Nixon in 1952?

[Wakie]

I think you would have gotten a much stronger field if Eisenhower had not run and I doubt seriously Nixon would have won the nom.

[Wakie]

Wakie, what do you mean by "With Eisenhower out of the running, you would have had a much stronger field"?  Eisenhower was a can't-miss candidate for President, he was wooed by the Democrats and the Republicans as early as 1948.

I'm saying that because Ike was such a strong candidate there were few who wanted to run against him.  If Ike declines to run then more Republicans (and probably more Democrats) run for Pres.

Sure, we can arrange a scenario wherein Nixon ends up as President.  But odds are he wouldn't be as paranoid as he was in '68, nor would he be as experienced and skillful as he was in '68.  Without Ike's political capitol Nixon could have very well been a terrible disaster.

[Wakie]

I actually don't think Taft would have selected Nixon as his VP.  Eisenhower only went with him because he thought he had to.  Taft and Nixon would had dramatic differences on foreign policy.  From what I've read Taft was a non-interventionalist vs Nixon who was firmly on board with NATO and stopping Communism at every turn.

One would think Taft would select a running mate with views closer to his own.