

They disagreed about taxes.

They disagreed about the appropriate reach of government.

They disagreed about the balance between worker protections and business regulation.

They differed in emphasis on healthcare, education and economic policy.

And occasionally they agreed so often that both appeared annoyed by it.

That may disappoint people who wanted ninety minutes of shouting.

It shouldn't.

DISAGREEMENT DOES NOT REQUIRE HATRED.

The two nominees treated one another as opponents.

Not enemies.

They challenged each other.

They laughed at each other.

At least once, they laughed with each other.

And at the end they shook hands.

There will be more campaigning.

More advertisements.

More arguments.

More scrutiny.

More polls.

And eventually—

votes.

Tonight does not tell the Republic who should become President.

That is not our decision.

IT IS YOURS.

On November 21st, the Republic will make it.

Until then, our responsibility remains the same.

Report what they say.

Check what they promise.

Examine what they propose.

And never confuse the campaign with the result.

— Sheila Anderson
Head Editor, THE THERRANCE TIMES

THE NEWS SHOULD BE.
THE BERNSTEIN WAY.
📰 END OF NEWS
AUGUST 23RD, 1859
Everything below this line is paid advertising.
Advertisers buy space. They do not buy coverage.
NEWS FIRST. ADS LAST.
📢 PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT — SEEusBUYus
PAID FOR BY MORROW FOR THERRANCE

The debate is over.

The choice isn't.

ELAINE MORROW
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
FOR PRESIDENT — 1859

Paid political advertising. Not reporting by THE THERRANCE TIMES or TWN.

📢 PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT — SEEusBUYus
PAID FOR BY REDDING FOR THERRANCE

We don't need another fifteen years.

We need the right next five.

THOMAS REDDING
THE OLD PARTY
FOR PRESIDENT — 1859

Paid political advertising. Not reporting by THE THERRANCE TIMES or TWN.

📢 PAID COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENT — SEEusBUYus
🍔 McBURGER

Morrow refused to choose.

Redding refused to choose.

Wallberg refused to choose.

WE'RE STARTING TO TAKE THIS PERSONALLY.
McBURGER
📢 PAID COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENT — SEEusBUYus
🍔 BURGERFLY

THREE POLITICIANS.

ZERO COURAGE.

BURGERFLY.

McBurger:

“For once, fair.”

BurgerFly:

“STOP AGREEING WITH US.”
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The presidential debate lasted ninety minutes.

Johnny Sedakis' memoir will take considerably longer.

WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAGES.

Neither does Johnny.

📰 THE THERRANCE TIMES
AUGUST 23RD, 1859
🗳️ 90 DAYS.
🔵 ELAINE MORROW
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
VS.
🔴 THOMAS REDDING
THE OLD PARTY
THE DEBATE IS OVER.
MORROW:
“I'M ASKING FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD WHAT THIS REPUBLIC BECAME.”
REDDING:
“I'M ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE THE NEXT FIVE.”
WALLBERG:
“TWO SERIOUS CANDIDATES.”
WHO WON?
THE PRESIDENT WOULDN'T SAY.
WHICH FOOD TRUCK DID REDDING VISIT?
HE WOULDN'T SAY EITHER.
🇹🇭 NOVEMBER 21ST.
THE PEOPLE DECIDE.