Reagan '68: VP choices?

[johnpressman]

Rhodes was an overweight and unphotogenic character.  Also, Reagan being a state governor with no foreign policy experience would have to pick a senator or representative with a certain amount of seniority.  The pickings are slim, in that the GOP in 1968 was recovering from years of decline, with its resurgence only beginning in 1966.

Maybe Sen. Phillip Griffin of Michigan or  even Regan/Ford in 1968?

[johnpressman]

Former Acting Governor, you are right on.  Nixon begged Rocky to take second place on the ticket in 1960 to no avail.  Rocky ONLY wanted the top spot, but his 1962 divorce and remarriage pretty much ended his Presidential aspirations, but you couldn't tell him that.

The Vice Presidency that Ford handed him in 1974 was sort of a parting gift.  His  thought that he would stay on the ticket in 1976 was insanity.  He was very unpopular among rank and file Republicans even with his support for the Vietnam war and his tough anti-drug policies in his home state if NY.

[johnpressman]

Once again, you are right, Fuzzy Bear.  I grew up in NY knowing only one governor; Nelson Rockefeller.  Every election he was behind, looking like a loser, then the Democrats would shoot themselves in the foot and he would get reelected.

Back to Reagan's VP choice, should he have won the nomination in 1968.  He would have to pick someone who was NOT part of the GOP resurgence in 1966 as they, like Reagan, would have had less than two years experience in government.  He would also have to pick someone with foreign policy experience, possibly Sen. John Tower of Texas or Everett Dirksen of Illinois (who might have made a difference in 1960 as Nixon's running mate), Rep. Gerald Ford or Sen. Robert Griffin of Michigan as a sop to the moderate or liberal wings of the GOP.

[johnpressman]

I cannot envision Reagan picking Sen. Charles Percy of ILL as his running mate had he won the GOP nomination for president in 1968. A former actor with less than two years in government would have too pick a more seasoned VP and either a moderate or conservative so as not to alienate his political braintrust and electoral base. Percy was too inexperienced and too liberal to share the ticket with Reagan in that year.

A candidate with more experience in foreign policy would offset Reagan lack of same, maybe Gerald Ford or Sen. Griifin from Michigan or Sen. John Tower of Texas. The aforementioned also have the advantage of coming from large states that would be valuable in the November election.

[johnpressman]

John Tower was elevated to the Senate in 1961 by a special election to fill LBJ's Senate seat after he became VP (LBJ had an exception passed through the Texas Legislature that enabled him to run for VP and the U.S. Senate simultaneously).

Tower and Reagan had their differences in 1976 as Tower supported President Ford for the GOP l nomination even after Texas granted Reagan all their delegates due to his victory in their primary election.

Still, Reagan's VP choices in 1968 would be very limited due to his lack of political experience and the dearth of suitable GOP candidates after the disastrous elections of 1958 and 1964.  The GOP resurgence of 1966 produced many fresh faces for Nixon to chose from (Agnew, Percy, etc.), but only because Nixon's lengthy experience granted him the luxury of choosing a fresh face.  Reagan, having only served less than two years as Governor of California, would be forced  to chose a more experienced Republican with some foreign policy background to make his candidacy viable.

[johnpressman]

   

Not only was Case too old, sixty four years of age has a different meaning today when  people live a lot longer and are expected to be productive well into their sixties.  Such was not the case in 1968.

More importantly, Case was one of the most liberal members of EITHER party in 1968 and was an early opponent of the Vietnam War and a supporter of LBJ's Great Society programs. This would have made him a nonstarter as Reagan's VP in 1968.  Reagan supported an ESCALATION of the conflict as a means to total victory in Vietnam.  Case spoke out against the war as early as September 1967. 

Also, remember, Reagan was a fledgling politico in 1968, his campaign being mastermind by the GOP right wing, no way would they take Case, his VP candidacy would have undermined Reagan's candidacy.  Once again, Reagan would have slim pickings for a suitable VP in 1968.

[johnpressman]

I also read "If Kennedy Lived" and the author had Reagan running against Senator Hubert Humphrey
in 1968, JFK has defeated Barry Goldwater in 1964.

If Reagan had run in 1968, Gerald Ford would have been the ONLY suitable running mate.  The GOP had been devastated in the elections of 1958 and 1964.  The resurgence of 1966 would have brought in candidates too inexperienced for Reagan who had won the California Governorship that year.  Only a more seasoned candidate, a GOP moderate with some foreign policy experience would have been chosen; hence Ford.