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Have we ever discussed the possibility of President George Cortelyou? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_B._Cortelyou POD: If Chief Justice Fuller had died a few years earlier than in OTL, Taft might have accepted an appointment to be Chief Justice, thus taking himself out of the 1908 presidential race. (Taft had declined a couple of opportunities to be *Associate* Justice, but Chief Justice might be another matter.) Say, TR is impressed by, among other things, Cortelyou's response to the Panic of 1907. (As the Wikipedia article notes, "He eased the crisis by depositing large amounts of government funds in national banks and buying government bonds. To prevent further crises, Cortelyou advocated a more elastic currency and recommended the creation of a central banking system.") Sure, TR might prefer his friend Root, but he worries that as a "Wall Street lawyer" Root might be vulnerable against Bryan...

Cortelyou had also served as an efficient chairman of the Republican National Committee--certainly TR could have no complaints about the 1904 election results!--as Postmaster General, and as Secretary of Commerce and Labor. Earlier he had helped TR reorganize the White House after McKinley's death, turning it into a more professional organization.

If TR decides in favor of Cortelyou, I don't see the Republican National Convention defying TR's will--nor is it likely Bryan will beat him in November.
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