Paul Pullman
Term of Office March 11, 2005- Spouse Annete Pullman Political Party New Conservative Vice President Kevin Dunne

Paul Pullman (born January 11, 1950) in the current President of New Felix. Previously he had served as the first Wysterian Union Chancellor, The Vice President of New Felix from 1990-1995, and as a senator from Neagleville.

Early Political Career and Life

President Pullman was born in Neagleville, New Felix to Nikolai Pullman, an influential senator and President Pullman's major inspiration. He Graduated from Neagleville University with degrees in political science and history in 1975 and got himself a job as an assistant to his father.

In 1979, Nikolai Pullman decided to retire, and endorsed Pullman to take over his post. Pullman won the senate election and became the youngest New Felix Senator in 1980. As a senator, Pullman supported middle class tax cuts, and expansion of the War on Drugs, and a more fiscally conservative government. He was re-elected to his senate seat five times.

Vice Presidency

1991-1993

In 1990, Incumbent Vice President John Petersen chose Senator Pullman to become his running mate in the upcoming election , facing Liberal Candidates Governor Erik O'Neil and Governor Stephen Sheldon. At first, Pullman was heavily criticized as being too young and inexperienced to take on the Vice Presidency, but a brilliant performance in the Vice-Presidential Debate quickly halted the attacks. The Petersen/Pullman ticket went on to defeat O'Neil/Sheldon ticket by a 54-45 margin. Pullman was sworn in as Vice President of New Felix in 1991.

During his first term as Vice President, Pullman worked with Foreign Minister Thomas Iselin to craft a new age foreign policy for the 1990s, which included a stronger assertion of Felixan Values to the International Community and creating a new era of alliances where the combined actions of multiple nations could work together to solve the problems of Wysteria.

1993-1995

In 1992, President Petersen and Vice President Pullman faced re-election, but their prospects had dimmed. The economy was slowly recovering from a recession, and the election season began with moderate New Conservative Senator Alexei Spalding challanging the President for re-election. In a bitter primary season, the Petersen/Pullman ticket barely survived the challenge with lasted up until the conservative convention. In addition, when Spalding failed to secure the New Conservative Nomination , he started a third party candidacy that attracted many moderate voters.

The Progressive Liberal Party nominated Senator Leonard Sykes and Congressman Ivan Marchant to challange the Petersen/Pullman ticket. For most of the election they held a commanding lead over the Petersen/Pullman ticket, but with three weeks before the election, a scandal involving Sykes receiving bribes from special interest groups as a senator broke out. In addition, President Petersen gave two great performances in the debates held that year. In one of the closest elections in New Felix history, The Petersen/Pullman ticket barely survived re-election with 44% of the vote to Sykes's 42%, with Spalding receiving 14% of the vote. Vice President Pullman was inaugurated for a second term in February 1993.

During his second term as Vice President, Pullman concentrated on economic affairs. He frequently addressed Parliament in hope of passing economic legislation to boost New Felix's automobile and information technology sectors. In addition, he lead a massive campaign to stop the spread of AIDS across Wysteria.

Despite President Petersen and Vice President Pullman's efforts, the economy still did not improve. During the 1994 election, the Progressive Liberal Party nominated Governor Boris Smith and Senator Ned Pistapoch to challange President Petersen's run for a third term. The Smith/Pistapoch ticket lead consistenly throughout the camapign, and won the election by a 55-44 percent margin. With the election defeat, Pullman's Vice Presidential years ended in February 1995.

Post Vice Presidency

Pullman showed dignity in his Vice Presidential Defeat. After the loss, he retired back to his home in Neagleville to take a break from politics. That didn't stop him from addressing the 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003 New Conservative Conventions. He helped raise funds for New Conservative Candidates, and maintained a behind the scenes role in his helping his party.

Wysterian Union Chancellory

In 2004 with the formation of the Wysterian Union, a candidate from New Felix was chosen to get the organization on its feet. In an attempt to show bi-partisanship, President Ned Pistapoch nominated Pullman for the position. Pullman was sworn in as the first Chancellor of the Wysterian Union.

