DBWI: William McKinley Picks Hobart for VP

In 1896, the GOP was prepared to nominate Garrett Hobart for Vice President until McKinley interfered and picked Lyman Gage. Gage’s moderation made the Republican ticket more acceptable to formerly Democratic voters such as the Mugwumps and many former Bourbon Democrats in the Midwest, New York, and the previously “Solid” South, where the ticket picked up Virginia and Tennessee. This led to a landslide loss for William Jennings Bryan and discredited his Populism.

Garrett Hobart died in 1899, so assuming he dies around the same time as VP, who would McKinley pick for his VP in a 1900 election, and what knock-on effects could that have on history, especially given whoever he picks as VP has a good chance of succeeding him as President, as Gage did IOTL?
 
In 1896, the GOP was prepared to nominate Garrett Hobart for Vice President until McKinley interfered and picked Lyman Gage. Gage’s moderation made the Republican ticket more acceptable to formerly Democratic voters such as the Mugwumps and many former Bourbon Democrats in the Midwest, New York, and the previously “Solid” South, where the ticket picked up Virginia and Tennessee. This led to a landslide loss for William Jennings Bryan and discredited his Populism.

Garrett Hobart died in 1899, so assuming he dies around the same time as VP, who would McKinley pick for his VP in a 1900 election, and what knock-on effects could that have on history, especially given whoever he picks as VP has a good chance of succeeding him as President, as Gage did IOTL?
Maybe that populist candidate Teddy Roosevelt? He could have led America into the Iron War instead of Taft.
 
Maybe that populist candidate Teddy Roosevelt? He could have led America into the Iron War instead of Taft.

Teddy Roosevelt stood virtually no chance, though, after his unfortunate gunshot wound to the spine in the Spanish-American War left him paralyzed for life. Interesting point about the Iron War, but I wonder if Roosevelt would have been more in favor of Germany rather than Taft, the noted Anglophile since his appointment as ambassador to Britain in McKinley’s second term.
 
In 1896, the GOP was prepared to nominate Garrett Hobart for Vice President until McKinley interfered and picked Lyman Gage. Gage’s moderation made the Republican ticket more acceptable to formerly Democratic voters such as the Mugwumps and many former Bourbon Democrats in the Midwest, New York, and the previously “Solid” South, where the ticket picked up Virginia and Tennessee. This led to a landslide loss for William Jennings Bryan and discredited his Populism.

Garrett Hobart died in 1899, so assuming he dies around the same time as VP, who would McKinley pick for his VP in a 1900 election, and what knock-on effects could that have on history, especially given whoever he picks as VP has a good chance of succeeding him as President, as Gage did IOTL?

I hate this idea, if for no other reason, than this gets rid of America's first (and only) Theosophist President! Although I'm not a huge fan of Gage - he was far too moderate during a time when agitation for Progressive reforms of the government were building - the near hysteria that erupted in certain circles when he bought that land in Southern California at the Theosophist Retreat is still one of my favorite moments in American history - the sight of every GOP challenger bending over backwards to prove how Christian they were is just hilarious. And it lead to LaFollette getting the nomination in 04 and reelected in 08, with the GOP becoming the dominant Progressive party, so it was all probably for the best. Still, one has to feel a bit bad for Gage, though he seems to have enjoyed his retirement in So Cal, and his metaphysical studies. So good on him!

Now, if you have Hobart getting the nomination and dying, hmmmmmm. Maybe Elihu Root
 
Teddy Roosevelt stood virtually no chance, though, after his unfortunate gunshot wound to the spine in the Spanish-American War left him paralyzed for life. Interesting point about the Iron War, but I wonder if Roosevelt would have been more in favor of Germany rather than Taft, the noted Anglophile since his appointment as ambassador to Britain in McKinley’s second term.

Well, i wouldn't say that Roosevelt had NO chance. Despite his injuries, he did go on to become Governor of New York and was a super successful Senator. Now that I think of it, its interesting that Roosevelt served in the Senate alongside Thomas Gore of Oklahoma who was also disabled (he has lost his sight when he was younger).

However, I think there was enough of a stigma in the US at the time about disabled people that it would have prevented him being named as McKinley's VP. If there were worries about his health, they wouldn't want to name him to a position who's responsibilities include taking over as President in case of the death of the current office holder (not that anyone could have foreseen McKinley's assassination in the months after his reelection, but still)
 
I hate this idea, if for no other reason, than this gets rid of America's first (and only) Theosophist President! Although I'm not a huge fan of Gage - he was far too moderate during a time when agitation for Progressive reforms of the government were building - the near hysteria that erupted in certain circles when he bought that land in Southern California at the Theosophist Retreat is still one of my favorite moments in American history - the sight of every GOP challenger bending over backwards to prove how Christian they were is just hilarious. And it lead to LaFollette getting the nomination in 04 and reelected in 08, with the GOP becoming the dominant Progressive party, so it was all probably for the best. Still, one has to feel a bit bad for Gage, though he seems to have enjoyed his retirement in So Cal, and his metaphysical studies. So good on him!

Now, if you have Hobart getting the nomination and dying, hmmmmmm. Maybe Elihu Root

Hahaha! I had quite forgotten about that incident, thanks for the reminder. However, I’m surprised at your admiration for La Follette, most historians of the progressive variety find him utterly incompetent, as his only major long term progressive accomplishments were in the realm of women’s suffrage, lowering tariffs, and the Federal Reserve.

Interesting idea, there, but how would Root be different from Gage and probably even La Follette, since Gage nearly won anyway and would have been the nominee had he renounced Theosophism
 
Well, i wouldn't say that Roosevelt had NO chance. Despite his injuries, he did go on to become Governor of New York and was a super successful Senator.

However, I think there was enough of a stigma in the US at the time about disabled people that it would have prevented him being named as McKinley's VP. If there were worries about his health, they wouldn't want to name him to a position who's responsibilities include taking over as President in case of the death of the current office holder (not that anyone could have foreseen McKinley's assassination in the months after his reelection, but still)
Plus Teddy established the Populist Party as a caterer to minority rights and the disenfranchised. It shifted America into a three party system.
 
Plus Teddy established the Populist Party as a caterer to minority rights and the disenfranchised. It shifted America into a three party system.

Eh, i think Roosevelt gets a bit too much credit for the founding of the Second Populist Party. He only joined the organization in '08 with the hope of securing its Presidential nomination.

The real movers and shakers in the party were men like future Senator Victor Berger and Eugene Debs - mainly socialists, farmer-labor activists and progressives who chaffed under LaFollette's leadership (the man was an effective party builder and is responsible for dragging the GOP to the Left, but he could be a difficult person to see under at times).

Honestly, I've always felt Roosevelt fell into the latter camp. Both he and LaFollette were men who couldn't brook not being the biggest and loudest man in the room at any given time, and tensions were always gonna break out. But, despite this, sometimes Roosevelt could be just plain petty - such as trying to gain the nomination of a third party in order to deny the Presidency to a man of his own party who he agreed with 90 percent of the time, but personally disliked.

But, Im a LaFollette fanboy, so I would say that (though I DO like Roosevelt, and have voted Populist myself at times!)

Still, you're right, Roosevelt did play a role in 08 and helped secure the 3rd Party, though he failed to unseat LaFollette. And he continued to back the party and campaign for it for years. Without him, we wouldn't have the current division in American politics with the Populists on the Left, the GOP being Center-Left and the Democracy on the Right. Also, we probably wouldn't have seen the Quinton Roosevelt or the Daniel Hoan administration's during the 30s and the 40s - and that would be a shame.
 
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