Obadiah Gorbachev

From Wikimerica, the United States encyclopedia

**Obadiah Vladimir Lopez Gorbachev XXVII** (October 1, 2418 - October 22, 2501) was an American politician, writer, philosopher and populist leader who served as the 21st President of Earth and as the 135th President of the United States from 2469 to 2477.

## Early Life

Obadiah Vladimir Lopez Gorbachev XXVII was born on October 1, 2418, in Manila, Philippines, a member of a family with Russian and Spanish ancestry. Growing up poor, Gorbachev formed an interest in philosophy as a young boy, and also came to idolize American populists of old, such as William Jennings Bryan and Donte Alighieri II.

## House of Representatives (2447-2461)

In 2446 Gorbachev was elected representative to the Philippines' 1st district, defeating sixteen-term incumbent Progressive Luis Coronado Von Albrecht by two-hundred votes, unknowingly setting off a long rivalry with Albrecht, who would challenge Gorbachev in each of his re-election bids. In his first term Gorbachev emerged as a vocal critic of President Oren Breedlove, and his populist ideology made him popular with Boxerite grassroots.

In 2448 Gorbachov ran for re-election, once again facing Albrecht. Winning re-election by another narrow margin, the last in his House career, Gorbachov often blamed President Breedlove's coattails for nearly sending Albrecht back to Washington. Leading into 2450, Gorbachov was re-elected by 10,000 votes, defeating Albrecht again. Seeing this as a mandate, Gorbachov ramped up his attacks on Breedlove, and campaigned with Boxer Frederick Godreich in 2452, winning by yet another wide margin against his old foe.

President Godreich, who won in 2452, repaid Gorbachov's work by supporting him for positions on ranking House committees, which Gorbachov repaid by being Godreich's biggest House champion. Re-elected in 2454, 2456, and 2458, Gorbachov soon became the House Whip for the Boxer Party, however, he unexpectedly retired after 2460, the same year Progressive Zachariah Pointdexter was elected. The reason for his retirement became clear in late 2461, when he announced his intentions to run for Governorship of his home state.

## Governorship of the Philippines (2463-2467)

Running in 2462, Gorbachev's general election opponent was his aging foe, Luis Albrecht. Defeating Albrecht, Gorbachev pledged to only serve one term as Governor, emphasizing his populism by supporting unions, tariffs, and pro-worker policies. He continued writing while in the Governor's Mansion, and his admiration of Greek philosophers was so that he placed a bust of Socrates in his office. The Governor was also notably "scatter-brained", as a guard described him, leaving official papers strewn across the mansion and making vetoed bills into origami.

Gorbachev was already said to have had presidential ambitions by this time, and personal friends suggested he run in 2464 against President Poindexter, however, Gorbachev was adamant about serving his term out. By 2466, Gorbachev confirmed to a friend that he was going to run for President in 2468.

## Presidency (2469-2477)

Elected President in 2468, Gorbachev brought his folksy populism and philosopher-esque ideology to the White House, often wearing old coats while working, viewing official suits as too "uppity" for his tastes. His bizarre gubernatorial habits were carried over to the capital city, shocking Vice President Manasseh Adamu, who described Gorbachev's Oval Office as "a brilliantly mad warzone where papers and pens fought coats and inkwells."

Policy-wise, Gorbachev did not waver from his populist roots, challenging his own partymen when he deemed them insufficiently loyal. "He seemed to believe the whole Boxer Party was his to reshape, to mold to his vision." Said a Boxer Party staffer. While some Boxers fell in line, others rebuked the President, one of whom was Dorian Charlemagne, who would go on to become President.