it's 1988... Sanders is the popular mayor of Burlington, famous for his effective revitalization of that city's downtown center...
September, 1988: Dukakis is killed when he gets too close to a couple alligators at a gator farm in Florida
Bentsen, under pressure to choose a "balancer" for mourning liberals, goes past Jesse Jackson and goes right to asking New England liberal Bernie Sanders to be his vice presidential running mate.
At first, Sanders is reluctant, pointing out that at least Jesse Jackson would be more effective on the campaign trail, Gore is better-looking, etc.
(When it's pointed out that Sanders does get to make a civil rights notch in his being the first Jewish vice-presidential nominee, among other arguments including the opportunity to Make A Difference, Sanders accepts.)
Bentsen metaphorically guns down Bush in the final election. (Sanders is very professorial in his dissection of Quayle during their television debate.)
In the months leading up to the Bentsen-Sanders inauguration, observers toy with reports that Sanders could wear two hats, including Secretary of HUD along with VP.
Tragedy struck again a couple days before the inauguration, however: Lloyd Bentsen Jr. was riding in a car with his father Lloyd Bentsen Sr.
at the wheel when the vehicle apparently ran a stop sign and ended up struck on the side by another vehicle. Both father and son were dead at the scene.
Days later, a nation united in grief and shock witnessed the inauguration of the young-ish (born 9/8/1941, in 1989 he's umm 57) Bernard "Bernie" Sanders as president.