2008: Barack Obama/Joe Biden vs. Rudy Giuliani/John Thune (with a twist)

[justW353]

After a life-threatening heart attack in May 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney announces he will not seek or accept the Republican nomination as their candidate for Vice President in 2004.  Several weeks later, President George W. Bush announces his replacement; Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. 

Blah blah blah they win in 2004 blah blah blah

Rudy runs in 2008, wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, and his opponents fall apart.  He selects a conservative, Senator John Thune, as his running mate to counter claims he is not conservative enough.

How does this election turn out? 

Vice President Rudy Giuliani/Senator John Thune
vs.
Senator Barack Obama/Senator Joe Biden

[justW353]

I don't think Giuliani would've wanted to play second fiddle to Bush for 4 years. He would've been tied to all of the negatives that happened in Bush's second term. A more likely VP for Bush in 2004 would have been Bill Frist.

A lot of Bush's advisers wanted to drop Cheney; he flat out told them no.

If he had done it, Rudy was his top pick though.