Dale Morse

His Excellency Dale Morse CI
Dale Morse, 1999
9th President of Imagua and the Assimas
In office 23 April, 1996 – 23 April, 2000
Prime Minister	Gerald Larsson
Preceded by	Isidoro Libero
Succeeded by	Erico D'Antonio
Member of Parliament for Tarnstead
In office 23 April, 1980 – 23 April, 1996
Preceded by	Dwane Harris
Succeeded by	Preston May
Personal details
Born	Dale Morse (1925-04-29)29 April 1925 Cuanstad, Saint Ellen's, Imagua and the Assimas
Died	9 May 2000(2000-05-09) (aged 75) Cuanstad, Imagua and the Assimas
Nationality	Imaguan
Political party	Sotirian Labour Party
Other political affiliations	National Labour Party (1979-1996) Imaguan Party of Democrats (1963-1979)
Spouse	Jillian Ornell
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Cuanstad
Military service
Allegiance	Imagua
Branch/service	Militia
Years of service	1942-1946

Dale Morse (29 April, 1925 - 9 May, 2000) was an Imaguan politician and businessman who served as the parliamentary leader of the National Labour Party from 1985 to 1992, and as the ninth President of Imagua and the Assimas from 1996 until 2000.

Early life

Dale Morse was born in the Cuanstad neighbourhood of Tarnstead to dockworker Joseph Morse and housewife Eleanor Morse, as the only son on 29 April, 1925. Morse grew up in poverty during the Great War and Gaullican occupation of Imagua, but during this time, he proved himself to be a bright student.

In 1936, after passing the eleven-plus, Morse attended the Assim Asteris Grammar School due to his high scores, despite his parent's financial predicament due to help by "the Labour MP," who saw a "potential politician" in Morse. He would pass the O-levels in 1940, and completed Sixth Form in 1942.

He would enlist to serve in the colonial militia during the Solarian War, serving until the war's end. Following the war's end, Dale Morse would begin work as a car salesman at a dealership in Tarnstead, where he would gain a reputation as being a prolific seller of vehicles "both old and new."

By the late 1950s, Dale Morse would begin to develop an interest in Imaguan politics, "campaigning for the election of Eric Fleming" in 1960 because "he was one of us: he was a black man like myself who represents me." However, he would find the Democratic Labour Party "too socialist" for his liking, and saw the Sotirian Democratic Party as being "too closely associated with the white minority who had dominated this land for over three hundred years."

Political career

Early political career

In 1963, Dale Morse joined the Imaguan Party of Democrats, seeing them as the "only viable option" between the "far-left Democratic Labour Party" and the "racist Sotirian Democrats." He would become active in his local constituency association, campaigning for local Democratic candidates.

By 1972, Morse had risen enough that in that year's elections, he would be candidate for the seat of Tarnstead for the Imaguan Party of Democrats. Although Dale Morse would lose to incumbent DLP MP Dwane Harris, Dale Morse gained second place, beating out SDP candidate Jacob Franklin, as Morse was able to prove that Franklin was a "staunch supporter of racist policies." This helped boost his profile within the Imaguan Party of Democrats, and by 1976, he was almost able to oust Harris from his seat, but he was narrowly defeated.

However, when five MPs from the DLP split to form the National Labour Party in 1978, Dale Morse was an enthusiastic supporter for "uniting the centre" against the "Scylla of the DLP and the Charybdis of the SDP." The following year, the two parties merged, and Dale Morse would, in 1980, secure the seat of Tarnstead, succeeding Dwane Harris, and allowing him to enter Parliament for the first time.

After the death of President Anthony Brockett in 1981, a snap election was called by new President Pietro Muro. Dale Morse would fend off a challenge from Dwane Harris, allowing him to keep his seat in the Chamber of Commons. Following Travis Marshall tendering his resignation as leader of the National Labour Party in 1981, Dale Morse was seen as a potential nominee for the leadership, but he was defeated by Raniero Chinnici.

Despite an offer to run for the Presidency in 1984, Morse rejected Chinnici's offer, saying that "Marshall should run for the presidency." Thus, Dale Morse would run for a third term in the Chamber of Commons against DLP candidate Leonell Burton. Despite Burton accusing Morse of being corrupt and sleazy, due to his reputation as being a used car salesman, Morse was able to persuade voters that Burton "lacked the strength needed to be a politician." This helped Morse defeat Burton with 63% compared to Burton's 21%.

