This article is from the archive of our partner .
In anticipation of the 10 year anniversary of Bush v. Gore, New York magazine has commissioned five writers (Kurt Andersen, Kevin Baker, Glenn Beck, Jane Smiley and Walter Kirn) to collaborate on a history of the Gore administration. The result is weird, hypnotic and confusing, which is to be expected when five different people share their memories of something that never actually happened. The most notable events from ten years of American non-history:
2001 (Kurt Andersen)
- Gore's cabinet includes Laura Tyson (Treasury), David Boies (Attorney General), Richard Holbrooke (State), Wesley Clark (Defense), and--for some reason--Tom Brokaw (Interior). Ron Klain is chief of staff, Leon Fuerth is national-security adviser, Bob Kerrey is CIA director, Bill Bradley is U.N. ambassador, Robert Gibbs is FEMA director, and Robert Kennedy Jr. runs the EPA.
- 9/11 happens on 9/10. Rudy Giuliani killed in the attacks. Mark Green succeeds him as mayor of New York City. Flight 93 hits and destroys the White House. Official offices and the residence of the president are moved to grounds of Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
- War in Afghanistan and passage of the Patriot Act commence as scheduled.
- George W. Bush returns to alcohol, Laura Bush becomes addicted to tranquilizers.