The third man

I was reluctant to post this here but since nobody but me reads this thing anyways I guess it's pretty private.

This is an idea, something I'll sit down and write one day. I'm just thinking out loud.

A man, a Democrat, decides to run for President.

He does this with no hope of actually winning, or even getting the nomination. He's the mayor of a fairly large city--say Provedence, Rhode Island, maybe--and wants eventually to get elected to Congress. He figures this is the best and quickest way of getting his name out there. He's guessing he'll lose a few primaries, bow out gracefully, and rake in the benefits the run gave him in name recognition.

But something odd happens. The Republican presumptive nominee is the Vice President--the current President is in his second term and is enormously popular, as is his Veep. His poll numbers are ridiculous and most of the heavyweight Dems have decided to forego this Presidential election. As a result, most of the Dems running are considered second tier guys, except our guy, who is considered third tier.

There are two Democratic front runners and they hate each other. It's not just political, it's personal. The attack ads begin quickly and it gets bloody. It gets so bad that most Democrats are sick of both of them and either vote for our guy in their primary or just stay home.

Our guy wins the nomination.

Now, he's not a bad guy. There are no scandals in his background, no mistresses or gay lovers, no shady dealings with corporations, nothing. He's politically moderate, and believes in compromise.

His problem is he's not all that charisamatic. People like him just fine but they can't picture him as POTUS.

Besides, it's academic anyway, as VPOTUS has it sewn up.

Two weeks before the general election, the Veep is way out in front. Our guy will be lucky to win his home state.

Meanwhile, in VPOTUS's home town, a cop who investigates cold cases notices that two twenty-something year old murders have enough in common that they were probably committed by the same person. He puts the evidence from those two murders together and it all adds up to one suspect--VPOTUS.

The cops decide they have to prosecute the case--this is murder, after all, not some under-the-table financial shenanigans--and the evidence is compelling. So, they contact VPOTUS's chief of staff--who is a former Attorney General and judge, and who storms into town a few hours later with the intention of telling these guys to shove it. They show him some of the evidence--there is plenty more that they didn't show him. The former AG goes back to his boss and tells him they need to be meeting with the DA and talking deal. If this case goes to trial their evidence will get admitted and they will get a conviction, and VPOTUS could possibly get the death penalty.

VPOTUS has to withdraw from the race, after agreeing to serve 25 years to life in prison for murder. And he considers himself lucky he's not on death row. Yes, he did it.

Our guy finds himself POTUS. Now what? Stay tuned, and I'll tell you.