Parliamentary leader

File:Dale Morse concession speech 03 25 88.jpg

Dale Morse concedes, 1988

After Chinnici's failure to make any headway, despite finally becoming Official Opposition, Chinnici resigned. Dale Morse decided to throw his hat into the National Labour Party leadership race in 1985, which saw Morse win against Ted Branson with 55% of the vote. With Morse now the parliamentary leader of the National Labour Party, Morse sought to present the party as an alternative "to the extremes of the DLP or the SDP."

While Dale Morse's folksy attitude and acerbic wit made him popular among voters, continued vote-splitting with the SDP and the high popularity of Marguerite Ernman and Edmondo Privitera, meant that in the 1988 general elections, Dale Morse did gain eleven seats, but failed to dislodge the governing DLP from power, and kept his own seat from the DLP challenger. However, the 1988 elections saw the SDP fall to one seat, effectively ending their role as a viable political force.

At the 1989 leadership review, Dale Morse was able to remain as leader of the National Labour Party. During this time, he sought to capitalise on attracting voters from the Sotirian Democratic Party who felt that their party no longer had any chance whatsoever, as well as moderates in the Democratic Labour Party who opposed the party's social policies. This was helped by revelations of Pietro Muro's corruption scandals, which weakened the DLP's popularity as they were now seen as corrupt.

Thus, in 1992, Dale Morse would run for a second time to try and become Imaguan Prime Minister again. While Morse was, at various points during the campaign, more popular than DLP nominee Gerald Larsson, due to vote splitting between the NLP and the SDP, it was expected Larsson would become Prime Minister. When the results came in, although the NLP increased their seat count to 30, and Morse kept his seat, he once again failed to defeat the DLP.

On his concession speech, he announced that he will resign as party leader "with immediate effect" and accept "my God-given role in the party, whatever it may be." At the 1992 leadership convention, he endorsed Erico D'Antonio to succeed him as parliamentary leader, and with Morse's help, D'Antonio became the parliamentary leader of the National Labour Party.

Presidency

File:Dale Morse 96.jpg

Official portrait of Dale Morse, 1996

After serving as a backbencher following his resignation as parliamentary leader, Dale Morse was selected in 1995 to be the National Labour's candidate for the Presidency of Imagua and the Assimas for the upcoming general election.

When the writ was dropped, Morse ran against incumbent Democratic Labour president Isidoro Libero. Unlike the 1992 general elections, the Sotirian Democratic Party did not name any presidential candidate, which gave a significant advantage to Morse's election campaign. This was aided by Gerald Larsson's unpopularity, particularly over his decision to try and introduce Sunday trading to Imagua and the Assimas which he was forced to retract after backlash from religious conservatives and labour unions.

Dale Morse campaigned on "bringing common sense to the Presidency" and on bringing "a check to the ambitions of the Democratic Labour Party." He would resonate with voters, particularly as anti-incumbency became prevalent among many Imaguan voters. Morse would also perform well in the Estmerish language debates held on ITS, although Libero performed better on the Etrurian debates.

When the results came in on 22 March, 1996, Morse would win with 52% of the vote, defeating Libero who earned 47% of the vote. This was enough for Dale Morse to be elected as the first President since Venanzio Mazzone to not come from the Democratic Labour Party, and the first (and only) President to come from the National Labour Party.

On 23 April, 1996, he was sworn in as President. He appointed Larsson as Prime Minister, as per constitutional convention.

With cohabitation was now in effect, as the National Labour Party controlled the Imaguan presidency, while the Democratic Labour Party formed a majority government, Morse largely served a ceremonial role, although he and Larsson negotiated an agreement, whereby Dale Morse would be responsible for foreign policy and for appointments to the Legislative Council, while Larsson would be responsible for all other policies.

Thus, Dale Morse would spend his presidency representing Imagua and the Assimas on the world stage, and to present his party's agenda in contrast to the Democratic Labour Party's agenda. In 1997, Dale Morse approved of the merger between the National Labour Party and the Sotirian Democratic Party to create the Sotirian Labour Party, with Morse joining the merged party in April 1997.

Dale Morse would prove to be popular among Imaguans, with Morse consistently garnering higher approval ratings than Gerald Larsson. By June 1999, Morse was nominated to run for a second term for the Imaguan presidency, with Erico D'Antonio being chosen to run as Prime Minister.

