While many claim LIncoln surviving would have made a big difference in the aftermath of the Civil War, there's one problem - whether Marfan's Syndrome, a hereditary cancer syndrome, or, let's face it, just the grind of having been President may have killed him anyway before his term was up - though other doctors say he was in good health.
With that in mind, who would be the best V.P. for LIncoln? Let's give him a couple more years, but give the V.P. a couple years, too - in case he wants to run in 1868.
To allow someone like Grant more time to make it, let's figure the Civil War will surely end a few months after - or ended a few months before, if you want - the 1864 Republican convention. (He was suggested even in OTL, but I honestly don't know how poeple expected that to work.) A general probably would have been possible anyway, but this makes it a little more likely.
I've eliminated most Democrats from the poll, as I know my limitations mean it's not very likely a Peace Democrat would be chosen, but I kept Andrew Johnson, just because he was the V.P. in OTL.
Finally, let's try to refrain from discssing whether LIncoln would have been as great a tthe peace. This is mostly to determine who would have been the best pick to continue in Lincoln's footsteps, with the skill that Lincoln had.
Personally, I wonder if Grant might have done a lot better if he'd served as V.P. first. Part of his problem was that he was too trusting. Given some time with Lincoln, learning the ropes, he might have avoided some of the bigger problems that he had. that's one reason I voted for him. Also, I read where John Fremont had begun to run but then withdrew; and he might have under this scenario, if the war was already run. Grant, therefore, might have been needed to bolster LIncoln's chances.
Of course, there might be some unknown I'm not thinking of; But, they couldn't be too unknown - Joshua Chamberlain, for instance, didn't make my list because I don't see how - at only 38 - he'd have been chosen, considering he'd never held office before. Although, who'd have guessed Franklin Pierce for President in 1852, either.
