Career Military Officer to US Presidency Post 1970

IIRC the main thing stopping him from running was the fact that his wife didn't want him to. Butterflies could easily change her mind, but he's still not guaranteed a win.
  • Pre-1992, he doesn't have a high enough profile
  • 1992: he wouldn't dare run against an incumbent H.W. Bush
  • 1996: he's a shoo-in for the nomination, but would struggle against Clinton in the general
  • 2000: he would have to wrestle the nomination away from Dubya, but he would trounce Gore if successful. (His chances are strongest here, IMO)
  • 2004: he wouldn't run against an incumbent Dubya
  • 2008: he's a shoo-in again, but no Republican, no matter how moderate, could win after Bush Jr and during the Recession. Age also becomes a factor.
  • Post 2008, he's too old.
If Powell wanted to run in 2000 Dubya wouldn't have had a chance to be considered. All Powell had to do was say yes I'm interested and the job was his, Similar to Ike in 1952 or Grant in 1868.
 
Well, that got my attention! Can you elaborate on why?
He's just too far right and bombastic to be a candidate for national office. Great guy, but there are unproven whispers of sexual harassment, the torture incident in Iraq, and rabidly anti-Islam rhetoric that would make Trump look moderate.

I'm as right wing as they come but I just don't see a political future for West. Like I said, great guy but too flawed for national office. Had he won his 2012 race - a tight squeeze OTL - he would have run for President in 2016 but would likely drop out in favor of Trump or Cruz (likely the latter) before Iowa.
 
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Oliver North almost won a Senate seat in 1994. Probably couldn't get the Presidency, but still someone to consider especially if he has a pretty good career in the Senate and lasts a long while enough that his pas disgrace isn't the first thing that people think of.
 
James Gavin anybody?
The “two star platoon commander” as President? Hell yeah!
-It is probably ASB but Kennedy/Gavin in 1960?
-Maybe Johnson taps him to be Vice President in November 1963? Gavin then runs for President in 68 and beats Nixon. Appoints Matt Ridgeway as secretary of Defense or Secretary of State (wouldn’t it be nice?)
 
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