Illness and death

By August 1999, Dale Morse was complaining of "severe headaches" and suffered several falls. On the insistence of his wife, he went to the King Charles Hospital in Cuanstad, where he was given the diagnosis of brain cancer. Thus, Morse announced his diagnosis on 16 August, and announced that due to his diagnosis, he would "not run for the Presidency after all." Morse jokingly blamed his cancer on "the many lies made by my DLP government," saying that "I don't remember what Larsson said that triggered it, but I damn well know it was him."

Shortly after his speech, Dale Morse went to Windstrand in Nuvania where he was treated in palliative care. While Morse remained in touch with the Imaguan government, and remained somewhat active within the Sotirian Labour Party, by endorsing Erico D'Antonio to run for the Presidency at the November leadership convention, and Agnes Ingram to run for the Prime Minister, Morse's condition deteriorated.

On 23 December, 1999, Dale Morse returned to Cuanstad, and on his final Nativity speech the following day, he thanked well-wishers "from all across Imagua," but informed Imagua that his brain cancer was terminal. He vowed to "stay alive until after D'Antonio was sworn in," saying that "I do not want the DLP to regain the Presidency because I died."

After officially calling the election on 28 January, 2000, Dale Morse completely withdrew from public life, not even appearing on the campaign trail. This led to speculation as to whether or not Dale Morse was still alive.

After the Sotirian Labour Party won the 2000 elections on 24 March, 2000, taking control of both the Chamber of Commons and the Presidency, fears abounded of a constitutional crisis, as the Prime Minister was supposed to succeed the President in case of the President's death, while the Deputy Prime Minister will serve as acting Prime Minister until fresh parliamentary elections were held. However, given that the 2000 elections were already held, which saw the Sotirian Labour Party take control of both the Presidency and Parliament, but they would not be sworn in until 23 April, 2000, there was heavy speculation as to who would succeed Morse.

Thus, on 27 March, 2000, Dale Morse, President-elect Erico D'Antonio, Prime Minister-elect Agnes Ingram, outgoing Prime Minister Gerald Larsson, and outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Eleonora Lavorgna met to hash out an agreement. The agreement stipulated that in the event that Morse died between 24 March and 23 April, 2000, Larsson would become President, appoint Lavorgna to be Prime Minister, who in turn would appoint Ingram as Deputy Prime Minister, and then Larsson would resign in favour of Lavorgna, who would serve until 23 April, 2000, when the President-elect and Prime Minister-elect were officially sworn in. A joint press release by all five was released the following day to announce the agreement had been signed.

Following the agreement being signed by all parties, Morse left the Red House to move to a hospice in Cuanstad, effectively making the outgoing cabinet the Acting President. However, this agreement never went into effect, as Dale Morse survived the rest of his term. On 23 April, 2000, D'Antonio officially succeeded Morse, with Morse appearing at the inauguration ceremony in a wheelchair.

His condition would significantly deteriorate after this: on 1 May, Morse was given membership of the Order of Imagua early, as it was unclear whether he would survive until the award was traditionally awarded on 29 June.

On 9 May, 2000, Dale Morse was found dead at the hospice, having died in his sleep. As per his wishes, he was laid in state at the Red House, before his funeral at the Cuanstad Embrian Cathedral on 15 May, which was attended by Marguerite Ernman, Edmondo Privitera, Isidoro Libero, Gerald Larsson, Erico D'Antonio, and Agnes Ingram, as well as his friends and family. Morse was then subsequently buried at King's Cemetery, where his wife would be buried alongside him upon her death in 2013.

Personal life

Dale Morse was married to Edith Morse (1931-2013), marrying her in 1950. They had three children: Edna Anderson, who was born in 1952, and is a chef, Shiloh Morse, born in 1953, who was a public school teacher until retiring in 2018, and Emily Greer, who was born in 1955. At the time of Dale's death in 2000, he was survived by his wife, his children, and his five grandchildren.

He spoke Eastern Imaguan Creole as a first language, but learnt Estmerish in school. He would later learn Western Imaguan Creole and Etrurian, and was fluent in all four languages.

Dale Morse was a devout member of the Embrian Communion, with Morse sympathising with the Low Churches.

Honours

Domestic

• - Commander of the Order of Imagua, 2000