Pullman's term as Chancellor helped establish the organization on an international level, establishing the Wysterian Union captial city of Vereinstadt, establishing a Rapid-Reaction WU force, and setting basic human rights in the WU.

Election 2005

Main article(s): New Felix Election 2005

After Pullman's term as Wysterian Union Chancellor expired in December 2004, Pullman entered himself in the 2004-05 election race for President. He prevailed in a very easy primary season, and chose Senator Kevin Dunne as his running mate for the election.

The Pullman/Dunne ticket challenged Incumbent President Ned Pistapoch and Vice President Geoff Bradley in the aftermath of the Munisha-New Felix War. With the economy booming, the Pistapoch/Bradley ticket held the lead in the beginning of the election. However, Pullman shifted the focus to the New Felix War on Drugs and launched a series of attacks on President Pistapoch, attempting to appeal to middle class suburban families. In the closest election in New Felix History, Pullman prevailed in a 50-49 election battle.

Shortly after Pullman became the President-Elect, President Pistapoch's daughter, Jacquelyn, being kidnapped and murdered by Koivuusi drug lords. Pistapoch under executive orders delayed the Pullman inauguration for one month and kept the kidnapping secret. In response, President-elect Pullman asked the Supreme Court to overrule the executive order. With the world completely bemused about why Pistapoch had delayed the Pullman inauguration, Vice President Bradley told of the Jacquelyn Pistapoch kidnapping one day before the Supreme Court decided to overrule the executive order and continue with the Pullman Inauguration. Only a few days after Pullman became the 17th President of New Felix, Jacquelyn Pistapoch's body was found in Koivuusi.

Presidency

War on Drugs

Pullman's first one hundred days in office were dominated by the drug issue. One of his first acts in office was to order Vice President Dunne to form a Senate Drug Commission in order to analyze the Wysterian Drug Trade, and appointed General Irvin Marshall as Drug Czar. Pullman also deployed National Guard troops to seaports and authorized the intelligence community to operate domestically in order to apprehend drug traffickers. His perceived declaration and escalation of the "Drug War" has earned himself many critics, who argue that such a war in nothing more than a media term and is unwinnable without a vast takeaway of civil liberties.

Foreign Relations

Paul Pullman has heavily emphasized New Felix's relationship with the Wysterian Union, particularly when his political ally, Thomas Iselin was elected WU Chancellor in May 2005. Additionally, outside the WU, Pullman has attempted to bring New Felix closer to their southern neighbor, The Grendels, by jointly engaging in several peacekeeping operations and military exercises. Pullman has also stressed a very close Felixan friendship and alliance with Nephia, a relatioship that also has drawn criticism from opposition parties. Pullman was a staunch supporter of the occupation of the now defunct North Nephia by Felixan troops and supported a WU pre-emptive strike against ZaKommian forces stationed in the now defunct South Nephia.

Since Pullman's inauguration, Felixan relations with Lavoie et Saint Tuc have severly deteriorated, largely due an international incident where Lavoian government officials accused New Felix of kidnapping several Lavoian citizens, many of whom were rumored to have connections with various Wysterian Drug Organizations. Pullman has staunchly denied any Felixan involvement or intervention in Lavoie et Saint Tuc, and even suggested that Lavoian officials had fabricated a story about UCA Argent Counterfeiters in order to retaliate.

Domestic Policies

Pullman has severly cut back upon government subsidies to major corporations, particularly those within the automotive industry, using the saved funds to grant a large tax cut to the middle class. Additionally, Pullman has shrank the Commerce, Military, and Environmental budgets, while increasing education funds. These policies have been harshly criticized by many corporate CEOs, who accuse the President of deliberately shrinking the size of Felixan Industries, thereby reducing profits. Pullman has contended that coporations were receiving far too much public funds under the Pistapoch Administration, often at the expense of the Middle Class. According to UN reports, the Felixan Automotive Industry has went from #2 in the region in 2003 to #13 in the region in 2006.

See Also

• New Felix Election 1991
• New Felix Election 1993

External Links

• [1] - Wysterian Union Biography